Introducing
Opium Death and their upcoming album "Genocidal Nemesis," a fusion of
extreme metal styles promising intense musical evolution and impactful themes,
inviting listeners into a unique sonic journey.
1. Congratulations
on the upcoming release of your first full-length album, "Genocidal
Nemesis." How does it feel to have this project come to fruition, and what
can fans expect from this album in terms of musical evolution since your
earlier work as Cazador?
Irvin: It
feels great and quite surreal due to the fact that at one time we were sitting
on these songs fully written but not recorded for a while to suddenly be
released to the general public. There was a lot of work put into this record by
making sure everything was on time and clean as possible and hoping no mistakes
came through the record. It feels like a huge amount of weight has been lifted
off our shoulders. The music evolution for Opium Death is interesting because
we started out as a thrash/speed metal with hardcore influences to now lean
more towards the progressive extreme metal style. We will be diving more into
the brutal realm of death metal with more dense musical ideas.
2. The
latest single, "The Condemned," addresses a poignant and dark subject
matter related to school bullying. Can you share more about the inspiration
behind this song and how you hope it will impact listeners both musically and
emotionally?
Irvin: I
remember seeing a lot of stories in the news during my middle school and high
school years that there was a rise in suicide rates among teenagers. Seeing it
in movies or TV shows is one thing but in real life, there are actual lives
that are being affected and the pain would spread into that person’s circle.
The language utilization in the song reflects the anger that the person feels
in the afterlife having no peace and will not rest until they see the same
thing happen to the bully. Even when the situation has been reported, it
lingers in their mind endlessly which can affect their mentality towards other
people even themselves. I am sure everyone has seen or/and experienced it
firsthand and so what I ask is that we cannot be bystanders when we see it.
There is a lot of good in people and I hope this song inspires the action to
halt the situation before it gets worse.
3. The
band has undergone lineup changes since its inception in 2012. How have these
changes influenced the creative dynamics within Opium Death, and what
challenges did you face during the evolution of the band?
Irvin: It
is very interesting seeing how different members with different musical
upbringings ignite a fresh creative drive and goal for each song as we write
them. Most of them already had a riff in mind or part of a song that they
wanted to show to the band and so we let them show it to us and work from
there. Challenges arose when it came down to a musical idea being fixated with
no feedback from other members and so compromises had to be worked out. We did
not move on to the next song until the last one was finished, and everyone was
on the same page with it.
4. Guitarist
Irvin Gonzalez mentioned that "The Condemned" has a captivating
groove. Can you delve into the musical aspects of the track and how it
represents the overall sound of "Genocidal Nemesis"?
Irvin: From
its inception, the goal of this song was to be a straightforward track with
little twists and turns in its riffs and rhythms and a message that we felt
could be taken to a relatable level. We believe the song achieved this and
helps emphasize the album as a whole that much of it is supposed to be in your
face with a mix of good musicianship and lyrics that go beyond the typical
tropes of extreme metal. We want to captivate the musical idea of catchy hooks
to bring the listener into it but then lead them to a dark and heavy sound that
they cannot back out of. Each song has that quality where it captures the ears
just like the intro of the song before it dives into a dark and rigid section
which then leads to a groovy verse riff.
5. The
album seems to touch on various heavy themes. Can you provide insights into the
conceptualization and themes explored throughout "Genocidal Nemesis,"
and how the track listing plays a role in conveying the album's narrative?
Irvin: A
lot of it has to be stemming from books that we have read as students in high
school where we see characters going against the corrupt leaders of a
civilization or local group. That and to think about oneself in a conforming
group/society and how such actions could inspire or punish others around them.
We think this helped create a theme of hubris and self-destruction being a
major flaw in the human psyche and how it could spread like a sickness onto
others with whoever it comes in contact with.
6. With
influences like Gojira, Cannibal Corpse, and Cattle Decapitation, how do you
navigate incorporating these inspirations while maintaining Opium Death's
unique sound and identity?
Irvin: We
navigate through them by seeing what was the underlying goal that they wanted
to achieve with each song they wrote. It helped us identify which ideas worked
and which didn’t work then listening to the song we wrote a few times across
days to avoid similarities. The maintenance of the band’s identity comes down
to us feeling comfortable and agreeing that this is the sound the band is going
for.
7. Opium
Death plans to showcase the new album at local and regional venues. What can
fans expect from your live performances, and how do you envision the audience
reacting to the sonic intensity and passion you bring to the stage?
Irvin:
Expect a lot of movement from us to showcase the energy these songs bring out
and voice it out to the audience to follow along as well. We want to create an
environment in the venue that this is what metal is all about where you can be
in a room with friends and strangers who love the same type of music.
8. The
album is available for pre-order on Bandcamp. How important is the support of
your fan base, and what exclusive experiences or content can fans expect when
pre-ordering "Genocidal Nemesis"?
Irvin: It
is very important since it helps fund merch, and studio time to invest into the
best quality that the next release will get, as well as supporting our goals to
go on the road by getting our hands on a vehicle for transportation when we go
on tour. Just know that any support will help the band move forward and we want
to establish a community that will get exclusives from early demos of new songs
to Q and A sessions, access to rough cuts or even finished music videos as well
as behind-the-scenes of our studio sessions. It is something want to push for
not just for the debut album but everything else forward.
9. Looking
ahead, what are the band's goals and aspirations after the release of
"Genocidal Nemesis"? Are there any specific milestones or
achievements you are aiming for in the near future?
Irvin: Right now, we’re working on booking more shows in support of the album
locally and eventually performing in the neighboring states to spread our name.
We try to aim for one or two shows a month hoping to open for touring acts as
they come through town to expose ourselves to their audience. We are working on
getting new merch for fans as well as looking to record some music videos for
the songs off the album.
10. In a landscape filled with diverse metal genres, what do you believe sets Opium Death apart from other bands? How would you describe the essence of Opium Death's music and its impact on the metal scene?
Irvin: I
believe what sets us apart from other bands is our blend of different metal
styles combined into one focused sound. Each of us listens to a ton of
subgenres of metal and we get inspired from what we listen and so we try to
approach the songwriting process with an open mind. We try to not limit
ourselves of how our songs should sound like but rather making sure that in the
end it is heavy and loud. We hope this type of mindset helps both listeners and
musicians that one should not be afraid to think outside the box when getting
into the creative process because in the end no one is telling you how your
songs should sound like. We want to emphasize that you as an individual has a
lot of freedom to write and play whatever you want because the authenticity
shines through oneself and onto the song.
Opium Death (opiumdeathofficial.com)
Opium Death (@opiumdeathofficial) • Photos et vidéos Instagram
Genocidal Nemesis | Opium Death (bandcamp.com)
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