Former Dream Theater keyboardist Derek Sherinian - who has launched Whom Gods Destroy with guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal - is featured in a new Q&A with Prog Magazine via Louder Sound. Following is an excerpt.
Q: Your earliest prog memory?
Derek: "When I was about 14 a friend recommended Yes and ELP to me. To be completely honest I didn’t really like the music, but Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson were the top keyboard guys and I loved their adventurous playing."
Q: What’s the most important piece of prog music?
Derek: "Yes’ 'Roundabout' has a little bit of everything you would want in a prog song. A lot of prog music is bad composition obfuscated by quirky time signatures and goofy lyrics, but 'Roundabout' is a great prog song."
Q: Who do you call in the prog community for a good night out?
Derek: "I love hanging out with (drummer) Simon Phillips. I’ve done many records with him, including The Phoenix. He’s a fun guy and so smart – he’s been a great mentor to me."
Read the complete Q&A here.
A new force of progressive metal has emerged - Whom Gods Destroy, a formidable new group formed by keyboardist Derek Sherinian, guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, and vocalist Dino Jelusick. Along with the potent rhythm section of bassist Yas Nomura and drummer Bruno Valverde, Whom Gods Destroy have recently signed a worldwide deal with InsideOutMusic.
Sherinian and Bumblefoot have built upon the creative link they developed as two of the key elements of supergroup Sons of Apollo and now set their sights on a new path with Whom Gods Destroy, who are getting ready to present the musical odyssey that is their debut opus, ‘Insanium’, to be released in March 2024.
Bumblefoot explains how Whom Gods Destroy got started: “Derek & I began writing new music in 2020. Soon after, Dino joined, followed by Yas and Bruno. We'd share ideas, and each record parts, building and rebuilding songs, and by June '23 the album was finished. The songs all went through a lot of changes, developing...you can definitely hear what each person brings to the music when it adds up, it's a mix of melody and intense heavy prog.”
Working with powerhouse vocalist Dino Jelusick, as well as Yas Nomura and Bruno Valverde, they knew they were building something special, says Bumblefoot. “These guys are all just mind-blowing...! I've known Dino for a few years, we did a collab song a few years ago...his voice is just magic. He's one of the greatest singers out there. Bruno & Yas are downright frightening, there's no limit to what they can do, WTF...! And all great guys to hang with.”
Sherinian agrees, “All three of these musicians are super talented with great energy. I think Dino is the real deal. Ron and I knew that we could do something great with him.”
Jelusick expresses his excitement as well, “What I love about this band is that it doesn't have any limits. It came together back in 2020 when we started talking about it. Yas and I started working separately not knowing we were both asked to do this. Bruno was the last piece of this puzzle and I'm glad the recommendation came from me. Love this line-up. Derek and Ron are wizards.”
While a first single by Whom Gods Destroy will be launched alongside its promotional performance video clip in January, you can already check out various teaser clips and introductory snippets on the band’s social media outlets. So, make sure to follow the band online and stay tuned for a lot more activity as well as further updates on Whom Gods Destroy and “Insanium” coming soon.
Whom Gods Destroy lineup (from left to right in photo at top):
Bruno Valverde Drums
Yas Nomura Bass
Dino Jelusick Vocals
Derek Sherinian Keyboards
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal Guitars
