Interviews

Interview with Extremity – Bay Area Death Metal

Bay Area Death metal band Extremity has made one of the best DM releases of 2017, This week I spoke with guitarist Marissa on what it takes to create one of the most essential albums of the year – read on

* First off congrats on the new release “extremely fucking dead” It sounds like you guys had a lot of fun making this album – what was the writing process like for this one?
Marissa: Thanks! It was a lot of fun. Recording is my favorite part of the whole process. It’s really neat to hear everything coming together as the recording progresses.

Shelby and Aesop worked out the song writing over the last 8 years or so. When Erika and I came on-board, things were more or less written. We contributed some small tweaks here and there. But, the music was pretty much ready to record.

* How about recording – you guys have nailed that old school sound – Was everything recorded digitally or analog?
Marissa: Everything was recorded digitally. It’s just how you do it these days.

Aesop wanted to do something way more primitive and ignorant, so they parted ways.

* Off the top of my head a bunch of you guys have a rich history of playing in metal bands around the bay area, so how did Extremity come about – give me the brief history of the band
Marissa: About 8 years ago, Shelby had some songs written, and was looking for a drummer to do something with. He met up with Aesop, who was looking to put together an old school death metal band. They jammed, but the material was pretty busy and grindy. Aesop wanted to do something way more primitive and ignorant, so they parted ways. That project eventually became Shelby’s old band Apocryphon.

Once Apocryphon started gigging, Shelby had the realization that he wanted to start a second band that was a lot simpler. So he reached out to Aesop and they started putting something together. Eventually they got to the point where they wanted another guitarist and bass player. Erika jams with Necrosic directly across the hallway from us at our practice space, and she’s fucking awesome in everyway. So she was their first choice on bass.

Erika made a post on facebook about jamming with a new band, and I half-jokingly replied asking if they needed a guitar player. It turned out they did, and my name had come up on the list of candidates. Shelby started showing me the riffs, and we all just hit it off. So, here we are…

I know he has a wah pedal on there, so he can really rock those “Dad solos”.

* For those of you who don’t know your previous bands, you want to give us a run down of you and Marissa’s gear, What guitars you favor (for writing, recording and live work) amps etc. I know a lot of metal dudes these days prefer to travel with a rack as opposed to tube amps and just dial in their sound.
Marissa: Shelby uses a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier. He’s also got a pedalboard full of little do-dads that I don’t know much about. I know he has a wah pedal on there, so he can really rock those “Dad solos”. He plays a Jackson Kelly as his main guitar.

I use a Marshall Valvestate 2000 which I’ve had for over a decade. It gives me a tone similar to a JCM 800, without having to worry about changing any tubes. Even though the amp is digital, it actually sounds really close to an analog amp. The only pedal I have is a tuner. I’m traditionally a grindcore musician. So, I like to have as little gear as possible.

Live, I use a B.C. Rich Warlock, mostly because I need the locking trem system. In the studio I used a black Gibson Flying V, with Lace “Drop n Gain” pickups. I love that guitar! It has tone for days! I wish I could use it live.

it was really Cannibal Corpse’s “Eaten Back to Life” that really grabbed a hold of me

* I know Aesop is an old man (actually I just checked he’s younger than me!) but the rest of Extremity have a pretty extensive knowledge of old school Death metal – what was the one DM band growing up that sold you on the genre?
Marissa: I had started to warm up to death metal with Obituary’s “Cause of Death”. But it was really Cannibal Corpse’s “Eaten Back to Life” that really grabbed a hold of me, and gave me that “fuck yeah!” moment that catapulted me into a ravenous death metal fan. Everything about that album is so awesome. I love the tone, the speed, just the right amount of complexity, and Chris Barnes’ vocals on that album are a lot of fun.

* I just saw Obituary on tour with Kreator a few weeks back and in my mind Obituary stole the show – I am sure if you told the Tardy brothers (Or Trevor Perez) that you guys would still be killing it 25+ years later – they wouldn’t believe you. Why do you think old school DM has come back into vogue with the younger generation?
Marissa: It’s kind of part of the culture, isn’t it? It seems to me that fans of metal not only like the music, but we want to know everything we can about the bands. When you get into a metal band, you want to know their whole back catalog, what bands inspired them, and what other bands exist in their genre? That seems like it’s always been a part of it. To really know metal, you need to know its history as well.

But, you know… Those early death metal albums are the best! The genre was learning about itself, it was primitive, simplistic, and energetic. Those old records have just the right amount of extremity and experimentation, without being completely overwhelming. There’s a lot to grab onto there.

* How did the deal with 20 buck spin come about?
Marissa: I think Shelby hooked that up. He has a relationship with Dave (of 20 Buck Spin) through Vastum. So, they spoke to each other, and Dave liked the material and wanted to release it.

* List your top 5 favorite DM records of all time and have you seen the said bands live?
Marissa:
Carcass – Symphonies of Sickness

Cannibal Corpse – Tomb of the Mutilated

Obituary – Cause of Death

Dismember – Like an Everflowing Stream

Bolt Thrower – Warmaster

I’ve seen all of these bands live.

The Bay Area has a pretty long musical history, especially when it comes to metal

* Yet again another great band comes out of the Bay Area – I have spoke to a bunch of Bay Area bands in the last year (Atrament, Palace of Worms, Ails, Hammers of Misfortune, Cardinal Wyrm etc) why do you think so much talent comes from this part of the world? Something in the water?
Marissa: The Bay Area has a pretty long musical history, especially when it comes to metal. Even when the metal scene had pretty much died here in the mid ‘90s, there were a few bands kicking around, trying their damndest to keep metal alive. In the last decade the scene has really grown, and there’s a great local scene happening here right now. It’s really cool to get to be a part of it.

* Something I ask all Bay Area bands – do you think a time will come when you guys will have to move to either LA or Portland to keep playing music? As much as I love that neck of the woods – it’s even more expensive to live there than NYC!
Marissa: I can’t really see that happening. At least, not for me. But, playing music isn’t my primary source of income. So, I’m probably not the best person to ask in this case.

* I know you guys have done a handful of shows so far – any plans for a National tour or you guys just want to keep it local?
Marissa: We want to play some shows up and down the East and West coasts.

* Have you done much touring before (in your old bands?) if so any funny tour stories you can share?
Marissa: I haven’t done a lot of touring. I did a West Coast run with my other band Cretin a few years ago. But there aren’t any stories from that tour that would be funny to anyone who wasn’t there. I’m kind of boring really…

* What can we expect from Extremity for the rest of 2017?
Marissa: We’re currently working on writing new material for a full length we hope to release next year.

* Any final words?
Marissa: Thanks so much for the interview!

Interview with Pyrrhon – New York Hate Shred

Pyrrhon (pronounced Peer-on) are one of the best bands coming out of the New York metal scene these days – this week I spoke with vocalist Doug on tour life, keeping your vocal chords in peak condition and much more – read on!

* So did Mike and Dylan really meet on a subway platform or is that just folklore?
Yes, our guitarist Dylan met our original bassist Mike while waiting for the train after a show.

* How did you join the band?
Dylan is from the next town over from where I grew up in suburban Philadelphia, and I eventually met him while still in high school because his sister had become a friend of mine. We got to talking about music at some party or something and found that we had a lot in common, so we stayed in touch during college. A couple of years later he was putting a lineup together for the band that would become Pyrrhon and hit me up about auditioning on vocals, since he knew I had a background as a vocalist in some other bands. This all transpired between 2006 and 2008, I think.

* You have a pretty powerful voice – when did you find it? In Pyrrhon or one of your earlier bands? How does it hold out on long tours? I remember back in the early 90s Kevin Sharp telling me the key to “finding his voice” was the sound coming from his chest and not his throat
Thank you. I first started trying to do vocals in Seputus, a studio project I started with Pyrrhon’s current drummer Steve Schwegler way back in 2005, but I don’t think I really achieved anything approaching mastery until 2012 or 2013, when Pyrrhon had been going for a few years. There was a lot of trial and error in the years between.

I tend to push my voice pretty hard, and since I don’t naturally have a very loud or resilient voice, it’s taken some learning to figure out how to sustain it on the road. I’ve found that the most important factors for keeping my voice healthy while touring are: practicing good form while performing, reserving my voice when I’m not onstage, going easy on the partying, and getting as much sleep every night as possible. I’m an insomniac, so the last part can be difficult for me under tour conditions.

* If I am not mistaken the Greek philosopher Pyrrho was one of the first skeptics – do you consider the band skeptics? or?
Not in the strict philosophical sense, if that’s what you mean. The band name came out of a very long selection-by-committee process in the project’s early days, long before even Erik had joined. We didn’t really know what the band was going to be “about” thematically, so we weren’t really thinking too much about that side of the name — it was more about finding something distinctive and cool-sounding. None of us were even all that familiar with Pyrrho’s ideas at the time, though I started reading up on him when the name was floated. So Pyrrho’s specific teachings really never had much to do with the band per se, but the name fits well enough with our current iteration’s reflective and (colloquially) skeptical worldview.

* How did the band name come about?
See above.

We have lots of in-band jokes about this subject based on stuff people have called us at shows, such as “rollercoaster-core” and “hate shred.”

* For those of our readers who have not heard your sound before how do you guys describe it to people “technical death metal”, “progressive death metal” or “mathcore” or? What’s your preferred way to tell the uninitiated?
Hah, I generally try to avoid this conversation because our music is so hard to conveniently summarize this way. We have lots of in-band jokes about this subject based on stuff people have called us at shows, such as “rollercoaster-core” and “hate shred.” But when push comes to shove, I usually say “experimental death metal” if I have to do the genre tag thing.

* Have you guys done much touring to date? Who’s been your favorite band to tour with?
We haven’t toured a ton for a band that’s been around for close to a decade, but we became much more active that way in 2013 and have done something like 6 extended tours since then.

The longest of those tours was in 2014, when we did a 6-week North American run with Artificial Brain. As you can probably imagine, sharing a van with another band for that long will result in either loving each other or hating each other, and fortunately it was the former. We’re still good pals with them and are very proud of the success they’ve had with their new album so far.

* What would you say is the best city that you guys have played so far and why?
Broadly speaking, the most rewarding tour experience we’ve had was our European tour in 2015. We only hit a handful of countries, but since we never really expected to even get outside of the New York area with the band, playing our music on a different continent was an emotional experience for us.

The first “real” death metal band I ever heard was Morbid Angel. I was 14

* What was the first band that got you into Death Metal – your gateway band so to speak and do you still listen to them?
The first “real” death metal band I ever heard was Morbid Angel. I was 14. They’re still one of my favorites.

* What you would say is the biggest downfall in the underground metal scene today? What if any changes would you make to better the scene?
There’s quite a lot of dumdum behavior in metal, obviously, so it’s a bit hard to choose what to change. If I had to, though, I’d probably increase the ratio of distinctive bands to generic ones. A lot of really gifted musicians in metal end up slaving away in bands that really don’t have much personality, and I think everyone would benefit if talented players were more inclined to develop their own voices, instead of imitating someone else’s.

* What bands metal or otherwise are you currently listening to that blow you away?
Off the top of my head, a few recent albums that have hooked me include Forced Subservience by No Faith, Succumb’s self-titled album, Post Apocalyptic Human Annihilation by Diphenylchloroarsine, Came Down A Storm by Claire Cronin, and Synchromysticism by Yowie.

New York tends to exert an especially intense power over creative types for some reason

* New York is unlike any other city – would you say you guys have a “NYC” type sound or that NYC plays some part in inspiring your music?
Definitely. I wouldn’t say that the city is the band’s “theme” or anything like that. But everyone’s influenced by their surroundings to some extent, and New York tends to exert an especially intense power over creative types for some reason. Urban life was an explicit lyrical subject for us early on, especially on the first album. A lot of the sounds and bands that have influenced us deeply have strong traditions in New York too — free improvisation, noise rock, and obviously death metal. New York also has one of the most vibrant music communities in the world, in part because it’s so tough to establish a sustainable life as a creative person making totally non-commercial music here. Being around the sort of people who are both talented and driven enough to put up with such conditions certainly lights a fire under your ass and encourages you to push yourself too.

* What goals does the band have that you would like to see realized one day?
I’d say that our foremost goals as a band are to stay true to our instincts and to never make the same album twice. We’d also like to tour outside of the United States more – it would be nuts to play at least one show on every (habitable) continent eventually. But frankly, if we just manage to keep releasing albums that we’re proud of for a while longer, I’ll consider the affair a success.

* Does everyone in the band still live in the city? If so what side gigs does everybody do to make ends meet? (NYC ain’t cheap!)
Three of us live in New York – me, Erik, and Dylan. Dylan’s a server, Erik works for a boutique bass amp manufacturer, and I make a living doing research and writing for a small nonprofit. Steve lives in the Philly suburbs, where he’s currently a student.

* Have the band ever considered relocating to another city so that you guys can spend more time on your music? I have always believed that great scenes come out of towns like Richmond VA where the cost of living is relatively cheap – you don’t have to work 60 hrs a week just to make rent (let alone paying for a rehearsal space) I know a ton of bands from the Bay Area that are moving to LA just because it is so much cheaper.
Yes, we’ve talked about that kind of thing. Everyone but Erik has roots in Philly, which isn’t that cheap but would be an improvement. We’ve occasionally toyed with the idea of relocating there, but it’s difficult to coordinate multiple people relocating their lives to a new city at the same time. It’s tough enough for us to balance all of our various creative projects with our day-to-day labors as it is.

* What more can we expect from Pyrrhon in 2017?
We have a new album called What Passes For Survival coming out on August 11th. You can preorder the CD / digital via Willowtip Records here and the vinyl via Throatruiner Records here. We’ll be playing out regionally as much as possible in the fall in support of the record, with more extended tour plans to follow.

Interview with New Jersey Thrash Legends Blood Feast

Today I spoke with Adam from New Jersey Thrashers Blood Feast – these guys formed in 1986 but never saw the success of the bands like Anthrax and Overkill – disbanding in the late 80st he guys reformed 7 years ago – check what Adam has to say about coming back bigger and better than ever – read on

* First off guys congratulations on the come back album ” not many bands could be gone for so long and come back so relevant. So what were the factors involved in bringing the band back from the dead in 2010? What isnpired you to do this new album 7 years later?
ADAM TRANQUILLI:  Most of these songs were written about 5 years ago, a little while after we got back together.  I wanted to move forward with new material, but it was nearly impossible with Kevin (Kuzma, original drummer) living 6 hours away.  Once we made the change to the current line-up we were off to the races.  We working on “Off With Their Heads”, “The Burn” and “Who Prays For The Devil” at the first rehearsal with Joe & CJ.

* What’s been the best feedback you have got from “the Future State of Wicked” so far?
ADAM TRANQUILLI:  We’ve gotten a lot of great responses so far.  It’s definitely been more positive than negative.  Getting an 8 (out of 10) in Decibel Magazine was really cool.  The most important thing, though, is that the fans like it!!

* How did the deal with Hells headbangers come about?
ADAM TRANQUILLI:  They contacted us.  They’re fans of the band, and they wanted to work with us.  They’ve been great!!

* How much do you think the metal scene has changed since the 80s?
ADAM TRANQUILLI:  There are a lot more strains of metal since we were around the first time.  Death Metal was only starting up.  The Scandinavian Black Metal scene was in its infancy.  Symphonic and Folk Metal didn’t yet exist.

Things seem more friendly in the scene itself.  Maybe that’s because we’re all a bit older and wiser.

“I’m with you on Midnight – great band and cool dudes.  We just played with them down in Philadelphia”

* What young metal bands do you rate these days? I have to say I love that band Midnight from Cleveland
ADAM TRANQUILLI:  I’m with you on Midnight – great band and cool dudes.  We just played with them down in Philadelphia.  Another band we like is Game Over, from Italy.  We played with them in Japan at the True Thrash Fest in 2015.

* Are you surprised bands like Overkill and Kreator from the 80s are still out there and still doing it?
ADAM TRANQUILLI:  Not really.  Both of those bands have always put out high quality thrash albums.

* When the band was done in the 80s, did you carry on playing in other bands or just getting into family life, working 9-5 etc?
ADAM TRANQUILLI:  Yes, yes and yes.  I played in a few bands leading up to Headlock.  We put out an album in 1994 on Pavement Music, and toured with M.O.D. in Europe.  After that I took some time away from music, started a family and concentrated on business.  When we did the 1999 reunion that re-lit the fire.  Since Blood Feast didn’t carry on, I started Without End and put out 2 albums with that band.

* What would you say has been the best part of the modern internet smart phone generation?
ADAM TRANQUILLI:  Being able to communicate so quickly.

* The worst part?
ADAM TRANQUILLI:  Trying to get people to pull their heads away from their phones and live in the moment.

* Getting old is weird – like I am still the same retard I was at 15 but a lil wiser, what is the best advice do you think you would give “you” of the 1980s if you had a time machine?
ADAM TRANQUILLI:  Be patient, grasshopper.

Metal is blue-collar to the core, so it’s a perfect match.

* New Jersey is one of these states that is almost infamous for metal loving fans – why do you think that is?
ADAM TRANQUILLI:  New Jersey is very much a blue-collar state.  Folks work awfully hard around here.  Metal is blue-collar to the core, so it’s a perfect match.  NYC, Long Island and the Rockland and Westchester Counties of upstate NY are very similar.

* What were some of the accomplishments as a band you never got to do the 80s that you guys are doing now?
ADAM TRANQUILLI:  While we got to tour a bit back in the late ’80s, we never left the US.  Getting to go to Japan and Peru were amazing experiences.  We did Headbangers Open Air in 2010 and 2013, but playing there this year will be the first time with this line-up.  We’d love to get to the west coast – the original band never got to California.

* What plans do you have for the rest of 2017?
ADAM TRANQUILLI:  Now that the album is out we’re just taking it to the fans.  We have a lot of shows coming up.  Also, me and CJ have started writing for the next album.

* Any final words?
ADAM TRANQUILLI:  Thank you for the interview Alex!!  Cheers to everyone who has heard the new album, and we hope to see all of you at a show at some point.  Our web-site is www.BloodFeastLegions.com or catch us at www.FaceBook.com/BloodFeastLegions.  And… DRINK THE BLOOD OF EVERY CORPSE!!

Interview with The Noctambulant, Melodic Black Metal from Florida

This week I spoke with the dudes from Florida Black Metal band the Noctambulant – if you are like me and love Melodic Black Metal do yourself a favor and check the band out – music video and streaming below!

Hey guys first off congrats on the album – I really love your style of black metal raw and full of energy but at the same time remaining very melodic

Thank you , very much . We take great pride in how our music shapes up.

* You guys are a lil older than some of the bands we speak to (like me, ha ha) How did you first get into black metal? Were you guys into stuff like Dio and Ozzy before Black metal came along?
Lars and D have been in the metal/punk scene since the 90s, so they have been rooted in heavy metal and early black metal .
Bathory, Venom , etc . Along with classics like Ozzy, Ratt, Voivod, etc
I (E.) Discovered black metal in the late 90s after being raised on classical music and 70s rock like Zepplin.

* I saw on your facebook page you guys name check bands like the Fields of Nephilim (one of Nergal from Behemoth’s favorite bands) and Sisters of Mercy.. do you think they accounts for your sense of melody in your music?
Definitely. Goth rock/post punk has had a huge influence on my song writing. Sisters of Mercy, the cure, fields of the nephilim all create melody and atmosphere with an almost minimalist approach. Really showing that sometimes less is more.

“The Florida black metal scene has some very strong bands. Black witchery , kult ov azazel , promethian horde”

* You guys are from Jacksonville Florida right? How’s the black metal scene down there? Why do you think Florida is such a stronghold for metal for the last 30+ years?
Jacksonville itself has a small, but reliable metal scene. The largest metal scenes are in Miami and Tampa, of course. So , while small, the Florida black metal scene has some very strong bands. Black witchery , kult ov azazel , promethian horde , etc .

* I know you guys have done a bit of touring so far? What’s been your favorite out of state place to play and why?
Grants pass, Oregon and Eureka , California have been some of the best shows. Small markets , but the best crowds. So much energy and passion.

* What are your thoughts on bands that tour as a full time job versus bands like Darkthrone who will probably never tour?
Each band has a different set of priorities and goals .What works for one , may not work for the other . So, while we would all love to tour full time and make a living at it, it doesn’t always work out .

* Have you guys played any of the major European metal festivals yet? If not what ones would you kill to play at?
Not yet. We are aiming to start breaking into the festival market this year. We’ve signed on with DSE marketing and have our sights set on Europe .
And of course the holy grail would be to play WACKEN. It’s been a goal since I started playing music

* I loved your video for the song Goddess – who shot that for you guys? Although the internet might have ruined the music business, the technology also made it far easier for smaller bands to make their own videos , what’s the feedback for the video been like so far?
Sam Farmer at Chance in Hell productions shot the video for us at Wolf’s museum of mystery in St. Augustine. He is a very talented videographer and I highly recommend him. As for the response, it’s been very positive . We have people bring it up at almost every show.

“Yes, we are tube purists at heart. We prefer to record on vintage fenders and hiwatt amps,”

* How did you record your latest album? Did you go to a pro studio or use a home set up which many bands prefer these days? What’s your take on digital recording technology? Digital amps etc or are you guys old school and still prefer tube amps, etc.
We recorded it in D’s home studio , and with today’s technology, it almost makes more sense for a smaller band .
And yes, we are tube purists at heart. We prefer to record on vintage fenders and hiwatt amps, though we have certainly used digital amps in the studio and on the road . The digital technology nowadays has really progressed to the point it’s a viable option.

* The name The Noctambulant is really cool – how did you guys come up with this name?
I took Latin for many years in school , and when I started listening to Immortal , they use the term noctambulant alot in their music . I love the imagery of the night walker (the noctambulant is Latin for night walker ) and the name took off.

* You guys sing about the occult a lot are any of the band practicing pagans – if so what path? Any strange experiences you care to share?
For some members of the band, it’s an academic interest. For others , it’s a calling and a path . We have certain pre show rituals that were started as an experiment to see what we could use to enhance our performance and our show. But after we performed it , every time after if we didn’t, something went wrong . Strings broke. Technical issues. Etc .
So now it’s a must . The demons must be satisfied.

“We have a philosophy . If you aren’t making progress , you’re going backwards. And we refuse to go backwards.”

* What can we expect from The Noctambulant for the rest of 2017?
We have a new album in the works now , in a addition to talks of a south American and European tour. We have a philosophy . If you aren’t making progress , you’re going backwards. And we refuse to go backwards.

* Any final words?
We genuinly appreciate everyone who enjoys our music , comes to our shows and helps us create the experience we strive to share.

Interview with John Cobbett from Hammers of Misfortune

Pretty stoked on this interview – John Cobbett from Hammers of Misfortune is underground metal legend, having played with Gwar, Ludicra, Vhol, Slough Feg, Amber Asylum and now leading Metal Blade’s progressive metallers Hammers of Misfortune – read this and learn something

* So you guys have been going for about what 15-16 years now? Can you give those who are new to the band a brief history of how the band came together and what everybody does?
The band started out as a solo project with just me. Eventually a real line up formed around it and we went under the name Unholy Cadaver for a while. We changed our name to Hammers of Misfortune and released our first album in 1999 or 2000, somewhere in there. Since then we’ve had many line up changes, too many to go into here. We have six full length albums to our name. Our current line up is:

Joe Hutton: vocals
Leila Abdul Rauf: guitar, vocals
Sigrid Sheie: organ, piano, vocals
John Cobbett (me) guitar
Paul Walker: bass
Will Carroll: drums

* What musical influences does Hammers of Misfortune have?
To name a few… Early Van Halen, Uli Roth era Scorpions, Yes’ first 3 albums, Metallica’s first 3 albums. Classical music and certain songs (“Windmills of Your Mind” is a good example. Certain songs have been very influential.) The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, Leonard Cohen, the Beach Boys and the Beatles. I mean, I could go on and on… My favorite band is probably The Sweet.

* Growing up – what live show did you catch when you thought “this is what I want to do with the rest of my life”?
Yes. I saw the Obsessed open for the Bad Brains when I was 14 years old. You know when you’re that age, new neural pathways are being formed that will determine a lot for the rest of your life. Obviously this mind blowing experience permanently warped my young brain.

* Name a classic rock song you wish that you had written
“Kill the King” by Rainbow. Such a kick ass song. “Flying Alone” on the latest album is a bit of a tribute to that song.

“Sigrid and I moved to Montana, so we don’t even live in the Bay Area anymore.”

* Off the top of my head most of you guys are in other notable Bay Area bands (We have interviewed Leila Abdul-Rauf about Cardinal Wyrm and the ladies from Ludicra (Laurie and Christy) re: their new band Ails. I have also seen one of your other bands Slough Feg before , by chance in some bar in SF (down an alley way and thru some restaurant)how do you guys manage to find time to do Hammers of Misfortune and all your other bands?
Ha, I think i know which gig you are talking about. Can’t remember the name of that place…

It’s quite challenging, to be honest. Everybody is always busy. It’s especially hard now that a few of us have young children. Also, Sigrid and I moved to Montana, so we don’t even live in the Bay Area anymore. We manage to find a way. I end up doing a lot of the work by myself. I don’t ask people for their time until it’s absolutely necessary.

* You have worked with some really notable record labels (Profound Lore and Metal Blade) over the years with Hammers of Misfortune..do you have any preference with working with labels compared to going it the DIY route? What can they bring to the party that bands can’t do themselves these days?
Distribution, know-how and PR. A label knows how to put out records, deal with cover art, pressing plants etc. better than a band is going to. Distribution is still a big deal, especially with people buying vinyl again. And PR is huge. You could put out the best album ever recorded but no one will know a thing about it without PR. A label like Metal Blade has the PR game down way better than any band member could hope to. All this stuff is probably too much for band members to deal with. Unless they quit their job and just do band business full time.

* How does the songwriting process work with H.O.M? Does it all start with you or is it a group effort?
I do most of the songwriting by myself. We just don’t rehearse enough to collaborate heavily. Once we get together everybody has their chance to offer their 2¢ about the arrangements etc. I’ll work on a song for months sometimes before I feel it’s ready to bring to practice.

“I don’t think folks have the budget to hire producers these days, but I’d love to try it.”

* If I am not mistaken you also produce the bands albums too – how did that come about? Self taught or do you also produce other acts?
At some point I started getting really interested in recording. By the time Hammers and Ludicra started recording I just naturally fell into the role of producer. I would be there every minute of every session, making a lot of decisions. I guess it was an accident, done out of necessity. I’ve never produced other people’s bands, but I’ve thought about it. I don’t think folks have the budget to hire producers these days, but I’d love to try it.

* What’s the recording process like for you guys? Many bands I deal with these days prefer the digital / pro tools set up as opposed to the old school tube amps and 2″ tape days. You?
We’re more into the tube amps and 2” tape, for sure. However, we normally do a combination of analog and digital recording. The sound will hit tape before it enters pro tools. Most of the mixing is done in Pro Tools, but I’m less and less into plug ins and digital effects as time goes on. On our last album (Dead Revolution) we didn’t use any digital effects at all. All the reverb was off big 4×8 reverb plates, and the rest of the effects were stomp boxes and tape delay.

The way we record is standard enough. We play the songs through with the whole band, and then we overdub keys, guitars and vocals. We don’t use metronomes or tempo maps. Lately I’ve been doing some interesting things with re-amping.

* I know you guys have a big tour this summer – do you have favorite cities and towns to play?
I’m sorry to say we aren’t doing a tour this summer! We’d like to, but Joe is going to be a first time dad coming up here, and Sigrid and I have a 2 year old. We’d have to take a mobile day care unit with us! We’re a pretty obscure band at the end of the day, we don’t exactly pack large venues. We have pretty good shows in Portland, Seattle, Chicago, Austin and New York. And San Francisco, of course. In other places we don’t seem to draw very many people. I don’t know if it’s just the terrible performance of our former booking agency or what. We haven’t had great luck with touring.

“There was the time we forgot to lock our trailer and all our stuff was falling out on the highway all the way from Des Moines to the Twin Cities.”

* Any classic tour stories from previous tours?
Well there was the time we forgot to lock our trailer and all our stuff was falling out on the highway all the way from Des Moines to the Twin Cities. We spent the next day retracing our steps and trying to find our shit. It was awful!

* You were in GWAR for awhile right? How did that come about? You must have some hilarious stories about Dave Brockie?
I knew Dave from the punk scene in Washington DC. We got along great because we both loved music and comics. I was only in Gwar for a few months. I never put on a costume or played live with them. Dave was a hilarious guy, definitely the kind of guy that just takes over the room when he walks in. One of the most charismatic people I’ve ever met.

“The stereotype of SF being full of weirdos was definitely true.”

* The Bay Area has been a prolific breeding ground for rock musicians since the 1960s? Why do you think that is?
It’s interesting because you could hardly have 2 more opposite scenes; the 60s Grateful Dead scene and the 80s Thrash scene with Metallica etc. There was also some amazing stuff from the Dead Kennedys to Neurosis and Sleep. There was just a lot of creative energy in music (not so much anymore, unfortunately). The Bay Area never became a big time center of the music business, like Seattle, LA or Brooklyn. I guess there was a lot of friendly competition, which just makes everyone work harder. And yes, the stereotype of SF being full of weirdos was definitely true.

“SF is the poster child for devastating gentrification”

* I spoke about this with other Bay Area musicians in recent interviews – are you very concerned about the rapid gentrification of the Bay Area? I know many musicians are thinking of making the move to LA simply because its cheaper
Yes, in fact, as I mentioned above, we have already left San Francisco. The City has changed so much, it’s not the place that I fell in love with all those years ago. It’s a great place to be rich, or homeless. It seems like this is happening in a lot of cities now, but SF is the poster child for devastating gentrification. All the real culture has been priced out.

* What can we expect from H.O.M. for the rest of 2017?
I hope to get started on album number 7 pretty soon. We’d love to play some festivals!

* Any final words?
Hails and thanks to you and everyone who reads this!

Interview with Old Tower Dutch Dark Ambient Dungeon Synth

The last in our series of Interviews with Dungeon Synth artists I bring you Old Tower from the Netherlands – enjoy!

* Sooo How did you get into dark dungeon synth? Were you influenced by Burzum or
other ambient black metal?
I can’t really remember how I got to know the genre, but I was (and still am) fascinated by
the ambient works of Burzum which were essentially my first introductions to the ambient
and synth genre. I’m not directly influenced by Mortiis, Burzum or any other artists, but I
rather try to combine all the things I listen to into one thing of my own.

* Have you played in “traditional” metal bands before becoming Old Tower?
I’m active in other bands at the moment, all active in the Black Metal genre.

* How do you write your songs? Do you have a mood or feeling in mind before you
compose or do you just start jamming and see where the mood takes you?
I never compose. I just write on the spot. Most things I do are all improvised. It definitely
helps to be in a certain mood and mindset before recording. I’d say it’s a necessity, rather.

“I can’t say it was a textbook ‘astral projection’, but it certainly felt
like I was not part of this world anymore.”

* On your bandcamp you talk of “channeling” your music. Keith Richards from the
Rolling Stones believes that too he says you never write songs you act more like an
antenna and draw them down from the Universe – have you ever done any really
channeling or astral projection? If so what were those experiences like?
I’ve had my fair share of strange experiences, yes. The experiences were mostly negative. I felt an immense disconnection to the physical world, to the point I was struggling to find what was real and what was not. I can’t say it was a textbook ‘astral projection’, but it certainly felt like I was not part of this world anymore.

* Have you ever used any mind expanding drugs to write music? Acid, mushrooms,
psychedelic THC etc
I used to be interested in things like this, but due to negative experiences I don’t and will not use them anymore.

* How do you record your music? A pro tools set up? Garage band? Are you self
taught or do you have a friend that helps out with the mixes etc?
Let’s just say I record in primitive conditions, nothing more to add.

“The LP sold out within a matter of days between both
labels.”

* Congratulations on selling out the vinyl pressing of your first full length album “The
Rise of the Specter’. Were you surprised by the fans response to this record?
At first the plan was to only press 100 copies, but I’m glad we did 200 in the end. The
response was very unexpected. The LP sold out within a matter of days between both
labels.

* How do you prefer to listen to music yourself? What’s your favorite format? As
many Dark Dungeon Synth artists do love the cassette format!
I have no real preference for a format. Each format has its charm. At the moment I actually
prefer the CD format, since this is how I discovered underground music and not through
tapes or vinyl. I’m having a nostalgia trip, so to speak!

“When it’ll finally come to the point I’ll
play live it won’t be your regular music show, but something more. I like to think big.”

* Have you ever played live? Is this something that has any interest for you?
I’ve been toying around with the idea of playing live. When it’ll finally come to the point I’ll
play live it won’t be your regular music show, but something more. I like to think big. That’s
all I can say at the moment.

* How is the metal music scene in Hilversum Holland? Is there much appreciation for
what you do locally? or do you prefer to think globally?
I think mostly for myself.

“Personal experiences, worship of the occult, ancient times.”

* Many of the Dungeon Synth artist I have spoken to recently have been inspired by
Video games and films as much as music – where do you draw your influences from?
Anything. Personal experiences, worship of the occult, ancient times.

* Speaking of films as inspiration – did you ever see the Lord of the Rings films? If so
what are your thoughts on them?
I’ve seen them and I liked them. Not sure if I like them still, since it’s been a while since I saw
all of them. The Hobbit movies were great, though.

* You’ve been pretty prolific with your song writing – what can we expect from Old
Tower next?
There is a new full-length in the works. Only time will tell when it’ll be ready.

* Any final words?
Dark War Eternal!

Interview with Ranseur – Dark Ambient Dungeon Synth

Following on with our series on Dungeon Synth this week we have Justin from New Jersey based dark ambient act Ranseur  – read on

* First off how do you describe your music to those who have not heard it before? Dark Dungeon music or?
I prefer the term dungeon synth. Obviously it’s a recently name for a style that’s been around for over twenty five years and I’m not usually the biggest fan of subgenre tags, but this is an exception. When I first got into this kind of music there was an attitude I would always see where it was described as an inferior form of dark ambient. Because of its proximity to black metal and because of the fantasy themes there was always a lot of misunderstanding about it in the dark ambient world. The whole medieval, kind of cheesy synth thing. What we’ve been saying since the dungeon synth revival is that it isn’t a form of dark ambient, and that it isn’t really a form of ambient music at all. So the term dungeon synth has changed people’s perception of the style in a positive way. It sounds like a small thing but it led to a lot of excitement and the creation of a community around 2012-2013.

I also use some elements of harsh noise, but only as a slight influence, not as a real hybrid of the two. I use a background of unmoving harsh noise in all the songs So I would call Ranseur dungeon synth with a noise influence.

* How did you become Ranseur? Were you in regular metal bands first (Like
Mortiis was in Emperor?) or is your background in electronics or video games instead?
Although my roots are in metal I have never been in a regular metal band. Ranseur grew out of two earlier projects, Emptying Place which was folky dark ambient, and Cold Furnace which was noise influenced metal. I started both in 2004. After a while Cold Furnace moved from doom metal into a kind of weird black metal, I did an ep called Death Ecstatic in 2012, but ended the project soon after. When I heard about the dungeon synth revival I was starting to feel like I wanted to be involved in metal again, and that turned out to be a good outlet. I started playing in a full band a little before Ranseur though called Human Adult Band, which plays a kind of psychedelic noise rock. Heavy Flipper influence. But that band was around in New Jersey long before I joined. All the bands I’ve been in were noise rock, but I also do an actionist industrial percussion project which is solo.

* How did you come up with the name? And what’s the correct pronunciation?
I just wanted something simple and biting so I thought I’d choose a weapon. I remembered the word ranseur from when I played dungeons and dragons as a kid. It’s a type of polearm, kind of like a partisan. I pronounce it ran-sir which I hope is right, French into English can get weird. There are some youtube videos that claim to show you how to pronounce it.

* You’ve been going for about 4-5 years now – what would you say has been the main thing you have learned in creating music in this time?
The last few years have been a whirlwind. Besides Ranseur and finally playing in a full band I also got involved in the small press world doing some fucked up books. The most important thing I’ve learned is to stick to your guns if you have an unusual idea. Sometimes people have confused looks on their faces, but I’d rather that than to invest my time playing a style the typical way. That’s part of the reason Ranseur has a kind of unorthodox sound and artwork, I really wanted it to feel personal on a lot of levels. And the other thing is to focus on the rhythm.

“There’s always a focus (besides Frozen Valley) on fantasy and feelings of nostalgia”

* How do you go about creating new music? Do you start each album off with a theme and work towards that or do you let the creative process flow through you and then base them on what you come up with?
Most of the albums I just let it flow while I was writing, I usually name the songs after I write them. The album Frozen Valley had a more clear theme from the beginning because I wanted to do something a little bit different with that and do a more winter synth related album. So that was all natural themes. But the other albums that are fantasy, I just kind of named them something that described how they made me feel. But there’s always a focus (besides Frozen Valley) on fantasy and feelings of nostalgia. Doing Ranseur has helped me return to some interests I had as a child and reminded me of certain tv shows, movies, and books that I was into at that time. That was one of the reasons I was so excited about the idea of making dungeon synth. There is this kind of naïve feeling that I had lost over the years, and a lot of us have found a way to tap into that. But I usually keep the concepts of each album fairly abstract.

* How long does it take you to write each song?
The earlier albums didn’t take as long and the first one, which was more of a demo, I cracked that one out pretty fast. But the last few have taken a lot longer to write. On Sage in the Tall Hills I started working with different rhythmic ideas, polyrhythms and sort of winding around the beat. I’ll generally work on a song and do many versions of it over a period of weeks to get it good, and for Obsidian Throne I scrapped a lot of songs that weren’t good enough because I wanted the rhythmic subtlety to be as strong as possible. But sometimes you get lucky and something comes out really interesting in only a few days. All of the songs are modal and most have a droning fifth. So I’ll usually write a theme and practice variations, and I’ll usually play it many different keys to get the right one. I’ll normally finish the songs all at the end when I sculpt the noise part separately for all the tracks and then mix them.

* Recording wise what sort of gear do you use? Dedicated software like protools or?
I have a much more stripped down approach than what has become common in dungeon synth. I mainly use a PCM based digital keyboard, although I have used square wave synths and analogue synths a little. All the songs are two tracks, one with the synth and one for the noise, so I don’t do extensive overdubbing and I don’t use VSTs at all. Some of the albums used lo fi microphones. I use pretty bad software, I always keep it simple and don’t use many post-recording effects.

I might add that I don’t have a problem with other projects using more modern or polished methods with all the new software. My focus is mainly on writing and performing a single solid keyboard part, but any approach is fine with me as a listener.

* In your mind how best should people enjoy your music? Out in the woods? On their daily commute to work?
I think it depends on the person, I don’t really have that so much in mind when I make the albums. But I do listen to dungeon synth a lot when I’m driving.

“I’ve thought about turning the noise track on and then walking out with a battle axe or something”

* Have you ever considered doing live shows? I saw Mortiis play in 1999 in London – he had a backing track and acted out parts to the songs throughout the set.
That’s awesome you saw Mortiis, but yeah I have thought about it. There are no immediate plans but I would like to do it sometime this year or next year. Because my version of the style only uses one keyboard track it wouldn’t be much of an issue. I play live with other projects but I always felt if I played with Ranseur it would have to be at a metal show, and there haven’t been very many in New Jersey in the past few years. We’ll see what happens. I don’t know if I’d do theatrical stuff or not. I’ve thought about turning the noise track on and then walking out with a battle axe or something, but nothing more involved than that.

“I’m definitely influenced very heavily by The Haters, The Rita, and Sudden Infant.”

* What artists inspire you?
My primary influences with dungeon synth are the artists I heard prior to the revival, Burzum, Mortiis, Vond, Dead Can Dance, Trollmann Av Ildtoppberg, and Summoning. But some of the stuff that came out earlier in the revival had an effect on me, Erang, Lord Lovidicus, Til Det Bergens Skyggene. But the project that really made me want to start playing this style was Abandoned Places. I’d never thought of playing this kind of music in a way that was that weird and that dissonant, my idea was to use a wall of noise instead of dissonance and keep it modal. On the noise side I’m definitely influenced very heavily by The Haters, The Rita, and Sudden Infant.

But despite all this shit I’m saying about noise I was also listening to a lot of Manowar, Omen, and Dio when I started Ranseur. Because despite the fact that I’m playing an obscure electronic style and mixing in all of this weirdness with the noise, I wanted the project to have the feeling of metal at its heart.

* What can we expect from you for the next album?
The next album will continue the more rhythmic focus of the last two but will have more percussion (all directly from the synth in real time though, no overdubbing). It will be a little more technical than the other records. It’ll be a little noisier than Obsidian Throne because I went with a softer hiss on that one. At this point it will probably be called Goblin Music, and it will probably have a tape release on Path of Silence Records who released my previous tape Obsidian Throne.

* Any final words?
Thanks for the interview and everybody who checked out the project.

Interview with U.K. Dungeon Synth artist Elric

Continue our series of Interview with Dark Dungeon Synth artists this week, today I speak with Elric Uk Dungeon Synth artist deeply inspired by Sword and Sorcery Author Michael Moorcock – read on

* Can you give us a history of Elric, How it all began.
I just deleted my original answer to this question because it was too morbid.

* Were you in any metal bands before you started Elric?
Yes

* What were your musical influences, to me most metal guys who play
“dark dungeon music” were inspired by Mortiis and Burzum..you?
Burzum and Beethoven are my favorite artists.  Dauði Baldrs is perhaps
the greatest album of the 20th century.

* Do you take inspiration from video games and or films as well as music?
8 Bit video games yes.  Films not so much.

* Did you take piano lessons as a kid or are you self taught?
Yes, the former.

* What’s the songwriting process for you like?
Capture inspiration in the moment.  Little to no revision afterwards.

* How about recording? Do you use protools? garage band or? Again are
you self taught or do you have a friend that went to audio school who
helps you out?
I do everything myself, no help.

* Have you played any live shows yet? If not do you have any intention
of doing so? If so how do you see the show? Just you with a keyboard
or some level of theatrics would be involved?
Unlikely to ever do live shows, but have theorized how the live
version would be performed.  It would not include theatrics.

“I was so inspired by the Elric series – in particular the character himself, rather than the story per se, someone I found I personally identified with deeply on various levels.”

* The name Elric is well known as a character from the Michael
Moorcock novels right? When did you get into reading them? As they
were very popular in the 70s!
Indeed, there can be only one Elric. I have to admit I was a latecomer, and only began reading Moorcock in 2016 (most of what I read is non-fiction….I live in my own fantasy world and barely require additional fantasy day to day).  I was so inspired by the Elric series – in particular the character himself, rather than the story per se, someone I found I personally identified with deeply on various levels.  So I moved to create this project as a tribute to it.  Since then I have explored the Moorcock multiverse, and I do consider him on a level near-ish – but by no means on par with – Herbert and Tolkien.

* Sword and Sorcery fiction on the whole (Tolkien, Robert Howard etc)
was big in the late 60s and 70s but it was usually seen as the realm
of dungeon and dragon playing “nerds” Are you surprised by the renewed
interest in this style of fiction in the last 10-12 years? And the
fact that now all the “cool kids” love shows like Game of Thrones?
Not surprised. LOTR film trilogy began the repopularization,
subsequent cultural sweep has been thoroughly predictable.

“Tolkien of course is a genius of the highest order.”

* Outside of Moorcock – who do you rate in the world of Sword and
Sorcery fiction?
I prefer history to fantasy.   Will Durant is my favorite author.
Frank Herbert is my favorite fiction author.  Dostoyevsky 2nd
favorite.  Tolkien of course is a genius of the highest order.  I am
intensely picky with how I spend my (infinitely finite) time with
books.  Fire and Ice is a great film.

* What did you think of the latest Lord of the Rings movies and the
Hobbit films? (I loved the Hobbit novel more as a kid but loved the
LOTR films more than the Hobbit trilogy)
Lord of the Rings trilogy was passable – barely.  The Hobbit trilogy
was pure abomination (in the Herbertian sense).

“War is an ongoing symptom of human civilization”

* Moorcock was hugely influenced by German writer Bertolt Brecht and
he was greatly inspired by world war 1 (as was Tolkien) do you think
we shall see a new wave of writers traumatized by the constant wars in
the Middle east in coming years?
Nothing new.  War is an ongoing symptom of human civilization.  I
don’t see why recent wars would inspire any differently.

* You released 2 albums in Jan of 2017 – what more can we expect from
you in 2017?
Albums 3 & 4 were released April 1st.  Watch for them to arrive soon
at some cassette distros.

* Any final words?
Thanks for the interest in the music.

Interview Ambient Black Metal Artist Spectral Kingdom

I’ve been listening to what I call “Dark Dungeon music” since Mortiis first left Emperor, anyone who tries to tell you that Dark Synth music is not part of Black metal has never heard of Burzum… this week I talk to some of the best of the new breed of Dungeon Synth artists – first up is Spectral Kingdom – read on.

* So how did you become Spectral Kingdom? Tell us a little history about the act
I was given some old recording equipment by a friend and decided to put it to use. I’ve been a fan of dungeon synth for awhile so I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted to do from the beginning.

* You are based in Virginia right? I imagine you live out in the woods somewhere – where the nearest neighbor is a good 5 minute drive from you – please don’t spoil it by telling me that you live in the suburbs or downtown Richmond?
I won’t ruin it for you then haha.

* Speaking of Richmond are you involved in the local music scene at all? Richmond has had a great music scene since the Gwar days if you ask me. I have my theories but why do you think a city of that size has such a healthy scene?
Richmond is home to a ton of very dedicated individuals who keep things moving. Booking shows, starting bands, going to shows, making zines, etc. Staying active in the community. To me, that matters a lot. It’s also one of the only major cities in a very rural state so that probably has some influence on population density.

* Did you play in any bands (metal or otherwise) before you became Spectral Kingdom?
I currently play in a death metal band and have been involved with various black/death metal projects over the years.

“I’m self taught. Keeping my set up simple enables me to go slowly and play around until I find what works for the song”

* Have you had any formal piano training before doing this ? or are you all self taught?
Nope I’m self taught. Keeping my set up simple enables me to go slowly and play around until I find what works for the song. I have a basic knowledge of chord structures but when it comes down to writing I find that the logical next steps are easy to find if your patient. If you sit there long enough you’ll eventually find those notes.

* What’s your recording set up like?
That I’m afraid I cannot answer! Secrets of the trade.

* How did you get into home recording? What was your learning curve like?
This is the first project I’ve recorded. It wasn’t too hard, but I’m lucky to have a few friends that have studios of their own, so whenever I ran into a problem I could just give them a call. There are also tons of informative videos on the internet that I found helpful.

* Have you any plans to play live shows? I remember seeing Mortiis play live in 1999 – he played to a backing tape and acting out parts of his songs to fit the mood. It was great
I have no plans to perform live with Spectral Kingdom and I don’t expect that to change. I don’t think what I do would work well in a live setting. It’s killer you got to see Mortiis though!

“Diamanda Galas is a big influence on this project.”

* What inspires you to create?  Which bands or films?
Diamanda Galas is a big influence on this project. She creates an insane atmosphere for her art. Max Ritcher is another. Very simple elegant stuff. Of course there is the black metal influence. In general I feel inspired to write more from internal things than external, at least for Spectral Kingdom.

* What bands are you listening to right now that continue to amaze you?
Dead Congregation’s latest output blew me away. Caveman Cult from Florida came through recently and played two killer shows. Blood Incantation. Antichrist Siege Machine. This list could go on forever so I’ll leave it at that.

* You are pretty prolific with your releases – what can we expect next from Spectral Kingdom?
A cassette release of “II”, the latest offering, should be available soon the Path of Silence label. Beyond that, I hope to have a new tape out closer to the end of the year, maybe sooner if all goes well. There is also a split that I have recently finished, but I do not know when that will be available.

* Any final words?
Thank you for the interview.

Interview with Xibalba hardcore death metal from Pomona CA.

Today I spoke with Brian from Xibalba (pronounced shi-bal-buh) we talked about their new 7″ on Closed Casket Records, growing up in Pomona and Brooklyn NY being their 2nd home! read on.

* First off congrats on the the new release, what made you guys go for a 7″ release versus a full album this time around?

Thank you thank you! Well, we started writing a full length but only had a handful of songs when we thought it’d be cool to have at something for our 10 year anniversary. We recorded 3 songs that we felt were finished, with Taylor Young at the Pit Studios and he told us Closed Casket would be interested in putting it out. We’ve put out a few splits on CCA before in between full lengths, so it made sense. Justin from CCA hit us up and made it happen. We’re stoked on how everything came out. Closed Casket is a great label.

* How would you guys describe the progression you guys made from your 2015 album to these new songs?
I wouldn’t say there’s not too much progression honestly. Well, we did write two songs that are under 5 minutes between the two. If you know us, that’s way out of our character haha. We did try a few things in regards to structuring songs, I guess you could call that shit progressive.

* You guys got a great sound what do you down tune to? What gear does everyone favor to get that low bottom end but still come across with such clarity?
We’re tuned to A standard. That’s mostly Taylor when he records us. Me and him will discuss a tone that we have in mind before hand but at the same time keeping it in line with our low tone that gives us our sound. When tracking we use Marshall, Sunn, Peavy and mesa amps, I believe. But live we usually just use Peavy 5150/6505 amps. Not sure what drums Jason uses but they nice though.

“At one point we were all living in the same housing project together.”

* You’ve been around for about 10 years now right? What’s the secret to keeping it all together (most bands these days don’t last more than 5 years)
Yea, 10 fuckin years with these fucks. Honestly the key to it is friendship. We’ve been friends for over 10 years. We all knew each other before Xibalba. At one point we were all living in the same housing project together. We’ve all been close and remain close. As cheesy as it sounds, this is some real life brotherhood shit. My family loves the guys and their families love us. We’re pretty much family at this point.

* You guys play a nice mix of HC meets death metal – do you guys consider yourselves a HC band or a DM band?
I mean, we’re definitely a mixture or hybrid of the two. But regardless we love both and it shows in our music.

“I loved the brutality of death metal, the groove of hardcore specifically NYHC”

* What were your musical influences coming up? I can definitely hear some classic death metal influences in there (Morbid Angel, Obituary etc)
Oh most definitely, two of my favorites! When we started it was death metal, 90’s hardcore, Crowbar and lots of Sepultura. I loved the brutality of death metal, the groove of hardcore (specifically NYHC) and the soul/passion of doom metal.

* You guys are based up in Pomona right? Are you all born and raised there? I’ve only been there once for a couple of days – but I liked what I saw – you are close enough to LA if you need to be there but seem to have all the advantages of small town living too. Seems like there are some decent size venues too and I am sure a lot of National touring acts hit there too (like the best of both worlds)
Yes, me and Jensen grew up in Pomona and everyone one else is from the surrounding area. Now we’re spread all over Southern California/L.A. area. I love Pomona, it’s home. There is a few good venues here that get lots of big bands and a few years back Nate booked at a place here too.

* Speaking of National touring have you done any yet? or just regional shows?
We’ve done the touring things for years, been all over the world s few times over but don’t do it much anymore due work.

* Have any of the band visited NYC before? If so what did you guys think?
Most definitely, we’ve played there many times. Brooklyn is like our second home. Our original bassist lives there now. I love NYC. I know the guys in the band love it too.

* What’s been the best show you guys have played to date and why?
That’s a tough one. We’ve played so many great shows. One that sticks out in my mind is our last Brooklyn show we did for the record release/10 year anniversary, it was violent, fun and a lot of friends were there. Same with our LA/Pomona shows. It was fun.

* What sort of crowds do you draw is it mainly hardcore kids? or mainly metal kids? Which do you prefer? Back in the early 80’s metal crowds stuck to metal and punk kids to punk shows..it wasn’t till bands like Suicidal tendencies, Corrosion of Conformity and DRI started “crossing over” was it ok to admit to liking both hardcore punk and metal.
Our crowds are mainly hardcore kids and some metal heads. It doesn’t matter to me in regards to preference. Everyone is there for the same reason, to have fun and get their ass kicked.

* What does the name Xibalba mean? (I know its Mayan for “place of fear”) And what’s the correct pronunciation?
Correct, it means “Place of Fear”. It’s pronounced shi-bal-buh.

* You guys are well known for your pride in your Latin heritage – have you played any countries in Central or south America yet? If so what’s been your favorites and what countries would you love to play and why??
We’ve played Mexico, all of Central America. Not South America, yet. Hopefully that changes soon though.

* What can we expect from Xibalba in 2017?
We don’t have much planned. We have Sound at Fury fest in June, then after that we have some shows here and there around the globe. Other then that, we’re going to be writing for a full length.

* Any final words?
Thank you to everyone for the last 10 years of support and to everyone that is just discovering us. Pick up our new EP via Closed Casket Activities. Thank you for the interview! One love baby.