Keep up with jordan here:
My name is Jordan Varela, I am 28 years of age and have been playing since I was 8 years old. I started playing drums in the third grade school band all the way through sixth grade. I became extremely bored, because playing history covers was never my thing and wanted autonomy in my playing. I always envisioned what it would be like to play my own music with musicians putting out our own music.
In the seventh grade I thought of some corny name like Corpse and jammed with an upper classman trying to just play metal. I finally met some musicians in the 10th grade and we created a band called morpheus which led to a name change called Epic of Empyrea. This is when my drumming started to mature and some rations of theory were put into my drumming. I played with these guys for a long time but just grew out of playing black metal and wanted to increase my intensity so I joined a incredible death metal band named Lust of Decay which is well known in the underground. This band allowed me to meet and be influenced by so many incredible drummers in which many of them are part of the sickdrummer family.
This band gave me the time to increase my talents and as a result I put out many different albums in many different projects. I played with Lividity on their Used, Abused, and Left for Dead album. I played on Domination Through Impurity’s album Essence of Brutality and am currently working on new material for the next album entitled “Masochist”. I played on Debodified’s Utopia in the Eyes of a Beast. I played on all three of Lust of Decay’s albums Infesting the Exhumed, Kingdom of Corpses, and Purity Through Dismemberment. I played on Shuriken Cadaveric Entwinement’s album As the Shroud of Suffering Suffocates the Land. I also just completed my solo album in which the project is entitled Symphony in Acrimony and the album is called Soul’s Celestial Saga. This album is a 33 minute long epic in which I performed all instruments and vocals. I also performed all instruments in Shuriken Cadaveric Entwinement. All myspaces are available for listening pleasure.
Jordan Varela Interview:
SD.com: How old were you when you started playing?
Jordan: I was 8 years of age when I started playing and I am currently 28.
SD.com: Did you play in a school band or any drum corps?
Jordan: I did play in 3-6th grade school projects. Couldn’t take it anymore after that…LoL
SD.com: Out of all the projects you have worked on, which one was your favorite? and most challenging?
Jordan: I have done quite a few and they have all been amazing for me. However, I must say my favorite and proudest accomplishments were done on my new album Soul’s Celestial Saga/ project name Symphony in Acrimony www.myspace.com/symphonyinacrimony. You can hear the first 9 minutes of the song here. My toughest album was doing Lust of Decays second album Kingdom of Corpses. I had to record the album 3 times in 3 different studios. The first time all tracks were erased by the producer on accident(can you believe that)…the second time just sucked, and finally we made it happen in a project studio that still sucked..lol….you live and learn
SD.com: Who are your top 5 influences?
Jordan: My top 5 influences are Nils Fjeldstrom(Aeon, Dark Funeral), Arttu Malkhi(Ex:Aeon), Sean Reinart(Cynic, etc), Gene Hoglan(Strapping Young Lad), and Steve Asheim (Deicide)…ohh man and too many more to mention, all metal drummers rule!
SD.com: Assuming that influences doesn’t mean favorites, who are your favorites?
Jordan: I love listening to Tom Corn from Lykathea Aflame(unreal drummer), older drummers from Judas Priest error, Drummer from Disavowed & Pyaemia past, Frank from Aborted, Tim the Missile, Tyson Jupin(I think we are twins from a past life…share a lot of same interests and drumming styles)….and do many more( sorry on names guys, horrible with remembering them)
SD.com: Let us know 5 CD’s that are in your current rotation
Jordan: Aeon’s newest album Rise to Dominate, Deicide’s Once Upon the Cross, Sanctification’s Misanthropic Carnage, My new album Symphony in Acrimony, and Edge of Sanity Crimson II (Dan Swano is a genius and my freaking hero!)
SD.com: What do you do to warm up before a show?
Jordan: I warm up when a band is playing before a set or when I have 30 minutes prior to my set. I start to pace the club and shake my wrists and air drum to whatever is playing(might look ridiculous but blood flow is essential for warmth) I then sit on my drum throne and actually play my pedals on my Roland Kick pads. This a bonus for me since I use the Rolands to trigger, so not only are they my bassdrums and triggers, but also my practice pads. I go through 16th notes until my feet feel real warm and that they can move effortless with cramping or blood engorgment in the shins.
SD.com: Can you remember a night you think was your best playing ever? If yes, when and where?
Jordan: I played the best at the Ohio Deathfest with Lust of Decay in I believe it was 2004 or 2005…It was sick, I never had adrenalin pump until I played this set….We crushed and were flawless. I wish I could see that footage, they had to get every security guard in the place because the pit got so out of hand. I think the most memorible was playing for Nile in Amsterdam at a huge fest in front of thousands…I had to fill in for Tony Laureano which are some huge shoes to fill in for….man, that was the most stressful time in my entire life..but best learning experience.
SD.com: Do you have a favorite brand of drums or cymbals?
Jordan: I play MRP drums(just beautifully crafted) and use all Zildjian cymbals.
SD.com: If you could give one piece of advice to young drummers, it would be…
Jordan: Practice as much as you humanly can. Practice when people are sleeping and you can actually pride yourself that hey these people are snoring while I am honing in on my drum skills. Practice, practice, practice…..and believe me, you can only get better…
SD.com: Who gave the best live performance you’ve ever seen?
Jordan: Inferno from Behemoth was one of the tightest and sickest drummers I ever saw live……and James King from Origin….
SD.com: What else do you do with your life, aside from drumming?
Jordan: I do sales for a supplement company and I also run my own business on the side. I am huge into Kickboxing and train everyday to improve myself on that. I am pretty simple guy that doesn’t do drugs are drink, extremely health oriented, loves intense music, pleasures of hard work, and drumming! Thanks again for the interview guys, we can only be so proud that there is a place that represents the metal drummer…..
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