Metal and mainstream sports have crossed paths in the past, but when it comes to the Detroit Red Wings, the hockey team have been championing more heavier acts than your typical radio friendly fair. Lately, the likes of Lorna Shore, The Black Dahlia Murder, and even Revocation have found their way over the stadium speakers where the hockey team plays – and that’s all thanks to one person.
Knotfest recently interviewed Carrie Heisler, the stadium lighting designer at Little Caesars Arena (the team’s home location). She oversees the music that is played while the team make their entrance onto the ice. In the interview, Heisler talks about how the hockey team have found themselves surprised being tagged by hundreds of metalheads.
Heisler’s logic behind introducing heavier forms of music to sports fans originated as a means to hype them up for the team’s walkouts during COVID-19. Heisler shares that the Detroit Red Wings camp has been “super receptive” to her work.
When it comes to what she looks for in a particular song, Heisler says she looks for instrumental segments. When it came to her deciding to play The Black Dahlia Murder’s “On Stirring Seas of Salted Blood,” Heisler shares, “The song has like a good 25-30 seconds intro, and then Trevor [Strnad] comes in very heavy with typical Black Dahlia vocals, and we hadn’t looped it. For a solid 15 seconds in the arena, there was just growling and screaming and nobody cared.”
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Thanks to this interview, we now have the context as to how all that awesome music have been making its way into the home of the Detroit Red Wings. Along with speaking to her recent work, the interview also covers Heisler’s career history. You can read the full interview here for more details.
The Detroit Red Wings walked out to a Revocation tune the other night at the Little Caesar’s Arena, thanks to Carrie for cranking The Grip Tightens at the game!
🏒 🥅 @DetroitRedWings #revocation pic.twitter.com/OuqUwbp50w— Dave Davidson (@Dave_Revocation) March 2, 2022
Of the songs that have been played at Little Caesars Arena, which one is your favorite? Who else would you like to see played over a Detroit Red Wings game?
Hockey And Deathcore Collide As The Detroit Red Wings Skate To Lorna Shore
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Words by: Michael Pementel
