1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
B.: Vixenta was formed at around July or August 2010 in Hervey Bay, here in Queensland, Australia. At the time, I was the only member writing and recording demos until I relocated in late 2011 when another guy joined called J. on vocals and second guitar (Though more as a session musician). Through him I joined a band called Celestial Hierarchy, where I met our current vocalist The Chancellor, and he joined as vocals. Eventually, J. had to leave and currently it is just us two with a session drummer (J. Moran), with some new members to be announced soon.
2.How would you describe the musical sound that is present on the recordings and also how do your releases differ from each other?
B.: A Moment In Solace was almost straight up depressive black metal with some post-rock influence. I was 15/16 when I wrote all this music so we don't consider it up to our standard of what we have been doing at the moment. Our upcoming release, Predation, is a slight shift in direction, going into a more post-black metal with more presence on the strings and orchestral elements, but still retaining some of the depressive black metal sound we had. Both releases are recorded at a small home studio.
Chancellor: To me, it's depressive black with a little more post-black or post-rock in it than anything else. The differentiation in releases to me is quite significant. My vocal style has changed dramatically from hard yelling to the more traditional falsetto approach. I didn't really have control of much throughout AMIS's creative process due to my late arrival versus Predation + later material having all of my own lyrics bar one song. Anyone that has followed us over the years will be blown away by the difference, that I can assure fans of.
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explores with the releases so far?
B.: The lyrical content on our first album shifts quite a bit. Invocation was actually written for a previous band I was in, and the lyrics were a part of a concept album which J. wrote, so the lyrics don't exactly fit very well with the rest of the lyrics, which are about loss and going into a downward spiral.
Chancellor: As B has spoken about AMIS' themes I'll just speak about Predation. Everything I write has a some sort of relation to a life event, often dragging it to which ever extreme it makes me feel, often lost or deranged by lacking a true indentifying emotion for some one, or something. More often than not, lyrics are written first and resemble a fixed or free verse traditional format in poetry.
4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name Vixenta?
B.: I'm not quite sure how to answer this, as there's not really a meaning to the name.
5.Recently you have played your first live gig, can you tell us a little bit more about it?
Chancellor: It was amazing and the reception for it was even better than I expected, some of the most unlikely people complimented our sound. Combine that with the realization that months and months of planning had finally paid off... I can't wait for the next one!
6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
Chancellor: We have a few bomb shells to be dropped but they should not be mentioned as yet but now that we're partnered with the newly established Legion Touring, let's just say that Australia-wide (at least) stages will be seeing us soon.
7.According to the fb page the band is signed to Psycho Originals, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
B.: They're a small American label located in Minnesota I believe. They have releases for a few underground bands including Hell Icon and Barbaros, but their main focus is film/TV and they also run a webstore. Our physical copy of AMIS is currently in pressing with all new artwork.
8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of depressive black metal and shoegaze?
B.: I'd say we have a small following. Most of our fans have been in Mexico and Spain which surprised us, but we've also had fans from Europe and the US. Response has been quite good with AMIS so far.
9.Are there any other musical projects besides this band?
B.: Currently, I've been working with a Venezuelan named Ausk for a project called Beyond the Dawn, which is basically atmospheric black metal. I've been experimenting more with the sound for it. I'm also working on a depressive rock/shoegaze project with Malphas from a band called Idaaliur called Solar Wanderers.
10.What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
B.: We've already written material for a split with another band called Everlasting Silence. We go back to our depressive black metal sound, but also have some doom metal and more post rock/atmospheric elements included in it. We also have begun writing for something next year.
11.What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
B.: I've been influenced by Akira Yamaoka in virtually all my compositions over the past 4/5 years. I've also taken a lot of influence from The Cure, Blackfield, Amesoeurs, Bathory, Burzum, Hateful Abandon and Gris, to name a few. I've currently been listening to Mewithoutyou's discography and Solstafir's latest album.
Chancellor: For myself, the biggest influence for vocal delivery has been doom/funeral doom. My Dying Bride, old Anathema, Shape Of Despair just to name a few but style is actually a practice attempt at vocals years ago by a Sydney black metal band, the style stuck and I've been using and changing it ever since. I'm currently listening to a lot of Woods Of Desolation and Deafheaven since I heard about their Australian tour.
12.Outside of music what are some of your interests?
B.: I enjoy bike riding, as well as camping and hiking every few months. Generally, we also do our band photoshoots on these trips. I work on music in most of my time though.
Chancellor: I'm Leninist-Marxist so I read too much into political sciences, I'm also an advocate and member for an Australian political party and a rare book hunter (which isn't cheap to do in Australia)
13.Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Chancellor: I'd like to offer you my thanks for this interview and hope that we may get a chance to conduct another one in a few years time.
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