I first took notice of Horrendous’ music when they released The Chills, their first LP, back in 2012, and immediately fell in love with the album. It was significantly better than most of the Swedeath inspired OSDM that was coming out at the time: the songwriting was top notch and the production, in combination with somber melodies and angry but desperate sounding vocals gave the music a particularly gloomy atmosphere. But what really differentiated them from their peers were hints of progressive elements (namely in 9 minutes long album closer The Eye Of Madness). On subsequent releases, Horrendous kept expanding on these elements and integrating more progressive song structures and instrumentation with every album, always to increasingly critical success. Now four albums in, Horrendous have truly crafted a sound of their own, going as far as they want into the progressive sounds while always staying undeniably Death Metal, and that is a really unique achievement. They just released their new album Idol on Season of Mist this month! Check it out!
Which music genre do you listen to the most? List your five favorite albums in that genre.
Some recent genres I’ve been spending time with:
Prog/Krautrock:
King Crimson – Larks’ Tongues in Aspic
Yes – Close to the Edge
Can – Tago Mago
Gentle Giant – In a Glass House
Van der Graaf Generator – Pawn Hearts
Fusion:
Miles Davis – In a Silent Way
Mahavishnu Orchestra – The Inner Mounting Flame
Herbie Hancock – Crossings
Weather Report – Black Market
Allan Holdsworth – Road Games
What’s the album you’ve listened to the most in your life? Do you still listen to it?
It may be the self-titled album by KID DYNAMITE – I bought the CD when I was 13 and this band has remained in my listening cycle ever since.
What are some of your favorite song lyrics? Lyrics that have been important to you or that had an impact on you?
PROPAGANDHI’s lyrics have been the most influential in my life by far. Their ideas have changed the way I think and live my life in a number of aspects. They have also influenced the way I decide on topics and go about writing my own lyrics.
Do you have a favorite setting or place to listen to music? How does the setting influence the type of music you’ll listen to?
I like to listen to denser types of music (e.g. Jazz Fusion, Progressive Rock) in places where I can completely focus – at home or perhaps if I’m making a long drive somewhere. If I’m at a party or drinking with friends, I’ll usually opt for classic Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, or Punk.
Do you have an absolute all time favorite band or musical artist? What makes them so special to you?
In the last few years, KING CRIMSON is the band that has interested me the most. I like that they have multiple stylistic eras, each of which sounds very different from the others and is challenging in its own way.
What are your ten favourite albums of all time (all genres)? Name a standout track on each of these albums.
Rich Kids on LSD – Rock ‘N Roll Nightmare – Scab On My Brain
Propagandhi – Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes – Natural Disasters
Kid Dynamite – S/T – Bench Warmer
Lawrence Arms – Ghost Stories – Light Breathing
Descendents – Milo Goes to College – Suburban Home
Megadeth – Rust in Peace – Holy Wars…The Punishment Due
Judas Priest – Sin After Sin – Sinner
Thin Lizzy – Black Rose – Róisín Dubh (Black Rose)
King Crimson – Red – One More Red Nightmare
Yes – Close to the Edge – And You And I
Do you remember the first time you really appreciated an album or a song?
I definitely became attached to songs that my dad would play when we were young kids, but the first time I heard a song and decided to buy music (and to really start being a music fan) was What’s My Age Again? by BLINK-182. I remember hearing it on the radio at my grandparents’ house on Christmas Eve, probably 1999. They were certainly a gateway band for many people from my generation.
What were you listening to in elementary school? then in high school? (Your favorite bands/records back then?) How much of that music is still a part of your playlists today? How have your musical tastes evolved since?
In elementary/middle school, I started with radio-friendly pop-punk bands like BLINK-182, GREEN DAY, and MxPx. I then moved on to the popular Epitaph/Fat Wreck punk bands like BAD RELIGION, NOFX, PENNYWISE, etc. From there I expanded into less mainstream acts like KID DYNAMITE, PROPAGANDHI, and RKL. In high school I finally started to appreciate Metal, and I think the album that really pulled me in was Rust in Peace by MEGADETH. I mostly just dabbled in Metal in high school, but I took a full dive in during college. Since college, I’ve expanded to things like Progressive Rock and Jazz Fusion, but also started to revisit things like 70s Rock and Folk that I wrote off in my youth. While I’ve certainly abandoned some bands and genres with age, I still listen to most of the music from my youth.
What beloved music do you share with your parents (or children if you have kids)? Any specifics memories?
My mom and I are both big fans of Cat Stevens, and I’ll never forget the times blasting the first Boston album with my dad.
Do you have any songs that are meaningful to you because you associate them with important events in your life?
This is a negative association, but I was involved in a fender bender car accident when I was 16 and a new driver. My friends and I were driving home after seeing a horror movie, and the album File Under Black by NONE MORE BLACK was playing in the car when the crash happened. I often think of that night when I hear songs from that album.
What is the most impressive band you’ve toured with? The one that you just had to watch every night? Did you learn anything from them/by watching them?
Without a doubt, this would be TRIBULATION. We watched at least part of their set every single night on tour. In addition to playing their songs tightly, they really make a performance of their set – it doesn’t feel like you are simply watching a band play through their songs. I think we learned a lot from them, and it has influenced our own performances.
Is there any classic / universally acclaimed artist or that you missed out on when they first came out and discovered way later? Any artist that you didn’t like at first and learned to appreciate over time?
I remember having a hard time appreciating KING DIAMOND’s voice, but now his band and MERCYFUL FATE are two of my absolute favorites in the Metal world. I thought BOB DYLAN was overrated nonsense in my youth, but I now think he’s a genius and listen to him pretty frequently.
Do you have an artist that you love in a genre that you don’t usually listen to? What makes them stand out?
I am still a noob when it comes to Electronic Music – I’ve been enjoying the genre more recently but it currently makes up a very small slice of my listening time. That being said, I saw AUTECHRE live a few years ago and was blown away – I thought it was one of the best performances I had ever attended.
Do you have any controversial/unpopular music related opinions that you would like to defend?
These may not be terribly controversial, but I think the second half of DEATH’s career (from Human onward) is far better than their old stuff, to the point that I barely listen to anything pre-Human. I think Traced in Air and Carbon Based Anatomy by CYNIC are much better than Focus. Perhaps most significantly: I think BLACK SABBATH’s years with DIO are far superior to the classic OZZY years. I concede that they are pretty much different bands, but if I could only pick two Sabbath albums to hear for the rest of my life, they would be Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules.
Is there a band that you’ve discovered live recently that blew you away?
I saw KEN Mode live for the first time recently and was struck by how good they were. Super tight and energetic performance.
What are you listening to right now, while answering these questions?
This morning, I listened to My Aim is True by ELVIS COSTELLO and Astral Weeks by VAN MORRISON as I got up and prepared for work.
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