by Jade Martinez
No, it’s not a slasher flick… and if you were hoping that it was sincere apologies. Dawning of a Massacre is the name of a metal-core band who’s rising up and out of the underbelly of our sister city of Visalia with some time-tested fervor… And we think they deserve a few minutes of your time.
From barreling low growls to pitched fry screams, from unrelenting energy to syncopated breaks, Dawning of a Massacre is shredding thunderous metal into the unsuspecting ears of listeners from all ends of the spectrum.
“Our influences and personal styles combined, as a unit, have given the enormous potential for listeners of almost any age and from virtually any scene to enjoy our sound,” says R.J. Vargas, vocalist for Dawning of a Massacre.
The diversity in their music is a reflection of each member of the band, for they individually carry something different that contributes to the overall writing style of the group. Along with Vargas on the mic, Nick Gardner and Alex Serrato are on guitar, Jimmie Dunlap on bass, and George Longoria utilizing the drums, they each have “different and unique elements to bring to the table…to create [the] elaborate and engaging heavy music,” explains Vargas, that all comes together perfectly in Dawning of a Massacre’s sound and presence.
Opening for nationals like The Devil Wears Prada and Mushroomhead, the crew has put in some serious dues, because accomplishments like these don’t happen overnight. Since 2011, the band has been working hard to bring together the volume that not only makes for new fans but keeps the loyal ones, well… loyal. Vargas expressed the excitement and heightened anticipation he feels radiating from the crowd, both before and during performances. Humbly, he stated, “We try to make our audience have an experience of emotions, and we feel that has a greater impact on them than having only one type of song or [feeling] throughout the whole set”.
The audience is everything. The fans are everything. Without their support or their voices shouting back in cadence with the music, no band would survive. Dawning of a Massacre has a clear understanding of how important their crowds are and they make sure to give them an experience worth remembering, whether you’re a long-time fan or just getting to know them and their sound.
“We even try to write in a way that reaches out to people who don’t even like “metal” and this has proven to be one of our greatest strengths as a band. We can’t tell you how many times we’ve had people who were just at a show because of their friend or significant other, [and they’ve] come up to us to say that they “don’t even like this kind of music” but ended up enjoying our sound and performance anyway, essentially converting them to enjoy heavy music. … Even if people, who don’t enjoy this type of music, but can appreciate the level of musicianship and stage performance [we possess] is a win in our book,” says Vargas.
Now that you’re all revved up and ready to check these guys out at their next show, you might be a little disappointed to hear that live shows are currently on hold. Don’t worry, it’s all for a good reason. You’ll be pleased to know that Dawning of a Massacre is working on the release of their much anticipated new E.P. and single titled ‘Anhedonia’. In the meantime, follow them on social media @DawningOfAMassacre on Facebook and @dawning_of_a_massacre on Instagram, to stay up to date on the E.P. release and upcoming shows.
