Even the occasional visitor to this site may have detected traces of my crazy-ass metal tendencies, and my favorite band at the moment is Canadian quintet Ion Dissonance, who released their third full-length last month (and whose record Solace [2005] I featured back in January). Minus the Herd (2007) is the best metal album I’ve heard so far this year, precisely because it perfectly encapsulates everything I love about the band: rapid-fire machine-gun riffs, scorched-earth vocals, maniacal time signatures, and one of the finest production jobs to have ever blessed a metal record. It’s also bound to alienate old fans, as the warped pandemonium and mathematical precision of the past has been toned down in favor of head-nodding grooves and structures that resemble actual songs. The addition of new vocalist Kevin McCaughey (of Shaolin) brings more of a hardcore sensibility to the band, further solidifying the sound’s urgent brutality. Anyone with even the slightest interest in metal would do well to get their hands on a copy of this record, and should Ion Dissonance happen to be in your vicinity, by all means cancel any plans you have and witness the group’s live set. They are, quite simply, phenomenal.

Kevin took a few minutes to chat with me recently to shed some insight on the new album and the band’s working methods.

FWM: You guys are like workhorses when it comes to touring. You just returned from the Summer Slaughter tour and are heading back out again in a few weeks for another month of dates across the U.S. What are some of the more memorable experiences from the past month?

KM: Well, I would have to say our first-ever trek to Europe with Through the Eyes of the Dead and Dead to Fall was pretty amazing. It was the first time any of us had been out that way, and to get a chance to visit new and unknown cultures was a blast to us. That was just over a month ago. The most memorable experience I had in the last month had to be being able to tour with some of my favorite metal bands, who we rarely get a chance to see out here in Canada. Seriously, all the bands and dudes on the Summer Slaughter tour were sick, and it was so much fun to spend a month on the road with them.

FWM: Minus the Herd marks a slight transition from the all-engulfing chaos of the past two records to a sound that is more focused and efficient, but no less brutal. I’m sure many longtime fans will complain that you’ve “abandoned your roots” or whatever, but I hear a clear, natural progression from Solace to the newer material, especially on tracks like “Tarnished Trepidation.” Was this a conscious decision on the band’s part to move in this direction? Were you growing tired of the sonic mindfuck that was so dominant in the older stuff?

KM: I wouldn’t say we got tired, we just wanted to expand in a new direction that felt right to us. This time around we wanted to concentrate on writing actual songs. The listener can sit and listen to Minus the Herd in its entirety and not get lost or too tired of trying to dissect what is going on. On the other hand, some fans like when they can’t understand what’s going on until you give each song 25 listens. We just wanted the new record to appeal to an even broader audience than just the tech-freaks out there.

“Tarnished Trepidation” – Ion Dissonance 5:15 (Minus the Herd, Abacus 2007)

FWM: Sonically, the record has a density and clarity that vastly distinguishes it from the previous two. What was it like working with Zeuss at Planet Z studios?

KM: The difference between this recording and previous ones is noticeable the second you press play on your audio system. This album’s production is so thick and meaty – the production on drums is like nothing I have heard before. Everything sounds so natural and heavy. We love that Zeuss was able to bring out the Ion Dissonance “sound” which the band had been searching for ever since Breathing Is Irrelevant (2003) was released a few years back. Working with Zeuss also kind of brought down the stress level on this recording, because from day one he had our complete confidence that Minus the Herd was going to sound like the heaviest Ion album ever put out.

FWM: What’s the writing process like in the band? Is there one person that comes in with a fully-formed skeleton of a tune, or does everyone build upon a seed of an idea organically until it resembles a song? Is there a general feeling of when an idea has run its natural course?

BM: Our songs are written by Sebastien (Chaput, guitarist), Antoine (Lussier, guitarist) and J.F. (Richard, drummer). Basically, we go about writing songs like a lot of bands do. Usually someone brings a riff or a beat to the table, it’s worked around, and when the sound is finally right, we record it. Then we just kind of build onto that and re-work it numerous times until it sounds like a decent song. After that I’ll come in and start hacking away at patterns and lyrics to finalize everything.

FWM: How much does the band rehearse the newer material before it’s presented live or in the studio?

BM: Rehearse? Hmm – maybe not all that much. We were more than ready when we entered the studio this past February. We had recorded the entire album ourselves in Cubase, including dubbed guitars and vocals to get a decent idea of what the final product was going to sound like. We had worked on this pre-production for a few months and practiced with that, so that when we finally got the studio we knew exactly what we wanted and in which direction to go.

FWM: Is there a way that the you “internalize” the timings and changes during the course of a song? In other words, do you guys initially play the song at a slower tempo for practice, or do you count beats in your head while you’re playing?

BM: Well, of course everyone counts the beats in their heads to not lose themselves in the song, but I don’t think we’ve ever slowed it down. It’s pretty much all about practice making perfect. Before we play a song live, we’ll make sure that it’s been practiced numerous times and sits tight enough with all of us before giving it a chance on stage.

FWM: Who are some of your musical or literary influences? I know that ex-vocalist Gabriel (McCaughry) used to front a black metal band, but he always claimed that very little of that affected Ion Dissonance.

BM: In terms of musical influences, there are the obvious for me. Even before I joined Ion Dissonance upon Gabriel’s departure he had been a strong influence on me, along with Alex Erian from Despised Icon. I knew both of them well prior to joining Ion, so when I came along after Gab left, I knew where to turn to seek advice. Other than that, I would have to say that Greg (Puciato) from The Dillinger Escape Plan does quite an amazing job and I look up to him for that.

FWM: Are there any other activities, musical or otherwise, that the band members are involved in while not touring or recording?

BM: Well it depends, really. For example, since I joined full time, we have pretty much spent all of our time writing new material, recording it, or touring, leaving hardly any time for other activities. Basically, this is our job, this is what we do, and this is us. Sure, some of us may occupy ourselves with different activities when we are home for a couple months, but for now, its pretty much touring.

FWM: Bonus question: What’s the one CD (or iPod selection) in the tour van that you’re embarrassed to admit is in there?

BM: Both Circa Survive albums and Fall Out Boy, for sure.

“Of Me… Nobody Is Safe” – Ion Dissonance 2:59 (Minus the Herd, Abacus 2007)