HAVOK Interview with David Sanchez

XM: What has the band been up to so far this year?
David: Well, we started 2011 with a full US tour alongside Malevolent Creation, Full Blown Chaos, The Absence, and Beyond Terror Beyond Grace. After returning home from that, we did our CD Release show and the new album, “Time Is Up” came out. Still have lots of touring to do this year.

XM: “Time Is Up” is killer! What was the recording process like this time around?
David: Thanks! The recording process was basically the same as it was for “Burn”, only faster. The album was all tracked in my house and then sent off to mix. The album was mixed by Peter Rutcho and mastered by James Murphy. It sounds titties.

XM: You recently finished up your United Hate Across America Tour with Malevolent Creation. How was it and what were some of the highlights for you? Any funny stories?
David: The tour was a blast! We had the opportunity to play with some rad bands and meet some great people. The highlight was definitely the last night of tour, in Shreveport, LA. That night, pretty much the whole tour got on stage and partied with us through the whole set! It started with Jaime, from the Absence, setting up a lawn chair on stage while wearing his tie-dye HAVOK shirt, bandana, and sunglasses. He then cracked open a few beers and just sat in the chair, rockin’ out and drinkin’. It was hilarious. More and more people from the tour kept coming onstage and eventually there was a mini circle pit on stage! They even picked up Reece while he was soloing – Randy Rhodes style! We didn’t play our best because it was the most distracting thing ever, but hell, that was a fun night. It was one of the greatest times I’ve ever had on the road. Lots of people had their cameras out, so I’m sure that footage of it will surface eventually.

XM: How did the band hook up with Candlelight Records and are you pleased with what they have done for you so far?
David: We sent out press kits to all the metal labels we could think of and Candlelight was the first to respond. We had another label contact us shortly after, but after negotiations, we went with Candlelight. We are very pleased with the way things are going right now!

XM: Is this the only line up or have there been other members?
David: We have gone through many lineup changes throughout the years. I am the only original member. It must be due to my excessive flatulence.

XM: If you could have been involved in the writing, recording or production of any album which would it be and why?
David: Mr. Bungle – “Mr. Bungle”. That album has the craziest ideas ever on it. The music is absolutely insane, yet still makes sense (most of the time), and the tones are all so cool! That is one of my favorite albums of all time. Production-wise, it’s a genius piece of work.

XM: What’s your take on music downloading? Do you have a preference among digital, cd, or maybe even vinyl?
David: I prefer CDs, but I wish they came with the huge artwork like vinyl does! I feel like downloading music is fine, if the artist wants to give it away. I personally buy music because I feel that it shouldn’t be free. Illegal downloading is KILLING the music industry. Yes, there are still people that buy their music, but not enough. The statistics of this topic don’t lie. I understand that some people that download music will still go to shows and buy shirts to support the bands that they like, but they still stole the music. Imagine if EVERY person that likes music just downloaded all the albums they want and never paid for them… Record labels wouldn’t exist, bands wouldn’t have money to record, CDs and records wouldn’t exist, promotion for albums would plummet, all of your favorite music magazines would disappear, etc. My point is, if everyone just illegally downloaded music, the chain of events that would follow would be extensive and catastrophic to the music industry. People don’t realize how much it truly does effect the artist and the industry.

XM: What has been the greatest sacrifice you have made for your music career and how have you grown from that?
David: I guess the greatest sacrifice of being in a band like this is never being home. I don’t mind not being home, but it’s not for everyone. When you tour a lot, you don’t get to sleep in your bed, you don’t see your family, you miss your pets, you don’t get to hang out with your friends. Despite all of these things, I’d still rather be on tour than at home, any day. It’s great to see the country, be in different cities every day, see old friends, and play a metal show every night! It’s an exciting lifestyle and you get to have experiences that you would never, ever have at home. Touring rules!

XM: You’re based in Denver, Colorado, and have been involved with that scene for years. What do you think are the strongest and weakest aspects of that particular scene, and what notable bands would you like to mention?
David: The worst part about being in a band from Denver is there are no major cities that are close by! The closest cities to us are Albuquerque, Salt Lake City, Kansas City, and Lincoln, and they’re all at least 6.5 hours away. That being said, it takes a lot of gas to start tours. The strongest part is because of our isolation… The scene here is huge! There is a show going on every night of the week in Denver. We also have a lot of pretty rad bands in town. Not all of these are still active, but some of my favorites in Denver have been: Potato Pirates, Brainhammer, Cephalic Carnage, Clusterfux, Tauntaun, Forth Yeer, Speedwolf, Dartanian, Allegaeon, Vale Of Pnath.

XM: If you could go over the whole of your career and pinpoint the events that you are most proud of, what would they be?
David: It’s hard to pinpoint the best things, but I’ll try: Playing with Destruction and Into Eternity, playing Tidal Wave in San Francisco with Exodus, Hirax, and Psychosomatic, signing our deal with Candlelight, releasing our first album, touring with Hammerfall, touring with Primal Fear, touring with Malevolent Creation, Full Blown Chaos, The Absence, and Beyond Terror Beyond Grace, recording and releasing “Time Is Up”, then all the press has been very positive for this new album, so of course, I’m very proud of that. From here, we will continue touring and have more memorable moments to come.

XM: What, in your opinion, separates a good thrash metal band from a bad one?
David: Riffs! I live for riffs. I think bad thrash metal comes from a lack of dynamic. To make a song flow, it has to have dynamics. It can’t just have everybody playing through the whole song and the singer just screaming his head off through the whole song. It needs to breathe! The good thrash bands understand dynamics and utilize its effect. It’s just good songwriting – be dynamic!

XM: What is the first thing you think of when you hear the words X-PLOSIVE METAL?
David: Land mines and the destructive power of shrapnel!

XM: “Time Is Up” was released on March 29th. Do you have an events planned for the album when it comes out? Will you have a release party or something like that? What will you do?
David: We will be touring all year in support of this album! Keep an eye out for us on the road.

XM: What does the band have planned for the rest of the year?
David: Tour. Tour. And TOUR!

XM: I would like to thank you on behalf of xplosivemetal.com for taking the time to answer a few questions with us.
David: No problemo! Thanks for having me. To all the fans, thank you for your support! You guys rule. Pick up “Time Is Up” when you get a chance if you like your heavy metal fast and in your face. Shwing!