Band
Dave Frazer - Vocals
"I got into playing in bands as early as 15, when I was big into punk. My first performance live was with a punk band called the Miscreants. I played bass and sang and we played our only show with no guitar player. Even back then I was concentrating to a large degree on political lyrics. Throughout high school I played in dozens of bands, including some jokes, such as Jesus (hey zoos) and the Happy Jalapenos. Even in the joke bands, however, I was able to experiment with different sounds and really be creative, which is to a large degree how I write for Erebus today.
However, some of the bands were serious, including my first collaboration with my brother, Jon, on drums. The band was called the Pillaging Villagers, and it was my first attempt at writing metal. However, the music was very one dimensional, we were just guitar and drums, and the Manowar/Hammerfall like lyrics were unfulfilling and, frankly, quite ridiculous (Burn the Monastery, a poignant title). Jon and I decided we needed to make a more serious attempt at metal, we were both getting pretty good at our instruments and wanted to really try to do something different. That’s when we started Erebus.
Writing for Erebus really allowed me to put together what I had worked on all the years of being in bands, writing songs that were innovative, genre spanning and interesting for the listener. I was limited by my (sadly) mediocre guitar skills, but this forced me to write things that were really comprehensible to the listener. Even as I got better at guitar, I concentrated on solid riffing, preferring my songs to be straightforward and uncomplicated. My style of writing ever since has been to write riffs that build, that are predictable to some extent for the listener, so that they are easy to get into even the first time you hear them live. In addition, I have sought to combine that with a taste of the bizarre, to take the straightforward metal riffs and throw in between them things you wouldn’t expect out of a metal band. This philosophy of writing is, I believe, what makes our songs memorable. The listener is into the song from the beginning due to the no bullshit, no frills, no showboating grinding metal riffs and then once they are used to the sound, the course totally changes in a way that surprises the listener and makes him go “Wow, what was that?!”
Lyrically, I have sought to escape my punk roots in that I try not
to take an issue like “nuclear weapons” and rail against it,
but to take a much larger global trend perspective, connecting themes from “nuclear
weapons” to AIDS, to terrorism to international security all in the
same song. I try to establish a way to look at a wide range of issues
rather than just looking at the characteristics of one aspect. I write lyrics
like
I am arguing with someone. I take a position that I believe in, and
I structure my argument, then that becomes a song. In a way, if I am ever
discussing
an issue referenced in one of our songs, I will use the codes implanted
in the song to fuel my argument.
In a live show, I try to engage the crowd. So many bands try to make
an impression with sheer musicianship, choreographed head-banging or
guitar throwing clownery. I speak directly to the crowd, I try to leave
an impression
that will really stick, whether it’s the Circle of Death where I put
my body on the line, or just grabbing someone by the shirt and yelling
in their face. It’s the connection you make with the crowd that makes
your band truly memorable. You can be the most talented musicians on
Earth, but unless you force the crowd to remember you, you will just
be another metal band."
Influences: Rage Against the Machine, KISS, Pantera, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Napalm Death, Cannibal Corpse, Boris the Sprinkler, System of a Down
Gage Trader - Guitar
"I began playing guitar at the age of 14. Originally, I wanted to be a techincal god like Steve Vai or Michael Angelo Batio, but later I found that those guys didn't write very interesting music (in my opinion). So now I'm a lot more interested in writing cohesive songs with really fun parts rather than playing the fastest. I still spend a lot of time working on lead guitar, even though a lot of that isn't a big focus in Erebus. One of the most rewarding challenges is being able to take some of those more advanced techniques and work them cohesively into Erebus songs.
When Dave came to me and asked if I wanted to be in a band, I thought 'yeah, sure, I'll try it out,' but I really didn't expect much because I'd had a lot of bad experiences with other bands before. So yeah, it turned out pretty well - I had no idea what it would be like to play in a band where people were very good at what they do, dedicated, and had the same musical tastes as myself."
Influences: Psycroptic, Carcass, Darkane, Nile, Dimmu Borgir, Devin Townsend, Emperor, Ulver, Enslaved, Death, Pink Floyd, Pantera, Crotchduster, etc...
Equipment: Dean Razorback w/Seymour Duncan Blackouts and Fernandes Vortex Elite Guitars, Bogner Überschall head, Genz-Benz G-Flex 412 and Bogner Überkab Cabinets, Boss GT-6 Multieffects Processor, and Boss NS-2 Noise supressor
Derek Silloway - Bass
"I play bass. I've been in lots of bands. I am in Erebus now. They are awesome and I am proud to be a part of it. Come see us, we will probably accidently, or intentionally hurt you."
Influences: Dying fetus, Cryptopsy, Erebus, Mortician, Regurgitate, Suffocation, Necrophagist, Erebus, Cannibal Corpse, Pantera, Creedance Clearwater Revival, Exhumed, and um...Erebus.
Gear: Mesa Boogie M2000 tube head, Fender rackmount tuner and Furman power conditioner in a SKB head. Samson wireless unit. Cabs are either a custom Behringer 4x10 with a David Eden Nemesis 2x10 or 2 Behringer 4x10s. Basses include all different makes of BC Rich, mainly, Gunslinger ST bass, NJ Series Ironbird, NJ Series Virgo, Platinum Supreme Warlock and a Platinum ST bass. I wear mocasins also. And have tattoos.
Andrew Cross - Drums
"I was brought up playing music. Organ at age 3, violin at age 10, formal piano at age 11, etc... I've been playing drums since I was 12. I started out playing jazz and slowly moved on to rock. When I turned 13, I picked up playing guitar. When I hit highschool I started a band with a couple friends, Natural Born Chaos. We quickly moved from covers to originals. Before this, the heaviest music I'd heard was Metallica, Megadeth, and Pantera. Years later, after some line up changes, and a broadening of style, the band became known as Of Hatred. When the band broke up I'd just about given up on joining a band when I heard Erebus was looking for a new drummer. I'd heard the band a few times and thought it might just be the change I needed. After 2 greuling auditions, they dicided to offer me a place in the band. Metal has become my music of choice, the drive, the anger, the brutallity, and the cute little kitties..."
Influences: Pantera, Megadeth, Metallica, Children of Bodom, Lamb of God, Primus, Tool, Symphony X, Judas Priest, Down...
Equipment: Drums that would make great firewood, Sabian Cymbals, DW/Pacific Hardware/Rack, DW 5000 Double Kick Pedals, Skull Shifter knob from a 1986 Ford Bronco II, Evans Hydrolic Tom Heads, Evans Dry Vent Snare Head, Evans EMAD Kick Head, and an arsenal of Vater Sticks, you can never have too much ammunition.