Queens based metal Band Dehumanized has been putting their time in since 1995 to bring fans the best of brutality. Composed of Michael Centrone, Anthony Cossu, Paul Tavora , Rich Nagasawa, and George Torres, this band through an unrelenting amount of hard work and dedication has released their long awaited second chapter, Controlled Elite. After their previous album, Prophecies Foretold was released in 1997, there has been a void in fans hearts awaiting the newest sound of grime to flow through their speakers and into their ears. Let there be no question that Controlled Elite was released just for that reason, and fans could not possibly be more thrilled.
This band, since the start has had many fantastic opportunities to play not only in many different venues nationally and internationally, but also with some of the greats. They were featured in the Milwaukee metal festival in 1998. They have had the opportunity to play with many of their influences and heroes such as Cannibal Corpse and Suffication. In 2012, just before the release of their album, they were sent to Germany to play NRW deathfestival. The positive support from grueling fans wielding Dehumanized shirts from the last decade was so astounding that they were asked to surprise headline a second night at the festival. With all of this positive exposure, it should come as no surprise that they were picked up and signed by Comatose Records and given the reigns to lead the way to their newest studio recorded album Controlled Elite
This writer had the chance to speak to Rich Nagasawa, the lead guitarist and part of the song writing masterminding that has composed most of Dehumanized’s material since 1995. After playing guitar for 18 years and being influenced by names such as Death, Suffication, and Machinehead Rich, along with drummer George Torres formed this band with one goal, to bring the best trash metal and death metal band to New York with a locally engraved Queens mark on it. Through a fumble of line ups and and hiatus, none on ill terms, the band composition now has a phenomenal chemistry that has produced a mature sounding and immaculately produced death metal album.
This writer also had the pleasure of speaking with lyricist and lead vocalist Mike Centrone. It being that this album had an interesting word play title, I was curious as to what the underlining message of this metal masterpiece was. In an answer that shocked this writer for this genre of music, the intent was simple and spiritual. “Humans are capable of great things. There is a bright side and a dark side in todays world, and the dark side is taking over. We as humans are going to eventually need each other” he stated. Spoken like a true metal ghandi. Mike teamed up with John Collette, former vocalist of Dehumanized to pay homage to the last decade of music and passing of the guard onto the new. Mike has only been singing with the band since the summer but, has been a close friend of their since the beginning. It also being that all member grew up on the same genre of 80’s and 90’s metal there is also a universal understanding of style between members.
Just to add to all of the exciting exposure the band has been receiving, the album artwork for Controlled Elite is up for album artwork of the year, compliments of fellow guitarist friend Matty Bones.
Their album release party was held at The Place Bar in Brooklyn during the first week of December. New York embraced the band and rocked out in celebration of the new album drop. No comments or announced tour dates yet, however, this weekend the boys are brutalizing Montreal. Who knows, maybe Europe couldn’t get enough and they’ll be back. Whatever the case, we the fans, are along for the ride and couldn’t be more excited.