New England Metal veterans Death Rattle’s new album entitled The Moral Chokehold is currently available on streaming services and will have physical copies for sale on July 11th. The band’s guitarist Ryan Vanderwolk spoke with Metal Express Radio about their new album, working with Björn of Soilwork, his love for playing in Japan, and more. Check out the chat below!
Metal Express Radio: Your band, Death Rattle’s new album entitled The Moral Chokehold is available for streaming, and physical copies released on July 11th, what can you tell fans about your new album?
Vanderwolk: We worked very collectively on this record as well as worked very hard and put everything we had into it. We really hope people enjoy it!
MER: This is your first full length album since your 2017 release entitled Volition, how was the writing and recording process being your band’s first album in eight years?
Vanderwolk: It was very different; this is the first record that Trey had a big impact on everything writing/production wise and it shows. This record ended up being a bit of everything from every angle. Some songs were built by getting together and jamming together, others were riff ideas put together in the studio and pieced together. Working with Kevin Billingslea at Halo Studios in Windham Maine really made a big difference. He was absolutely fantastic and took the record to new heights we could not have without him. We can’t say enough good things about him. We also worked with Jens Bogren of fascination street studios in Sweden and his mix and master is absolutely incredible.
MER: How was it bringing in Björn of Soilwork on the song “Nietzche, and the Fall”?
Vanderwolk: We’ve all been big fans of him, especially his work in Soilwork. It was an honor, and he was incredible as he always is. We really love that song and it’s hard not to say with absolute certainty that it’s our favorite song on the record. We’re excited to start playing it live at our upcoming shows.
MER: You have two shows coming out throughout New England this summer, what other plans do you and your band have to support your new album?
Vanderwolk: We have a couple of record release shows June 13th at Jewel in Manchester NH and June 14th at the cage in Lewiston ME. We’re also going to Europe with Atheist, and Origin September 4th-28th. We’ve been touring quite a bit this year as we did a 3-week U.S tour in January, a couple shows in Tokyo with Left to die, Defiled, and The Convalescence and 10 shows in Europe with Gorgoroth, Aeternus, and Archaic.
MER: Is there anyone that you hope to tour with and why?
Vanderwolk: It’s so hard to answer this question because there’s so many and how high are we setting the bar? Someday it would be a dream to tour with some of my favorite bands but there’s too many to list!
MER: Over the years, you’ve been able to build a following throughout New England and have toured around the world with no major label support. How has it been getting to where you are with a DIY approach?
Vanderwolk: A lot of perseverance and stubbornness actually. We’re always just trying to get out there as much as we can realistically. We love playing live and feel that’s our strength so the more we can do that, the better. We’re lucky to work with amazing agents to make it all happen.
MER: Pantera has had a significant influence on your band, what are your thoughts on their reformation and touring again?
Vanderwolk: Dimebag, and Vinnie are my heroes, and we are actually named after a Pantera song, so your assessment is spot on. If it’s getting another younger generation into some of the greatest metal songs of all time and spreading the legacy of what these guys did while they were alive then that’s a good thing.
MER: How would you compare playing in the U.S. as opposed to playing out of the country like Japan?
Vanderwolk: Japan is VERY different, and VERY special. The fans there are really excited, and welcoming. It’s hard to explain but we LOVE going there. The beautiful thing about metal music is the undying passion the fans have all over the world. I don’t feel there is a genre that is, so family oriented as metal is. It’s so universally unifying.
MER: Other members in your band are also involved in a Pantera tribute Far Beyond Driven, do you see Far Beyond Driven still being active around Death Rattle’s schedule?
Vanderwolk: Yes, Justin and I (Ryan) also have a Pantera tribute called Far Beyond Driven and the answer is yes, we are playing shows pretty consistently and hopefully will be booking many more. We just work it around the busy Death Rattle schedule and sometimes put them together as we are for the June 13th show in Manchester NH and are working on more for later in the year and beyond.
MER: What are your hopes for your band’s future?
Vanderwolk: Our main focus is playing live, spreading the new music, and working on the next record which is underway.
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