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Pit Stories: Learning A Painful Lesson

Each week we check in with bands from around the globe to get their most memorable Pit Stories. This week If These Trees Could Talk shared this tale of learning a valuable lesson about removing your earrings before entering the pit:

When I was young, I went to every metal festival known to mankind, regardless of who was playing. In my youth, I felt invincible, therefore every mosh pit was open season. In the summer of 2000, I attended the Tattoo the Earth Festival with Slipknot and Sevendust. In my naivete, I had a row of ear piercings down each side.

In the middle of Slipknot’s set, I decided to test my might and enter the pit. Slipknot pits are always rowdy, and I was fully aware of the danger that lurked within, but I didn’t give a fuck. I was ready to rage! Unbeknownst to me, a dude in the biggest combat boots I’d ever seen was crowd surging right above me. As I looked up, his boot came down and grinded every earring out of my adolescent ear at once. Extreme pain, blood and adrenaline all at once. This experience never turned me off from mosh pits, but it reminded me to take them out before going into one for the rest of my life.

If These Trees Could Talk's previous albums "Red Forest" and "Above the Earth, Below the Sky" will be re-issued worldwide via Metal Blade Records on January 23rd (G/A/S), January 26th (EU) and January 27th (USA).

Recording for a new full-length studio album will take place throughout the winter and is due out later this year.