A Plague of People

When you re a band that thrives upon relentless determination, nothing will stand in the way when it comes to making a name for yourselves. Dallas Jacknife know this fact now more than ever before and are set to shake things up as they prepare to enter the studio to begin work on the follow up to their 2008 metal opus A Plague of People. After the Texan fivesome s debut effort A Moment of Reckoning was released and well-received in the media it catapulted them into van tours playing alongside some of the most prominent names in metal as well as with like-minded peers who were also slugging it out in bars and basements across the country. While sharing stages with everyone from Lamb of God and Bullet For My Valentine to M.O.D., the Acacia Strain and Black Dahlia Murder, they consistently delivered explosive live shows that impressed crowds from coast to coast. Jacknife then returned home to eventually see the label that released ...Reckoning fold and were left to figure out what was next. The answer? Press on with a new label and pump out an album that would define their sound beyond any constrictive trends. They entered the studio in the fall of 2007 as seasoned professionals and set about recording Plague, their first offering for Battle Flag. Produced by Josh Robinson (The Phuss, Maleveller, Darth Vato) and engineered by Sterling Winfield (Pantera, Damageplan, HellYeah), A Plague of People married the epic bombast of classic metal with the brutal aggression of a band reborn. The album was driven by galloping riffage and blazing twin lead guitars, demanding just as much headbang as it did circle-pit mayhem. Tracks like Call For War and The Viking burst with powerful hooks spearheaded by vocalist Joe Ortiz s roaring call to arms. Shortly after Plague s release; however, the band was forced to deal with a number of sudden lineup changes and found themselves scrambling to replace members who were either relocating, displaced, or simply rethinking. New drummer Mike Miller and guitarist Mark Serrano were recruited from the now-defunct crew of Ozzfest veterans A Dozen Furies and James Roseberry, formerly of Boston s Burn in Silence, joined the ranks on bass to fill out the most accomplished and mature lineup of Jacknifers to date. The reignited Jacknife is currently in the process of writing their new album, tentatively titled Metal Face, and is set to enter the studio in late 2010. When asked to explain the record s title, guitarist Mike Warren quips: We re writing a record that s so heavy, so brutal, that every moment of every song will make you wince in pain--hence, Metal Face. Bring the pain, boys, bring the pain.