Isabella Abbott | Features Editor
March 30, 2023
Pittsburgh-based death metal band FALL OF BABYLON recently announced tour dates and locations for their summer tour, starting on July 10. Their album, titled “War on the Existent,” will be played throughout their six shows in different locations.
Although the band started like so many others, the three active members found each other and have been active since 2021.
Guitarist Tad Logero said he originally started the band because he’s always wanted to play death metal music.
“So why I made the band is because I love that kind of music, and I’ve always wanted to play it, but I’ve never had anyone to play with,” Logero said. “Then I spent a while looking for people, and I think I found the perfect people for the band.
“So I kind of started from the beginning, and then Evan (Weston) came along next, and it was just me and him, and then Logan (Cussen) came after that.”
Logero also created the band’s name.
“I came up with the name, and there really was no process behind it,” Logero said. “It just kind of came on my brain one day, so I kind of stuck with it.”
Cussen, the group’s vocalist, said the band uses all capitals in the name so that they could “separate ourselves” from other bands with similar names.
The album title, however, came from Weston, the group’s bassist from Duquesne’s Mary Pappert School of Music. He said he came upon it randomly while on a walk.
“So I was walking to Oakland, and there was graffiti on the side of one of the bridges, and it said, ‘war on the existent,’ and I said, ‘That’s cool.’” Weston said. “I mean, call it divine intervention.”
“War on the Existent,” the band’s 29-minute, eight-song album features hits like “Blunt Force Trauma,” “Addicted to Violence” and “A World to Come.” All three members are excited to play these hits for a bigger crowd in a different environment.
“We’ve played a total of nine shows,” Logero said. “We started last year, but we don’t want to play too much in the same area because that kind of wears people out.”
Other than Pittsburgh, the band will be touring in Morgantown, W.Va.; Roanoke, Va.; Charlotte, N.C.; Richmond, Va., and Johnson City, Tenn.
Although they’ve only had nine shows, they’ve had a great turnout for each performance.
“We really press hard with ticket sales,” Logero said. “We make sure the shows that we take are openers for touring bands, so those are bringing people out and we try to sell a lot of tickets.”
Weston said the band “sold out The Funhouse at Mr. Smalls before the doors even opened” back when they performed in the venue in January (see The Duke’s Jan. 19 issue).
“They let us sell over capacity that night,” Cussen said.
Each member said the tour nerves haven’t hit them quite yet. They think it’ll kick in in July when the tour begins.
“You hear that bands do it, but you never think you’ll actually ever do it because you’re like, ‘Oh, that sounds really cool, I’d really like to do that,’ and then you’re in the thick of it,” Weston said. “Then you’re like, ‘How am I going to have the money to eat today?’”
Cussen also said he’s excited and ready to finally tour with the band’s new album.
“Honestly, it really is surreal,” Cussen said. “I’m pretty stoked, pretty excited. I mean, like everyone was saying, though, it won’t really hit until the closer we get to it. That first night in Pittsburgh is going to be crazy.
“After all the hard work we’ve put in getting to this point, it feels really surreal, and we’re doing it.”
From first starting a band to now having tour dates, Fall of Babylon gave their advice to anyone looking to start their own band.
“Push ticket sales as hard as you possibly can,” Weston said. “For our first couple of shows, we were just standing around in Oakland and handing out flyers.”
“Don’t put anything out there unless you’re confident that it’s the best you can possibly do,” Logero said. “Because I think a reason a lot of local bands don’t go anywhere at all is because they kind of put out whatever … instead of taking their time to write quality songs or record music that sounds good.
“Play shows that are worth your time, because it does take a lot of time and effort to play a show, and I think putting your best foot forward and showing everyone the best you can do is a really good way for people to take you seriously.”
“Keep working,” Cussen said. “Don’t give up, keep working at it. You never know what can happen.”
For more information on tour dates and ticket prices, go to https://www.fallofbabylon.net/.