We caught up with Rob Cavestany, founding guitarist of the legendary Bay Area thrash band Death Angel, just before their performance at The Boardwalk in Sacramento. From reminiscing about early band days to discussing international tours and solo projects, Rob opened up about the band’s journey, the current tour, and what’s coming next.
Capital Chaos TV:
How does it feel to be back in Sacramento?
Rob Cavestany:
It feels amazing, as always.
CTV:
You originally formed Death Angel when you were 13. Did you ever imagine you’d still be doing this—same band, same music—after all these years?
Rob:
We never really thought about it, so I can’t say for sure. But I probably would’ve hoped so. I never imagined we’d stop playing music—and we still don’t see an end in sight. It feels great.
CCTV:
You’ve had a few other projects, like Swarm. How did that go? Was it a short-term thing?
Rob:
Yeah, it’s funny. During soundcheck recently, Mark pointed out a Swarm sticker on the mic stand. That was like 15 years ago! We brought the stand from our studio, which explains it.
Before that, we had The Organization, right after Death Angel broke up in 1990. We’ve just kept playing music non-stop in different forms.
CCTV:
Your solo project Lines on the Road is so different from Death Angel. Is it a creative outlet for you when the band isn’t active?
Rob:
Yeah, definitely. It’s something I do in between tours. That album’s a few years old now—we’ve been so busy on tour. But when we’re home, Gus (our original guitarist) and I jam acoustically for fun. For now though, it’s all Death Angel.
CCTV:
What stop is this on the tour?
Rob:
This is the first show of the second leg. We already did a six-week U.S. run. Now we’re hitting spots we missed before. We’re doing two headlining shows before linking back up with Anthrax and Testament. So tonight’s the kickoff.
CCTV:
Some fans say they used to hang with you at a downtown Sac practice space—26th and C. Do you remember that?
Rob:
Yes! I lived in Sacramento for a while, and Gus did too. That was around 1989 when we were writing Act III. The whole band stayed in our apartment. Great memories rehearsing here.
CCTV:
What’s it like playing in the Philippines?
Rob:
Totally different—but amazing. We played Summer Slam Festival twice. Huge outdoor stadiums. The fans are wild, and they know every word—even if English isn’t their first language.
It’s hot as hell—one show we went on at 1 a.m. and it was still insanely humid. But the energy? Unreal.
CCTV:
You’ve released six studio albums. Do you have a favorite?
Rob:
That’s tough. They all have personal meaning and represent different moments. I honestly love them all for different reasons.
CCTV:
And you’re the main songwriter?
Rob:
For the music, yes.
CCTV:
Does it all come from personal experience?
Rob:
Yes. Life, what we’ve seen on the road, and everything in between.
CCTV:
What do you do when you’re not touring? Any free time?
Rob:
Not really. If I get a break, I’ll watch a Warriors game I recorded. That’s about it!
CCTV:
Are you following football and the Niners?
Rob:
Yeah. We’ll be watching the game in Vegas—first night of the tour with Anthrax. Should be fun, especially with them being from New York. Big rivalry!
CCTV:
You’re playing House of Blues. Have you played there before?
Rob:
Not with Death Angel. I think Swarm played the Hard Rock Café. We’ve done other Vegas venues though—like The Joint and some headline shows during days off from touring.
CCTV:
Who are you currently signed with?
Rob:
Nuclear Blast. Best label we’ve ever worked with. They know metal, they get it, and they let us do our thing. No censorship, full support, and we’re friends with the team.
CCTV:
Where are you based now?
Rob:
I live in Oakland, some of the guys are in San Francisco, and others are in the North Bay. We rehearse in Oakland.
CCTV:
If you could say anything to your fans—what would it be?
Rob:
Thank you. You keep us going. Our mission is to keep making music and grow our fanbase. We’re writing a new album now while still touring, and we plan to release it early 2013.
Watch the full video interview below.
Categories: Death Angel, Interviews, Music
Capital Chaos TV 
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