Florida Speed heads Black Denim Rage have only been on the scene since 2019. However they have been very busy over the past few years with live shows and the release of a number of singles. Now 2023 sees the band releasing their debut album “State of Emergency” as well as a tour with the Canadian wolfpack Deadwolff later this year. Get ready for B.D.R!

THE NWOTHM: B.D.R It is a pleasure to chat to you! Please introduce us to the band members and where you are from?

B.D.R: Hello The NWOTHM, thank you for having us. 

James “Speed Veteran” Balcazar is Lead Vocals and Guitar for the band. Born in the States but raised in Chile, James brings his aggressive South American roots into the music.

Matthew “Thrashing” Sanders is Lead Guitar and Backing Vocals. More on the melodic side, Matt is brings heart to the band. A nice yin and yang compared to his speed metal brother. Matthew also handles a great portion of the promotion and graphic designing for the band.

Shazam Humphrey is Drummer for the band, and is truly the wizard of the group. Born and raised with musical knowledge in his blood, Shazam continues to uplift and educate the band into reaching new musical heights.

Guido Cattarinich is the newest member of the band, who handles all current bass work. Coming from other local legends like Thrash or Die, Guido ties the band together quite nicely in regards to advice behind the scenes and aggressive perfection on the stage.

Black Denim Rage are located in South Florida.

THE NWOTHM: How did you all meet and form the band and did any of you have any projects before hand?

B.D.R: While the band officially started in late 2019, Matthew and James met 4 years prior at a local venue called Propaganda, located in Lake Worth, Florida. 

Matt was with his other band at the time, and wanted tog eat more involved in the scene. The music was quite different from what he was used to. Nobody in the auricle was wearing battle jackets or bullet belts. Only one other person resembled true metal, and that was James. Quick compliments were shared between each other (James’ leather jacket and Venom shirt and Matt’s battle jacket) and parted ways.

Shortly after the show, James went into the army. After his service overseas, James searched far and wide for Matt’s social media, which he eventually found and made contact. From that, Black Denim Rage was born.

THE NWOTHM: And how did you choose the name?

B.D.R: There were several names that came to mind in the early days. All of which were cool. But they didn’t click 100% with what we symbolized. 

One day, Matt happened to be wearing a black denim vest (no patches were on it yet). Matt suggest Black Denim (a name already taken by a group in a completely different genre). An adjective was needed at the end to make the name more unique. Black Denim Fire was heavily debated, but the duo eventually came up with “Rage” instead. 

Black Denim Rage symbolized both our external appearances, as well as our internal beliefs. Matt and James have many things in their lives that unsatisfactory. Things that can make anyone mad or enraged. So not only does the name represent the musicians, but also bleeds into the musical style and lyrical content. 

THE NWOTHM: Who were your favourite bands and artists growing up and who influenced the sound of the band?

B.D.R: Bands that come to mind would be Violent Force, Judas Priest, early Iron Maiden, Kreator, Megadeth, etc. as well as Old School Rock and Roll, Blues, and Hardcore Punk. You can hear a bit of everything in BDR’s music. 

THE NWOTHM: Can you tell us about the lyrical themes and messages that you explore in your music?

B.D.R: Diving into the lyrics of BDR, there are two main topics: spreading the influence of Metal to the youth, and critiquing societal frustrations. From speed metal, spikes, and guitar work, to discussing current events, BDR’s lyrical content encapsulates the essence of Thrash. 

THE NWOTHM: You have only been around a short period of time! So tell us about the first demo! How did that come about?

B.D.R: The writing process was quite smooth for the demo. It’s a matter of two great minds thinking alike. James and Matt are the sole writers of the demo. 

While it was an uphill battle The whole way there (scams, lies, COVID, etc), the demo was finally released with positive criticism. 

It was the first time any of the band members released anything to the public. It was great fuel for the fire of BDR.

THE NWOTHM: How do you approach the songwriting process, and what techniques do you use to capture the energy and intensity of heavy metal music?

B.D.R: For both the demo and full length album, the writing process was, to be fair, top down. Either James or Matt would write the song, the other would write the lyrics, and then smooth out whatever needed to fixed. Then the song would be presented to the drummer through the use of a scratch track. Shazam would then do his best to replicate the drum track, but enhance it to his own taste. 

BDR plans to be more inclusive with the entire band being involved with writing in the near future. The writing phase of album number two is well on its way!

THE NWOTHM: You have put out a number of singles over the past few years! Do you each have a particular favourite and if so how did that song come about?

B.D.R: Matt: Street Metallians would be my current favorite single. It’s so anthemic and personal. In Florida, the type of music and lifestyle we lead is almost nonexistent in our age group. We are doing our best to bring old school metal back, and it’s been an uphill battle. But we have been seeing more and more people show up to concerts wearing denim and leather, and couldn’t be more proud! since we have been exposed to the singles so much, my personal favorite from the album would actually be Chemical Bullets. It’s my fault for making this track the craziest and most technical song on the album. Definitely challenging, but a totally powerful experience when performed live! 

James: Street Metallians is my favorite as well. Just know that all us metalheads are a family who should stick together. Stay true! 

THENWOTHM: Who has the best battle jacket in the band?

B.D.R: While everyone in the band has fantastic battle jackets, we have to give a shout out to our friends in Europe! We thought ours were the best around until we visited Germany for Keep it True Festival in 2022. There’s just no comparison! Now completely influenced by European fashion, we are hoping our latest jackets do a good job representing us when compared to our European counterparts!

THENWOTHM: And do we have any collectors in the band of any thing like guitars or something unusual?

B.D.R: Matt: between all members of the band, we have an obscenely large collection of CDs, vinyl, and cassette tapes! We have no more room for music but continue to buy it! Once you start metal, you can’t stop so easily.

THENWOTHM:  With the rise of streaming platforms and digital music, how do you think the metal industry has evolved, and how have you adapted to these changes?

B.D.R: While BDR prefers physical media, there’s no doubt streaming is the dominant force for all music genres. It’s very difficult making any sort of profit or living off of what this band does. So while we do our best to promote our merchandise, we know playing shows consistently is our best shot at making our dreams come true, and we know this is the case for basically every band out there both large and small.

THENWOTHM: You just put out your new album “State of Emergency!” What can you tell us about the album, the artwork and who produced it for you?

B.D.R: State of Emergency was a long time coming. All the things we internalized have finally found a way to be expressed in the real world. 

The album dives into both personal and societal clashes. Both the inner and outer world must be in sync in order to find inner peace. But with how crazy the world has gotten over the years, the balance has been thrown to the wayside. We express our thoughts and feelings through every aspect of this release. Censorship, cancel culture, declining standards of living, egos, liars, etc. are all things we present to the listener. 

From music to artwork, State of Emergency captures the current times from a general perspective, not taking one side or the other. If anything, many of the songs have predicted the future. For example, a few months after the song curfew city was written, one of the shows we played got shut down by police due to COVID curfew restrictions! Luckily we were able to play the full set and pack up before the arrived. The next band was not so lucky. 

This album went through a number of producers and language barriers, but we thank everyone for their participation and appreciate everyone’s hard work behind the scenes.

THENWOTHM: How would you describe your live performances? What can fans expect when they attend one of your shows?

B.D.R: Our live performance specifically get the crowd going more than most. 99% of the bands we share the stage with do not play our genre of music. Most people in our age group don’t even know what speed metal is in our area! We take the crowd by surprise each and every time. Not saying this to brag, but through numerous observations and talks with fans, we have a unique place here. When you attend our show, get read for whiplash! 100 miles per hour face melting riffs and solos you won’t find anywhere else!

Another important part of our live shows is audience interaction. We like to jump off stage and start mosh pits if nobody else is willing to do it. People love it!

THENWOTHM: And what shows do you have planned for the rest of 2023?

B.D.R: We will be playing in new territories this year, and one in particular will be a huge leap for us. Canadian metal heads Deadwolff will be coming down from Canada to play with us. This is a big deal, as we are Deadwolff fanatics! 

THENWOTHM: looking forward what are your plans for the future? Any upcoming projects, collaborations, or goals you’d like to share with your fans?

B.D.R: BDR is always working on something. Album number is is underway, with the artwork and writing almost done.

We are also in the final stages of demoing a NWOBHM styles project called Living Fast, in which we aim to capture true Old School Metal like Saxon, Judas Priest, Randy, and Parasite. It’s way more melodic than the crude attitude of BDR, and is quite special in our hearts. 

James plans on reenlisting into the military and moving to Germany. While in service, he plans on networking for bigger gigs. In the meantime, he will also record/collaborate with the rest of BDR over the internet. That’s how it’s done nowadays!

THENWOTHM: Where can fans check you out and buy your music and merch?

B.D.R: You can check our Black Denim Rage on every streaming platform, and buy merch directly from us on:

Bandcamp: blackdenimrage.bandcamp.com

For our European audience, you can check out our labels for easier shipping options:

https://witchesbrewthrashes.bandcamp.com/

https://jawbreakerrecords.bandcamp.com/merch

THENWOTHM: Any final words you would like to mention to our readers?

B.D.R: Thank you The NWOTHM for this opportunity. We love to express our thoughts and feelings to our audience, and you’re more in depth questions truly allowed us to do so more than any other publication thus far. We hope to continue our collaborations into the far future. To metal and beyond!

• Matt and James