The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Local band hopes to put metal on the map

Springfield's Devium has a national distribution deal with Universal

The Springfield metal band Devium (from left, James Walters, Chad Cochran, Matt Denius, Andy Moon and Sean O'Bryan) has signed a national distribution deal.

Bill Lackey The Springfield metal band Devium (from left, James Walters, Chad Cochran, Matt Denius, Andy Moon and Sean O'Bryan) has signed a national distribution deal.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Bill Lackey Bassist Andy Moon (left) and singer Chad Cochran formed Devium in 2005.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Devium will release a self-titled EP in April.

ENLARGE PHOTO

"War Within" by Devium

Teens invited to submit films
3/18/10
Witt choir director set to take final bow
3/18/10
Swing Shift big band is serious about its ’30s playlist
3/18/10
Switchfoot returning to the area, bigger than before
3/18/10
McGinn: Psst, kids — everything has been done before
3/18/10
> More headlines

By Andrew McGinn, Staff Writer Updated 10:09 AM Friday, January 22, 2010

SPRINGFIELD — For three years, Sean O’Bryan had a skill that he, like so many others in this area, couldn’t put to use.

Openings were scarce.

Opportunities few.

The former Army mechanic could’ve switched fields, but that would’ve meant trying to wear skinny jeans designed for chicks — a metalhead having to play emo is about as soul-sucking as a union man having to put on a blue vest.

Wasn’t gonna happen.

Besides, Springfield’s metal scene was destined to rebound.

“The drought ended,” O’Bryan said, “when I joined this band.”

The band is Devium.

The local quintet has revived a scene once feared as endangered as the words “Made in the U.S.A.”

As for James Walters, who shares guitar duties in the band with O’Bryan, he’s had a hell of a time trying to find another welding job around here.

But it might not matter anymore.

Standing around one recent night for a photo shoot, the five guys found it hard to maintain the scowls on their faces.

“There’s no smiling in metal,” O’Bryan warned.

It’s hard these days for the men of Devium not to smile — the band will release its first single next month, followed by a six-song EP in April and a full-length album by year’s end.

All will be distributed by the Universal Music Group.

“It takes a frontrunner to boost the scene,” O’Bryan explained.

Right now, Devium looks to be that frontrunner — the first band that might go all the way.

A decade ago, Shovelhead came close. Grit did, too.

Those near-misses only led to frustration all around the local metal scene.

“A lot of people were getting disheartened with it,” O’Bryan said.

Bands couldn’t stay together.

Venues dried up.

By the summer of 2008, Club Panama, the east-side bar that has served as home to the metal scene for two decades, had trouble even finding enough bands to book.

“It’s a responsibility to ourselves to make it,” O’Bryan said. “If it benefits other bands, that’s great.

“I don’t look at it as a competition. We’re all trying to get to the same place.”

When this current lineup of Devium — O’Bryan, Walters, lead singer Chad Cochran, bassist Andy Moon and drummer Matt Denius — debuted at Panama on New Year’s Eve 2008, they could’ve easily wound up like hundreds of other bands Susie Maynard has seen in her 20 years as a club owner.

Some, she can’t even remember their names.

“When they first started out, they were OK. They were decent,” Maynard said. “Now they’re just phenomenal. They’re right up there with the best.”

The band not only is bringing some life back to the Springfield scene, it even saved Club Panama itself, Maynard said.

The shortage of bands caused the club to slip on its tax payments, leading to a two-day benefit concert last February to save the place from closure.

“When we were raking and scraping, Andy in Devium was the one who organized the benefit to save my butt,” Maynard said. “They pulled me out of the fire.

“I wouldn’t be here without Andy Moon. Club Panama would be history.”

It was the least they could do.

Devium is a Panama band through and through.

Moon lives just a couple of blocks away.

“I can crawl home if I need to,” he said.

O’Bryan first ventured in to jam when he was 17.

“It was the first time I’d been in a bar,” he said, “let alone played in one.”

And Walters?

“I once spent the night on the pool table in there,” he said.

Even the future of Devium looked bleak at various points.

“We had bouts when we wondered whether we were even going to do it,” Moon said. “There was a point when Chad walked.”

O’Bryan and Walters split, too.

It’s taken almost five years for everything to fall into place.

It all started in 2005, when Cochran responded to an online ad that Moon had posted.

“It was more professional than most,” Cochran said. “Most said bring your choice of beer.”

What Moon found in Cochran was a singer whose trachea has a built-up layer of scar tissue. When he was 5, he leaned down into the family swimming pool and took in a deep breath of fresh chlorine tabs.

The scarring allows his voice to be as flexible as Mike Patton’s in Faith No More and Mr. Bungle — he can growl for the heavy stuff and howl when things get melodic.

This past June, the band started talks with Primoris Music Group, a label with roots in Findlay and a distribution agreement with Universal.

Devium struck a distribution deal with Primoris, which means they’ll return to the table 12 months after their first release to renegotiate a full deal.

Translation?

The band still has to foot its own bills for right now.

“That really keeps you grounded,” O’Bryan said. “The weight is on us.

“The door’s open. We just have to get through there.”

Still, this is farther than anyone else.

“If anybody deserves to make it,” Panama’s Maynard said, “by God, they do.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0352 or amcginn@coxohio.com.

Their next show

Who: Devium
When: 8 p.m. Jan. 22
Where: McGuffy’s House of Rock, 5418 Burkhardt Road, Dayton
Cost: $8 ages 18-20, $5 21 and older; call (937) 256-3005 for more info.

Share this article

ADD COMMENT

Comments feed

I did forget Spike Opera, sorry about that. There is another band with Sprigfield ties that I forgot too, Legbone. With members that actually live in town also. I haven't seen them in years, but I did watch them on youtube opening for staind at some huge *** arena. They too have had a record deal, and I seen that they'll be back at Panama on Feb. 6th. The springfield scene should just be happy and play and have fun and keep the strees out of if all together. Devium I wish you luck you're great

waytogo
11:19 AM, 1/28/2010

REPORT ABUSE

On behalf of the band, I would like to thank everyone for their support. We would like everyone to know that we celebrate this not just for us but for the City as well. There are a lot of intelligent, talented, and well deserving people in this city. We wish nothing but the best for each and every one of you and hope to see and talk to you all in the very near future. We hope that no matter how much success we attain it flows over to others in our community...Once again we thank you.....

Andrew Moon
6:11 PM, 1/25/2010

REPORT ABUSE

DEVIUM Rocks!! so excited 2 hear that 1 of the best bands is on their way!

Dawn Roberts
6:32 PM, 1/22/2010

REPORT ABUSE

Best of luck, Devium. Metal will always have a loyal, show attending audience.

Also, that was far too hip a reference. Which one of you told McGuinn about Mr. Bungle?

Armin Tamzarian
7:21 PM, 1/21/2010

REPORT ABUSE

I sure hope somebody get's out of here someday!! Devium's a great band, I wish them the best for sure!!! As far as the Cedez question goes, that was in May of 09' and we just got back together to help Susie and the Club. They're one of maybe two clubs in Springfield that are willing to open their doors to original bands no matter what the genre. Big or small, been around the block or just gettimg started, that's the beauty of CP and their relationship with so many local bands. Devium deserve it.

Troy Cromwell
6:48 PM, 1/21/2010

REPORT ABUSE

There are 14 additional comments

SHOW ALL

We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.