Answered Matt.
Ave, can you introduce your band to our readers? – When was it founded and what style of music do you play , etc.?
Matt: Hails! KALOPSIA is a death metal band founded in NJ, USA in 1999. We combine American brutality, Swedish melody, thrash and hardcore into a potent mix of heavy, catchy metallic mayhem!
Where and under what conditions were you recording the new album? Who was in charge of sound, production and mastering?
Matt: Our new album “Angelplague” was recorded, mixed and mastered by Bobby Torres at Frightbox Studios in Clifton, NJ, USA. He knocked it out of the park!
How many copies were released and which medium was used for this new edition (CD, digital, vinyl, cassette)?
Matt: “Angelplague” was released on CD and digital by Horror Pain Gore Death Productions (http://hpgd.bandcamp.com/). Proper Death Records is pressing vinyl, 400 black and 100 red (http://properdeath.bigcartel.com/). Any cassette labels, get in touch!
Who is the author of the lyrics and how were they created and about what do the lyrics deal with?
Matt: I write the lyrics. This album is centered around the themes of sickness, death and religion. I lost some people close to me over the course of making this record, and dealing with concerns like “burial or cremation” and the religious rituals around death. I’m atheist but my family is not. So those themes were very much stirring under the surface. “Destined to Return” is about accepting death. “Christened Upon the Slab” is about the business side of death. How for some people, a body is a body. You can’t do an autopsy on a person, you have to do it on a body. “Scorched Earth and Blackened Skies” is about how we build things over the course of our lives in defiance of our mortality, but in the end it gets washed away by the sands of time. It’s not a concept album, but these themes are weaved throughout.
Who created the logo of the band, and who took care of the graphics and the website? What about you and social networks? Do you consider these things important?
Matt: Everything we do is DIY. So we find the artists, give them direction and go from there. Aditia Wardhana did the great artwork for this album, which we used for the redesigned website. I cobbled together the site. We all share social media responsibilities. If I’ve learned anything with this record it’s the importance of having a strong press presence, including social media. Great music that the fans don’t hear doesn’t really count for much. Plus social media is a way for fans to connect with us, which is great.
Which label did you choose for releasing your album and why this label? Are you satisfied by how your label represents you and takes care about you?
Matt: Horror Pain Gore Death Productions is handling the CD, while Proper Death is handling vinyl. Both labels are doing an awesome job getting the music out there. They are small labels, and they are fueled with a passion for the music.
Which bands do you idolise and where do you get your inspiration?
Matt: Back when we started, it was all about Morrisound and Sunlight Studios, the classic bands from both sides of the pond, Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Malevolent Creation, Grave, Dismember, Suffocation, Internal Bleeding, etc. as well as NJ and NY area hardcore, Merauder, All Out War, For the Love Of…, Hatebreed, etc. Over the years everything’s gotten mixed together leading to what we know of as our sound. This is our third full length, so it’s a fusion of ideas that drove the first two.
Did you send your record to some Labels - which are the labels? How was the response?
Matt: We went straight to Horror Pain Gore Death. Mike had heard the demos and worked with the other guys on the first Hammer Fight record, so we knew it was going to be a good fit.
How many gigs have you played? Which type of gigs do you prefer, whether it's (clubs or festivals) and which of your performances would you consider as the best?
Matt: We’ve played a lot of club gigs. I like both settings. A packed club has a raw intensity that you can feel. In a festival setting you’re almost background music for a party, but it’s so huge that it’s otherworldly. I’m into it as long as people are into it.
What about your plans for the future? What do you want to achieve with the band?
Matt: We’ve all been musicians for a really long time, so for us keeping the thing going is just fun. We will be releasing a remixed and remastered version of “Amongst the Ruins” in 2018, followed by a new album, which is currently being written.
How and where can your fans contact you? Can you provide some contact information?
Matt: You can find all our info on our website, www.kalopsia.org. Email and social media info is all there. We also have music and merch on bandcamp kalopsia.bandcamp.com.
Thanx for the interview.
Matt: Thanks to you and your readers! Our new album, “Angelplague” is available now from Horror Pain Gore Death Productions http://hpgd.bandcamp.com. Cheers!
