When I finally got the call to do a story for
whatzup, I was elated. When Mr.
whatzup told me, “I figured that since you
work for the Bear, you liked the harder stuff so
I would like you to do a story on a really good
metal band, Consumed By Fury.” I got a bit
nervous. Do I like the harder stuff – like the
really hard stuff that doesn’t have much
of a home on the radio? Sometimes. Do I know
anything more about metal than this years’
Ozzfest line-up or Slayer? Nope, that’s Drew
Cages’ (host of Bear Metal) job, not mine. That
being said, what better way to get a “metal
education” than from the four metal vets who make
up Consumed By Fury?
So, with a slight hangover, a full cup of coffee
and only the third Powerbar that I’ve ever bought
in my life, I got to go to school on a Sunday
afternoon.
Here’s the line-up: Pat Martin (vocals), Adam
Bricker (guitar), Rory Grams (bass) and Brian
Tonne (drums).
According to Pat, “Metal is that two-seconds
before you punch the wall.” Perfect. I can
relate; who couldn’t? Within seconds of hearing
his definition I completely understood where
these guys get their music, and good music it is.
Consumed By Fury is a relatively new band (their
live show count was at six during the time of the
interview, although it’s gone up a few since
then). But don’t be fooled by how many times
these guys have played live shows under the name
Consumed By Fury. They’re all hardened veterans
who have played in many other bands, including
Little Green Men and Industrial Strength. These
guys have families, jobs and all the other
responsibilities people are bound by. They just
happen to have a hobby that consists of putting
together all-original and in-your-face music
during their free time. I might add that they do
a hell of a job with that so-called hobby.
Sitting in Adam’s living room, it’s very easy to
see that the guys are thrilled just to be hanging
out and having a conversation about what they
love. It’s also easy to see that Brian is the
quiet one. I think Pat, Adam and Rory keep him in
the area of “that two seconds before you punch
the wall,” and once you see him play the drums
you’ll know why they do. It’s always the quiet
types that surprise you the most, maybe because
you don’t expect too much from quiet people, let
alone someone that can destroy every inch of a
drumset with skills that most people could only
dream of.
You would think that four guys in a metal band
may be hesitant to open up, but I found quite the
opposite on this day. The conversation was
jumping around like a one-legged man on a
trampoline, and I managed to get quite a few
things out of them. When asked of their
influences, Sepultura, Rush, Pink Floyd,
Slipknot, old Metallica and Kiss seemed to take
the cake. When asked of their “guilty pleasures”
(you know, the stuff you listen to when no
one is around and that you’d never admit to),
I got responses that would make an accountant
smile and included The Gorillaz and Evanescence.
When the discussion went to metal and where it’s
at today. the tone became quite a bit more
serious.
“Metal is not the genre to make a bunch of money
or be a rock star,” Pat says. And what he says is
true, unless you look at the attendance of
Ozzfest week in and week out, state by state and
country by country. But I know what he means.
What are, really, the chances of being the next
Ozzy? That statement only means one thing: Pat
and the rest of the guys love what they do. With
a world of material and motivation all around
them, these four guys regularly step into a realm
that most don’t have the nerves or, more
importantly, the ability to pull off.
“We’re not the kind of band that makes music to
dance around to with balloons and confetti. It’s
about having a brew, getting a little sweaty and
jumping into the pit without getting into a
brawl,” says Pat. When asked about moving the
crowd, Pat bellows, “If we see the people
moshing, we know we’re doing our jobs”.
One thing that has kept me from truly
understanding the metal genre is that the lyrics
aren’t spoken or sung; they are mostly screamed.
I’ve always liked the blazing riffs, thunderous
drums and bass lines that could deafen small
animals, but I could never grasp the lyrics. I
posed this outlook to them (after all, I’m still
in class), wondering if I was going to get
expelled. Not even close, thank God. Rory on
understanding screamed songs: “It’s hard to get
at first, but once you get it, you get it.” As
they say of beer, it’s an acquired taste. Says
Adam, “Everybody needs to realize it’s not just
screaming. There’s talent in that to do it and do
it well, and we’ve got a guy that does it really
well.”
On hearing Consumed By Fury, talent is one of
the first things that come to mind. To un-trained
ears, metal music may sound confused, but the
guys in this band know exactly what they want the
final product to sound like, down to every note
and noise the echoes from the stage. Even though
they average only six-hours a week in practice
time, they make the most of it. “We don’t mess
around in practice. We get on each other for
everything in order to make it right,” said Rory.
Later in the day, Pat had left and the other
three took me to Adam’s basement, where they
proceeded with an impromptu session without their
vocalist. The seriousness in what they do
combined with their passion for music had every
bone in my body rattling and wanting to hear
more. Consumed By Fury is the real deal, whether
you’re a metal fan or not. Talent is talent, and
these guys have more than their fair share.
Metal’s popularity is growing quickly. Bands
such as Slipknot, Lamb of God (for whom Consumed
By Fury opened for at Piere’s not too long ago)
and Shadows Fall are already household names,
while Bloodsimple and Killswitch Engage aren’t
far behind. With that said, what does the future
hold for Consumed By Fury? Record deals? Tours?
Pat humbly responds by saying, “Playing anytime
we’re able and selling 1,000 CDs.”
A very modest goal for such a talented band,
yet it clarifies the point that Consumed By Fury
does it for the love of the music (and, by the
way, if anyone wants to put together a
full-fledged metal show and has the land to do
it, these guys are game).
You can also look forward to a new album by
Consumed By Fury, as they plan to go into the
studio to record an album as early as November.
So the next time you have a moment in which you
find yourself in that “two seconds before you
punch the wall” area, take a deep breath and
relax. You’re not alone. There’s a whole world of
music right here in Fort Wayne waiting to help
you out. Catch Consumed By Fury live, and you
won’t be disappointed. Nor will you have a broken
hand from actually punching the damn thing. Class
dismissed.