MAYHEMIC INTERVEW – OLD SCHOOL METAL MANIAC ZINE (22-03-2023)
I, for one, have never been disappointed with South American bands and, more specifically, the Chilean scene has been providing us with plenty of excellent bands for years. What is even better, the Chilean bands are very keen on creating music deeply rooted in the 80s. If you ask me,
I will tell you these bands are just “stuck” in the golden era of metal and MAYHEMIC is a good example.
True, we talked to MAYHEMIC a couple of issues back but their latest compilation album: “The Darkest Age” as well as their future plans seem like a good reason we talk again with this exceptional band.
1.Hello and how are you? I want to say that this “The Darkest Age” compilation album is a good idea, indeed. You know, to gather up all the stuff and release it as one. And most of these songs aren’t easy to find (well, maybe except for the “Mortuary Feast of Skeletons” ep). Would you agree with me?
Doom: Yes, I think that it was a great opportunity to show all our music to people outside of Chile, specially our “No-Life” demo from 2018, that was only have two limited editions on tape released in Chile and a limited CD-R version in our country as well. I also think that is a good way to end this first years of our career before the release of our first full-length album, it’s like a resume of the first phase of the band.
2.“The Darkest Age” is a good “wrapping up” of your music up till present times. You know, some sort of a summary of what MAYHEMIC has achieved so far. Tell me, how do you see these five years of your band`s activity, in hindsight?
Noctumbra: It has been years of hard work, achievements, and some frustrations. You know, covid brought problems to all of us, and as a band, we faced it just after we lost two members, added to coordination difficulties, we lost practically two years. That aside, Mayhmic's activity flows like his music, fast and cutting off heads.
Doom: I think these years have been quite productive after all, except for the time of COVID obviously. But in this time, we have learned a lot and improved as musicians and as a band. I think that the learning we had with the former members of the band has allowed us to find ourselves more solid and stronger than ever looking to go further and further.
3.“The Darkest Age” stands for your fascination with early KREATOR (I am talking here about their first two albums). So, well, how much do you like KREATOR, huh? It then comes as no surprise that the said compilation features “Dying Victims” by KREATOR, huh? Must have been hard to decide which song to pick out of so many, I am sure of it!
Noctumbra: Kreator has been my favorite band since I became a metal fan, and of course, their early days blow my mind. In the beginning, together with Apocalyptor (former member) we started the band just as a kind of "tribute" to the stage of Kreator from the "Tormentor" demo to “Pleasure to Kil”, and under that framework the first songs were composed. Of course, since we saw in the band as a serious project, we do not allow to limit ourselves to being a "tribute", but the influences are always there (and more than surely, they will always be). Regarding the cover, it's just like you say, I would have loved to play all the songs hahahahaha.
4.Man, I will tell you that I find one thing totally amazing, I mean the fact that these days young bands like MAYHEMIC are able to play the music which is so heavily rooted in the 80s. To be honest with y`all, I wish KREATOR would keep playing like this too, no joke. Sadly, their music has lost its “vibe” so to say a long time ago. Does it imply that each and every band that want to become “commercially successful” need to lost their initial “character” – like KREATOR for instance, what do you think?
Noctumbra: This industry is very unpredictable at times, and considering how the industry has changed over the years, I wouldn't dare say that losing the initial identity of a band is necessary to get far, although I don't give a shit anyway because Mayhemic is going to keep playing the fastest, grotesques and insane shit there can be.
Doom: In my opinion it depends on various factors, it is true that there are styles that work better in the "general" public, and so it has been throughout history, for a while to be popular you had to play Glam, then Thrash, Nu metal and currently this more modern and melodic metal. But I also think that one of the greatest virtues of metal is that the underground scene has always been and will always be strong, thanks to that this type of more classic and extreme acts will always have a place among the fans. In any case, as Noctumbra said, MAYHEMIC will remain faithful to its roots, because what matters to us is to play the music that we like and not the one that others may or may not like.
5.How did you get interested in Teutonic metal? What is so special in this type of music and in KREATOR in particular that you, in result, decided to follow what was given to us on “Endless Pain” and “Pleasure to Kill” by Mile and his friends?
Noctumbra: At age 13 I heard Kreator for the first time (Extreme Aggression and Pleasure to Kill). It's one of those things that can't be explained, but as soon as I heard it, I knew that was what I wanted to hear forever and how I wanted my music to be one day. My obsession was such that what I did was basically try to find and listen to any shit that looked alike, and from there was born my attachment to the classic material of bands like Sodom, Destruction, Necronomicon, and even others outside of Germany like Sepultura and Vulcano. Obviously, the most representative banner is raised by the Germans. I imagine that many young bands follow this path because in general, the songs are not so difficult to play and are very natural when composing them, in my case, the initiative is only because I am obsessed with that material.
6.Is this KREATOR`s energy that’s so alluring or what?
Noctumbra: It’s Ventor’s fault hahaha
7.Ok, enough of “The Darkest Age” - let’s talk about your forthcoming full-length (?) album, which is to be out this year. Please elaborate on this topic a little. Is it coming to be a real full-length or maybe something shorter, like an MLP? Which label is going to release this stuff?
Doom: Our next material will be Mayhemic's first full-length which will be released this year. It will be titled "TOBA" and will feature eight new songs in the vein of our previous material "The Last Judgement / Volcanic Blast) of 2021, but faster, more varied, dark and explosive than everything before. The album will be released by Sepulchral Voice Records of Germany, which is giving us tremendous support to make this album possible.
8.Ok, to create music is one thing, but to play it live is another. Where do you guys plan to play live this year? Any chance we can see you guys in Europe or Poland?
Doom: Our plan this year is to play as much as possible in Chile and travel the next year. The plan is in fact to make a European tour in 2024, we do not know yet if we will pass through Poland, but it would be great to do it
9.According to Metal Archives, you guys are busy with other bands too. So, do you have any free time for other things at all (beside music, of course?)
Noctumbra: I don't usually have a lot of free time. I am a professional Software Developer by day and a professional beer drinker by night (by day too).
Doom: The only band I'm in besides Mayhemic it’s one called Deviants, Noctumbra and Magelis are in the band too, but it’s more like a studio project, so it doesn’t really takes me a lot of time. Beside music I am studying psychology, that takes the biggest part of my time. I really like cinema and comic books as well, so I always find an space for that too. I also design flyers and cassette’s layouts as extra work.
I would say your music is getting more and more popular, so any chance “The Darkest Age” will be re-released on vinyl? Any palpable interest from the labels in this matter, huh?
Doom: Not only is it possible, but it will come out relatively soon. Sepulchral Voice Records will be releasing this year the vinyl edition of "The Darkest Age" featuring the original art of "The Final Judgement / Volcanic Blast" by Bastián Velasquez of the band Deathsvn.
10.The Chilean scene is so rich in bands…and awesome music; what is the reason, if I may ask, for your country to have so many excellent groups? And one more thing, Chilean music is so deeply rooted in the 80s. Damn, it all sounds like it was composed and performed 30 years ago. How’s it possible, tell me man?
Noctumbra: We're in a shitty country, we live angry, and we make angry music accordingly. It's good that you like bands here, the truth is that there is a lot of movement, as well as great bands, going to live underground shows is always fun because of that, and many of our favorite bands in the world are right here!!!! The truth is that there is everything, you have thrash bands influenced by that eighties sound that we like so much, and others influenced by more modern sounds.
For years, tape-trading, beside live shows, has been considered to be the best way to promote band`s music, yet, these days thanks to the internet, access to music is more than easy. But there is a downside to it as well since there have been plenty of garbage bands who use the internet to become visible/present. If you ask me it is irritating that there are so many bands who are not ready to release their full-length albums yet they do, coz, lo and behold, it’s become so easy to record and release albums. Resultingly, plenty of shitty, worthless music is spawned. So, what do you think? Is the internet a good thing when it comes to promotion or just the very opposite? This easiness of access, in fact, kills music, hey?
Doom: I think that the internet itself is neither good or bad in that sense, it is just one more tool. It is also a double-edged sword, in case your work is crap, it is normal for the internet to let you know or ignore you. Perhaps the biggest problem of promoting through the internet is the oversupply that this generates, but I do not think it is killing music, on the contrary, very good bands have been able to become better known thanks to the internet and that is a positive point.
11.Thanks a lot for your answers. Anything to add for your die-hard fans? Take care.
Doom: Thank you for your support! Keep in touch because they are big news coming this year!! METAL!!!!
Noctumbra: THHRRRRRRRAAAAAAAARASHHHHHHHHHHH
Interview conducted NecronosferatuS
Poprawiony (czwartek, 30 marca 2023 07:40)