Carbonized Records Artist- Funeral Leech Interview up
1. This being your Debut album Death Meditation What are you looking to get out of it by fans and listeners?
I wanted this to be the next step in evolution for us. We took the foundation we made on our demo and fine tuned everything to finally realize our true sound.
I’ve suffered with mental illness and depression as long as I can remember, most of the lyrics handle that in some aspect. I found solace in music at a young age, and one major thing I’d hope to get out of funeral leech is that someone going through a dark place in life can realize that they are not alone.
2. I want to say I hear elements of Bolt Thrower, Incantation, Carcass, Paradise Lost and Cianide what bands influenced you ?
My main ones are Dystopia, Asunder, Amebix, and Autopsy. We don’t really sound like those bands a whole lot, but they shaped me as a musician. Rippikoulu, Demigod and the other bunch of Finnish death bands were definitely a huge inspiration for the way the band sounds.
3. NY has some killer Death and Doom Bands, what bands locally are impressing you?
Current favorites include Ruin Lust, Black Anvil and Bog Body. Classic favorites are Morpheus Descends, 13, Suffocation and the all mighty WINTER.
4. What is the theme behind Death Meditation and how does the album art tie into it?
It’s about coming to terms with our own ends. Realizing there’s nothing we can do to stop the inevitable, as Type O Negative once said, “everything dies”, we take that one step further. Death doesn’t only mean physical death, it could mean the end of one point of time and the start of another. With that, death truly is, a new beginning. The art represents meditating on that idea, while rotting away and being truly at peace.
5. I know very little about Carbonized as a label. How did you come to work with them and how has the partnership been so far?
We spent a long time in limbo with a record label we couldn’t come to final agreement with. We were left waiting to hear back for months at a time. After a while I finally said ‘fuck it’ and took matters into my own hands. I sent it to almost every label you could think of, one day I was voicing my stress to my friends Paul and Erika, and they recommended Carbonized, as their band just had done a release with them. I got in contact with Chad and everything fell into place.
6. Visuals and Aesthetics: how do they complete a band in 2020?
It’s not always important. But for us we wanted the album to be something that represents every aspect of us. And I think we truly captured our sound with Death Meditation. While we are not a theatrical band, our live sets have a meditative feeling to them. I think that very much is our vibe. I always love a good cloak and smoke band when it’s pulled off right, but that’s just not who we are.
7. Social Media, Digital Media and Podcasts how has this changed the underground in Funeral Leech minds?
Social media has definitely been a gateway for people getting into music. It’s nice to have everything you could ever have at the touch of a button. Growing up I’d just go to record store and listen to every record that looked cool to me, and pick up what I’d like. I still do that when I can so not a lot has changed for me. I’m not really a podcast guy so I don’t know much about that world, I just did an interview for the Realms of Madness podcast, so that was my one experience in that world.
8. I love the Gothic and Crusty overtones too . Were you fans of that Earache 90's sound always or did the band come to it over time?
We all have histories in punk and crust. We wear that on our sleeves and definitely don’t shy away from our punk roots. Crust punk was my introduction to Death Metal, so it’ll always be an aspect of Funeral Leech. The band has a very punk/DIY mentality. That’s always been there.
9. If you could make a proper video for what track would you want it to be created and what would it look like?
We’re not really a video band.
10.you have 5 words to describe the band to get the next person prepared to hear you for the 1st time. What words choose wisely?
New York City Death Doom
11. If the band members were not making music what else do you have in your creative outlets?
I write constantly, and take photos from time to time. But this band is the main outlet for sure.
12. Funeral Leech why this name and how does it fit your vision of the band?
It came to us in a long winded discussion about band names. It was catchy and stuck. I feel like it’s pretty grim and dismal which fits our mood pretty well.
13. How are the songs constructed, are musical ideas coming or does a vocal or lyrical Idea cause the spark of creativity?
Me and Zack create the building blocks for each song.
I have a back catalogue of lyrics I’ve written over the years, because I’m constantly writing stuff, even if it’s a general idea. I pick my favorites or one that i feel would work with the song we’re making and then rework them to fit.
14. Drummer being vocalist is a different dynamic. How does the live presentation change at all vs studio recording?
To me it doesn’t feel any different. Even when we’re practicing, if I’m not hooked up to a mic, I’m still doing the vocals, just so I can lock down placement.
15. Thank you for the time and any closing thoughts here.
DEATH IS A NEW BEGINNING!!! See you on the other side...
Comments