Every Time I Die Not Hiding Behind Fake Metal

It's about that time for Buffalo, N.Y.'s Every Time I Die.

After a decade of belting out high-energy hardcore-influenced metal, they've gone "back to basics." The release of their fourth full-length, The Big Dirty, this past fall saw a great change from 2005's Gutter Phenomenon. Gone were the producers, managers, label heads and other outside forces — from the studio at least — that made Gutter Phenomenon so awkward. This was what vocalist Keith Buckley, brother/guitarist Jordan Buckley, guitarist Andy Williams, drummer Mike Novak and bassist Josh Newton needed to get back on track.

"At the time we did Gutter Phenomenon, a lot of bands were selling a shitload of records," says Newton. "Every peer we had was selling hundreds of thousands of records. We though that maybe we should let a producer try to give us their ideas and see if it was the road we should go down. It just didn't work."

While not exactly an embarrassment to Every Time I Die's legacy, after years of self-sufficiency and an increasing international profile through self-production, the introduction of outside forces on Gutter Phenomenon instantly stood out as the black sheep of the band's recorded output. They've redeemed themselves entirely with The Big Dirty however, the band effectively cleaned house and as the cliche goes, went back to those good old days.

"There was so much influence coming from everywhere, but especially from people behind desks… people who don't do this for a living," Newton continues, clearly ruffled. "We started thinking, 'If you have so many good ideas, why aren't you in a band?' Listening to others threw us off, so we went back to ground zero and did it for us. When we were writing the new record, we took that 'Fuck everyone' road again and banged it out for our own pleasure. We didn't listen to anyone."

The new album returns to the thick low-end rumbling and abrasive breakdowns. It's sincere and honest, and Newton readily admits that he's glad to see The Big Dirty accepted as the band partakes in the Take Action! tour with From First To Last, August Burns Red, The Bled and The Human Abstract. They're glad to be amongst like-minded (as in, down-to-earth) bands again after a few eye-opening experiences during stints on past Sounds Of The Underground and Warped Tours. In this, Newton's call-it-as-he-sees-it mentality about his own band carries over to assessing the world of metal as a whole.

"I think we're very grounded by having such a realization as we did with Gutter Phenomenon and The Big Dirty, where a lot of bands think they're special," he says. "Well, sorry, but anyone can get up and play guitar. Anyone can write a song. It's just that you were lucky enough to be chosen to do it. A lot of those guys are losers and put themselves on this pedestal, alienating themselves, wanting this tough guy image. 'Oh, look, I'm a scary guy!' You know what? In reality they're gonna go back to their bus and play Warcraft. We don't hide that reality with ourselves. The difference between us and other bands is that we're proud of what we are. We don't hide anything." Every Time I Die play at Toronto's Phoenix Concert Theatre on March 19 as part of the Take Action! tourt. They return to Canada in July and August as part of the Warped Tour.