Remission of Sin is the title of Absolution debut and promising release. MER took the chance to find more about this new band by interviewing Chaz Leon and Dave Deroscher.
METAL EXPRESS RADIO:
Please introduce Absolution to the MER readers.
CL:
Absolution is a melodic thrash metal band that is doing a modern take on the sound that got so many of us into Metal in the first place. We feel this sound needs to be represented and should not and should never ever be allowed to fade into obscurity. While the Classic Metal is the basis of our sound and our biggest influence we are also our own band and have lots of other styles, modern and classic, that we are going to be incorporating into our sound.
MER:
What is the response to The Remission of Sin so far?
CL:
So far it’s been great. We get tons of people telling us how much they like this album and asking us why we aren’t signed yet, haha!!
MER:
How difficult is to self finance and promote the album?
CL:
Well with The Remission of Sin it actually wasn’t too difficult. We really didn’t have all that much money to sink into the recording so we figured we’d ask a friend and just do it ourselves. The hardest part was just getting everyone together to find a time and space to record their parts. This album was recorded basically in garages and living rooms in a true guerilla manner. All things considered I think it came out great. Promotion has been done largely thanks to the internet and great online zines such as yourself.
MER:
What can you expect from the American music market when Nu-metal and Metalcore are hot sellers?
CL:
Hmm, this is a tough one because you’re right in that the American music scene is very fickle and despite heavy music making a comeback, a lot of fans are still very trend oriented and quick to jump on bandwagons be they “Nu-metal” or “Metalcore” or whatever. I’m hoping the American audience will hear us and be like “Woah these guys sound great…um…I can’t really classify them though…their thrash…no wait their melodic death…no their…uh…I dunno…” HAHA. We’re just trying to make good METAL here. F**k all that classifying shit anyways. People get too crazy with that.
MER:
Why do you think the European metal scene is so much different from the American one?
CL:
Not sure on this one. Europe has produced some of the best metal bands around in the last decade or so, so I think a lot of metal fans come to expect great things from that corner of the world and a lot of bands there don’t want to disappoint. All I can tell ya is that a lot of interviews I’ve read of European bands say that it’s so cold where they are that they don’t really have anything to do except stay inside and practice their instruments. Maybe bad weather makes for good metal? Haha. I’ve also heard from a few Europeans that their crowds go to shows and get involved with the bands a lot more than Americans do. I don’t know if this is true or not but I’ve heard it from a few sources.
DD:
Basically, to me the American media is controlled to a large degree by certain corporations and as a whole is much more concerned about popularity. In Europe and much of the rest of the world popularity isn’t the main concern. The people hear what they want to hear and aren’t controlled by the mass media. The United States as a whole is so concerned by what the majority like that if you aren’t in the majority then you’re never heard…which is just complete Bull***t.
MER:
How long did the recordings of Remission of Sin last? Did you face any difficulties?
CL:
I think the recordings lasted for about 3 months. The biggest difficulty was just finding the time to get everyone together to knock out their parts.
DD:
Dave: Yeah about 3 months…off and on. Mostly weekends.
MER:
What was your composing process?
CL:
There was a lot of music that I had around for a couple of years so I got together with the band basically and retouched some of the older songs and wrote a couple of new ones from our jams together. Usually it happens where a lot of the music will be written first then the band gets together and jams it out and we tweak things here and there and then finish it off.
MER:
What comes first the lyrics or the music?
CL:
So far in everything we’ve done the music comes first. But we will change certain things to fit a particular vocal pattern if it needs to be done.
MER:
What are the lyrics about?
CL:
“Armageddon” – This was one I wrote after watching a fucked up video on www.ogrish.com. It was a video of an Islamic fundamentalist group beheading a captured American. Don’t ask me why I watched it, a friend of mine showed it to me and for whatever reason I checked it out. Anyways I was so pissed after watching that and just so mad at all the hate that goes around in the world that I needed to write something about humans getting their due. Basically the lyrics are about the end of the world brought about through Man’s inherent weaknesses.
DD:
“Erase” – The first song I wrote after joining Absolution. Its about the evils of religion and those who use religion as power. Religion to me is based on fear and power. If you erase that fear and power the world is a better place.
CL:
“The Servant of Liars” – This was one that Dave and I worked on together. This one is about religious leaders using their power for personal reasons or however they see fit and the havoc that it wreaks on society. Also it’s about people who follow these so called religious leaders blindly and serve them hence “The Servant of Liars.”
“Savior” – This is another one about the misuse of power. Except this one is more about politicians who use religious right and might to send their country’s citizens off to fight their wars for them.
“Seven Deadly Sins” – This song is about the so called “Seven Deadly Sins” and their impact on a person. Also its about how difficult it can be to resist some of the temptations.(No we are not a Christian band haha)
“Human” – This one I was trying to write something a little sadder on the human condition. About how so many petty disagreements between people can lead to so much conflict. It’s also about “Why can’t we just learn to agree to disagree.”
MER:
Can you pinpoint your musical influences?
CL:
Well for me its always been the classic late 80s early 90s Metal that my older brother and his friends got me hooked on. Of course Metallica and Megadeth. Pantera, Sepultura, Testament and Dream Theater all got me started. Then I started checking out the classics like Ozzy and Maiden on my own as well as some of the newer stuff and gradually got into European melodic Death Metal as well as some more progressive bands.
DD:
I’m the same basically but a little more towards the so called hair metal. I’m a huge fan of Guns ‘N’ Roses and Skid Row. When the Hair Metal scene died in the early 90’s I got into the European power metal like Stratovarius and then moved onto the Melodic Death of In Flames and Children of Bodom, etc. But that’s what makes Absolution so unique. We all have different influences. Luis is huge into Death Metal.
MER:
Can a band survive without following the music trends?
CL:
Absolutely. I think that some bands have too. The music industry needs those bands as well. All the best bands are the ones that don’t follow the current music trends. In a way I think it is harder for those bands because today’s music scene is so much more about the hottest new thing especially with instant access mediums like the internet. But also I think that all of the trendy stuff that gets mass produced is going to be shoved down people’s throats at a much higher rate than before and people are going to get sick of it faster and start looking underground more for something that sounds different.
DD:
To me the key to all music is emotion. It doesn’t matter what your emotion is it just matters that there is a connection between the musician and the listener. If you follow what the trends are you won’t follow emotion and your sure to fail. If you simply follow trends you have no emotion cause its not really coming from you and the listener and fan will not connect so to me you will only survive if you don’t follow the trends.
MER:
What do you do for a living?
CL:
HAHA…I’m between real jobs right now…but I’m teaching guitar to make ends meet.
DD:
I’m a graphic designer. I work for a company that makes DVD menus. Ya know…the menu that pops up when you insert your DVD into the player.
MER:
What are your personal musical influences?
CL:
Hetfield and Mustaine obviously. I still think their music has set a bar for traditional metal that hasn’t been surpassed and might not ever be. Dimebag of course. Slash was a big influence early on and was one of the reasons I picked up guitar. Marty Friedman and Dave Gilmour are just two masters of melodic lead guitar. And Steve Vai and John Petrucci for repeatedly blowing my mind with how good their technical abilities are.
DD:
Personally singer wise its Axl Rose, Sebastian Bach, Warrel Dane and James Labrie. But lately it’s been Alexi Laiho, who probably isn’t the greatest singer of all time but he has so much emotion when he sings it’s completely absurd. When you listen to him you connect because he is singing from the heart.
MER:
How do you want the fans to remember Absolution after 40 years?
CL:
As a band that didn’t give into any of the trends at the time. As a band that did things differently in a good way. As a band that was unique and truly had its own sound. But most importantly I just want to be remembered as a band that made some cool f***ing music!
MER:
What are your future plans?
CL:
To keep the machine that is Absolution going and get signed and tour so we can get our music out to as many people as possible.
DD:
To play live as much as possible.
MER:
Do you have any tour plans?
CL:
Nothing other than touring the local circuit right now. We are actually auditioning new bass players so anyone reading this in the L.A. area if you’re interested in auditioning send us an email.
MER:
What are your goals with Absolution?
CL:
To get signed so we can make a living at this. To keep writing good songs and keep challenging ourselves musically. To hopefully impact the Metal scene or just the music scene in a positive way. To give people some good metal music to listen to and to have a good fucking time doing it!
MER:
Is there a band that you’d love to tour with? Why?
CL:
Avenged Sevenfold because they are blowing up right now and would probably have a ton of chicks around HAHA!! Children of Bodom; I love this band and I think they’d be fun to party with.
DD:
I’d say Bodom and Nevermore. Bodom is ricockulous on every level and Nevermore are straight genius and I really want to talk to Warrel Dane and get drunk with Alexi Laiho.
MER:
Thank you for your time. Say anything you’d like to.
CL:
Thanks for interviewing us and giving us some promotion. We definitely appreciate it.
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