“A forward-thinking progression of styles.”
- Metal Maniacs Magazine
Jersey City metal band RANDALL FLAGG aims to crush and maim with its music.
Formed in 1999 inside a Rockland County, N.Y., garage, its members reared on a healthy diet of Nirvana, Primus and Nine Inch Nails, RANDALL FLAGG is a multi-talented post-hardcore crew that continues to evolve following years of performing regularly in and around the New York/New Jersey area.
RANDALL FLAGG’s seasoned members include long-time collaborators Adam Browning (vocals) and Ryan Fleming (guitar), along with Babak “Bob” Davodian (bass/guitar/background vocals) and newest member J.J. Hrubovcak (drums). The band prides itself on an unparalleled sound derived from a mélange of individual ideas and influences, including Botch, the Deftones, Morbid Angel, Persian folklore, film scoring, Mozart, Dillinger Escape Plan and Metallica.
Davodian, who joined the band in 2005, and Hrubovcak, in 2007, also are co-founders of world-renowned extreme death metal tech-fest Divine Rapture, adding new thunderous textures to the vehement sound RANDALL FLAGG has been assaulting crowds with for nearly a decade. Hrubovcak has also played in Vile, Monstrosity, and I.C.E. (Imperial Crystalline Entombment).
On top of guitar and bass, Davodian lends other talents to RANDALL FLAGG. “He does all the guttural death metal vocal layers on the CD,” says guitarist Ryan Fleming.
The band’s brutal yet technical sound has evolved over that time, during which the guys have played such esteemed venues as CBGBs, The Knitting Factory, Don Hill’s and Starland Ballroom. RANDALL FLAGG’s ever-growing fan base is visible at their well-attended shows and attested to by the band’s vibrant and expanding Web presence.
The year 2008 is already off to a blazing start for the metalcore crew. Aside from frequent gigging, the band is garnering excellent reviews for its latest full-length CD, Warning: Contains Audio, (Krow King Records).
Of the band’s latest 11-song disc, Metal Maniacs Magazine said that it takes “mid-to-late '90s acts Vision of Disorder, Quicksand, Burn it Down and Starkweather’s molestations of early experimental metalcore somewhere modern and somewhat commercial, while still retaining that underlying metallic pride.”
“Taking the band's established proto post-death hardcore flair to new heights,” the review continues, “RANDALL FLAGG gets a little more into crossing genres and enters into a more technical and forward-thinking progression of styles.”
Another March 2008 review, appearing in the webzine Metal Revolution, called the band “more technical and progressive than your usual hardcore/metal band,” adding that Warning: Contains Audio is “one of the more interesting albums landing on my doorstep so far this year. I can highly recommend this CD to any fan of experimental hard/metalcore as well as some prog bands as Tool, Ringworm, Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana, Vision of Disorder, Helmet, Snapcase, etc.”
''Our style is unique,'' says vocalist Adam Browning. ''A hybrid of insane, hardcore mixed with artistic and melodic metal. It is this intense recipe that makes RANDALL FLAGG stand out.”
Stand out it does, concurs guitarist Ryan Fleming: ''I think that musically, we walk a different path and try to mix new sounds and styles into a heavy metal context. We have no boundaries creatively; anything can happen.”
When RANDALL FLAGG’s vehement sound — a seamless blend of hardcore and death metal — begins blasting from the stage, there is no escaping the emotional wallop and carnal assault. Concentrating on communicating an original sound rather than fitting into the heavy metal band stereotypes, RANDALL FLAGG leaves the metal to their music.
