Arizona death thrashers Go Ahead And Die’s sophomore full-length effort, Unhealthy Mechanisms, arrived on October 20th via Nuclear Blast Records. Prior to the release, Metal Insider caught up with Igor Amadeus Cavalera to discuss the new record, upcoming plans, and more. 

 

Can you discuss the creative process and inspiration behind the new album, Unhealthy Mechanisms?

I started writing some of the songs while my dad (Max) was on tour. The idea was to build upon the crust, death metal sounds of the first record, but to push the ideas into new directions and to experiment with various song structures. Once we had enough material we did a rough demo of the songs on an outdated 12-track and drum machine. The inspiration came from personal experiences, stories I read about and the general decline of mental health nowadays.

 

How does the new album differ from the debut album in terms of sound and themes?

I think this album has a bit of a clearer production. Everything is kind of crisp even though the songs are blistering and brutal. We approached the vocals much more aggressively, pushing ourselves to sound sicker than the debut. Much more experimental, there’s even a few parts of dissonant noise. The lyrics delve more into psychology than politics on this one.

 

Can you talk more about creating the animated video for “Tumors?”

The lyrics of that song are about liars and backstabbing people, particularly online. In the video you see people typing, texting and as they write rumors their skin bursts out in tumors and boils. Portraying how horrible people are cancerous and make everyone around them horrible too.

 

 

Could you discuss the significance of the apocalyptic desert theme in “Desert Carnage?”

I grew up in the desert. I love Arizona but there’s a lot of violent crime that goes on in the middle of the desert where nobody can see you. The Sonoran is a scorching hot, barely inhabitable place, harsh and brutal. It reflects the people that are toughened by the relentless heat, venomous animals and dangerous rocky terrain. 

 

 

Can you talk more about the songs “No Easy Way Out” and “Cyber Slavery?”

“No Easy Way Out” is an anti-suicide song. A lot of people think about killing themselves, this song is a reminder to keep living, that suicide is not a real way out of whatever you’re going through. “Cyber Slavery” dives into the pretentious world of social media. How so many people compete for popularity online, and in a way become a slave to their cyber personas, and their millions of followers.

 

 

 

Can you share any memorable moments or challenges you encountered while working on the  new album?

This album was intense to make, but quite fun and challenging in its own way. Getting the vocals as nasty as we wanted was a real conquest. I remember feeling frustrated when my voice was raw and burned out from screaming all day, but I had to persevere to get it just right. 

 

Do you perceive any influences from current global events, from political divide to war and the ongoing disarray we see in the news, that might have intersected with the themes explored in your music?

The world around me is always an influence. All over the world people are wracked with war, violence, racism. Brutality is on every street corner. This album is a combination of personal events in my life as well as stories I’ve read from all over the world, things I’ve seen in the news. The more time that goes on the more dystopian things seem, so many of us have declining mental health, that’s where most of the inspiration comes from.

 

What’s next for Go Ahead And Die?

We’re looking forward to the release of the album “Unhealthy Mechanisms” on October 20th.We are planning some touring for next year and hope to play as many cities as we can.

 

Is there anything else you want to say or add about the album?

This album was an amazing thing to create. It comes from a very inner part of my mind and the emotions on the record are authentic. Please give the album a listen and catch us at a show in the future!

 

 

 

 

Check out their latest video for “Drug-O-Cop” below:

 

Go Ahead and Die did, in fact announce a massive 2024 tour. Kicking off on January 19, 2024 in Tuscon, the Unhealthy Mechanisms tour will make 55 stops, including Dallas, Brooklyn, and Seattle before circling back to Arizona on March 24th. Opening each night will be Bodybox and Second Shooter (Jan 19-28), Half Heard Voices (Feb. 7-22), Madzilla (March 1-10) and Deep Within (March 11-24).

Check out all tour dates below:

01/19 Tuscon, AZ @ The Rock

01/20 El Paso, TX @ Rockhouse Bar & Grill

01/21 Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad 

01/23 Lubbock, TX @ Jake’s

01/24 Oklahoma City, OK @ 89th Street

01/25 Dallas, TX @ Trees 

01/26 Austin, TX @ Come And Take It Live!

01/27 Corpus Christi, TX @ House Of Rock

01/28 Houston, TX @ Scout Bar

01/29 New Orleans, LA @ Southport Hall Side Room

01/30 FT. Walton Beach, FL @ Downtown Music Hall

01/31 Jacksonville, FL @ Underbelly

02/01 Winter Park, FL @ Conduit

02/02 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room

02/03 Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum

02/04 Atlanta, GA @ The EARL

02/05 West Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern

02/06 Richmond, VA @ The Camel

02/07 Bensalem, PA @ Broken Goblet Brewing

02/08 Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery

02/09 Clifton, NJ @ Dingbatz

02/10 Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus

02/13 Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall

02/14 Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground

02/15 Syracuse, NY @ The Song & Dance

02/16 Buffalo, NY @ Rec Room

02/17 Mechanicsburg, PA @ Lovedrafts

02/18 New Kensington, PA @ Preserving Underground

02/20 Columbus, OH @ Skully’s Music Diner

02/21 Flint, MI @ Machine Shop

02/22 Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle Brewing

02/23 Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s

02/24 McHenry, IL @ The Vixen

02/25 St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club

02/26 Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium

02/27 Des Moines, IA @ xBK

02/28 Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar

02/29 Omaha, NE @ Wating Room

03/01 Denver, CO @ HQ

03/02 Greeley, CO @ Moxi Theater

03/05 Grand Junction, CO @ Mesa Theater

03/06 Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall

03/07 Boise, ID @ Neurolux

03/08 Seattle, WA @ Substation

03/09 Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre

03/10 Eugene, OR @ WOW Hall

03/11 Redding, CA @ The Dip

03/12 Roseville, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post

03/14 San Jose, CA @ The Ritz

03/15 Santa Cruz, CA @ Atrium At The Catalyst

03/16 Fresno, CA @ Strummer’s 

03/18 Bakersfield, CA @ Temblor Brewing

03/19 North Hollywood, CA @ Knitting Factory

03/20 Palmdale, CA @ Transplants Brewing 

03/21 Long Beach, CA @ Alex’s Bar

03/22 Pomona, CA @ Glass House Concert Hall

03/23 Yuma, AZ @ Red Moon Ale House

03/24 Jerome, AZ @ Puscifer The Store