Damageplan vocalist Patrick Lachman said he always wanted to be a musician.
"It goes back to being a music lover," Lachman said by phone from Burbank, Calif. "It was very clear to me what I wanted to do."
A couple of years ago, Lachman hooked up with a couple of brothers named Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul. The siblings had just disbanded Pantera and were on the prowl to make some more music. "They wanted to find someone with a diverse range," said Lachman, who cited Pink Floyd, Meshuggah, Ozzy Osbourne and Alice in Chains as some of his musical influences. "When we got together and began playing, it was all experimental. There was a lot of freedom in the music and it felt great."
Lachman said he felt some pressure as he was working with two seasoned hard-music vets. "But the real pressure wasn't from them. It was mostly coming from inside of myself."
Going into the studio to record Damageplan's debut "New Found Power," Lachman said it was a good learning experience. "We had most of the song musically ready when we went in to lay tracks. But when I started putting vocals to some of them, they did change. So we adjusted the ones that needed it, and it worked out nicely."
The album is a dynamic mix of hard and groovy — which the band finds reassuring. "When we're on tour with harder bands, we pick up the hard tunes. If we're playing a radio show, we can pepper the set with the more mellow works. So, every show we do, we tailor it to fit the need."
Taking the band on the road is both rewarding and challenging, said Lachman. "We're fortunate to be able to do what we're doing. At the end of the day, it all comes down to the music. It doesn't matter if we make a million dollars, although that would be nice. It all comes down to how well we play. And there's that connection with the audience.
"The hardest thing for us, right now, is getting over the identity crisis. There are people who have been Pantera fans since the beginning, and this band isn't Pantera. That's one of the goals for Damageplan is to establish its own identity and become a band in the eyes and ears of the audience."
If you go. . .
What: Shadows Fall, Damageplan, Haunted
Where: Lo-Fi Cafe
When: Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
How much: $20
Phone: 467-8499 or 800-888-8499
Web: www.smithstix.com
E-mail: scott@desnews.com