An Interview With Shalini Of Brutal Death Metallers GENOCIDE X

1.Hi Shalini.Firstly,welcome to India.How are you and how are you feeling?What are you listening to these days?

Shalini: Hey Avinash,thanks for the welcome.Feels good to see my dad's homeland after such a long time.I am good.These days i am listening to Napalm Death,Cryptopsy,Krisiun,Decapitated,Pavor,Psycroptic and Strapping Young Lad.What's up with you?

2.I am fine too.All are amazing bands.Cool.Okay,would you like to tell a brief story about Genocide X?

Shalini: Genocide X was formed in 2005.I used to play in a band called Furnace.That was pretty simple and straight ahead thrash/speed metal cover band.For some logistical reasons,i made a decision of leaving that band.I used to work in a music shop where i met Sharon.She called me after reading the reply to her bulletin ad of a Death Metal guitarist requirement.Then right after first jam,we came to know each other.We both have similar interest in music.She just mesmerized me with her amazing hyperfast double bass pedalling and blastbeats.I remember the first song we jammed toghether was "Rapture" by Morbid Angel.We found Erica after 38th audition for a vocalist.We jammed "Hammer smashed face" by Cannibal Corpse with Erica and me was like-"Holyshit,i think that was some real bad ass bloodshed."Then i called Audrey to handle bass for us.We used to play toghether in Furnace but right after three shows,she got fired because of her alcohol problem.Anyway,we started off as a cover band and tried to get shows in local clubs.

3.Tell me about Genocide X's influences.How old are you girls?I know.....silly question..hehe.

Shalini: Our influences ranges from Vader,Annihilator,Cannibal Corpse,Arch Enemy to Dying Fetus,Decapitated,Nile,Brodequin,Dissection,Cryptopsy and Napalm Death.
Audrey is 24,Sharon is 23,Erica is 23 and i am 20.Erica is highly inspired by George Fisher,Angela Gossow,Chris Barnes and Karl Sanders.Sharon is inspired by Derek Roddy,Mike Portnoy,Dave Weckl and Tony Laureno.Audrey is inspired by Rex and Steve Harris.My inspirations-Dimebag Darrel,Jack Owen,Chuck Schuldiner,Chris Broderick and Karl Sanders.

4.Last night i was listening again to Burn For Peace.Very good production and great album artwork.Your skills in album artwork is quite appreciable.About the songs-Virus Activated,the Plague,Assassinated and Burn for peace,I must say this is some skull crushing brutal death metal with accuracy.Nice lyrics too.Who write songs?

Shalini: Thank you very much.I am glad you liked our Demo CD.Usually,Erica and Audrey write lyrics and i make music with Sharon.Our songs are not really gory but they are mostly based on wars and other social and political issues.It's like a whole mix and match.

5.Your riffs are not just accurate but i feel they also symbolise hatred and anger in a very beautiful manner.Also i can figure out little Dimebag Darrel and Karl Sanders influence in your riffs.Please elaborate.Since how long have you been playing?

Shalini: Thanks.I am not a technical guitarist but i try my best to express myself.You know....good times or bad times,i just plug in my guitar and start playing and if i get some nice riff,i immediately record that riff in my cell-phone.About dimebag and sanders influence,you are right.I am highly inspired by Dimebag's solos and Karl's riffs.I have been playing the guitar since five years.

6.So any future plan of Genocide X?

Shalini: We are in the process of writing more songs after releasing our first Demo CD.We were going through a big financial crisis.Recording process was getting delayed because of it.All of us are working now.Things are getting better now and so we are getting back to the studio soon for a full length album/second demo or whatever. We are trying to get shows as much as we can.

7.Great.I am wishing you all the best.I am sure things will go in the right way.I have seen you girls live in london and i just want to say that Genocide X is one hell of a brutal death metal band with insane energy on stage.All the best.Anything you would like to say to readers?

Shalini: Thanks a lot Avinash.We appreciate your support.We just play for the sake of our love for death metal music.I know very less you can expect in return like Mallika said.But playing this awesome genre of music is a great honour in itself.We don't want people coming in our shows by saying-"Hey let's watch some hot chicks playing metal".We are not looking for any fame or glamour.Just enjoy listening and watching us.We are happy they treat us like other local death metal bands.Cool to see more girls joining the death metal scene.Hails to you all.There are many good metal bands in India and i feel so proud of them.I am currently in India for two months vacation and i am looking forward to see some indian metal bands live.Please keep supporting the underground bands.That's all.

An Interview With Mallika Of Brutal Death/Grindcore Metallers ABNORMALITY

1.Hello Mallika,thanks for taking time for this small interview.How are you today and what are you listening to these days?

Mallika: Hi Avinash,
I'm doing well, thanks. Thanks for your interest in Abnormality.
Lately I've been listening to the new Cephalic Carnage- Xenosapen, Skinless- Trample the Weak Hurdle the Dead, Neuraxis, Cryptopsy, Death, Suffocation, Watain, Cryptopsy, Angel Corpse, Morbid Angel, Deeds of Flesh, Mortal Decay, and more...

2.I have been listening to Abnormality since quite a long time and must say Abnormality's music is a good mixture of Brutality and Technicality.Would you like to tell a brief story of your band?

Mallika: Why, thank you.
Abnormality formed about two years ago. I had been playing in a few projects, and the latest had broken up, I was actively looking to join a serious band on vocals. Jay (ex- Goratory) and Mike (ex- Ascendancy) were in popular local band out of Massachusetts, Teratism. They invited me to do a song with them in a show, for fun and to help me find a band. We had a great time, and after the show Jay and Mike asked me to form a side project with them. We started up Abnormality and found a second guitarist, Jeremy (ex-Iranach). A few months later, Teratism disbanded. Abnormality continues to practice, write and play shows. We are looking for a bass player to complete the lineup.

3.Since how long you have been singing?There are very less female death metal vocalists in the circuit.And i must say your vocals are extremely brutal with perfection.Any inspiration?

Mallika: I have been singing since I was a kid, but as my musical tastes developed, so did my style of singing. I have been playing in metal bands for about 5 years. The first band I joined was Potro, while I was spending a semester in Barcelona, Spain in 2002. When I returned the the U.S. I started looking for new projects.
I aim for a vocal style as brutal as possible. I take inspiration from all my favorite band's vocalists, male and female. Some early female inspirations were Karyn Crisis and Angela Gossow. Today there are more and more women getting involved in the extreme metal scene, and I think it's great.

4.Visions,Questions,Epitomize The Weak.....Ultimately amazing tracks.Who write lyrics for Abnormality and who compose the music?

Mallika: The whole band contributes to all the songs. Someone will come up with a riff, or we'll just start jamming and it will turn into a song. Usually it's Jay, Mike and I writing the lyrics. We write separately or as a collaboration. A lot of thought goes into the lyrics, with a range of topics from political subjects, sarcasm and absurdity, to our life experiences. But we think it's important to not take ourselves too seriously.

5.What would you like to say about the current Death Metal scenario?I mean,there are many talented and creative death metal bands which are still unsigned.

Mallika: I have a great love for the death metal scene. It takes a lot of dedication, skill, and passion to play this type of music, knowing that there is little you can expect in return. You know that people are listening and performing for the right reasons, not because it's "cool" or that they could make a fortune doing it. And it's certainly not for everyone. The metal underground brings people together from all countries and walks of life.
I feel really lucky to live in New England, there are a lot of amazing bands from this area, Suffocation, Skinless, Immolation, Mortal Decay, and some good friends of ours: Goreality, Sexcrement, Deconformity, Soul Remnants, Brutal #2, A Terrible Night for a Curse, Hekseri, Dysentery, Porphyria, to name a few. Yes, there is a lot of unsigned talent, it can be a struggle to get a label's attention. Every day it is getting easier for bands to produce and distribute music on their own.

6.So any future plans of Abnormality?How about an India Tour?

Mallika: We plan to continue what we've been doing all along, expand our fanbase, look for a label, and hopefully do some touring around the U.S. and Europe. We are going into the studio this winter to record our first full-length album.
I would love to tour India. My father is from Tamil Nadu, it's always nice to visit and see more of his home country. There is such amazing culture and musical history there.

7.Thanks for the interview Mallika.Any message you would like to leave for indian metalheads?

Mallika: Hmm. Well if your a metal head in India you must be even rarer than here in the States, so props to you! Afaque
of Infernal Wrath was telling me about some of the hardships of getting shows together, and playing metal in India. I hope the scene keeps growing and gets easier. I look forward to hearing what bands come out of India.

You can listen to Abnormality at www.myspace.com/abnormality06

Thanks again, Avinash, and keep it brutal!




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Stay tuned for my next interview with Shalini,Guitarist Of British Brutal Death Metallers GENOCIDE X

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