Mile High thrash/nu-metal rockers Public Display of Aggression are ending the year with a new line-up, and a new album produced by the legendary Dennis "Menace" Shinn - songwriter for Korn, former drummer for SexArt, and now DJ and producer for The Anarky.
With the departure of Murder Mike in August, Public Display of Aggression has spent the last month holding tryouts and interviewing drummers whose personality and style fit with the band's new direction. Once the band had a chance to see Frankie Four Fingers (Frank Woronoff) interpret the PDA repertoire, the band knew the search was over.
Rage Aholik (Roger Bohlen
), lead guitarist for PDA, explains, "
We've had quite a few drummers try out for the band, but with Frankie it was drummer love at first sight. He had a charismatic presence behind the drum set - a very animated personality while drumming that you don't often see. We all knew that he was going to be a perfect fit from the beginning."
Frankie has been drumming for 14 years, and also plays violin, guitar, ukulele, and theremin. He was classically trained in both jazz and metal styles, and has drummed, played guitar, and sung vocals in punk, post-hardcore, and metal bands. He has also been involved in more experimental side-projects, such as Nintendocore and 8-bit metal bands. He cites influences ranging from Slipknot and Frank Sinatra to Dance Gavin Dance and Avenged Sevenfold. While Frankie's drumming style will rejuvenate the band's sound, the band members admit that's not their only reason for bringing him into the band. Dashing Kenny Daggers (Kenny Leetzow), bassist for PDA, divulges, "We're actually pretty excited to finally bring some sex appeal into this group of sweaty dudes."
The recent line-up change also brings a quest for a more cohesive vision for their sound, which is why Shawn Barusch, PDA's manager and CEO of MGI, suggested Dennis Shinn produce the re-release of PDA's debut full-length album
To Live and Die in Your Suit and Tie.
Shinn's ability to pinpoint what makes a band standout has garnered accolades within the music industry. Shawn praises Shinn's production skills, saying, "I've known Menace for over 25 years and he is one of the best in the business. He is an extension of every artist he works with and has an uncanny ability to see the future of the artist, and propel the artist toward that goal."
PDA knew Menace would be unrivaled at bringing out their sound and would be able to take their music to the next level. Guitarist Tommy Mayhem (Tommy Mercer) elaborates, "Menace is brilliant at accentuating what makes a band unique. We are extremely excited to see what he will do for us, and how amazing he will make our tracks.
"
For Shinn, working with bands like PDA is an extension of his own musical interests. He explains, "As a fan of thrash metal since I was a kid and performing in a hardcore band at 17, to now producing a new generation of metal groups is quite humbling. Being able to work with bands like PDA keeps me grounded as both a music artist and producer." Shinn was especially impressed by PDA's fresh take on metal, saying, "I appreciate the raw textures and energy that comes from the band. PDA packs the right ingredients for laying a solid foundation to become a great metal band. It has been a pleasure working with the guys and producing the album. But now, I am most excited to watch the group represent the album during live shows throughout 2018."
