Music Distroyer Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

    Working mostly. Not playing as many shows as we should. With our lineup always changing it's been difficult to play shows and record new albums. Right now, we are down a bassist but, one might come on for the album we plan to release in October. Our guitarist was in a band called Sagorith from Many Farms, AZ. He moved up here and has been playing and helping me with Music Distroyer for two years now. Which has been awesome! We are planning another ritual for Sep. 9 so, hopefully it will get recorded and put out shortly after.

2.Recently you where a part of a split, 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?
  
   Music Distroyer is like two trash cans fucking. With a homeless guy puking into it. It's filthy, dirty, raw and unrehearsed.

    As for this recording I would say that it is more refined and we paid more attention to recording and writing. We actually have a beginning and an ending.   Having Mort'Ka on guitar has really helped give us a new sound of melody and chaos. My older  recordings over the years have either been heavily drug and alcohol induced or using sleep deprivation and caffeine over load to coax the music from within. So I guess our sound as musicians is evolving into something I'm not quite sure of still... which is exciting in itself.

3.According to the Metal Archives page the band has been around since 1998 and while I live in Colorado I never came across your music until a year ago and also I thought black metal bands did not exist in the state back then, can you tell us a little bit more about the early years?

      Well 91' is when I started this recording and playing. It was more punk, thrash, and noise abuse. I have old recordings that friends have told me sound like black metal, but I don't see the similarities.
      In 98' I played in a band called MVI, a thrash band out of Mammoth Lakes CA. The drummer (Lord Sxupeion) introduced me to several bands I had never heard of.
      Always wanting more out of music I started  to create more in the vein of Black Metal.
     The Black Metal scene was shit then. No one cared enough to stop you from playing which is something I miss.
     The first three albums/demos were horrible. I tried to play all the parts myself because Lord Sxuperion and I were too busy with life to continue recording. I had just moved back to CO in 01' and had no access to any musicians. I played each part with loops when playing live and recorded each part at my home studio.

   Started playing more open mic nights, calling it acoustic black metal. Nobody stopped me for a while because my daughter was with me and they just thought that it was so cute. She would scream and I would play.

Found a few people on the road here and there who would help play live shows so I made a game of it. It helped me write more...

    I just started pumping out material and playing wherever anybody would let me. House shows were good.
And open fields, mountain tops with generators, it was definitely a very chaotic and inebriated number of years.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?

   Human emotion, philosophy, and religion as a whole. (Sadomasochism, Satanic Critical Thinking, Occultism).


5.In the early years the music on the recordings was all solo, are you still recording everything on the albums by yourself?

    No, the last 5 releases I have had guest musicians help me out now and then. I'm not a creepy loner anymore, hiding from the world. Then on occasions going and spewing my filth to see a reaction. The early recordings were a lot more powerful and angry. When I collaborate now with others, I seam to have lost a little of that luster but the sound and ideology is also changing.

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Music Distroyer'?

   Well I played in a band called MVI (Modular, Vortical, Informatics) Which means to pull from three ideas to make one, it's a vortex of ideas. I just changed the name to Music Distroyer, using the same symbol I used on that band.
 
7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

   The best shows are the open fields with a bonfire going. I've had so many of those.
   The 6-6-06 show was pretty sick. We all took a bunch of acid and shrooms then tried to play a show, after that fiasco we all took off into the woods, I think it was only four bands and us. Iberg played drums for me at that time.
    We played at the Durango Art Center one time not sure the day or year but we got kicked out for saying " all you hippies out there fucking die", and some kid broke a window with his head, which I thought was funny.

As for stage presence, we prefer the dark. We understand that the audience needs visuals, but we think listening to the show in the dark is the best way our music can be heard.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

    Well that is a great question. I would love to but it costs so much to travel and it's not like we get paid enough to cover the travel time. Playing a show shouldn't be about the money but it is hard to get to shows without money. So, you save for however long just to play a show for a half hour. And to get a response from the fans saying "It  was so great man! Thanks for comin' out!" If we could sell more merchandise, we would definitely tour more

9.Recently you where a part of a split with 'Nathanas', what are your thoughts on the solos project the  have participated on the recording?

     Natanas is torture to me. I feel alone and ready to die without hope of return.
His DSBM is destruction to the mind but just soothing enough to lure you in for the kill.
      I'm very proud to be a part of this split with Natanas.

10.Can you tell us a little bit more about Death Portal Studio?

We were a nonprofit recording and production company/label out of Durango, CO. We have helped bands in the past get on there feet and understand the ropes of touring or making merchandise.

Now, we are revising the company as a whole and what we are and what we offer. There has been a lack of funds from previously released bands and merchandise to keep the nonprofit part afloat. We are having a mutiny on our hands the minions are getting hungry and thirsty!!

     Our volunteers make this company. As we hope they stick around though, that is never the case. We are constantly changing. Again, I'm teaching, back to the basics right! While holding down a full time job that is the sole funding for Death Portal Studio. We are soon to start (again) Silk Screening our own merch to help generate funds for the label. We are trying to make it not just for the label but a Merchandise Production Company for small custom orders.
   
We hand make cases for your cd's ,vinyl's and tape releases. We print your custom art on all your merch needs. Help you learn how to do it yourself or provide that service for you. We also provide mobile recording, or come to our studio in Durango. At a reasonable rate.
    
 
11.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?

     Over seas is great! I think America is shitty when it comes to support, they don't know the meaning of camaraderie. Great supporters in the states have been few and far between but they do exist.
     
12.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
      Most of Death Portal bands are affiliated with each other.

Rattusk, is out of Maine. He has tons of new material on his bandcamp page.

Exoteric Rift, is out of CO. He is putting together more instrumental material at this time.

Ashes, is out of CO. I will be releasing another album in September

Olde Tome, is out of CO. He is talking about a release in the new year.

Aetranok, is out of NM. They will be releasing there album hopefully very soon.

ITNOTK, is out of NM and CO. Releasing soon!

Blood Wizard, is out of CO and MA. Hopefully some time in the winter we will have another shitty release.

Thrymheym, is out of Italy. They have 2 albums and a new one coming soon!

Mollehoj, is out of Washington state. She has a split release with Twilight Fauna under her name Jennifer Christensen. Out Now!!!
     
 
13.Where do you see the band heading musically in the future?

      Well, we put no bounds on the music we play so we could become a cover band for all I know.

      We will just continue as we always have, playing music, recording, having fun, gettin' drunk and do it all again. I don't think we will change much except maybe more refined recordings.

14.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

      For the rock influences -  Lou Reed (Velvet Ungerground) ,The Doors, Pink Floyd, Sonic Youth, Frank Zappa, and many more....

      For Metal influences  - Sarcofago, King Diamond, Valdur, Sxuperion, Odz Monouk, Arizmenda, Horna, Satanic Warmaster, Striborg, Cryfemal, Deathspell Omega, and a FUCK ton more!!!

These days I listen to, Nybbas, Igni Dare, Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult, Fedra, Blood Empire, and  too many to list.

    15.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Thank you for this interview!
   To all who read this come check out our stuff at deathportalstudio.bandcamp.com or email us at deathportalstudio@gmail.com