Not So Much Wiser: Dissident Aggressor and FL Appreciation

Even The PitGoddess misses her old home sometimes.  I'm celebrating my state with a two-part post celebrating the people I left!  Part 1 features my buddy Jake and his band Dissident Aggressor.

PitGoddess: Why don't we start with you telling me about your bands.

Handsome Jake:  Well there's Dissident Aggressor, which I’ve been in since high school, but it was called Agonizing Demise then.  John Farran (guitars) was also in that.  We also went to high school with Taylor and Jacob, the other dudes in the current line up.  Then there's Bog Prophet which formed last August or so.  It picked up a lot of attention pretty quick because Fire in the Cave just broke up and I would be playing slow. People in Orlando fucking love heavy doom shit for some reason.  Not that its bad but it’s definitely a very heavy-oriented scene here now.

PG: That sounds like it's not your personal preference- what do you prefer?

Jake: Oh don’t get me wrong, I love me some doom. But there's just too much for me to give the time for all of them now.  I started out in hardcore punk bands, and then a thrashy death metal band- I prefer playing fast.

PG: You mentioned Dissident Aggressor is going to write new material- do you know what kind of direction it'll take?

Jake: Well musically it's definitely going to be heavier and more devastating; more death than thrash. All of the songs on the Agonizing Demise demo were written when we were all in high school.  John and I whipped up those 7 songs and just kept playing them.  The two newer songs we've been playing are definitely leaning towards more technical death parts than straight forward thrashing madness.

PG:  So you'll definitely have a different style then, since you're older and wiser now?

Jake: Not so much wiser hah, but we have been playing together for a while and John and I have developed some awesome musical chemistry throughout the years, and Jacob Belkerdid (Mindscar/Dzoavitz) just ads to creativity.  We'll still sound like us, but you’ll definitely be able to tell we've improved.

PG: How do you guys fit into the local scene- since it is mostly sloooow and low?

Jake: We're lucky enough to be one of the few thrash/death bands around Orlando (that actually plays) and we have been around for a while so we reap the occasional benefit of getting to play with any thrash metal band that comes through.

We also have roots deep into the punk scene, so we play a lot of hardcore crust/punk/grind shows as well.  I'm assuming people enjoy us otherwise they wouldn't keep coming to our shows and asking us for merch and new recordings, haha

PG: Maybe they're just being polite.  HAW, I'm kidding.

Jake: Pftttttttt.

PG: Which local bands are your favorite- of any genre?

Jake: Shit, that's a toughy.  I'm friends with almost all the local Orlando bands that I can think of, and I don't wanna choose favorites. I support them all show wise.

PG: How diplomatic.

Jake: Since I have to pick favorites outta Orlando, with exception of my bands, I’d have to say Dzoavitz is definitely one of my favorites currently  granted it’s just members of my bands side projects, they're right up my alley (Danny Morris, John Farran, and Jacob Belkerdid) I guess Black Witchery could count, but they never play hah.

PG: They play!  I’ve seen them. You weren’t there!

Jake: pshh, I saw them in the woods out in Geneva back in high school, that was dope.  I meant they don’t play Orlando.  If we’re going with bands that are from Florida, there's quite a bit I regularly listen to…

Orbweaver's new album is pretty damn tasty. Shroud Eater as well. Vomitkaust from Jacksonville. Gaul from Gainesville. Nunhex and Devalued are two of my favorites as well. The Tunnel is also really damn good- amazing live band.  There's just so many really good bands in all sorts of genres that I can get down with.

PG:  Florida does have a wide variety of killer bands!  What’s the current status of Bog Prophet?

Jake: Right before our small FL tour, our guitarist Geoff got bit by a dog and had to get something like 13 stitches in his hands, so we played the shows anyways because he was like "fuck it, let’s play."  Now he’s recovering. It apparently hurts to play guitar for longer than a few minutes, so we'll be on hiatus for a total of 6 months. I know, it’s gonna be forever.

PG: What are your plans once Geoff's recovered?

Jake: We were originally going take a break from shows to record our album and a split with Gaul and possibly another band. I think we'll write some new songs, because I’m sure he has some ideas for riffs, and then continue where we left off

PG: Since you've played a lot of shows in a few bands- what's the best you've ever played?
Jake: Best show I've ever played…that's a tough one.  For Dissident it was this house show we played about 4 years back; it started storming when we set up, then the power went out to the other half of the house, and there was just thunder, lightning, us and about 50 punx.  I believe Republicorpse played that show with us, and this band Caufield from CA was also there. That shit was rad.

PG: That sounds like fun.

Jake: Oh it was awesome. Bands and blunts and I vaguely remember there being a bottle of whisky or two.  My favorite show with Bog Prophet was also a house show. I believe we were the only band that played.

It was on 4/20, and we just passed around a blunt while setting up. Then these fog machines went off and I couldn’t even see my drum set, it was like I was playing in the labyrinth. I was expecting David Bowie to start fucking with me

PG: If you could set up your dream show- who would you play with?

Jake: All of them hahah.  It would have to be a fest, so I could play with a shitload.  Gorguts is definitely one of my favorites… If Dissident could play with Gorguts, Voivod and Emperor that'd be cool.  Bog Prophet could play with Pentagram, High On Fire, and Uncle Acid.

PG: Are you super stoked for the new Gorguts? Are there any other 2013 releases you've loved?

Jake: Oh I am super stoked on the new Gorguts.  New Carcass is also looking very promising. 

I'm not too sure what bands are making more rippin tunes. I've been outta the loop on what's happening for a little bit.

PG: You might like new all pigs must die

Jake: I like apmd anyways, so I can only assume they're still on the right track. 

PG:  Well, it’s getting to be that time.  I just have two last questions: What's one thing you want readers to know about the Dissident Aggressor? Where can people listen to your tunes/buy merch/etc?

Jake:  Dissident Aggressor has been around for far too long to be as lazy as we are, but that’s about to change. We have a demo recorded from a while back that can be found at dissidentaggressor.bandcamp.com. We're also in the process of getting merch and re-recording the "Agonizing Demise" demo/album as well as writing a few new tunes for crushing the masses.