In the suburbs that is Brisbane, Australia, formed an act in 2010 called Malakyte, trekking across the Australian metal scene with their love of music, taking the genres of thrash metal to the heart, writing and releasing various material and are hard at work on future works, shows, and tours. Drummer Liam or LG discusses the band's name, musical traits, new tunes, and future plans.
1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
Liam: Malakyte formed in September of 2010, so happy fourth birthday to us I guess! Laggy (guitar) and I had been playing in local bands around our home city for a number of years, and after our respective bands split up earlier in 2010, we decided to form our own group as we both had the same musical ideas and ambitions. Laggy had met Dalton (guitar) at a number of local shows and we met Trip (bass) randomly at a local metal festival, during the mosh pit for Megadeth. Tommy Muz (vocalist) joined the ranks in 2013 after the departure of our former vocalist Josh "Oompa" Shaw. Since Muz joined the band, we've undergone a "rebirth" of sorts.
2. Why did you pick the name that you did for your band?
Liam: "Malakyte" comes from the word malachite, which is an old green stone people used to wear around their necks in ancient times to protect themselves from evil. We chose the name because of its ambiguity - it's not a cliched name that blatantly speaks "genre" - that and we all just dug the sound of the name.
3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
Liam: We are based in Brisbane, Australia. The music "scene" here is very good if we're just talking about the music and bands. In the years I've been active in the local metal community I've seen a lot of quality bands come and go, while many still play hard to this day. From Brisbane I recommend Astriaal, Disentomb and Portal, and also our local friends Asylum and Defamer.
4. How would you describe your style? Which bands influenced your music?
Liam: That's a tough one. While our music is and always will be primarily rooted in thrash, we don't want to be a tribute to the 1980s.
I've said this in another interview before but I'll say it again here. Styles like death metal and black metal started in the early 1980s and both had their own respective sounds which have evolved over time while still retaining the initial characteristics that made them what they are. How do you do that with thrash?
We've taken a lot of influence from bands like Vektor, In Malice's Wake and Skeletonwitch, not only musically but also in their attitudes - these bands have taken thrash and pushed it to its next evolutionary chapter, so to speak. Even bands like Coroner and Anacrusis had the same attitude toward the norm in the 1980s. We aim to do the same, and I think that will show on the next record. Even on our last album, Muz doesn't have a very "typical" thrash vocal style, and that's led to a lot of surprised reactions from people who have listened to our music for the first time.
5. What have you released so far and how were your releases received by the public/media?
Liam: In the past we released the "S2076" EP and the "Fall to Khaos" single, which were recorded with our old vocalist Josh and are now both out of print. Our latest album "Human Resonance" is available and has been received very well by the public and media, especially overseas. We're currently writing for the second album which we hope to begin recording next year.
6. Do you play live as well? What do you have planned in terms of shows and touring, if any?
Liam: We're definitely a live band. Our next show will be with Sepultura in Brisbane, and we will soon be heading to Adelaide for the first time. Out of all the places in Australia we've toured, my personal favorite so far would have to be Melbourne.
7. What should labels/zines/promoters know about your band? Why should they be interested in it?
Liam: We're all sexy as hell, and our looks mean more than the music. I think for the most part we're a motivated, high-energy, no-bullshit metal band and we have built ourselves quite a reputation for our work ethic.
Even before we made this music, we were fans of it first and foremost. We're just as stoked to be on stage playing in front of people just as we go out to a gig to watch our favorite bands, and in our live shows that shared energy between us and the crowd is quite evident.
8. What plans do you have for the near future as a band?
Liam: At the moment, our main priority is to write and record the next album. We'd love to eventually play shows overseas in the near future - preferably Japan or Southeast Asia, and then eventually Europe. The songs we're writing for the new album are certainly a lot heavier and sharper than what was on Human Resonance. Only a few songs have been written so far, but for me personally I'm really looking forward to what more we can create in the direction we've taken.
9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?Liam: Human Resonance is available online throughout iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, and CDBaby. You can also grab it off Bandcamp, or if you want a genuine physical copy, you can buy it via our BigCartel page.
10. What is it you'd like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
Liam: A lot of people have commented on our riffs, and it's also flattering when you see someone in the crowd at a show sing your own chorus back at you. If people think our music is catchy, that's fine. Most extreme music generally isn't, so then I guess we might be doing something right.
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