Keep up with Brent here:
www.myspace.com/atrociousabnormality
I am a self taught drummer who asked for my first drum kit at 14, only to get a few pairs of drum sticks instead. I listened to music closely and played air drums for a year or so before I played on an actual kit. Afterwards I was awarded with my first set of drums when I turned 16 by my father. After playing in a few crappy metal bands, I met Steve Green, a high school friend who had the same interest in extreme metal that I did. We played in a few bands together off and on for a few years before taking a break from music. After a couple years of silence and no practice at all due to me having to sell my drums, Steve hit me up about starting a death metal band. I had no kit at the time, but he had bought one because he liked to play as well. So I agreed, and we started the band Mindkill, which eventually turned into the band now known as Lust of Decay. We played many shows, and recorded a few demos over the years of 1999-2001 before I was replaced by Jordan Varella, who went on to record all of the L.O.D. full length albums. After my ejection from L.O.D., I was driven to become better at my drumming.
I bought my own set of drums, and started practicing at home. After seeing on the internet that the Texas based band Putrilage needed a drummer, I sent them an e-mail, and was offered a place to stay for a week while I tried out for them. I drove 24 hours to San Antonio and met up with the band and after a couple of rehearsals, I was in. A month or so later, I picked up and moved to Texas, hoping to further my career by joining a band that had done some big things already, such as a full U.S. tour with Beheaded, and a full length out on Forever Underground Records. Coming into this band put pressure on me, as we were slated to do a tour about 2 weeks after I moved there, but the tour fell through for us and we could only take part in one show due to the guitarist having some issues. We did a few more shows, and tried writing new material, but after about 8 months, the main guitarist was wanting to end the band, and the other guys were not into keeping the band going. Before moving to Texas I had jammed with a Spartanburg, S.C. based band called Chaosego, and I knew they were still needing a drummer, so I decided to move back to N.C. and try my luck elsewhere.
After a couple of years back with Chaosego, we had played a lot of shows, but could never seem to get any music recorded, or get any merchandise together. So near the end of 2005, after talking with Steve Green at some of our shows we played together, me in Chaosego, and him still doing L.O.D., we decided we should try and do another band, one that could eclipse anything we had both ever done. One big thing we both wanted was a band that could and would be willing to do as many shows and tours as possible. So around Feb. of 2006, I quit the band Chaosego and moved my drums back into the L.O.D. practice room, and Atrocious Abnormality was born. After a year or so of writing, we entered the studio and recorded our debut album. The CD was released on Halloween 2007 by Comatose Music, and has already almost sold out of the first pressing here 8 months later. We have done numerous shows with some of the biggest bands in the scene including Necrophagist, Origin, Vital Remains, and tons more. We played the 2007 Central Illinois Metalfest, and are slated to play the 2008 C.I.M. as well as the New England Deathfest. We have already completed one self booked tour that took us out through Texas and surrounding states, which went very well, and we are currently planning to do much more!
Over the 5 years or so after my departure from Lust of Decay, I strived to get better and faster. During the 2 years or so that I was in Chaosego, I tried to further my knowledge of drums and drumming. I also sort of changed my style and my playing habits. I constantly was changing my throne height, my bass drum pedal tensions, sticks, and drum set ups as well. I watched every sick drummer that came through. And I studied Derek Roddy's video and techniques and after constant practice I learned my most efficient ways of playing. I used to think that it didnt matter if I learned how others play, but one thing you learn after time, is that the more you see, and take in from other drummers, the more you can enable yourself to do. I used to be amazed at how fast drummers like Roddy and Longstreth could play, now I understand, and have no problem with playing fast! So I can honestly say I have played my best drums over the last 5 years, and I constantly strive to learn more and get better. This is something that you can never learn enough of, there is always something new you can pick up, whether it be a style, a grip, or even a new beat! Being self taught made it tough for me to accelerate my playing, so I recommend that any drummer try and learn all they can from others to improve themselves to the best levels possible! I now offer myself as a session drummer for bands that may need one, and have recently agreed to session live for a local thrash metal band called Krotalus who recently lost their drummer before being able to have a CD release show. So I shall try and help them make that happen, while still doing Atrocious Abnormality full time. We are starting to write new songs now, and hope to have a demo of the new material out by the end of the year!
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Brent Williams Interview
SD.com: How old were you when you started playing?
Brent: Well I was about 16 when I got my first drum kit, and started playing in bands a few months afterwards.
SD.com: Did you play in a school band or any drum corps?
Brent: I did not, I wanted to play drums in my school band, but all the positions were already filled, and I didnt feel like playing any wind instruments!
SD.com: Who are your top 5 influences?
Brent: I would have to break it down into who first influenced me, and those who have recently influenced me as well When I was growing up, I was highly into the playing of Dave Lombardo, Pete Sandoval, Gene Hoglan, and Charlie Benante. But after progressing into more brutal styles, I was heavily influenced by Derek Roddy, Tim Yeung, John Longstreth and Dave Culross.
SD.com: Assuming that influences doesn't mean favorites, who are your favorites?
Brent: I would have to give it to Roddy and Longstreth. Two amazing drummers that have so much to offer.
SD.com: Let us know 5 CD's that are in your current rotation
Brent: Hate Eternal – Fury and Flames, Origin – Antithesis, Krotalus – Blood Offerings, AngelCorpse – Exterminate, and Defeated Sanity – Psalms of the Moribund
SD.com: What do you do to warm up before a show?
Brent: I mainly try to stretch my ankles, my legs, my arms, and my wrists. Drink plenty of water. Warm up with my sticks on a practice pad.
SD.com: Can you remember a night you think was your best playing ever? If yes, when and where?
Brent: Its really hard to say. I have played a lot of shows where I felt my playing was really good, and also times when I would like to forget! But some memorable ones were from our recent tour in Texas. Austin and Houston were both really good tight performances. I look forward to having a new favorite night in the future!
SD.com: Do you have a favorite brand of drums or cymbals?
Brent: Not really, I think all the main companies have good products, it's really what you're looking for. My favorite drum maker is Tama, and as far as cymbals go, I really like Sabian, Zildjian, Paiste, and the mighty Wuhan for the chinas of course, even though they do make great crashes and splashes as well.
SD.com: If you could give one piece of advice to young drummers, it would be…
Brent: To learn all you can, from any and every drummer that catches your attention, and even some that dont. It's a skill that can be mastered, but only to an extent, I always feel there is more I can do to improve, and I feel like that will never change! Also I think that one must practice as much as possible. Whether it be 10 minutes of single strokes a day, or 20 hours a week. Every bit helps!
SD.com: Who gave the best live performance you've ever seen?
Brent: There have been many great ones in my day, but one that stands out for me was last year at Maryland Deathfest when
Malevolent Creation took the stage with Culross behind the skins. They played all the really great older songs from the best albums Retribution, and The Ten Commandments. It was great being able to sit side stage and watch him play every song.
Another great performance that weekend was Misery Index, Adam and the boys laid MDF to WASTE! Looking forward to seeing
them again at the Central Illinois Metalfest.
SD.com: If you had to stop drumming, what would you want to do with your life?
Brent: I have asked myself that question for quite some time now, and one thing I can say that I will always want to do, is produce albums, and record bands. I really would love to twist a few knobs for some of the best death metal bands! Also running live sound at shows would be sweet. Or third, be a drum tech for someone I look up to as a drummer.
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