DENIAL FIEND, the Tampa, Florida-based band featuring in its ranks Terry Butler (SIX FEET UNDER, ex-MASSACRE, ex-DEATH), Kam Lee (ex-MASSACRE, ex-MANTAS), Curt Beeson (NASTY SAVAGE, LOWBROW) and Sam Williams (DOWN BY LAW, PSEUDO HEROES), recently entered GL Studios in Brandon, Florida to begin recording its debut album, They Rise. Butler has issued the following update:

"Despite the 100-degree temperatures and lightning storms, Sam and I managed to get my bass and his guitar recordings finished at the zero hour.

I recorded with my trusted Charvel neck-through. I've had the old girl for over 20 years and she still sounds great! I ran it through an Ampeg SVT2 head and an Ampeg 8x10 cabinet, while recording two tracks at the same time with one being distorted and one being clean. The following day we invaded Erik Rutan's Mana Studios. It should be renamed Arctic Blast Studios. Anyone who has recorded there could vouch that the air conditioning is brutal! Brian Elliott was at the engineering controls. He brought a lot of cool ideas to the table and worked his ass off getting us some great sounds. Hats off to you for going above and beyond, Brian!

We didn't want a production that was over-polished. We kept the recording as raw and natural as we could. We felt that the drums should be a driving force in the songs with the guitar and bass wrapped around that with the vocals sitting on top. To me the songs are fresh and seem as though they breathe.

Kudos to Curtis for some tasty and aggressive drumming. He brings a lot of energy to the band! It was great working with Kam again. His voice is as strong as ever and I think this is some of his best work. The lyrical content he put together was very thought out and creative. All of this and Sam's killer song-writing and phenomenal guitar work. He came up with some really catchy and heavy riffs. His musical background being punk and hardcore I believe actually makes him a great songwriter.

Lastly, I would like to give a shout out to the Undead Choir for the back-up shouts, grunts and moans. It was a lot of fun! GO!

Bottom line is that I feel we've created one hell of a debut CD. There is a lot of heart and soul put into it. I am very proud to be a part of it."

DENIAL FIEND's Dead Awakening 7" EP was released on May 21 through Ibex Moon Records. The EP consists of two alternate versions of the tracks 'They Rise' and 'Cover Me in Blood', which will appear on the band's upcoming full-length, to be released this fall. The pressing is limited to a mere 500 copies.