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INDEX
INTERVIEWS
GUESTBOOK
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DEATH
METAL/ OLD BRUTAL DEATH
FROM
OOZING OZZTRALIA!
1. Hello, how are you? It's time to introduce your band to the readers, give them the needed informations so they can understand where their ugly fingers will tickle...
Gab. I'm fucking tired to be honest. Life is taxing at present. Both work and society are shitting me to tears. Not enough time for play and summer is fast approaching so every arsehole is reappearing out of winter hibernation. There's nowhere to run fella........... We, OceanofzerO are aussie deathmetal that's still evolving. 2 years and 2 short demo tapes under our belt and the beast is now only starting to truly crave blood and violence. Our process of song writing is as organic and natural as possible. We aspire to no particular sound except for extreme fucking heaviness and create songs that appeal to our own tastes only, pure and simple. Minimal blasts. Plenty of d-beats. Dual vocals and lots of chaotic solos. Nothing fancy, but it's our own, so fuck the critics. Both demo tapes are released on my own small label Bloody oath records. Contact me for more info and tshirts, or don’t! Haha.....
2. Between your first and second demo, a member of the band which could be called an "hand" since he was a guitarist as well as a composer, was replaced. To which extent did it influence the music of the band? I feel like it sounds less influenced by (very) early CRYPTOPSY and things like that. Would you confirm this feeling?
The only change from demo 1 "The wake" to demo 2 "Shun the light" is bass players. Mudguts on #1 is an extremely talented session musician that does not hail from a metal background, as a result he was happy to conform to whatever demands we placed on him sound wise and recorded with a fat distortion on his bass sound. His skills made the session I believe, and possibly created a sound and atmosphere we did not deserve! Hail mudguts. #2 saw warmaggot step up to the plate, not only as bass player but also playing a key role in collaberating with incestbastard to compose songs. It not only eased the burden on incestbastard but also brought a slightly new influence to our sound. Warmaggot was also not too keen on using much bass distortion. I'm still confused as to which demo I prefer? Much hard work went into both so it's hard for me to dissect pos or neg. Hails also to early Cryptopsy, but I do not believe they were ever an influence on OoO. Purely coincidental and a result of the listeners' interpretations. The human species is a bizarre and complex one, no?
3. Could you insert keywords so that we have a better idea of your musical influences? (I'm thinking about band names, no porno keywords needed since we have enough visitors AhAh…)
Wow, I really do not believe we sound anything like the bands that have inspired and influenced us, so it would be missleading for me to name drop. It's such a big stinking compost of diverse influences that makes the filthy bastard "OceanofzerO". How about, getting old, corrupt authority, fighting addictions, shit society, misanthropy, isolation and pure fucking hate, that's a good summary for our influences! So I can't say Big boobs or Tight pussies......? Oh, you fun nazi!hehe.
4. Your releases are very limited, done on tape for approximately 100 copies, and you don't do much promotion on the web, preferring to make something like an "offline cadaverous marketing", having in mind something like "The peoples who should hear us will hear us". Does it mean you have a quite seriously mixed opinion about the adherent web? What's better once you're offline, and why does music sound better on tape than on other material (Or not so material) formats?
#1 was limited to 101 copies and #2 149 copies. These quantities represent the amount I believe I could comfortably move without ending up with a box full of shit unwanted tapes. It worked out pretty nice infact, I could of done more but I didn't know that and we as a band never thought much about having fans etc... I still really enjoy creating flyers cut and paste style and posting stuff out via the mail system, and exchanging written letters around the world, It's just so much more personal and real to me. Why do we all have to become totally cold mechanical and electronic, like the system, to be a part of something? Does it really matter? Is everything so fucking urgent? In all honesty I'm hopeless on a computer and have never taken the time to learn, so I wouldn't really know how to promote on the net? Strangely I do enjoy emails too but not as much as the hands on approach. Where is the soul in knowing how to click and drag shit? Hey, at the end of the day we do it our way and each to their own. Find your own path, you know, and fuck you all the same! We don't give a shit what others do...... The next OoO release will be vinyl, so it seems natural to go from tape to vinyl, that's what I grew up with! Ps: There is something totally liberating about being offline, it's like taking shit back and being free in your own world. Over exposure is a horrifying concept to me, give me the shadows over the spotlight anyday. Too many critics out there nowadays with no real right.
5. The OCEAN OF ZERO moniker conveys a quite interesting idea, taking the "oceans of sadness" picture to an extent where it's more about loss, impotence and defeat... Is my view of the thing correct, or do you also happen to inhale other flavors from these words?
That's a pretty cool interpretation and the closest anyone has got, thanx mate. Our name basically sums up my philosophy of life, birth and then the void of no answers, no hope, no logic, no gods, no fate, then death. That's the oceanofzero. It represents infinite negativity. Bolt Thrower called it "Zero, the sum of mankind". All the pain and suffering, death, torture and destruction in the world and there is no justification and explanation. Life is a meaningless creation of science and into the zero of a black hole we will return.
6. Your logo and artwork evolved between the first and second tape; On the first one it tasted the "We don't give a fuck" savor da flavor da fuckor, on the second one it looks more serious and professional. Could we say your band has sold out? Obviously I'm teasing the corpse laughter (AhAh), but I was also a little surprised when I discovered your new artworks as I imagined your visual aspects wouldn't evolve towards this ancient looking and classical manner. What has led to this and who pushed your world towards this direction?
Warmaggot did both logos, it was always in this direction we were heading, it just took time and evolution. As a band it was decided that "Shun the light" should represent progression (Or regression if you want as we strive to recapture a little of the nasty vibe that the early death metal days boasted) in all aspects as we had come a long way as a creative unit. My feelings were a little doubtful of this concept but I was outnumbered. I'm cool with both phases. The newest logo will be our moniker forever more. Warmaggot is sick fucker! Fucking oath we have sold our souls......Haha. Burn baby burn!
7. Even though your music is old school infused, you apparently didn't resolve to swallow the Scandinavian cock. Would you say it's because you're geographically quite far (And maybe wouldn't have felt so many effects from the massive 90's cumshots?), is this rather a conscious choice (Not to follow the current stream) or you simply have as important other matters of putrid hearing tastes?
Fuck, you got
me analyzing things I never thought about, but its interesting for
me as you're pushing me to discover OoO properly. In a nut shell
we are all older bloke, .warmaggot and ovdoom are in their mid 30's
and incestbastard, dy (Our new drummer) and myself, plague, are
all heading towards 40. So after many years of distractions, other
bands, etc, I think we have finally found the right peoples to do
naturally what we have wanted to do for a longtime. We have maybe
just been a bit slow to get around to it! I think it is sometimes
hard to meet the right peoples all at once too, that have a similar
idea of what path to trudge down. So just because our demos are
only seeing the light of day now, do not assume we are a part of
the current wave of Death metal revolutionaries, that is not the
case. Much of what you hear in OoO was composed and festering long
ago. Australia has always had a very strong Death metal underground
and again I think our on the money, our geographical location most
probably keeps us away from the many worldly trends and has kept
things more original sounding as a general rule. Our lifestyle over
here is so unique it would be impossible to take the yobo out of
aussie bands regardless of the genre. Get a dog up ya!
LOST
IN OCEANS OF HASHICH... OR NOT?
8. I sometimes feel some new Death metal bands lack a bit of humor... Of course I'm not thinking about low quality goregrind jokes (Which aren't always that good), and I need a band to be quite serious, especially when they play Death metal which isn't a genre to be taken a lightly milky way... But I feel a bit of sarcasm, dark humor, can't make any bad, and even underline some qualities from the lyrics and (possible) concepts... Some bands are sooo serious, as if their music was a cube, as if their minds were always a cube, and their records might be cubes... (A little of "Let if flow" might give more flavor, and perhaps underline some sincerity...?). Give penis goat a chance!
Yeah at the end of the day bloke it's only rock'n roll and some cunts take their shit way too fucking serious. But I must admit I've always found myself drawn towards bands that represent the more morbid and serious side of life. Death metal isn't meant to be light but at the same time, too many people outside of the circle, grown men singing about flesh eating zombies or pullin up a pew beside old Satan in the depths of hell is quite hilarious too! So again, it all depends on the perspective! Macabre are a pretty cool example I guess of being able to take some of the most sadistic and gruesome realities of life and have ya pissing in your pants laughing about it. Brilliant bastards eh.
9. Speaking about goats, are there many in Australia, and did you notice many differences between Australian ones, and let's say west European goatees?
Haha... Christ mate... You got to slow down on the weed! Fucking angry mother fucking goats everywhere here. They starting to outnumber peoples, current statistics suggest! Europe???? Where the fuck is that.....?
10. I know some peoples are ass-hair collectors, but during your snail-mail exploration of the deep underground did you meet other peoples collecting special items such as goat hairs? Or perhaps other mental matters?
I was pretty blown out by the Argentinean warrior Eric Lancon of Baphometal fanzine/records, Nocturnalevil/ Infernalcurse fame. His letter came smeared and spattered in his own blood, I was confused as to weather it was a basic health risk or something fucking cool and badarse? I suddenly had visions of some grown man cutting himself over a letter he was about to post to me, and the next day I moved house and changed my Po box number. Some sick fuckers out there.....
11. Once translated into the "short manner" your moniker becomes O.O.Z... And you're from Australia (Also sometimes called "Oz", for those who don't read much metal zines), funny affair. Would you say your strong Ozzy Osbourne fanship materialized here? Tell us everything about your "Love bloody love" for Black Sabbath.
For some strange
reason I've always shortened it to OoO, as you're seeing in this
interview. Holy fuck, I'm retarded! It should be OoZ. Wow.... Thanx
for pointing out yet another shortfall in my microscopic life! I
have a love hate relationship with the land of Oz. Amazing geographically,
but full of pointless people. Mass continental genocide anyone?
No
I'm not trading my Black Sabbath boxset for anything. Eric Wood
from Man Is The Bastard gave it to me in good faith I'm sure! I
discovered Ozzy much later and have still not recovered, it's equally
as satisfying to my ears as Black Sabbath. Long live Randy and the
crazy train!
12. What do you think about the evolution of Australian metal? Are your somewhat nostalgic at this point, or do you count as many killer bands in the current scene as you could from the past? Should ABRAMELIN be considered as a cult band, or were they better under the ACHERON name? Could someone live without really hearing SLAUGHTER LORD (Even though they're meant to be THAT good), and was the old thrash metal band ADDICTED decent or what? (And no, no question about SAD EX, we're not fucking cows to vomit the same pale green bile again and again).
It will never
be like it once was. Some great bands these days, but fuck the pretention
that soaks the scene like a piss drenched public toilet floor. Ugly.
I'm extremely nostalgic for the older days mate, the music underground
boasted much diversity and stages were shared by diverse sounding
bands unified only by musical destruction. Acheron was fucking amazing,
but Abramelin "Transgression from acheron" Cd is still
on par and one of my faves. Necrotomy(Vic), Misery(Qld), Corpse
molestation(Vic), Damaged(Vic) and so forth were bands elite in
their field in the early 90's. Never to be fucked with! Nowadays
only Abominator and CEMETERY URN continue to hold the torch and
rape the senses in the same way! Hail......
Slaughter lord represents
an important foundation from which the underground grew. Sick riffs
for mid 80's era, you can not deny. I like Gospel of the horns or
Vomitor nowadays, love it bloke, it makes me wanna go on a brutal
slaying spree..............Yaaaaaaaah! Tell me about addicted?
13. What's austral in Australia? Is it rather about extreme cold weather or extreme hot pussy?
Serial killers in abundance.........It's fucked up.
14. What about gigs with O.O.Z.? Would you prefer to play in an exchangist club, right in the middle of peoples exchanging their under-belt points of views, or on a grass mount in the middle of crazy cows vomiting radioactive green bile and dancing disco on your putrid sounds?
We are a studio outfit only. This is solidified by our current drummer living 3500 kms south of the rest of the band. For that reason we are involved in no real scene and like it that way.
15. If you had the opportunity to play in a zoo (A quite big sized one, to make it more interesting), which sort of animal (Or animals?) would you choose to play in the middle of? Which ones could be the most interesting to interact with on a purely primal, or more music based point of view? (The question doesn't take in account possible stupid visitors who send peanuts to statues, it's about the animals and could as well take place anywhere else). What I have in mind follows: Some animals might have interesting reactions to the vibrations and emotions coming from Death metal, so which would be the most interesting in your point of view?
I'm into animal rights so I would not step a fucking foot in a zoo. I'm confident the imprisoned animals long ago stopped reacting voluntarily to any vibration or emotion. Wo/man is the animal dm was created for and look at what its led him to. The planet is his putrid zoo and metal heads boast some of the most rediculous clothing, hairstyles and dancing. What a fucking trip...... Haha! Spandex, mullets and head banging!
16. How many times to you rehearse a month? What's the best about rehearsals?
When we are in a productive phase we rehearse maybe once or twice a month. When things are on the lowdown we rarely speak, it all depends. This year incestbastard quit entirely and moved up north to the mines for work, and now he's in Thailand chasing a lady! Koldkunt then quit also, to focus on his main band Limb from limb and their upcoming release. So with the band temporarily in ruins, it's been a longtime since we rehearsed, maybe 6 months? Anyways warmaggot has been working hard of late and has 4 new songs ready to record, he's now on guitars as well as bass. Ovdoom will no doubt crawl outta the tomb (Where the fuck you been hiding mate?), and we got a new drummer, dy, lined up to record long distance so soon enough the band will be active again in a twisted sort of capacity0. Rehearsals used to be quite challenging as we were all busy with our spare time and heaps different from each other, but that diversity created the unique beast I've already described and we are proud of what we have achieved so far. You really got to push each other sometimes, to not take the easy road and slip back into the void like most people do. We have had our differences but warmaggot and I are such Death metal maniacs I'm pretty sure we will keep smashing on backwards, no matter who comes and goes. Ovdoom is always up for random growling and screaming so he probs won't disappear entirely. Best thing about rehearsals in conclusion was probably the end results: 7 songs on 2 demos, cemented in the ages........
17. We know what a necromancer is, more or less... But what would be a zeromancer? And a retromancer?
A zeromancer would be obsessed with the null and void. No light at the end of his tunnel, just pure naught. What beauty........
18. This is the final question, tell us more about the band's future and stuffs like that... Greetz.
A split Lp on Bloody oath records with the goldcoasts long defunct NECROSCULPTURE is planned at some stage. We will be recording for that soon enough with 4 new songs and maybe a couple of rerecordings of 1 song off each demo. I have 2 OoO tshirt designs available on black and white, double sided high quality garments, for $2o plus postage, and still have some copies of "Shun the light" demotape left, $8(aust) ppd worldwide should cover it. I'm happy to send out Cd burn copies of both demos if anyone wants? Cheers and many beers for the opportunity Gab to introduce the band to the ever growing Death metal world. Support your local bands, stay fucking heavy, and if you don't own a copy of Baphomet "The dead shall inherit", do yourself a favour and commit suicide. Plague.
Write to: Kp
Weston, Po box 702, Nambour 4560 qld, Austalia.
