Across three full-length slabs of bludgeoning intensity and snarling rage, I AM puts a Southern stamp and revitalized swagger into deathcore, a subgenre rarely as raw, energized, and diverse as this band. In the spirit of fellow Southern icons Pantera and newer Texan heroes Power Trip, the band channels discontent and anger into empowering anthems, as likely to inspire a gruelling workout as to incite the pit. Reminiscent of the combination of death metal heaviness and thrash metal speed found in the early catalogue of Sepultura, I AM mines the heaviness of Morbid Angel and the dexterity of the Big 4 to create something ground-breaking of their own.
The band are releasing their new album “Eternal Steel” on September 9th and are touring Australia for the very first time this week alongside Thy Art Is Murder, Carnifex and Malevolence. We had a chat to guitarist Tom Reyes about the new album, their first trek down under and the Texas metal scene.
Comments guitarist Tom Reyes of the band’s latest single, ‘Surrender To The Blade’: “When I sat down and that first riff came out, immediately the idea was to just make a metal head banging anthem. Nothing flashy or complex, we just wanted it to sound huge and capture a good groove. [First single] ‘The Iron Gate’ was a newer direction for us, so with each step in that direction, we wanted to compliment a twist on our heavy roots. Actually, the verse riff was meant for a song on Hard 2 Kill — hats off to anyone who can guess which one — but it ended up being a much better fit for this song. Then [founding vocalist] Andrew [Hileman]’s lyrical concept fit perfectly with the instrumental. You hear the first riff and it’s a no brainer; it’s a raising-your-sword-for-battle-type of anthem.”
Check out the full interview
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lWKpP25tpXA
Listen to Podcast version on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3KiSax1
Get Eternal Steel here: https://iam-eternalsteel.com
Get tickets here: https://www.thyartismurder.net
