Interview of DEAD EARTH
by MONKEYMETAL aka Troll / ODYMETAL,
30th January 2024.
Answers by Jack Sabolich (vocal)
Photos sent by M & O MUSIC / M & O OFFICE
Explain to us in detail how you came to sign with a French label M & O Music and why?
I had reached out to Distilled Entertainment Management Company to help us search for a record label to release our “From The Ruins” album in the Summer of 2023. I appreciate everything that Alexandre and M & O Music has done for us, it was a totally different experience for me as far as working with professionals at this level. It’s much different releasing an album worldwide than it is on a local level. I really appreciate all the advice and help that Alexandre from M & O provided while releasing “From The Ruins”. I learned a lot, I also learned what not to do and how costly mistakes can be at this level.
“Never Forget” is the title of which you shot a video clip, why this title?
“Never Forget” is a song about the injustices that occur in the world today. This is not just a problem in the United States but everywhere. It’s a song about sticking up for yourself and not allowing anyone to bully you or hold you captive to ideologies or beliefs that you may not agree with. It’s a song about not forgetting where you come from and the struggles you endure fighting for your rights and the rights of others.
On your album “From The Ruins” only the title “The Hanged Man” has a solo why?
A month before we started recording the album and right after the band was signed to M & O Music, our bass player Dan Gates moved to fill the vacant guitar position. Dan is naturally a guitar player, so on top of learning how to play the songs on guitar and write solos in the time period we needed him to, I couldn’t ask for anything more from him when it came to playing guitar and writing solos for the album. Dan also wrote the song “Discharge”, so it was just a matter of limited time. If Dan had it his way, I’m sure he would have put a solo on every song because he is one hell of a guitar player, person and songwriter.
Following your message on Facebook on January 7, you announced that you were dissolving the group for several reasons. Can you give us more details? What was the trigger that finally pushed you to make this painful decision and will you not regret it later ?
I disbanded Dead Earth for a few reasons. #1 we lost our drummer to a signed band that tours and doesn’t have to (buy on) to tours. Soon afterwards our bass player left, and that created a problem. I was also bankrolling the band myself, I’m a Union Steelworker with a family and I paid for everything in the band, including all the recording, mixing, mastering, etc. Any tour dates we were offered to get out and support the album we’re all very expensive buy-on tours that I was not able to afford by myself. Touring is not like it was back in the day when bigger bands would take an up and coming band out on the road with them. Today it’s all about guarantees, which is understandable, and getting asses into venues. The music industry is in much disarray now in my opinion, I wouldn't be surprised if you see more awesome bands dissolving because of this. It’s pretty sad, I submitted Dead Earth to every festival I can think of and had no luck getting on any of them. The bands that can afford to jump on buy on tours and festivals are what you’ll see, instead of the killer bands that just can’t afford it. Sorry if this offends people, it is what it is.
Have you already talked about it with the rest of the group, if so what were their reactions ? Or did they find themselves like your fans surprised by this announcement ?
The guys in the group definitely felt my frustration. However, I don’t believe that they thought I would actually say I’m done for good. It’s very disheartening to put so much passion into something, and watch it get crushed because of the way the music industry is today. Plus, I got sick and tired of losing musicians to other bands, paying for everything, and not being able to promote this album the way I would have liked to, and that's playing this music live.
You have announced that you are stopping music for good, however if you are offered to make guest appearances in concert or on an album, you will accept or refuse, why ?
I would definitely accept any offer to play music anywhere, anytime, with anyone if the money is right. My dream was to one day play Wacken, Hellfest, or anywhere in Europe. I still have the vocal chords, writing ability and gas in the tank to go toe to toe with any major league metal band out there today. If the opportunity comes my way that will help me reach that goal, whether it be joining another band or playing music I helped write, than that is something I would have to seriously think about. Until then, I'm going to enjoy spending time with my family.
You have been part of several groups, could you give us a summary of the career you had with each of the groups starting with VINE and AT NO END and tell us why they also disbanded ?
Vine was a band that made a little noise in Cleveland, but didn’t last long. A few of us in the band wanted to go into a heavier direction than the others, which caused the band to dissolve. The album that we released was such an awful sound quality, that I used it as a coffee cup coaster for my table. The idiot that recorded us lost all my good vocal tracks and used the scratch tracks that I recorded when I had an upper respiratory infection. I will never support that album EVER !!
AT NO END was an amazing band that lasted 10 plus years. We opened for tons of national acts and we're considered one of the tightest bands to come out of Cleveland at the time. We actually put out 3 full length albums, “Building The Rebellion”, “Urban Holocaust” and “From The Rust”. The current Dead Earth sound definitely was inspired by the sound AT NO END was known for. The band broke up due to the formation of Hemi Devils and band members going into different directions musically. I do miss playing in this band as well because of the raw aggressive hardcore energy, and the great level headed, professional musicians in the band.
There is also DOSE where you are only on the “Ashes of Winter” Ep. Why not have you continued the adventure with them?
DOSE was a very good band, as a matter of fact, I almost had the drummer from DOSE to replace Colton Zeitler after he left, but we couldn’t make it happen. Mike Marczak was the bass player in DOSE as well, and as you know, Mike was also in Dead Earth and recorded the bass tracks on “From The Ruins”.
If my information is correct there is also HEMI DEVILS but apparently no album has been released, why ?
If there was a band that I thought would have taken the world by the balls and crushed everyone, it would have been Hemi Devils. We released 2 EP’s, “Trilogy of 6 : Volume 1” and “Volume 2”. We took old school Rock and Roll and mixed it with hard driving Metal. Every song was about Pin Up girls, Satan, hot rods, booze, sex and drugs. The trilogy of six is a reference 6x6x6=216 the area code of Cleveland. Unfortunately one of our main songwriter’s passed away this past July, he was an extremely talented musician and a great friend. Taylor Reverendo will be missed, and I wish the world could have heard the Hemi Devils. We were offered a lot of money to reform and play shows, however, it just didn’t happen. Hemi Devils are still a band that I get asked about as far as merchandise is concerned. I would love to get this music released worldwide for Taylor and Taylor alone.
And we end with DEAD EARTH ?
I really don’t see Dead Earth doing anything in the near future unless someone wants to put us on a killer festival or something. If that happened I would ask the guys if they wanted to do it, if not I’d find other musicians that might want to. Never say never I guess.
How do you see the future ? What will your activities be ?
I’ve been enjoying listening to my vinyl albums, and going out and checking out up and coming bands in Cleveland. I've also enjoyed spending time with my family.
For the last words, I'll leave it to you, if you want to add a few things, spread a message or something else, now is the time, please yourself ?
My dream was to always play music and write music that people would enjoy. To spread a message through my lyrics that people from all over the world could relate to. I really hope that the music industry gets it’s act together so that the fans of music can enjoy the great up and coming bands and not shut them out. I would have loved to have toured the world and play our brand of Metal at extremely loud volumes in front of lots of people. I did my best, and I proved to myself that I could take Dead Earth from absolutely nothing, to a juggernaut that got signed to a record label. I want to thank you very much for the opportunity and for giving me the chance to explain my side of the story. Thank you very much and thank you to anyone who takes the time to read this. Be good to one another, remember LOVE will always conquer HATE !!
DEAD EARTH
DEAD EARTH
« From The Ruins »
Cd promo 11 titres (41’11’’)
Thrash Metal Hardcore – USA – disponible, sorti le 24.11.2023
M & O MUSIC / M & O OFFICE
Chronique le 05.12.2023
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