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INDEX
INTERVIEWS
GUESTBOOK
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DEATH
METAL FROM SINGAPORE
Hello from France. Can you introduce POISON VOID to our readers? What should they know before we turn the pages of the book of the dead?
PV: Hello from Singapore. Poison Void is a three-piece death metal band, featuring D. on bass and vocals, B. on guitars, and Z. on drums. We’ve been described as having an intense, crushing, and raw sound that’s grounded in classic death metal roots but with our own distinct edge. Formed in 2020, we spent time honing our sound before hitting the studio to record our first EP, Call of the Void, which was released late last year. Since then, we’ve been playing live shows, including opening for Sinister and sharing the stage with death metal acts Transgressor and Deadly Spawn from Japan during their Singapore shows this year.
Your style of death metal is very old school, back to a time were death and thrash metal were still close, in a quite "evil" alliance. So listening to your Ep, I hear some similarities with REPUGNANT, very old MORBID ANGEL, early MERCILESS (Sweden) or perhaps very early DEICIDE among others... Is the spirit of POISON VOID to play old school and ripping evil metal only? Why did you choose death metal first, and not black metal or thrash metal? Do you consider the band to be OLD SCHOOL ONLY, and perhaps you even declared the war to more melodic/ mainstream local bands? Or are you quite moderate peoples who play evil music on the week end as a relief from a life of stress?
PV: We hail
the old school, and perhaps naturally, our style of playing reflects
that. It’s the sound that flows most authentically when we play,
one that best expresses our obsession with death, and in your words,
an “evil alliance”. We’re not concerned with the musical direction
other bands wish to take - they make music on their own terms.
That
said, we have deep respect for black metal and thrash metal since
those genres are part of our musical DNA. But when we first started
playing together, death metal was the style that came most naturally
to all three members of the band.
Can you explain the meaning of your band name POISON VOID? Do you feel poisoned by the emptiness of the modern ways of life in our modern societies? Or is there another more abstract meaning perhaps? (Yesterday I saw a movie taking place in a hospital, a patient was injected air in the veins, and it was the reason for his decease... So in a way he was injected "Poison void"... Am I right?)
PV: The void is omnipresent, the basis of all that we know, and that which we haven’t found. Our consciousness is the poison to all that is in its perfection. So, you could interpret the name Poison Void as a reflection of that that tension between awareness and the unknown, between life and nothingness.
Your first Ep "Call of the Void" was released digitally at the end of 2024. While listening to the five tracks, I find it to be quite varied in the old school extreme metal styles... Some tracks are totally into old death metal, some are more thrashing, some are bit more blackened... But it remains coherent in a "ripping" and ancient style globally. Sometimes I also hear some POSSESSED, a bit of BATHORY (First album) or the demo of INCUBUS (The band from Florida, which musicians also played a bit in Morbid angel or Nocturnus)... And perhaps could I quote the very early SEPULTURA releases (Morbid visions/ bestial devastations... For some proto death metal maybe?) Do you confirm these bands as influences, or should I say my fingers slided on the keyboard? ahah. When someone asks you what kind of music you're playing, do you simply answer with "Death metal", or do you have more words to tell?
PV: We play
death metal. We do see how you could make references to some of
the bands mentioned - they’re definitely part of the musical landscape
we come from, so it’s cool that you picked up on that.
But as
we’ve said, we do what comes most naturally when we’re writing and
performing. We don’t try to fit into any strict mold or checklist
of influences. We just let the music come out how it wants to, and
we describe it as ‘death metal’.
The
first song of this Ep contains a very old school riff that even
sounds closer to early 80's speed metal the evil way! Are you some
kind of metal archeologists who enjoy to spend hours and hours digging
in the past of obscure demos to find forgotten treasures?
PV: As individuals, we do spend time digging through old, obscure metal demos, and have unearthed many forgotten treasures which we share with each other. Those raw, unpolished moments capture the spirit that first drew us to this music. It’s not something we force, but that energy seeps into what we create, shaping our sound in subtle ways, as you’ve pointed out.
This first Ep was released recently on tape and CD by Madness Records (Singapore). Tell us more about it. Can you tell us more about this label? Is the owner also playing in a band?
PV: Madness Records is a label from Malaysia. The owner goes by Muadz. He also runs Dominator Records, which has released killer stuff from Malaysian and Singaporean bands. Our collaboration with Madness Records has been rewarding thus far.
While watching
your band page on Metal archives, I noticed some of your musicians
played in some bands I'm familiar with. I got a tape of Infernal
Execrator in the past, and I already saw the name Absence of the
Sacred, probably in some fanzines... But it seems to me you were
perhaps not the main members or main composers in those bands (Correct
me if I'm wrong).
So comes my question: Who writes most of the
music and riffs in POISON VOID? Is there a tyrant imposing his bleeding
vision by force (ahah) or it's more like a band effort?
PV: We’ve each
been involved in various bands as songwriter, live member, or studio
session player, so we bring a mix of experience to Poison Void.
As
far as songwriting goes for Poison Void, it begins with the guitar
parts and arrangement, before the band works out the intricacies
together during rehearsals. That’s where the band comes together
to shape the songs as a collective.
The Singaporean metal scene is known for its underground scene in extreme metal, with bands such as Beast petrify, Vrykolakas, Infernal exekrator or Crown ov horns... Can you tell us how is the health of your local metal scene? What are currently the metal bands to check out? And is your local scene mostly focused on extreme metal (Death, thrash, black) or are there other kinds of rock and metal?
PV: Crown ov
Horns is actually a death metal act from Malaysia, not Singapore.
There are many metal bands in Singapore that play different styles
; Metal Archives might be a good place to start if you’re looking
to find out more - there are just too many for us to list here.
If you’re ever in Singapore and up for it, there might be a metal,
rock, punk, or hardcore show happening somewhere. In particular,
there has been more extreme metal shows lately, which is a good
thing, of course.
Things like limited venues and juggling music
with day jobs are a reality for many bands here. Still, people are
passionate, and that keeps the scene going.
I was
said Singapore is a quite rich (Or better said wealthy?) country,
at least compared to its direct neighbors Malaysia or Singapore...
But can you tell me more about it? Is Singapore a quite good country
to live in, or are there stronger negative points peoples from Europe
might not be conscious about? Is it easy for foreigners to come
and live here? Is Singapore a very religious country or it remains
quite moderated?
PV: Why? Are you considering moving here or something? Singapore is multicultural - a secular, cosmopolitan city -state. You should do fine in terms of finding your crowd. It is strict though, so don’t get caught doing this and that, you know? For foreigners, it’s generally easy to settle in, especially since English is one of the official languages.
What do you know about France? Something more than the camembert cheese, the baguette bread, and the rich old farts travelling to Thailand for sexual reasons? Perhaps the music of some french metal bands reached the hears of some Singaporean metallers?
PV: France has always been a place for the arts, we think. Some of the bands we personally like include Gorgon, Arkhon Infaustus, Necrowretch, Massacra, Mütiilation, Hell Militia, Sortilege, Blaspheme, ADX, H-Bomb, and lots more.
What are the future projects of the band?
PV: We’re working on a full-length release. Meanwhile, we’ve got some shows booked and are open to playing where and when schedules align.
Web pages:
https://poisonvoidcult.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/poisonvoid
