Four Native bands to battle for spot at Summer Slaughter Tour
KAYENTA - You could hear music from a distance in "K-town", and getting closer to Billy Crawley II's home the music became louder and heavier.
After a month since Ethnic De Generation (EDG) last played together, the band used the time to practice sets in preparation for the next battle of bands.
“Basically the new way we jam out like this,” Crawley said to their new guitarist, Logan Gasdia. They went onto their new song, ‘Wasted Time’.
EDG, Under Exile, In Vengeance and Hunters Moon are four Native-Navajo bands competing for "The Battle for the Summer Slaughter Tour" on June 27 at Club Red in Phoenix. Winner will open for the annual metal music with headliners Arch Enemy, Born of Osiris and Veil of Maya on Aug. 20 at the Marquee Theater.
Each band has their own unique sound, but they all agree that metal battles like this are simply fun to play, and for bands to network.
"For the most part, I just want to go there as a band for the experience but it's not really about the competition," said MarQuest Nelson, the guitarist for Hunters Moon. "It's a different scene out in Phoenix and it's kind of a challenge, but we do have some heavy hitters. It doens't scare us, we all have our own sound and we want to express our songs."
Hunters Moon formed in 2008 from Chinle and have opened for bands like OTEP. Their music is described by Nelson as melodic metal, but the band is open to different genres. Hektor Nez (guitar) and Floyd Baldwin (bass) are more into heavier music while Nelson’s influence comes from Lynyrd Skynyrd and Led Zeppelin.
“We’re very open with ideas and we try to work with what songs we bring to the table,” said Nelson. “We kind of have a different style, that’s maybe what makes Hunters Moon what it is.”
Since Mavrick Charley (vocals) and Nelson travel from Cotttonwood, the band tends to practice on their own. Nelson will meet with Baldwin and Nez to go over new material. They’ll record on the computer then do rough drafts on drums.
“When we’re practicing at the Hogan, we’ll improvise and if someone plays something really cool then we’ll try to feed off that,” said Nelson. “We’ll mold it into a song and for the most part, it’ll work.”
After gaining a new drummer named Zackary Joe, Nelson said they’re practicing four songs and tightening their performance for the battle.
“If you love what you do, you’re going to do it,” said Nelson. “It’s a thing you want to keep on doing, especially if you have a love for music and are passionate for it. You’ll find a way to form a band.”
Hunters Moon’s latest album was in 2013, but Nelson said they are in the process of coming out with a new CD.
After winning Battle for Mayhem and Battle for Knotfest, can In Vengeance take the Summer Slaughter tour?
“I think it’s all about musicianship and that’s what grants you these opportunities,” said Shaun Tsosie, vocals for In Vengeance. “How well you perform songs whether it be simple or technical, they all got to standout on it’s own because you have to have the hooks. You have to have people nodding their heads to it. If you don’t have that, then why are you playing music?”
Not wanting to sound like one specific genre, Jerry Harvey (bass) said their music is it’s own monster. People will tell them they sound like death metal or more thrash, but the band’s music intent is for all listeners.
Tsosie said creating their songs takes hours and days with Chris Katso (guitar) and Troy Tree (drums) living outside of Kayenta.
“It takes longer than I expect because you have to really focus on creating something that not a whole lot of people have heard, just regionally,” said Tsosie.
“For now it’s more of a regional area that you have to focus on writing for. There are hints of influence where it’s got to appeal. You have to make them catch onto what you’re doing but at the same time, you have to make your music a little simple. It goes back to trying to bring people in,” he said.
For the Slaughter competition, Tsosie said it’s catered more to an extreme genre with a little more fire.
“Winning the battle to this tour will open to a bigger venue in Phoenix at the Marquee and that’s one of the venues I’ve always wanted to play,” said Harvey. “You’re going to be able to open up for bands, bands that are on my iPod. It will expand our fan base. With the small shows there’s no more than 50 to 80 people but this venue holds a lot.”
With these kinds of battles, In Vengeance said it’s more about what a band can bring through their songs.
“You want to appeal more to a general audience,” said Tsosie. “There are some people who appreciate the technicality but there are more people that would listen to it if it were coherent to them. That’s why breakdowns are catchy because it’s a lot simpler than shredding. So you have to have a wide aspect of these techniques where these are happening in a song. It’s not going to be just one long solo or something like that because it’s going to get boring.”
In Vengeance suggests being at the show early because bands won’t know their time slot until the day of the show.
“My whole approach to writing is to have the guitar and songs written then record it,” said drummer, Wyatt Billie. “I can listen to it by basically hearing it in my head then play it after. That’s how I did it.“
Starting off as a school band in middle school then taking jazz classes in high school, band mates of Under Exile are no amateurs to writing music.
18-year-old Billie first met with members, Ryland Benally (guitar) and Morgan Yabeny (guitar) where they began programming songs together in 2012. Ready to record, Billie met with elementary friend, Franklin Yazzie (vocals) to borrow a bass head.
“As he was leaving my house, he asked, ‘You wanna do vocals for us, we’re recording tomorrow?’’ said Yazzie. “Somehow I got stuck with it. The next day after we got done recording they said, we have a show in two weeks.”
Under Exile began to open for bands like DevilDriver, Powerman 5000 and Chelsea Grin. They had just left Hastings, after checking the stocks of their debut album “Self Imposed Exile” released on March 26.
“We have pretty much everything,” said Yazzie. “We have a huge banner. Just recently we ordered a 10-foot by 8-foot backdrop, so that’s just the kind of stuff we’re going to have for our whole lives.”
Going into the Slaughter battle, Under Exile said it’s another show to them, but they’re going to perform their best songs.
“I don’t think we’re going to be playing anything new at this show, especially since it’s in Phoenix,” said Yazzie. “There are people that know us there, but they only know us through our album.”
Rumeel Jim (bass), Benally and Yabeny gather with Yazzie and Billie when they can to practice.
“More like we’ll come prepared with our material and everyone kind of writes his own songs,” said Yazzie.
“We just hangout to hangout. We’ll say, hey we have band practice tomorrow, but we’ll just hangout all day,” laughed Billie. “We’ll end up watching YouTube after only playing through a few songs. It’s enjoyable being together. We definitely feel like more of a family than just a band.”
EDG has been a band since 1998 and they’ve got compliments of them paving the way for Navajo metal bands, but EDG disagrees.
Terrill Redhouse (bass) remembers seeing Native Blood perform when he was 19 years old.
“I never knew a bunch of Natives got together and played like them,” said Redhouse as he strummed his bass. “They were the first ones to introduce me to natives playing on a band. If I hadn’t gone and seen those guys jam back then, I don’t think I would be here playing with these guys. ”
EDG has released four albums. Their first CD had a hip-hop sound with influences by Rage Against the Machine and Korn, onto now where it’s more metal.
“We wanted to be a more diverse band, so we tried everything,” said front man, Crawley. “Terrill is a hip-hop guy. He was the gangster metal guy in the band and Will “Da Beast” Benally is the thrash guy and I’m the one who grew up on country. To start out, we tried to find ourselves.”
Being without a lead guitarist for two years, EDG almost called it quit and considered retiring the band name.
“To us, we can’t even think about that,” said Redhouse. “We’ve been playing for almost 20 years now and that’s a big part of my life. That’s half of it, so why stop. If we can still keep going, why stop.”
Gaining a new guitarist, Gasdia and along with Benally (drums) back with the band, EDG feels confident about the battle. They said they tend to take second place each time, but with the original band mates together and a solid lead guitarist, this could be their chance.
“We found that right element to this band,” said Crawley. “The elements being Terrill, Will and Logan. We just got it.”
After EDG practiced for two hours, they jokingly said they needed to regain their power and headed to McDonald’s.
While waiting, a security approached the group of guys wearing black. The customers glanced at the scene—what’s happening?
But rather the security asked Crawley, “When’s your next show?” The security looked at the band mates and proceeded. “Did you get done practicing?”
Crawley told him of The Battle for the Summer Slaughter Tour.
“I’m excited because I like doing these battles,” said Gasdia. “It’s the pressure that makes you able to play and that’s where that feeling comes from. You get goose bumps while you’re playing. The bands that do the battle are hungry for it. They’re there because they want to play.”
Crawley said these battles are good for bands to be recognized, even if you don’t place. Promoters will critique each band and offer their suggestions.
“We’re excited to see the bands because these are the shows where bands play their hearts out,” said Gasdia. “That’s where you’ll see some of the electric and live performance. The rawest sounds. ”
Each band must sell 25 tickets to qualify for the competition. Depending on the amount of tickets sold, bands will be put in their time slot.
You can contact the bands for more information on sales of tickets for the "Battle for the Summer Slaughter Tour".