Many metal fans might only know Dez Fafara as the vocalist of DevilDriver. A touring juggernaut, the band released six albums in between their formation in 2003 and 2013’s Winter Kills. However, before the band, he rose to fame as the leader of Coal Chamber, a nu-metal band that released three albums between 1997 and 2002. A few years ago, Coal Chamber re-convened to play the Soundwave shows in Australia, eventually touring with their contemporaries Sevendust. The band signed to Napalm Records, and their fourth album will be released this year. Fafara took some time to answer some questions about the band and the album, which is due out this Spring.
DevilDriver seems to be going strong. What made you decide to take time away from it to return to Coal Chamber?
DevilDriver needed time off after 12 years straight of releasing records and touring harder than any band on the planet, the time was right between the members of Coal Chamber and we had a killer record written , so it was time!
What was the writing process like? Did you have songs over the years that you thought fit Coal Chamber more, or was it a fresh start once you got together?
It was a fresh start , we locked ourselves away in rehearsals and pre-production and really wanted to focus on who the band is NOW . That being said, do not expect a throwback record as that’s not happening and I wouldn’t want to be part of that kind of thing anyways . It’s Coal Chamber just on another level.
It’s been about 20 years since the nu-metal movement was in full bloom. Do you think that there’s going to be or is there currently a revival?
In actuality yes there is a movement of young upstart bands playing that style of music (which is actually no firm style). The point of that scene was every band sounded very different from one another and that’s the beautiful thing about that scene . Coal Chamber has and always will be the bastard child of metal and goth.
How did the Al Jourgensen appearance come about?
He’s a great friend, and truthfully the only one I asked as his music stirs the lines between metal and the dark . Working with him was a blast and the song turned out incredible!
What do you think Coal Chamber’s legacy was?
Our legacy IS that we do our own thing , there’s not a band out there that sounds like us and I wouldn’t have it any other way .
Is this a full-on band now, or just something that will reconvene when there’s time and it feels right?
Full on band with a new killer record!
