SUICIDE SILENCE's MARK HEYLMUN: Musicians Taking Care Of Themselves On Tour Is 'Becoming A Little Bit More Cool And Accepted'

In a new interview with The Rockman Power Hour, SUICIDE SILENCE guitarist Mark Heylmun was asked how the culture on the road has changed since the band started more than two decades ago and whether rock musicians in general are now a little more health-conscious now than they used to be. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think it goes both ways. Younger bands… Speaking specifically about younger bands, some younger bands already have figured it out that it's not going to work out for them to be partying super hard, and they're looking at it as a business almost immediately, which is respectful. But also, you can come from the other side of it, and it's, like, if you're a rocker, you come from the punk rock [scene], you're, like, that's not as cool; the edge is kind of lost. Depends on how you feel — if you want music to be dangerous or do you want music to be cut like a razor-sharp business and be smart and intelligent…"

He continued: "I think the older bands — and there's levels of older bands; a decade, 20 years, 30-year bands — I think there's always somebody in that band that is sober and living a sober lifestyle. And it allows for the younger bands to see that, and if they're needing to maybe seek support, there's usually that support system in that. And from what I kind of can dissect from it all, from kind of being in the middle of that, where it's, like, I used to party super hard; I've hard to reel it in. I've been sober; I've been 'California sober'; I've gone through all of that. There's usually the partiers and the people that are taking it easy, and there is a respect there. And it is evolving; I've seen it evolve. And I think that people taking care of themselves is becoming a little bit more cool and accepted. I think when we first started — maybe I'm wrong, 'cause I was in a haze — but it felt like sex, drugs and rock and roll were alive and well."

SUICIDE SILENCE's seventh album, "Remember... You Must Die", was released on March 10 via Century Media. The LP was produced and mixed by Taylor Young (NAILS, XIBALBA, VITRIOL). For the artwork, the band enlisted renowned necrosurrealist artist David Van Gough to visualize the concept.

Last May, SUICIDE SILENCE released a new song, "Thinking In Tongues". The track marked SUICIDE SILENCE's final recording with longtime drummer Alex Lopez who exited the band in April 2022. Ernie Iniguez, who recorded drums on SUICIDE SILENCE's "Become The Hunter" album, has since joined the band as Alex's replacement.

Lopez joined SUICIDE SILENCE in 2006 as the replacement for the band's original drummer Josh Goddard. He appeared on six of SUICIDE SILENCE's studio albums, including the aforementioned "Become The Hunter".

SUICIDE SILENCE's debut album, 2007's "The Cleansing", received an expanded 15th-anniversary re-release in June 2022. "The Cleansing (Ultimate Edition)" includes liner notes by the band as well as extensive bonus material.

"Remember… You Must Die" is SUICIDE SILENCE's fourth LP with vocalist Hernan "Eddie" Hermida (ex-ALL SHALL PERISH),who joined the band following the passing of frontman Mitch Lucker.

Image credit: Jackson Guitars