1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
We'll be taking a very quick break over the Christmas period and then launching straight back into things - we have a couple of shows lined up and are working at securing more so that we can get out there and introduce our music to new people. Full steam ahead!
2.You have your first full length coming out in December, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
Around early 2014 I'd finally figured out a clear vision in my head of the type of album I wanted to write - I'll let people draw their own conclusions from what they're hearing, but the intent was to make a very heavy, dark album that had some interesting musical texture and a bit of light and shade going on.
Setting a consistent mood on this one was paramount and not really something we had really tried before. I like to think it's a bit more nuanced and more honest than our demos - they kind of teetered between aggro, pseudo-political death metal and a more morose atmosphere. Dread has a clearer focus in its atmosphere and takes more risks musically as well.
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
Most of the lyrical subject matter is derived from entries out of my own personal journal and then mixed in with a thick layer of fantasy imagery. Looking through it all, concepts of how fear manifested in myself and other people started to become apparent so that's how it became sort of the driving theme of the album: fear of the future, fear over things you've done or not done in the past, fear in the existential, Kierkegaardian sense or just irrational fears when dealing with people. Being afraid is one of those things that most of us really hate admitting or even recognising in ourselves, but it's so often the underlying thing driving so much of the way we act in life and on a personal level, I blame it for a lot of the aspects about myself that I don't like.
4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'The Maledict'?
Thought it sounded cool.
5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We've played shows in Geelong, Melbourne and Adelaide as well as our home town - Melbourne in particular received us really warmly, which is nice. Our live show is still something that's evolving as we play - I'd never really considered it before, but you learn it's one of those things like the music in that you want to be conscious of the tone you're setting.
6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
We've got a couple of shows lined up here and there in a few different cities but since we've all got full-time jobs and other commitments taking up so much time, we're kind of taking it as it comes and being careful not to overcommit. If the demand is there, we'd be keen to go wherever! We'll see.
7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
We've been looking, though not very hard. In the age of the web bands have a much better chance of getting their music out there under their own steam, so we wanted to try giving that a go first and just see how people take to the new material.
8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of goth, doom and death metal?
It's been really good! Still early days since the album is not quite out yet, but we've got pre-release reviews coming back and some airplay in several places, and the reaction has been really positive. This being our first serious release, we weren’t sure how the reaction would be so it’s been a pleasant surprise.
9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Too early to get into specifics, but I have some ideas for high-level concepts kicking around that will change things up in future material. We're starting from a clean slate now that Dread is almost out the door. I ended up writing everything on this album but in the future I can see the process getting a little more collaborative. Nothing is off-limits at the moment.
10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
There's lots of Peaceville influence on it - Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride, Anathema - plus some more funeral doom stuff like Skepticism. Lately I've been listening to a lot of film soundtracks and classical and neoclassical music - Mozart (Requiem in particular), Beethoven, Max Richter, Clint Mansell, Lisa Gerrard, that kind of thing. I can see some of that snaking its way into future material; I want to write something really heavy and dark, but also kind of beautiful and natural in a way.
11.What are some of your non musical interests?
Anything creative - I like doing graphic design and photo manipulation a lot and I do a fair bit of writing, though that comes and goes. Lately I've been starting to get more and more interested in philosophy too - Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Aristotle, Plato, Schopenhauer etc. It's a really cool feeling when you stumble into a passage by someone else that puts something you've always unconsciously thought into a crystal-clear perspective. It draws attention too, to the fact that every brilliant idea you think you've come up with has been done by someone else first, and done better. I guess that's kind of a bummer on one hand, but on the other it lends well to the idea that we're not at all alone in the way we think. Also, lately The Witcher 3 has been stealing many hours of my life.
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thanks for the opportunity to do this interview, and thanks for the kind words in your review! It's been really humbling. Have an excellent one.
