Brave The Waters January/February 2019 Interview

I interviewed Rick from Brave The Waters about the band and a few other things.  Their second effort Chapter II- Days Of Solitude was just released, you people need to check it out if you’re into atmospheric psychedelic instrumental music.  They’re different, and I mean that in a good way.
TMR: Explain how your band started. What motivated you guys?

Tom and I are in two other bands together. Those bands had a monthly rehearsal room for a short time in 2014. I don’t remember how it exactly happened, but I think we were fucking around with our pedals one night after practice and just playing some clean, trippy shit, and it sounded cool. We put together some blueprints for songs and then quickly went into the studio to record them. 

TMR: I understand you guys play in other bands. Explain the sound and history of them.

Grey Skies Fallen has been around since 1997. We started out a year previously, under the name Eve of Mourning and released a demo tape under that name. Once we heard there was another Eve of Mourning, we quickly changed the name to Grey Skies Fallen. Over the years, we’ve released a lot of albums and EP’s, and recently completed recording the new album, “Cold Dead Lands,” which will be out later this year. This will be the first time we have worked with Dan Swano, who will be mixing and mastering the new album. 

In 2012 I joined Buckshot Facelift. Sal, who plays drums in GSF had been in Buckshot since they started in 2005. Tom plays bass in Buckshot, and my tryout was the first time we met. Right before I joined the band, they were releasing their third full length album “Elder’s Rasp.” We played a bunch of shows in support of that album, and quickly put together “Living Ghosts of the North Shore,” which was the 2014 EP, and the first with myself and Terrell Grannum on guitar. Terrell is also in Thaetas, who are awesome. In 2016 we released the “Ulcer Island” full length. This was a 40+ minute slab of grindy death metal which we are very proud of.  

In early-2013, Tom joined Grey Skies on bass and we released “The Many Sides of Truth” in 2014, followed by the “Earthwalker” 7″ inch in 2015.

TMR: What made you guys want to start this type of atmospheric and melodic band?

I think it was purely accidental. We were just screwing around with some effects pedals one night and it evolved from there. We got some weird sounds going and it sounded cool enough to pursue. With the first album, we jammed maybe once with a few ideas we had already in mind, and then we went right into the studio to record. 

TMR: Who are your biggest artistic influences now and who influenced you starting out as an artist?

Well, according to Spotify, my top 5 most-listened-to bands last year were Iron Maiden, Camel, Nightingale, Desultory, and Death. If you look at the new GSF album which we just finished recording, it’s a good mix of all those influences, I think. Growing up back in the 80’s and getting into guitar in 1989, it was Metallica, Maiden, Helloween, Megadeth, Overkill, Zeppelin, Sabbath, etc. 

TMR: Explain your choice to go instrumental. Do you think your music is best portrayed instrumentally? Would it not achieve the same effect if there was a vocalist?

This band wouldn’t be the same with vocals. Once or twice, one of us mentioned “do you think maybe there can be a vocal here…?” but it always gets immediately shot down. This project is all about an escape from reality, and putting the listener at ease and in another place for a half hour or 40 minutes at a time. I think vocals would screw that up in this particular instance. 

TMR: Explain the album theme, artwork and title.

We try to tell a story without words. We want the songs to flow together seamlessly to paint a picture in the listeners mind. It’s up to you to conjure up the emotions that go along with the music. It’s a custom experience. Travis Smith handled the artwork for this, as he did the first album. The work he does for this project is among my favorite stuff he’s done, and I’m a huge fan! The cover depicts a previously-abandoned cabin the the middle of the woods. It is now occupied by someone who wants to be left alone with his thoughts. 

TMR: How did you guys come up with the name Brave the Waters?

I just blurted it out when we were brainstorming for a band name. Always found it to be an interesting phrase. 

TMR: Is it just album based or do you guys want to get a band out to play shows?

Right now we are just recording records. We’d like to get started on the next one very soon. However, if something really interesting came along, I’d be down to trying this in a live setting, for sure. It would have to be an ideal situation, I think. 

https://www.facebook.com/bravethewaters/

https://bravethewaters.bandcamp.com/

THANKS TO OUR FRIENDS

 https://technicalmusicreview.com/2019/02/11/brave-the-waters-january-february-2019-interview/

Hugo Doyon-Karout 2019 Interview

Beyond Creation and Obscura are my Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden for Technical/Progressive/Experimental music, and can say helped influence the creation (HAR HAR) of my website.  It’s with immeasurable excitement to announce I have successfully interviewed bassist Hugo of Beyond Creation, Brought By Pain and Equipoise.  Enjoy the read people! I hope you’re as excited as I am!
TMR: You’re such a proficient bassist and well trained….what made you want to jump into a death metal subgenre? What influenced it?
First of all, thank you for having me on here! It’s truly a pleasure for me! Thank you for that comment! I always loved the energy and uniqueness that metal has over other music styles and technical death metal is one of the subgenres that shines with those qualities. Also, I’ve always liked the challenging aspect of performing death metal!
TMR: Tell us how the Equipoise recording went. 
Pretty good overall, with quite some challenges too! I recorded the album at home using minimal gear and focusing on getting the cleanest takes possible, which ended up being very time-consuming but worth it in the end! I started recording right after my last studio session recording Beyond Creation’s ‘Algorythm’ so I was pumped and ready to do Equipoise’s ‘Demiurgus’ right away!
TMR: Are there any plans of playing some Equipoise shows?
We have been talking about it, but it’s still at that phase for now. There are 7 people in the band – most being in active and/or touring bands – so it would require proper management and scheduling to make it work for all of us. I think that touring is going to be inevitable at some point, but we’ll see!
TMR: Your main squeeze Beyond Creation released a fantastic album “Algorythm” last year. It seems to have been well received so far! Tell us about how the shows have gone supporting the album, and how making the album was as well. What did you guys specifically set out to do differently?
Thank you so much, I’m super happy you enjoy the record! Indeed, we are very grateful for the great response so far! All the shows we did supporting ‘Algorythm’ turned out amazing actually! We got on the road to perform the album in its entirety only about 2 weeks after it came out and we were surprised on the amount of people knowing the material, lyrics and song titles, it was truly a wonderful tour! The actual recording of the album was a very special experience for me, being my first time recording in a ‘real’ studio, and Christian Donaldson (Cryptopsy) at The Grid made it so much enjoyable! We actually have studio update videos as well as tour recap video on our Youtube Channel for anyone who wants more insights on the studio/live side of things! For ‘Algorythm’ we wanted to do something a bit more dynamic and rich without going off the tracks of Beyond Creation’s signature sound. We’re always trying to reach the next level musically and to make music that we would listen to ourselves. Also, we took the opportunity to reach new kind of fans and welcome them into the tech-death subgenre with this progressive and intricate album.
TMR: What and who made you want to pick up a bass?
I had musicians in my family, but none of them played bass, so I though I’d just fill in on bass! I stuck to it and made it a passion and priority! I also learned guitar and drums not long later, but have not been able to practice as much as bass! As with any skill, you need to focus on one at a time to really shine!
TMR: Describe your emotions and feelings on recording your first album with the band since you joined.
It’s a pretty awesome feeling to finally be playing my own bass lines after so many shows playing Forest’s. Don’t get me wrong here, I absolutely love his work and what he brought to the band’s sound! But for some reason it’s always more exciting to deliver you own material and I have to say that BC’s fans and fellow bassists have been giving me the most amazing feedback, which I want to thank everyone for! This kind of duty obviously comes with its challenges but it turned out immensely positive overall for me!
TMR: Let’s be honest, when you joined Beyond Creation you had huge shoes to fill with Forest Lapointe leaving. And I’m in the crowd who thinks you’re doing a fine job at that, and adding your own style to their music and now helped write your first album with them. Was any of that going through your head at first?
Thank you so much man! Yes of course. Forest is and always be one of my favourite bassists so at first it was quite inconceivable to take his place in the band. I have to admit that circumstances made my life a bit easier, having joined the band only a few months after the release of “Earthborn Evolution”, I had plenty of time to develop my technique and sound as a fretless bassist before actually having to write and perform on a record. Also, as I mentioned above, I’ve been receiving tons of supportive vibes from the fans as well as from my bandmates so it’s been quite smooth.
TMR: Can you give some fellow artists tips to shrug off negativity? Not all of us can always handle it. Some people have ripped Algorythm I think they’re nuts for doing so!
Sure thing! Remind yourself why you’re doing music in the first place! Also, consider yourself lucky enough to have people actually check out your stuff, even if they leave negative feedback, can’t be worse than having zero feedback right ? There are so many bands out there trying to get their name out, there’s no time to get caught up in negativity! Take their advice for what its worth to you and move on. Instead of reading comments, you could be playing music, or just enjoying life, going outside, meditating etc! Even though musicians usually do music quite seriously and tend to blend their personal life with their professional life, I think it’s crucial to be able to disconnect from what you’re doing in life and tune in to who you really are deep inside. If you think what you’re doing is important, you need to take a vacation!
TMR: What tour plans do you have with Beyond Creation this year and next year in 2020? And please don’t take another handful of years between albums again
So far we have a Latin America Tour planned in April 2019 as well as an Autralian/New Zealand tour in May. Everything else is still in the works/not ready to announce yet! Oh don’t you worry we will absolutely take another handful of years until we release another record brother! We have ZERO interest in rushing into new music! I don’t think it’s fair from fans to take a band for granted and act as if they owed them any new music. As a matter of fact, that is the kind of pressure that would likely discourage an artist from creating and releasing an honest piece of music. This is serious business guys, some people actually end up taking their own life because of that kind of pressure/attitude from fans towards them. Part of the problem is that we are getting used to consumerism and instant gratification in modern society, so we are constantly in need of new things to keep our brains filled with more and more dopamine. That’s why people like singles and EPs! They get their fix, stream the song a few times online for free and move on : their brain chemistry is unbalanced! Again, it’s not fair to expect anything from an artist based on our own perception of time. With that being said, I will be working on new music all year with my other bands Conflux and Brought by Pain (on top of Equipoise’s album release March 8th and tons of session work). Back to Beyond Creation, one thing that we enjoy a whole lot is touring, especially in places we’ve never been before. So we’re really looking forward to take the time that we need to visit as many countries and continents as we can on the ‘Algorythm’ album cycle. And that alone can take a handful of years  
TMR: You guys seem to have a solid chemistry artistically and really “click”. Explain the band dynamics and how important being fluid and understanding each other musically and as people as well.

I think that the easiest thing about being in a band is playing your instrument! What’s not so easy to everybody and also not that obvious is the requirement in social and communication skills to thrive as a bandmate. Most of the things that happen in a band do not require to play your instrument, especially in self-managed band like Beyond Creation. Think about what’s essential to develop to be able to go out on the road with 4 to 20 other people for 25+ consecutive shows without losing your mind, but actually enjoying it from all faces and being excited to go back multiple times a year, for many years to come. To me, it has always been important that everyone feel part of the same “family” and have the best time possible doing music altogether, and luckily it’s been a priority for Simon, Kevin and Philippe as well. Everything else seems to come naturally when you already have sense of fulfillment from being with each other and living our craziest dream!
TMR: What’s your favorite song from “Algorythm”?
I always tend to consider the title track as my favourite, but I think that each song has a very unique vibe that deserve my own recognition. 
TMR: Describe your favorite tour you have been a part of, and what made it great or special.
Great question! When I look in the past, I try to learn from it and move on. So I would say each and every tour was my favourite since they each provided me with so much personal growth and insight about what makes me happy and give me a sense of fulfillment. Each tour has been super special and made it possible for us to meet new friends, fans and develop better practices as a business, so I highly value each one of them equally!
TMR: Any new Brought By Pain music?
Yes, as stated earlier! We’re working on a full-length, which I’m pretty stoked about!!
TMR: Tour plans for Brought By Pain?
Yep, nothing concrete as of right now, but we definitely plan on getting this band on the road again and again! 
TMR: What was it like getting that band off the ground and on some tours? Do you expect it to be a constant or just occasionally tour?
It’s been great! We consider ourselves lucky to have so many dedicated followers and fans that are constantly spreading the word about us! It’s always more demanding to get things rolling properly and get out of the ‘friendzone’ (if I can allow myself such metaphor) but always worth it in the end! I think in the long run it’s going to be both constant and occasional, taking the opportunity whenever we can, without forcing things!
Don’t forget to check out the latest Equipoise single from their upcoming album!

Here’s my favorite song from the latest Beyond Creation opus.  Yeah, maybe Hugo’s tasteful bass lead at the end has something to do with it. It RIPS. Don’t fool yourself

THANKS TO OUR FRIENDS

Technical Music Review https://technicalmusicreview.com/2019/01/18/hugo-doyon-karout-2019-interview/

 

Nick Padovani Interview January/February 2019

As well all know, Nick Padovani of Equipoise DOESN’T tour……yet! The TMR crew made him answer some questions, after we found him out back in the dumpster of a Chili’s high on bath salts scavenging for food.  Now if that last sentence were actually true, we wouldn’t let him live that down.  But what we CAN let him live down is this spectacular interview he did with us. He’s recruited Hugo of Beyond Creation//Brought By Pain, Phil of First Fragment and a billion other projects, Steve Boiser of Ashen Horde/Inferi, Sanjay Kumar of the killer tech/brutal death metal band Wormhole, Jimmy Pitts of NYN, Chase Westmoreland……and even more musicians that had guest spots on the upcoming release “Demiurgus”.  Take a gander while you’re here! Stay a while, will ya?
TMR: Your EP was very good. Explain how you and the guys (all 20 of them?) stepped up your collective games with your upcoming opus “Demiurgus”?
First off, I wanted to say thank you for the interview. It’s always an honor and pleasure to have the privilege of discussing subject matter about my band.
The only person who really had to step up their game was me, because everyone else is already incredibly adept at what they do. I just made sure to refine my compositions so that they would be next level. In a sea of homogeneous tech death bands, you have to try and stand out in some way, otherwise you get washed away- my goal was to really do something that could stand out, even if it meant incorporating flamenco or orchestral elements. These are small implementations, but I’m hoping it helps us sound unique in some fashion.

TMR: Explain to us how you recruited some of the genre’s greatest artists….comeon, you know your lineup is obnoxiously talented.  That’s no secret.
Honestly, it was nothing more than a bit of communication and networking. If you want something, you have to be fearless of rejection and go for it. People will tell you that things are unachievable or unrealistic, and you have to be willing to prove them wrong, otherwise, you stand to prove them right. My goal was to create a tech death “super group” if you will, and I believe I’ve successfully done so, give the insanely talented musicians I have the honor of working with.

TMR: Out of all the bands you have been in, who has been your favorite and least favorite?
Equipoise was actually my first proper band, so I don’t really have an answer for this. I played in a local band Vitandus when I was 19/20 years old, but I only played a few shows, wrote no material, and had to play bass (which I do not play at all). That wasn’t a bad experience though, I enjoyed playing with my bandmates, they were nice people.
TMR: Explain the theme and lyrics behind Demiurgus.
The lyrics are directly inspired by the anime “Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood”. The album essentially tells the story that happens within, and the themes that are derived from it are a bit more open to interpretation, so to say. That might be a lazy answer, but it isn’t inaccurate; the themes can be interpreted in many ways, it’s ultimately up to the listener to take what they can from it.
TMR: The artwork is awfully captivating for your upcoming record. Who did it, and what inspired it? What are all the details behind it?
The artwork was done by my incredibly talented friend, Justin Abraham. He has done art for such other bands as Virulent Depravity, A Loathing Requiem, Inanimate Existence, Cryptic Hymn, and Oubliette. I love how easy he is to work with, and I love how much he enjoys doing what he does.

The artwork is actually inspired by the climax of the plot from Full Metal Alchemist. I won’t give too many details because I don’t want to spoil anything for those who may be interested in exploring it further, but it’s a very cool concept.


TMR: Explain the process of the Virulent Depravity situation being chosen to being in such ANOTHER gnarly band. Where are you guys with that record? All i see is jazz tech…which is awfully interesting to hear, in comparison to the debut album.
Colin and I are really good friends, musical companions if you will. For whatever reason, we have this insane synergy when it comes to writing, where if one of us is ever stumped or lost, the other comes in and immediately resolves it. Very rarely are we displeased with the results. Colin and I are also competitive with each other, always joking about who can write better, and I’ll say that he’s been pushing me greatly since I’ve known him, so it’s always in good fun.
Anyways, the album is going slow at the moment. It is an incredibly ambitious (thanks to Colin and his desire to make a groundbreaking album or whatever, damn him…), but yeah, he’s trying to make this seamless amalgam of jazz and tech death, and successfully so thus far, but he’s also working on getting it perfect. I unfortunately have been busy working on other projects like Kossuth and Ascent of Aphosis, so my time has been spread thin, but soon I will be able to assist him in getting some more material worked up.

 TMR: When do you plan on having a single from Virulent Depravity 2?
There’s no definitive date by any means. It would either be whenever our 3 month album cycle comes around, or there’s always the possibility of a one-off single. That’s tough to say.

TMR:  I know there’s a ton of members from a bunch of different locations around the world….it would be tough to tour…..one off thing? I know it’d be quite a logistical challenge.
It will happen. I have a lot of things in the works that will financially pad me so that I can make this a reality (legal of course lol). I don’t know when it will happen, but I will certainly make it happen. If not for our first album, it will after our second album. I would like to ensure that we even have the fanbase for such a demand, otherwise I feel it would be foolish for us to rush into such a thing.


TMR: Any cool bands you’ve been listening to you want to share?
Sure! I don’t listen to a lot these days because I usually get super hooked onto albums at a time, but I’ve been loving Alain Caron, Chick Corea, Adam Nitti, Frank Gambale, and various other jazz fusion artists. As far as more modern metal releases, I’ve been loving the most recent Obscura album, Beyond Creation, Gorod, and Inferi, those were my favorites from 2018. Of course, I’m also very fond of all the other bands on The Artisan Era, there isn’t one I don’t like truthfully. I would also like to make a special mention for two bands that were quite influential during the end process of my album refinement; Sutrah and Dark Matter Secret. I implore you and anyone reading to jam both of those bands immediately.

TMR: How did you get your start in music? Who, what influenced you and why? Did you have a specific moment?
Well, I started screwing around with guitar when I was 11 years old, I was playing mindless pop punk then, but it was a lot of fun. I’ll spare you the long winded story and fast forward to right before I started Equipoise. I discovered Inferi’s The Path of Apotheosis back in 2014 when it came out, and it was very inspiring to me, and it really pushed me to want to get into playing around with tech death again. I’m honored to be a part of a label that is run by the men who are a direct inspiration to my writing in the first place.

TMR: What track is the one you are most proud of from the upcoming record? And the song you are most proud of you wrote or were a part of (doesn’t have to be equipoise or virulent depravity)?
I haven’t honestly written songs outside of Equipoise too much, but I think the song i’m most proud of is the first one I wrote, ironically enough. That song is called Dualis Flamel, which is the 8th track on our album. I think it’s funny that the first stab I took at a song ended up being my favorite, but oh well, what are you gonna do.

TMR:  How did the thought to form Equipoise come about? And why did you specifically choose your band members? What qualities attracted you musically?
Honestly, I just started writing the songs myself, and I was fine with finding a local lineup , but unfortunately tech death musicians aren’t very abundant in Pittsburgh (aside from our original guitarist, Zach Hohn). I wasn’t ready to give up, so I said to myself, “Screw it, I’m going to just find someone from one of my favorite bands and ask them if they wanna play”. So I asked Hugo, and when he agreed, that was the start of it all. After I got Stevie, I had the burning desire to create what I could call a “tech death super group”, as I feel like there aren’t too many around. I’ve always loved the concept of bringing together titans of a genre, and I wanted nothing more than to create a band where I as a listener and fan could be excited. I only did this because I felt confidently enough about my music that it wouldn’t be an insult to do this. As it stands, I still feel okay about my decision!

TMR: How much gel do you use to keep that man bun of yours so slick and shiny?
None at all! That’s nothing more than my natural dego grease.
TMR: You’re in charge of putting together your dream tour featuring your band(s). Who else do you book (5 total including your two!) for a nationwide tour? No financial restrictions, for the sake of fun.
Hmm, I’ll try to keep it practical and realistic- Beyond Creation, First Fragment, Inferi, Equipoise, Virulent Depravity. Since i don’t know the likelihood of Virulent Depravity touring, I would swap it out for Singularity, I think.

TMR: Who are your favorite jazz and fusion guitarists of all time, and of recent memory? I love me some Gilad Hekselman and Al Di Meola.
Holdsworth, Di Meola, Howe, Henderson, and Gambale are all of my favorites, I would say.

TMR: It’s your last supper.  What meal do you choose before your death?
That’s tough. I would probably say some good ass barbeque ribs would make me happy

Thanks to our friends at

 

https://technicalmusicreview.com/2019/02/07/nick-padovani-interview-january-february-2019/ 

Interview; Sahil Makhija, The Demonstealer 2019

When you think of extreme metal, it’s hard to imagine incredible music being spawned from places other than Europe and North America. But truly, metal is a global phenomenon, and India is somehow found forever out of everyone’s radar. A few bands have been crept up there since the early 1990s, but the last 15 or so years have really showcased the forward momentum of India’s metal scene.

Sahil Makhija has played a pretty big part in helping that scene grow, and he boasts a pretty impressive resume; from an outstanding discography from both his solo project, Demonstealer, and his main squeeze, Demonic Resurrection, to starting the first extreme metal label in India, to hosting his own cooking channel on YouTube. And that’s not including the laundry list of session work he’s done, or his new project, Solus Ex Inferis.  I am extremely fortunate that Sahil has allowed me to pick his brain about all of the above.
Though I am saddened by some of the responses, my respect and adoration for this man remains strong.
How long have you been playing guitar? What made you want to play in the first place?
I started learning the guitar back in 1998 so that would make it about 21 years of playing the instrument. My love for heavy metal music is what made me want to learn the instrument. There is just something about metal music that inspires most of it’s fans to learn an instrument or form a band.
Were you always into guitar and vocals? Do you have any other hidden talents?
I actually started out as just the vocalist of Demonic Resurrection and after our guitarist Prashant returned to the USA after the first show that kind of put me in a spot where I had to play guitar and sing. I also do play a bit of bass and keys and have recorded both instruments on quite a few of my own releases. I also do play the drums and recorded them on my side project Reptilian Death.
Who are your major influences, musically speaking?
This would be hard because I’m constantly inspired by musicians that I am listening to and I am discovering new music everyday. When I started out it was bands like Metallica, Sepulutra, Pantera, Fear Factory, Marilyn Manson etc and then I had a lot of influence from bands like Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth and Old Man’s Child etc. Death metal, Power metal, thrash metal, doom metal etc etc I mean my list is endless.
You have an outstanding solo project with a solid discography, but Demonic Resurrection is equally amazing. Do you have a favorite between the two?
Honestly it’s like picking between your testicles. I like em both equally but I think in terms of what I do with the projects Demonic Resurrection is sort of my ‘main’ project because it actually plays live and has been around longer and is the more well known of the two. My solo stuff is more about playing with different drummers, doing the kind of stuff I can’t do in DR. So very different projects.
Explain what influenced Demonic Resurrection using more than traditional instruments in a metal band. Did it come naturally or was it planned?
You could say it was part of our evolution. We kind of experimented with Hindu mythology, just the ideas and the artwork on our 2014 album ‘The Demon King’ and we wanted to take that a step further and we did what made sense for us musically. It was definitely something that we really enjoyed exploring creatively.

And you’ve recently released an EP with a new project, Solus Ex Inferis. How did the band come together?
This is the brainchild of Dave Smith who had already written the songs and gotten Lord Marco [Pitruzella; Anomalous, Neurogenic, Hunhau Mitnal] on board to play the drums. He was looking for a singer and I thought it was an interesting project so I signed up and now I’m full time with the band. I am quite excited about how the EP turned out and Dave is now writing the full length album and I’m excited to lay down my vocals on the songs.
And of course, of all the music you could be playing, why death metal and its variants? Are there any not-metal projects you’re associated with?
I had a comedy rock band called Workshop but even that had some ‘metal’ in it. Metal just spoke to me and I guess death metal would be my favourite sub genre of metal, so that’s what I play. Honestly I don’t think too much about the genre when I write music, I write what comes naturally to me but I guess I just love blast beats and death metal kind of riffs.
You’re also involved with quite a bit of guest/ session work, is that something you’re still interested in? Actually asking for a friend
Hahaha, I’m always up for sessions work. I have time and I’m happy to spend that creating music in some way, shape or form. So yeah, always available. Thankfully I have my own studio and setup so it’s very easy for me to record music.
Unfortunately, your tour across India didn’t pan out, but you did manage to skip over to the UK for a few dates. Can you talk about that a bit?
I think the markets are very different to begin with. In the UK it’s a different ball game and the economics are different. In India we’ve played all over the country but perhaps we didn’t approach the tour in the right way. I guess you learn from each experience and then you can figure out how to make it work if you try doing it again. What I mean is, in India for starters we have to fly from city to city and not every city has a music venue, let alone a venue that is for metal music. We also have an agent in the UK who was able to book the tour and find us a support band that could drive us and share backline with so it’s something that worked out quite well.
In a semi-recent post, you kind of hinted that Demonic resurrection might be headed for retirement, is that true? Or do you perhaps have other plans for DR for the future?
Yeah that’s the plan. Honestly after 18 years I am just tired. I’m tired of struggling at the same shit, I’m tired of constantly being let down by people. I’m tired of constantly having band members quit and find new talent, get them up to speed and only to have them quit when they find other priorities. I mean, I don’t blame anyone for anything but I just don’t know if I have the strength to keep doing this. So right now all I know is I’m out. I’m not working on the band, I’m not writing music, I’m not planning tours. If someone wants to make something happen and they call me and it’s doable. I’ll do it. But I’m not writing 100 emails to festivals, labels, promoters and working my ass off only to be let down again.
You started one of India’s first record labels geared towards extreme music. What made you want to start your own label in the first place, nonetheless targeted towards heavy music?
I had no choice. There was not a single label in India that would release our music and I knew that if I didn’t do it myself no one would. That’s the reason I started Demonstealer Records. When I put out our album ‘A Darkness Descends’ I was able to sell a good number of copies, trade with various labels around the world, organize launch gigs etc. I thought I should do this for other Indian bands too who don’t have any other options. Of course over time I realized it was too much of a stress and not worth the effort so I shut it down. But it was born out of necessity.
What difficulties do you deal with promoting yourself and your music in markets outside of India?
I guess the same as any other bands have, getting people to listen to the music. Standing out from the sea of countless bands that exist today. I have done everything that I could possibly do. I learnt a lot along the way about how to do PR the right way and even ran my own metal PR agency for a while.
Headbanger’s Kitchen has gotten pretty big over the last couple years, but it looks like it’s been a bit since you’ve had guest chefs (my favourite being the dudes from Fleshgod Apocalypse). Do you plan to have more guests in the future? Do you have any guests arranged now that you’re willing to talk about?
The funny thing is I gave up on Headbanger’s Kitchen and the format of the show where I interviewed metal bands. It was not worth the effort once again and I wrapped it up. I decided I was only going to shoot cooking videos when I felt like it and I would do it with 1 camera, all by myself and put it out. It’s only when I did that and started making Keto diet recipes that the channel took off and now I do Youtube as my full time job and my audience doesn’t really care or listen to metal. Most of them don’t actually. Which is why I have no interest in getting musicians on the show to interview since that old format is not what works for me. Of course if some of my favourite musicians ever come to town I will be more than happy to have them over for a meal and feed them. Maybe I’d even do the interview then, but only for special musicians that are my personal heroes.

Any last words? Questions, comments, concerns?
Thanks for the interview and I hope people reading will listen to the music I make and enjoy it! Cheers and Stay Demonic!
And infinite thanks to Sahil for not only this interview, but for helping the Indian extreme metal scene grow and thrive. Though I am a bit heartbroken that Demonic Resurrection will be put to rest, I am excited for what Solus Ex Inferis will be cooking up, and the future session work Sahil will be involved in. We wish him the best of luck with his future endeavors.

THANKS TO OUR FRIENDS AT

https://technicalmusicreview.com/2019/02/18/interview-sahil-makhija-the-demonstealer-2019/

SACRED OATH SPEAKS

1.What is the name of your band and how did you come up with it?

The name of the band is SACRED OATH.  Pete Altieri and I came up with that name in the back room of a local diner while washing dishes!  At the time, we were really grooving on Mercyful Fate.
What is your name and what do you do for the band?
I’m Rob Thorne and I sing and play guitar.

2.Tell us where you are based and describe the scene. How do you think where you are
located influences your sound.

We’re in Connecticut but I’d say we’re more a part of the NYC scene than Connecticut, since we play there more often.  The scene is OK.  I think we’re lucky there is probably more interest in traditional metal here than there is in other parts of the US.

3.Who influences your sound that would surprise people?

Hmmmm.  That’s a tough one as we really wear our influences on our sleeve.  I don’t know, Fates Warning?

4.Are you endorsed by musical companies , if so who , and if not who would you like to
be endorsed by?

Damiano is endorsed by Marshall, Ernie Ball, and a couple others …  I’ve never really been interested in that stuff.

5.When you started what was your ultimate goal? And how close to the goal are you
now?

Ha!  Well, back in 1985 as a 16 year old I wanted to rule the world, but now I’ll settle for continuing to make Sacred Oath music the way I want to.

6.In today's digital environment it takes creative strategy to keep things moving. What
creative ideas do you have to keep your band relevant over time?

We have continued to make music videos over time, as I always see those being a great way to reach fans, especially online.  

7.We've all seen a terrible live band that is awesome on CD. Is that cool with you or do
you lose respect for bands that cannot pull it off live?

Bands have good days and bad days, I know I’ve certainly had mine.  I don’t much care.  What I don’t like is going to a show where the band nails it musically but fails to deliver an inspired performance.

8.Tell us your “core” are you Metal , Rock , Punk , Pop etc because people just have to
categorize these days you know?

Metal for sure.

9.This is a tough question but a very real reality, Is your band actually talented or just
popular?

That’s the funniest question I’ve EVER been asked.  We’re talented.
Many bands make it with a cliche or publicity stunts etc. Would you accept fame even if it
was just because of being the “ in” thing or is it actually important to you that you gain
favor with talent?

What little notoriety we have comes from our songwriting and recordings.  If some ridiculous stunt put us into the spotlight, I probably wouldn’t mind.

10.Tell us what to expect from you live. Nothing is more boring than watching bands
stare at the floor and bob their heads to music nobody but the band knows. What can
your band offer in a live setting that people will remember?

Sacred Oath always delivers a high-energy show, always.  No matter if there are 50 people or 500 in the audience.
11. What releases have you put out , When will we see something new?

We have 10 albums out there, dating back to 1987.  8 are studio albums, plus a live album and a “best of” collection.  We have plans to release a live album this year from the last tour.

12. If you have videos where can we see them?

We have several music videos available on our You Tube channel.
13.Everybody has Bandcamp , ReverbNation , Soundcloud , etc
Why do you think this is so important? Doesn't it seem like everyone is giving everything
out for free?

Yeah, the free music culture is great for the fans, but really rough on the artist.  We can’t make a dime on music sales.

14.Best moment of your career so far?

I can’t pinpoint a best moment.  All the support we got from MTV Headbangers Ball ten years ago was exciting.  Headlining KIT IX in Germany was fun.  Hell, hearing the tracks from our last NYC show that we’re releasing as a live album was thrilling.  I love it all.
15.Your message to the fans?

We LOVE LOVE LOVE our fans.  We absolutely would not still be in existence if not for our die-hard fans that have been with us for more than 30 years.
Bonus Question who do you bring back

Dime , Cliff , Dio , Lemmy , Randy
Fuck, bring’em ALL back.

                YOU CAN HEAR SACRED OATH ON THE METAL COFFEE SPOTIFY

TERMINAL ZERO INTERVIEW

1.What is the name of your band and how did you come up with it?

1. The band were discussing our options over a few beers and Simon suggested
Terminal. I (Peter) responded that it was a bit dark to be just Terminal so suggest we
add Zero. Little did we know that Terminal Zero is actually a mathematical term for a
zero to the right of a non-zero at the end of a number. There you go, evidence that beer in moderation helps with clear and logical thinking.

2. What is your name and what do you do for the band?
 Peter Nattrass, Singer

2.Tell us where you are based and describe the scene. How do you think where you
are located influences your sound.

We’re based in Adelaide but three of us grew up together in Renmark, South Australia.

The Adelaide music scene is a fantastic melting pot of sounds and sights, however our
influences are more drawn from the eastern states of Australia and overseas, so Adelaide’s
had only a limited influence on our approach to song writing and production.

3.Who influences your sound that would surprise people?

As a vocalist and lyricist, I’m into a wide range of expressive singers. I like story tellers so
legendary Australian singers like Paul Dempsey from Something For Kate. I still love
Captain (Million Miles An Hour). Then of course there is the political activists like Ezekiel Ox
of Mammal and Superheist fame. He is an amazing, spirited writer and legend worthy
performer.
4.Are you endorsed by musical companies, if so who, and if not who would you like to
be endorsed by?
No current endorsements. We did have a clothing company and music store in the early
days.
I’d go TC Helicon and Sennheiser as I use their rack mounted effects, microphones and
wireless systems live.
Matt would jump at ESP guitars and anything from Fractal Audio Systems. Simon would be
a great poster boy for Roland V-Drums and Ableton. Heath looks good with anything
strapped on him.

5.When you started what was your ultimate goal? And how close to the goal are you
now?

My ultimate goal was to tour the world living the rock lifestyle of fast cars and organics fruit
smoothies in LA with James Hetfield. We’ve got the fruit smoothies, but so far James hasn’t
returned our calls. Come on James, pick up the phone and unblock me on Twitter!

6.In todays digital environment it takes creative strategy to keep things moving. What
creative ideas do you have to keep your band relevant over time?

Our drummer Simon has invested significant time, energy and hard-earned coin taking
Terminal Zero digital. He’s become an absolute wizard in our studio with Pro-tools and a

million plug-ins and he makes extensive use of Ableton to automatically change guitar or
vocal effects, programmed lighting and sequenced backing tracks.
I can genuinely say that having someone in your band like Simon is a not negotiable for
contemporary music nowadays.

7.We have all seen a terrible live band that is awesome on CD. Is that cool with you or do
you lose respect for bands that cannot pull it off live?

Again, this is why we’ve invested so heavily in digitizing our gear. We feel that’s the
minimum we should be delivering for the legends who come out to see us play live. People
deserve value for money, there’s nothing worse than a great band that sounds shit live with
no production, poor mixing or a weak front of house PA.

8.Tell us your “core” are you Metal , Rock , Punk , Pop etc because people just have
to categorize these days you know?

Rock

9.This is a tough question but a very real reality, Is your band actually talented or just
popular?

Hard work and persistence are key ingredients in the TZ special sauce. Sure, there’s some
level of musical ability but it’s come from hard work and it’s got a lot to do with putting in the
hours, reflecting with an open mind on advice that gravitates to you as you move up or
through the food chain.

Many bands make it with a cliche or publicity stunts etc. Would you accept fame even
if it was just because of being the “in” thing or is it actually important to you that you
gain favour with talent?

We’ll take what comes our way as we’ve put in over 20 years of work experience. For some
it might be a falling knife, but I’d put my hand up to catch it as it will be 20% lucky and 80%
persistence. Happy to compare scar tissue and empty bank accounts with anyone.
10.Tell us what to expect from you live. Nothing is more boring than watching bands
stare at the floor and bob their heads to music nobody but the band knows.
 What can
your band offer in a live setting that people will remember?

We try to bring our albums to life when we’re on stage. We know what we like to see live so
we do our best to bring the dynamics of our music to life. If you want to see people standing

still, don’t come and see us! We play music because it moves us.
11. What releases have you put out, When will we see something new?

Today we released the second single, This Is What It Feels Like, from our new album
Control which will come out in March.
We had the pleasure of working with Richie DW Norton from Superheist on this one. He’s a
twice ARIA nominated producer/engineer so working with him in Queensland at Black
Mountain Sound Studios was amazing. So much good advice and real straight shooter when
he needed to be to encouraging us to rethink our approach or go the extra mile on a song.

Prior to Control, we released a full-length album Cold War in 2017 and two EPs Rule The
World and Once Around The Sun.
You asked earlier about ultimate goals…. Rule The World captures the scale of our
ambitions, Once Around the Sun turns out to be 20 times around the sun and Cold War is
what music can sometimes be. I’d think Control will be a crowd pleaser.

12. If you have videos where can we see them?

We enjoy doing video clips so This Is What It Feels Like has us in an old industrial shed with
a massive truck baring down on Simon. The first single was called Famous and that was just
a massive party with our fans at one of our houses.
We also did a clip for the title track of our last album Cold War. Shooting that was interesting
as there’s a couple of scenes that I pushed a bit far and broke a couple of ribs. That song is
all about how we could all very easily fall from grace and end up on the streets without a
penny to our name. It was a humbling experience begging on the streets of Adelaide during
the filing
They’re all out there on YouTube as well so I’d recommend people give those tracks a run.
(refer embedded links)

13.Everybody has Bandcamp , ReverbNation , Soundcloud , etc
Why do you think this is so important? Doesn't it seem like everyone is giving
everything out for free?

Free music has an important role for up and coming band like us. But, in my view, free music
comes with a promissory note that if I like them, I’m going to hunt that band down and see
them live when they next come to my town.
I love it that I can look up the support acts and hear their music before I get to see the main
act. No money down and I’m getting more for my ticket when I do get there. Every great
band has done their time as the second or even third support.
Looking up support bands before you go is time well spent. I went to see Bring Me The
Horizon with Matt and Simon a few years back. They were great, but Hands Like Houses
had me from their opening track.
Live music pays for the next album and fills the artists adrenal cup to push them to make the
next track or next album. Having people come see us live is why we do this.
Control has a song on it called The Chemicals. It’s all about the rush that writing and playing
music give us.

14.Best moment of your career so far?

We had a great show in front of a full house supporting Fuel a couple of years ago at the
Gov in Adelaide. Great crowd, good room and we nailed it!

15.Your message to the fans?

Follow us, including on Spotify or your preferred music purveyor, so you get the heads-up on
the release of Control. We’ll be hitting the road soon, we want to hear you out singing the
band and then come up and introduce yourself after the gig.

Bonus Question who do you bring back Dime , Cliff , Dio , Lemmy , Randy

Randy Rhodes without a doubt. Randy Rhodes Tribute was one of the first albums I had.
When I listen to that album today, it still captures his magic potential.
If only we could get in the DeLorean and go back to say ‘Randy, don’t get in the helicopter’.

 

YOU CAN HERE TERMINAL ZERO AND ALL METAL COFFEE BANDS ON SPOTIFY