Saturday, August 13, 2011

Nociceptor Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
    I think the last thing I heard people call us was "Progressive Metal."
2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album?
    Like a rhythmically eccentric rhinoceros that is on fire and is charging you... from a long way away. :)
    
3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the new release explores?
    Well, sometimes songs will start off about one thing, but then will somehow morph into something else.  The final product can sometimes be a bit warped.  I think we touch on various things...things that relate to all humans, as well as things that you'd have to be one of us to understand.  That being said, we prefer to let the listener breathe their own life to the music.  I love to hear how others interpret our music.
4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
    Nociceptors are receptors in your skin that respond to damage by sending signals to the brain that are interpreted as pain.  Scott suggested it.  Better him than me.  Having to choose a band name name frightens me."
5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage perforamnce?
    For some reason whenever we played in Lawton, OK, we would always come home with grand tails of adventure.  One time, we had a show booked in Amarillo, TX (which is at least a 5 hour drive from Denton), and after driving what seemed like all day, the show was cancelled due to a blizzard.  We were 30 minutes outside Amarillo!  We stopped at a Dairy Queen to sulk and our merch girl decided to call a friend in Lawton.  We did a little more driving and ended up playing two shows in one night, one right after the other, 2 different clubs... I think I slept for 2 or 3 days straight after that weekend.
    It would be difficult for me to honestly describe our stage performance.  A friend once told me that people generally view their bands the same way parents view their newborn children.  Everybody thinks that THEIR baby is the most beautiful...
    Our shows are much like emotional exercise for me, personally.  I attempt to re-create the emotional environment of my experiences and communicate this environment to people around me without giving too much away with just words.  Sometimes I am successful, sometimes I am not.  Either way, I must usually rely on the perspective of others as to whether the show went well. 
6. Do you have any touring plans for the new release?
    That's an interesting question.  We have been approached about several tours, but unfortunately we lack sufficient funds to appropriate a reliable vehicle, and have had to turn them all down.  We're ready to go as soon as we have transportation, though!  Donations are excepted!
7. Currently you are singed to Pivotal Recordings, how did you get in contact with this label and how would you describe the support that they have given you so far?
    Absolutely wonderful people!  We got in touch with them through Travis.  They are efficient and responsive which makes business by email so much more pleasant.  Actually, we were probably more of a headache to them if anything.
8. Are there any projects besides this band or is this a full time line-up?
    Well, Travis has Threat Signal, and Michael has his other band, Demiurge.  I have joked about starting a swing-metal band for years now, but school pretty much takes up all my time outside Nociceptor.
9. On a worldwide level how has your music been recieved by exteme metal fans?
    As of January of this year, our music was being purchased in The US, Canada, The UK, Autralia, Japan, India, and Russia.  I am proud to be a part of something that has made a connection across such wide range of listeners.
10. What direction do you see the music heading intop on future releases?
    I really think that we all want to start messing around with more of an orchestral approach to our writing style.  Layering that stands out, with a sense of counterpoint throughout.
11. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
    I grew up listening to Deftones, RATM, Tool, Korn (first and second album), and Meshuggah, among others, but I've always had a love for electronic music.  I was really into stuff like DJ Bam Bam and Kidney Thieves.  I think I bought the Spawn soundtrack like 80 times...
    These days about half the time I am listening to stuff like Between The Buried and Me, Tesseract, Vildhjarta...stuff like that.  The other half of the time, I am listening to Schubert's Ave Maria, Night on Bald Mountain, or Schumann's Allerseelen, Orf's Carmina Burana, etc...I like the really dark and dramatic stuff.
    
12. Outside of music, what are some of your interests?
    I am really wrapped up in Physics.  Mainly Cosmology and Quantum Physics.  Don't ask me any of the math, but the idea that reality might be a holographic projection from the edge of the universe fascinates me.
13. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
    Worship Gozer!

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