Malignant
Monster
“MALIGNANT MONSTER ROCK
SO CHECK ‘EM OUT!”. Although this title might sound ordinary and worn off,
sometimes there isn't a better and most complete way to describe and present
a band to the public. Malignant Monster is a band that has managed to find
the golden balance between the 80s thrash metal and the death metal (mainly
the melodic one). It's a band that having the right opportunities and the
right conditions can make a really strong impression, a sensation to the
metal scene and move this genre a step forward! Keep their name in mind
and support them. The rest is a matter of time and will take its course...
1. CONGRATULATIONS FOR “WELCOME TO YOUR DOOM”!!!!!!
IT BLEW MY HEAD OFF!!!
AWESOME!! THAT WAS KINDA WHAT WE WERE GOING
FOR, SO WE’RE REALLY PLEASED TO GET SUCH A KICK-ASS RESPONSE. THE TRACKS
ON THE DEMO HAVE BECOME A BIT DATED NOW AS THE’VE DEVELOPED A BIT MORE
SINCE THEN AND WE’VE BEEN BUSY WITH NEW MATERIAL. BUT YEAH, THE IDEA WAS
TO MAINLY JUST GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS OF WHO WE ARE AND THE KIND OF DIRECTION
WE’RE HEADING IN.
2. PLEASE BRIEF US ON THE BAND HISTORY AND INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES TO THE READERS…
WELL, THE PROJECT STARTED ABOUT TWO YEARS
AGO AFTER I WAS ASKED TO DO VOCALS FOR A MELODIC THRASH GROUP NAMED “MALICE
UNITY”. I WAS PLAYING FOR ANOTHER BAND CALLED “CENTAUR” AT THE TIME WHO
BROKE UP THE FOLLOWING YEAR. “MALICE UNITY” CAME APART WEEKS AFTER I’D
AUDITIONED, DUE TO PERSONAL DIFFERENCES, AND A FEW MONTHS LATER I WAS CONTACTED
BY, GUITARIST, JARROD, ASKING IF I’D BE INTERESTED IN STARTING A NEW PROJECT
ALTOGETHER. HE PLAYED ME A SONG HE’D BEEN WORKING ON AND I IMMEDIATELY
KNEW THIS WAS WHAT I NEEDED TO BE DOING. BY THEN I WAS PLAYING WITH ANOTHER
BAND, “PATHOGEN”, SO IT WASN’T UNTIL I LEFT THEM IN MID 2004 THAT WE WERE
ABLE TO REALLY KNUCKLE DOWN AND START MAKING THINGS HAPPEN.
3. IF A METALLER CAME ASKING YOU TO DESCRIBE FOR
HIM “WELCOME TO YOUR DOOM” WHAT WOULD YOU TELL HIM? WHICH WORDS WOULD YOU
CHOOSE? DO YOU THINK THIS DEMO WORTH THE ATTENTION OF THE METAL FANS? PLEASE
BE HONEST…
WELL, IT’S OUR FIRST DEMO RELEASE SO BASICALLY
IT’S A ROUGH INDICATION OF OUR GENERAL MUSICAL DIRECTION. IT DEFINITELY
POSSESSES STRONG TRADITIONAL THRASH ELEMENTS BUT THERE’S ALSO A UNIQUE
KIND OF UGLINESS TO IT WHICH, REALLY, WAS ONLY JUST SPROUTING AT THE TIME
OF THESE SONGS. OUR FUTURE RELEASES WILL DEFINITELY BE MORE DIVERSE AND
EXPERIMENTAL. WHETHER IT’S WORTH THE ATTENTION OF THE METAL FANS IS FOR
THEM TO DECIDE. ONE IMPORTANT THING I’VE LEARNT OVER THE YEARS IS YOU CAN’T
PLEASE EVERYONE. CHECK IT OUT AND IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT DON’T LISTEN TO
IT. IF YOU DO LIKE IT...HAIL! \m/
4. YOU WRITE IN YOUR BIO THAT YOU RELEASED THIS
DEMO JUST IN ORDER TO GET SOME FEEDBACK AND PERHAPS HELP YOU COMPLETE YOUR
LINE UP… SO, WHAT’S GOING ON THERE? HAVE YOU FOUND THE REST OF THE NEEDED
MEMBERS OR NOT YET?
YES!! WELL, WE’RE STILL LOOKING FOR A BASSIST
BUT WE’RE NOW PLAYING WITH AN AWESOME DRUMMER AND SECOND GUITARIST AFTER
A SLEW OF AUDITIONS. FUNNILY ENOUGH, THEY’RE BOTH FORMER MEMBERS OF MY
OLD BAND “CENTAUR” AND WE CAN’T WAIT TO START INCORPERATING THEIR INFLUENCES
INTO OUR MUSIC.
5. WHERE WAS THE DEMO RECORDED? WHY IS THE PRODUCTION
SO BAD? I MEAN WILL YOU FOCUS ON A BETTER PRODUCTION NEXT TIME IN ORDER
TO HELP YOUR SONGS SHOW THEIR VALUE IN A BETTER WAY?
THEY WERE RECORDED BETWEEN JARROD’S 8-TRACK
AND MY 8-TRACK AND MIXED ON MY COMPUTER. WE WEREN’T REALLY CONCERNED WITH
PRODUCTION QUALITY AS WE WEREN’T ACTUALLY INTENDING ON RELEASING THEM AS
DEMOS AT THE TIME. WE WERE JUST RECORDING THEM TO KEEP TRACK OF OUR MATERIAL.
IT WAS ONLY ONCE WE’D DECIDED TO START LOOKING FOR A LINE-UP THAT WE THOUGHT
TO SEND OUT COPIES TO ADVERTISE OURSELVES, AND WE’VE BEEN PRETTY SURPRISED
BY THE REACTIONS WE’VE HAD SO FAR. OUR NEXT DEMO WILL DEFINITELY BE OF
HIGHER-CALIBRE PRODUCTION.
6. ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS ABOUT THIS DEMO
IS THAT THERE IS ONLY A GUITAR, VOCALS AND A DRUM MACHINE!!! NO BASS GUITAR,
HOWEVER, THIS DOESN’T SHOW!!!! I MEAN YOUR COMPOSITIONS ARE SO FULL AND
CONTAIN SO CATCHY RIFFS THAT NO MISSING SOLOS AND BASS LESSEN ITS VALUE…
HOW DID YOU ACHIEVE THAT?
WE BOTH LOVE THE SAME THINGS ABOUT METAL
AND ARE STRIVING TOWARDS THE SAME VISION. JARROD’S A VERY SOLID PLAYER
AND HAS A VERY NATURAL FEEL FOR ENERGETIC RHYTHMS AND HOOKY MELODIES. I
BELIEVE I HAVE THESE ATTRIBUTES AS WELL, BUT UNFORTUNATELY I DON’T PLAY
GUITAR! WE SEEM TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE IDEAS QUITE EASILY WHICH IS DEFINITELY
A BIG PART OF IT. MORE ENERGY, LESS FILLER!
7. I THINK THAT YOUR MUSIC IS UNIQUE AND EASILY
RECOGNIZABLE. HOWEVER DO YOU THINK THAT BY ADDING A BASS, ETC WILL REDUCE
THE ORIGINALITY OF YOUR SOUND AND MAKE YOU SOUND MORE COMMON OR ISN’T THIS
AN OPTION AT ALL?
THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW DRUMMER AND
GUITARIST IS ALREADY PROVING TO MAKE AN ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE TO OUR MUSIC.
THERE IS SO MUCH MORE FRENZY AND ALL-ROUND DEPTH TO THE MUSIC. THE BASS
WILL HOPEFULLY ADD TO THIS FURTHER IF WE CAN FIND THE RIGHT PLAYER. I’M
A BIG FAN OF BANDS SUCH AS “SADUS”, “DEATH”, “OVERKILL” AND “ANTHRAX” (TO
NAME A FEW) WHERE THE BASS PLAYS SUCH A BIG PART IN THE BANDS OVERALL CHARACTER
AND SOUND. HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND SOMEONE WITH A SIMILAR MINDSET.
8. WHERE ARE YOUR LYRICS REFERRING TO? WHICH ARE
YOUR MAIN TOPICS AND WHICH ARE YOUR SOURCES OF INSPIRATION?
LIKE A LOT OF METAL LYRICISTS, I TEND TO
FOCUS ON LIFE’S UGLIER SOURCES OF SUBJECT MATTER. SOMETIMES FROM
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, SOMETIMES FROM FILM/LITERATURE OR SOMETIMES FROM
A BLEND OF VARIOUS INSPIRATIONS. I LIKE LYRICS TO BE BLUNT WITHOUT BEING
TOO OBVIOUS. I AIM FOR LYRICS TO BE HORRID AND NIGHTMARISH. TO WHAT DEGREE
THEY’VE BEEN SO FAR I’M NOT SURE, BUT HOPEFULLY THEY’LL GET A LOT WORSE
FROM HERE ON IN. IV’E GOT TO LIVE UP TO THE BAND NAME!
9. DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS FOR LIVE APPEARANCES
AFTER YOU FIND A STABLE LINE UP? HAVE YOU DONE ANY LIVE SHOWS THIS FAR?
MOST DEFINITELY. WE INTEND ON HAVING A
VERY INTENSE LIVE SHOW, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE IMPORTANT POINTS OF CONSIDERATION
WHEN SEARCHING FOR MEMBERS. WE’VE ALL HAD OUR FAIR SHARE OF LIVE AND RECORDING
EXPERIENCE AND WE CAN’T WAIT TO GET THIS BAND UP AND RUNNING. WE HAVEN’T
PLAYED ANY SHOWS AS OF YET BUT WE’LL BE SURE TO KEEP YOU POSTED AND HOPEFULLY
WE’LL BE ABLE TO PLAY TO THE GREEK METAL SCENE IN THE FUTURE!
10. ARE YOU SATISFIED BY THE FEEDBACK YOU GOT
THIS FAR? WHAT WAS THE BEST AND WHAT WAS THE WORST COMMENT YOU READ?
WE’VE BEEN BLOWN AWAY BY THE ENTHUSIASM
IN THE REACTIONS WE’VE HAD SO FAR. WE REALLY DIDN’T THINK OUR HOME-JOB
DEMOS WOULD BE SO WELL RECEIVED. THE BEST RESPONSE? I’M NOT SURE. BUT YOURS
WOULD DEFINITELY BE UP THERE! THE WORST RESPONSE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN
FROM A WEBZINE IN DENMARK WHO JUST HATED IT! THEY SAID WE’RE LAME, UN-ORIGINAL
“TESTAMENT” RIP-OFFS! THEY PARTICULARLY HATED THE BAND NAME. I DON’T THINK
IT’S A CREDIBLE METAL SITE THOUGH. THEY MAINLY REVIEW ALTERNATIVE, ROCK
BANDS. FOR EXAMPLE “ALIEN ANT FARM” RECEIVED A HAILING 4/5 REVIEW, WHILE
WE GOT A MERE 1/5. I ACTUALLY FINISHED THE LYRICS FOR A NEW SONG THAT DAY,
SO IT SEEMS BAD REVIEWS CAN SOMETIMES BE JUST AS INSPIRATIONAL AS GOOD
ONES!
11. HAVE YOU GOT ANY NEW SONGS READY? IF YES,
CAN YOU TELL US A FEW THINGS ABOUT THEM? WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO NEXT AND
HOW ARE YOU THINKING OF PROMOTING YOUR NEXT DEMO?
YEAH, WER’E WORKING ON A FAIR AMOUNT OF
NEW MATERIAL AT THE MOMENT AND BELIEVE IT TO BE CONSIDERABLY MORE INTENSE
THAN OUR PREVIOUS EFFORTS. OUR ARRANGEMENTS ARE DEFINITELY GROWING TO BE
MORE DIVERSE AND THE NEW MEMBERS WILL ONLY EXPAND THIS FURTHER. ON THE
NEXT DEMO WE WILL PROBABLY RECORD FOUR OR FIVE NEW SONGS AND INCLUDE RE-RECORDINGS
OF THE “..DOOM” TRACKS, THIS TIME USING A FULL BAND. THERE’S BEEN TALK
OF DOING AN INSTRUMENTAL TRACK ALSO. WE’LL BE PROMOTING IT MORE EFFICIANTLY
AND SHOULD HAVE A WEBSITE UP BY THEN.
12. IF YOUR MUSIC WERE AN EMOTION, WHAT WOULD
IT BE? IF IT WERE A PAINTING, WHAT WOULD IT SHOW?
THE BAND NAME STANDS FOR WHAT WE ULTIMATELY
WANT OUR MUSIC TO BE. IF IT WERE AN EMOTION IT WOULD BE A VILE BLEND OF
RAGE, PARANOIA AND FRUSTRATION. IF IT WERE A PAINTING IT WOULD BE A HORRIBLE
ABOMINATION THAT GETS SICKER THE LONGER YOU LOOK AT IT.. ULTIMATELY, THAT
IS. IT’S DEFINITELY BEEN A BIT MORE LIGHT-HEARTED THAN THAT SO FAR BUT
WE’RE WORKING ON IT.
13. WHAT TITLE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THIS INTERVIEW
THAT WOULD REPRESENT MALIGNANT MONSTER IN AN IDEAL WAY?
THAT’S A HARD ONE.. HANG ON! YOU’RE THE
WRITER HERE, BE CREATIVE!! IF YOU LEFT IT TO ME IT’D SAY SOMETHING LIKE:
“MALIGNANT MONSTER ROCK SO CHECK ‘EM OUT!” SO I THINK I’LL LEAVE THAT ONE
IN YOUR CAPABLE HANDS.
14. IF YOU COULD INVITE FAMOUS MUSICIANS TO PARTICIPATE
IN YOUR DEMO, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?
ANOTHER TOUGH ONE! OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD?
DAVE LOMBARDO, STEVE DIGEORGIO, JEFF WATERS AND BOBBY ELLSWORTH. THESE
ARE SOME OF THE MANY MUSOS THAT I’VE BEEN GREATLY INSPIRED BY OVER THE
YEARS. IF I THINK ABOUT IT ANY LONGER YOU’LL END UP WITH A TEN PAGE LIST!
15. IF TIME TRAVEL WAS POSSIBLE, WHAT HISTORICAL
PERIOD WOULD YOU LIKE TO VISIT AND WHICH FAMOUS PERSON WOULD YOU LIKE TO
MEET AND TALK TO?
I GUESS I’M MORE OR LESS CONTENT WITH THE
AGE WE’RE LIVING IN AT THE MOMENT. ANY FAMOUS PEOPLE I’D WANT TO MEET WOULD
BE MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS. I’D REALLY LIKE TO HAVE MET SALVADOR DALI.
16. WHAT’S, ACCORDING TO YOU, THE BEST AND WHAT’S
THE WORST PART OF YOUR MUSIC? WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU NEED FURTHER IMPROVEMENT?
THE BEST PART IS THAT IT’S OUR MUSIC. WE
WRITE EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND DON’T HAVE TO NEGOTIATE EVERYTHING WITH SOME
ASS-WIPE. THE WORST PART IS THAT IT TAKES US TOO LONG TO WRITE THE SONGS!
WE SHOULD HAVE A LOT MORE GOING ON BY NOW, BUT WITH A NEW LINE-UP, HOPEFULLY
WE’LL BE MORE PROLIFIC.
17. WHAT’S GOING ON IN AUSTRALIA? IT’S A BIG CONTINENT,
HOWEVER, VERY FEW METAL BANDS ARE KNOWN. WHAT’S GOING ON WITH THE METAL
SCENE OVER THERE? ANY GOOD BANDS YOU’D PROPOSE US TO SEARCH FOR?
CONSIDERING THAT QUITE A LARGE PORTION
OF THE CONTINENT IS DESERT AND WE’RE SO ISOLATED FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD,
WE ACTUALLY HAVE QUITE A THRIVING METAL SCENE DOWN HERE! BANDS TO LOOK
OUT FOR INCLUDE NAMES SUCH AS “PLAGUE”, “THE FUROR”, “PSYCHROPTIC”, “BLOOD-DUSTER”,
“DESTROYER 666”… THE LIST GOES ON (NOT TO MENTION, I’M ALSO A HUGE AC/DC
FAN!). FOR MORE INFO ON OUR METAL SCENE YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE “WESTERN
FRONT” WEBZINE AT WWW.WF.COM.AU
WHICH COVERS THE WEST AUSTRALIAN METAL SCENE AND HAS LINKS TO OTHER EASTERN
WEBZINES.
18. WELL, IN MY REVIEW I WROTE THAT YOU REMINDED
ME OF SOME BANDS, BUT I DIDN’T MENTION ANY NAMES. I EXPLAIN THE REASON
THERE, HOWEVER, IT’D BE INTERESTING TO KNOW YOUR MOST BELOVED BANDS AND
ALBUMS? LET ME MAKE A WILD GUESS… ARE AT THE GATES, DARK TRANQUILLITY,
THE HAUNTED AND SUCH BANDS AMONGST YOUR FAVORITE? YOU MUST LOVE BOTH THE
THRASH AND THE DEATH METAL (BRUTAL AND MELODIC) GENRES A LOT…
THAT’S QUITE BIZARRE YOU’D MENTION THOSE
NAMES BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE ALL BANDS WE RESPECT AND APPRECIATE
A LOT OF THEIR MATERIAL, I ONLY HAVE ONE “DARK TRANQUILITY” ALBUM, AN “AT
THE GATES” BEST-OF ALBUM AND NO “THE HAUNTED” ALBUMS! THERE ARE PARTICULAR
ASPECTS I LOVE ABOUT ALL THESE BANDS BUT OVER-ALL, IT’S NOT REALLY MY STYLE.
WE BOTH LISTEN TO A LOT OF MUSIC – EVERYTHING FROM PROGRESSIVE 70s ROCK,
TO 2005 EXTREME GRIND METAL AND BEYOND – BUT PERSONALLY, THE MAJORITY OF
MY AMBITION COMES FROM BANDS LIKE MEGADETH, OVERKILL, ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT,
SADUS, DEATH, CANNIBAL CORPSE ETC, ETC. BASICALLY, 80s/90s THRASH AND DEATH
METAL BANDS. I’D PROBABLY HAVE TO SAY THE SAME OR SIMILAR FOR JARROD.
19. THANK YOU! LEAVE YOUR MESSAGE TO THE READERS…
THANX FOR THE SUPPORT, STAY METAL AND RATTLE
YOUR GOD-DAMN HEADS!!!!!!!
Christine Parastatidou
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