Los Angeles-based industrial metal band Godhead recently released The Shadow Realigned, a new album consisting of 14 remixed versions of carefully selected tracks from the band's catalog, plus two cover tunes and a new, previously unreleased song called "To Heal."
The 14 remixes were created by 14 different producers. Together, they make for an interesting slab of music for fans of industrial/modern metal. GuitarWorld.com recently caught up with Godhead's Jason C. Miller to discuss the album and more.
GUITAR WORLD: How did the idea for The Shadow Realigned come about?
It was almost like a celebration of sorts. We got the rights back to our album The Shadow Line, and I thought it would be a cool idea if we got a lot of our favorite musicians and producers to remix the entire album by putting their own spin on it.
Why did you use 14 different producers?
I wanted to hear what each one would do! Call me selfish, I guess, but it was great to hear what each one did with just the raw tracks.
In hindsight, how do you compare the remixes to the original versions? Do you think they enhance the impact of the songs, or do you see the the two versions as totally different from each other?
I think most of them make the original songs much better. When you hear the opening track, you hear a perfect mix of the original — and where an outside mixer/producer/musician can take it.
In addition to the remixes, the album has three other tracks, including a Godhead original called "To Heal." How long has that one been lying around in the vault — and how did it resurface?
It's been lying around since 2006. I was glad I still found Jay Baumgardner's mix on a hard drive somewhere! It has this cool, almost Alice in Chains vibe to it. We left it off the original version of The Shadow Line because it didn't quite fit stylistically, but since this is a remix album, anything goes!
Your choice of covers for the album, including "Never Let Me Down Again" by Depeche Mode and "God of Thunder" by Kiss, is diverse. What made you decide on those two?
Godhead has always been a band of many different influences. I think those two covers kind of run the gamut of where we have come from as far as who's influenced us. For "Never Let Me Down Again," I actually started working on it with our producer, Julian Beeston, at the time of recording The Shadow Line, so finishing it for this album seemed fitting.
You've toured with plenty of great bands in the past, but if you had to pick one, what past tour or show would you consider as the highlight and pinnacle of Godhead's career?
I'd say Ozzfest. What an amazing time that was! The camaraderie of the bands, the fans ... it was a non-stop party. Also to get to see Black Sabbath play every night was pretty amazing. A chance of a lifetime, but every night!
Can fans expect a Godhead album of all original material any time soon?
You never know ...
What do you think of the industrial metal genre as a whole in the present day, and would you say it's undergone a positive evolution over the years?
I think it's certainly undergone a positive evolution. To see it combined with so many electronic elements I think was a natural progression for it to go in. EDM kind of rules the world right now, and it's good to see industrial still represented.
What's some of the new music that's caught your ear in recent times, that you would recommend to readers?
Well, I've been listening to nothing but guitar bands lately! Blackberry Smoke is a personal favorite that I can't get enough of. I love their guitar harmonies. Also the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Derek Trucks might be the best slide player alive. I've been writing songs with Jinxx from Black Veil Brides and Driver Williams from Eric Church's band, and both of those live bands use a lot of double-harmony-solo work too. I can't get enough of those Allman Brothers-esque double solos!
Andrew Bansal is a writer who has been running his own website, Metal Assault, since early 2010, and has been prolific in covering the hard rock and heavy metal scene by posting interviews, news, reviews and pictures on his website — with the help of a small group of people. He briefly moved away from the Los Angeles scene and explored metal in India, but he is now back in LA continuing from where he left off.
