Part one. Joinage

 I didn't really know what i was doing this for until i came up with the name for this blog. adventures of a death metal guitarist. My names is Eric Wolford and i am the lead guitarist in the band Etched in Stone, and i must admit, there's been a lot of things i probably wouldn't have experienced if i hadn't joined this band. 

 I guess I should start at the beginning, seeing as most of you have probably never heard of my band, let alone much about death metal in the states today. I'm writing this because i feel interested people should know a bit more about what its really like being in a death metal band.

 I joined Etched in Stone in December of 2008, and to be completely honest (sorry guys if u read this) i wasn't too sure it would last as long as it has. Most musicians that I've jammed with and said they'd want to start a band, were complete and total flakes, or for some reason we couldn't connect on the musical level that I've connected with the band.

 If you've ever tried to start up your own band you'd understand what I'm saying. either someone doesn't show up, that is if you can even find someone talented enough to play, or they come with nothing but a few small ideas and no talent. I'm not saying i wouldn't work with someone that was truly dedicated to making brutal ass music, but its hard to start from scratch when you've got material out the wazoo, and you have to teach a fellow bandmate how to play their instrument. its a difficult predicament if i do say so myself.

 Anyways back to the joinage of the band. I had just moved out to Oakdale here in sunny broke ass California because i lost my job in Malibu California, and i had to leave my apartment in Los Angeles, because i couldn't find work. thank you very much you incompetent fools that screwed up our economy. if it weren't for you id never have done the things I've done. 

 I have a lot of friends in this area, and while a few were partying, our lead vocalist mentions to them that hes looking for a new guitarist, after just finding a new drummer he just needed the one piece to complete the once established band. My friend who shall remain nameless contacted me right away and told me about the situation. I didn't think i was good enough to play the kind of music they were gearing towards, but it was the first time i had received an offer to join a band, so i decided to say screw it, ill give it a shot.

  My first practice with the band was a little strange. it was more like a reunion of friends and acquaintances than a practice. Brian Lewis a co-worker of my best friend, and husband to an old school mate, Mike Salet, aka White trash mike, aka the Gerber baby, aka the bassist, and Adam Van Holsen, aka Ogre, our drummer and a friend of friends of friends. 

 Brian asked me to show him some of my licks i had done in the past, and seeing as i had been working on a purely for fun project where i recorded lead rhythm and drums at home on my little ghetto pc recording setup, i just sent him to the myspace page where i posted my recordings, and let him listen to a few tracks. After the first go around all he said was "when can you start?" 

 At this point in time i really didnt know much about writing Death metal riffs, mostly due to the crunchy techinicality and insanley fast hand movements involved, but I loved the idea of learning something new that i could apply in my music. Death metal itself is a extreme mix of classical, jazz, and heavy rock played to any horrifying theme you can think of. just listening to it makes peoples blood boil, some in good ways others in ways that makes them uncomfortble. when i first heard it, i have to admit if there were babies around id probably throw em into a wood chipper, but it also gave me a release from my anger, my pent up rage from dissapointments in life, and at that moment i was hooked.

 Back to the origional story i suppose... Etched in stone was origionally a hardcoreish band that before myself and adam joined had already performed quite a few shows with big name bands such as all shall perish (before metal blade) and plenty of others. they were looking to take a new direction most probably for the same reasons i had started trying to write metal. the challenge of it all, and the sweet excstacy of playing gut busting, chealsie grinning death metal for anyone whod listen. when i heard the three songs brian had wrote for the new direction, i was awestruk. i thought to myself, "now heres one guy that i can write with! finally!" 

 I hadnt played with anyone on a long while and the last band i was in had been over 6 years before this point, so i was a bit unsure of my abilities, but after getting the rythm parts to the three songs i had to learn, i became more and more comfortable with the idea of bieng in the band. for a first practice, it was pretty mellow, despite the fact that we played the songs about 8 times a piece so i could learn all of the transitions, for me anyways it was a somber, almost peaceful excitement. I was finally in a band of dedicated musicians, now it was time to get fucking brutal!

i know it was pretty dumbed down this time, but hey, i had to tell you guys how it all started... i will post more soon. I hope you enjoy the adventures of a death metal guitarist.

comment if youd like

Eric Wolford