SAVAGE EXISTENCE is a Costa Rican groove metal band formed in 2019. Their debut album „Animals“ was produced by none other than former Machine Head and Soulfly guitarist Logan Mader and was well received by critics and fans alike. In 2023, the band released their self-titled second album. We spoke with founder Daniel Cleland and frontman Anton Darusso about the origins of SAVAGE EXISTENCE, a musician’s fears, and their upcoming US tour with Cradle of Filth, DevilDriver, Ill Nino, and Black Satellite.
First things first. How did you come up with the name SAVAGE EXISTENCE?
Daniel: Myself and founding drummer Jesse Radford came up with the name while trapped in Costa Rica during the pandemic. That’s actually when we picked up our instruments and started playing again. We „got the band back together.“ During that time, we were living hard, just like we had been for the past 25 years (hard workouts, hard music, and hard drinking). We just went through a few names until we came up with SAVAGE EXISTENCE, and we loved it because it represents the lifestyle we’ve grown accustomed to living.
What are some of the challenges of being a groove metal band from Costa Rica?
Daniel: Well, that actually should be a two-part question. The challenges of being a metal band, regardless of what country, are many. Any new band starting out these days faces an uphill battle. It’s very difficult to succeed from scratch. However, it would be easier if we were living in a country like the United States, where we could easily travel a few hours to a variety of major cities with music venues and a music scene. In Costa Rica, there’s really only one major city, and the music scene is pretty light. So, the chances of getting a large fan base just from the Costa Rican market are very small.
Your producer is well-known in the industry. How did you get in touch with Logan Mader to produce your new album?
Daniel: I got in touch with Logan in 2019 by pitching him to see if he wanted to come do an ayahuasca retreat at Soltara Healing Center [Daniel is the owner of Soltara Healing Center, an ayahuasca retreat center in Central America]. I’ve always been a fan of his music and his contributions to the metal scene dating back to the 1990s when I was coming of age. That piqued his interest, and we eventually became friends. He was the obvious choice when Jesse and I decided we wanted to start getting serious and recording.
Anton, how did you become the vocalist for SAVAGE EXISTENCE?
Anton: I got the call from a Studio where they were recording a first album that some Canadian guys were needing a session singer and they were being produced by Logan Mader (ex Machine Head). I took the call, showed up to record and it was just it, we clicked immediately all of us and it was non-stop since then.
What is your favorite song to perform live?
Anton: One Thousand Pounds of Trainwreck, it’s a crazy starter, a very heavy and challenging song up from the first note. It’s a solid opener and I always enjoy the first impression it makes.
Anton, what advice would you give to aspiring metal vocalists?
Anton: Take classes, practice, be yourself, record and play as much as you can… Things eventually will happen.
What is your favorite thing about being in a metal band?
Daniel: The camaraderie and the sense of being in a tribe are the cool things about being in a band. Especially as guys get older, they really need a group of guys to do things with. As guys get busy with families and careers and all that kind of stuff, some guys get together and go on golf trips. We get together and go play heavy metal in different countries. That’s us.
What is your biggest fear as a musician?
Daniel: Investing a zillion dollars in the band and never going anywhere is pretty much my biggest fear, ha ha.
What is the most memorable moment with SAVAGE EXISTENCE so far?
Anton: The most memorable moment with SAVAGE EXISTENCE is recording the second album in Vegas, it was just a very very cool experience that gathered the band for real.
In just about 2 weeks you will hit the road as support of Cradle of Filth and DevilDriver. How do you stay in shape for touring?
Anton: Well, eat healthy, vitamins and gym of course, a lot of cardio and running in the mountains.
What are you most looking forward to about the US tour?
Anton: New fans, seeing places, rocking out.
What are your goals for SAVAGE EXISTENCE in the next few years?
Daniel: Our goals for SAVAGE EXISTENCE in the near to medium term are to continue to tour the world and share our music with fans so we can keep climbing that position on the bill. We’re going to do a little bit of recording this year and set the stage for a full-length third album hopefully next year. Hopefully, people will like what we do and want to come see us play!
What are your thoughts on the current state of the groove metal scene?
Daniel: Well, it’s great to see a lot of the original bands still killing it, like Mudvayne, Coal Chamber, Lamb of God, Machine Head, Pantera, and Metallica, among many others. These guys are absolutely crushing it right now, and it’s great to see that their decades of hard work are paying off. That being said, it doesn’t leave much room for the new guys. So, we know it’s going to be a long road for us to get to their level. But someday, they’re going to have to pass the torch, and when they do, we’ll be ready.
If you could change one thing in the world – what would that be?
Daniel: I’d like to see a renewed dedication and commitment to meritocracy in Western cultures.
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20. September 2023 Moritz Grütz
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