The New Age of Fratricide

Wow. It has been a while hasn't it? Well, I hope I still have my legions of adoring fans reading this. Actually this is a great outlet for me to let off steam and rant. Frankly I could give a damn if anyone reads this blog.

So onto relevant news from the Fratricide camp.

It has been about 5 1/2 months since the Prayers for an Apocalypse EP was released. Fratricide has received a couple of glowing reviews from Noose of the United States Black Metal Sect (USBMS), Belle and Blackmetal Jim from Black Belle Webzine, as well as a cool review and interview with moi from the almighty Septi-Gore Zine which is published exclusively in hard copy form.

Several line-up changes have happened. Some smooth; some not so smooth. Rob (aka Hellfire) has a distinct vision in mind for Fratricide and usually when he sets his mind on something, it is definitely going to get done one way or the other. This has worked in his favor but also to his detriment. A former member didn't like the way he was fired from the band. Admittedly it was rather sudden and informal which took me by surprise--Rob at least acknowledges it could have been handled differently but sticks by his decision. Of course the former member is very bitter about it (again, understandably) and has decided to mock Rob and carry on a venomous campaign to discredit the band.

I've tried to stay out of a majority of it. Afterall I wasn't there and didn't know the dynamics of what was going on. All I knew was from the e-mails I received both from Rob and the former band member. I actually thought things were fine.

So I guess I'm just trying to get the perspective of the former band member right now. He's bitter, pissed, and full of vinegar. I get that. I've been fired from bands unceremoniously (as well as Rob) and know the feeling very well. I've talked shit and the band has talked shit, but in the end, shit settled and that was it. That was the "grown up" thing to do. You can't harbor negativity for the rest of your life. It will just eat you up inside causing mental and even physical problems.

But what do I do when I see harsh things continually said about a band I helped establish? Obviously the former band member has some issues he needs to work out. This isn't all about Fratricide and if it is all about Fratricide, then that's even more disturbing. But to fuel the fire with responses just as mean as his is nonproductive to the band itself. Unfortunately this guy will more than likely be forever bitter about the experience and I'm truly sorry for that. I hope he can eventually move on and turn that anger into some brutal heavy metal music.

As Fratricide proceeds into 2008 and pushes past all the vitriol, new and exciting things have appeared on the horizon. An incredibly fast and skilled drummer (Warmachine) has joined the ranks as well as a talented new bassist (Cudgel). They form, along with Akula (guitarist) and Hellfire, the foundation of the New Age of Fratricide. A new lead guitarist will be found eventually but until then the boys are starting to write new material and are focusing their efforts on injecting a fresh new voice into the Black and Heavy Metal scene. I raise my beer to their success and hopefully I'll see them at a live gig in the future. Screw the drama, ignore the haters, and raise the horns high!