Daeodon finds its stride as the hell pig of Grunge rock. Pictured: John Torstrick (left) and Sam leMay. (Photo: DisCompany)

Daeodon (day-o-don), the broad-ranging, post-grunge rockers named for a pre-historic creature, sometimes referred to as a “hell pig,” delivers music with “teeth” on its new CD album Forever Strangers.

Following in the grand tradition of such grunge-rockers as Black Sabbath, Soundgarden, Deftones, A Perfect Circle, Mastodon and the king of grunge, Nirvana, Daeodon’s new record does the genre proud.

In fact, Grunge-rock is hotter than ever. With radio shows and magazines (like Metal Injection, Alt Rock and Blabbermouth) it has a firm foothold in pop culture.

Daeodon’s two releases last year, “Media Mask” and “The Fixer,” solidified their position in grunge-rock.

Anita Gevinson, co-host of the trade-sheet Music Connection, said of the Louisville rockers: “It’s rare to hear a band as strong and passionate as Daeodon … and they are only just beginning their rock odyssey!”

Daeodon’s new album, Forever Strangers, hit the streets June 12. Click on the photo to buy the album at amazon.com

“As ‘The Fixer’ captured what we sound like live, ‘Forever Strangers,’ which was recorded in a studio, crystallizes that sound to a tee,” says Daeodon frontman and guitarist John T.

“‘Forever Strangers’ dives deeper into production, widening our ability to bring to realization our instincts, ideas and songwriting.”

We caught up with Daeodon-frontman Sam LeMay for an NY Independent interview:

NYI: Tell us about how Daeodon got together…

LeMay: We got together in November 2016 after John had been writing music, again, and it felt like we had something to say.

NYI: What fascinates you about your particular genre of music?

LeMay:: I grew up listening to grunge and heavy metal that was already a few years old even at that time. Most of the ‘current’ rock music during my adolescence had already become watered down and formulaic after the gold rush and bastardization of that genre by the major labels.

NYI: Influences?

LeMay: My go-to perennial bands are Deftones, Radiohead, Soundgarden and other solid bands that never really leave my playlists. Some stuff I’m into now is more electronic, ambient, like Christian Loffler, Kiasmos, and I’ve recently been into a lot of Killing Joke who I discovered late because they toured with Tool last year.

NYI: Give us a run-down of your recorded work.

LeMay: In 2017, we went to Steve Albini’s studio (who worked with Nirvana) to record our first EP live and to tape in two days. The next EP we did in Louisville in 2018, and then came out with our first LP The Fixer in 2019.

NYI:: And, tell us about Forever Strangers.

LeMay: FS is a complete record. As we have grown confident in our vision and in our ability to ask for that from those involved in the sessions, we seem to be getting closer to approximating what the songs really sound like and are supposed to sound like in our heads.

NYI: Your new album package is like a gigantic matchbook cover; tell us a little bit about the design? It’s terrific by the way.

LeMay: John came up with it, and I think it’s great.

NYI: You were supposed to be on tour right now; will it happen after the world comes back together?

LeMay: I predict there will be a spike in interest from the public when it comes to going out and wanting to be entertained at live shows. Everyone has been stuck at home for so long watching screens that I think everybody’s going to want to change it up.

NYI: What are your thoughts on how live entertainment will be now.

LeMay: I don’t accept the narrative of any ‘new normal.’ If people want to go out and enjoy themselves why not? Unfortunately I think there will be more metal detectors, more security, temperature checks and masks etc…at least for a little while longer until people start pushing back. I heard a great quote the other day that fear doesn’t prevent your death it prevents your life.

Check out the videos below and Daeodon on the web.