Death Dealer! - Comprised of vocalist Sean Peck, guitarists Ross the Boss and Stu Marshall, bassist Mike Davis, and drummer Rhino, DeathDealer is setting out to convert the metal masses to their brand of metal. Guitarist and co-founder Stu Marshall discusses the band's "Warmaster" and how these guys came together plus much more interesting facts.
1. Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Death Dealer, and how long the band has been together.
Stu: Stu Marshall, Guitarist and co-founder of Death Dealer. The band was created out of the flames of hell in early 2012 and been very busy ever since.
2. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
Stu: Well I hit Sean up on Skype one night and said let’s do a band. We then started fantasizing about what super stars we could get in the group “half joking”. As we came up with names we called that person or emailed them and within 2 hours we had this lineup together. Sean and I were freaking out and said, Oh shit now we have to make a record. I suggested the name DEATH DEALER and we quickly took ownership of the name. Now we have played live and it is a living breathing band, a force in the genre.
Ross and Rhino need no introduction unless you have been living under a rock.. Manowar was one of the most influential bands through the 80’s and certainly sit as one of the titans. Ross’ playing on many of the albums is deemed classic in today’s standard. Mike Davis, my blood brother and bass player for Lizzy Borden and Halford – Mike is a backbone of the operation, a great player and killer writer. Sean Peck (Screamer extraordinaire) – from Cage and really one of the best on the planet. Myself, I have been playing for over 25 years, formerly of Aussie metal band Dungeon and Paindivision.
3. How did you guys come up with your band name?
Stu: The name spawned from watching the Underworld series of films. After I was chatting to Sean way back in the early formation of the unit, it was a chance Sunday afternoon and I was watching the first underworld film. There is nothing like a hot woman with a big gun in latex!.. She mentioned the term “Death Dealer” and it just hit me.. it resonated with the spirit of what we are doing and the very early demo’s we were jamming on. I mentioned it to Sean, he liked it and we found that the only using of the name was from 1984.. and that band change their name again two years later.
4. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
Stu: The band is essentially an US metal band with me being from Sydney, the only foreigner. The Australian scene is small but very dedicated. When you consider the entire population of Australia is less than the total population of California.. it lets you know the size of the scene here. Some bands? We have killer metal like Psycroptic, Taberah, Mystery, Silent Knight, Black Majesty, Darker Half and many more.
5. What bands have influenced your band and its sound?Stu: We go along way back with classic metal like Sabbath, Maiden and Priest, of course we have a founding father of true metal in Ross the Boss, so that alone influences what we do.
6. What lyrical theme do you guys use in your music? What message do you want to send?
Stu: The lyrics had some fiction and standard metal themes with a feeling of rebellion and fight an escape from oppression. That was the thing Sean was feeling at the time the album was written. And in the CURSE OF THE HERETIC you almost always have to have a song about witches on any metal album!
7. What have you released so far and how were your releases received by the public/media?
Stu: Our debut CD “Warmaster” was released in June globally. The media have been supportive and especially in Japan, Burrn Magazine provided some great comments on the album and Japan is a very hard market to impress. US and European press have really gotten behind the album and so far it’s doing very well.
8. Do you play live as well? How's your live activity so far?
Stu: In June we completed our first mini tour through the US and Mexico. I flew over to LA from Sydney and we had about 3 days of rehearsal then hit the road, it was a great test for the guys and he had a great time. The shows absolutely killed. We include a “Manowar” track so that's always a thrill for people to see Ross and Rhino slamming that one live. Add to that with Sean’s voice and amazing range - it's something very special.
9. What is your opinion on sites posting your guys material and other bands material?
Stu: The internet is the main promotional portal now. I think without it, we are doomed as artists.
I know people complain about ripping of songs and what not but I feel we write music for people to enjoy, it's art. We support sites promoting what we do and the coverage through the scene has been very positive.
10. How do you guys feel about the classifications in metal? like Deathcore, metalcore and other subgenres and how some get a negative rep.
Stu: For me it's all metal. If it's heavy and loud it's good. I think the categories are there for a reason, the music has a different feel and appeals to different styles of audience. The negative rep thing is human nature... it's always going to be there.
11. What is your opinion on the current state of metal?
Stu: There's a revolution in the works that’s for sure. Bands are rising now, metal is receiving an injection and people are sick of what labels are "forcing" them to accept as "hits" - if the public knew that labels PAY radio stations for time to play their songs they might think differently about what they think is popular but it's all money driven and always has been. Hell.. some of the labels are share owners in commercial radio stations so.
12. What should labels/zines/promoters know about your band? Why should they be interested in it?
Stu: This is a pure source of metal. Having Ross in the band who essentially "invented" true metal mixed with the other guys its a real fusing of classic and tested heavy metal with a cutting edge power of modern speed and thrash.
13. What plans do you have for the near future as a band?
Stu: We have major tour about to be announced starting in November, we have started writing the second cd already and are planning a full European assault in summer 2014.
14. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
Stu: Everything is at www.deathdealer.co and our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/deathdealerband
15. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
Stu: Catch your breath... I think the album is an intense heavy metal ride. The reviews mention it's a total mouthful on first listen and we have certainly worked hard to pack the intensity into the music. Combining all of our influences we wanted to make music straight from the soul.16. Why should a metalhead buy your stuff?
Stu: They are supporting the music they like and without it, we can't exist. Also... we offer sick value with our packs; you get tonnes of swag for a little cash. Our Ultimate warrior pack has almost 10 items of promo contained for only $35 which includes global shipping… most bands charge $30 for the cd alone in Japan…
17. Any final words of wisdom?
Stu: Death Dealer is a long term, here to stay band. While many of these operations are occasional projects, Death Dealer is a full time main priority for all the guys. Please visit us online, drop a “hello” onto the face book page we are always checking in there.
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