Musicadium Artist Profile: Vahrzaw
Musicadium interviews one of our first signed up artists, death metal Melbourne band, Vahrzaw.
Q. What styles and influences are on your latest album?
Scott[S]: Well, there’s the obvious black and death metal style with a few thrash riffs. As far as influences go, mine would be the early 90s death metal and 2nd wave of black metal, primarily the Norwegian scene. The newer metal is far too generic to influence me and is somewhat soulless.
George[G]: Styles – Black Metal, Death Metal, and Thrash. Influences – See our MySpace page.
Q. What did you think of the last Harry Potter book?
G: Harry Who? I don’t read kids books.
Q. If you could replace George Bush with anyone you like for President, who would it be and why?
S: I’m not interested in politics, especially American.
G:Richard Dawkins. Instead of wasting your time being distracted by books like Harry Potter, you should read his stuff and you’d understand why.
Q. How did you come up with your band name?
S:It was the final choice after a few name changes. I don’t think any of us actually know what it means anymore. I think it is hebrew?!?!
G: I’m pretty sure we found it in a book. Sadly, none of us can remember where we saw it.
Q. What’s your favourite song to play?
S:Hmmm… probably either Revelations or Mysteries of the Worm. Both are a bit challenging in a live situation but sound amazing. Also, I like doing the slayer cover.
G: Mysteries of the Worm
Q. How long of you been playing your instruments/singing and did you take lessons?
S: I’ve been playing guitar for 15 years and I had lessons for the first 2.
G:I’ve have been playing for about 13 years but I took a few years off when Vahrzaw was on hiatus. I’ve taken lessons for on-and-off for about 2.5 years.
Q. Any new influences that you will be drawing into your next release?
S: Whatever I write is what I use, no direct influence at the moment. At the moment I’m listening to a lot of drone/ambient music like Sunn O))) and some Euro EBM. I doubt any of that music will influence the music of Vahrzaw. Maybe only in an arranging sense.
G: Absolutely! I’ll be introducing orchestral arrangements (e.g., strings, brass, and choral)
Q. What’s your favourite colour?
S: Emerald green…my birthday is St. Patricks day.
G: Green. Haha! I never knew Scott’s was green as well.
Q. What kind of instruments do you use?
S:Jackson Randy Rhoads Flying V, BC Rich Virgo, Taylor Big Baby Acoustic and Boss Pedals through whatever amp I can find.
G:Ibanez basses.
Q. Why did you choose Musicadium to digitally distribute your music?
S:Seemed like a decent idea and the distro had a wide-range.
G:The internet has provided bands with a useful tool to spread their music to a wider audience. We want as many people as possible to hear our music. Musicadium provided a service that let us take our music to this audience. Oh! And they were cheap.
Q. Do you have a day/square job as well as music? If so what is it?
S:I wish music was my only job, but like most people I have to work damn hard. As a day job, I’m a motor trimmer (Level 2 Kenworth interior upholsterer and QA inspector)… and yes, it’s boring.
G:Of course! I’m a Sessional Academic Staff Member at Monash University. I teach Psychological Studies and Cognitive Science.
Q. When did you first know that creating music was for you?
S:I’ve always had instruments in the house and music was a huge part of growing up as my mother was a ballet dancer and teacher. I diverted my attention away from art at around the age of 14 and started playing guitar after I saw Vernon Reid from Living Colour on ‘Countdown Revolution’ one night. I thought it was genius.
G: As a teenager I needed an expressive outlet. Music was it.
Q. The best thing about being an artist is?
S: Going through the process of a having a simple idea and making it into a great song. And of course, releasing it into the world.
G: Writing music!
Q. What are you listening to right now?
S: Sunn O))) - Oracle, Mayhem - Ordo Ad Chao, Boris - Pink and Type O Negative - Dead Again.
G: Behemoth – The Apostasy. Album of the year.
Q. When will be releasing your next album?
S: Probably mid 2008.
G. Probably not until mid-to-late 2008. It’ll be worth the wait.
