As seen in Guitar Girl Magazine Issue 9 – Autumn 2019 – Ladies of Metal
Say hello to guitarist Diamond Rowe of LA-based metalcore outfit, Tetrarch. This talented shredder and critical darling has graced the pages of Revolver and Premier Guitar, shared stages with metal heavyweights, KoRn and Avenged Sevenfold, and topped the iTunes rock charts, all while being a completely independent artist. Rowe attributes the band’s successes to her positive outlook and shrugging off of naysayers, and she’s here to tell you why Tetrarch is poised to become one of the biggest bands in contemporary metal.
Your band is originally from Atlanta, Georgia, but you relocated to LA in 2015. What prompted the move?
At that time, we just felt like it was time for a change and to fully immerse ourselves in what we were doing. The convenience of living in L.A. is great for what we do, and we have been able to acquire a lot of opportunities with being here.
While your band falls under the “metal” genre, I’ve definitely heard some punkier influences in there. Which bands were you all influenced by?
Strangely enough, none of us were ever huge punk fans. We dabbled in your typical bands like the Ramones, but I guess you could say some of our favorite bands and influences had SOME punk roots like Metallica, Lamb of God, Pantera, KoRn, Slipknot, etc.
You’ve been lucky enough to share stages with some of the biggest names in rock and metal. Was there a particular artist or band that you were completely star-struck by?
To be completely honest, I don’t get star-struck really ever. There are definitely some artists that I get really excited to be in the presence of because they have had a huge influence on me, and I’m immensely proud to share bills with them. It was insanely cool to be eating, catering, and playing the same bill with bands like KoRn, Avenged Sevenfold, Foo Fighters, etc. All bands that we hope to follow in the footsteps of.
Did any of them turn out to be Tetrarch fans?
I sure hope so! Haha. It’s been really cool getting to play and have some of our influences stick around and watch the sets. One time, Shaun Morgan from Seether watched our entire set and told a lot of the crew backstage how much he enjoyed the band. He even came up to me and asked me to teach him how to play guitar, haha. Insane.
How did you all manage as a completely DIY band to chart on iTunes, and garner all of these endorsement deals, coveted tour support slots, and national attention?
I think the biggest thing was not taking “no” for an answer and not accepting when people would tell us that it wasn’t possible. Sometimes other bands or the powers that be like you to think this way to keep control, but nothing can outweigh the impact of hard work and real fans and supporters rallying behind you. When you’re good, you don’t have to beg; you earn things. We always just work hard to be the best. We know the rest will always follow.
You definitely recognize the importance of melody in a guitar solo versus arbitrarily shredding or sweeping all over the place. What is your idea of a “perfect” solo?
Don’t get me wrong, I love shredding, and I look forward to incorporating more of that on the new record, but I’ve always loved solos with purpose. There are some timeless hits with solos and without. It’s really just about how it serves the song. Our days of writing songs to fit around a solo are over (haha), but I’m definitely looking forward to showing people what I’ve got in a lot of different ways on this new stuff!!
Can you give us the rundown as far as your favorite guitars to use on stage, and what’s currently on your pedalboard?
On stage, I use my ESPs. I use the EC-1000 CTM for our drop C songs and my EC-1000 EverTunes for drop A and Drop B. I’m loving the EverTunes for the drop tunings! I started finding that I could achieve certain tones from the record easier and more effectively through stand-alone pedals for now. So, I’ve been using a Carbon Copy for some delays, the DigiTech Whammy, Zakk Wylde Wah, a BOSS Chorus and Reverb, and a MXR Uni-Vibe. I’m loving that combo right now. I also use a Voodoo Lab Ground Control for switching patches and the few MIDI FX I use.
What I very much appreciate about you as a human being is your unrelenting drive to succeed; your fearlessness. On your social media and in interviews, you’re always telling everyone that you’re going to be successful. There’s never any question; you’re very certain about it. Do you think the success the band has achieved thus far can be attributed to this positive thinking and visualization, and do you think more people would achieve this kind of success if they adopted this kind of thinking?
Absolutely! What’s the point of committing everything to something that you doubt will happen? So many bands are convinced that it WON’T happen, so they are satisfied with mediocre results. While I think everyone’s version of success is different and that has to be taken into account, we have huge goals, and I can honestly say that I do not have a doubt about any of them happening. We prove to ourselves time and time again that we’re meant for this, and I’m so humbled by that and how far we’ve come.
What’s next on the docket for Tetrarch? More touring, recording?
We have a lot of amazing plans for the end of this year and in 2020. First and foremost though, we’re working on a new record. The songs are sounding amazing, and we have some massive plans for it. So, I think everyone will enjoy what we have in store!