Psycho: Singaporean Death Metal

Not long ago, someone recommended me Psycho as a new band to hear.  A global metal, gore themed death metal band?  On Moribund?  Sure, I'll check it out.  Instantly I was struck- I stopped what I was doing to youtube the whole album.  Love it.  It's punky-ish death metal, it's upbeat and just fun.  You'll want to listen to  this album, and then listen to it again and again.  

PG:  Hails from America all, what is Psycho up to currently?
B. John: Hey there, we've been working on some new material and actively rehearsing with our new member on drums, ZIYANG. 

PG: You are a relatively new band, correct?  How did you all get your start?
BJ: Yes, that is correct. We began actively playing shows and stuff in 2007 and recorded 4 tracks as a demo/EP kinda thing in 2008. I guess that put our name out in the local metal circuit.   Being signed to Moribund for the release of our debut full length, certainly helped us get our music around. 

PG: What has been the response to Pain Addict Pigs so far?
BJ:  We've got pretty positive reviews and a lot of people and waiting to hear some more. We've been likened to a few reputable bands, but yet have our own style. So that’s pretty sweet. 
We've got some support here, just a pity we don't play many shows to promote the album. But that’s because of our commitment to national service. Good news is, we'll all be done with that in a few months.  

PG: There has been lots of great music coming out of Singapore lately, what is it about Singapore that produces so many good bands?
BJ: I guess it's the passion and drive of a serious musician to make something of it. Especially in a country such as ours, music as a career isn't really the social norm. Everybody's more interested in the fastest way to make money, or to make enough money to survive. 

PG: I have heard of metal bands facing government problems in Singapore, have you faced any issues?
BJ: Nope. We haven't heard about that actually.

PG: Some of my friends have been asking, who is the girl in your band promo photo? 
BJ: She isn't a member of the band, that's for sure. 

PG: Which Singapore bands would you recommend to our audience?
BJ: Absence of the Sacred, Suicide Solution, Helvette, Impiety and Wormrot and (more wormrot!). (pg)

PG: What are the future plans for Psycho? Any tours or new music in the works?
BJ: Yes, there's certainly new music in the making and once everything is good we'll be back in the studios.   We're playing a few shows in the region next year and hope to come to America too if everything works out. 

PG: Thanks a ton for your time, do you have anything you’d like to add?
BJ: Sure, yea keep a look out for some new PSYCHO material. You can also find us on the official band Facebook at facebook.com/psycho.official for updates and things like that. 
Thanks!

The PitGoddess Chats with Wormrot!

I discussed booze, new tunes and tours with guitarist Rasyid, of Wormrot.  Look for their new album, out this year on Earache.

PG- Hey dudes!  How is the new album coming?
Rasyid (WR)- We’ve completed all that was needed to be done on our part. It was a really tough period for all of us, not blessed with much time to come up with songs and practice and obstacles in our path, but we managed to in the end.

PG- What can we expect on the record?
Rasyid- Not gonna say anything about the record, but Earache just uploaded a track on Youtube.
(PG: Check it out! Manipulation)

PG- How is the recording process?  Are there many obstacles between writing and getting the album on the shelves?
Rasyid- We came to the studio with nothing, just right off the bat jamming. Recently we had just came back from our US tour, and we had a deadline to come up with new materials by January. I had no time to come up with songs, so we just went into the studio and ask each other “so how you want it to sound?” It worked very well for us, much better than how we did ‘Abuse.’

PG- You guys have toured in Europe and America.  How did those shows differ from shows in Singapore?
Rasyid- The obvious difference is the number of attendance and level of support. I’m not saying that we get lesser support from Singapore, but when you see people going apeshit with beer cups flying all over in EU and US, you feel so much more comfortable playing in front of the crazies.

PG- Singapore’s government is pretty strict, right?  What’s the metal scene there like?
Rasyid- The scene here, including punk, is kinda quiet right now due to the lack of spaces to play. We had a couple of punk spaces a few months back but due to high rental costs, the kids had to give it up. The ones that are left have insane prices, but once in a while, there’ll be one. In Singapore bands do not play in pubs or bars. Those venues are reserved for bands that play Top 40s bullshit so everyone can be comfortable, sing along and get drunk too. I guess we are not that comfortable, haha.

PG- There’s some great bands from Singapore, like Impiety and Rudra.  Where do you all fit in to the mix?
Rasyid- Grindcore naturally fits in the punk scene, but we have lots of friends in the metal scene and once awhile, we would appear in mainstream gigs. Singapore is small. Almost everyone knows each other.

PG- What has been your favorite show to date?  What is the Wormrot crowd like?
Rasyid- Difficult question which I cannot answer! I love seeing bodies flying, legs up in the air, the sudden brush on the elbow by a stage diver. It’s never about the fame or the worship for Wormrot; it’s about all of us connecting with one another and move, feel and lose yourself to the music. Headbutt wins headbang.

PG- Now…the important stuff (most readers may agree).  Which country/region you have toured has the best beer?  And the prettiest women?
Rasyid- you can get almost all the good beers from almost anywhere now. But I love my Pilsner Urquell in EU. Women, Serbia. Hands down.

PG-  Do you have any crazy tour stories you’d like to share?
Rasyid- Ee’ve not toured that much yet to bring some crazy stories; some we find crazy but for people there it’s normal. So we’re still looking out for really crazy shit happening. Other than that, getting drunk for 3 days in Obscene Extreme Festival with other freaks in a rainy weather, went to sleep and waking up in a green field full of crusties was crazy enough for me. Fuck, it was almost beautiful.

PG- Alright dudes, thanks for your time.  Do you have anything you’d like to add?
Rasyid- We are not a one-hit-wonder band and we’re working very hard to stay in the game. And thanks for the interview, it was a pleasure!

Thanks for everything Rasyid, Arif, Fit and Azean, of Wormrot!  Check them out: www.myspace.com/wormrotgrind