Twister (vocals): This band has been together a long time – it started as an experiment with the other founding member – I was into metal and goth, he was drum and bass and thrash – he left the band a long time ago. Initially, we were industrial with heavy guitars and weird beats – our stage shows involved a lot of blood, needles, hammers and angle-grinders – a lot of nudity too and some sex. As band members have come and gone, (we’ve had around 50 over the years), there have been changes in presentation and musical style – moving through a blend of stoner, thrash, death, classic –the styles have blended, and a little bit of each has stuck - we’re one rolling stone that’s definitely gathered moss.
2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?
Jay (drums): It’s the bloke Twister started the band with who came up with it.boss – I never met the geezer though - I think he was into his hip-hop and tagging and what have you – it was some kind of ID statement – or maybe it’s just a misspelling of something – who knows?.
3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
Vortex (programming, keys): London, England. The scene is pretty vibrant, I would say – lots of energy and talent. This is a tough place to live in many ways – but there a loads of artists making it work, innovating and creating. As you’d expect from one of the greatest cities in the world, there’s tremendous diversity, both in terms of the music and the people making it. As for the local bands worth a listen - well. just off the top of my head, there’s Die Kur, who are a kind of industrial-metal mash-up, really intense – and then you have The Francesco Fonte Band, amazing vocals and heavy psychedelic guitars, and Drilling Spree, who are a fantastic rock ‘n’ roll act – great tunes and catchy riffs.
4. How would you describe your style? Jay: Why is this question always so difficult! It’s a combination or blend of alternative genres you can think of – my drumming quotes from thrash, death and classic rock and metal – and I think it also reflects my love of beats-based music like techno and drum’n’bass. Vocally, Twister definitely has a classic rock/blues voice but with some really interesting forays into death – a bit of growling and shouting – quite experimental in a lot of ways, sometimes spoken word even - just a lot going on. You can really hear Vortex’s goth and industrial influences in his playing and programming,and Filon combines a kind of lyrical quality in his playing with the heaviness of Megadeth and creamy technical excellence.
5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
Filon (guitars): Too many to list here, to be honest – but you can find all our stuff at our Bandcamp site. That said, you could expect our music at its best to be passionate, thought-provoking and above all involving. It’s likely to be heavy, and we hope it works on different levels – the head, the heart, the guts.
6. Do you have any new music in the works?
Twister: Indeed we do. We’re currently writing a new album, provisionally titled Anatomy of Power. I really think it’ll be the most accomplished and fully realised thing we’ve ever done. There’s something of the concept album about it – the songs are all about different aspects of power – political and personal – social and psychological. There’s a tune about dead rock stars, the uses and abuses of ideology and religion, and reflections on the essence of our own subjective power play, if you will – the struggle with against the acceptance of our ultimate death - or is it rebirth? I didn’t start out deliberately to write the lyrics according to a pre-existing idea – but that’s just the way they’ve turned out
7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
Jay: There may be the odd show here and there – but, for now, we’re putting all our energies into the new album. We will be supporting The Heretic Order in London at the end of June, though.
8. What plans do you have for the future as a band?
Markus: So, the plan is to finish writing the album and to record it at Hertz Studios in Poland – they’ve done great work for the likes of Vader and Behemoth. It’s an amazingly well-equipped studio, and some of the production they’ve achieved with various bands down the years are quite remarkable. We’re also using some of the hottest people in metal for album artwork and photographs and publicity – we want to give our new management at Imperative PR the best possible product to negotiate a new deal for the band as we are between labels at the moment.
9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
Filon: Just go to Bandcamp.com and you’ll find everything there – or search for us on Youtube.
10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
Twister: To do just that – remember it. I’ve watched enough movies in my time – but I tend not to think of them in terms of good and bad – it’s the ones that stay with you – those are the truly great movies, I believe. I want our music to make an indelible impression, that’s all – I don’t even care if that impression is good or bad – just that it’s permanent. Like that lover or life event that you’ll never forget.
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