Interview with Matteo Zanella of Padus by Dave Wolff

Interview with Matteo Zanella of Padus by Dave Wolff

How did Padus come up with the idea to combine doom, dark ambient and classic jazz trio while presenting everything with a metal aesthetic?

My great desire was to experiment without borders. I know I didn't invent anything new by putting together a bass, an organ and drums, but by distorting everything and making it heavy, maybe it could work. I distorted everything in certain songs on my records, even the voice, and then interspersed it with episodes of dark and silent ambient, in order to create a notable contrast.

There was a time when you were a member of a thrash-death metal band called Hellvoid, which released two demos in 1995 and 1998. Please tell the readers about the work you put into that band and any other releases you may have made with them?

It was a long time ago, when death metal was really going strong. I was the voice and guitar in that band, I proposed riffs, wrote lyrics, designed the logo and also laid out the covers of the two demos. In the first demo from 1995 (Infernal fonds), I was the voice and the compositions were quite classic-style for the time, with a fairly deep vocal growl. Shortly after for various personal reasons I left the band, only to return in 1998 and make a second demo (Dreams of past shadows), where the bassist was the voice and I limited myself to playing only the guitar. Here the compositions were more complex and technical and the style was very close to that of Carcass' “Heartwork”. But all this is now part of a distant past.

Are either Hellvoid demos still available on streaming websites or were they released on a limited basis? What efforts did Hellvoid make to evolve death metal? Did the development of Hellvoid influence the growth of your current project in any way, or is Padus a separate entity?

Hellvoid was a short but intense youth experience of mine. At the time, in the 90s, we rarely played live but we didn't have much of an audience. The project didn't evolve much to be relevant, it was a debut group like many others. Padus was born from many musical experiences in my life, metal and non-metal

Can you say how much distortion plays a role in your songwriting? Does the amount of distortion vary from song to song when you compose?

Distortion, especially of the bass, is fundamental in my compositions, it regulates the mood of my songs. If the atmosphere is quite calm, soft, I could limit myself to a very light crunch sound, characterized by a simple overdrive. If the rhythm is important and with a heavy cadence, a nice powerful and metallic distortion is perfect. I do not exclude that the voice and the organ are distorted too, so as to create tension and panic. Lately I created a sound that I called “Abarth” that recalls the roar of rally cars, obtained with several distortions put together and used in the compositions where I wanted to create total chaos! Aaaaaahhhh!!!

There are some people who complain that underground music lyrics are difficult to understand. When you record your vocals, how much distortion do you use, and do you take care to make your lyrics as clear as possible?

Poor people, who do not know how to interpret art, ha, ha, ha, ha! I “sing” in grammelot, that is: a theatrical language, an emission of sounds without sense but similar to real words or speeches in order to obtain a comic or farcical effect. I add distortion in the voice when I want to create tension and anxiety, then if the lyrics are not understood it is because either I used grammelot, or I always attach the text written on the internet, when this exists.

Explain in more detail what grammelot is and how it functions as a vocal style. In what way does Padus' formula utilize this approach to singing?

Grammelot is a theatrical language, an emission of meaningless sounds but similar to real words or speeches with the aim of obtaining a comic or farcical effect, used in my musical project to communicate in an alternative way, giving the same color to the lyrics, while not saying anything or babbling a few words to make the listener more or less understand the topic being discussed.

What effect does the addition of dark ambience have on the balance between Padus’ heaviness and atmosphere?

A dark atmosphere always creates a disturbing situation: anxiety, melancholy, desperation, depression and it is made mostly of very low notes especially of a piano. So basically it is sad, then it gives the coup de grace with a heavy rhythm beaten in a violent way. Do you know how much fun I have?

Are anxiety, melancholy, desperation, and depression the emotions you intend to convey through incorporating distortion and ambiance? Does this project share similarities with ambient and noise projects such as Mortiis, Vond, Aghast, and Abruptum for example, or does it come from an entirely different mindset?

Of course: atmospheres and amounts of distortion depending on the mood of the song I'm composing. I haven't listened to the bands mentioned much, so if there are similarities with these projects it's completely coincidental. My Padus project was born without very specific references, it is something very intimate and personal, songwriting which very much reflects my character, my personality.

Tell us about some of the musical experiences Padus was born from after Hellvoid.

Well, I can tell you that my musical experiences have been many and varied, but none of them, including Hellvoid, have had any influence on the creation of the Padus project. This one man band of mine was born from my infinite desire to experiment with different sounds.

Are you writing material for Padus to exorcise personal demons, or is it an affirmation of aspects of your psyche most people would rather not acknowledge? Is Padus a mirror to your listeners or an opportunity to display aspects of yourself you wouldn't otherwise be able to?

Padus is a project that reflects my personality very much. I am like this, like my music, like all my albums. What I cannot express publicly, I do through sounds and artistic expression. I express all my moods with the songs of Padus, as well as my way of thinking or seeing things.

Do you have a private studio or prefer to work in a professional studio with engineers and producers? How much of your chaotic style and unique vocals can you maintain when you're making the transition between composing songs for Padus and recording them?

I have a private studio at my home, where I can easily self-manage, where as soon as inspiration comes, I can record it immediately. Between composing and recording, there is not much difference: how I conceive I record. Of course, by recording new ideas can arise to enrich the song or new sound solutions.

For how long had you been collecting recording and mixing material for your private studio? In order to achieve Padus' desired sound, was it a lengthy process to find appropriate material?

Every time I'm about to make an album, I compose songs that will be part of it, but sometimes it happens that some songs don't convince me so much and so I put them in the archive for future works. Currently I have an archive with several songs collected in recent years. When I started with this project it wasn't easy at all to create a distorted bass sound that worked for my songs. I had to do several recording tests to get to a satisfactory level. It was a bit of a long process before recording the first EP.

How often do you feel inspired to write and are motivated to record in your studio? What is the frequency with which you come up with new ideas for your songs?

As soon as I find some free time from work, I immediately pick up my bass, connect to the computer and start trying out new material. Unfortunately, there aren't many free moments. The ideas for the songs, the topics, the titles to give and the covers to create, I find them by looking around and having personal experiences, so, almost every day ideas are born; it's the time to realize them that is scarce.

What is the number of songs left off of your debut EP, “Diva Sporca”, prior to its completion? Have any of those been included on subsequent recordings, or are they still on the back burner?

On that occasion I didn't archive any extra tracks. It was my first work, so I moved in small steps in a timid way. I started archiving tracks towards the third, fourth album and some of those are still in the archive.

“Diva Sporca” has a distinctly massive sound, as much in terms of atmosphere and keyboards as bass and drums. Furthermore, it has a hypnotic repetitiveness that has become something of a signature sound for Padus. As a first impression, did you intend for it to have a huge atmosphere?

I focused a lot on the atmospheric aspect, while maintaining heavy sounds that would have given that right dark contribution. However, I repeat, I was still in the start-up phase and I had to move with caution.

What's the meaning of the lyrics on “Diva Sporca” and what imagery did you want to convey through them, in addition to feelings of anxiety, melancholy, desperation, and depression?

“Diva Sporca”, as on the cover, represents the indecent exploitation of the female body with prostitution and pornography: a tortured body (symbolically) of a woman with a group of skulls that represent unscrupulous exploiters and consumers of pornography. “La Luna Nera”, where I then also shot the first video clip of Padus, speaks symbolically of an occult rite, it is not specified whether satanic or of another entity, but it wants to express the dark atmosphere of an occult rite. “La Peste” instead tells of the mysterious environment of the island of Poveglia, an abandoned island in the Venice lagoon, where in ancient times there was a hospital with plague patients and where it is said that dark phenomena now occur perhaps due to the presence of restless souls. Both for “La Lingua Nera” and for “La Peste”, I also created two paintings inspired by the two songs.

How are the characteristics of “La Lingua Nera” and “La Peste” depicted in the two paintings that you mentioned earlier?

Just as described in the related texts: in “La Luna Nera”, elements such as the moon, blood, sperm, worms and that occultist touch that underlies everything are represented. While in “La Peste”, faces are represented, almost masks. These are all the souls that are prisoners of their damned destiny that imprisons them in that abandoned context of the island of Poveglia.

Were each of your albums intended to have a different concept behind them? How would you describe the conceptual themes of the full lengths you released after “Diva Sporca”?

There doesn't necessarily have to be a concept. It can happen like for “Opera funebre”, but the songs all have a different argument and still remain linked to the dark themes typical of Doom metal.

Are there any lyrics or artwork that particularly stands out from your albums between “Diva Sporca” and “Opera funebre”? Name some of the songs that best represent the growth of Padus over the years.

Of course, in every album there is always the song that I care about the most and therefore I consider it more prominent, such as: “La luna nera” (from “Diva Sporca”), “Ballata sulla fossa” (from “Colloqui con il satana”), “La fola del mare negro” (from “La łengua del leòn”), “Maniaco” and “Ora pro nobis” (from “Amsirac”), “Blues del camposanto” (from “Modificazioni genetiche per esposizione ai raggi gamma”), “Baptisterium” (from “Oscuramenti”) and “Croce di marmo nero” (from “Opera funebre”). Songs that could very well be included in a possible live repertoire, but which for the moment I am unable to implement, even if in 2020 I had tried to put together a band for concerts, but then Covid arrived.

In what ways does your latest album “Opera funebre” differ from your previous albums in terms of how it was written and recorded?

I've wanted to make a true cemetery doom album for a long time. A dark, caracombal record, an album that deals with only one subject, in this case cemeteries, funeral rites and everything that revolves around them. I also chose to use calmer sounds and rhythms than the previous ones.

There is a sense of ancient crypts and ancient spirits lurking in the shadows throughout “Opera funebre”. It's not until the final track that your grammelot vocal style is heard. Did you design this intentionally while representing funeral rites in cemeteries?

The song “La Lingua Oscura” deals with the theme of “metaphony”, used as a phenomenon to listen to the voice of the deceased through radio waves. So the vocal part is incomprehensible just like the one that can be heard in these experiments.

Before you experimented with the vocals in “La Lingua Oscura”, how did you learn about metaphony? I’ve noticed paranormal investigators are increasingly using radio devices to communicate with spirits or entities. Did you watch video accounts and/or read online accounts as part of your research?

I was a little disturbed by this topic, watching video testimonials on social networks. However, I must confess that I am somewhat skeptical about these phenomena, but it lent itself very well to the context of the album.

Are you researching any particular subject matter for future songs and/or albums? What has been holding your interest lately? Do you have any inspiration for writing new material?

No particular topics, not even things or facts that have piqued my interest, but I can tell you in advance that the new album that will be released in October 2024 is already ready (recorded and printed) and I'm already working on the draft of the one that will be released in the spring of 2025. In case I die, I will delegate some trusted person to have it published ha, ha, ha!

Are you making any efforts to reach a wider audience? Since the beginning, you have released your music independently; do you intend to sign with an indie label in the near future or would you prefer to keep creative control over your work?

If the listeners of my music were to increase, I'd be happy, otherwise there's no problem. My greatest satisfaction is simply that of experimenting, recording my songs and making my albums. I prefer to remain independent, self-produced, and genuine to the max. My project reflects my personality a lot from the covers that I paint, to my experimental songs and therefore it is very intimate and that's how I want it to remain.

Since you choose to remain under the radar as an independent artist, how much self-promotion are you conducting to promote your work?

The usual thing I do for all the records I make: I make a very limited edition of copies that I then sell out in a short time, I put the news on Facebook and make the album downloadable for free on Bandcamp. Luckily this time I have the support of The Triad Records that gives me the opportunity to make myself known abroad too.

Padus at Youtube

Padus at Bandcamp

Review of "Opera funebre" (The Triad Records) by Dave Wolff

-Dave Wolff

Interview (third) with Erik Leviathan of Misanthropik Torment and SelfMade Records LLC by Dave Wolff

Interview with Erik Leviathan of Misanthropik Torment and SelfMade Records LLC by Dave Wolff

How much effort and time has been put into revamping your label since our last interview? What industry contacts have you made recently and how are you able to provide additional assistance and support to bands?

A lot of time, money and effort have been put into revamping and rebranding. I had to take a step back and take a look at the industry and the so-called internet labels along with the so-called internet PR firms. I noticed that 90% of all these companies were just charging artists to do what the artist could do for themselves if the artist was given some direction. But that's the problem, none of these companies actually wanted to help these artists. These companies just wanted to make money unfairly off the artist's hard work. And they all offered the same thing. There was nothing special about any of these companies. I knew that if I wanted to thrive and actually be able to put these artists in a spot that no one else could, I had to be able to offer them something that no one else was. So I stopped working with a lot of these people, and I made connections with Earache Records EDD and the companies they work with, such as Roadie Media and Discipline PR. SelfMadeRecords L.L.C is also endorsed by WB Gear, My Merch Guy, and Dirtbag Clothing. We can now take an artist who is willing to listen to direction and take them directly to bigger labels or at least provide the artist with real legitimate label services. It's a lot of hard work and it does cost money however it's money well spent in the right places with long time industry professionals.

How would you like to see the music industry changed for the better?

As far as the industry and changes. I myself would like to see Spotify take a nosedive and disappear. Spotify is the most criminal platform out there. They refuse to pay lesser known artists and frequently make false accusations of stream fraud when it's time to make payouts to the artist. Spotify is being sued by multiple companies for their mistreatment of artists. I myself have no issues with technology and the evolution of these platforms however I don't believe that any of them really know the money it takes to be a musician these days. The owner of Spotify stated that music is free because it doesn't cost anything to make. That makes no sense to me. As an artist myself I know equipment costs money recording and production costs money getting put on these platforms costs money. I have a band on my roster that has spent $27k on their album. Not just that but the marketing costs quite a bit as well. So I don't know where this guy got his information but none of this is free and they are ripping off artists. That's just one aspect of things that need to change. There are so many more such as artists having to pay venues to perform and venues taking their merch sales. I can go on and on about this but let's move on.

Can you explain what you mean by disenchanting the industry?

Disenchanting the music industry, what I mean by this is, the music industry itself is one big illusion that is sold to fans of music and independent aspiring artists who are naive enough to buy into the smoke & mirrors. There seems to be this false expectation that if an artist is not in every major media outlet that their music is trash. Or that if an artist is not being aired on a major radio station that the artists do not have what it takes to be good musicians. All of this is a made up false expectation by PR firms and payola companies and gate keepers of the industry to keep independent artists out of the cool kids circle if they are not rich enough to pay their way in. Being in a big magazine or on a big radio station has nothing to do with talent. At the end of the day everyone who has made it into these categories has paid for it. So basically if you have the money you too can be looked at like a god even if your music sucks. How do I know this people may be asking well? That's simple, I know because I also pay for these services for the artists on my roster. I work in the industry on a level that allows me to navigate the behind the scenes. No one gets anywhere without paying for it. Don't get me wrong I see nothing wrong with working hard and paying for what you get but don't lie to yourself or others thinking you are something better than everyone else just because you can afford all the big name perks. That doesn't make you a good musician. And it discourages other talented, hard-working musicians that are not in a financial situation to be able to afford these things. It also detours fans of music from giving the music a chance simply because most people listen to what looks popular. It's a real problem for this art. Also people seem to forget that we are all racing towards the same goal.

Could you describe some of what you have observed behind the scenes?

In my opinion there's too much negativity in all the scenes. This was supposed to be fun, there is supposed to be some type of camaraderie. The overzealous egos and high school drama queens are a part of what is killing what it means to be an artist. If someone does not like someone else for any reason these days everyone screams cancel cancel cancel, and they try to bait and bully a person to the point of going off on social media so they can attempt to show others why that person should be canceled. That shit is stupid, I'm old-school, in my day if someone offended someone the two individuals would go and deal with their grievances like grown adults and then go have a beer. People are pansies these days. The internet is not real life, people need to log off and go outside or something. I myself have lived a very interesting life, I’ve been to places most would not have survived. Most of these cats out here have no idea what the real world is like and it shows in how they conduct themselves in the scene and in business. This is also a topic I can go on forever about. But I feel I have said enough on that topic.

You have consistently communicated the idea of generating change in the world, particularly in the media. What level of detail have you gone into in any recent writings that you have produced?

My last release before CLICK HATE is a song called Indigenous Lands. This track speaks on the horrific genocide that is transpiring in the Middle East. It is kind of ironic to me that one group of people who were murdered raped and oppressed have turned to do the exact same thing to another group of people. These things make no sense to me. I have had bad shit happen to me not once have I ever thought to inflict that pain on someone else. This is not a holy war, it's a war of greed for land that doesn't belong to them and they disguise it as something holy in the name of their god. There is nothing godly or holy about murdering innocent children; it's actually quite disgusting.

We've discussed this on one level or another; how much change can a song, album, or video from an underground band make? Is there any way underground music has changed anything? If someone said you can't do anything about the ways of the world, what would you say?

I am not really sure if one song can change the world. I am not narcissistic enough to think that anything I have to say is going to make an impact on this shit stain of a society. I would like to believe that there are people out there that are like me who want to stop the hate both the meaningless hate and the meaningless killings in the name of a god that no one really knows if they truly exist or not, because at the end of the day no one alive has seen god nor have they seen a heaven or a hell. I myself was baptized in a church. I was taught all about God and I will say if that entity truly does exist this is not what they intend. Love is supposed to be the law in all things. So can music change the world? People have been singing and screaming songs about change since the 60s, so no I do not believe one song can change the world, however a multitude of songs with the same message written for the many different genres of music that will appeal to the many different tastes of music that people have, this may be able to change some people and then those people can help others open their eyes and just maybe enough will start to care. But at this point I myself have no faith or hope in humanity. I use my platform to say I know what is happening and I am not fooled, as I have said before I hope what I have to say pisses people off. Mainly those who are doing the evil deeds that keep us divided and fighting amongst each other. They love us divided, they need us to have reasons to hate. If you happen to be a hateful person reading this, ask yourself why you hate, is it because you were taught to hate or is your hate justified for a personal reason not influenced by outside idealisms. So if someone said to me that I can't do anything about the ways of the world, I would say they are absolutely correct but together we can try to be a part of the solution. In my opinion you are either the problem or the solution. Which side of history do you want to be on?

As I mentioned while reviewing MT, the world has changed in many ways. From legalizing pot to a chipping away at corporate greed (which you may see in search results for movie theaters and fast food franchises) to a broader understanding and acceptance of underground music in the mainstream. In that sense, have we contributed to being part of a solution, however small?

ANSWER- I do see changes in the world however the changes that I see are not of a magnitude to make a real difference. I myself am an advocate for the legalization of marijuana however in my opinion the only reason the government has allowed it to become legalized in most states is that it is easier to control and manipulate the masses when 90% of the population is high or docile dare I say even dumb down. I use pot on rare occasions but let's be honest here after long terms of use it does slow down your brain and it literally makes a person care less about important topics. So no, I do not feel like the legalization of pot is even a minute change that could be beneficial to our society or our world, the change I am speaking of, the change I am looking for is one that will cause me to be labeled as a domestic terrorist. But I will speak on it here anyway. I want to see every politician, every government official in every country be stripped of their power. The idealisms of religious belief shattered. We as a people, the human race need to unite and overthrow every oppressor and rebuild what they have broken. Our world, not just the United States, has been divided by a great design that keeps us from being able to come together. We need to agree to disagree on unimportant topics and rise together for true and absolute freedom. A person's religious or spiritual beliefs are just that beliefs and they are important to that person or persons. However those beliefs are what those in power use to control the masses. They entice war and genocide and wars are a business that make good money for the powerful while innocent people continue to die for the agenda of others who seek to seize the world. The change I want to see will never happen. I want people to see that we have all been lied to but more importantly I want people to care enough about it to take the necessary stand. None of us are free. That's just an illusion to keep the masses deaf dumb and blind while high on whatever prescription drugs or legalized strain of pot they are on.

Hemp can also be used to manufacture paper and cloth, and to treat glaucoma. Hemp was viewed years ago as a threat to vested corporate interests, so racist propaganda was spun; people are only now discovering this.

That is true. Hemp can be used to manufacture many of our world's needs. Such as fuel, paper, rope… hemp could even replace plastic. It would be beneficial to our existence and for our planet for us to use these methods. However it is not beneficial to the corporations that run our world so when someone invents something that threatens their monetary gain, well they end up disappearing or “committing suicide”. So yeah it's a great idea, but the powers that be seem to be hell-bent on destroying humanity as well as our planet all in the name of power, control, and the almighty dollar. It is frustrating to me that small minded people cannot see the bigger picture. Either they can't or they refuse to see people as anything other than a dollar sign, so they do not care about the destruction they will bring!

Aside from that, have you been receiving any positive feedback for speaking out through your lyrics? From any bands you’re working with or your listeners?

I have received both positive and negative feedback from bands, PR companies as well as my listeners and those who do not listen to my music. I get plenty of praise and hate. It is difficult to tell which one outweighs the other. The people who get the message understand what I am doing and they are either on one side or the other. It's not up to me to make up their minds. It is up to me to deliver the truth. What they do with that is up to them.

How much of a risk do you think you’re talking in addressing these issues, given Facebook’s recent trend of deletions (censorship?)?

Risk ha ha I've passed the point of no return on the risk factor. They have tried to cancel me, they have tried to make me look insane so that they could discredit me. They have made my albums non advertisable so I mean the only thing left to do is for them to stage a suicide or black bag me lol. I won't shut up. I see too much in this world that needs to be changed. I do not give to fucks about how others view me. I have a voice and I have a fan base that likes what I have to say because they know I speak the truth. Being true and authentic is lost to the world and I think that is why my listeners stay around, I am not in this to become rich or famous I am here to piss the world off and wait for people to wake up and unite no matter their difference in belief or the color of their skin or what their sexual orientation or what their gender identity is. At the end of the day those differences should not divide us. They should unite us.

Recently, you showed me a lyric inspired by media spin directed at Chris Barnes of Six Feet Under. Earlier, we discussed how Sharon Osbourne and Marilyn Manson faced similar situations. In light of that, what was your motivation for writing said lyrics?

It's funny that you ask that. A while back Chris Barns was unfairly attacked by the masses due to the media intentionally misquoting him on his opinion of what Death Metal had become. Chris and I had been social media friends for a while before that. The media's lies caused a shit storm of trolls to come out of the word work to the point that songs had to be written by him and myself. Which brings me to the new Misanthropik Torment track CLICK HATE that features A.MOORTAL. This track was originally written as a diss track towards Chris, however Chris and I ended up talking about the issue and I got the real story from the horse's mouth. It's because of that issue that this track exists. We ended up going back and changing the lyrics and title of the track to attack the media instead of the media's target for clicks. [Promotional video link]

In what manner did you and Chris Barnes discuss his being misquoted as well as the extent to which the media spreads sensationalism about public figures? To make no assumptions, but the point I made earlier was that this was a change for the better in that it allowed us to recognize media bullshit for what it was rather than fall for it blindly. Were the lyrics entirely yours or did Barnes have a hand in penning them?

Chris and I had spoken on the Cameo app about the situation. It's actually funny because my initial intention was to have him promote the song that was trashing him, it was supposed to be a big fuck you to someone who had inspired me. The way the media portrayed Chris felt like a betrayal to the whole Death Metal scene so I wanted to fire back. That and I was told by others that his new track Know Nothing Ingrate was written about me. So I took offense. I had booked a Cameo with him to get him to promote the song, but we ended up talking like two adults should and we cleared the air so to speak. So I went back to Aaron from A.MOORTAL and I said we can't release this track and I told him why. So we agreed we should fire the track at the media instead. The Lyrics were written by myself and Aaron. The media itself uses these tactics to create a negative buzz surrounding public figures, they do it to keep their relevance. People by nature flock to negative bullshit so the media keeps it going and they keep thriving by spreading lies and hate. The masses fall for it either because they are stupid or they are just as hateful.

Would you be willing to name some media sources that misrepresented Chris Barnes? In your opinion, how much of a betrayal was this portrayal of him? In underground music and death metal, I recall more honesty and attention to facts than sensationalism. Since the scenes have always been about exposing bullshit, do you think we should return to more responsible journalism instead of fueling cancel culture?

If memory serves me correctly it was Loudwire who misquoted Chris and then after a few days of Click Hate they decided to come clean and properly quote what he had actually said. In my opinion this digital age has made it too easy for people to publish bullshit. Back in my day there were consequences for shit. Today no one has to man up or woman up and own what they have said or done. We need more professional writers like yourself. Cancel Culture is the dumbest movement ever. It just needs to fuck off and die already.

How much have you seen Sharon Osbourne and Marilyn Manson recover since the media smeared them?

I haven't seen much of Sharon Osbourne in the media lately. I do know that she and Ozzy are or have moved back to England; the USA just doesn't seem to feel safe to them anymore and I do not blame them. If I could get out of this country I would too. As for Marilyn Manson It looks like he is back in the swing of things but he took a hard hit. His label dropped him before he could even defend himself. That's not right. It's supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. People need to start caring more about facts before they go ruining someone's career. It's the digital age; if it's said on the internet it must be true. I also wrote a song about this a while back called Everybody Needs A Devil.

They’re still doing shows at Tompkins Square Park; also Amber Heard tried to have Johnny Depp canceled but it didn’t work. The lyrics in “Everybody Needs a Devil” resonate considering how people need to scapegoat and demonize people to look saintly. I recall Manson’s art was attacked when they were trying to have him canceled. In what ways have people tried to cancel you?

The problem with this is even though Amber Heard’s attempts were thwarted, the damage was done. Johnny Depp's career was put on pause, almost destroyed over a psychotic woman's need for vengeance and attention. Abuse of any kind is not O.K. However we live in a society that allows an accusation to confirm guilt before any of us know the details. So it may have come out in the wash like everything does, but he still had to go through public shaming and loss of income. While there seem to be no consequences for her actions. In my opinion if someone accuses a person of such a vile atrocity and that accusation is not true, they need to face the consequences that are attached to the act they have accused them for. The attacks on Johnny Depp and Marilyn Manson were orchestrated by the same women. They used Manson's art to paint this horrible picture of him. Manson is no stranger to controversy and cancel culture. But I think this time it really wounded his career. I do see him making a comeback but how successful that comeback is going to be remains to be seen.

Can you recommend any major metal news sites or independent webzines that provide more factual information and less sensationalism?

As always, no PR company will touch my content therefore I have to do it all myself which is fine. No label will take the risk of signing my project so I signed myself, no publishing company will come near my project so I created my own publishing. Some Facebook groups have banned my name and anyone associated with me. I have lost band members due to my content. There are individuals out there who spread lies about me. Specific individuals do all they can to keep me out of the music scene and the industry itself. I have no delusions about how far I can go in this business. I am shut out on many levels when it comes to my own project. Yet these mindless idiots do not seem to understand that I am not concerned with fame or the business when it comes to my project. My focus is change, my focus is reaching as many people as I can and hope to be an influence of change. If people support me along the way that's cool but my music is free. My words are free. Like the Bible my message is free for anyone who wants to hear it.

I can recommend a few good zines. Your zine is obviously my favorite because you tell the truth and use accurate facts. You do not change my words to fit your narrative or agenda. Most others are more concerned with how many clicks they can get instead of telling the truth.

Your statement regarding signing yourself is, to me, a significant step towards making positive change in the world. From authors putting pen to paper to movie directors inventing new ideas to podcasters building their own channels, there will always be people who think outside the box and people who listen to them, even if in a small fashion. Otherwise, why continue if you can’t do anything?

Thank you for that. I greatly appreciate the compliment. I like going against the grain. If someone wants to shut me out and not even allow me to earn my opportunity to be in the cool kids club and do what I love to do, I don't let that stop me. I may not be able to do it on a larger scale but no one is going to stop me from pursuing my goals and ambitions. I will do this until the day I die. If for no other reasons than to outshine all those who tried and are still trying to keep me out. And at the end of the day I can be proud because I did this all on my own without much support from anyone in the industry. I continue because this is who I am and I honestly would not know what to do or who I was without music. Through all the chaos involved in this I will thrive and overcome any obstacle.

When it comes to writing new lyrics, writing new music, and collaborating with musicians on future albums, what ideas do you have?

At the moment I and Aaron Moore from A.MOORTAL are working on the “Brought Back by Unpopular Demand” album. The title seems kind of fitting. As always the music and lyrics are driven by the insanity that plagues my mind. Depending on one's views, I have always been politically incorrect so most of the music and lyrics are driven by themes of anti-tyranny, antigovernment and absolute freedom. There is enough crap going on in the world to fuel that creative spark so I really do not foresee the topics changing anytime soon. I am, however, contemplating a song or an album in the future that will address the struggles of living with mental health issues and how our society and the government can either cause mental health issues or make them much worse. I feel this is a topic that should be addressed. Other than my need to use my music as a weapon to attack the issues of our world, I would like to do some cover tunes just for kicks.

How much more extreme will “Brought Back by Unpopular Demand” be compared to your older releases? When did you start recording? How much input is Aaron Moore having for the material?

With this album I believe the music is much more in tune with what I have to say. Aaron Moore is a beast. His music style is fitting for how I feel at the moment. It's not just another Death Metal album, it is a mix of extreme sounds and I like that. I needed Aaron for this. Lyrically like always the gloves are off. I am not sure if the gloves were ever really on. So how much more extreme can I get, that is not something that I think about while I am writing a song, my concern is how do I get my point across with the many things that I have to convey in the most truthful way, how can I entice someone to think in the two to four minutes of this track while somewhat appeasing the music nazis out there who want a repetitive song. I find it very difficult to convey my message if I am forced to dumb down my verses and make a repetitive catchy hook. Yet I understand the need for it. I just have too much to say so getting it all into a single song or even a full album is challenging.

We started recording about 4 months back. I had planned on “Declaration Of War” being my last album. I wanted to focus on my book that I am still writing. But the world just kept getting more evil and the sheeple just kept getting dumber and I just needed to scream some common sense or rather "rare sense.” at the world. There is a song on this album that will piss a lot of people off if anyone pays attention to the words. The song is called This Is Why God Hates You. I won't ruin it by telling you what it is about. I will just say this, there are people in this world who believe to be their god’s chosen few committing genocide. I think that their view is a much distorted point of view.

I give Aaron an idea with some lyrics, he then writes all the music he also does some vocals with me on some of the tracks. We send stuff back and forth until we are both happy with the way the song is. Like I said earlier I needed Aaron for this. He is making me a better vocalist.

Do you have any new bands signed to SelfMadeRecords? Are you looking for bands seeking recording contracts? Acquaint the readers with bands you’ve come across lately.

I have one band that I am pushing really hard right now called The D.O.O.D. This band is amazing. They are the hardest working band that I have ever worked with and I believe they have what it takes to break through to the mainstream industry. The work ethic is there, the sound is there, I mean they recorded their album at Morrisound Recording. That practically sells itself. We have them set for a tour in the UK next year; there is not much this band cannot do. Find out more about them here: https://thedoodband.com/home

How extensive is the UK tour you have planned for The D.O.O.D.? How are you going about advertising and publicity? Are there other bands on your label you’re arranging tours for?

The D.O.O.D. is performing at the Masters of Rock Festival in Bulgaria in 2025 we are obviously planning smaller shows overseas to make it a worthy trip. I can't say too much on the topic till after September 2024. The company that is putting on the festival is taking care of all the advertising. We just hired ClawHammer PR for The D.O.O.D. so I am sure there will be some promo on their end as well. We have some shows booked for our other bands but most are in the studio working on new albums.

Lately I’ve noticed some activity between you and the band Sepsiss who I interviewed for this zine some time ago. Are there any collaborations you’re planning with them at this point?

Not at this time. I would love to do a collaboration with this band. They are very talented people and honest. Which is hard to find in this industry.

In the future, do you have any plans to undertake any projects, such as organizing your own metal festival with your label's artists?

Maybe someday at the present time, I am just focused on getting these artists on well-established festivals and shows. There is a lot that goes into a festival and at the moment I cannot afford to take that risk. Back in 2020 we threw our own festival called The Summer of Madness. We put about $7k into that festival and we lost our asses. People say it's not about the money and they are correct to a point this is a labor of love however if you are putting in a substantial amount of money and you are not rich then an ROI becomes a factor. Throwing another festival before we can become more established at this point is financial suicide. So for now I will continue to grind and get these artists where they need to be and hopefully by my work ethic I may be able to get some investors in the future and possibly get a yearly Festival going but now is not that time.

Do you feel that you are closer to making the impact on underground metal that you envisioned when you launched your band and label? It appears that your partnership with Relapse is a step in that direction.

Things are definitely starting to change for my company and my band. We just got the inside cover of Decibel Magazine. If that doesn't speak volumes for the underground I don't know what will. I do see a slight change in the underground and how I am received today as to how I was shunned a few years back. There are a lot of haters who still continue to attempt to destroy everything that I am building. They can say what they want and spread their lies about me, but the truth always comes out in the wash. I am too stubborn to lay down and die. So they just need to accept that I am not going to stop doing what I love doing .I don't have an issue with any of them so it's their problem not mine. Phil from Pantera said it best "Walk on home, boy '' \m/

Interview with Erik Leviathan of Misanthropik Torment by Dave Wolff

Interview with Erik Leviathan of Misanthropik Torment (second interview) by Dave Wolff

-Dave Wolff

Full Length Review: Fuck the Facts "Pleine Noirceur" (Noise Salvation) by Dave Wolff

Band: Fuck the Facts

Location: Quebec

Country: Canada

Genre: Grindcore

Full length: Pleine Noirceur

Format: Digital, limited edition CD (two pressings), limited edition 12" white vinyl (1st pressing), limited edition 12" clear with smoke vinyl (2nd pressing)

Label: Noise Salvation (Canada)

Release date: November 20, 2020

From the late 90s to the early 2000s, I listened to Fuck The Facts a lot, so I was surprised to discover they’re still active after a practical legion of EPs, splits, and full-length albums. As far as I remember, they started as a typical grindcore band, but there was something progressive about them that became more apparent each time I listened to them. After a long, long period of not hearing anything new from them, "Pleine Noirceur" caught my attention.

Underground bands that remain active for years can undergo many changes, and grindcore bands can advance and attain maturity as much as any band. It’s clear Fuck the Facts haven’t been dormant when it comes to embellishing on their ideas all these years. Their love for grindcore’s unkempt, disorderly assaultiveness has kept up while they heightened components of the genre; a blast section here, a breakdown there; pushing them toward degrees of prolificity waiting to be cultivated while remaining planted in the rapid-fire whirlwinds where they originated.

There is that certain quality in the guitar, bass, and drum tracks, and the burnished production makes them heavier, without the blurriness that is characteristic of most grind, gore grind, and death grind. You can actually hear all the notes written into the more chaotic songs and those with more resourceful songwriting, with all-encompassing atmosphere, overlapping guitars, and overtones of industrial, doom, melodic death and prog overtones. Even the vocals get this treatment.

To present the extensive range this album careens through, you need the clean production you get here, and you receive the impression each new approach to their songwriting has its origins in a traditional grind. In many instances I didn’t expect a transformation this far-reaching in structure and musicianship, but at the rate they’re going, Fuck The Facts do for grindcore what Voivod did for thrash, Mastodon did for math metal, Orphaned Land did for oriental metal, and Blind Guardian did for power metal.

"Pleine Noirceur" demonstrates how much maturity and growth can only occur with experience and can't be achieved without a certain degree of foundation. And yes, the lyrics (in English and French) are included on their Bandcamp profile. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Mel Mongeon: Vocals, lyrics

Topon Das: Guitars, songwriting

Mathieu "Vil" Vilandré: Guitars, drums, songwriting

Track list:

1. Doubt, Fear, Neglect

2. Ailleurs

3. Pleine Noirceur

4. Aube

5. Sans Lumière

6. Sans Racines

7. Everything I Love Is Ending

8. A Dying Light

9. Dropping Like Flies

10. L'abandon

11. An Ending

12. _cide

Full Length Review: Die Entweihung "Kings & Pawns - Remastered edition" (Inverted Chalice Prods, Bajo Tierra Records) by Dave Wolff

Project: Die Entweihung

Location: Haifa

Country: Israel

Genre: Blackened heavy metal

Full length: Kings & Pawns - Remastered edition

Format: Digital album

Label: Inverted Chalice Prods, Bajo Tierra Records

Release date: May 24, 2024

Denis Tereshenko's dark, open mind has produced another remastered reissue. The original recording of "Kings and Pawns" was among Tereshenko's most recent works, released just before "Strict Regime Country" was released in 2022.

This is the third time I'm writing about this project since almost a year ago, not including my interview with Tereshenko last July. There is a subtle difference between the original and the remaster, but if you pay careful attention, you’ll hear less rawness and more atmosphere. I'd even recommend listening to this version first if you're unfamiliar with the album, as you'll be able to gain a greater understanding of Tereshenko manifesting his vision .

There’s a greater emphasis on the finesse with which these songs were written and arranged, especially when it comes to the precision and dexterity of the guitars. In many ways, I prefer the remaster to the original, as there's more of a fullness in the overall sound, revealing aspects of each track that were previously hidden. In addition to the guitars, the piano and keyboards play more of an important role in the songs, adding different flavors to each song as they were intended to. 

There's an enhanced interplay between the acoustic sections, the bass tracks are polished so they are more prominent, and the diverse vocal tracks are incorporated into the song structure in a more significant way. You have an excellent sense of how to cross over black metal, progressive metal, and folk without overstating anything, with an even distribution of vocals and instruments, and a live feeling to the material, as if you were listening to a live performance rather than a studio recording.

Tereshenko's decision to remaster "Kings and Pawns" was wise as it provides greater opportunities to improve in terms of sound and presentation. Before I forget, please take time to listen to his black/goth metal rendition of "Working Class Hero". -Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Denis Tereschenko: Vocals, all instruments

Track list:

1. Away Into The Night

2. The Moustached God

3. As The Hangover Starts

4. Confrontation

5. Kings & Pawns

6. The Nonsense Games

7. The Only Thing Worthy To Save

8. Working Class Hero (J. Lennon Cover)

9. Sons Of The Moon And Fire (Der Gerwelt Cover)

Review of "Hypnotic Dreams (Remastered Reissue 2023)" (Inverted Chalice Productions, Bál Records), January 28, 2024

Full Length Review: Padus "Opera funebre" (The Triad Records) by Dave Wolff

Project: Padus

Location: Rovigo

Country: Italy

Genre: Doom metal, ambient, experimental

Full length: Opera funebre

Format: Digital

Label: The Triad Records (Italy)

Release date: April 15, 2024

I'm growing to appreciate this one man project even before my interview with him is complete; listening to "Opera funebre", the new release from founding member Matteo Zanella, makes me want to listen to every release he released previously.

Listening to the style of ambient doom metal is comparable to traveling back in time to 1922 to watch “Nosferatu” when it was just released in movie theaters. A similar hypnotic effect to this album is in the scene where Count Orlok stalks into Hutter's chamber to drink from his veins. The combination of distorted bass, churchlike keyboards and unnerving effects creates a gothic environment to easily serve as the soundtrack to that classic movie, not to mention "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" and "London After Midnight".

There’s just something about the songwriting, musicianship, and arrangements that personify the fear of the unknown, the occult, and the demonic legends associated with classic horror. I find this kind of fitting since Padus is based in Italy, home of horror directors such as Dario Argento, Mario Bava, Lucio Fulci and Umberto Lenzi, whose films continue to treasure cult followings.

Throughout his early works, Zanella has concocted euphonies far from repetitive or formulaic, as he explores multiple nonidentical, distinguishable moods and climates, with little to no vocals except for a certain kind of chanting to provide variety to his work. Regardless of their form, his compositions are made to convey anxiety and melancholy associated with fear of the darkness without and within, as well as a desperate desire to escape.

With each instrument comprising a whole that magnifies the uneasiness it evokes, you enter a world of pure and evocative trepidation when you listen to this. It's a world that is not only dark but grainy; the terrors within are well hidden until that moment they're almost upon you. There are also hardly any lyrics in "Opera funebre", except for the last track, and these are not your typical gothic or doom metal vocals. It is rather the stuff of nightmares, so horrid that your mind automatically pushes them into your subconscious so that you will not be able to recall them upon waking.

It is recommended that fans of black metal and gothic metal, as well as doom and ambient, make the effort to experience the horrors this project offers. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

MZ (Matteo Zanella): Bass, organ, drum programming, effects

Track list:

1. Lento incedere catacombale

2. Tomba d'autunno

3. Croce di marmo nero

4. Galaverna

5. Nebbia ai cipressi

6. Grimorio

7. La lingua oscura

Full Length Review: Frostmoon Eclipse "Gathering the Dark (Alternate Version)" (Immortal Frost Productions) by Brynn Kali StarDew

Band: Frostmoon Eclipse

Country: Italy

Genre: Black metal

Full length: Gathering the Dark (Alternate Version)

Format: Digital album

Label: Immortal Frost Productions

Release date: May 24, 2024

The beginning of 'Where No Light Burns' was pretty sick. It comes in kinda heavy but I'm like "well it's called Heavy Metal for a reason". I don’t know, it just kinda got me into this song more. The ambient break around 3:59 was stunningly beautiful as well before it goes back into the brutal pounding drums and screaming. Definitely an original 10/10! Track number two 'Worms On Mankind' had a cool intro and kind of had an old school Thrash Metal sound that was totally priceless. 'Ashes' and 'Ruins' both were really beautiful songs as well and gave the album a nice medieval ambiance. 'I Am My Worst Enemy' was really good; I mean they are all good but the lyrics on this one were interesting to me. The part where he says "Demons in me" was pretty cool in my opinion. All in all this album really has changed my perception of Black Metal now and will definitely recommend it to any fans of Black Metal music! –Brynn Kali StarDew

Lineup:

Lorenzo Sassi: Vocals

Claudio Alcara: Guitars

Davide Gorrini: Bass

Gionata Potenti: Drums

Track list:

1. Where no Light Burns

2. Worms on Mankind

3. Dragon Millennium

4. Ashes

5. I am My Worst Enemy

6. Let the World Burn

7. Dusk to Exalt My Triumph

8. Ruins

Full Length Review: Cosmic Jaguar "El Era del Jaguar" (Independent) by Dave Wolff

Band: Cosmic Jaguar

Location: Zhytomyr

Country: Ukraine

Genre: Avant garde/technical thrash metal

Full length: El Era del Jaguar

Format: Digital album

Label: Independent

Release date: May 29, 2024

On May 29, Cosmic Jaguar unveiled their new full-length which as usual demonstrates eclecticism and dedication. The forward thinking and drive to push themselves of their last album, "The Legacy of the Aztecs", is reaching new pinnacles as their elements of metal, progressive rock, jazz fusion, and folk are much closer in structure. It’s as if Voivod, Kreator, King Crimson and a Mesoamerican folk ensemble brainstormed together during long, intensive meetings as this album was the result.

With the band's advanced progressive elements, their heaviness and aggression have not diminished, which should be a reassurance to purists who prefer to see bands maintain their edge. In "El Era del Jaguar", they channel their aggression in radically new ways we hadn't heard, adding heaviness to the folk and prog they write with. One example is the integration of a stronger classical influence into the blast sections in some of the songs, as well as more prominent classical themes in the guitar solos.

With its nuanced sophistication, there is a greater presence of guitars on "El Era del Jaguar". Juan Maestro and Pablo "el Sicario" are given much free reign to display their dexterity and ability to handle time changes, different genres and subgenres, and Spanish-Mexican-Mesomerican melodies. Their respective handling of acoustic guitars and keyboards take the album to places connoisseurs of jazz and progressive rock would swear by. Mazatecpatl, a guest musician from the Mexican prog-power-thrash-folk band Cemican, contributes wind instruments giving the material a timeless autochthonous feel.

Several guest and session musicians contributed their own unique vibe to the album, including Morgoth, Blind Illusion, and Sadist. It’s most noteworthy that Dionisio Oscuro (Dark Matte Secret, Denis Shvarts, Ritual of Descent) contributes acoustic guitars and solos and Regina "The Bishop" aka Chimalma (Bestial Invasion, Lord Erektus) provides additional vocals. Chimalma in particular has a revenant-like bearing comparable to Livia Zita (King Diamond) and Tarja Turunen (Nightwish, Tarja).

Finally, Cosmic Jaguar dives deeply into Aztec legends and myths. Their homages to the Aztec sun god Huitzilopochtli, Tepēyōllōtl, the god of the Eighth Hour of the Night, the goddess of erotic love, fertility and childbirth, Xolotl, the god of lightning, fire and death, and Coyolxauhqu, the goddess of the moon are accorded to ensure familiarity with these and the other legends lyrically imparted, and something about their presentation will inspire you to conduct research on your own.

"El Era del Jaguar" shows a band getting its act together and working hard to fulfill their potential. Give it a close listen. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Sergio Lunático: Vocals, bass

Pablo "el Sicario": Rhythm guitars, acoustic guitar

Juan Maestro: Lead guitars, keyboards

Alejo Bárbaro: Drums, percussion

Session musicans:

Chimalma: Female vocals

Dionisio Oscuro: Solo guitars, acoustic guitar

Special guests:

Mazatecpatl (Cemican): Wind instruments (track 1 and 3)

Tommy Talamanca (Sadist): Guitar solo 1 (track 5)

Miguel Slam Tornado (Fusion Bomb): Vocals 2 (track 5)

Mark Biedermann (Blind Illusion) Guitar solo 4 (track 5)

Marc Grewe (ex-Morgoth): Vocals 3 (track 5) and vocals 1 (track 7)

Thomas Zeller (MP (Metal Priests)): Vocals 2 (track 7)

Michael Wehner "Micky" (ex-Vendetta): Guitar solo 2 (track 7)

Achim Daxx (ex-Vendetta): Guitar solo 3 (track 7)

Vakhtango: Vocal “Cortes” (track 8)

El Mesías Digital: Guitar solo 2 (track 8)

Track list:

1. God of Sun and War

2. The Eight Lord of the Nights

3. Solar Logos

4. Ashes in Eyes

5. Obsidian Mirror

6. Decapitated Lunar Goddess

7. The Shorn Ones

8. La Noche Triste

Interview with Metal Priest of Cosmic Jaguar by Dave Wolff

Review of Cosmic Jaguar "Temple of the Feathered Serpent" (Independent) by Brynn Kali StarDew

Review of Cosmic Jaguar "The Legacy of the Aztecs" (Independent) by Dave Wolff

Review of Cosmic Jaguar "The Order of the Jaguar Knights" (Independent) by Dave Wolff

Interview with Metal Priest of BESTIAL INVASION by Dave Wolff

CD Review: BESTIAL INVASION Act Of Retribution by Eric Evers

CD Review: BESTIAL INVASION Trilogy: Prisoners Of Miserable Fate by Dave Wolff

Single Review: BESTIAL INVASION Repudiating The Power (single 2017) by Dave Wolff

CD Review: BESTIAL INVASION Contra Omnes by Dave Wolff

Single Review: BESTIAL INVASION Memories: The Аrchitect Of The Universe (Independent) by Dave Wolff

Full Length Review: BESTIAL INVASION "Monomania" (Nocturnus Records) by Sarah McKellar

Full Length Review: Bestial Invasion "Divine Comedy: Inferno" (Independent) by Corban Skipwith

Full Length Review: Gurthang "Martyrium" (Immortal Frost Productions) by Brynn Kali StarDew

Band: Gurthang

Country: Poland

Genre: Black/funeral doom metal

Full length: Martyrium

Format: Digital album, jewel case CD, standard black vinyl, opaque mustard/black swirl vinyl

Label: Immortal Frost Productions

Release date: May 31, 2024

I don't really see a lot of METAL bands nowadays where I am like “WOW that was truly original”, but I definitely felt that listening to Gurthang’s “Martyrium”. The lyrics were really interesting and I liked the part in “Aestherics of Solitude” at the end where he says “there are no gods in me” I can really relate to this as a Satanist. The ambient effects are excellent as well as the Musicianship/vocals. The transitions from slow, slow ambient sounds to fast guitar and drums are nicely done as well. This is definitely demonstrated on “Antithesis of Creation” and I think the ambient sounds are really nicely incorporated into the music in “Discernment”. However all the tracks have a good touch of it as well that brings out the real magic of the genre. -Brynn Kali StarDew

Lineup:

A.Z.V.: Drum programming, guitars, vocals

G.H.: Synthesizers

Turenn: Drums, bass

Track list:

1. Aesthetics of Solicitude

2. Conundrum Unfolds

3. Antithesis of Creation

4. Discernment

5. In Voidwards Begotten

The SelfMadeRecords L.L.C. Roster by Erik Leviathan

SelfMadeRecords LLC is a beacon for independent artists striving to make their mark in the music industry. Run by a team of passionate music enthusiasts and artists from various genres, the company understands the unique challenges faced by independent musicians. Their mission is to provide a robust platform that helps artists transition from underground obscurity to mainstream success. Through strategic partnerships and protective measures, SelfMadeRecords LLC ensures that their artists are not only heard but also fairly compensated for their work. The label focuses on building a solid platform for success, ensuring that artists have access to the best tools and opportunities. This includes everything from digital distribution to marketing support, all designed to help artists reach their full potential. SelfMadeRecords LLC has formed a strategic partnership with Earache Digital Distribution to ensure that their artists' music reaches a global audience. This collaboration allows artists to deliver music to your fans efficiently and effectively, leveraging Earache's extensive network and expertise in the digital music industry. To safeguard the rights and earnings of their artists, SelfMadeRecords LLC provides A.S.C.A.P. protection. This ensures that artists receive proper compensation for their work and that their intellectual property is protected. By aligning with A.S.C.A.P., SelfMadeRecords LLC demonstrates a commitment to the long-term success and security of their artists.

The SelfMadeRecords L.L.C. Roster

The Distinguished Order of Disobedience (The D.O.O.D.)

Location: Sarasota, Florida

For Fans Of: Slayer, Bring Me The Horizon, Pantera and Disturbed

The Distinguished Order of Disobedience (The D.O.O.D.) is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the metal music scene. With their unique blend of extreme stage performances and powerful music, the band has solidified their spot as one of Florida's premier acts and is now making waves nationally.

Website: https://thedoodband.com/home

Chuck W Chapman

Location: Greenville SC

For Fans Of: Cheap Trick, Kiss and good ol' fashioned Rock & Roll

Singer/Songwriter/Musician, Rock n' Roll Band & Horror Author Published by Black Bed Sheet Books.

Website: https://chuckwchapman.com/

December Screams Embers

Location: DFW Texas

For Fans Of: Ice Nine Kills, Nevermore and Escape The Fate

Unveiling their stirring force in the world of Rock and Metal, December Screams Embers was founded in 2016. The dynamic band has been steadily making waves with their unique fusion of musical styles, capturing hearts and minds with their diverse sound.

Website: https://www.decemberscreamsembers.com/

Redrumed

Location: Phoenix AZ

For Fans Of: Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson and White Zombie

An Unapologetic, Unfiltered, and Riveting Heavy Metal Experience

Founded in March 2018 by Scott Rowe, REDRUMED’s evolution from hard rock to a formidable metal sound has been fueled by a relentless pursuit of authenticity. REDRUMED is a rising powerhouse in the metal realm.

Website: https://redrumed.bandcamp.com/album/redrumed

Honeybunches Of DEATH

Location: Denver, CO

For Fans Of: Steel Panther, Gwar and Green Jelly

Comedy Groove and Metal Find a New Light- The music world is not ready for the eclectic tastes of honeybunches of DEATH- bringing audiences a little bit of humor, a dash of groovy riffs, and a whole lot of chaos. Hailing from Denver, Colorado, the dynamic group, comprised of five uniquely talented individuals, is here to turn the world upside down with their blend of Comedy Groove Metal.

Website: https://selfmaderecordsllc-business.com/honeybunches-of-death

A. Moortal

Location: Lake County CA

For Fans Of: Wage War, Slipknot and Lamb Of God

Aaron Moore, known professionally as A. Moortal, is a talented guitarist, songwriter, and producer who has made a mark in the music industry with his passion for heavy metal and nu metal genres.

Alongside his bass guitar skills, Aaron's interest in heavier music led him to explore bands like Pantera, Cannibal Corpse, and As I Lay Dying. The combination of distorted guitars and intense screaming became an obsession for him, inspiring him to further develop his own musical style. 

Website: https://linktr.ee/a.moortal

A StateOfMindTX

Location: Beaumont Texas

For Fans Of: Dio, Iron Maiden and Queensryche

Modern Classic Heavy Metal. Their songs are written to shine a light into people's darkness. To give hope and understanding to those who are lost in the dark. With their hard hitting rock and metal tunes, Tto their dark ballads, John Ferris, turns the pages of his own life with every song. Addiction, heartbreak, self reflection, and life are the inner demons that we all keep. “We want our music to reach everyone and maybe heal something inside.” -John Ferris

Misanthropik Torment

Location: Lexington KY

For Fans Of: Six Feet Under, Dying Fetus and Deicide

Misanthropik Torment have been pushing the boundaries of extreme metal since their inception, Misanthropik Torment's sound is a unique blend of man-hating death metal with a truly unique sound. Their music is full of passion, anger and vitriol, making them a must for all extreme metalheads. Website: https://selfmaderecordsllc-business.com/misanthropik-torment