Devourment Ripped Off Van Halen and Don’t Care About Deathcore

Recent Relapse signees and veteran brutal death metallers Devourment are one of the most well-known examples of the style, and have undoubtedly inspired countless others within the ranks of the slam nation. It's not much of a stretch to assume that many of the modern deathcore bands have taken some cues from their trademark ultra brutal approach.

Devourment spew out plenty of slow, grinding breakdowns and bass drops, but throw these Texas gorehounds on a stage and you'll watch 'em blow the heads off any stray Suicide Silence or Job for a Cowboy fans unlucky enough to wander in. Vocalist Mike Majewski weighed in, telling Noisecreep that, "It would be pretty arrogant to assume any band is influenced by us just because it's a similar style. We didn't invent that style, so who knows? I personally don't listen to much deathcore or whatever, but I have no problem with it; each his own. S---, I ripped off a Van Halen song on 'Anal Electrocution' [from 2005's 'Butcher the Weak' LP]."

You've got to wonder, though, what the death metalheads behind such top 40 hits as 'Babykiller,' 'Autoerotic Asphyxiation' and 'Anal Electrocution' make of the deathcore trend and its decidedly non-brutal hallmarks -- fitted hats, neon merch, uber-tight jeans, you know the type. Noisecreep inquired as to whether he sees deathcore/metalcore as gateway drugs to the real underground metal scene, or as something to be ignored/condemned/stamped out.

Majewski doesn't take the bait. "I honestly don't waste my time or energy giving a f--- what other people talk about or care about. I always have my 'Reign in Blood' CD close by. If it skips, that's when I get f---ing pissed."

Devourment are gearing up for an assault upon the European metal festival circuit this August, then they'll be returning to spread the plague across the U.S. with Cattle Decapitation and a host of young deathcore acts on the California Blood Tour. How does Majewski think Devourment's bloodthirsty fans will react to the other bands on the bill?

Diplomatically as always, he muses, "Hard to say really, as this will be our first U.S. tour so everything will be a very new experience for us. We have played in the U.S. before, but very few cities so it will be exciting to see how it goes. I'm sure all of the bands on the tour will do great and have a lot of fun."

Pretty positive fare from a dude that spends most of his time writing lyrics like "she twitches with an ounce of life still /I stomp her skull to further the kill/her brain destroyed spews viscous fluid/I stab her face for my amusement" (from 'Over Her Dead Body,' on 2009's 'Unleash the Carnivore'). You can catch Devourment on tour this summer, and get ready to unleash the gore.

Devourment tour dates

9/29 -- Tempe, AZ -- The Clubhouse

9/30 -- Albuquerque, NM -- Launchpad

10/4 -- Fort Worth, TX -- Ridglea Theatre

10/5 -- Tulsa, OK -- The Marquee

10/6 -- Little Rock, AR -- Downtown Music

10/7 -- San Antonio, TX -- White Rabbit

10/8 -- Metairie, LA -- The High Ground

10/9 -- Tampa, FL -- Brass Mug

10/10 -- Stuart, FL -- Cruisers

10/12 -- Orlando, FL -- Back Booth

10/13 -- Raleigh, NC -- Volume 11

10/14 -- Spartanburg, SC -- Ground Zero

10/15 -- Baltimore, MD -- Sonar

10/16 -- Wilmington, DE -- Mojo 13

10/17 -- Patchogue, NY -- Karma

10/18 -- New York, NY -- Santo's

10/19 -- Poughkeepsie, NY -- The Chance

10/20 -- Buffalo, NY -- Club Paradise

10/21 -- Cleveland, OH -- Peabody's

10/22 -- Detroit, MI -- Harpo's

10/23 -- Chicago, IL -- Reggies Rock Club

10/24 -- Omaha, NE -- Sokol Underground

10/25 -- Denver, CO -- Marquis Theatre

10/26 -- Salt Lake City, UT -- In The Venue

10/27 -- Boise, ID -- The Venue

10/28 -- Seattle, WA -- Studio 7

10/29 -- Portland, OR -- Satyricon

10/30 -- San Francisco, CA -- Thee Parkside

10/31 -- Las Vegas, NV -- The Farm

11/1 -- Hesperia, CA -- The Seen