Arising from Los Angeles, California, Melodic Metalcore trio Light The Torch prove just how fitting their name is with their sophomore album, You Will Be The Death Of Me (Nuclear Blast Records). Each metallic anthem sets the stage as if the band had just lit their torches and sharpened their pitchforks in preparation for taking on their greatest demons.Continue reading
Tag Archives: Francesco Artusato
Francesco Artusato Talks Light The Torch With Ghost Cult
Over the summer we caught Light The Torch at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, where they played a crushing sold-out show. Before the band hit the stage we caught up with shredder Francesco Artusato about a great many topics. LTT is also comprised of Howard Jones (ex-Killswitch Engage), Ryan Wombacher on bass, and Extinction A.D. drummer Mike “Scuzz” Sciulara. Francesco chatted about the bands’ new lease on life since changing their name from Devil You Know, their most recent album Revival (Nuclear Blast), how he keeps his chops up before and during a tour, and their upcoming tour with Trivium and Avatar. Interview by Keefy and videography and photos by Omar Cordy of OJC Photography.Continue reading
Light the Torch – Revival
Revival, huh? That seems a bit on the nose, don’t you think, Devil You Know? I mean, Light the Torch. See, it’s a Revival (Nuclear Blast), because it’s the first album since Devil You Know was forced to change their moniker due to legal troubles with a former drummer. Fucking drummers, man. Also, it’s a revival of sorts because Light the Torch is taking their sound to novel and interesting places. Continue reading
Devil You Know Recording New Album With Producer Josh Wilbur
Devil You Know have completed pre-production for their sophomore release with producer Josh Wilbur (Lamb of God, All That Remains, Killer Be Killed), and will begin recording in early June.
Howard Jones (vocals) states:
“Hey everyone, so we are all really excited as 2015 is going to be a huge year for DYK. I think spending quality time together sweating on stage and holding hands in vans, buses, planes, boats, trains and submarines has helped us become a true unit, and it’s definitely showing in the new tunes. Josh Wilbur is super talented and he has a proven history of bringing out the best in bands, so we are excited to say the least. Now it’s time to stop showering and shaving so we can transform back into metal mode and get to work! More news to follow in the coming weeks people… It’s on.”
Howard Jones (Ex-Killswitch Engage, Blood Has Been Shed) – Vocals
Francesco Artusato (All Shall Perish, The Francesco Artusato Project) – Guitar
John Sankey (Devolved, Fear Factory, Divine Heresy) – Drums
Ryan Wombacher (Bleeding Through) – Bass
Roy Lev-Ari – Guitar
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DEVIL YOU KNOW to Begin Recording Sophomore Release This June!Devil You Know has completed pre-production for their…
Posted by Devil You Know on Monday, May 11, 2015
Awakenings – Howard Jones of Devil You Know
When Howard Jones parted ways with Killswitch Engage in 2010, his departure sent waves throughout the music world due to his sudden departure. His absence throughout that time period was kept well hidden over the year.
But when Devolved drummer John Sankey and All Shall Perish guitarist Francesco Artusato started jamming together in 2012, they began seeking out vocalists for their then unnamed project.
So how did he find himself involved? “Just through mutual friends. They sent me the demo.”
“It was weird. I was definitely hiding for three years. No cell phone…no nothing. For three years I disappeared and it was great!” he said.
So he found himself back with a new band and with new bandmates since his departure from Killswitch Engage in The Devil You Know. “It wasn’t like I realized it. I got the music and I met the guys. We made a demo and it kept going from there. All of a sudden ‘holy crap I’m doing this again?’ It just kinda happened. I’m in a much better place now.”
The Devil You Know played their debut show at Chain Reaction in Anaheim, CA on February 15, 2014 in front of an eager, yet curious crowd of fans who wanted to get their first look at the new band. They debuted songs from the Beauty of Destruction (Nuclear Blast) album, which this was the first time Jones had stepped onto a stage in a few years.
“I was thinking ‘oh my god…I’m doing this again. This is weird.’ That was pretty much what I was thinking. I had fun. I was trying not to think it. I didn’t think about it too much. It was definitely like ‘holy crap…I can’t believe I’m doing this again after so many years of not doing this.’ I seriously thought I was done.”
Jones claims towards the end of his time in Killswitch Engage, he was battling depression and signs of bipolar, which stunted his ability to maintain his sanity. But he claims it was an issue he was dealing with and had nothing to do with his former bandmates.
“Trust me. There was nothing wrong with the band. It was all me. I was nuts. I was manic depressive and bipolar and everything else. I’m sure I was driving them insane and I was going nuts. So I’m done.”
So how close was he from entering the funny farm? “Oh wow. Probably when I went there…and was in one for about a month. I don’t think I ever told anyone that.”
“Dude I was gone. I’m on good prescription medication. I was definitely in a place for a month. I went nuts. I’ve never told anybody that!,” he added, laughing at himself.
So he explains how bad things got towards the end of his time in Killswitch Engage:
“So here’s what happened – we started writing the album that Jesse (Leach) just did. We met at Adam [Dutkiewicz]’s place and we were going over ideas. ‘So let’s meet for two weeks…and let’s come back at noon tomorrow.’ And I just didn’t come back. That’s what happened. I talked to them a week later…’we should move on without you because you hate this.’ No I’ll still do the job. No big deal. ‘You hate this. You don’t wanna do this anymore.’ And I was like…yeah….you’re right. That’s what happened.”
“It was nothing to do with them. It had everything to do with me. I was severely depressed and very bipolar and everything else. The thought of doing another album and going on tour for another couple years…it drove me insane. I was done.”
He also dealt with issues with diabetes, which also hindered his health. “That definitely happened. I was dizzy for a week. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I was walking up the steps, I passed out and broke a finger as I fell down the steps. I was walking up the steps and passed out and then broke a toe when I fell down the steps. I completely passed out in my bathroom and my friend threw me into his truck and took me to the hospital. I went into a coma for three and a half days. I woke up and didn’t know my name for 48 hours. It was pretty screwed up. My short and long term memory was gone for six months to a year. Basically I watched a lot of TV and read a lot. It came back. I didn’t remember songs I did with Killswitch. It was bad. But now I’m doing very well.”
The Beauty of Destruction became an album of songs largely about Jones’ struggles, and easily became a heavy, emotion driven record that is heard immediately. “What I wrote for this album is so personal. I’ve never written anything this deep before. Basically the past five years of my life, that’s what I wrote, especially if you listen to the last song on the album, ‘Surprise In the Darkness’, that was the last three or four years of my life. It’s the most depressing thing I’ve ever written. But it’s the truth. That’s my life. This album was my life.”
Producer Logan Mader helped Jones sort out his ideas throughout the record. His guidance helped shape the songs on the record and creating powerful sounding songs that are felt as much as heard.
“Logan definitely had great ideas. We really worked well together. He’s awesome. Seriously it was awesome working with the guy and then he became one of my really good friends. He basically saw I was going through and what I was writing, he got it. We would go to lunch and said ‘this is what you’ve been going through, isn’t it?’ Yeah. What was awesome was we finished writing the album and went fishing. It was awesome. Logan definitely helped out. This album is personal.”
“Yeah it’s basically a diary. It really is. I know it’s goofy to say that, but it really is.”
Musically, between the four other players in the band – Sankey, guitarists Artusato and Roy Lev-Ari, and bassist Ryan Wombacher – they created a diverse record that brought a vast sound to the band.
“Writing new stuff differently…this band doesn’t sound anything like All Shall Perish or Fear Factory or Devolved or anything like that. Of course I sound like me. Some of it sounds a little like Killswitch or Blood Has Been Shed, but I really did try to do things differently. That’s why more than half of the songs I pretty much sang. It’s a different album. We really wanted to do something different. It wasn’t like ‘we’ve gotta try to not sound like everything else.’ Let’s try to write an album we’re happy with and doesn’t sound what we’ve done before. That’s what happened.”
“That’s what’s awesome. I’ve been lucky when it comes to that, like playing with the guys in Killswitch which were amazing, and then these guys who are absolutely amazing. We did the whole album ourselves and it’s been awesome. Being on stage with those guys, it was so much fun. I’m a lucky guy. That’s pretty much what I think.”
So who’s the devil in the Devil You Know? “That’s all me. I came up with that. There’s times when I’m a terrible person, and that’s where it came from. I always try to be a better person but there’s times where I’m awful. So I’m the devil you know. That’s where it came from.”
They recently visited the Soundwave Festival in Australia, in which people got their first taste of the band. While most fans had no idea who the band was or had heard any music, they still made a first impression that got attendees figuring out quickly who they were.
“Oh they had no idea what was happening. People started recognizing me. ‘Hey I know that guy! I’ve seen that guy before. That black guy looks kinda familiar.’ It was kinda like that. It was fun and weird the position we were in. We played right after Rob Zombie, and right before Avenged Sevenfold. It was very strange. It was like ‘we’re this band you don’t know…so let’s have some fun.’ And buy our record…eventually. It worked out. We had a blast and of course I made fun of people the whole time. That’s what I do. I was going to town on people. It was terrible! I was like ‘I’m the worst human being ever!’”
Now it’s the Americans’ turn on the Revolver Golden Gods tour, headlined by Black Label Society. “I cannot wait. Down played Soundwave and I got to hang out with Phil a bit. That dude is amazing. I absolutely love Zakk. That dude is a great guy. And plus both bands are awesome. I can’t wait to hear Zakk do a bunch of guitar squeals. I’m stoked.”
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Rei Nishimoto
Devil You Know – Beauty of Destruction
Formed by Francesco Artusato (All Shall Perish , Francesco Artusato Project) a beast of a guitarist, fleet-footed drummer John Sankey (Devolved, Divine Heresy) and vocalist Howard Jones (Killswitch Engage, Blood Has Been Shed), Devil You Know had all the promise of a powerhouse, and with its release Beauty of Destruction (Nuclear Blast) it delivers on all fronts. The songs are well-crafted, nicely developed and excellently executed. This actually sounds more like Divine Heresy than Killswitch Engage as it has a lot of gnat-ass tight Dino Cazares-inspired stutter riffs and relentless drumming.
‘A New Beginning’ kicks right in with pure a All Shall Perish ggression and a wall of guitars. ‘My Own’ makes a grand entrance with an almost Pantera-like drive, and goes into staccato rhythms with a tasty guitar lick on top and a catchy chorus. Here, Jones sounds most like the Howard we know (no pun intended) with some metalcore vocal stylings in places. ‘Embracing the Torture’ features some very nice drum work by Sankey and shows off Jones’ range as he goes from growls to melodic chorus hook. ‘For the Dead and Broken’ dials it back a bit, and may be the most commercial sounding song on the release. Bringing in melodic vocals with effects, tamer guitars, and a sing-along chorus, it is reminiscent of In This Moment or Fall Out Boy (if they went Metal). ‘Seven Years Alone’ is very well-arranged song. The multi-layered vocals shine, but Artusato gets to flex his guitar chops quite a bit as well. This is also more on the commercial side of metal but it still hits hard. ‘It’s Over’ is more of a straight-ahead tune that has a Sevendust-like bent; pounding yet soulful. ‘A Mind Insane’ lives up to its title, a mix of tempos and mood with all members showing their strengths and then ending quietly, as if the subject broke free…or got his medication. ‘Crawl from the Dark’ has a sweet, almost dreamy groove in the verses while easily siding into a heavy bridge and chorus, and ending with a blistering solo by Artusato. ‘The Killer’ is a stuttering, creeping thing, with an almost subversive layer of acoustic guitars and a sneaky guitar riff slithering through the chorus. ‘I Am The Nothing’ is a song that features little hooks throughout with just enough keyboards/programming to add interest and color, and Jones really keeping the mood of the vocals in line with the subject matter. ‘Shut It Down’ is a show-closer, with a vocal line that begs to be shouted along with and an outro that will get folks mixing it up in the pit. Closer ‘As Bright as the Darkness’ is dark and cool with flanged-out guitars and vocals layered with echo. It reminded me a bit of ‘Aerials’ by System of a Down in flow and mood, and Jones channels a little bit of Pete Steele as well vocally which is cool as hell.
The production by Logan Mader (Gojira, Divine Heresy, Soulfly) and the mix job by Chris “Zeuss” Harris provides a crisp, big, in-your-face sonic experience. Jones is in excellent vocal form, and while you can recognize the voice, there is definitely a growth and depth that is great to hear. He has clearly found a new “home” in Devil You Know, and in this reviewer’s humble opinion, this release is superior to KsE’s last as good as that was. Good for him…and us.
9.5/10
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Lynn Jordan
The Devil You Know: Live at Chain Reaction, Anaheim, CA
There is a certain degree of anticipation for a debut performance of a band, especially when the act features members of well recognized bands. Billed under the name “All Devolved Shall Engage’, this brand new band known as The Devil You Know gave some interested fans a taste of what was to come, and they definitely ate it up immediately.
The band features Howard Jones, the former Killswitch Engage vocalist, as well as All Shall Perish guitarist Francesco Artusato, Devolved drummer John Sankey, Bleeding Through bassist Ryan Wombacher and second guitarist Roy Lev-Ari. The fivesome sounded strong for a band who had never shared a stage together, and definitely had very few kinks to work out throughout the evening.
Jones came out on fire and did not seem to lose a step from his time away from the stage. His new support team complimented him well and he looked very comfortable with them. Wombacher’s interaction with Jones worked well and they looked like they having fun throughout the entire evening during the set.
They gave the eager crowd their first taste of material from their forthcoming album The Beauty of Destruction (Nuclear Blast), and it definitely did not disappoint. Musically The Devil You Know’s sound is heavy emotion driven, somewhat like Jones’ previous outfit, but also features more metal driven guitar parts as well. Songs like ‘Shut It Down’ was one of the few leaked tuned the crowd was somewhat familiar with their tunes.
The Devil You Know gave fans hope for a new band to get excited over in 2014. Very seldomly do brand new acts come out on fire like this and hopefully will attract a lot more fans throughout the year. Do not pass up opportunities to experience them.
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By Rei Nishimoto