Amplified is a weekly column focusing on new and emerging artists. Got a band that fits the bill? Email amplified@metalinsider.net.

Last week when Metal Insider attended the GWAR-B-Q, one of the benefits of attending the entire weekend was that was we got to see some local talent. At the previous night’s B4BQ, which was headlined by The Black Dahlia Murder, we were impressed by one of the opening acts, Gritter. The band’s sound melds swampy New Orleans sludge with current aggressive metal ala The Crown. We caught up with the band after their set to talk about what it’s like being a Richmond band and being able to pay tribute to GWAR. While they’re currently working on a new album, look below for the title track to last year’s album, Welcome to the Sinkhole.

So what’s your connection to GWAR?

Adam Kravitz (guitars): Our manager Andrew Reilly is the production coordinator for the GWARBQ and has been assisting GWAR in projects for 28 years. We played the last show in Richmond that Dave ever played with them at the National in December. It was us, Iron Reagan, GWAR and Battlecross. Obviously, no one knew, but we feel honored that we were part of that show.

What’s the Richmond metal scene like? Bands like GWAR, Lamb of God and Municipal Waste have definitely put it on the map.

Kevin White (drums): It’s like the eye of Sauron here.

Ryan Kent (vocals): It’s incredible. There are a lot of signed bands coming out of here. You’re either good or you’re not playing shows. You’ve got such good competition in this town, that the level of expertise makes everyone else better.

What’s it mean to have played the B4BQ?

Jason Biniasz (bass) : It’s an incredible honor. We get to be playing in the memorial weekend for Richmond’s king of music.

Adam: The epicenter of musical creativity for 30 years.

I was told to ask about the desert.

Adam: Our last tour we did, which made us go on a bit of a hiatus, we did a tour all the way to San Francisco. We were working our way back down in the desert, and we blew a crankshaft in the middle of the desert. We had to drive for six hours in the desert, 15 miles an hour until we finally made it to Vegas. Our van died, we had to sell all of our gear, and it killed the band. It set us back about a year and a half. We sold everything at Guitar Center for pennies on the dollar, so we decided to take a bunch of ecstasy and walk around the casinos, and had a good time.

Kevin: Then I had a prostitute come up to me, and I thought she was just some girl in an evening gown that wanted to talk to me.

So you have another record coming out?  

Adam: It’ll probably be out in Spring. Tentative album title? ‘Sup.
Talk to me a bit about your current album.

Ryan: Welcome to the Sinkhole was when we finally found our sound, and everything was a cohesive unit.

Jason: We made the album we wanted to hear.