1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
L. Abscendent is a Thrash/Death Metal band from Italy, formed in 2011. Our main purpose is to songs which are both aggressive both compositionally and technically variegated.
2.In March you had released your first album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
G. The album’s sound is inevitably born from the influences of all of our listenings, as much as on tries to stay personal, you can find both old school and modern groove vibes. The tracks are quite straight forward and typically death/thrash oriented, with some little prog sparks.
3.The band has been around since 2011 but waited until 2016 to release the first album, can you tell us a little bit more about the first 5 years?
G. Since we formed, we started composing and after a trial stage and some line up changes, we found ourselves in the late 2013, with an album ready to be recorded. Then for various reasons and some wrong decisions when it came to choosing the studio, and year passed by, and one more year was gone, while we promoted ourselves until we found a label (Revalve Records) who offered us a contract and promoted the album, so here we are in 2016 with an album out and working on new material, hoping this time it would take much less.
4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
L. The whole album is focused on mental illness and other states of altered consciousness, reflections on various personality disorders, bringing them to the extreme in terms of alienation and violence and making a parallel with different literary or philosophical theories. For instance, the Doppelgänger concept so often found in german literature is matched with the bipolar disorder solipsism, the idea that one can be sure only of its own existence and everything surrounding him might actually be an illusion, is seen in the perspective of an individual in a coma.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Abscendent'?
M. We simply liked how “ascendent” sounded like, but feared such name could have been already taken so we added the “b” which also adds kind of an esoteric vibe to it.
6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
G. Far as I’m concerned, the audience is the one who can give an objective answer, being on stage, we have a different point of view and a different acoustic perception from those who stand in front of us. The best performances I think I can mention are the ones at Traffic and Closer in Rome, at Satyricon in Alatri, besides the times we played at Baraonda in Formia, where we basically are the “home team”. I hope that there will be more memorable shows in the future.
M. In my humble opinion, every show represents a new challenge, to express your passion to the public. Same goes for the studio work, when making an album.
7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
G. We’ll try tro promote the album as much as possible in terms of live shows, these days it’s not easy to go on tour without having to deal with considerable expenses concerning travel, accomodation, instrument shipping, but we’ll try to get the good chances when they’ll come.
8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death and thrash metal?
G. At the moment it’s pretty early to give a balance of the feedback we’re getting. The album has been out for just a bit more than a moth and it needs time to collect actual data, the only one we have are spotify playing rates, most of the listeners are from Austria.
L. So far, the critics have been positive, but you cannot know wether the public is going to agree on that or not yet. We are pretty positive though, even those who discover us by attending a live show seem to always appreciate what we do.
9.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of he band members are a part of?
G. Overactive, with whom I play live, are composing the tracks for the debut full length, while we are starting recording sessions for the second release by Agogica.
M. I play in Overactive as well, we released an Ep about an year ago, which had a quite positive feedback and, as said we are working on the new album. I’ve also been playing for years in Zero Tolerance, official italian tribute to Death.
L. As the recording sessions are starting, I am ultimating the lyrics for Agogica’s new album, differently from Inertia of time, it’s going to have a singer indeed. Concerning Shaytan, we have a couple of songs which are ready to be recorded and a few more that only need to be rehearsed and arranged. We have been inactive for a while, since we now live in different parts of Italy, and one of us has been in Frankfurt for the last 6 months, but we plain to get back during next summer. I recently took part in Helslave, and I’m very enthusiastic about it, I loved their debut album, we are planning gigs to promote it and making choices about the direction the next one is going to take.
10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
G. For the nearest future we are exploring new territories in death metal with our new songs, which are less direct and more progressive imprinted. without giving up on aggressiveness, which is our main feature.
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?
G. Old and new school death and thrash metal above all, from Death, to Exodus, to Lamb of God, to say a few. Concerning what I’m listening to, I’m lately listening many italian bands such as Eyeconoclast, Deceptionist and Exence, but I generally listen to many different things such as jazz, rock and blues, beside metal.
M. I’ll listen to every song, album or artist which touches me, regardless of the genre. Obviously Chuck Schuldiner and Death are always going to have an inspirational relevance.
L. An influence we don’t mention much, but is present in its own way, it’s last two decades’ technical death metal, bands such as Decapitated, Obscura and Beyond Creation. I’m very pleased of the old school swedish death metal revival that’s going on lately, bands like Overtorture, Entrails, Under the Church, Wombath and so on. I’m also very passionate in doom, stoner and sludge, a couple of pretty unknown band I’m totally into are Komatsu from the Netherlands and 10.000 km² gegen die Zeit from Germany.
12.What are some of your non musical interests?
G. Sport, without any doubt, basket above all. Then cinema, books and cuisine.
M. I love running and walking outdoors for long periods, beside hanging out with my closest friends.
L. I study Languages and Literatures, which are my main interest apart from music, beside English, I speak German and Swedish. I am also interested in philosophy, which has a strong impact on the way I write lyrics.
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
L. We would like to thank anyone who has purchased or listened to our album, in this-net ruled period, where informations are fast and bands pop up every day, it’s difficult to give the deserved attention to every single one of them.
And obviously, thank you for taking the time and effort to interview us! You’ll hear from us soon!
L. Abscendent is a Thrash/Death Metal band from Italy, formed in 2011. Our main purpose is to songs which are both aggressive both compositionally and technically variegated.
2.In March you had released your first album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
G. The album’s sound is inevitably born from the influences of all of our listenings, as much as on tries to stay personal, you can find both old school and modern groove vibes. The tracks are quite straight forward and typically death/thrash oriented, with some little prog sparks.
3.The band has been around since 2011 but waited until 2016 to release the first album, can you tell us a little bit more about the first 5 years?
G. Since we formed, we started composing and after a trial stage and some line up changes, we found ourselves in the late 2013, with an album ready to be recorded. Then for various reasons and some wrong decisions when it came to choosing the studio, and year passed by, and one more year was gone, while we promoted ourselves until we found a label (Revalve Records) who offered us a contract and promoted the album, so here we are in 2016 with an album out and working on new material, hoping this time it would take much less.
4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
L. The whole album is focused on mental illness and other states of altered consciousness, reflections on various personality disorders, bringing them to the extreme in terms of alienation and violence and making a parallel with different literary or philosophical theories. For instance, the Doppelgänger concept so often found in german literature is matched with the bipolar disorder solipsism, the idea that one can be sure only of its own existence and everything surrounding him might actually be an illusion, is seen in the perspective of an individual in a coma.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Abscendent'?
M. We simply liked how “ascendent” sounded like, but feared such name could have been already taken so we added the “b” which also adds kind of an esoteric vibe to it.
6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
G. Far as I’m concerned, the audience is the one who can give an objective answer, being on stage, we have a different point of view and a different acoustic perception from those who stand in front of us. The best performances I think I can mention are the ones at Traffic and Closer in Rome, at Satyricon in Alatri, besides the times we played at Baraonda in Formia, where we basically are the “home team”. I hope that there will be more memorable shows in the future.
M. In my humble opinion, every show represents a new challenge, to express your passion to the public. Same goes for the studio work, when making an album.
7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
G. We’ll try tro promote the album as much as possible in terms of live shows, these days it’s not easy to go on tour without having to deal with considerable expenses concerning travel, accomodation, instrument shipping, but we’ll try to get the good chances when they’ll come.
8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death and thrash metal?
G. At the moment it’s pretty early to give a balance of the feedback we’re getting. The album has been out for just a bit more than a moth and it needs time to collect actual data, the only one we have are spotify playing rates, most of the listeners are from Austria.
L. So far, the critics have been positive, but you cannot know wether the public is going to agree on that or not yet. We are pretty positive though, even those who discover us by attending a live show seem to always appreciate what we do.
9.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of he band members are a part of?
G. Overactive, with whom I play live, are composing the tracks for the debut full length, while we are starting recording sessions for the second release by Agogica.
M. I play in Overactive as well, we released an Ep about an year ago, which had a quite positive feedback and, as said we are working on the new album. I’ve also been playing for years in Zero Tolerance, official italian tribute to Death.
L. As the recording sessions are starting, I am ultimating the lyrics for Agogica’s new album, differently from Inertia of time, it’s going to have a singer indeed. Concerning Shaytan, we have a couple of songs which are ready to be recorded and a few more that only need to be rehearsed and arranged. We have been inactive for a while, since we now live in different parts of Italy, and one of us has been in Frankfurt for the last 6 months, but we plain to get back during next summer. I recently took part in Helslave, and I’m very enthusiastic about it, I loved their debut album, we are planning gigs to promote it and making choices about the direction the next one is going to take.
10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
G. For the nearest future we are exploring new territories in death metal with our new songs, which are less direct and more progressive imprinted. without giving up on aggressiveness, which is our main feature.
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?
G. Old and new school death and thrash metal above all, from Death, to Exodus, to Lamb of God, to say a few. Concerning what I’m listening to, I’m lately listening many italian bands such as Eyeconoclast, Deceptionist and Exence, but I generally listen to many different things such as jazz, rock and blues, beside metal.
M. I’ll listen to every song, album or artist which touches me, regardless of the genre. Obviously Chuck Schuldiner and Death are always going to have an inspirational relevance.
L. An influence we don’t mention much, but is present in its own way, it’s last two decades’ technical death metal, bands such as Decapitated, Obscura and Beyond Creation. I’m very pleased of the old school swedish death metal revival that’s going on lately, bands like Overtorture, Entrails, Under the Church, Wombath and so on. I’m also very passionate in doom, stoner and sludge, a couple of pretty unknown band I’m totally into are Komatsu from the Netherlands and 10.000 km² gegen die Zeit from Germany.
12.What are some of your non musical interests?
G. Sport, without any doubt, basket above all. Then cinema, books and cuisine.
M. I love running and walking outdoors for long periods, beside hanging out with my closest friends.
L. I study Languages and Literatures, which are my main interest apart from music, beside English, I speak German and Swedish. I am also interested in philosophy, which has a strong impact on the way I write lyrics.
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
L. We would like to thank anyone who has purchased or listened to our album, in this-net ruled period, where informations are fast and bands pop up every day, it’s difficult to give the deserved attention to every single one of them.
And obviously, thank you for taking the time and effort to interview us! You’ll hear from us soon!
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