Arsis
Arsis
Hi there, how are you doing?
Mike: Doing great, thanks.
Will you please start off by introducing yourself and tell us why you rock it out to metal?
Jim: I write the music/lyrics and play guitar and scream. I have been into metal since I was 5, so 20 years later I have no choice.
Mike: I play drums. I've been a fan of metal and rock music since I was in the third grade, so I guess it's just in my blood at this point.
Your first album "A Celebration Of Guilt" has just been released in Europe by Earache Records, how do you feel about that?
Jim: Wonderful, it is great to finally have some European distribution. Not to mention the fact that Earache is a label which bands I have admired for years, so the situation could not be better in my opinion.
Not many bands get a "fresh" start like this, it must be pretty kick ass or?
Mike: It's great, we're very happy to have our first CD released all over the world. It was originally released by Willowtip Records in 2004 throughout North America, so it's really cool to see the record getting a second wind through the Earache European release.
How was the album received when it was released in the States, in March?
Jim: The reception of the album was good, maybe too good.
Then how about now when it has been released in Europe, how has the reactions been from over here?
Mike: For the most part, the reviews have been excellent. The European reviews have been much more critical than any reviews we've received elsewhere, and I think that is probably because there is much more talent and good melodic metal in Europe. All the big bands in the States are combining melodic death metal, hardcore, and catchy vocals... those bands are a dime a dozen over here, so I think we stick out a little bit more in the States because we're the complete antithesis of what is currently the big hype this side of the Atlantic. But overall, the reviews in Europe have been very positive. We recently found out that Metal Hammer (Greece) gave us an 8/10 rating, so I have no complaints.
How do you feel about the album?
Mike: I like it. It's a snapshot in time of where we were two years ago, and we did the very best we could with the tight budget that we had to work with.
What do you expect from the album?
Mike: We've pretty much gotten as much out of this album that we had hoped. It's our first record, it got the name out there, that's about it.
Seeing it's been out for some months in the States, are the album getting near to fulfil your expectations?
Mike: Definitely. We have a new EP coming out this October called "A Diamond For Disease". I just finished tracking my drums for it this past weekend, and it will be finished within the next few weeks. So at this point, we're concentrating exclusively on new material and moving forward.
What do you want to accomplish with your music?
Jim: Music that is complex, catchy and aggressive simultaneously.
Why did you start he band and what drives you to make music?
Jim: Mike and I had really wanted to start the band for years before we actually did, just two friends into metal and wanting to see how far we could take our talents. The drive for the music comes from my everyday life.
Where do you find inspiration when you write music?
Jim: Life, plain and simple.
Can you pull out 3 bands and 3 songs that have meant a lot to you and your way of writing/making music?
Jim: Mercyful Fate 'A Dangerous Meeting', King Diamond 'Sleepless Nights' and Racer X 'Dangerous Love'.
Mike: Judas Priest 'Painkiller', King Diamond 'The Black Horsemen', and Iron Maiden 'Caught Somewhere In Time'.
Do you have to be in a certain mood to write music or does it just flow like blood-red streams?
Jim: It flows like blood-red streams.
Now let's talk a bit about your lyrics? At first will you talk a bit about the themes and topics you have touched on "A Celebration Of Guilt"?
Jim: Life, girls and guilt. A little religion for the metal.
Is there a concept on the album? Sometimes it seems like it when reading the lyrics.
Jim: Yes and no. It's strange, I can't really explain.
Will you pull out your 3 favorite tracks on the album and initiate us in the music and lyrics, the ideas and inspirations behind the tracks etc?
Jim: 'The Face Of My Innocence' - Essentially this one is just about how one may have the best of intentions and due to factors out of their control they can be twisted or these same qualities can be taken advantage of. 'Carnal Ways To Recreate The Heart' - the birth of a child should be a joyless occasion, sometimes it isn't - this is one of those occasions. 'Wholly Night'- life can pull you in many different directions, the feeling can often be similar to that of being ripped apart by some mythical creature; a werewolf for instance.
Where do you find inspiration for the lyrics?
Jim: Life.
One can interpret your lyrics in quite some ways, isn't it dangerous to have such lyrics, aren't you afraid of people getting the wrong message from them?
Jim: No, I hope they do. They probably come up with some cooler interpretations than me.
How did you end up with the album title "A Celebration Of Guilt"?
Jim: I was feeling horrible about some decisions I had made and couldn't find a better way express them.
The same question can be asked about your choice of band name, how did you end up with Arsis?
Mike: Jim suggested the name to me a few years ago, and it seemed like a cool idea since it means "silence". That and the fact that all the best band names were taken long ago.
How would you describe your music to someone who never had heard about Arsis?
Mike: 90% of our influence comes from 80's metal like W.A.S.P. and Dio, and the other 10% of our influence comes from more extreme metal bands like Morbid Angel or Naglfar. Put the two together, and I guess you have us.
How do you look upon the future of the band?
Mike: At this point, we just take it one day at a time. We'll have a new EP out in October, and another full-length out by early next year. We will most likely be filming our first promo video late this year/early next year sometime, but beyond that we'll just have to wait and see.
Will you share your 3 all time favorite albums with us?
Jim:
Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath
Racer X - Street Lethal
Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime
Mike:
Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime
Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time
Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears
Thanks a ton for answering my questions, if you have anything to add, feel free to do it now!
Mike: Thanks for the interview, we appreciate it.
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