Alex Wade's (Whitechapel) Studio Blog

Posted February 8 by Chris D.

By Alex Wade (Whitechapel)

So, we just got back from Audio Hammer Studios in the sunny (or lack thereof at this moment) state of Florida. There were some days it was 40 degrees in mid day. What's up with that? We came to Florida to record some brutality and get away from our cold homeland of Tennessee, but came to find out the weather was less than desirable. There were some days where it was actually nice out, but they were few and far between.

We were holed up in the studio recording our third album (second Metal Blade album) with none other than the infamous dynamic duo Jason Suecof and Mark Lewis. The two definitely were some characters and made it more enjoyable and less stressful to record the album. I personally think the album came out amazing. Suecof really knew what aspects of our band to focus on to bring out some of the heaviest and most aggressive music we have ever written. This album has this certain edge to it. I just can't explain. I feel like there's more emotion and aggression in the music rather than just trying to get the best takes and make sonically perfect music. Phil's [Bozeman] vocals are definitely on a whole other level as well, they just sound so raw and angry. He came up with some of the catchiest lyrical patterns he has ever done as well. I think this record as a whole is a perfect representation of how Whitechapel have not only grown as a band but as individual musicians as well. The songs aren't just a bunch of parts that were thrown together and happened to sound good, rather we actually took the time to consider song structure and flow, and creating memorable songs with the use of verses and choruses. This record will please the most diehard Whitechapel fan, as well as gain us new ones in my eyes. We didn't ‘sell out’ or ‘soften up’. If anything it's heavier, faster, angrier, and more brutal than anything we've done thus far.

When we weren't recording, we spent our downtime lounging around the living room of the studio watching Blu-rays or playing Xbox 360. I can't even imagine how many hours Phil clocked in on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. We were the first band to encounter Suecof's new dog, Lindy aka Stinky. She is a Rottweiler mix, and was a little shit most of the time, but sometimes you couldn't help but love to play with her when she wasn't nipping at you or barking uncontrollably for absolutely no reason. [Laughs] One night we took a break from the studio and went to see Sevendust play at the House Of Blues in Downtown Disney. That was cool for me at least, as I'm a huge Sevendust fan (I know you just rolled your eyes upon reading that. [Laughs] Shut the fuck up. That band hasn't sold hundreds of thousands of records because they're bad). It was good to get out of the studio and take our minds off of our own music for a night and then come in fresh the next day.

Overall the experience recording this new album was great, and I think that shows in the album and songs themselves. I can't wait until the album is released and we start a new album cycle with new tours and marketing for the record. It's going to be intense so be sure to pick up a copy when it drops in spring of 2010!

** Whitechapel's as-yet-untitled new album is due out spring 2010 on Metal Blade Records.

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