Paws, Pets & Metal is Metal Insider’s newest column on bands with pets, discovering who watches them on the road, and more. Get to know more about these metal furbabies. We caught up with guitarist Jeffrey Calder of Hatred Reigns, where the group just released their new concept album, Awaken The Ancients, on December 1st. Calder opened up to share memories he has of his late black lab, Finnegan, who was present during the recording process of the group’s new album.
Finnegan (rip Aug 2022) was very much a contributing member of our project. He wanted to be present during our rehearsals and tracking sessions that we did here at the basement makeshift studio when tracking and jamming. – Jeffrey Calder
Tell us more about your pet(s) and their names?
To the Hatred, Jeff here from Hatred Reigns.
My black lab Finnegan was present during the writing, rehearsal, and recording of the album. Unfortunately, he crossed the bridge in August 2022, so he is now in a better pain-free place. There are many fond memories of Finnegan among the band members who had the pleasure of meeting him. One specific memory had him sitting at our feet during rehearsals and recording of the album. Another key memory happened on the last day of tracking the guitar solos. My daughter and dog came running down the stairs screaming that the storm was going to take out our house, as the winds were causing the lights in the basement to flicker. We came upstairs after the winds had let up and discovered the front tree had been blown over and the patio furniture had been seriously impacted. Subsequently while driving out Engineer, Producer, and future vocalist Mitchi home, had us weaving in and out of a wasteland of debris and blown down trees and power lines. Finnegan was shaking due to his anxiety from such a powerful storm. Lastly, one thing that many bandmates witnessed and remarked on was Finnegan’s tendency to back out of doors when he found floors to be slippery.
Have you ever taken your pet on tour?
When playing shows, Finnegan wouldn’t attend but he absolutely loved to jump into the car and wished to join us on such journeys. Though he struggled to get up into the vehicle in the last few months of his life, he never stopped wishing to be on the open road and going on many adventures with the band! He loved discovering new smells and pee spots.
Who looks after your pet while on the road?
Finnegan would be cared for by family when opportunities to play out-of-town events happened. He would trepidatiously go visit other people’s houses as he was traumatized by slippery floors when he was less than 10 years old. As well as climbing stairs, backing out of doors if the floors were slippery, or even exploring lakes/rivers was rife with nervousness.
Despite him being 95% labrador, it seemed the 5% pansy dominated his behaviors. However, once he was climatized and had his dog bed and favorite toys he would adjust to the environment where he stayed. Especially if they offered him peanut butter treats or ice cream. To be fair, he wasn’t too fussy about food if he knew it was coming from humans.
What’s your pet’s favorite song or album?
Pantera’s – WALK. All you had to utter was Re-Spect and his tail would start to wag and he would get super excited because he knew what the next word implied! This was definitely a song that he connected to the most.
How did you introduce your pet to metal?
I don’t think he had much of a choice when he had the honor of driving and exploring drives with me. The very fact that he would come and lay down in front of my guitar cabinet whenever we played seemed to be a true sign of respect and honor. Either that, or he wanted me to take him out for a walk! But it amazed the band members when Finny would join us on the floor in the center of our rehearsal space while we jam. Quite honestly, he probably would come out on stage if it were permitted!
What animal charity means most to you?
The Ottawa Paw Pantry is a registered charity and pet food bank for pet owners in times of need. As a 100% volunteer-run organization, they rely on the community to help keep them as Ottawa’s cats and dogs fed at home with their families. As the cost of living continues to rise, the need has never been greater. Final words would entail: Be sure to support the Metal community. Reign On!
Essential links:
Bandcamp: https://hatredreigns.bandcamp.com/album/awaken-the-ancients-2
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hatredreignsband
Instagarm: https://www.instagram.com/hatredreigns/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hatredreigns1027
Distrokid: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/hatredreigns/awaken-the-ancients
