In a cement warehouse off Jackson Highway, local bands across Sacramento come to practice. Through the first door emanates the drum-heavy songs of “Awaiting the Apocalypse”.

Two of the current members have recorded on every one of the band’s four albums. Each member also rotates through other outlets, including offshoot bands.

Marcos Silva, 29-year-old rhythm guitarist and drummer and Danny Capps, 24, work together for a local steel fabrication shop. They met at the Your Music Magazine Awards while Scharlack was still playing with Siphon Soul several years ago.

Tyler Andrews, 28, has sung on every recording Awaiting has performed.

Ben Modlin, 31, plays bass and is the oldest in the band. Capps says anyone else would have been kicked out for their age, except they do not think they can find anyone else that plays as well.

James Scharlack, 22 senior government major at Sacramento State plays lead guitar and planned to become a Navy Seal but put it off due to an injury.

“No he’s just going to dress up in a wetsuit, go to San Francisco Harbor and flop around like a seal. ‘I wanna be a seal!'” said Silva as he imitated seal noises.

Scharlack muses about having his own show as a seal while Capps taps on his practice drums and suggests a great white might eat seal-Scharlack.

“Eat fish and – you know – play with little kids; he’s gonna be captured and sent to Marine World,” said Silva. 

“I do have Free Willy tattooed on my leg,” Scharlack points to his calf, invoking the Orca’s protection against people and sharks.

Silva claims he spends every day being lazy.

“I really don’t do much besides just play music and work. I like to go Frisbee Golfing,” Silva chuckles, recommending Shady Oaks in Orangevale as the best local course.

Scharlack estimates they play every other week after practice, as long as the weather is clear.

“I didn’t play before I met him but now I’m into it. I’m not as hardcore as him, but I’ve thrown a disc or two,” Capps chimes in.

Although Awaiting the Apocolopyse is a metal deathcore band, they have mixed their personal taste into music.

“Well I grew up listening and playing to a lot of Devil Driver and Slipknot and stuff like that, but now it’s more like All Shall Perish (and) Born of Osirus. Yeah, it’s hard to put a direct influence because we listen to so much, you know. I listen to metal and I listen to soft stuff too,” said Capps while feverishly tapping his drum.

Scharlack claims he is influenced by everything but Capps defines soft music as Incubus.

“One of my main influences back in the day was Metallica because James Hetfield was the man when it came to being a rhythm player – and that is what I always wanted to be. And then MegaDeath and it just evolved from there…There’s a lot to take in; I listen to a lot of different styles of music. But for this one (band), I tend to keep more of the heavier stuff,” Silva trailed off.

The men have built friendships around their band, both with each other and anyone else who will hang out with them. They share stories about fights on beaches and driving around in their self-described “creepy band van.”

“Shenanigans. It’s not all just business – it’s fun,” said Scharlack.

Conducting from the Grave, Alterbeast and Removal of the Tenth are some of the bands they enjoy playing with.

“We play with some good bands but that doesn’t mean they’re fun. Some guys at shows get kind of quiet – they just kinda stick in their little band area and don’t talk to people. A lot of bands will go backstage and hang out back there, but we’re in the bar drinking with people. If somebody can come have some drinks with us and have fun, usually that makes it pretty good,” Capps says.

While they have hung out backstage once – mainly for the food and energy drinks – they prefer to be in the crowd.

“We’re those guys; we get drunk before we play. But (with) the shit we’re playing now – I can’t,” Capps chuckles.

The members say they tend to drink Blacktooth – a whiskey and coke shot – before and after the show, mostly to respect Dimebag Darrell of Pantera.

Awaiting the Apocalypse will be performing and sharing more stories at the Boardwalk today at 6:30 p.m.

Kayla Nick-Kearney can be reached at [email protected]