The Butcher Babies have created a massive tidal wave in the metal world with their debut full length Goliath. Up front you have two of the hottest most sinister front ladies in metal but handling that backbone is guitarist Henry Flury. His riffs are sickeing and on a recent tour stop he was stopped in to talk about their debut and how his massive sound was created.
An interview with Henry Flury of the Butcher Babies.
By Jeffrey Easton
Metal Exiles: This was the best summer of your career, correct?
Henry Flury: Yes, absolutely, it has been insane. I cannot believe that it is over but from all the events it was a dream come true.
Metal Exiles: So you drop Goliath and kick it off with Metal Mayhem.
Henry: There was a lot of prep that went into that because we were in a rush to get Goliath done so we could get it released at the beginning of Mayhem but fortunately we were able to get it done. It worked out for us because there was a big push behind us and we wanted to promote it and once it was in their hands we were able to see them sing along with us. After that it spread like wildfire and the more the tour went on the crazier it got.
Metal Exiles: You said this was rushed but to me there was nothing rushed in the art or sound..
Henry: that part wasn’t rushed, it was just when we came off of the Manson tour and we went into pre production, emotions were high and we wanted to get it done. It was not an easy thing to do and we pushed each other to get it out.
Metal Exiles: The riffs are brutal on Goliath; you sound like a machine playing. First of all, what did you use on the album as far as gear?
Henry: We worked with Josh Wilbur as our producer and he had a plethora of stuff for me to use, every amp you could think of but I ended up going with a head I had used since High School, a Dual Rectifier. It came off of the Manson tour and it sounded better than any other amp head there. It was dialed in and it sounded amazing. For guitars I used Strictly Seven which is a custom company out of Ohio. On tour I am using Ibanez’s though. For the next tour I signed with Randall so it’s going to be a whole new sound for me.
Metal Exiles: Like I said, the riffs are brutal, what went into creating them?
Henry: All of us have contributed a great deal to the record and to me those riffs are very personal and dear to me. This is stuff that I sit around and come up with and it is all me. A Lot of people think we had outside writers come in on this album and that was just not the case, it was all us. Perfect example is The Death Surround. It was the last song written, it almost did not make it but I convinced the band that it was going to go off and we have to put it on the album. It made it and when we do it live it goes crazy, the fans are nuts when we play it. Nothing better than to play a song that was an idea in your bedroom and see people react the way they do.
Metal Exiles: How does it feel to have created a record that people can murder others in movies too? Ecerything about the album from the art to the riffs and lyrics is disturbing.
Henry: It is a disturbing piece and it is a reflection of the violent culture that we live in. Goliath is basically about being a child and you are subjected to an abusive parent or a school life, whatever it may be. As a child you experience things and you can go one of two ways, the violent route where you retaliate and become a monster or you can go the good route where you become better and learn from it. It is about that and hopefully the kid takes the good route and does something about it.
Metal Exiles: So the bad route is the album cover.
Henry: That’s the thing about the album cover, you have no idea what the kid is going to do, there is nothing violent about it. He could be bringing them muffins.
Metal Exiles: Sure he is.
Henry: If you think something violent is going to happen then that is what’s in your head. Its about that turning point, you can be bad or good.
Metal Exiles: The album is out, you have a massive amount of fans, whats going on now for you guys?
Henry: We are out with Danzig for a month and the last show is Halloween at the Warfield in San Francisco. At the end of January we will be going on Ship Rocked which we will destroy that boat.
If you have yet to identify with the Butcher Babies then your metal life is incomplete. Goliath will broaden your scope of how metal should sound and will send shivers down your spine when Heidi and Carla scream you into submission.
Official Butcher Babies Site
BUY Goliath
An interview with Henry Flury of the Butcher Babies.
By Jeffrey Easton
Metal Exiles: This was the best summer of your career, correct?
Henry Flury: Yes, absolutely, it has been insane. I cannot believe that it is over but from all the events it was a dream come true.
Metal Exiles: So you drop Goliath and kick it off with Metal Mayhem.
Henry: There was a lot of prep that went into that because we were in a rush to get Goliath done so we could get it released at the beginning of Mayhem but fortunately we were able to get it done. It worked out for us because there was a big push behind us and we wanted to promote it and once it was in their hands we were able to see them sing along with us. After that it spread like wildfire and the more the tour went on the crazier it got.
Metal Exiles: You said this was rushed but to me there was nothing rushed in the art or sound..
Henry: that part wasn’t rushed, it was just when we came off of the Manson tour and we went into pre production, emotions were high and we wanted to get it done. It was not an easy thing to do and we pushed each other to get it out.
Metal Exiles: The riffs are brutal on Goliath; you sound like a machine playing. First of all, what did you use on the album as far as gear?
Henry: We worked with Josh Wilbur as our producer and he had a plethora of stuff for me to use, every amp you could think of but I ended up going with a head I had used since High School, a Dual Rectifier. It came off of the Manson tour and it sounded better than any other amp head there. It was dialed in and it sounded amazing. For guitars I used Strictly Seven which is a custom company out of Ohio. On tour I am using Ibanez’s though. For the next tour I signed with Randall so it’s going to be a whole new sound for me.
Metal Exiles: Like I said, the riffs are brutal, what went into creating them?
Henry: All of us have contributed a great deal to the record and to me those riffs are very personal and dear to me. This is stuff that I sit around and come up with and it is all me. A Lot of people think we had outside writers come in on this album and that was just not the case, it was all us. Perfect example is The Death Surround. It was the last song written, it almost did not make it but I convinced the band that it was going to go off and we have to put it on the album. It made it and when we do it live it goes crazy, the fans are nuts when we play it. Nothing better than to play a song that was an idea in your bedroom and see people react the way they do.
Metal Exiles: How does it feel to have created a record that people can murder others in movies too? Ecerything about the album from the art to the riffs and lyrics is disturbing.
Henry: It is a disturbing piece and it is a reflection of the violent culture that we live in. Goliath is basically about being a child and you are subjected to an abusive parent or a school life, whatever it may be. As a child you experience things and you can go one of two ways, the violent route where you retaliate and become a monster or you can go the good route where you become better and learn from it. It is about that and hopefully the kid takes the good route and does something about it.
Metal Exiles: So the bad route is the album cover.
Henry: That’s the thing about the album cover, you have no idea what the kid is going to do, there is nothing violent about it. He could be bringing them muffins.
Metal Exiles: Sure he is.
Henry: If you think something violent is going to happen then that is what’s in your head. Its about that turning point, you can be bad or good.
Metal Exiles: The album is out, you have a massive amount of fans, whats going on now for you guys?
Henry: We are out with Danzig for a month and the last show is Halloween at the Warfield in San Francisco. At the end of January we will be going on Ship Rocked which we will destroy that boat.
If you have yet to identify with the Butcher Babies then your metal life is incomplete. Goliath will broaden your scope of how metal should sound and will send shivers down your spine when Heidi and Carla scream you into submission.
Official Butcher Babies Site
BUY Goliath
