Undead Pandemic Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?

Undead Pandemic is a blackened death metal/cybergore/grind (the genre definitions have been quite varied!) hybrid solo project from the UK. Originally started in 2008, I finished and released 'The Rising' the back end of 2011 which leans predominantly towards blackened death metal and has strong Satanic overtones lyrically. I'm currently working on an upcoming 2012 release called 'NUNSLUT' which is to be pure grindcore. Expect plenty of defiled women of the cloth.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?

If we are talking in terms of 'The Rising', I'd say varied. There's screams and growls, spoken word and whispers, atmouspherics and onslaughts. There are elements of grind which progresses throughout the album too which is illustrative of the route Undead Pandemic is going to carve. People have refered to the music as cybergore - there's a feeling of old-school cult horror movie soundtracks in the mix too - a Dutch reviewer refered to the music from the original Terminator films at one point. 'The Rising' was a nod towards the legends of film making Romero and Fulci and was purely a concept album to mirror the sounds of that era. There's an almost preview into what's to come within the bonus tracks on the album.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

Zombies. Lots of zombies as well as the uprising of Satanism. 'The Rising' was intended to be a double en tendre for the rising of the dead and the rising of Satanism as a supreme overwhelming power.
4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

The name 'Undead Pandemic' was expressive of my personal interests in zombie fiction and cult films. A mid/post-apocalyptic society is very appealing to me and the word 'pandemic' seems to inspire or suggest a major global presence of the dead rising to terrorize humanity.

5. Has the band had any opportunities to do any live shows, if so what are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?

At the moment it's just a studio project. If there's a demand after the release of the second album and things kick off, I'll start thinking about doing shows, etc.

6.Currently you are unsigned are you looking for a label and if so what kind of label do you feel that would be a perfect fit for the music?

I'm definitely looking! I'm seeking a reliable label that predominantly publishes grindcore/goregrind/cybergore. A real dirty, filthy label that doesn't hold back. My main focus at the moment is on 'NUNSLUT' - two tracks of which ('Thirty Thousand Fisted Nuns' and 'The Human Centipede') have been released to give people a feel of what to expect. Somebody who can accomodate that and has a respected presense within the genre/industry would be good!

7. On a worldwide level how has your music been recieved by fans of black, death metal and grindcore?

I seem to have a lot of people from Indonesia interested in my music. They're pretty crazy over there - I've come in contact with a lot of sick and talented individuals. I love their level of brutality and the general state of 'fucked' their music expresses. My fans are generally fans of death and grindcore really. Although I suppose it's difficult to gerenalise something as ambiguous as music particularly when I myself am interested in a lot of different forms of extreme metal.

8. Are there any other projects besides this band or is this a full time line-up?

This is a full-time line-up. I don't have any plans of other projects at the moment.
9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

Pure fucking grind.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

I'm a massive fan of Scott Hull and his projects, particularly Pig Destroyer and Agoraphobic Nosebleed. I have a lot of respect for the guy as a person too - he's clearly got his head screwed on. Prowler in the Yard is an album that lives in the stereo in my car - it never leaves. I'm also a big fan of raw uncompromising black metal, Sargeist probably being at the top of the list. Then again I've got massive a blood lust for brutal death metal and really depraved underground pornogrind projects... Any form of extreme metal full of power and energy gets me going really.

11. What role does Satanism or Occultism play in the music?

In 'The Rising', there's a strong Satanic theme on a serious level - I encompass my own personal beliefs in my music and lyrics. Satanism is something I live by - it's a very personal thing that flows naturally through me so it's only natural for it to flow into my music. 'NUNSLUT' has similar blasphemous connotations but in a more relaxed way - this time mocking Christianity with a more insidious approach. It's proving to be rather enjoyable to write and record - the results so far are very pleasing.

12. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

I'm a graphic designer by day so I'm rarely seen without a laptop or sketch pad infront of my face. I'm also a bit of a geek when it comes to gaming - many hours of my life has been lost to the virtual world.

13. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

Thanks for your support and taking the time to review the album and hold this interview - it's through the effort and support people like you put in that enables bands go far and get themselves heard. Brutal respects.

https://www.facebook.com/undeadpandemic