BAND INTERVIEW: Chancroid conducted by Collin Brophy, May 2014

Country:          Bekasi, Indonesia.

Genre:              Brutal Death Metal.

Band Influences:

Disgorge, Putridity, Cerebral Effusion, Decrepit Birth

Band Members:

Wira – Vocals “Guttural”

Hendri - Guitar “Shred”

Bona - Drums.

“Chancroid” formed around Easter 2011 and classify themselves as a brutal death metal machine.  The name was given to them by a friend from Singapore. Wira (ex Vomit Larynx) decided to make a new brutal death metal project with killer riffs and blast beats. The bands first line up included Wira (ex-Infinite Torture, ex-Vomit Larynx) as guttural vocals, Bona (ex Achilles Spartan, Ex-Infinite Torture) on drums and Micko (Corrosive) on guitar. They tried for about a year to make some brutal material, but this line up didn't work, and in the end they called it quits. Wira then met up with Galih and decided to resurrect the name “Arise” and called up Bona to fill the drum position.  After talking, they decided to give it a go, and they wrote some new material that was heavier than before, but due to internal problems with Galih, the band then decided to carry on without him. Later, after they went their separate ways, a friend of Wira’s, suggested to him to give a friend of his a try.  They re-started the band in September 2013, with Hendri (ex Gyarotium, and ex Hujjat).  They got together and talked about their direction in music and decided to join forces together, which suited them all.  After some hard work they did their first single, called “Coitus Deification Terminology", which was released on the 21 April 2014.  This is one hell of a brutal song. The song can be heard via the link http://www.reverbnation.com/chancroid. 

Q. Hi. How are you guys going? Thanks for the opportunity for this interview. Any new news on the Chancroid front, album, EP or gig wise?

A. Never felt better or like this before … hehehe.  Well we're gonna record some songs in a few weeks for our promo CD.  We’re still writing some of the material for our first album … hopefully it'll be finished this year.   We’re still looking for bass player anyway … so hard to catch that "species" here :p  

Q. What have you guys been up to lately?

A. Work, work, work, work, work! We’ve been trying to explore our minds and experimenting with our ideas on the instruments and on paper :)

  

Q. What is the metal scene like Indonesia?

A. Indonesia has a great metal scene I think, a lot of great gigs, bands, communities, labels and we support each other.

Q. What kinds of things inspire you musically and lyrically? Are there any types of themes that you like to write about and incorporate into your music? Is there any message in your music that you are trying to get out there?

A. Actually I really love paying attention to the human body anatomy, psychological, sexual disease and everything about pathological and gore. We chose the sexual disease as our theme (just like the band's name). We don't have any specific message that we want to tell about, just want to play and show up the music we love.

Q. I know a lot of brutal Indonesian metal bands are Islamic, still make brutal music, and also incorporate their beliefs into their lyrics, what are your thoughts on this?

A. I'm not very interested with those themes … but they have the freedom to write their music and choose their themes for their music and lyrics, talk about their religions and beliefs … we have a responsibility of every single word that we've written, I think!

Q. Do all of the band members have a say in the writing process of the music and lyrics?

A. Yeah they are … they believe me to be the most perverted person who ever lived whenever I write the lyrics.  We always say everything that we want and what we dream will be achieved soon ... and we think that what we say are the greatest words which motivates us to writes more heinous things!

Q. What does the future hold for Chancroid?

A. We’d like to grow to be one of the “icon” bands of metal scene, be invited to play on a big metal festival and exist in the Indonesia death metal scene for a long time.

Q. Thank you for your time for this interview.

A. You are welcome sir … stay sick, keep supporting the metal scene around the world, thank you :)

Interview conducted by Collin Brophy

May 2014

BAND INTERVIEW: Internal Nightmare (Aus), by Collin Brophy (Feb 2014)

Q. Hi. How is everyone in the IN camp?

A. Very well man! Thanks for asking!

Q. What have you guys in been up to lately?

A. Well after releasing our debut album and playing a ton of shows in 2013, we decided to have a couple of weeks off to recharge and refocus for this coming year, 2014. It’s been nice to just kick back for a little while and enjoy the holiday period.

Q. What is the metal scene like down in Melbourne?

A. It’s great man. So many amazing bands and although there can be too much on all at once sometimes, the turnouts and support are generally great across the board.

Q. Australia has some truly talented metal bands around at the moment, how would you rate them up there against some of the bigger know international bands?

A. Man we have some world class bands here for sure! Unfortunately there seems to be this opinion among general fans that local bands are all shit so they don’t bother rocking up to gigs of overseas bands until it’s time for them to start, yet they forget that even the international bands they have paid good money to see have also once been local bands trying to make a name for themselves. It is a shame, but there are definitely some bands that have made waves overseas and then also here that get the respect and recognition they deserve. It can be a very hard market though in Australia it seems.

Q. How has your album been received by the fans? Any feedback from the fans on the album?

A. It’s been received really well! After roughly 6 years as a band it was amazing to finally get it out there! We’ve had some great feedback on it actually and it’s always nice when you get compliments on your playing from other players you respect and admire.

Q. What kinds of things inspire you musically and lyrically? Are there any types of themes that you like to write about and incorporate into your music? Is there any message in your music that you are trying to get out there?

A. I guess personally it’s anything I feel strongly about or that I feel I need to get out for therapeutic purposes. It can be incredibly cathartic to inject whatever it is that’s goes on in your mind into your art and out into the world in this way. I guess it’s the way I see and feel the world. A social commentary on what I see in my life, the shit that I have been through and dragged with me and my interpretation of it all and my beliefs and observations from where I was to where I am now. I am a constant observer and analyzer of the things around me and particularly human behavior, and the age old and eternal question ‘What makes people do what they do?’, so I’ll sometimes try and get people to perhaps look at these situations a little bit deeper than just the perception level to see what else may be behind it. This is something I learn to do all the time. That area of study is something I just can’t get enough of.

Also I might inject themes of rising up and empowering people to pull themselves up out of their situation as I am very passionate about empowering people to take control of their lives and letting them know that they can change their lives for the better. I can also be quite anti-authoritarian as well so these references and themes of not being dictated to or told how to live or told what or who you are definitely come through, even just in my everyday conversation if you spend any time talking to me.

Q. How did you come up with the album name, and the album cover? Who was the artist that did the cover, and why have 2 different album covers?

A. I believe Paul came up with name “Chaos Reborn” actually but I can’t be certain, ha-ha. It signified the end of an old Internal Nightmare era and the birth of a new era, with new lineup, new songs and a new style. I came up with the main album cover theme of a person sitting in amongst chaos while still remaining strong, powerful and centered because it represented to me exactly what I had to be during the rebirthing period, otherwise we wouldn’t be doing this interview. It also signifies where I am in my life today and where I am heading as opposed to where I used to be. The artwork and concept means a lot to me and it’s currently being tattooed on my back.

The reason for the 2 covers was to let the fans choose whether they wanted the more spiritual cover or the brutal cover because we wanted to have a bit of both as well. It seemed to go down well! Although sometimes people think they are 2 different CD’s, ha-ha. We could be making double the profit, ha-ha.

We got Brent and Bam Bam from QWAK Art in Melbourne to do the designs for us and they nailed exactly what we were going for! We get lots of comments on the artwork....their work is incredible!

Q. Do all of the band members have a say in the writing process of the music and lyrics?

A. Paul (bass player/vocalist) and I will generally have a full song written musically that we bring in, or a full set of lyrics and we’ll kind of just get together and run through it as a band after it’s already been demoed on Powertab or through a rough recording. Sometimes though it may sound good on CD or Powertab as a demo but once we get in and play the song as a band we may realize that we need to tweak the structure or add sections depending on the flow of the track and how it sounds and feels to actually play together. We really don’t do the whole ‘just get into a room and jam and see what comes out’. I find it quite counterproductive for us and quite time-consuming with generally no result or outcome. The ‘play with stuff until you have a full song and we’ll go from there’ seems to be the best way for us.

Q. IN recently played the Death / Chuck Schuldiner tribute show, how did you become involved, and what was it like to be involved in such a moving and emotional show like that?

A. It was incredible! Such a great vibe and cool crowd! We’d been talking about getting back up to Sydney again for a while and had been talking to a mate about it and he got in contact with the promoter of the Chuck show about us jumping on the bill and we couldn’t have said yes any quicker! They got shirts done and everything and with our band name on the back is makes an awesome memento!

Q. What does the future hold for IN?

A. More albums, more shows, more videos. An overseas tour this year would be nice, as well as getting to some of the places we haven’t been to in Oz yet.

Q. Thank you for your time for this interview.

A. Anytime man! Thanks so much for the questions. I had a blast picking apart my own thought processes which I incorporate into my band’s art and every day life. It’s not until you get asked stuff like this that you really become aware of exactly what drives you. It was fun.....

Interviewed by Collin Brophy, February 2014

BAND INTERVIEW: Rise Of Avernus (3/01/2014), By Collin Brophy

Q. ROA has come a long way from that very first show at the Valve Bar, why do you think that is?

Well, all the members of RoA were active with other bands prior to commencing the project so we had previous experience behind us which definitely helped us to hit the ground running, plus we had a very clear vision about what we wanted to achieve musically and professionally

Q. ROA has played with some amazing international bands, Apocalyptica and Enslaved just to mention a couple. What was it like to support and hang out with the guys from Enslaved?

Touring with Enslaved was a great experience, they put on a superb show night after night and we were very fortunate to be a part of it, they are all very genuine and down to earth people which made for a really enjoyable tour.

Q. ROA are lined up to support the mighty Rotting Christ, how did you manage to get the supporting spot and how excited are you guys for this show?

We are thrilled to be part of HEAVYFEST as relatively new band on the scene we do get asked a lot about the ‘how’.
To be honest there were a couple of contributing factors, sometimes it’s just a case of submitting an application, you never really know what the promoter is looking for, and because our sound spans over such a broad spectrum of sub-genres its does help us greatly in that regard. Considering we are a very active band and the new album also features quite a lot of orchestration.

Q. All members in ROA have different musical influences. How does this reflect in the style of music you play?

We listen to a wide variety of music. Ben is a massive Pink Floyd fan, and influenced by bands such as Alice in Chains, Gojira, Isis and Opeth. Dan is heavily influenced by jazz and funk, Bands like Bohren & Der Club Of Gore, Morphine, Red Snapper. Matthew is a huge fan of Die Antwoord, The Shining (NOR). Cat is influenced by and takes a classical music approach to her piano riffs.
We write with duelling layered male vocals with the call and response of the female vocals. The 3 vocalists are more of an element within the music, they are there to tell a story and enhance the atmosphere of the music rather than have vocals as a fronted focal point. The next album will focus on this element even more so…

Q. What kinds of things inspire musically and lyrically? Are there any types of themes that you like to write and incorporate in to you music? Are there any messages in your music that you are trying to get out there in your music?

There is usually a theme and a storyline in the lyrical content of our songs, these may come from personal experiences, dreams, literature or film. I wouldn’t say there is a specific message or anything directive in our lyrics though. We aren’t trying to tell you anything.... We would you rather tell yourself, paint your own picture. The lyrics are there, interpret them how you will.

Q. How is your album being received by the fans? Any feedback from the fans on the on the album?

The album has been getting great online reviews since the Australian release, our fans have given us a lot of positive feedback and support. With our international release only a couple of weeks away, it will be interesting how it will be received globally. Whoever listens to it seems to enjoy it.

Q. ROA are doing an Australian tour to support the new album, what is it like playing with so many talented Australian metal bands?

It’s great. There are so many passionate and talented musicians, some great people involved in supporting the scene here in Australia. The opportunities we have had to the share the stage with both international and local/interstate bands has been awesome.

Q. Who and how did you come up with the album name, and the album cover? Who was the artist that did the cover?

When we were discussing ideas for an album title, Matthew approached Ben and suggested it, Straight away is felt very fitting and we all agreed that it would be perfect title for our debut album. The underlying theme for the album is that of confronting internal struggles, facing mortality, The beginning and end of life.
We asked Seth Anton from SepticFlesh to design our album cover, The band are huge fans of his music and artwork.
It is a pleasure working with a professional and talented artist.

Q. Do all of the band members have a say in the writing process of the music and lyrics?

Ben will usually compose the songs at his home (December Void studio). After the demos are completed, it is then introduced to everyone else, dissected, refined, sometimes rewritten… each song has its own unique process to complete

Q. So what does the future hold for ROA?

We have recently have signed to AuralMusic/Code666 for our European release and we are currently half way through writing our second album. Which is going to be more experimental, yet very RoA sounding also.
As for the future?
Write Record, Release, and Tour and perform

Thank you for your time and thank you for this opportunity to interview you.

Interview conducted by Collin Brophy

INTERVIEW: "In Hydes Shadow" (11/12/2013) by Collin Brophy

Q. Hi. How are you guys going? Thanks for the opportunity for this interview guys. Any new news on the “In Hydes Shadow” front, gig wise.

A. It’s a crazy time for us at present, and we are loving every minute of it! Due to our style, we are getting some very diverse key support gigs, which is great. We only hit the scene in January 2013, and have played support for 28 Days, Twelve Foot Ninja, and 2014 Soundwave artist Nancy Vandal. Recently just shared the stage with I Killed The Prom Queen, Aversions Crown, Make Them Suffer, As Silence Breaks and some killer local bands.

Next gig on the agenda is with Melbourne bands Kingswood & Calling All Cars, 2^nd January in Sydney.

Q. How did you guys met? How do you guys get along, with so many different musical influences, and how does that reflect in you playing style?

A. Aaron (Vocals) had just split from his former band, and put the word out to local musicians on the coast – looking to form a heavier band. Once Jack Marr (Guitarist) came on board, he brought with him, Lachlan Campbell (Bass) and Jared Lean (Drums). Basically like many other bands, we got into a studio, jammed it out and everything just gelled. It’s great we all have diverse taste in music, as it shows in our style, therefore landing us some very different support shows, exposing the band to many different genres.

Q. What was it like play Noisefest 2013 Pool Party as the one on the Central Coast? What was it like being on the same stage as some of those awesome Australian Bands, such as, As Silence Breaks, Make Them Suffer, Aversions Crown and I killed The Prom Queen, just to mention a few?

A. Incredible! These are amazing bands, and we are very privileged to have been given to opportunity to share the stage with these guys. It was also a privilege to play with some awesome local talent, and catch up with our mates. Hoping that Noisefest is one of those festivals that grows & grows each year, giving local bands on the Central Coast / Sydney / Newcastle an opportunity to expose their raw talent.

Q. How has your EP, Insomniatic, being received by the fans? Any feedback from the fans on the EP?

A. Been getting some awesome feedback from which is greatly appreciated; we wanted our first release to showcase our style, and show that not all our songs sound the same!

Its great to finally get it out there, as we are gathering more interest from our live shows now, which I believe is our strength, and people are keen to hear what we have in stall. We have finished prepping for our next EP which we are going to record and release in 2014. The title is “Burn City” and we are hanging to get this one out there. It’s along the same style as “Insomniatic” but with some darker, heavier tunes.

Q. What kinds of things inspire musically and lyrically? Are there any types of themes that you like to write and incorporate in to you music? Is there any message in your music that you are trying to get out there in your music?

A. We are inspired by many artists that surround us, which have a huge influence on our music and style. We use our music as a platform to express feelings from life events that has affected us in some shape or form. I suppose the message that we try to relay to our fans, is that no matter what happens in life, there is always someone there to support you, and to help you move forward, and become stronger as life moves on. There is a dark side to our music, but with a positive message to boot.

Q. Do all of the band members have a say in the writing process of the music and lyrics?

A. Yes - Jack, Lachlan and Jared basically lay the tunes down, and we all have a say on how we finally structure the song. When writing, our songs chop and change constantly till we get the feeling it all fits. Its crazy but it works.

Aaron writes all the lyrics, and runs them past all band members – he lets the band know what he is writing about, and gets everyone’s input accordingly. Each song has a story behind it which is cool. 

Q. How do you find the local metal scene? Be it Sydney, the Central Coast or Newcastle?

A. Its quite variable at present, very up and down…..

Sydney is propping up thanks to venues like Venom (Agincourt Hotel), SFX, Hot Damn, and Club Fvck. Newcastle is always pumping and supportive of hard rock / metal. The Central Coast was great a few years ago, but a few key venues have closed down due to noise complaints etc, which in turn has hurt the live music scene. There are a few booking agents hard at work at present trying to revive this, and its slowly getting better.

Q. So what does the future hold for In Hydes Shadow?

A. Hopefully big things and a tour through Indonesia if our music is accepted there!!

We are planning to release our 2^nd EP early 2014, and land as many key supports shows with bands we look up to and admire – this is great for us as we get to share the stage with our idols, and expose our music to new fans. We are planning to tour the EP up and down the East Coast of Australia, and anywhere else that will take us on board.

Q. Thanks for the interview and good luck in the future with In Hydes Shadow.

A.  No problems at all, thanks for thinking of us; much appreciated

Hoping we might be able to get some new fans on board, so we can sort a few shows in Indonesia. We would be stoked to make the venture! Cheers,

From In Hydes Shadow.

Band members: 

Aaron Smith (VOX) 

Jack Marr (GTs) 

Lachlan Campbel (BASS) 

Jared Lean (DRUMS). 

Interview conducted by Collin Brophy