I’ve found this great Italian band in last compilation of Doom Metal Front (thanks, Sven!). The band was represented with a real killer hit “Lize”, and if you like famous Italian progressive rock, if you search for nontrivial stoner and doom rock then Midryasi will be a good choice. Do not just seat and wait – try their second full-length “Corridors” and watch for their third album coming in the end of 2012. Senior Convulsion (voice and bass) and Paul Paganhate are here to start their seance of hypnosis and mesmerism.
Hail to Midryasi! Who’s on-line today comrades?
Hi Aleksey! Here are Convulsion (voice and bass) and Paul (guitars).
Okay, we know about the band’s history – thanks to Midryasi’s Facebook profile, yet what would you like to add to the official bio? For example, how long did you and your band’s mates play in the heavy scene of Italy?
Convulsion: It's about 18 years we know each other, and we know each other just because of the music. In the early '90s we were kids playing black, death or thrash metal. We lived the very first screams of a scene that here in Italy was VERY underground!
Paul: Yeah, at those times there were many great extreme bands in our region, a really fertile metal scene. Some of us used to play together, for example Sappah (drums) and I played in a Death Metal band called Hatred. Then Midryasi formed (10 years ago!) and I joined the band 5 years ago and Udz came lately and that's it.
Black Sabbath, Hawkwind, Celtic Frost and Pentagram are main bands which influence you, it’s original yet not the strangest mix so please can you tell us how each of these bands reflects in your songs?
Convulsion: The reason is in the previous answer. We've been playing extreme music for years, and we just always kept the attitude. I never had the problem to think one riff was too heavy, I don't mind about genres, it's only a matter of whether I like what I'm listening or not. I like tripping with music, I like madness, excitement and darkness and in our music comes out everything we've been and listened to. We just follow the feeling.
Paul: All the bands you mention inspire us in a way or another. Personally I'm more into doom metal so music of bands like Pentagram, Saint Vitus, Cathedral and the mighty Black Sabbath is a deep source for me, something strong you can't ignore in any way when composing! Anyway the weight of our inspirations changes during the years and in the fore-coming album you will listen to different influences than the ones in Corridors and the first album. It simply depends on what bands we are listening while composing, I think it's a very natural process.
Of course I must mention one of most unique Italian brands which has embodied in Midryasi and it’s progressive rock. How do you contrive to combine it with heavier parts of your songs? And do you need any compromises to make your songs sound as you wish?
Convulsion: For me a song is an effective tool to bring to reality a feeling or an atmosphere in my mind.
We can use words, music, sound, effects or rhythm to express it, everything that leads to the point. We just ask ourselves: "Is this solution in tune with what we want?". This is the only compromise we do!
Paul: Our songs take shape quite naturally from rehearsing. I mean, as we said before we have so many influences and it's quite natural for us to put many ideas into our music.
What we are doing lately, more than in the past, is just trying to get the best from all the ideas in order to make more effective, more focused songs.
Italy has another famous tradition besides prog rock and it’s horror movies culture, don’t you know why was this part of cinema industry such popular and developed? I’m asking because of these scenes from black-and-white movies in Midryasi official video "Lize".
Convulsion: I think because of religion. Christianity is so strong in Italian culture, but while constantly warning you from evil, they always put its image in front of your eyes, and it takes its place in common imaginary. Many people are simply more fascinated by this dark side. We chose the old horror movie because the song is about sin and we wanted something giving a consumed and perverse atmosphere. That fitted very good!
By the way did this video really help the band to spread the word about your art?
Convulsion: I don't think the video added much in terms of popularity, but I think it helped enforcing the idea of an inspired and creative act. For Midryasi, image as always been as important as sound and a video was a great chance to test us and express, I'm really happy of the result, it really is a nice picture of the song!
Paul: Yeah we all are satisfied with our first video, made by Stefano Visintin. He simply catched the point of what we wanted to communicate with the song and he did so effectively.
Midryasi “Lize”
I’ve got your point; I think that it has real sense. So there’s a question for Convulsion – I see that you hold a good physical form, so do you go in for sport? Do you do any regular trainings or something?
Convulsion: For a long time I wanted to feel some "animal" energy and I need a healthy body to do it; moreover I work in a fitness centre and that means having the chance to train and swim for free.
Hah, that’s a really good option! Correct me if I’m wrong for I think that "Lize" video and lyrics perform an image of woman as a witch but not for her supernatural powers yet for some of her weaknesses… Well, I just want to ask you about lyrical conception of your songs – bring it on!
Convulsion: Maybe it would be more correct to say that the woman incarnate my weaknesses. Women for me are a big source of inspiration, desire and struggle. On one side imaginary, visions, spirit; on the other side women - feelings and flesh. Until now I've not found a way to conciliate this, and some lyrics as "Woman of Doom" and "Lize" reflect this point.
Well, I see that you have quiet intriguing themes for your lyrics, it’s not too straight-line as we could meet in the usual situations. Do you care so much about lyrics? What is a basement for your songs themes?
Convulsion: Wow somebody reading lyrics!!! For me lyrics have an enormous importance.
I mean, Motorhead or AC/DC wouldn't be what they are if they didn't say WHAT they actually said in the WAY they did. The most of times our lyrics describe some visions of mine or a personal situation.
Many words are simply used to emphasize the music they are inspired by and then I only care to stick some reflection over the feeling expressed.
I really wonder how people can miss so easily the importance of lyrics, I mean "it's a band you like, how can you be uninterested in what they say??". Many songs are twice good when you know what they speak about, 'cause you can be really INTO the song, and that's true for a raw song with raw lyrics as well!
What’s about art-works for your both full-length albums? It seems that first one “Midryasi” and second one “Corridors” have very similar pictures, is it such important for you? And what are you going to prepare for new album?
Convulsion: Yeah you're right, the subject is taken from the song "Hypnopriest" from our 1st album. It really incarnates the spirit of the band and we like to keep it. The changes in the covers reflect those of the music in the album; it's cool, gives personality and helps identifying the band!
Paul: Convulsion is the author of the covers and Sappah makes pictures and drawings as well; their works reflect a sort of surreal imaginary around the band and we are exploiting it in the new album as well.
Men, as you’ve said Midryasi already is working on the finishing of the mixing and the mastering of third album. Where and when do you plan to release it? How many songs it’ll be consist of?
Convulsion: Yeah, we're so excited for that!! The album is mixed and mastered, we're just defining some details with the label concerning releasing date, etc. Anyway I can tell you there will be 7 tracks and we hope it will be released by the fall of the year. Stay tuned!!!
It seems to me that you were working out your own sound when you did record “Corridors”, can you say that you finished your experiments and your new stuff embodies the best you have for this moment?
Convulsion: The answer to the first is NEVER! I think we'll never stop experimenting, I think we'll always be in search of the sound reflecting what we are in the very moment! But I'm sure that the new stuff embodies the best of the band both for the sound and the compositions!
Paul: I agree with Convulsion, if you listen to the first and the second album you realise they sound so differently, and when you will listen to the third it sounds different as well. This is because we change over the years and our sound does as well.
Well, but you can say how new stuff sounds, do you? I think that’s right time to share few more words about new release, about it’s stuff, about label and so on.
Convulsion: Well I can say the new one is darker, heavier and colder. The image that mostly comes to my mind is putting a lucid black brick in your hands, then leaving you alone with it confronting with your impressions about it. It's a shorter, yet more intense 40 minutes trip.
We're considering to release different covers for vinyl and CD, but we'll speak about that with the label which likely will be an Italian one.
At the moment I prefer not to mention the title, but will be at one with the feeling of the album!
I don't want to be mysterious but as we say in Italy "nothing is done until it is actually done", so I'll tell you everything when I'll be sure of it!
Thank you very much for your patience, well and to Sven of Doom Metal Front too :-) Because I’ve known about Midryasi only because of him. Best regards mates! What do you have to say to our readers?
Convulsion: This interview was a real pleasure 'cause of intelligent and interesting questions; we thank you for the chance and visibility you give us, keep on spreading the word and keep high ATTITUDE!!!
Interview By
Aleks Evdokimov
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