Zero Delorean in action

Posted on Dec 31, 2005

by AvNatten

A good horror-punk band is hard to come by. Utah's Diemonsterdie are doing their part though to keep the genre alive, or dead alive so to speak. Combining the classic sounds of originators The Misfits with a touch of metal keeps this band of the damned interesting. Come along as vocalist/guitarist Zero Delorean fills us in on the bands latest happenings and tells us what fuels his zombie filled world.

 

Please introduce yourself and tell us what your role in Diemonsterdie is?

Hailz mortals, I am called Zero Delorean and I am the lead vocalist and guitarist for Diemonsterdie.

Will you please introduce your bandmates and tell us a little about them?

I am honored to introduce my comrades the inimitable Meatwhistle on drums, bass by former CIA master spy Raven Blades and millionaire playboy Mercury Rising on lead guitar.

How did Diemonsterdie come to exist?

Raven, Meatwhistle and I had been knocking around in bands locally for years. We had all been together in a band called Casa Diablo for a few years but that band eventually split up. We find that the chemistry we have when making music is hard to come by. For us, the magic just wasn't there when we played in other bands. In 2002 the three of us found ourselves creating a new band and a year later adding a fourth member on lead guitar.

What were your intentions when you formed the band?

Diemonsterdie set out to make a band where we held nothing back. Visually we wanted the band to stand out, to make it so the audience could not look away while we performed. We wanted to command their attention and people love a spectacle, so that's what we sought to deliver with the masks, costumes, blood and props. A bit of KISS here, some Alice Cooper there you know? Our song lyrics had mostly been of horrific nature in Casa Diablo, so the songs practically wrote themselves once the band found a thematic focus in horror.

How has the band changed and evolved from the beginning until now and on each of your albums?

Everything just keeps getting better! The masks and costumes are much better looking now than in the beginning with Raven's appearance changing the most of all. My God, if you could only see the photos of those early, early days. The band's look is very sharply focused now, as we have all taken on an alternate personality. The songwriting improves constantly as well.
Our first album "What Is Shall Always Be" was recorded for very little money in very little time, in a damp basement rehearsal space. We were excited about the band and eager to get something out there for people to hear. I had a very different vocal style at that time, more like Motörhead or GG Allin with more throat and gravel and less actual singing. Musically it was more punk sounding.
Diemonsterdie added a fourth member on lead guitar called LaVerne LaVey for the recording of our second album "Honor Thy Dead". We recorded it in a professional studio called Boho Digitalia and vocally I sang more, gargled less. Background vocals were improving and musically the band was tighter with LaVerne's guitar style adding some heavy metal influences to the brew.
We returned to Boho Digitalia to record "Only The Dead Will Survive", this time with master-axeman Mercury Rising on lead guitar. Mercury's style is a lot more rock n' roll than metal so this is one horror rock album that ROCKS! Great solos, songwriting and melodies with tons of hooks!

Why did you choose Diemonsterdie as your band name?

Diemonsterdie was a name that came to me while still in Casa Diablo. I always thought that if Casa ever broke up I'd like to do a horror band called Diemonsterdie that was completely over the top. Next thing I knew I had my chance. The name seemed perfect for a horror band and brings to mind images of the classic horror era. It's almost as if I plucked the complete concept right out of the atmosphere via the metal plate in my head.

Anything new going on in the world of Diemonsterdie?

Diemonsterdie has a lot of good stuff coming up in the near future. We plan to begin recording a new album early in 2006 and this time we want to include a bonus DVD packed full of live footage, interviews, behind the scenes extras, short films, music videos, photo gallery and anything else we can fit on the disc.
We are appearing on "The Horror Of It All Volume Two" compilation series by Doctor Cyclops Records. There's 32 outstanding horror bands on a 2-CD set so watch for it to come out by the end of December 2005.
We are going to re-release our album "Honor Thy Dead" which has been out of print for quite some time.
Diemonsterdie's albums are becoming more and more available thanks to our distribution through Cargo Music. In the U.S. you can find them in any Hot Topic store, which is a good-sized chain and if it's not available in your local store you can ask them to order it in for you by calling Cargo tollfree.
We're in the process of overhauling our www.diemonsterdie.net website with an all-new look.
The band is currently arranging some U.S. tour dates for the spring of 2006 as well.

What inspires the songs you write?

Often inspiration strikes after I've forgotten to take my anti-psychotic medication for a few days and the voices return. Lyrically, inspiration comes from the darker side, horror movies, real life tragedies, any idea that tells an interesting story with a touch of sadness. We'll usually try and keep a bit of dark humor while weaving tales of lost love, doomed journeys or classic monsters. We find this subject matter to fit well with the driving beats and power chords of good old punk rock n' roll.

Is there a main songwriter in the band or is the task shared by all members?

Zero writes almost all of the lyrics. As the band has evolved the music itself has become a more collaborative effort. Meatwhistle wrote a great deal of the lyrics and music for our song 'Gravedigger Girl' and for our upcoming album the fans will be treated to a track with lyrics and lead vocals by our bassist Raven Blades.

Do you have to be in a certain mood to write the lyrics?

We always have the music first so I have the melody in mind along with the song's concept and arrangement. On occasion the ouija board has given me good ideas for lyrics but the majority of the lyrics are written while I'm working on things other than music, beyond that no certain mood is required. I'll be going over lyrics in the back of my mind and my subconscious will produce a line or two that I'll jot down. I get the bulk of the lyrics in this manner, then I'll usually sit down and consciously finish the last couple of lines. Some songs are finished quickly while others will be nothing more than a chorus and gibberish for months. It's very "stream of consciousness".

Can you please explain the meaning of your names and what inspired the costumes you wear?

When forming Diemonsterdie we wanted everyone to have names that screamed rock n' roll. Take Zero Delorean for example: A stainless-steel sports car forever associated with cocaine plus a number for a first name equals rock n' roll.
Meatwhistle once had a first name but it was quickly shortened to simply Meatwhistle because Meatwhistle just rolls off the tongue, Like Cher.
Raven Blades: Raven was chosen in tribute to our bassist's gothic comrades while Blades represents his dedication to heavy metal. Put the two together and you wonder if Raven Blades takes himself seriously or with tongue in cheek.
Mercury Rising is a red-hot guitarist and the new guy in the band. His name reflects his personality and position.
Costumes? What costumes? Zero and Mercury were designed along the lines of heavy metal stagewear with S&M undertones which combines nicely with the monster masks. Most times Zero remains shirtless, all the better to show off the massive quantities of blood he spews onstage. Meatwhistle went for a butcher/troll in the crawlspace motif while Raven is classic zombie from the grave.

How would you explain your music to someone who has never heard Diemonsterdie before?

We sound nothing like Slipknot!!! Our music celebrates the sure certainty of Death's cold hand. We tap into the human being's fascination with its own mortality and the myriad ways it can meet its end. For Diemonsterdie, death is only the beginning and this concept has found its way into many of our songs. We strive to bring a good time feeling to the darkest of subjects. Describe it as straight ahead rock n' roll with a fixation on horror. Short upbeat songs, clear vocals, aggressive guitars and sing-a-long choruses loaded with hooks. Often we touch upon various genres like heavy metal, country western, punk rock and gothic while retaining our core sound. Hopefully you will recognize you're listening to Diemonsterdie regardless of which song is playing. Our lyrics are almost all horror stories or twisted love songs.

What would you like to happen in the future for the band?

We'd like to begin touring much more extensively than we've been able to do until now. Not only the U.S. but also the U.K., Europe, and Japan. Hell, Australia too if there's a demand there. We'd like to expand our line of merchandise, I think Diemonsterdie would be ideal for a line of action figures. Mostly we'd like to be monsters full time without the hassles of day jobs and living from one paycheck to the next. We are going to continue making albums and growing our Doctor Cyclops Records label until it achieves monolithic proportions. It would be nice to someday afford a solid gold piano bar next to my olympic sized swimming pool. Maybe someday we'll make a Diemonsterdie movie....

Throughout the years has the line-up remained the same or have there been changes?

Diemonsterdie's line-up had been very stable from the start. We began as a three-piece band- Zero, Meatwhistle and Raven and recorded the album "What Is Shall Always Be". Following this we added a fourth member named LaVerne LaVey then recorded the album "Honor Thy Dead". Our reasoning for adding a second guitarist was that it's more entertaining to watch us perform with a lead singer who's not always tied down to one spot by a guitar and microphone stand. LaVerne eventually split from the band and currently is trying to get LaVerne LaVey's Inferno off the ground. About two years ago we added Mercury Rising to take over LaVerne's position with the band and it's with him that we recorded "Only The Dead Will Survive". We don't foresee any additions or changes to the line-up in the future.

Are you pleased with your newest album and is it what you hoped for?

Overall we are very pleased with the new album. It was recorded on a tight budget so there wasn't much room for errors, just two or three takes per song until we'd tracked them all then overdubs and minor fixes. Last, we recorded vocals and backups song by song. After that, mixing and mastering. We were very well-rehearsed for this recording session. Total studio time from start to finish was less than 48 hours and when you record in this fashion there will always be some things you wish you'd done differently. In hindsight, for this latest album I'd have liked a somewhat more aggressive guitar sound and maybe a few more vocal effects. I thought our backing vocals and harmonies turned out much better than we expected, however.

Are you surprised by the fans response to the track 'Gravedigger Girl'?

'Gravedigger Girl' has become a fan favorite, especially among the ladies which was a bit of a surprise. You know you have a good song on your hands when the girls crowd to the front to sing along and don't mind that they're surrounding a wet, bloody skeleton. Some girls even started wearing white to our shows just so they could show off the blood. Meatwhistle wrote the bulk of the music for 'Gravedigger Girl' on bass guitar the rest of us contributed bits and pieces. The lyrics are a collaboration between Meatwhistle and Zero.

Are you mostly influenced by punk bands or are there any metal bands that have influenced you as well?

Absolutely we have many metal influences. The intro to 'When Dead Things Rise Again' is a tip of the hat to Slayer while theatrical acts like KISS, Alice Cooper and King Diamond are who we look to regarding stage presence. We like Misfits and Cheap Trick a lot for their fantastic song hooks. Meatwhistle and Zero are metalheads at the core so subconsciously there's a huge number of bands that influence us. When it comes down to actually writing, we let the song take its own path and it's almost telepathic. We all connect so completely it is as though the song was writing itself. We aren't trying to emulate any other bands' sound.

Are there any bands in the horror-punk or horror-metal genres that you are particularly fond of?

I truly enjoy both the Danzig-era and Graves-era Misfits, Balzac are fantastic, the grandmaster of horror rock Alice Cooper, The Rosedales, Lizzy Borden, Others, The American Plague, Impaler, Samhain, Danzig, Creepersin, The Other, Crimson Ghosts, Graves, King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Venom, Sigh, Left For Dead, Wednesday 13 and The Murderdolls, Dr. Chud's X-Ward, Maldore and Gorthicon, Calabrese, Nim Vind... I know some of these are more satanic than horror-oriented but I feel that satanism is another facet of the horror genre so there you go.

What bands have had the biggest influence on you and how?

KISS for their unmatchable live show, they were like superheroes brought to life. From there I discovered Alice Cooper, another master of the live show. Alice has a knack for disturbing, intelligent lyrics with a twist of dark humor. GG Allin taught us that some times one can go so far out there you never return. No one was more extreme and self destructive than GG, he was a living horror. Ramones for demonstrating that simple songs still kick ass. You don't need to be a virtuoso player to write good music. Mercyful Fate was the most evil music I had ever heard at the time thanks to King's unique vocal style. Slayer for being the fastest, hardest band ever. These guys never compromise and they right appealingly satanic lyrics. Black Sabbath from Ozzy to Ian Gillian always delivered quality, heavy records. Misfits because my first introduction to them was an article in an old skate magazine. It went on to tell how at a show, Jerry beat someone to death with his bass guitar because the guy was hitting him with full beer cans from the audience. When a young man reads something like that he's just got to hear what the band's music is like. As it turns out their whole image and sound appealed to me.

Have you played many shows? What are they like and do you get a good response from the crowd?

We've played numerous shows, attendance is predictably good and the crowd response is always enthusiastic. Even in the early days the crowds were very responsive. We try to pack as much visual spectacle as possible into each performance with lots of blood, severed heads, the audience singing along with the choruses, mood lighting and a sky-blue rotary telephone for contacting Satan. Between all this and the costumes and the music, a good time for all is practically guaranteed. The ladies sometimes approach the front of the stage and mob Zero so they get all bloody. This is most common during the summer months when everyone wears less clothing.

Any Particular shows that stand out?

One show that stands out is the first time we performed without Zero playing guitar. It was a themed Christmas party with several hundred people in attendance. The theme was pimps and hookers, so all the women were running around in lingerie. Eventually a bunch of the ladies got onstage to gyrate and sing backups. LaVerne had skipped town earlier that month so we had a friend filling in for him on guitar. We were pressed for time so I didn't set up the second guitar rig, I just worked the crowd as a frontman and the response was amazing. Our legend began growing quickly after this show.
We once performed at an upscale venue in a ski resort town where the audience was very into the show. It was a 9 band showcase and you wouldn't think these were the kind of people who'd like what we do but Park City surprised us. That happens a lot, we have fans from every walk of life.
We were the opening act for Graves once and they were very good live, but also very unfriendly.
The Dave Brockie Experience was cool guys, we talked with Dave himself after the show about music and costumes and he was extremely cool and intelligent.

How was it to share the stage with Jerry Only?

Jerry Only is one of the nicest people I've ever met. It was his suggestion that I get Zero onstage to sing 'Dig Up Her Bones' and it was an unbelievable experience to get to do that in front of an audience from my home town. It was surreal to be onstage with Jerry Only, Marky Ramone and Dez Cadena all at the same time. Jerry is a guy who totally loves performing plus he's completely accessible to his fans after the show. He stays out there until the last picture is taken and the last autograph signed and everyone goes home happy. He truly is a class act.

Do you have any funny or interesting stories from the road that you would like to share?

During the summer of 2004 we drove to Las Vegas to perform at the Antidote Records Horrorfest with somewhere around 15 other horror bands from across the nation. Diemonsterdie arrived and within three hours our trailer was broken into in the brightly lit casino parking lot and we were robbed of most of our gear and the Zero costume. We moved Hell and Earth to borrow enough equipment to perform our set and also create a substitute costume. Sadly it was only to find that this show had received no promotion whatsoever. Other than the members of the bands there was on one there at all. No one. Like maybe between 2 and 5 paying customers and the club employees. Anyone who stumbled across the show by accident was scared off by the $20 admission price. The next morning we went to leave Vegas and found the vehicle had been broken into in the brightly lit casino parking lot and the stereo, CDs, Raven's costume, tools and anything else of value was stolen. Las Vegas will eat you alive.
There was another gig where a Sea Hag who was missing one of her front teeth was all over Zero like a dog on a bone. We have video of her pulling Zero right over backward onto the floor while he struggled to escape with no place to run.
We had a large banner with our logo on it stolen after a show recently. We had written it off as gone forever until more than a month later. Some friends of Diemonsterdie were at a party where the host brought out our banner and began to brag about the theft. Our friends basically then said "Nice story, by the way Diemonsterdie are friends of ours so we'll be taking that banner back. Thanks". A couple of days later we got it back. Strange as it sounds, these friends are in a band called Die Panda Die.

How did you first get involved in the underground?

Our involvement with the underground began the moment we didn't get signed by any of the major labels. Once the shock wore off we committed ourselves to getting a deal with a smaller independent label. We soon realized that we could do for ourselves anything that the interested independents could offer, so we started our own label, Doctor Cyclops Records.

Have all of your albums been self produced and releases or have you had help from labels?

Diemonsterdie self-produced and released their own albums except for the most recent album "Only The Dead Will Survive". For this album Dr. Cyclops Records funded the duplication and distribution and the band members paid for the studio time. We've been fortunate because the recording process has improved with each album. "What Is Shall Always Be" was recorded in our rehearsal space and is practically a live recording. We wanted to get something out there to announce our presence to the world. We labelled the CDs and printed all the artwork ourselves, then assembled them by hand. For "Honor Thy Dead" we recorded at Boho Digitalia in Salt Lake City with our comrade Brucifer at the controls. Bruce is an excellent engineer and producer distinguished by his ability to give you exactly the sound you want as long as you can articulate what it is you're wanting. For this one we had the artwork and the CDs printed at two different facilities, then once again we assembled them by hand. We eventually sold out the first printing of "Honor Thy Dead". For "Only The Dead Will Survive" we returned to Bruce and Boho Digitalia and the recording went more smoothly than for any album previously. This time the album was duplicated at one facility with everything done for us including the shrink wrap. This was the first album whose artwork was done completely by an outside individual, specifically Big Tony from Rubber Wolf? Graphics. Johnny Demonic from Left For Dead did some of the art on "What Is Shall Always Be" and "Honor Thy Dead" while Zero created the cover art. We plan to go to Boho Digitalia for the recording of our next album.

What are your favorite signed and unsigned bands?

I have so many favorites but I'll try to keep it short so we aren't here until Doomsday. Darkthrone, Bee Gees, Misfits, Iron Maiden, The Rosedales, Zolar X, Maldore and Gorthicon, KISS, Alice Cooper, Social Distortion, Others, Bauhaus, The American Plague, Balzac, 3 Dog Night, Celtic Frost, Left For Dead, Burzum, Andrew WK, Bathory, Diemonsterdie, Johnny Cash, Johnny Paycheck, Judas Priest, AC/DC, Motörhead.... see? The list goes on forever.

What are the metal and punk scenes in Utah like? Any good bands on the rise?

There's a lot of metal and punk bands here in Utah and some of them are quite good, some of them stink. Knowing when the shows are taking place can be difficult, it seems the bands don't promote much. Diemonsterdie promotes heavily so we get a large crossover audience rather than just our circle of friends. One Utah metal band that showed up on the TV news recently is called Antix. They've been around forever, always deep in the metal underground. They've gotten attention for a song about a local murder and the grapevine is whispering that they've got something big brewing. Musically they are okay but I haven't heard that much of their music. Ibex Throne is a black metal band that is very good. Endless Struggle is an Exploited-style punk band that gets more done than most local punks. Tragic Black is the big local gothic band, they have an excellent look to them and the music's not bad either. Unsound Mind is metal veterans with a decent following. I can't fail to mention label mates Left For Dead and their horror rock fury.

At what age did you begin to find yourself drawn to horror movies and horror inspired themes?

I was very young when I first took an interest in horror, probably about four years old. I had numerous toys and models of classic monsters and the first horror movie I remember watching was Son Of Frankenstein. I saw that on TV and I also remember seeing the Charles Manson movie Helter Skelter. I learned to read with a combination of Dr. Seuss and horror comics like Creepy and Weird War.

What makes a horror movie great to you?

A great horror movie makes you cringe when the victims get what's coming to them. It has a good monster that doesn't constantly spew stupid one-liners. It makes you jump even if you've seen the same situation before in other films. It builds tension as it goes on. Also important are creative use of violence, blood, plenty of tits and dark humor.

Are there any horror movies in particular that have made a big impact on you?

The original Amityville Horror scared the Hell out of a young Zero. The first Phantasm, The Incredible Melting Man was a terrible movie in hindsight, but when I was six years old it looked awesome. Return Of The Living Dead had great special effects and even better humor. Day Of The Dead with Bub the zombie "Hello Aunt Alicia" is a classic. Evil Dead 2 was the most fascinating film I ever watched while hallucinating. Dead Alive was good due to the over the top gore and black humor. I loved the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre and its sequel, when the girl is escaping up the ladder and that guy is slashing the backs of her legs with a razor... argh, makes you cringe. The Omen and The Exorcist of course. House of the Dead had a big negative impact as the worst horror movie ever. Ewe Boll should never get to work in film again after the travesty of using scenes from the shitty video game throughout the movie.

How do you feel about the remakes of older horror movies that have been popping up over the last few years?

I haven't minded the remakes that have been made lately, in general I'd say they hold up and anyone who doesn't like them can still watch the originals so everyone wins. The writers don't take as many liberties with the scripts the way the writers for the superhero movies do. The new Dawn of the Dead was a much better film than the craptacular Fantastic Four movie. Would you rather watch the remake of Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Ben Affleck as Daredevil? I'll take the horror flick every time.

Zombies have been mentioned in your songs a few times, do you have a favorite zombie movie? Are you a big George Romero fan?

You can't be in a horror band without mentioning the walking dead. Any horror fan who says he doesn't like Romero's work is just trying to be difficult, the guy practically invented the genre. I'm even enjoying the Land Of The Dead computer game. It's hard to pick a favorite zombie movie, probably Evil Dead 2 if I have to choose.

Thank you for your time. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thanks for the interview and sorry it took me so long to send it back to Nocturnal Horde. Diemonsterdie will gladly visit your home town as long as it doesn't break our bank to make it happen. We welcome all inquiries from you booking agents out there so don't be shy.
Visit the official Doctor Cyclops Records website www.drcyclopsrecords.net. Join the message boards of the World Horror Network at www.worldhorrornetwork.com. The boards are a virtual who's who of the horror community and it's growing faster every day.
Ask your local merchant to stock Doctor Cyclops Records releases and keep your eyes peeled for Diemonsterdie's new official website unveiling.
As always, beware the daylight evil ones!

Diemonsterdie website