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Coming at you from Cary North Carolina Casualty is "breaking all boundaries of what you used to consider "hard" music." From melodic to gritty these guys know how to deliver not holding to any one end of the metal scale.
My first introduction to the band was the song Beg For Me. It delivers incredible guitar riffs and energy that you can feel this song is fast becoming one of my Indie favs. Reminiscent of the Metal Gods of the past I promise you won't be disappointed when you check out their reverbnation page.
I had a chance to catch up with John from Casualty:
What brought you guys together as a band?
Casualty was around for a number of years before I came into the band. Keith Fears (the bass player) started the band with our previous drummer (Josh Cook). I had moved to NC from Long Island a few years prior. I had played in a number of metal bands in NY and really started getting the itch to play again. When I finished my MBA at NC State, I knew it was time to start playing again. I forget if I answered their add, or they answered my add, but I came out to audition for them and I landed the gig. They were always a 1 guitar band, but I talked them into bringing on another guitarist I had jammed with in the area (James Ross). He stuck with us for a few years, but he eventually went is own way. Shortly after that Josh Cook decided that it was time to drop off as well.
After a few auditions, we found our current drummer (Adam Hancock). We continued to play ahows as a 1 guitar band while auditioning for James' replacement. As luck had it, my wife knew a guy who went to Berkeley and played in a local band. I sort of filed that info away in the back of my head as a possibility to explore. Turns out, our very next show was on the same bill with his band (Laser Blades). He watched our set and loved us, and Keith and I stuck around to watch his. We were amazed and I asked (possibly begged) him to join us on the spot. He agreed to come by and jam with us the following week. That's how we wound up with Tyler Smith as our 2nd guitarist. We've been together with this lineup for a few years now and it is by far the most talented and fun lineup to date.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Our inspirations are many. I am definitely and old school thrash metal head. My biggest influences are Megadeth, OLD Metallica (anything from And Justice For All and before), Slayer, Pantera, Black Sabbath and some of the Metal Core bands of today like Unearth. I also have a good amount of Def Leppard (I know, not exactly metal, but High and Dry and Pyromania are monster albums). Keith draws from Pantera, Clutch and just about anything that is good o'l southern rock. Tyler has some very classical roots in there. He loves to play Vivaldi while noodling between songs and is heavily influenced by Jason Becker. Our singer Anthony loves Lamb of God, Dio, Pantera, Opeth, etc. Adam has contributed to some of the guitar writing as well (not bad for a drummer). He has a very Nordic Metal feel to his writing.
What can fans expect for 2014?
For 2014, we are looking to get back into the studio and record another 4 or 5 songs. We've been writing the past few months and really cannot wait to get them down in the studio.
