Grand Blood from Doomriders is the follow-up to their highly regarded 2010 album Darkness Comes Alive. Grand Blood was engineered by Kurt Ballou at God City Studios, and features artwork from Thomas Hooper as well as packaging from Ryan Patterson (Coliseum) and J. Bannon.  Where Darkness Comes Alive was smooth and heavy in tone, while Grand Blood is jagged and hard in its heart. Grand Blood is Doomriders pushing themselves into wilder sonic territory previously unexplored by the band.
Ghettoblaster recently spoke with Doomrider Nate Newton about the record.  This is what he said about it.
When did you begin writing the material for your most recent LP?  
We’ve been writing on and off since the last album came out, but we didn’t seriously buckle down and really concentrate on writing until last year.
What was the most difficult song to take from the initial writing stage through recording and mixing?  Why was it so troublesome?
Probably “Gone To Hell”.  All four of us heard the riff differently and had a hard time articulating that. When playing that guitar riff on its own it’s really easy to turn the beat around and move the downbeat to the upbeat.  Recording the vocals was tough for me because it’s very much outside of my comfort zone, and being scrutized on something that you aren’t totally comfortable with to begin with can be torture.
Which of the songs on the record is most different from your original concept for the song?
“Father Midnight” maybe.  We had about 14 different versions of that song before we were satisfied.
Did you have any guest musicians play or sing on the record?
Mike Mckenzie of The Red Chord and Stomach Earth contributed some guitar on “Father Midnight”.
Who produced the record?  What input did that person have that changed the face of the record?
Kurt Ballou.  He offered a few melodic suggestions that made a big deal but ultimately his contribution was the sonic texture of the album overall.
Is there an overarching concept behind your new LP that ties the record together?
A lot of the album is about death.  Dealing with it, coming to terms with it, and ultimately embracing it as a part of life, forcing you to live your life to the fullest.
Have you begun playing these songs live and which songs have elicited the strongest reaction from your fans?
We played a few of them before the record.  People seemed to enjoy them.
(Doomriders are heading out on tour with High On Fire and Kvelertak in November.  Dates are below:
11/10: Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade w/ High On Fire, Kvelertak
11/11: Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel w/ High On Fire, Kvelertak
11/12: Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel w/ High On Fire, Kvelertak
11/13: Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts w/ High On Fire, Kvelertak
11/15: New York City, NY @ Webster Hall w/ High On Fire, Kvelertak
11/16: Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East Downstairs w/ High On Fire, Kvelertak
11/17: Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre w/ High On Fire, Kvelertak
11/18: Toronto, ON @ Opera House w/ High On Fire, Kvelertak
11/19: Detroit, MI @ Crofoot Ballroom w/ High On Fire, Kvelertak
11/20: Columbus, OH @ A&R Music Bar w/ High On Fire, Kvelertak
11/22: Chicago, IL @ Metro w/ High On Fire, Kvelertak
11/23: Sauget, IL @ Pop’s w/ High On Fire, Kvelertak)