“When pondering the anatomy of the Counting Crows, one would not find themselves considering progressive metal, death metal or anything remotely close. All that went out the window when Vocalist/Keyboardist Tommy Rodgers took the lyrics from the Counting Crows’ hit, Ghost Train, and transformed the words Between the Buried and Me, into a breakthrough progressive metal band that has been critically acclaimed as well as a smash hit with metal fans of all varieties.”
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When pondering the anatomy of the Counting Crows, one would not find themselves considering progressive metal, death metal or anything remotely close.
All that went out the window when Vocalist/Keyboardist Tommy Rodgers took the lyrics from the Counting Crows’ hit, Ghost Train, and transformed the words Between the Buried and Me, into a breakthrough progressive metal band that has been critically acclaimed as well as a smash hit with metal fans of all varieties.
Founded in 2001, in Raleigh, North Carolina, only two original members remain.
As I met with Tommy Rodgers (Vocals/Keyboards), as well as Paul Waggoner (Lead Guitar), one of the striking things about them, is they do not look like they belong amongst the ranks of Children of Bodom or The Black Dahliah Murder (the other two bands performing that night), but, more or less, look like they should be gearing up for a final exam.
The seemingly harmless looking quintet attacks their listeners with the extremely complex guitar riffs, screeching to tranquil-on-a-dime vocals, along with epics that range from three minutes up to over fourteen minutes (Colors Closer and White Walls).
While they are coined as progressive music, they move from airy Pink Floyd jams to menacing death metal moments.
Both Tommy and Paul, said they didn’t want to pigeonhole themselves in one genre, or write the same record over and over.
When asked if the next album would contain more singled out songs, as their 2005 breakthrough Alaska or, if the next album would blend together like the 2007 masterpiece Colors, the only answer they had for me was that the music would be written with no regard for either idea.
The band has toured with a variety of bands over the last seven years.
Artists ranging from metal heavyweights such as Dream Theater and Opeth, stemming from a run on this previous summer’s Progressive Nation Tour, to Dragonforce and even to touring with the likes of Norma Jean, August Burns Red and Horse the Band.
Different crowds of extreme music have widely accepted the band.
They had previously been more a part of the hardcore scene, but have found a much more comfortable fit in the metal scene, but they have not had a completely smooth ride.
A stint on Ozzfest 2006 left them with a bitter taste.
Paul likened it to playing at a high school talent show.
They both said they were mistreated on the tour.
Playing between 9 and 10 a.m. for roughly 200 people was not their idea of a good summer.
Even with a bad experience behind them, they took their experiences and transformed them into a lot of what we hear now, on Colors.
Tommy hopes to be back in the studio by March.
The Bodom tour was the last tour to promote Colors.
But to hold fans over, Oct. 16 they released Colors Live.
The DVD will also include an audio CD.
The DVD includes all of Colors, as well as a full set of Between the Buried and Me favorites such as ‘Selkies: The Endless Obsession,’ ‘Backwards Marathon,’ and ‘Mordecai’.
If you’re looking for a sound that will make you think, as well as knock you off your feet, Between the Buried and Me is the answer to your problems.
With Colors Live along with five other CD’s, including The Anatomy Of, a full cover album full of inspirations such as Queens Bicycle Race and Pantera’s Cemetery Gates surprising hits such as Motley Crew’s Kickstart My Heart, Between the Buried and Me has quite a bit of material to hold you over until they come to town again.
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