"I'm very excited about this record. This time, all of the elements were much more in my control," says David Draiman. Noisecreep is hanging with the Disturbed singer in a plush office at Warner Bros. Records' Los Angeles-based headquarters discussing Device, his new band and passion project.

Melding the sonic palette favored in industrial music with hard rock muscle, Device's upcoming eponymous album shouldn't have any issues landing all over rock radio when it hits stores on April 9th, but Draiman says whatever commerciality potential the record has is purely coincidental.

"I love hooks, but getting radio airplay has never been a concern to me while I'm writing. That would be a very stifling and imprisoning way of writing music. Forget about any preconceived notions or anything formulaic. I know when something doesn't feel right for me. It has to draw me in and if it doesn't, I'm not satisfied," says Draiman.

For the Device album, Draiman collaborated with former Filter guitarist Geno Lenardo, co-writing and recording the sessions together. The union makes sense since both musicians share a deep love for the industrial rock sounds that came out of the Chicago scene in the late '80s and early '90s.



"Working with Geno was so easy. We both love that era and style of music and this record definitely has that influence. But this record is still very much guitar-driven and I would never completely divorce myself from that approach. In Device, we utilize the electronica as an accent to the songs. Geno did an amazing job of the sound design, crafting the different sonics, but the core of this band, and the sound of Device, is guitar, drums, bass and vocals," declares the singer.

"When David approached me about working with him on Device, I remember asking him, 'Well, do you want me to play keys or guitar?' I wasn't sure since he described it as an industrial type of project," guitarist Virus tells Noisecreep. Known for his work as a member of Dope, the axeman will be in the touring band once Device heads out on the road. "But once I heard the album, I realized how heavy the guitars are. Like David said, it's definitely a guitar-driven album."

Former Evanescence drummer Will Hunt will also be part of Device when they start touring the self-titled album. Draiman is used to headlining arenas throughout the globe, traveling like rock stars do, but he tells Noisecreep that he's ready to hit the road again in a less glamorous style in order to introduce Device to the public. "The touring plans haven't been finalized yet, but I'm ready to open for other artists and I definitely don't have any delusions of grandeur with this. It's like going back to the beginning. I like the idea of the phoenix rising. I relish the opportunity and unleashing it to live crowds."

When Noisecreep asks Draiman if he's planning on touring in a van again, he quickly cuts us off. "I'm lucky that I've been able to do things in my career that is affording us the luxury of not having to travel in a van to tour. It will be a bus. Thank God."

Stay tuned to Noisecreep for more from Device in the coming weeks! Head over to the group's official Facebook page for more info and updates on their upcoming album.

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