UK go getters The Defiled have released their latest effort to date "Daggers", gotten signed with Nuclear Blast Records and have been trekking it across the globe left and right. Programmer, keyboardist, and backing vocalist The AvD discusses the album and plans these guys have got for the future.
1. Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in The Defiled, and how long the band has been together.
The AvD: Hi I'm The AvD, I do lots of things in The Defiled but the thing you will have probably seen me do most is play the keyboards and scream in to a mic. We seriously decided to do this in 2005. We knew each other before that, but it was more of a pastime then.
2. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
The AvD: We are based in London, I live near Tower Hill… can't think of any "Tower Hill" bands sorry.
3. How would you describe your style? Which bands influenced your music?
The AvD: Stitch and I who are the song writers are influenced by various styles and bands. I could not seriously give you 3 names and define The Defiled. The Defiled is a melting pot of all the experiences we have had going through life musically, visually and intellectually.
4. Tell me how did the band come to get it's name, The Defiled?
The AvD: We are "The Defiled" we really are… We have never got anything for free and have had to fight for every inch we ever got. It's amazing to finally see people appreciate and in some cases love what we do.
5. What lyrical theme do you guys use in your music? What message do you want to send?
The AvD: When it comes to lyrics, I like it to be very personal and passionate. I think on this album we have achieved that. We aren't preachers of any kind mind you. If I feel strongly about something I put it down on paper and I know someone out there will feel exactly the same way. The new album Daggers is like a diary of how and what was going on in our lives while we where writing the album.
6. So tell me how does it feel to finally be signed to a label especially one like, Nuclear Blast Records?
The AvD: It feels like pay off for something we have believed in from day one. We kept telling people that we are not bull shitting and that we are going to do this! People smiled and nodded patronizingly. Now it feels like we can stick this in their fucking face and show them how deadly serious we have always been. Signing to Nuclear Blast means we now have the chance to take our vision and make it a reality on an international scale.
7. You released not one but two versions of your video for "The Resurrectionists" how come? Who's idea was it to have the bug effect crawling upon the screen that was a good idea it got my attention I thought there were bugs on my screen when I first saw it haha.
The AvD: There is really only one version of The Resurrectionists. The two versions you might have seen are one with an extensive intro with no music which we decided to cut out and the other one that slams straight in to the track!
8. Aside from those releases you released "Call To Arms", "Blood Sells", and "Black Death" videos. What plans are on the horizon music video-wise?
The AvD: We jut released "Unspoken" and "As I Drown". "Unspoken" was directed by Robin Fuller who was the director on our first ever video that was "The Ressurectionists"! We like to keep it in the family in The Defiled, chances are if you where nice to us once upon a time we will remember you when it counts and this is what's happened with Robin. We know he is an amazing director and told him that if he did our first video for next to nothing we will use him when we get a respectable budget. He believed in us and we kept our word.
9. PledgeMusic was a part of the recording of the live version of your debut album "Grave Times" did this album get released and how did it turn out live-wise?
The AvD: Pledge music is actually how we managed to pay for our album to be made. if it wasn't for Pledge Music and all the pledgers Daggers would have never been made! The approach to it was: let's get this album done and see who buys in to it rather than signing a contract and having a label tell us how they would like the album to sound.
I mixed the Grave Times live album while on tour and at my home studio. We kept it quite raw, we have an extra track on the CD with all the bits I cut out, sort of like a bloopers track. it's in production now so people should be getting it any day!
10. How would you say that your EP 1888 and Grave Times compare and differ to one another and how has the sound evolved between them?
The AvD: Oh....1888 to Grave Times. I think 1888 is a glimpse of what could be and Grave Times is the progression of that. In 1888 I think we where still figuring out who we where, when it came time to work on Grave Times we had a much clearer vision on the whole sound and concept of the band.
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11. Do you think that you've achieved everything that you wanted too with both of those releases?The AvD: Probably not, but nothing is ever ideal in life and it's a part of our history which makes us who we are today. We owe everything to that history.
12. What about this new album "Daggers" tell me how does this one compare, differ, and evolve to these releases?
The AvD: Sonically it's definitely superior to 1888 or Grave Times as it wasn't recorded in my home studio. Musically I'd say it's not far from "Grave Times" as in, we din't try to change our style. We just wanted to write a kick ass metal album. Lyrically, "Grave Times" was inspired by the world around us, this one is more to do with the world within us.
13. Who produced Daggers and what was it like working with them?
The AvD: We had the chance to fly out to "Audio Hammer" studios and work with Jason Suecof, his input was more times than not spot on and challenged us to do things out of our comfort zone. The songs are more to the point as Jason has a bad case of ADD which left us fighting to keep bits of our songs in there.
14. Is there any story or concept behind the Daggers title?
The AvD: Yes, "Daggers" represents the pain and despair of life. "Daggers" symbolizes the loss in faith, the disappointment in all that is (life). This album is a play by play diary of our lives. We have never written anything this personal.
15. Who did the cover art for Daggers and how much input did you have on it?The AvD: The cover is a reincarnation of a scene we wanted in our first video for "Unspoken". Where Stitch and I (The AvD) are shaking hands with Daggers behind our backs.
16. What's the writing and recording process for you?
The AvD: ME and Stitch Get in a room and write the album, he writes most of the music and arranging, I write most of the lyrics and electronics.
17. Are there any surprises or collaborations on the album?
The AvD: There is a song called "Porcelain" that might surprise a few people, it's heavily electronic.
18. How would you describe the overall sound of the new album?
The AvD: Big!
19. Did the band have any definitive goals they were shooting for before the recording process began for this album?
The AvD: Yes, it was to write a kick ass metal album, that we are proud of and I think we succeeded.
20. Are you using any new instrumentation you've never used in the recording process before?
The AvD: No, we just did what we have always done, only better!
21. Did you feel any pressure to do this album whatsoever?
The AvD: No, we felt no pressure, we have no time for dramatics, we just get the job done!
22. Can you go into one or two tracks on the new album? If so, can you give us the track title and brief description of how the track sounds and how it came about?
The AvD: Yea, one of them is called " Five Minutes" it was written about a family member of mine that died while we were writing the album. An other one is "Unspoaken" it's generally about human interaction and is probably our favorite tracks on the album.
24. What are the upcoming touring plans in the future?
The AvD: We have our " NO Place Like Home" UK headline show which I cant wait for! Then we have so much more coming up, we are just going to travel the world playing metal. Sounds good to me!
26. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?The AvD: Everywhere iTunes, your local CD store, or on the Nuclear Blast website is the best place to get it because you get a t-shirt with it!
27. What is it you'd like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
The AvD: I'd like them to have some kind of extreme emotion, I'd like them to love it or hate it.
28. Any final words of wisdom?
The AvD: If you are in a band and you think it's going no where, just keep doing it and don't let go, you will make it!
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