Welcome to the most metal conservation effort you’ve never heard of. When Savage Lands, a band more accustomed to shredding guitars than cutting checks for environmental causes, decided to swap headbanging for tree-hugging, the music world took notice. Their first act? Dropping a single that screams louder than a chainsaw on the verge of felling an ancient tree. Their mission? To save a piece of Costa Rican rainforest one riff at a time.
The Power of Metal Meets the Force of Nature
Savage Lands isn’t your average garage band dreaming of big stages and bigger crowds. This supergroup—comprising Megadeth’s thunderous drummer Dirk Verbeueren, Black Bomb A’s vocal powerhouse Poun, bassist Etienne Treton, and eco-warrior guitarist Sylvain Demercastel—has turned their amps up to 11 for the environment. By forming a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit, they’ve pledged to rock out not just for fans but for the flora and fauna of Costa Rica.
“The Last Howl” – A Song with a Cause
Their debut single, “The Last Howl,” isn’t just a track; it’s a battle cry against deforestation, a homage to the endangered howler monkeys whose home was on the chopping block. Thanks to the royalties from this hard-hitting anthem, Savage Lands put their money where their mouth is, purchasing over 90 percent of a threatened 60,000 square foot rainforest parcel along the breathtaking Costa Rican coastline. This land, once marked for destruction, now stands as a testament to what happens when metal meets mission.
A Symphony of Conservation Efforts
The band’s eco-crusade didn’t stop at the studio door. Featuring cameos from metal legends like Andreas Kisser of Sepultura and John Tardy of Obituary, “The Last Howl” is more than a song—it’s a rallying point for metalheads with a soft spot for the planet. Demercastel, having witnessed firsthand the devastation wrought by unchecked real estate development in Costa Rica, knew it was time for action. “Hearing the chainsaw on a daily basis, we thought it was time to start a new type of action,” he explained, proving that even the most hardcore can have a heart of green.
A Band of Brothers (and Sisters) in Arms
Savage Lands’ lineup reads like a who’s who of the metal world, with collaborators from bands like Heilung, Gojira, Testament, and Lord of the Lost joining the fray. This band of brothers (and sisters) in arms has forged partnerships far beyond their musical genre, linking up with Season of Mist and echoing the efforts of other metal icons like Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe, who’s also turning his attention to saving the lungs of the planet in Ecuador.
The Future Sounds Heavy (and Green)
What Savage Lands has kickstarted is more than a single conservation project; it’s a clarion call to the metal community and beyond. Their message? It’s cool to care. As they gear up for more releases, their sights are set on furthering their environmental impact, proving that the spirit of metal can indeed catalyze real-world change. So the next time you hear a Savage Lands track, remember: those headbanging riffs are planting more than just earworms—they’re helping to preserve the planet, one rainforest at a time.
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