The Dead Horizon

   The light was fading and a cold wind had picked up by the time I walked into Willee’s Cafe and Sports Bar in Winston. This band had performed at my place many years ago when I ran a small  venue in Grants Pass called “The Treasure Trove” and I had the opportunity to see their craft evolve. We set out on a quest to capture whatever sunlight we could snag and ventured around the town. The guys worked as a team and showed they are comfortable in their brotherhood - you only see this in bands that last for a while. We watched the sun set at the boat ramp near Lookingtglass Creek then head back to Willees for a bite and a chat.

VIBES: When did you first begin performing and did your parents teach you?
Brandon Chapman: I started playing piano and trumpet at 6, guitar about 11/12. I’m self taught in guitar, piano classically trained.
Rosco Perkins: When I was 15 years old. I am self taught. So 27 years ago.
Andrew Reynolds: I was 16 year’s old and I saved up money for a SM58 and I am also self taught.
Skyler Franklin: I started playing guitar in 7th grade just to see if I could do it. Taught myself, with tips from my friends and of course the internet.
VIBES: What other bands have you been in?
Brandon: I’ve played in a ton, my first real band was a post hardcore band called lanore, and The Dead Horizon was my dirty metal child.
Rosco: Spackle, Drink Naked, B.O.K., High Jinx. Lots of cover bands.
Skyler: My first band was also in the seventh grade and we were called The Skexies which was more of a thrash punk band and I loved it! Was in a couple cover bands just to fill space when bands would back out of a show and then The Dead Horizon!
Brandon: What about the Super Mutants sky? You guys were sick...
Andrew: I have been in 5 bands, A Clandistine Affair, I Was Once On A Mission, Otiose Being, Tragedy Amongst The Stars and The Dead Horizon.
Skyler: That’s the band I was talking about. We changed the name to the skexies (after they realized they could combine skyler and sexy together...jk)
VIBES: When someone asks you how do you describe your genre?
Skyler: I’m sure you could ask any of us at the same time and we would all say the same thing...Life Metal. Or mediumcore haha...
Brandon: We like life metal, we aren’t angry dudes, we are basically redneck hippies that like to play aggressive music.
Andrew: Metalcore with a touch of Deathcore.
Brandon: Yeah that too
Rosco: Oregon Metal. Doom truck is the style. Party core is the genre. Lol!!
VIBES: How many original songs do you  have?
Brandon: 12 for the moment, we are trying to put out a full length at the moment, then back to writing.
VIBES: Name a past performance that really sticks out in your memory.
Rosco: So Lame fest. We played outdoors in 106 degree heat. Then we talked the promoter into playing again inside. We were very happy to play inside. Plus lots of sick musicians at that show.
Brandon: Bleeding Through, they were a band that I listened to all the time and they were blowing up, plus we just got on a label, and it was a big proving point for me. And like Rosco said, so lame fest was epic, Skyler and I almost died that day in the river.
Skyler: I’m gunna have to say the last time we played the Black Forest. It was The Eugene Metal Celebration I believe, but we had the perfect spot in the lineup and had the best crowd! I remember there weren’t many people up front when we started, but after the first little run and I stopped banging my head to look up the place was packed and everyone was having a blast. The energy from the crowd is the most amazing feeling.
Andrew: GunnFest there was 30 bands! So many  different genre’s and I had the time of my life! Also the vendor’s  and activities they provided was pretty amazing, like I’ve never seen that at a metal festival.
Brandon: Oh and Pittfest was sick, our boy Matt from Shanoa put it on and  let us headline the whole thing.
Skyler: Yes!!! Love playing with those guys! They treat us too well.
VIBES: How did you choose the name Dead Horizon?
Rosco: The Dead Horizon. There is a band in germany named Dead Horizon. Not where we got our name.
Brandon: It was before the rest of the guys were in the band, we were sitting outside our practice room drinking beer trying to figure out a name, and our bassist at the time said “the dead ARE rising” and I thought he said the dead horizon, and it just stuck, the dead are rising would’ve been pretty cool though now that I think of it.
VIBES: Name some local or regional bands that inspire you or would give props to.
Rosco: Shanoa, Teratogen, I want the Knife.
Brandon: Shanoa for sure, , Vomittface, Insanities Reign, Voices of Ruin, Kinnefret, Mistaken Existence (RIP) Fallen Theory, so many more that I could name.
Andrew: Ah so many!! Bear and the the boys from Vommitt Face, Teratogen our local boys! SHANOA  also our local boys! Mistaken Existence, Scott Sheridan has been a huge inspiration. Coy and Amy Iacono for always hooking us up with shows! All our fans and families.
Skyler: Our boys from Shanoa for sure! Gotta love As Death Comes Calling though, they lost the drummer and instead of just giving up they did some rearranging of members and the guitar player (Bocock!!!) started drumming for them and kept things going. Blackout, Ænimus, and so many more. The music family is awesome lately and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
VIBES: Tell us something about yourself that hardly anyone knows.
Brandon: We listen to a ton of Tech N9ne and really sissy music when we are on tour, playing metal every night is awesome but when you are on the road its the last thing you want to hear when you’ve been playing and listening to it for days.
Andrew: I am half Mexican.
Rosco: I have 2 children. Ashe is my boy that is 21. Skyler is my gal that is 19. Oh yeah. We are all Ninjas!!!
Skyler: But in all seriousness I think the only thing most people don’t know about me is that my parents who raised me and I love dearly are actually my great aunt and uncle.
Rosco: I secretly want to braid Skylers hair.
VIBES: Do you have a CD or are you heading to record?
Andrew: Soon! We have time off and we shall use that to create a masterpiece!
Brandon: We are putting a full length out very soon, hopefully by February, we record at my house, we’ll definitely let everyone know, other than that you can download a few of them for free at reverbnation.com/thedeadhorizon
VIBES: If you could erase ONE THING from earth what would it be and why?
Rosco: I would erase flies. They are evil bastards!!!!
Andrew: I think Politics because  fuck politics.
Brandon: Snowflakes. And not the kind that come from the sky, and probably the guys who keep adding strings to guitars, I saw a 10 string custom the other day and all I could think of is, “cool bro, what do you play in? Drop Z?”
Skyler: I agree with Brandon with the guitar thing for sure! I think I would erase meth cuz that shit’s bad news bears.
Brandon: Truth!
VIBES: Do you have merch and how can people reach you to book you or see your gigs?
Brandon: Yes, we’ve got a bunch of T-shirt designs and beer cozys , stickers etc. And I own a T-shirt company that specializes in band merch.
And the easiest way to book us is to shoot us a message through facebook - Facebook.com/thedeadhorizon.
Andrew: We have shirts, stickers hit anyone of us up and we shall help.
Brandon: Chapman Designs
Screen Printing & Embroidery
676 Hall st, Winston, Oregon
VIBES: That about wraps it up...anything else you would like to mention?
Rosco: I want to give a shout out to Jake Logsden. He rocks!!! He is our awesome drummer.
Brandon: That I’ve known you since I was 16 and you’ve always been a great influence on the Oregon music scene and it wouldn’t exist without people like you taking chances on us boys and girls, we really appreciate your time!
VIBES: Thanks so much guys! Had a great time with you at Willies! and thanks again for all the help after my purse got stolen.
Andrew:Thank you for the opportunity and we love you!
Rosco: Thanks a lot Wendy. We really appreciate your time.
Skyler: Much love!! Thank you for having us!
Brandon: Fo sho! Thanks for letting us do this.
Andrew: Anytime! Hell yeah much love from The Dead Horizon.