Though you'll find the finest Sonoran death metal on Gatecreeper's third album Dark Superstition, lead singer Chase Mason listens to music from all over the genre spectrum. Gatecreeper has helped define contemporary heavy music, but Mason's listening life doesn't stick to solely to heavy metal. For this edition of Surprising Influences, Mason shares some of his unexpected favorites. Fu Manchu
Fu Manchu are a '90s stoner rock band from California that feel more rooted in punk than metal. Very different energy than most doom based stoner rock bands. Super tight grooves with memorable riffs and untouchable fuzzed out guitar tone. Very few bands have ever sounded as "cool" as them.
Editors Note: If you dig Fu Manchu, be sure to check out Nebula, their spin-off band featuring Eddie Glass & Ruben Romano where they took everything to the next level! ~ Pr.Ed.
Jimmy Eat World - Clarity
Being from Mesa, Jimmy Eat World had a huge impact on me growing up. When I was a teenager I would listen to Clarity over and over in my headphones studying the immersive production and daydreaming about making records of my own like it one day. Bleed American may be what introduced them to the world at large but Clarity will always be one of my favorite records of all time. Any time I fly out of Phoenix, I'm listening to "Goodbye Sky Harbor" during take off.
The Cardigans - First Band On The Moon & Life
When I was in 4th grade, my uncle took me to see The Cardigans right around the time First Band On The Moon came out. I didn't know much about them other than "Lovefool" that was playing on the radio at the time. I quickly tracked down their entire discography and became a lifelong fan. They have multiple Black Sabbath covers. While i've never been able to confirm the lore that some of the members spent time in Swedish death or black metal bands, I believe it to be true in my heart.
To/Die/For - Eternity
I'm very picky when it comes to "Gothic Metal" but To/Die/For is easily my favorite of the genre. Imagine a heavier and more straightforward version of HIM. This record was a big influence on me when trying to add some gothic elements to the last Gatecreeper album. The songs are extremely catchy and the production is chunky giving the whole thing a very tight machine-like sound.
The Sisters of Mercy - First and Last and Always
This record was another big influence on the "goth" elements of Dark Superstition. In the song "Flesh Habit" we even peppered in some drum samples from their infamous Doktor Avalanche drum machine. The guitars are still very prominent in these songs which is something I miss in later Sisters material. To me, this is a perfect album and the gold standard for Goth Rock.
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