Australian Thrashers GRAVE FORSAKEN have sent to us the latest news from their camp:
G’day everyone. Vaughan here with the latest from the GRAVE FORSAKEN camp. Even though not much has been happening on the live front of late, there has been a lot going on behind the scenes. The most significant event is that our drummer since August 2009, Richard Sallows, has decided to move on from GRAVE FORSAKEN.
In his 14 months with us, Richard has made a huge positive impact on the band. When he came in, the band was going through a spiritual dry patch. We had been going through some internal strife, and Richard came in and gave encouragement through difficult times.
Significantly, Richard traveled with us to the 2009 Blackstump Festival, performing in the show that many consider GRAVE FORSAKEN’s finest hour thus far. He also set about designing new t-shirts for the band, as well as business cards and flyers. He took on a big role in the band and we are grateful for that.
It wasn’t long before Richard became our bookings man. By this time last year, we were playing a great number of shows in a large variety of venues around Perth. This was thanks entirely to Richo’s efforts in securing us the gigs.
So you’re probably wondering why is he leaving. Well, in the end it probably comes down to the oldie “musical differences”. Matt, Elias and myself have increasingly come to see ourselves as a Christian thrash band. Certainly that is the direction our sound has gone in over the last 2 albums. Richard will freely admit he saw the band going in more of a hard rock direction, and in the end it was starting to affect the way in which we were developing new songs. I strongly feel the next album needs to continue in the thrash stylings of “Fight To The Death”, and Richard felt he couldn’t provide the appropriate drumming for that style. Over a very long phone call Richard offered his resignation on those grounds. It was an amicable and mutual decision, with no hard feelings whatsoever.
We were working on a batch of songs before he left, and those are the “solo” songs I mentioned in the last update. Richard will still provide the drums, and indeed he wrote a significant portion of the lyrics and contributed musical ideas as well. Last update I mentioned I would post them free of charge on our website as they are finished. I have no set time frame to get them online, but that certainly remains the plan. I really hate leaving projects unfinished, and I really do like the songs (remember I’m a longtime Kiss and AC/DC fan). For a bit more info on the songs, check out the latest episode of GFTV below.
It is appropriate that I finish this update with a sincere thank you to Richard on behalf of Elias, Matt and myself. We have appreciated everything you’ve done and look forward to a long and enjoyable friendship with you for many years to come. One chapter in the band ends, but as we all know, another chapter will begin soon.
God Bless and Rock On!
Vaughan and GRAVE FORSAKEN
