Doc Is Touring with Mark Morton of Lamb of God

Hello friends! I will be playing guitar with Mark Morton from Lamb of God’s solo band on a short US tour this month. Having been friends with Mark forever and even filling in for him before in LoG, it’s an honor to be considered for this gig. If you haven’t checked out the record, it’s called Anesthetic and it’s available now everywhere you buy or stream music. You may have heard the incredible track “Crossed Off” which features the last recorded material from the late Linkin Park frontman, Chester Bennington.

The rest of the band is rounded out by Art Cruz (Winds of Plague, Prong) on drums and Mark Morales and Nick Villareal from Sons of Texas on vocals and bass. We will be co-headlining with Light The Torch feat. Howard Jones (ex-Killswitch Engage) and one of my favorite bands, Moon Tooth.

You can purchase advance tickets and VIP packages HERE. Dates below. Hope to see you guys there in the front row \m/

DOWN WITH THE SICKNESS (Posted Feb. 22nd 2010 on Metalsucks.net)

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When it comes to music (and other things really), I tend to play devil’s advocate. If everyone is shitting on a certain band, for some reason, I become more attracted to that band and seek them out. I don’t know what it is about my personality, but I think it stems from the same perspective that inspired me to write the antagonistic blog about rethrash. It may be a character flaw, but I’m sure it has something to do with a need to be an individual. From what I gather, this website is inhabited mainly by “true” metal heads. What I define as “true” are people whom are purists in the realm of metal and usually scoff at any band or trend that reeks of premeditated commercialism or an overt play for popularity, and who usually demand a certain level of musicianship and underground credibility. These fans usually hate every Metallica record after …And Justice For All, and for that matter always prefer any particular band’s older releases, which usually have a more raw and unrefined recording quality, as well as more abstract, less traditional song writing. For example, they will prefer Carcass’s Necrotiscim to Heartwork, or Morbid Angel’s Blessed Are The Sick toDomination. Oh yeah, and these guys gave up on In Flames and Soilwork years ago.

I have a good deal of that purism in my bones, but it always seemed short sighted and close minded. You have no idea how many arguments the Adler brothers from Lamb of God and I have gotten into over the merits of a particluar Metallica or Megadeth record. If you even bring up Disturbed or Limp Bizkit on MetalSucks, it is mocked and disregarded 100% of the time. I think metal heads often have a sheep mentality because of the fear of being viewed by their peers as less credible for liking bands that aren’t considered “true” or “real” enough. We all have guilty pleasures, but the real question is “Why should we feel guilty about something we enjoy?”

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