Interview: Gold Star for the Red Devil Chat About Self-Titled Album
Interview with Isaac Mertz & John Gehring
What inspired the theme or concept behind this album?
Lyrical inspiration for the album came from seeing the current state for the world where things keep getting worse and will continue to get worse. Musically it was a fresh start to both Isaac and John to form a new sound that was more hardcore oriented compared to previous projects for both members which had been thrash metal.
Were there any challenges you faced during the recording process?
Looking back, I think the biggest challenges that we faced during the recording process were determining when enough was enough. We wanted a sound that captured the live energy of the songs without sounding overly perfect.
Which track was the most fun to create, and why?
The most fun track to create was "What We Can Learn from Deep Sea Gigantism (That's a lot of Whale)"because we were intentionally focused on doing something out of the ordinary in the inro with the drum pattern. Musically the song came together really quickly for use because all of the parts felt natural. When we were writing the vocals we again took a focus on doing something out of the ordinary and using too vocal ranges (one for the small perspective and one for the large perspective).
Did any collaborations influence the sound or direction of this project?
No collaborations influenced the direction of the project; all songs were written and recorded by the two members.
How do you feel this album represents your evolution as a band?
This is the band's first album, but I think it sets the tone for what to expect for upcoming releases.
What do you hope your fans take away from this album?
I hope fans are able to feel the angst and rage that we have on this album and appreciate the organic sound.
Do you have any music videos planned for the album? What can you share about them?
We have been discussing ideas related to a video or two from a live performance to something more artistic that does not feature any of the members.
If you could describe this album in three words, what would they be?
Fast, angry, analog
Is there a specific moment during the album’s creation that you’ll always remember?
I will always remember mastering the album at Colorado Sound - we were a little nervous because we knew we were committed to the mix at that point. It was a relief to hear everything sound great in their mastering room and have positive feedback from their engineer during the mastering process since we recorded everything ourselves in our home studios. It was a feeling of achievement that we accomplished creating the album we had envisioned.
Do you have a tour booked or is one being booked to promote the album?
Not at this time.
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