Black Tusk have done more than their fair share of hard living. In their 19 years as a band, they’ve switched labels and lost members while navigating the bumps in the road that come with being touring musicians. But their new album bulldozes past any and all obstacles. The latest single off The Way Forward leaves the taste for sin behind, though that doesn’t mean this sludge metal crew have cleaned up their act. “Dance on Your Grave” sounds nastier than ever.
“Everything that happens in our lives is something we can learn from”, says Black Tusk guitarist and vocalist Andrew Fidler. “It will sink you or make you wiser. This song is about that”.
Watch the video for “Dance on Your Grave”: https://youtu.be/y0h2RxoDJOo
The Way Forward comes out April 26, 2024.
Pre-order: https://shop.season-of-mist.com/list/black-tusk-the-way-forward
Pre-save: https://orcd.co/thewayforwardpresave
James May has stomped around the swamps of Savannah, Georgia, since he was a young punk. But the Black Tusk drummer moved away to Athens during the course of the pandemic. It was a struggle, but the change in scenery helped him work through his struggles.
Everyday is amazement that I made it, May shouts alongside longtime bandmate Andrew Fidler, backed by the steadfast thump of his double kick drum.
“Sometimes the worst things you’ve ever seen or done end up being the best thing that’s ever happened to you”, says May, who wrote the lyrics to “Dance on Your Grave”. “It’s sort of a self-exorcism. You gotta be on the edge to know where the cliff is”.
The Way Forward marks Black Tusk’s first album as a four piece. But “Dance on Your Grave” shows that these guys are already old friends. Fidler and May used to run in the same touring circles as new bassist Derek Lynch. Lynch makes himself right at home, too, cracking open a cold beer before kicking off this jam session with a filthy bass groove.
“‘Dance on Your Grave’ was the absolute first song from the new record that I played with the whole band”, Lynch says. “We worked on it at a spot in Athens. It kind of gave me a frame of reference for what they were trying to accomplish with a new batch of songs, pushing the tempo while still maintaining a super heavy low end”.
The video was shot at Hidden Audio, which serves as Black Tusk’s home base. The studio is run by frequent collaborator and now official member Chris “Scary” Adams. Not only did Scary create the video for “Dance on Your Grave”. He produced The Way Forward and makes this the band’s first album to feature two guitars. Right away, the chemistry between him and Fidler jumps through the roof. After all, Fidler did help build this studio with his own two hands. On “Dance on Your Grave”, Fidler lays down firm riffs so that Scary can rip into a solo that never stops climbing.
Praise for Black Tusk
“A raucous style of punky, hard rocking sludge, with minimum fuss and ample bursts of energy and ballsy aggression” – Angry Metal Guy
“Chaotic and raw, but also extremely catchy and memorable” – Metal Injection
“A no frills band that goes full throttle. Black Tusk are here to stay” – Heavy Music HQ
“An engine-wrecking riff-fest from the Savannah badlands” – Metal Hammer
“Black Tusk are pretty much the only Georgia metal act who still sound like they hail from the home state of Sandra Dee and Uga” – Invisible Oranges
“Alive, raw, furious, loud…they almost make your face vibrate” – Heavy Blog is Heavy
“Black Tusk’s combination of sludge, rock, hardcore and death metal remains fluid, fertile and most importantly, full of life” – Pitchfork
