What’s up, Modern Drummer readers! My name is Danny “Dangry” Grossarth and I have the exciting honor of playing drums in Candiria.

I was born and raised in Queens, New York, where my parents were able to cultivate and encourage their young son’s interest in drums. Getting my first drumkit was contingent on practicing and taking musicianship seriously and I’m truly grateful for that opportunity.

Some early drumming influences included bands like Green Day, Korn, Primus, and Incubus, but nothing compared to the tidal wave of inspiration I received from Ken Schalk and Candiria. I finely combed through each album and analyzed every crazy move they made.

I discovered Candiria when I was fourteen and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. When I heard the rumors that the band was planning a return from a ten-year hiatus I was overwhelmed with nostalgia from my high school and college years. I knew that I had to seize the opportunity to help push the Candiria juggernaut forward. Schalk, a long time friend, gave me his blessing to pursue. Advertisement

To this day I try to play to Schalk’s ability to find the sickest pockets while making a small kit sound huge. I stand at six-feet-five so you might think I would consider more cymbals and toms, but I decided to focus the energy to make the best of fewer components. I currently play a four-piece kit (kick, snare, rack, and floor) with a ride, hi-hat, two crashes, and a China.

The new record While They Were Sleeping was released on October 7, 2016 on Metalblade Records and we couldn’t be more proud. It has all the quintessential heavy-progressive elements that Candiria is known for with some classic and new flavors that will please old and new fans alike. The music and lyrics flow together in a captivating storyline that Candiria fans will never forget.

Catch us on tour this fall and winter. I hope everyone enjoys the drumming!

For more on Candiria, visit http://www.metalblade.com/candiria.