Fin Fang Foom Member Almost Dies, Gives Way to New Attitude

It's been six long years since Fin Fang Foom have had a new full-length out, but don't think they didn't wanted to release an album during that time -- they did. They even had a majority of the newly-released 'Monomyth' written. But while still assembling the songs in 2004, guitarist Michael Triplett ended up in the hospital diagnosed with spinal meningitis and fighting for his life.

"We wouldn't have kept things going if he wouldn't have been around," bassist/vocalist Eddie Sanchez told Noisecreep. "We just kind of waited around, and as he started to get better we knew we could continue. He spent eight months in Florida with his mom, but still in a wheelchair and walkers. So we just waited around to make sure he'd be able to play music."

Before Triplett fell ill by an attack of his central nervous system, Fin Fang Foom were known as band that lived on the road, even getting compared to Black Flag simply for their tour ethics. There are no comparisons in sound, though. Fin Fang Foom are of their own post-metal pensive design. But now with Triplett back -- and still healing in ways -- the band has to keep things simpler.

"We had to take it easy. I still think he has light nerve damage, so we can't go too crazy out on the road or anything," Sanchez explained. But it's this more relaxed attitude that made the recording of 'Monomyth' such a pleasant experience. "Normally we have deadlines and only so much time, so it gets really stressful," Sanchez described of their recordings before. "We just took our time finishing what we could when we could."

The band was in no rush to get the album finished. They were just happy to be playing and recording. This lack of worry, an art before commerce attitude Tripplett credits to his time away. "It seems like yesterday for all of us, but it's made us want to play music more," he said. "There is less of that industry standard thing." That thing is of course the battle to keep your band fresh to gain new fans. "There's less of trying to keep things moving so people don't forget the name ... of course I say this and we just put out a record," he laughed. "We want people to hear it of course."

What people will hear is a darker side than the band has been known for. Before 'Monomyth' Fin Fang Foom merely just had a haunting darkness in the background to a sprawling beauty, but this record is a fist being pummeled in the dirt. Tripplett feels what he's been though has made the band's music much more personal, but didn't intend on it being as heavy as it turned out. "Unconsciously, it does make you create more emotional music," he remarked while still pondering if his health issues affected the band's music so much. "I think we've always been driven to a sort of moody thing ... I hate to use that word as if it's emotional, but those minor chords of the darker side are something we've always been attracted to."

Sanchez added, "I've always liked darker music. I can't exactly say why. I just love the tone it has. I love pop. I love all kinds of things, but I like having one good, heavy dark song in there."

But beyond all the darkness coming out musically from the band, they all couldn't be happier at this time. "Going to the jam room and just making music together is what were really excited about," Triplett shined. "Me and Eddie have gone through this a couple of times with losing our first sort of drummer. It makes you appreciate what is in front of you. It makes you appreciate your buddy at the bar next to you, and your buddy in the jam room your playing with."