In Metal Hammer’s world exclusive Parkway Drive interview in our brand new issue, frontman Winston McCall opens up about the frightening few moments he feared he may have damaged his voice beyond repair, and the impact the news that followed had on new album Ire.
“I had to go and do some vocal training, and I had to go and make sure I hadn’t done any irreversible damage [through my screaming],” reveals Winston for the very first time. “There was a moment where I had this camera down my throat, and the whole time I was just counting down, like, ‘Thirty seconds until he tells me I’ve got throat cancer and my life is fucked…’. But then he was like, ‘Everything’s great! Chords are really strong, nothing wrong here!’”
As the singer explains, getting the all-clear prompted him to push himself when it came to making new music.
“The whole time I’ve been in this band, I’ve thought that all I could do was scream because I’ve never learnt how to sing or control my voice in any way whatsoever, and I thought that because what I was doing was so harsh, the damage I’d done meant I’d never be able to do any of that stuff. For him to say nothing’s wrong, I was like, ‘Maybe this is a door opening, and maybe if you go and apply yourself, you can learn something new’.“
For more incredible stories from the band, including how Rammstein changed their world forever, the truth behind the rage on Ire, what made them switch up their sound so drastically and Winston’s life on the front lines of activism, pick up our new issue right now! You get free stickers and posters and everything!
Or you can download the interactive digital edition for your iPhone and iPad or Android device.
