Ahead of DevilDriver's co-headline tour with Cradle of Filth, frontman Dez Fafara talks new album Strike and Kill, Australian fans and life on the road.
DevilDriver are heading back to Australia, and this time they’re bringing a new album with them. Frontman Dez Fafara sat down to talk touring life, the band’s long history with Australian fans, and what to expect when DevilDriver joins Cradle of Filth for a run of co-headline shows this July.
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Dez, you’ve toured Australia multiple times. What are some memories of Australia that still hit you, whether it was chaos, beauty or pure madness?
I personally love coming down under. I feel like the fan base has been supportive for years. It’s always an incredible time.
There’s obviously something about Australia that is very reminiscent of California if you’ve ever been here, and at times when I come down under, I feel like I’m at home. I’m so grateful for all the years that the people who follow my music have given me down there, so we’re coming down to go after it 110%!
Your new album Strike and Kill lands while you are in Australia. What can fans expect from the album, and can they expect to hear any tunes off it live?
The album lands while we’re in Australia because it’s a good luck charm for me when I release and I’m down under – that’s just a fact.
What you can expect is a groove-riff-driven and energetic record full of all killer and no filler. This is the one you wanna call your mates over on a Saturday and play it start to finish and pump it loud, trust me on this!
Absolutely, you can definitely count on us playing songs from the record – both singles that are out, and we hope you’ll enjoy them. Maybe a surprise.
When you think about Australian crowds – what separates them from audiences anywhere else in the world? What’s the energy you brace yourselves for when you step onstage here?
There is a very special energy in Australia, and Australian fans love their metal and we love them. DevilDriver has had a long career in Australia, and we are proud to continue the tradition of bringing down the heavy California groove for everybody. It’ll be great to walk out onstage that first night and hear the roar of the crowd. I’m so excited I could barely sleep.
Every artist has their non-negotiable. What are the essential rider items you must have to survive a long run across Australia’s cities and climate?
My only non-negotiable is coffee – give me coffee, give me more coffee – and obviously water. I’m pretty simple in that way, though the guys in the band like multiple things backstage: some kind of sandwich stuff, some kind of soda, a little bit of candy. Pretty simple.
Co-headline tours can be creatively electric – how have Cradle of Filth and DevilDriver influenced each other behind the scenes on the recent shows? Any unexpected moments of crossover or collaboration?
No crossover collaboration, but we’ll definitely push each other as bands on tour – I think the crowd is gonna get something very special with these two bands combined. Filth said it best: DevilDriver is the meat and potatoes, Cradle of Filth is the dessert. Very apropos.
Australia has a reputation for embracing heavy music with real loyalty. How have you seen your fanbases evolve here over the years, and what do you feel keeps that connection so strong?
I feel that bands come down to Australia and they either connect or they don’t. DevilDriver connected when we first came down, and once that connection is made, it really never gets dropped – as long as you keep coming down and servicing the market. We don’t come down often, but when we do, the shows do very well and people get their money’s worth. What I’m most proud of is the long-term relationship with the Australian fans, and I want to keep that connection.
Touring Australia means long travel days, unique venues and a different pace compared to Europe or the US. What’s the biggest logistical or personal adjustment you make when touring down under?
Yes, it’s long hours – back to the hotel after the show, up early to get to the airport, fly into a hotel, head over to the venue for soundcheck, get some food, play a show, do it again. But you start to get into a groove after a day or two. There is an adjustment, and that’s the first 48 hours. Sometimes you have to suck it up and go without sleep, or get by on three or four hours, but you have to get the job done no matter what – people pay good money and they want to see you at 110%, and they’ll see DevilDriver at 110%.
Both of you have decades of legacy behind your names. When you look at this Australian co-headline tour, what does it represent for you at this stage of your careers: celebration, evolution or something entirely different?
It’s certainly a celebration of putting two different metal bands together that shouldn’t work, but it’s worked all over the world, so there’s something special there.
There’s also a friendship within the bands and management that helps to make this thing something special. We’ve both had long, storied careers and we both agree – coming down to the Australian fan base is nothing but a pleasure for both of us.
What can your loyal Australian fans expect this time around?
This time around, you can expect co-headlining sets that are fiery and aggressive. People are gonna get their metal – get ready to get in the pit.
Cradle of Filth and DevilDriver Australian tour dates
9, July: The Tivoli, Brisbane
10, July: The Enmore, Sydney
11, July: The Forum, Melbourne
14, July: Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide
16, July: The Astor, Perth
