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 DISTURBED drummer MIKE WENGREN lets everyone know that during the band’s upcoming tour they are going to kick serious arse. TOM HERSEY takes notes.
In 2006, Aussie punters got their last taste of Disturbed to date. Relegated to a support slot for Korn at the Riverstage, Brisbane punters hardly even had a chance to get down to the Chicago four piece’s brand of alternative nu metal before Korn took over. However, come September 2 the band will return to the Riverstage to reclaim the headlining position they always deserved (because Korn were never the same after Head left anyway).
The tour comes in support of Disturbed’s fourth album, Indestructible. Taking a much darker tone than the band’s previous offerings, the album expresses a heightened sense of lyrical anguish. Mike believes that, from the beginning, Indestructible was always going to have a melancholy depth unseen on Disturbed albums.
“We intended to write a dark album. David had quite a bit of bad luck for a while and that was where his mindset was at lyrically. It was also where the rest of the guys were at because we wanted to write music that would compliment David’s dark lyrics. It’s just where our headspace as a band was at the time.”
Despite the album’s brooding undercurrent, Mike is extremely happy with how fans are getting in to Indestructible. “So far the fan reaction to the album has been great. It’s sold quite a few records in some different countries, in Australia the album’s gone gold, we’ve already gone platinum in New Zealand and gold in the States and Canada. And that’s just in five weeks. So fans really seem to be buying the record up and digging it and that’s definitely the response we’ve been getting when we’ve been playing the songs live.”
The live tour that Mike alludes to is the inaugural Mayhem festival. The tour sees Disturbed travel America with some of the biggest names in the new era of heavy metal. So how has it been for Disturbed touring with a bunch of killer bands like Slipknot, Mastodon and DragonForce? “We love it! Watching all these bands throw down during the day just inspires us to do the same. You go out and see all these bands who are just trying to be at the top of their game and you’re compelled to raise the bar of your performance.”
While still playing dates of the Mayhem festival, Mike seems more than willing to get ahead of himself and talk about the following Australian tour. So for fans still debating whether the Disturbed show is worth the ticket price, Mike is clear.
“We’re definitely on fire right now. The band is kicking some arse right now in the states and we’re performing better than we ever have, we have a lot of energy and we’re really excited to be back out with new material and we’re going to be even more excited to come back down to Australia. We’re still working out the details of the shows but what I do know as a matter of fact is that we’re ready to go out there and kick arse.”
DISTURBED play the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on September 2 with P.O.D., Alter Bridge and Behind Crimson Eyes. Tickets are on sale now through www.ticketek.com.au. INDESTRUCTIBLE is out now through Warner.
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