1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
Bad at Life as we know it started in the Oregon Department of Corrections. The Prison Demos, the first album, sums it up pretty well. A chaotic assemblage of black, thrash, and speed metal. The self titled album is that vision seen to completion. Few people can say they have recorded music in prison, let alone released it. This is one of those bands.
2.Since 2021 you have released a good album of material, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recordings?
There was a lot of experimenting being done in the earlier days. Some of it is very raw and rough sounding. The Prison Demos for example, has me on drums most of the time. And you can tell because I have no idea what I'm doing. I had a finite amount of time so I'd hit record and hope for the best, meaning a lot of it was done in one take. Prelude to Sorrow, the other album recorded behind bars, has a full line-up. After I paroled in May of 2021, I went on to record the Even Worse at Life demo, which was my take on instrumental, ambient black metal. It wasn't until recently that I had the ability to record something that was refined. And that was with the help of a local musician and recording engineer, Doug Reese.
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored so far with the music?
The lyrics deal with the darker side of life, as most of it was written while serving time. But there's references to Norse mythology, too, and some of the lyrics were inspired by The Poetic Edda. The song Cursed by Thorns is a reference to a curse implemented with a triple Thurisaz rune. "Blunt shall I make my enemies blade, and stain my hands with his blood." That's right out of the Edda, and it speaks to my past. The song She Who Offers Sorrow is about Angerboda, Loki's mistress. So yes, the lyrics cover a wide range of topics. Spells and curses, depression, and ancient tales of blood soaked gore spread across the nine realms.
4.Originally the project was known as 'Midnight Empire'. what was the cause of the name change and also the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Bad At Life'?
Midnight Empire was a band I started when I was 18. We have one demo and played a handful of live shows. And while I still used the name for my project, nothing really came of it. Anyways, the name change came to me while doing time. A friend said something about being bad at life and it just clicked. That was going to be the name. There's an obvious sense of humor there, but it's also a reference to doing prison time. If you look at the logo, there's guard towers and a razor wire fence in there.
5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
It's a tribute to Megadeth's first album. There is meaning to everything on there though. The ram skull represents my love for Dodge muscle cars, the candles are a tribute to Sacramentum lyrics, the imperial stout is the drink of choice, the bullets, nails, and chain are a nod to our influences and devotion to black metal, and the guitar in the background is my weapon of choice. An Eagle Lucifer that's been beaten to hell and back, complete with human blood splattered around the pickups and a knife through the strings.
5.Originally the band started out with a full line up, what was the decision behind moving more into a solo project?
The band started in prison, so we can't be too picky about a line-up in that environment. Out here in society the line-up changed for various reasons. Mostly differences in style or simply having to be responsible adults. Upon parole this was a solo project, yes. That quickly changed though and there has been an ever changing line-up ever since. Though a lot of the music is me handling all of the instruments, we are currently a two piece.
6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Opening for Uada and Abigail Williams at a local venue, John Henry's, was probably our highlight so far. We were offered to play with Sacramentum, but another band I was in, Redivivus, got that one. Our stage performance was geared towards guitar work and making sure the crowd enjoyed our set. There would be a few jokes here and there, references towards various cheap malt liquors and minimal stage banter. We weren't trying to out do anyone or anything like that, we just wanted to shred and play fast.
7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
Incarceration Anthology was released on cassette by Extinctionist Records and we are currently talking with Blackmass records about the newest release, which was initially released by Nailship Records. If it seems like a good thing, I'm all for it.
8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
I think it's always been positive. Even with the really raw stuff. We seem to get more attention outside of our local scene, which is to my liking.
9.Are you currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?
I'm doing bass for Ancient North and another local black metal act, Accretion.
10.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?
We're finalizing songs for our second album and are in the process of finding a solid line-up to play live. I see smoke, spikes and leather.
11.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?
Sacramentum, Nifelheim, Dissection, Sohrin, and French greats like Vlad Tepes and Mutiilation. While there are many other bands that helped shape the musician I am, those played the biggest role. There's a huge dose of early thrash in there, too. It's what I grew up on and how I learned to play. Hell Awaits by Slayer and Killing is my Business by Megadeth. Both albums were very heavy for their time. Lately I've been listening to Cardinal Sin and Thulcandra.
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Only Evil is Real...
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