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Friday, June 15, 2007
Ground Beneath Rises With Metal's Rebirth
By Dan Mayfield
Journal Staff Writer
There's been a shift in metal. Over the last few years, whether you want to credit Ozzfest, Gigantour, the Family Values Tour, the weak dollar, the Iraq War or sunspots, metal is big again.
Not since the heyday of bands like Black Sabbath, Dio, Iron Maiden or Judas Priest has metal been at the forefront of progressive rock.
"I think Ozzfest has a lot to do with it, especially being free (this year)," said Steve Civerolo of the Albuquerque band The Ground Beneath. "It gets a lot of people exposed to it. I think the underground has been big on exposing kids to it."
That and bands like his, he said. It will be releasing its first live CD, "Deficient: Live at the Launchpad," on Sunday.
Even the bands Civerolo compares his to— Black Label Society and System of a Down— were Ozzfest headliners.
Civerolo isn't sure why meatal is back up front, with its throwback long hair, banging drums and crunchy guitars, but he does know that the band sees strong support at its local shows— especially all-ages ones like Sunday's CD release.
"Deficient" was recorded live last December at Launchpad.
"They were recording bands three or four nights for a compilation, and they called us a few days before the show," Civerolo said. "I said, 'I just need to make a deal with whoever it was to buy the master tapes.' I wanted to buy the show master if it was good, and it was."
It turned out, he said, the band sounded better than the members had thought and it was a chance for the band to release its second disc, following 2005's self-titled CD.
Though "Deficient" is largely a re-recording of older songs, the band is getting back in the studio in Canada to cut a new record.
"We'll fly up there, and you can stretch the dollar a little further (in Canada)," Civerolo said.
In the meantime, however, the band, which has already toured most of the spring, will hit the road again after Sunday's CD release.
"We'll just put a trailer on my Jeep and do it," Civerolo said.
The Ground Beneath CD Release Party
WHEN: 7 p.m. Sunday, June 17
WHERE: Launchpad, 618 Central SW
HOW MUCH: $5 at the door. Visit
www.launchpadrocks.com for more