Prepare to be a little Disturbed

Disturbed's third album Ten Thousand Fists returns to the band's signature sound.

When David Draiman from Disturbed clears his throat you sit up and take notice. The band's drummer, Mike Wengren, certainly did back in 1999 when the band were in the studio recording their debut album, The Sickness.

On the track, Down With the Sickness, Draiman lets rip with something that sounds like, "Ooh-wa-a-a-ah".

Wengren laughs: "Yeah, it was in an ad-lib when he did it. We were in the back reading magazines and he let out that guttural sound and it stopped us in our tracks. 'What the hell was that?' But it felt right."

That vocal effect has become a Draiman trademark. Fans will be begging for it when the band play at the Auckland Town Hall tomorrow night.

Wengren also remembers the singer's introduction to the band when he auditioned for him, guitarist Dan Donegan, and bass player Fuzz, in Chicago in 1997.

"It sounds cliched, but when he walked into the room it was magic," he laughs. "We had already auditioned 50 or 60 people and he was the first and only guy to come in and take command and sound like himself. Everybody else wanted to sound like some other singer."

Back then, Draiman was angry - he grew up in a religious family, rebelled against it and was kicked out of five boarding schools in his teens. But the lad could make "noises", roar, as well as sing.

That first day they got together they wrote Want, which ended up on The Sickness. "The Sickness was raw. We'd had our whole lives to write it," says Wengren.

But for the next album, 2002's Believe, the band branched out - Draiman sang more for starters.

"Because David was becoming well-known for his noises he wanted to show he could actually sing," explains Wengren.

But the album was lighter than the first and lacked the punch and impact the band were known for.

"So on Ten Thousand Fists we kinda realised that maybe we shied away from some of the noises and some of our signature sounds. But now, it finally feels like we're home with this album and this is where Disturbed is headed."

The first day of recording Ten Thousand Fists was cut short by news the band's friend, and former Pantera guitarist and Damageplan member, Dimebag Darrell, had been shot by a crazed fan at a concert.

The band attended his funeral and a day and a half after it they went back into the studio.

"It was extremely fresh in our minds and his spirit carried on through all the music on the record.

"I know Danny [Donegan] was influenced by Dime as a guitar player and this is the first time in the history of the band that we've had guitar solos, so I know that Danny had Dime in mind when he was playing some of his solos."

For a metal band, and with System of a Down, Disturbed are popular in New Zealand. Ten Thousand Fists spent six weeks in the top 10 and sold more than 15,000 copies.

But, in an attempt to explain the band's popularity, Wengren says he wouldn't describe Disturbed as metal.

"I would definitely, definitely say, we're more of a hard rock band. Basically, we are a rock band, we just like to have fun, rock out, and play the music.

"But we definitely love metal. Some of our biggest influences are the classic metal bands from back in the day, like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Black Sabbath."

It's those bands, and more "aggressive stuff like Pantera and new bands like Avenged Sevenfold", that Wengren, the band's DJ, plays on his iPod in the dressing room before gigs.

Wengren says even though they are constantly in each others' faces while on tour they are the best of friends.

"You'd think we would be sick of each other after being on the road together, but we go out and hang out and get drinks.

"We've been on tours where you see bands eating lunch in the catering area and they don't even sit together. But we do actually hang out.

"We're definitely a band of brothers and on days off we do dinners and we'll take our motorcycles out for a ride.

"I just love being out there on the open road, the wind on your face and you're not talking to each other but you're definitely still hanging out. It's a good way to clear your head."

Just make sure you listen to some heavy rock'n'roll afterwards.

* Disturbed at the Auckland Town Hall, tomorrow night.

Albums: The Sickness (2000); Believe (2002); Ten Thousand Fists (2005).