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INDEX
INTERVIEWS
GUESTBOOK
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THRASHING
METAL HELL
FROM SINGAPORE
1. Hello Al-Fahmi. How are you and what's new with Beast Petrify?
Hail bro Gabriel,
I'm fine, currently Beast Petrify just released "Terrorized
Confines", it's our new CD, it's a full-length yet not really
an album. It consists of two sections: The first part contains 4
songs of studio tracks with the old line-up (Unreleased songs),
it's among the last few songs we recorded with Scyfrul on drums.
The second part is with Faiz on drums, it's actually a live set-list
that lasted for 35mins.
Generally, we have been waiting for
labels to release it, but it has been with not much serious parties
and that made me feel it just has to be D.I.Y again (But this is
an almost pro done release, besides it's on CD-R with a sticker
on the CD). In some way it has that underground look, though the
rest of the production is indeed pro-done, from the sleeves, artwork,
layout, to the sound.
Do check it out guys! Because it's limited
to 200 copies only... But of course we're opened to a reissue on
CD or in other formats. If there are cool reliable labels to help
us with a fair deal with royalty copies, sure we'll go for it! Since
it was out (a month) it has been receiving impressively positive
response!
2. What does the name BEAST PETRIFY stand for? Was it the idea of facing a frightening beast and so being petrified with fear? Or was it about some ancient scaring statues in Asia?
The band name
means nothing really much, besides trying to have a fierce name
in a unique way. It's like to descript there's still something that
could scare the extreme beast itself. it's just about having a name
that looks simple, but that comes with something uncommon at the
same time.
3. How
to describe Beast petrify's thrashing metal? What about a mix of
early KREATOR ("Pleasure..."), with some elements of MEKONG
DELTA/ WATCH TOWER, and some touches of IMPIETY? I think this description
isn't so bad, but feel free to improve it if you wish!
Beast Petrify
has nothing to do with Impiety, besides both bands come from the
same country. They happened to be from the first generation of Metal
bands here while we are from the 2nd wave. Besides that, their current
guitarist has been my longtime friend and also a sound engineer
where we recorded our stuffs since 2006, and we've known each others
since the early '00. He's someone who understands very well what
Beast Petrify wants to deliver with the sound, etc. Personally,
I'm not at all into their musical direction or the goals they're
heading for, but I can't deny the recognition they have earned over
their hard work, because that's what they're heading for over the
years: To be internationally well-recognized as a huge Metal band.
For Beast Petrify, we do have a small fan-base which to me is
sufficient already, I wanted our music to be spread through good
Metal bondings and friendship, which we mostly already gained since
the '90s, over trades with international underground networks, cooperating
with various bands, labels, 'zines etc.
The main concern for
me is about songwriting and originality. We didn't really aim for
much gigs since we did play some decades ago, but our show has always
remained unique in our own directions.
About Kreator, it's one
of Beast Petrify's main influences, especially in our early era,
and somehow it's still in us... But as you can see/ hear, our style
is always varied and opened to various technical and progressive
elements, yet it's always about delivering with full blasting raging
riffs as well.
Besides that, we're very opened to deliver some
experimental styles, that is also a part of our deep passion. it's
interesting to mix elements coming from various genres, because
I don't like to limit or just put out a template style and follow
the same way all the time. In other words our music is more about
being unpredictable all the time, as every songs don't really sound
the same, no doubt we do have our signatures intact.
4. We can now say Beast Petrify is an old band, it was formed in 1993, and your first demo saw the light of the day in 1997! I believe we are in touch since the early 00's, and I could see your style develop into something more technical and professional... When you created the band, did you have the goal to become a very technical/ techno thrash outfit? Are improvements always synonymous with hard work? Are you very self-demanding with your guitar playing skills?
Yes, in the
beginning my main aim was to make sure Beast Petrify was an unlimited
Thrash Metal band that had elements of Heavy/ Speed/ Death Metal...
It slowly included elements of Jazz/ Grind/ Black Metal too. I would
have never thought I could deliver much impressive progressive or
technical styles in Beast Petrify's music, because I didn't go to
school to learn music, especially guitars. I don't really care about
TABS or notes until today, it's about the instinct/ sense of music
we have developed over lots of listening and the time we spent playing
covers very closely... Over the years, we have gained knowledge
of how to create such stuff, and we try our best to get away from
our influences as much as possible, but it wasn't that easy because
whatever we tried was certainly bound to sound a little like some
bands... It's just not to be afraid of doing it, while making sure
to have a good grip of good riffs, and well-arranged songs... It
shouldn't result in disappointment. Anyway, thank for your compliments
bro, we're still not perfect yet, it has always been a never-ending
progressing journey!
5. You certainly enjoy listening to technical guitarists, because your music can be really technical by moments... What do you think about Yngwie Malmsteen? Jason Becker? Perhaps you also enjoy early Eddie Van Halen? And if I say the name Trey Azagtoth, was he a big influence on your playing?
All the guitarists above are my idols, and my all-time favorite guitarist has always been Jason Becker, yet I learned more songs from Yngwie Malmsteen, Marty Friedman and Vinnie Moore. Trey Azagtoth deserves a special respect because his shreds suits well for Death Metal. He's a different guitar player compared to the others mentioned earlier, because they're mostly on real scales, intense speed & complex work in solos, while Trey is a screaming guitar player with great craze of dark anger riffs, he rules in his world.
6. What inspires you to write angry riffs? Did you ever find good riffings because you were fucked up an old favorite band released a boring album, and you thought "I can do better"? AhAh. Or perhaps it's the usual stuffs like daily life, news, stress, beer...
Besides beer, because I'm not an alcohol consumer, the rest of your points are facts of how I came out with the riffs over the years. We try to keep up or live with what we're inspired by the great albums which always been influential to us, and I'm always opened to get influenced by some new good releases, of various bands, might it be new or old. What is important is the positive vibe that we're honest and sincere to deliver, it's not about being another clone or wannabe band.
7. I think your screamed vocals sound clear and aggressive. Do you think it's necessary to have attitude and conviction in the vocals for a metal singer?
Yes, I like
the real screaming style that has always been used for Thrash Metal
vocalists, and at the same time to have the words clearly heard
on top of it. Being fierce and strainous at times. The energy has
to be blown out very well, which also requires technics to not heard
our throat too.
8. Let's teach us a bit of history: What where the first extreme metal bands in Singapore? Was there some good death, black or thrash in the beginning? Did it start in the 80's or 90's?
I'm not really an expert to answer this, but I'm aware of some great pioneer underground bands like Abhorer and As-Sahar over here. The scene here started around the mid 80's if I'm not mistaken, during the dubbed tapes era, but most bands from this time has died and most of those still around are from the 2nd wave.
9. What can you say about nowadays' metal scene in Singapore? Your country is close to others like Malaysia, Indonesia, but I think the economic level is better... Does it help to live in Singapore to maintain a metal band? Did you always live there, or perhaps came from a neighbor country to find a better job?
Bands here
are expanding in many genres, the scene is good but to be frank,
I think the Punk and HC scenes here are more supportive compared
to Metal. In general for the Metal scene, the fans watch foreign
bands more instead of local bands, but it's not too bad because
some still support locals too, so it's a kind of balance now.
To
live with Metal as a permanent job is less possible, unless you
get lucky to be on a major label like Wormrot. Again, as I said
earlier, it depends on what's your agenda for your band. For Beast
Petrify, we didn't aim to be rockstars, it's just about having our
sincere art released properly and to share it with the true fans
who care about good friendly bondings, trying to shine underground
talent without being limited to a certain style alone.
10.
You also publish a fanzine called ABYSMAL SCULPTURES, what can you
say about it? When did you start the zine, and what were the underground
goals? Is it always better for a zine to be published on paper,
and not on the web?
Yes, Abysmal Sculptures 'zine exists since 2002, and before that I was involved in Silent Empire 'zine as well for 5 issues (It leads back to 1998). Interviewing peoples and reviewing music has always been my passion, to get in touch with peoples that share the same beliefs of cooperation. Indeed, over time we get much more mature when publishing and editing our journal work. It's certain for me, I like to own a paper magazine, because it's the original form to be archives... But I'm not really against the cyber ways of media, yet my personal preference will always be on papers.
11. Which albums did you listen to the most the last months? Is it often new or older albums you like to play again, and again, until the turntable burns? AhAh
First of all,
I don't own any turntable, just a CD & cassette player.
I
have been listening to countless of releases for reviews. In my
young times I had some favorite playlist, but now I never fix. And
it would be hard for me to make a list because I don't have much
time to listen to the same records, unless when I decided to jam/
learn a song to cover... Then that's the time I'll be playing the
same thing over and over, until I get it right as close to the real
thing. Besides that, no matter how much i like it, the next time
to listen to the same recording will be uncertain.
12. Ok, what are the next plans for BEAST PETRIFY? Something bestializing to announce to the readers? Thanks for the answers.
Thanks to you too, bro Gabriel. I hope to just keep releasing stuffs for Beast Petrify, because I still have some unreleased tracks with Scyfrul on drums that I purposely didn’t include on "Terrorized Confines"... So beware, those songs are vital too. Keep a look when it's out for the kill! But in the meantime, please catch up with what we already released, check out our website: www.beastpetrify.com and write to us: Beast Petrify, Yishun Central Post Office, P.O. Box 420, Singapore 917614. E-mail: thrashingbeast(a)yahoo.com
Website:
http://www.beastpetrify.com
