Brodequin, the death metal outfit from Knoxville, have returned with their fourth album, Harbinger of Woe, offering a raw and intense sonic experience. In a recent interview with Bass Empire, Jamie Bailey, the band’s bassist and vocalist, provided insights into the album’s creation process, shedding light on the equipment used and the musical approach adopted.
Bailey primarily used a Blakhart Diesel 5 string bass for the album, highlighting its comfort and standard specifications. “It has an alder body with a maple neck. This model, to me, is all about the neck; it’s one of the most comfortable basses I have ever played. It’s all standard off-the-shelf, so to speak. I didn’t change out anything, and it sounds fantastic.”
The Blakhart Diesel DZL-5 features a bolt-on construction with a body made of alder, designed in a Dom Bass style with contoured features for enhanced comfort during extended play. It comes equipped with a maple neck and a rosewood fingerboard featuring side markers. The headstock is designed in a 3×2 configuration, and the scale length is 34 inches with a 305mmR neck back shape. Hardware components include a BLAKBRIDGE and black tuners, with metal dome knobs for controls. The bass is powered by soap bar-type pickups – BLAKBAR at the bridge and neck positions, controlled by an EQ system with a toggle for active and passive modes. A blend pot pickup selector allows for tonal versatility. The DZL-5 comes in a gloss black finish with a white logo on the headstock.
Jamie Bailey opted for simplicity in gear selection, relying on an Ampeg BA 112 V2 Combo with a SansAmp DI V2 during recording sessions. “In preparation for the recording sessions, I used an Ampeg BA 112 V2 Combo with a SansAmp DI V2. When it came to recording, I ran from the SansAmp straight into the DAW. In the past, I used more complex setups but over the years, I found that the simpler, the better suited my needs.”
Regarding crafting bass lines for Harbinger of Woe, Bailey mentioned a shift towards integrating with drum patterns while maintaining the low-end support for the guitar. “The process has changed over the years as I became more proficient as a bassist. In the early days, it was all about what the guitar lines were doing. I tried to run primarily with the guitar, only touching on the drum patterns for highlights. As I understood the instrument more and became more confident, I moved away from primarily following the guitar and began trying to flow in between their roles. For this album, during the writing process, I focused on the drums and how I could jump between supporting that effort and reinforcing the lows of the guitar. There’s a fine line in all of it; there’s only so much sonic space available, and it’s easy to get lost in the mix.”
The album promises clarity in sound, allowing all instruments to be heard distinctly. Bailey also noted experimental vocal elements alongside the band’s signature brutality. “There is a tremendous amount of clarity on this record, and for the first time, you are able to hear all the instruments. It still maintains a certain grit and the feel that we were going for, with the luxury of not having intricate guitar parts lost in the noise. There is a bit more experimentation with the vocals; not only are the expected gutturals there, but some really crazed screams.”
Harbinger of Woe is available for purchase through label Season of Mist.
