Soundwave 2015 Lineup: Butcher Babies

UPDATE: New acts added to Soundwave 2015! Keep up to date here!

The Soundwave 2015/Music Feeds First Wave rolls on mightily with the latest act confirmed to be playing as part of the ever-expanding lineup for Soundwave 2015. Coldrain and Patent Pending kicked things off in style and Music Feeds is proud to announce Butcher Babies as the latest First Wave addition.

Soundwave promoter AJ Maddah was getting requests for this Californian crew as far back as 2013, shortly after they’d released their debut album, the aptly named Goliath. The title speaks volumes, as Butcher Babies have forged a mythological reputation since their inception in 2010.

Who are they?

Butcher Babies hail from Los Angeles, California and are fronted by two-woman assault team Carla Harvey and Heidi Shepherd. The death-growling twosome are backed by guitarist Henry Flury (Amen), bass player Jason Klein (Azdachao), and drummer Chris Warner (Scars of Tomorrow).

This powerhouse combination has resulted in plenty of punishing riffs and tours with the likes of Black Label Society, Down, and Devil You Know. Butcher Babies infuse their music and their live shows with a palpable love of heavy metal, respecting its past and looking towards its future.

“In the world of metal… it takes an awful lot to stand out from the seething masses. Some bands try gimmicks, masks, capes, beards etc. Some ‘purists’ (i.e. Dickheads) may argue that within the typically masculine world, having a female anywhere near your band as more than a groupie is such a ‘gimmick’. Well, Butcher Babies has not one, but two female vocalists. And they are far from gimmicks, eye candy, or any such other such nonsense accusations.” – Hit The Floor

Watch: Butcher Babies – Magnolia Blvd

What do they sound like?

The band have described their sound “heavy fucking metal co-fronted by two girls that don’t give a shit,” but we suspect they care just a little more than they let on. How else do you explain their skilfully crafted sound, which combines the disparate writing techniques of each of its members?

While Harvey and Shepherd combine clean and screamed vocals to create unparalleled harmonies, the band’s combined influences of thrash, punk, death metal, nu-metal, and other elements create a musical backbone that’s at once sonically daring and “pure sex, blood, and rock and roll.”

“What is good, heavy Pantera worship though becomes much more interesting when the Babies let the melodic vocals soar. In a way they open up a big space, allowing the crowd to become a part of the song.” – Metal Forces

Watch: Butcher Babies – Mr. Slowdeath

What are they like live?

Much like their volatile concoction of sonic influences, Butcher Babies’ live performances are a crashing blend of all the hallmarks that make a must-see heavy metal or punk gig. The band’s aggressive shows take their cue from shock rock masters like Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie.

Besides answering the call for a return to the days when a heavy metal show was an event to behold, the band have received an equal amount of acclaim for their show-stealing musicianship, with a thunderous rhythm section and brutal guitars that deliver riff after pummelling riff.

“These gals can sing and growl unlike anything else in the metal scene, sounding like a female version of Pantera or Slipknot. They head bang, they jump, and boy did they get the Detroit crowds attention. Everyone seemed in awe or in love.” – Examiner

Watch: Butcher Babies – I Smell A Massacre at Mayhem Festival 2013

http://youtu.be/MGMX3BfRdCc

For fans of…

Butcher Babies have managed to develop a strong connection with their fans through a shared love of the very bands that influence their every musical step, and they take pride in an ability to attract fans of an array of styles, with each welcome to enjoy Butcher Babies’ devilish cross-genre mix.

Some of the bands that they’ve been compared to include Plasmatics, White Zombie, Slipknot, Pantera (footage of their cover of the band’s classic Fucking Hostile first brought Butcher Babies to the attention of many of their fans), and fellow female-fronted Californian group Huntress.

Watch: Butcher Babies – C8H18 (Official Lyric Video)