Interview: Joe Letz (COMBICHRIST)

   This awesome dude is someone who's name won't need much introduction, not anywhere near the industrial scene anyway, in which he's insanely active! Joe Letz, drummer of Combichrist and Emigrate, and his awesome sense of humour are here for a chat with playdeadnation!

pdn: Heya, Joe! And thank you for taking some time for this. Firstly, please tell me, how was the name Combichrist born?
Joe: COMBICHRIST was Andy's conception, he was doing the band for a year or 2 before I teamed up with him on it, so that's really an Andy question. But I've been around him enough to be able to tell you that it was the name of a comic book character that he created. The idea of the character was that he was a "do-gooder" by day, and "evil do'er by night. He'd basically go out each night and get wasted, black-out and rape pillage and plunder. Then wake up the next day, not realizing he'd been the one on the warpath and run around trying to clean up the community and help everyone out. Pretty much a day in the life on the road for us.

pdn: I'm curious, at what age did you initiate your musical path? When did you start playing drums?
Joe: I was around 8 and I found out that if I wanted to learn to play an instrument that I got out of class for a half an hour a week. I was all about it cause my teacher was fat and yelled alot. So I guess I can thank her for being my first inspiration to start focusing my time and energy on music... THANKS MS. BOYLE! You're probably dead now. So, rest in peace Ms. Boyle.

pdn: What are the main things, subjects that inspire the songs and just the whole concept of the band? 
Joe: Well if you pay attention to the lyrics in the songs like "Enjoy the Abuse" and "Shuttup and Swallow", it's pretty obvious that we draw a large inspiration from the christian faith and the history of the women's rights movement. 

pdn: What are some of your musical, as well as personal further aspirations in life?
Joe: I've always just wanted to be able to play music around the world and to live comfortably while doing it. As my career grows older I keep meeting and befriending alot of the people who I grew up idolizing, and some part time collaborations are being born here and there. I really look forward to working a little more full time on some of these projects like EMIGRATE with Richard Kruspe, and nursing them to flourish.

pdn: You've played with numerous bands before Combichrist, like Wednesday 13, Mortiis, Hanzel und Gretyl, etc. What was one positive or negative memorable moment in your vesatile carreer, up to date?
Joe: How about playing at one of the most famous arenas in the whole world, in my hometown of NYC: MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.... but having played most of our set in the dark because the lighting guy that we hired for the event wasn't familiar with our set-up and blew up some of the lights!....that's both positive AND negative HAHA. I still have nightmares about that performance. They've replaced my "standing in front of my whole high school on a stage naked" nightmares.   

pdn: You do DJ-ing between tour; do you have any time left for anything else other than music, have any other main passion or priotity?
Joe: My son and my girlfriend.

pdn: You've shared the stage with many bands, including opened for Rammstein! What other bands would you like to collaborate with someday?
Joe: I wanna be invited on stage with Limp Bizkit to do guest vocals for the break-down in "Break Stuff" and I wanna play drums for New Order on a tour. I might also consider doing a little behind the scenes work for George Michael; perhaps some light wardrobe work, or something having to do with conveniently hanging around men's rooms urinals dressed like a cop.

pdn: What are Combichrist's plans for this year? Tour and new material-wise.
Joe: Andy has been spending like the longest time he's ever spent in one shot recording music for a video game and a new COMBI record. I've heard a bit of it, and it's really intense and could possibly shoot us off in a whole new direction musically. It'll really come down to how he finishes off the other half of the album though. I'm EXTREMELY excited about it.

pdn: Thank you so much! Anything you would like to add for your fans, friends around the world?
Joe: Thank you come again. :-)

www.combichrist.com
www.myspace.com/combichrist
www.last.fm/music/Combichrist

Zeromancer : new video!

Zeromancer's brand new vid released this month! Enjoy!

Interview: Matt Gifford (ENCEPHALON)

   Straight from Ottawa, Canada, this wonderful band called Encephalon will bring you some great auditory experience with dynamic vocals and club-friendly beats. In collaboration with Artoffact Records, playdeadnation brough vocalist Matt Gifford over for a chat!

pdn: Greetings! First of all, I would like to ask you, how did you get the idea for this name?

Matt: Heya! Thanks for taking the time to talk – In the Sci/fi RPG (and anime) Xenosaga the “Encephalon” is an incredibly detailed virtual world similar to The Matrix  where people can enter and experience an entirely different dimension.   In medical science “Encephalon” is the technical term, for brain.  Both meanings apply to our music because we strive for intelligence in song writing and to have a sound that is otherworldly. 

pdn: How did you guys meet and started making music together? Was it difficult to get signed?

Matt: Sam and I have known each other since grade 2 and have been messing about with synths, drum machines, and guitar pedals and stuff for almost as long – Alis joined up a few years ago, after she continuously impressed me with her artistic abilities and musical talents.  Sam and I always had a lot of bands but never took anything too seriously due to the fact we were raised in such an isolated part of an already isolated country (Northern Ontario, Canada) and had no hopes or expectations…  Eventually we moved to a bigger city (Ottawa) where there was actually an industrial/goth scene for once and that’s when I started realizing that the music we had been making for years but not playing for anyone was actually on par with (or better than) most of the industrial bands who were touring around at the time.  Getting signed would have come quicker if I knew more about marketing myself – I always had sort of a punk rock attitude where I thought social media and all that comes with it makes everyone sound like a sell-out-poser-attention whore and that it should all be about the music.  I mean, it still should be about the music but if you don’t get in people faces then some other more obnoxious band will just steal your spotlight.

pdn: If you could pick anyone, what artist(s) would you like to share the stage with?

Matt: Hmmmm I want to say Faith No More, The Cure, or Skinny Puppy but then I think it would be so humbling I would shrivel up into a raisin. 

pdn: Who are some people, bands that have influenced your music and motivated you in your path?

Matt: Well the 3 bands I mentioned above obviously.  One of my greatest influences to both my musical tastes and fashion choices is my cousin Christian McFadden whose band Vegasphere was quite popular in Toronto in the 1990s.  They were a glammy/industrial/rock band with excellent vocals and song-writing.  Their first cd was one of my first industrial albums and it still holds a place in my heart with NIN, Ministry, and FLA.  Knowing that it was made by someone in my family always made me want to learn how to do the same thing. 

pdn: How would you describe your sound in a few of your own words?

Matt: Depends if im feeling specific or not: Industrial, EBM, and Synthpop are all ok for broad simplified terms.  Or Post-Industrial-Electro-Alternative-Futurepop works too.

pdn: When will we be able to hear the next material?

Matt: We will release some remixes and one off tracks on compilations this year while we write our follow up.  Possibly even an EP later in the year.  I definetly plan to have the next album done for 2013.

pdn: What are Encephalon's plans for the upcoming year, and even further if such? Regarding tours and such.

Matt: We are currently planning a spring tour of Canada with some other cool Canadian bands but nothing is confirmed yet.  We also just got word of a potential opening slot for a fall USA tour with a really awesome European band who has been a huge influence to us, but I don’t want to jinx it so Im not saying who!

pdn: Thank you for your time! Anything you would like to add for your fans, any final words?

Matt: Thanks for taking the time to read all this!  Stay tuned for more at www.encephalon.ca or like us on the facebook! 


*Purchase The Transhuman Condition here: http://www.stormingthebase.com/encephalon-the-transhuman-condition/

http://www.encephalon.ca

Interview: Elmar Schmidt (CENTHRON)

   Harsh electro beats coming from Bremen, Germany, delivered by Centhron, towards the delight of our auditory senses, mastermind Elmar Schmidt is here to answer a few questions.


pdn: Hello, Elmar! My first question will be the usual one; how did you come up with this name for the band?

Elmar: It was an Idea of Jörg Herrmann. He thought it is good name and in my opinion it was! So we started.


pdn: How was the idea of forming this band born? Please tell me a bit about the very beginning.
Elmar: Jörg and me meet in a german club and talked about music. I was a Metalhead, he just for electronic music. I visited him to have a look at his synthesizers, he visited me to have a look in my studio. We made some experiments and we thought it could be a cool project.
So we started the first time and made the first Demo "Melek Taus".


pdn:At what age did you start making music and leaning towards the industrial scene?
Elmar: Oh, I started with 6 years I think, may be earlier. My father is a musician, I started with playing drums and piano. With 12 years I founded my first metal band "Execution", played drums there and had a great time. Industrial came late to me, I think I was at least 19 years old. My first bands I listend to were Feindflug, Suicide Commando and Kiew.


pdn: Who were some of the people and/or bands that have influenced you, both musically and as a person?
Elmar: I do not know really in music. May be Suicide Commando, but I tried to do it on my own. So the first album "Lichtsucher" sounds different in every song. I was impressed by Feindflug, S.I.T.D. and a lot of bands we played with. Especially Agonoize later, the showed me, that great bands could have a great character!

pdn: What bands would you most like to share the stage with, and what events/ festivals would you like to participate in someday?
Elmar: The best combination was the tour 2009 with Agonoize I think, but my dream is to play with Rammstein;-)


pdn: Would you ever consider playing a different type of music? If so, what genre?
Elmar: Of course:Death Metal! May be some Rock'n Roll.


pdn: What are Centhron's plans for the near future? Any upcoming material, tours?
Elmar: We are working on new material, I think we will finish it next year. We hope to play a good tour next year, may be russia again, may be america. We work on a lot things...Some european shows of course too!


pdn: Thank you for your time! Any words you would like to add for your fans, friends?
Elmar: Thank you for the interview, we hope to see a lot of your readers at our shows! Rock on!


http://www.centhron.de/
http://www.last.fm/music/Centhron
http://www.myspace.com/centhron

New Video: Miss FD - Moment Of Fade

Enjoy!

New Video: Blutengel - Reich mit die Hand

Enjoy!

Interview: ANDERS MANGA

   Anders Manga is an American recording artist, who creates music that takes you to another dimension, has a great deal of fans worldwide. His music can be labeled in numerous ways, but he likes to call it simply 'electronic rock'.

pdn: I will begin by asking you about artists that have influenced your musical career. Who were these?
Anders: I could discuss this all day because before I am a songwriter, I am a fan. There is something about putting on music that can conquer any stress or problems you may be having in your life. I have tried a few drugs in my day but I can say with honesty that nothing relieves my stress like my favorite songs cranked as loud as I can stand it. As far as what or who inspired me to make music, I have to say Gary Numan was a big one. I remember having the 45 record of "Cars" when I was 6 or 7 years old and thinking it sounded like aliens coming out of my speakers. It was like magic. I knew I had to have a synthesizer. Later I discovered Alice Cooper in my Mom's record collection and my life was changed forever. I have to say Alice is my #1 favorite after all these years because his music has been with me all my life and I just really connect with it. 
Bauhaus was another one of those milestone moments. When I was 13 or something, the movie "The Hunger" was on late night TV and as many people know, Bauhaus opened the movie with "Bela Lugosi's Dead", I was certainly hooked for life on Bauhaus and later Peter Murphy's solo work. I went through a phase where Slayer occupied my stereo in my teen angst years, but I was pulled out of the metal abyss by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds' "Henry's Dream" album. David Bowie, Roky Erickson, Pentagram, Pink Floyd, Coil, Black Sabbath are all among long time classic favorites. My music taste is all over the place really. On my ipod you can hear King Diamond next to Christian Death. I really drive people crazy with it.
As of right now, I am listening to Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats. I really love the occult rock resurgence and miss good deathrock so much!

pdn: You've had a constantly increasing success since 2005, up to date. What are further goals and aspirations of yours?
Anders: I have never done a proper tour so that would be something I would like to do. I only do festivals and one off shows. My aspiration are simple really, I just want people to listen to the music and hopefully inspire others the way my influences inspired me. It's never too late to realize your dreams so never stop dreaming.

pdn: Is there an artist/are there artist you would like to colaborate with someday?
Anders: Working with Bruno Kramm from Das Ich was definitely awesome. He is the coolest person alive today. Jex Thoth is amazing and I would like to work with her. There are really so many musicians I adore like Jinx Dawson and Victor Griffin.

pdn: What are the main sources of inspiration regarding the writing process of the lyrics?
Anders: This comes from many places and is normally a stream of consciousness. I think many songwriters will tell you that their best songs happened very quickly. It's like your mind is temporarily taken over by some spiritual entity and it just spills all out. The worst songs are the ones that you work on forever and try to force. It just comes to me and I feel truly blessed that I can do it. It is also something you cannot stop. Sometimes just out of nowhere a melody or lyric will just pop in my head and I have to go record it. 

pdn: Which is your favourite part, working in the studio or performing?
Anders: I have to say studio. I am definitely a songwriter before a performer. Early on before a show, I had to drink quite a bit to get over the nerves of performing but I did get over it. I definitely love performing but writing is what I love the most.

pdn: What are the band's nearest plans?
Anders: I am taking some time away from electronic music to get a rock album out of my system. Once that is finished, I should be starting on new Anders Manga material. 

pdn: Thank you for your time! Anything final you would like to add for your friends, fans?
Anders: Thanks for listening and if you are not listening please give it a try!


http://www.andersmanga.com/
http://www.myspace.com/andersmanga
http://www.facebook.com/andersmanga

Interview: Dmitry Darling (Suicidal Romance/ Freakangel)

   
   Freakangel is an 'alternative electro core' band described as such by Dmitry Darling himself, who was kind enough to share his thoughts with playdeadnation. He is also the mastermind of the duo Suicidal Romance. Both bands were 'born and raised' in Tallin, Estonia, and for me personally it was love at first audition long ago, in both cases!

pdn: Hey Dmitry! First of all, please tell me, how did you decide to name the band 'Freakangel'?
Dmitry: Hey! Well... it was actually fr0zen who came up with the band name. It is a nice play of words. Like black and white. I mean... every one taught to think that angels are sweet or something that should bring light... and then freaks... well... we are freaks, so it's kinda make sense... I mean... we just wanted to show that not everything in this world is like people are taught to think.


pdn: You have been active in Suicidal Romance since before Freakangel. How did you get the idea of having another band?
Dmitry: I was really young, sweet and wanted to play music that was somehow suitable for my inner world. I'm still sweet, but well... times are changing and one day I understood that Suicidal Romance is not enough for me. One part of me woke up from the sleep and started to ask for a solution... there was a choice to start making SR in a different way or to leave it as it is and began a new band. Actually, starting from Shattered Heart Reflections You could already hear that Suicidal Romance is not what it was before... and with our next album that will be released in December via Infacted Recordings I will show once more that I am not that young free willing guy that I was in 4-5 years ago.


pdn: What were the bands, who were the people that influenced you in your evolution to be the musician you are today?
Dmitry: Well... like I said before in 4-5 years I have changed a lot. When I've found out about so called “dark scene” I have started from bands that I actually never liked and still do not like but they were like a fresh air for me after my “metal” past... I could talk longer about it, but the point it that right now I'm listening to everything! There are no actual borders for my music taste. But if to talk about people that have really influenced me then Marilyn Manson and Alice Cooper to name a few.


pdn: Who writes the lyrics (in both bands) and what inspires them?
Dmitry: Normally I write lyrics for both bands. But for example lyrics for “Shattered Heart Reflections” were done totally by Maarja Korstnik who left the band right before we have started recording our third album for Suicidal Romance. For Freakangel debut album we did lyrics both with fr0zen, but on our new tracks I am doing them by myself as I have something to say. About inspiration... well... that would sound pathetic, but living my life day by day and my own vision on things makes perfect inspiration for me.


pdn: We are looking forward for the new Suicidal Romance album that will be released at the end of this year! What can you tell us about it?
Dmitry: “Memories Behind Closed Curtains” will be a third album with Suicidal Romance. With this album I tried to take SR to a whole new level, so maybe that's why some old SR fans won't understand my new direction on this album, but well... it's worth a try! This album is based around “destructive emotions” theme and was influenced pretty much by modern metal bands like Motionless In White or Bring Me The Horizon...


pdn: What about Freakangel, what are the plans for the near future?
Dmitry: Right now I'm locked in the studio finishing final touches on our second album that will be released in the beginning of 2012. Also pretty soon You would be able to witness our first DVD release that will be dedicated to all our fans! Very limited thing! So be prepared when it will hit the sales!


pdn: Your quite instant success brought you tours to several countries and numerous
significant festivals in this scene. Which is the place you would wish to visit or re-visit and play at, what country and/or festival?
Dmitry: We would be really glad to visit Kinetik Festival in CA one day or Resistanz Festival in UK! Revisiting ALL festivals we have played at would be really sweet!

pdn: Which part do you prefer in band activity, studio works or live shows? I bet each of them can be tiresome in some way, but fun in a different way...
Dmitry: Well... I kinda prefer both. I really like writing music... I like the process and the feeling of the new ideas rising in my head. But to be true, I can't stand mixing my own music! So I think it kinda makes a huge plus into touring activities. What makes live shows a bigger point of interest of mine!


pdn: Thank you so much for your time! Any message you would like to add for your fans? :D
Dmitry: Thank You, too! See You all out on the road!


SUICIDAL ROMANCE - MEMORIES BEHIND CLOSED CURTAINS
release dates:
16.12.11 INFACTED (EU)
FREAKANGEL - THE FAULTS OF HUMANITY
release dates:
11.06.10 ALFA MATRIX (EU/US)
03.07.10 DEATHWATCH ASIA (JP)

http://www.suicidal-romance.com
http://www.myspace.com/suicidalromancemusic
http://vampirefreaks.com/u/suicidalromancemusic
http://www.infacted-recordings.com / label
http://www.pluswelt.com / booking agency

http://www.freakangel.org
http://www.myspace.com/freakangelmusic
http://vampirefreaks.com/u/freakangelmusicPublish Post
http://www.alfa-matrix.com / label

Interview: Max (Helalyn Flowers)

   Helalyn Flowers is an eletronic industrial band from Italy, that consists of Noemi Aurora and Max. The duo has put together a sound of their own, combinig electro industrial with pop, spiced with futuristic features. The male part of the band, Max is here to have a chat with playdeadnation!


pdn: Hey Max! Please tell me, what made you and Noemi Aurora decide upon this name for the band?

Max: I came up with this name. It’s born in just one moment, that kind of ‘right’ moment you know… There’s no plan, no sit-in, no people behind a table. ‘Helalyn’ is an English archaic term for ‘hell’, but it was originally meant as ‘hidden’, ‘subconscious’ or ‘aridity’. If flowers can grow from arid and dry then nothing is impossible. This demand for freedom is the core of Helalyn Flowers.

pdn: Helalyn Flowers is clearly a puzzle put together by a lot of different pieces. What were your sources of inspiration in getting to the musical style and image you guys adopted?

Max: Both Noemi A. and I are huge fans of music and use to listen to a lot of bands, a lot of genres. In the same way we’re fascinated by specific visual approaches that we love to re- interpret and make ours. When we started Helalyn Flowers we were influenced a lot by Bjork, Miranda Sex Garden, Marilyn Manson’s “Mechanical Animals”, Rammstein, Korn, Faith No More and a lot of the Eighties Dark Music. We crossed all this with a synthetic and futuristic background, both musical and visual, incorporating elements of Glam Rock and Cyber Punk.
pdn: When and how did you and Noemi meet?

Max: We met almost 13 years ago because fate wanted so.

pdn: How did you two get the idea of working together on this band?

Max: I heard Noemi singing a lot of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal stuff and I was really shocked by the power of her voice. She never joined a band since her artistic activity dealt more with Contemporary Dance, Musical and so on. I came from 10 years of underground musical scene during which I played Punk, Hardcore, Thrash and Death Metal. I felt I still had to express a lot of me, so the very first embryo of Helalyn Flowers was born. We called the band “The Claw” and used to be a 4-piece band with traditional electric instrumentation before realising that nobody really understood what we were trying to do. So, we surrounded ourselves with synthesizers, racks, keyboards, drum-machines, PC and started to write songs. We didn’t give a fuck about limits, genres and scenes and just after 6 months our first “Disconnection” MCD was out.

pdn: If you could pick any band, who would you like to share the stage with someday?

Max: If I had to answer this question years ago I would have done an endless list of the bands that inspired Helalyn Flowers’s sound, like Depeche Mode or Marilyn Manson, just to name the first couple of main ones. Today, I’m less fascinated by this kind of things. I knew some of these bigger acts and shared stage with a bunch of them. And do you want to know what’s the backstage like? No smiles, no talk, no support. No nothing! I think this is the thing of the goth scene I hate more. Those people showing depression, hostility, coldness at any cost. Or contrary, bands that have fun only when they go junk or have some groupies around. I love sincere people, guys who are truly themselves and not a reflection of a fucking pose. The bands I would have toured with are all dead, and I’m thinking of Lords Of The New Church, Ramones, Nirvana… I’m here just for myself.

pdn: Are you guys working on any new material at the moment?

Max: Yes! We have a lot of new stuff and still we’re working on ever more new and fresh ideas. We don’t want to rush it this time. We want it to be perfect for us. It’s our third album and I think this is a very important step. I can say that it’s not “Stitches Of Eden Pt. 2”; it’s PURE Helalyn Flowers. We’ll give much more room to the electronic background and have very big guitars on it. We just finished the mix for one new song “Before The Sunshine” which will be released by Alfa Matrix very soon and that will anticipate the most Metallic Goth Rock of what’s coming forth.

pdn: What are the band's plans for the future? When will we hear new stuff from Helalyn Flowers? 

Max: At the moment, we just want to go on with the making of the new album and count on having it released by the first half of 2012. It’s possible that we come back in the UK starting from March.

pdn: Thank you so much for answering these questions! Anything you would like to add for your fans out there?

Max: Thanks to you for this pleasant conversation. I take the occasion to introduce my new solo-project named ‘The Wet’. Debut Cd out on 31st October 2011. Here I perform a very wild and primitive crossover of Industrial, Hardcore Punk and Thrash Metal with sonic references to Ministry, Slayer, Sepultura, Atari Teenage Riot, Skinny Puppy, Ratos De Porao and Throbbing Gristle. Enjoy here:http://www.facebook.com/thewetofficial
http://www.reverbnation.com/thewet
You can purchase a special package by visiting my official website:
http://www.thewetofficial.com/
Helalyn Flowers are deep into the making of the new album which will surprise you all!
Stay Tuned, STAY TRUE!!!


http://www.helalynflowers.com/
http://www.myspace.com/helalynflowers

*Find this article also on Tanz Die Revolution

Coal Chamber: reunion, with a new bassist

   Coal Chamber, a band which most of you must be quite familiar with, was initially formed in 1993 in Los Angeles, California. After a long journey with numerous turns, they have disbanded in 2003. Then in 2010, after some more variations, the band was talking about a reunion. Recently, in september of 2011, the band actually made this happen by joining forces one again, exclusively with the purpose of playing at the Soundwave shows in Australia. They wanted to reunite in their original form but in the end, it was for the best to hire a new bassist, so Chela Rhea Harper completed the line-up, joining the band as the new bass player. Dez Fafara, founding member of  Coal Chamber and current vocalist of DevilDriver, declared that this reunion was mainly for their fans who had never got the chance to see them live in the past.

http://www.myspace.com/coalchambermusic

Interview: Nathan Reiner (Third Realm)

   Third Realm is an incredibly awesome darkwave project from Buffalo, New York and it is the brainchild of Nathan Reiner, a guy we can all learn a lot from. Today he answered some questions of mine!


pdn: Hi Nathan! Please tell me how did you come up with this name for your project?

Nathan: Hello! I chose the name Third Realm quite spontaneously. It felt very intuitive at the time, and stuck ever since. For me, it represents the dimension that we currently live in. I believe that when we die, some of us travel to the fourth realm, a spiritually advanced dimension. Third Realm is not to be confused with the Third Reich, which was related to the Nazi rule in Germany.

pdn: Third Realm is your solo project. Isn’t it difficult to be alone behind all of it, doing everything yourself? Or do you get help from anyone in the process? Either way, the final product is simply amazing!
Nathan: Thank you! I actually find it quite liberating. I continue to create everything on my own; it’s always been a very personal process for me. I’ve learned so many things regarding production, mixing and mastering along the way as well. I recently added a few members for my live shows, but in the studio, it’s just me and my thoughts.


pdn: How did you get the idea for this one-man-band?
Nathan: I think it spawned from the idea, if you want something done right, do it yourself. I didn’t initially plan for it to be just me, but I realized early on that music was a form of therapy for me, so collaborating with others would taint my main inspiration to keep creating.

pdn: At what age did you decide you would like to be a musician?
Nathan: Probably around 15, I was fascinated with all kinds of instruments and computers, it felt destined to be.


pdn: What and/or who is your main inspiration?
Nathan: Life, death, emotions, art, thoughts. We are living on a planet of uncertainty; we don’t know exactly how we got here or what our main purpose as humans is. Still, certain things make us feel good inside, freedom of expression is important. Free will inspires me. Musically, artists such as Bauhaus, Nine Inch Nails, Diary of Dreams & Front Line Assembly inspire my creations.

pdn: There is a multitude of different sounds combined in your songs, creating diversity not only between the songs, but within them as well, which makes your sounds unique. One of the songs that first caught my attention in this matter was Manic Panic, what can you tell me about that particular song?
Nathan: Thank you for pointing that out, I pride myself on creating songs that cannot always be placed under one genre. Manic Panic is quite the experimental track, merging drum & bass elements with harsh industrial vocal approaches. It would be safe to say that lyrically, it’s based on an array of inner thoughts and emotions. In fact, ‘Love is the Devil’, the album that track appears on, is all extremely personal. I’m sure the individual who influenced the entire theme knows who they are!

pdn: One of the main subjects is clearly romance and different approaches of it. Is the general message your music transmits based on personal experiences?
Nathan: Absolutely, some of my songs are certainly fantasy based, but for the most part, most of my songs are influenced by some type of emotion, consciously and/or subconsciously.

pdn: How do you usually like to spend your free time, when you are not working or creating music?
Nathan: Anything that sparks my interest really, but you can often find me playing video games, singing karaoke or occasionally hanging out with some good friends at various clubs or concerts.

pdn: What is your motto in life?
Nathan: Remember the past, but live for today. Life is too short, don’t take things too seriously. Not to say don’t be responsible, but don’t get caught up in minor details that can frustrate you or make your life complicated for no good reason. Go with the flow, express yourself, and appreciate your friends and family.

pdn: Thank you so much for the answers! Any words you would like to add for your fans? :)
Nathan: You’re very welcome, thank you for having me! I would like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who has listened and continues to listen to my music. I appreciate it more than I can express. I enjoy hearing from you, and I still to this day do my best to personally write back everyone that writes me an email, message or comment. So keep them coming! For those of you who may not have heard, a new Third Realm album entitled ‘New World Order’ was released back in August, it features a cover of ‘Cry Little Sister’ from The Lost Boys soundtrack. Fans of my albums ‘Under the Black Light’ & ‘Love is the Devil’ will find familiar comfort in these new tracks. Thank you again for listening!

http://www.facebook.com/ThirdRealm

http://www.myspace.com/thirdrealm
http://www.vampirefreaks.com/third_realm

Orgy: death-pop, please come back

   American industrial/ synth rock- self-described as a 'death pop'- band, straight from L.A. That is the best description, considering the multitude of different elements put together. That is also one of the main reasons for the band's name, as lead singer Jay Gordon himself stated in an interview.

   Formed in 1996 by Jay Gordon and Ryan Shuck, soon the band was completed by Page Haley, Amir Derakh and Bobby Hewitt. Prior to Orgy, most of the members already had experience in the music industry, being part of other bands, like Rough Cutt or Sexart (where Shuck performed with Jonathan Davis), while Jay and Amir were producers at the same time, for the self-titled Coal Chamber album as an example.
   Their debut album called 'Candyass' was released in '98, which was an instant success with the song Blue Monday covering New Order, and Revival featuring Jonathan Davis of Korn, who had also signed Orgy to Elementree Records initially. They immediately started touring with bands like Incubus, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Love and Rockets...to name a few. Their second album 'Vapor Transmission' was released two years later, also with striking singles such as Fiction (Dreams in Digital) and Opticon. Obvious fact is this album was sci-fi themed, more than anything else. The band also contributed with songs for movies such as Zoolander, Queen of the Damned, and performed Opticon in an episode of Charmed. The year 2003 brought some significant changes in the band's activity. Shuck and Derakh put the grounds of their side project after coming up with ideas of their own during the writing process for Orgy. Named it Julien-K, but only in 2009 have they released their first album 'Death to Analog'. In their activity separate from Orgy they are also producing Chester Bennington's side project, Dead by Sunrise, while Gordon remixed Points of Authority for Linkin Park.

Jay Gordon started his own record label in 2004 and released Orgy's third and last album so far, 'Punk Statik Paranoia'. It is a bit different from the first two (which were more complex, sounded somewhat more distorted), having a slightly more mainstream sound, nonetheless it still keeps the band's original feeling that is not too easy to describe. If I would be to try anyway, I would say Orgy's sound is a fusion of melancholic, emotionally harsh, but well-defined melodic line with pounding, dynamic, electric highlights.

   After a big gap since 2004 and many different statements from the band's side in 2010 about a possible reunion, Jay Gordon declared that the band is too busy with their side-projects and such (he himself having a dubstep project of his own). but he will keep making material for the band and won't let it fall apart completely. This sounds rather promising, hopefully we will get to hear new songs in the near future. I personally hope for new Orgy material since it has been one of my favourite bands eversince I was 15, and they just never get old!

http://www.orgymusic.com/
http://www.punkstatikparanoia.com