Salisbury, North Carolina's Dark Autumn formed in 2001 as a atmospheric, dark metal project. Since that time the band's music has become even heavier than they originally intended according to vocalist / guitarist Travis Beavers.

"Our music can best be described as extreme metal with attention to detail. Very hard hitting and powerful, but with finesse, with predominantly occult, historical, mythological, and warfare based lyrical topics." says Beavers.

He also recorded bass guitar tracks on most of the Dark Autumn's latest CD, Honor Through Bloodshed.

"I also play a large assortment of other instruments, such as several Middle Eastern hand drums, the Egyptian oud, Turkish baglama, and keyboard," says Beavers. "You can hear some of these on the new CD."

When it comes to the piece of gear most important to Dark Autumn's sound he says it would be his left-handed BC Rich Warlock modified with EMG 81/85 pick ups. He says they give the best "metal tone" and is therefore a big part of the band's sound.

The Warlock has a bolt-on neck and is made of agathis. The neck is made of maple and they come with humbucker pick ups. These guitars are not terribly expensive and you can find them ranging from the mid $200s to the mid $400s. Aim for the lower end of the scale especially if you intend to modify the guitar like Beavers did.

"Also, the speakers in my 1984 Marshall cab have a very warm tone that certainly plays a substantial part in creating the sound that I like." he says.

Then there are the instruments Beavers would like to have but doesn't.

"I'd love to have an electric oud, that would be sick to play live. Other than that, a set neck or neck through guitar with EMGs would be nice, but being left handed, my selection of nice models is limited," he says. "I have a Schecter 007 Elite that is very nice, but the pick ups on it are not powerful enough to give me the metal tone I really like. I love the way the guitar sounds and I don't really want to modify it, so for now I mainly play the Warlock for metal."

You can find a Schecter 007 Elite for around $600. The guitar has a bridge humbucker and a neck single-coil for pick ups which explains a little of its lack of a heavy metal sound. It does have seven strings. Your amp when playing this guitar should probably go up to "11."

Beavers says that If he were looking for something new he would have his bassist, who makes his own basses, build him something.

"They are excellent, professional quality instruments. I'd probably just have him build me some sort of awesome neck-thru, satin black left handed guitar with EMGs, an ebony fretboard, maybe white neck binding, who knows! "

The band's new CD was recently released and they plan on touring in the spring and summer of 2008.