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Interview Interrogation: Mauricio Basso of Weight Of Emptiness (Chile)

30/11/2018

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Chile on the western side of South America has always had a vibrant metal scene with some notable musicians and bands making their names known far and wide, with bands like Mar de Grises and Criminal ending up with record deals with European labels in Season of Mist and Metal Blade, it's no surprise that the Chilean Metal scene goes on with bolder and greater ambitions. Leading the next wave is Weight Of Emptiness, a Doom / Melodic Death Metal outfit who released their debut album "Anfractuous Moments For Redemption" last year physically by themselves and digitally through the British label Sepulchral Silence. It was then later reissued through the Mexican label Sun Empire Productions. Thus showing their never-ending attempts to explore markets outside Chile.

Drummer Mauricio Basso (also plays in the Melodic Death Metal band Letargo) agreed to talk to GMA about the band's history, their complex sound, touring Mexico and life as a Chilean Metalhead.

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"The main obstacle is that there is not much formality and guarantees for musicians in Latin America"


For those who do not know of Weight Of Emptiness, could you please give us a brief history of the band?

     "Three individuals from Buin (a town near the capital of Chile) plus two friends and musicians from Santiago gave shape to Weight Of Emptiness, all of the members came with experience from being in other bands, we came together to give shape to this new experience."


You've only been going two years and yet released an EP and an album, surely that's a dream start?

     "It has been a lot of work and focus, besides that it is not our only activity, but there is always strength for what we want to achieve and everything so far has gone well. It has been a lot of work these last couple of years."


Your debut album "Anfractuous Moments For Redemption" was released last year, what was the reception like?

     "It has been quite good from the public and the media in general, we are very grateful for that too. We have played many shows to promote it and the reception has been incredible, even with many interesting proposals going around."


You toured Mexico last year, how hard is it to tour Chile let alone organize a Mexican tour? What difficulties can you face?

     "Well, the main obstacle is that there is not much formality and guarantees for musicians in Latin America in terms of contracts and that kind of thing. Everything is based enough on trust and goodwill, especially if you're not very well known, but with great effort they put on a lot of shows and quite a few producers were interested in the band.

     In Mexico, there were also previous contacts with friends from a radio program there. It was an incredible experience, lucratively speaking it was not something important, but the experience was magnificent, the people were wonderful and there were very good vibes."


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El Hoyo restaurant, Santiago / Source: Bitacora De Mi Chile Blogspot

What would you say Weight Of Emptiness brings to the table that other bands have not? What makes you different?

     "In truth I think that influences that are not very common together in the same band can be something that distinguishes us, and the other thing is that we care enough about the sound and the effect it has on the perception of the listener."


How did you get into metal music in the first place? Are any of your family members musicians?

     "Well since I was little there was a lot of music in the house where I lived, the radio was always on in the morning where there were also radio theatre programs. My uncle's had enough vinyl's and cassettes with plenty of bands from the 70's and 80's era's, and that was what I was trained with. My dad is a drummer too and that's where the drummer comes from as an instrument of worship."


For those visiting Santiago, what sights / attractions would you recommend to metalheads?

     "There are quite a few shows of national Metal bands playing. Locals like the Oxido Bar are frequented almost every day of the week. I recommend Pablo Neruda's house, that has a very special vibe and is full of beautiful objects. There are also interesting museums and parks, the restaurant El Hoyo and especially outside Santiago there are interesting landscapes."


With 2018 closing up what plans do you have for the rest of the year?

     "A lot of work. Another album is waiting, a new process is coming full of interesting things, new people on this trip, presentations outside of Chile, video's, we hope to surprise you with this new stage of Weight Of Emptiness"


Are there any greetings you wish to send out?

     "A special greeting to all those people who take the risk of looking for new sounds and forms of expression and take them to extreme metal. Also to all the people who read your media I propose to know our band and join us on this trip. Cheers"

https://www.facebook.com/Weight-of-Emptiness-1689263718029727/
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Interview Interrogation: Count Marcel La Vey from The Heretic Order (England)

29/11/2018

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The Heretic Order are a horror-inspired Heavy Metal band dwelling in the mass graveyards of London, this year they performed at the revered and internationally-attended Metal festival, Bloodstock Open Air. They also released their second album this year, 'Evil Rising', guitarist Count Marcel La Vey stopped all cremation proceedings for the day and spoke to GMA about the band's haunting history, ghoulish gear and paranormal performances... OK enough with the horror-style puns.

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"In the UK there's plenty of bands that are amazing, they just don't get the chances that they should"


What does the band name The Heretic Order mean? Tell us the band's history.

     "Well it's the order... (you've put me on the spot there aha), it's basically the order where the four of us connect, we're the heretics.

     We've been around for about four years, the kind of music we do has a kinda classic metal feel to it but it's modernised, it's got an old-school feel to it but we keep it modern. We like the occult, history and so all the lyrics are about that kind of stuff, it's all dark subject-orientated.

     Funny enough our influences include the headliners tonight (Judas Priest) as well as Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, etc, so it's dual guitars playing off each other, we get heavy and doomy but we also have our small songs as well, there's a lot of variation in the music."



How was it to play at Bloodstock this year, what are the emotions in the camp like?

     "We're excited to play, it's not for a few hours yet and have only just got here, settling in and are looking forward to the show" (any nerves?) "Not yet, simply because of the rush we had to get here, just getting over that; it was a nightmare to get here... so hopefully the rain doesn't spoil the rest of the day for us."


Who is the go-to band member if anyone has any issues or problems?

     "We're all pretty good with each other to be honest, we don't really have the one person to go to you know what I mean? We all have the same feelings towards each other and are comfortable with one another, so there's no one particular person."


With the vast amount of international bands playing at Bloodstock, are you surprised at metal's global spread?

     "Nah, not surprised at all as music comes from all over the place and like any market it's usually dominated by one or two countries, one of them being America but you go anywhere in Europe; even in the UK there's plenty of bands that are amazing, they just don't get the chances that they should. Metal is all over the world, you just got to have the people to put it out there for everyone else or if you're very keen you can go find them yourself - there's plenty of bands I want to see that can't make it to the UK, so whenever we travel to their countries we try and see them, and they do the same (for us)."


What (if any) challenges does the London Metal scene face right now?

     "London has a lot of bands who want to play and get noticed, so there's a lot of competition in London, the trends are the same for us as probably across the country - you see it often in every festival (rock or metal), that every year the styles of metal are different. A few years back Megadeth played and now this year we have Judas Priest, it changes... but yeah London is quite tough, it's always the way it has been down there."


Do you feel Brexit will have an impact (good or bad) on British Metal bands?

     "It's going to make travelling across Europe a lot harder, we're just going to have to play it by ear and see how it all ends up, it's not going to be easy getting to Europe or to come in to the UK. We're not looking forward to it, but we'll find a way; it's the way it always goes, you want to go do something or get something done, you want to play or get your music heard, you have to find a way to do it and it's always been like that".

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City of London Cemetery and Crematorium, London

You supported Soulfly, what was it like playing alongside the legend that is Max Cavelera?

     "The guy's a legend, what can you say? He's got his family travelling with him, playing with him, the guy just has to open his mouth and the crowd reacts to anything he says. So it was great, we said a quick hello and all of that, great guys in a great band - it was a great night to play but also to watch the band."


Do you feel Social Media is still as relevant for bands, or is it overused?

     "Unfortunately it still has to be there, I say unfortunately because I'm not great on it but it's got to be done, it's part of the business so you have to do what other bands are doing, and get noticed doing it in a different way. Social Media is here to stay for a while longer.

     There's bands who of course will use it differently, different people equals different tastes, but for myself I think there are bands who do too much of it - I might like certain bands but I find myself just swiping through their stuff because I know they're going to have something else up in the next couple of hours again, or whatever, you can always go back and look.

      But it can also turn people off, so you got to be careful and play it right and hope you're doing it right."



After Bloodstock what plans do you have for the rest of the year leading into 2019?

     "We have a tour that we're trying to line-up, we got a few dates sorted out so we're trying to finish that for September / October. We're organizing a European tour for the beginning of next year and working on new songs. We've just released our second album "Evil Rising" back in June, but we're already working on our next album so whenever we get the chance, we're basically working on new music and tour dates."


Summarise Bloodstock in two words, and explain why. Any greetings you wish to send out?

     "'Real festival' - why I say real is because I like going to metal festivals and this one is the only one I really do feel is a metal festival; other festivals I have been to, they have some metal bands... I don't know maybe it's just my taste is changing - the atmosphere here is a different thing and whoever I speak to who has been to Bloodstock has said the same thing; Bloodstock is unique and hopefully they keep it that way.

     Just to the usual people they know who they are, I won't mention any names but I just want to thank the people in advance who will come to see us - make some noise for us when we see you tonight."

https://www.facebook.com/thehereticorder
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Interview Interrogation: Scarab (Egypt)

29/11/2018

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Scarab are arguably the leaders of the Egyptian Metal scene, and whilst they're purveyors of 'True Egyptian Death Metal', the sextet are always exploring new avenues in which to take their music down. Humbled by the past oppression seen across most countries in the MENA (Middle East/North Africa) region in terms of authorities viewing metal music as the 'devil's music'; watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDXqP49ZNE8, Scarab's origins start back in 2001 under their previous guise 'Hate Suffocation' from which became Scarab in 2006; carried on by three members (Sammy Sayed - vocals, Tarek Amr - guitars and Al-Sharif Marzeban - guitars/backing vocals); the original bassist Bombest left in 2015 and a year after that the original drummer Hatem El Akkad left.

Scarab are on the home run stretch in the completion of their third album "Martyrs of the Storm", Scarab spoke to GMA about the impending album, the current state of the Egyptian Metal scene, Rami Malek in the film 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and what to do when visiting Egypt.

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""The Papyrus Trilogy" (an era in Scarab that connected "Blinding The Masses", "Serpents Of The Nile" and then "finally Martyrs Of The Storm". That doesn't mean the end, it means a newer era Scarab)."


A lot has been going on in the Scarab camp with a new album and line-up changes, what is the current mood in the Scarab camp?

     "Right now, Scarab is dedicated to finalizing the album "Martyrs of the Storm" of which is proving to be a very challenging release for us. It has been a strongly initiative journey that is full of chaotic energies to put into order after immersing yourself into it in order to understand it; this has been the experience of creating "Martyrs of the Storm" until it has reached its final phase now at Noizz Studio in Cairo, Egypt.

     It is tricky to find the right people to work with, making music is all about energy and chemistry, it is a magical experience where we turn abstract feelings into something honest & real. During the making of the album Scarab had a lot of line up changes, and this is part of the challenges we met, we find that losing the members strangely relate to the title "Martyrs of the Storm" because really, being in the band during this album in particular is one hell of a journey that needs a proper warrior spirit within a storm of inner and outer forces to fight with, whether if the fight is with your own personal ego, or just indescribable events that happens during the process that feels like a hinder; but as we overcome the challenges, we realize that it is for the greater good of the album and the band, and for us on a personal level, as they say "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" and this is the whole idea of Scarab's concept for us, to constantly reinvent ourselves.


What can fans expect from "Martyrs Of The Storm" that was not present on the previous album "Serpents Of The Nile".

     "Martyrs of the Storm is condensed and has shorter songs than Scarab's previous releases, most certainly it is way more brutal and mature than anything we wrote before, and nevertheless more complicated in the sense of the ideas and energies behind them and how to musically & lyrically represent that in the most honest and effective way possible. The music is mostly written in collaboration between Al Sharif Marzeban and Sammy Sayed and we can pretty much say that we have now an artistic master piece that we are all grateful to be a part of.

     With our new drummer Amir El Saidi joining us on the album we have new energy that is really organic and honest, the drums were recorded in a studio called "El Warsha" in a magical place right next to the pyramids of Giza. The album features guest musicians from all around the globe that we are very proud to work with, and we want to make this collaboration as a statement showing brotherhood and unity of metalheads worldwide. We want to bluntly tell all the fans who feel Scarab, "Martyrs of the Storm" is a beast that we cannot wait to share with you, it is a real heavy weight that has a great deal of energies that we carry and cannot wait to let it out and share it with everyone! Contain your spirit as the storm is approaching!"



There seems to be a continual theme with the albums, 'of the' is prevalent in all three albums - do the albums relate to one another?

     "We didn't really plan it to come out this way, we channel the music and it comes out as it is supposed to come out, and then we start the construction until we are finished. The concept and the lyrics come after contemplation into the energy of every song and also the bunch of songs in the album as a whole, Sammy Sayed does this process and after the lyrical content is done we realized that there is a theme going on with every album. We analyse our music after it is finished to understand what it really means to us and so should every listener of our music decide for themselves.

     The common feedback we got was that "Blinding The Masses" was a prophetic album before the revolutions in Egypt, but we didn't really think of it this way, we were just channelling music and the lyrics were expressing how that music felt.

     On the other hand "Serpents Of The Nile", was kind of a surreal journey for an individual who is channelling wisdom from ancient forms of God and spirits, a journey of self-evolution being expressed through the music through the mind's eye of the protagonist.

     "Martyrs Of The Storm" deals with a completely different type of energy, it is dealing with cosmic forces of nature, it is the sound of a cosmic upheaval beyond the will of human beings. Every song in the album is a universe of its own all interconnected in a sphere of chaos that we organized in an album. We will leave it to the listener to interpret it deeply on their own because "Martyrs Of The Storm" has a lot more complicated depth and meanings into it whether musically, thematically or lyrically. We would say that "Martyrs Of The Storm" is the completion of what we call "The Papyrus Trilogy" and that this was an era in Scarab that connected "Blinding The Masses", "Serpents Of The Nile" and then "finally Martyrs Of The Storm". That doesn't mean the end, it means a newer era Scarab."



What is the current state of the Egyptian Metal scene? Strong? Healthy? Is there still an element of oppression towards metal music?


     "The Egyptian metal scene is getting stronger, back in the days we believe it was only us and a countable few who really wrote music passionately and was serious about what they are doing and honest to it, now there are many bands present and active; there is a healthier metal scene in the sense of better events that is hosting international bands, yet we still need more venues that can host this type of music in Egypt without breaching any kind of rules; everything has to be authentic and with full permits, just like any professional festival or show outside of Egypt. It is taking time, but it is getting there, we feel it."

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Pyramid of Djoser, Saqqara, Egypt. Built by Pharaoh Djoser's vizier Imhotep.

Speaking of Egyptian's, will you see Rami Malek in 'Bohemian Rhapsody'? Would you hope he would be able to put Egypt on the map for rock and metal too?

     "It is definitely great to see an Egyptian playing the role of one of our idols whom we grew up listening to, Freddie Mercury of Queen. It does Egypt a lot of good indeed. Of course we will be watching it in the theatres."


Can you tell us the meaning behind the song 'Circles of Verminejya', who created the lyric video also?

     "The question always rises, what does 'Verminejya' mean? Is it some different language or is it English driven? It doesn't have to have a direct meaning that one must analyse linguistically, Verminejya' is a realm within the aetheric abyss that is full of dangerous energies to deal with, and the voodoo energy presented itself in the music and then this energy was translated into lyrics, the lyrics are meant to be sung through the tongue of a powerful vooodoo warrior whom have tamed the dangers of this realm and made it work for his own benefit. We couldn't help but to proudly dedicate this song to the vooodoo culture of Africa. The song is only the tip of the iceberg, as every song in "Martyrs Of The Storm" holds a universe of its own. The lyric video is created by Sammy Sayed to represent as much as possible the proper meaning behind the song visually."


With 2018 not far from ending, what plans do you have for the rest of the year and into 2019?

     "We plan to release "Martyrs Of The Storm", tour and perform our music. There is a lot more going on in Scarab but we prefer to keep silent until we can share it with the masses. With 2019 knocking the doors soon we will also be working on recording our newer release which we have captured the road for."


For those visiting Cairo, what sights / attractions would you recommend to metalheads?

     "This is the hardest question, because Cairo / Giza has a lot of things to see and it all depends on your favourite cup of tea. From ancient to old to modern places to visit, we recommend the ancient though. For example visiting all the pyramids and ancient Egyptian tombs and temples, it isn't only the three famous pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, there is also Dahsour, About Sir, Zawyet El Eryan, Saqqara, also destroyed pyramids like the one in Abu Rawash. Basically, we don't want to get into details because it is too much to talk about when it comes to what you can see and visit in Cairo and Giza, nevertheless... Egypt itself, it is good you only asked about Cairo, Cairo and Giza are almost the same city by the way. One has to do a proper research before they come cause there is a lot to see! \m/


Are there any greetings, thank you's, etc you wish to send out?

     "We wish to greet and thank everyone who has been in the back of Scarab and supporting the band since the beginning, our fans and lovers we promise you an album that will pay this favour back 10 times fold \m/"

http://www.facebook.com/Scarabegypt
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Interview Interrogation: Murad from Dark Phantom (Iraq)

15/11/2018

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Metal music and war, the two somehow seem to come hand-in-hand at times and yet it's usually the war-ravaged nations that get ignored in the metal music community. How is it that bands across the world risk their daily lives to not only play metal music, but to survive the climate they find themselves in and yet barely receive little if any coverage from the more-established media? Dark Phantom are a Heavy / Death Thrash Metal band from the city of Kirkuk, Iraq. Having released their debut EP 'Beta' (2013) through the Swedish label Salute Records and their debut album 'Nation Of Dogs' (2016) through the Belarusian label Symbol of Domination Prod., (as well as an independent digital release), Dark Phantom are looking to venture onto greater things, become a beacon of light in the Iraqi Metal scene and show to the world that Iraq has another side to the country other than what is shown on the news. Dark Phantom are more than just a metal band, they are a metal band advocating the voice of peace.

Guitarist Murad explains to GMA the difficulties of being a metal band in Iraq, their plans to tour with their Syrian brothers in Maysaloon and why Iraqi metalheads burden so much oppression in the face of socio-cultural resistance.

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"(Metal is) an art and by this art we can send our message worldwide about how we are living in war and corruption"


For those who do not know of Dark Phantom, could you please give us a brief history?

     "Dark phantom is an idea that was born after the Iraqi war in 2003, when we listened to rock and metal music. Many bands influenced us, bands like Metallica, Slayer, Lamb Of God, Megadeth, and many others. The two guitarists Murad and Rebeen are relatives, they started playing guitar in 2007 and by practising decided to form the first metal band in Kirkuk. They began looking for other members to join; a bassist, drummer and a vocalist, they found them in University and through social media.

     After joining the band, we practised in Murad’s room as a heavy metal band and played our first show in Kirkuk in 2011. It was a good show, playing in front of more than 300 people even when the situation was dangerous in our city. After the show in the mosque during Friday pray, they spoke about our show and that a satanic band played music in Kirkuk and that they did a show. Because of this we stopped playing shows in Kirkuk as we were really worried about our lives and family.

     In 2012 we recorded our first EP ('Beta'), the record was bad because we didn’t have good equipment and there wasn’t any experience in recording, we played other shows in the north of Iraq in the Kurdistan region, because its safer. In 2014, 2 other members left the band, the drummer and the vocalist; the vocalist left Iraq because his brother was injured in a car bomb explosion, and the drummer said he must go to find a job. We found new members and a new genre that is more extreme than the old Dark Phantom. We recorded and released our first single and debut album (('Nation Of Dogs') in 2016."



It must be hard to be a metal band let alone a metalhead in Iraq? Can you tell us the challenges both as musicians and everyday persons face?

     "It’s definitely not an easy thing being a metalhead with the problems you’ll have to face just for simple things like having long hair, tattoos or just black cloth, these things are seen as bad and taboo in the national culture, and you're faced with bad words, a bad reputation and in some cases death or harassment. Metal is an excellent way to show a unique way or style to people who’re old fashioned and let them know that there are other styles of living and different ideologies from what they’re used to and that everyone is different in it’s own way."


How long has the Iraqi Metal scene been going? Some say Acrassicauda were the first metal band from Iraq, is this true?

     "It’s really unclear when or who was the first metal band in Iraq, but it goes beyond Accrasicauda however they were the first band who made some publicity and attracted attention."


What do your parents think of your music? Are they musicians themselves? How hard is it to obtain instruments and equipment?

     "No they are not musicians, they are normal people; they think we do satanic work and get angry about it. However when we explain to them metal is not satanic work, its an art and by this art we can send our message worldwide about how we are living in war and corruption, they understand what we do and they become supportive. About the music instruments and equipment, it's so hard to find good instruments and equipment here, we work and calculate money and order it from the USA; the cost becomes very expensive but we do our best because there are no other ways to get it".

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Kirkuk Citadel, Kirkuk, Iraq. Source: Kirkuk Now

Do you talk to other metal bands in the MENA region? Such as Maysaloon from Syria, Belos from The Oman, Nervecell from the UAE, etc.?


     "Yes we have a strong bond together and we’re usually aware of each other’s plans"


Arguably the greatest dream for Dark Phantom would be to perform in Europe, how far are you from reaching that goal? What plans do you have for the rest of the year and into 2019?

     "Arguably it is the greatest dream for Dark Phantom to tour Europe and the USA, and play with big bands. We are hoping that by 2019 we will be able to play at a festival or two in Europe. We have some good plans, but it’s too early to say and we also hope that we can go to Syria before 2019".


Are there any greetings, thank you's, etc you wish to send out? For those visiting Kirkuk, what sights / attractions would you recommend to metalheads?

     "We are thankful for everyone who stands beside us through our good and bad times, special thanks for those who support us by buying our album and who donated for our Syria concert , we never forget them, they are a part of Dark Phantom.
 
     None, there is nothing metalhead-related in our city".

https://www.facebook.com/metalbandIraq/

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Interview Interrogation: Charles Megino of Surrender The Thief (Guam)

15/11/2018

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Metal music undeniably has reached the farthest parts of the globe and arguably in some unsuspecting locations as a result. From Greenland to Zimbabwe, it's caught the imaginative eye of many and as a result have given birth to numerous metal scenes. But what about the more isolated islands on planet earth? One band Surrender The Thief, hope to finally place Guam on the map in the metal music universe. For sure the likes of Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia are perhaps considered the metal music leaders on this continent, but with new scenes in the likes of French Polynesia, Fiji, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea emerging, where does this leave the island of Guam? GMA spoke to vocalist Charles Megino about the scene's history, the band's plans (including a crowdfund to tour Japan) and the struggles of geographical isolation.

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"Most musicians here either commit to weekly bar gigs, monthly showcases, or stick to DIY recordings and focus on digital exposure."


For those who do not know of Surrender The Thief, could you please give us a history of the band?

     "All members of Surrender The Thief were / are members of other local bands. We all pretty much knew each other and came together to try and do something different with the local scene. In the early stages of writing and tracking, only myself (Charles), Joaquin, Julius, and Jonah were involved. As we got closer to finishing the album, we started recruiting members to fill the remaining slots and start preparing for live performances."


Hailing from Guam must come with difficulties, could you tell us what challenges metal bands and fans face on the island of Guam? How long has the Guam Metal scene been going?

     "Being a metal band from Guam definitely has it's ups and downs. So far, the response has been great. Definitely exceeded my expectations. Guam used to have a very diverse underground scene, holding strong onto punk, hardcore, and metal. As the years went by, the scene died down. High school bands were hard to find (when about 10 years ago, teenage bands were sprouting left and right). When we threw our CD release show for Wasteland last November 2017, it was basically a shot in the dark.

     We had no clue how well / bad the show would do, but we gave it our all. We dressed up the venue, hired a sound team and brought in some serious equipment. Our initial goal was to bring change to the scene, raising the flat standard to an entirely different level. That show ended up exceeding my expectations, as hundreds came to that show and had a great time. From what I've heard, many of the show-goers have been aching for a metal / hardcore show, so they had an opportunity to enjoy that as well."



Do you know of metal bands from neighbouring islands like the Marianas, Palau, Micronesia, etc? Is it expensive to leave the island? How would you go about touring? Gigging, etc.

     "As of now, not aware of any metal bands from our sister islands. Leaving the island is definitely the biggest challenge for bands here. It gets costly. Most bands here rely on weekly bar gigs, and if lucky enough, get an opening slot for concerts that come by. Metal bands don't come around here, so we're definitely not getting on one of those for a while (LOL). With that said, most musicians here either commit to weekly bar gigs, monthly showcases, or stick to DIY recordings and focus on digital exposure. A couple of reggae bands have toured the West Coast (US), but for metal, not recently."


Your planning on going to tour Japan in January, how well is the crowdfunding going? Who will you be playing with in Japan?

     "The crowdfunding for this tour has been going okay. It's a bit difficult to convince people to support your dreams (LOL), but so far, the response and support we've received have been great. We're only 2 months away so we've been pushing hard to make sure we meet the requirements. Not quite sure who we'll be sharing the stage with (as the local promoters in Japan are the ones to coordinate that), but we're stoked no matter what! We're very thankful that they were open to having us share our passion with their country."

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Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica, Hagåtña, Guam

You released your album 'Wasteland' earlier this year, what has the reception been like? Any attention from overseas?

     "The reception has been good. The challenging part would definitely be marketing. It's very tricky trying to catch peoples' attention with how many metalcore bands are out there now. For those who have heard the album, we've received nothing but praise. We've received emails and messages from Germany, the UK, Australia, the Philippines, and mainland US. All positive so far!"


Will the album be released physically?

     "Wasteland" is available on most major digital platforms: Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, Google Play, CD Baby, Amazon, etc. If interested in physical copies, we have a bunch that we'd love to mail out to interested buyers. CD Baby also has a limited amount of physical copies of "Wasteland" for sale."


For those metalheads visiting Hagatna, what sights / attractions could you recommend in seeing?

     "That's a tough one. Guam's economy is heavily reliant on tourism, so there's a lot to see. It's always nice to submerge yourself in other cultures to learn further about a place and it's people, so I'd probably stay within those lines."


With 2018 closing up, what plans aside from the impending Japanese tour do you have?

     "For now, we're focusing primarily on the tour. I'm trying to get in contact with more booking agents and promoters to land us some slots / shows in the Asian countries, so hopefully we get in on more of the action next year. We've also started writing some new material, so we may have another release by late 2019."


Are there any greetings you wish to send out to friends, family, etc?


     "To all of our loyal supporters, family and friends who have helped us get where we are today, WE APPRECIATE YOU! Our fan-base / support system is very important to us, and we couldn't be happier with what we have. Just know that everything we do, we don't only do it for ourselves, but for Guam's music community as a whole. Si Yu'us Ma'ase, Guahan!"

https://www.facebook.com/surrenderthethiefOFFICIAL/

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