Interview with Insidious One
Tell us about your latest release: the main concept; what fans should expect; what were/are your goals with it:
Our new EP “Melancholy” is a natural evolution of Insidious One’s style: the previous album “I want everyone to die” was a pretty straightforward speedy thrash/death metal with just a little grain of experiments. On the new relase, however, those elements have grown much bigger, and the synths now are almost as important as guitars. The anime/videogame themed lyrics are still dominating, so nerds of all kinds will love it. It’s in Russian, though, but I don’t think many people would notice: it’s extreme metal after all.
Did you have a specific sound in mind when you formed the project, or did that grow and evolve as you continued?
I had a vague idea of the overall sound when I started, but it evolved very quickly as I continued. I listen to a lot of music everyday, and I always look forward to implement some new stuff into my music. I finally started to understand and enjoy jazz recently: I wonder if it would make Insidious One even more nerdy in the future. Still going to keep it accessible, though.
How does your writing process normally work out?
I can get a song idea at any moment. Like, when I’m in a grocery store, humming something from Hall & Oats, and then I’m like: “What if I change two notes here… and convert this to minor… and put blastbeats there… OMG, it’s a perfect death metal song!” Then I put those ideas in Guitar Pro or a mobile sequencer if I’m far from home, and store it. From time to time I revisit those fragments, improve and put them together, until the song is ready. Then, when I feel an urge to record something, I glance through those songs and pick the ones that fit the album’s concept. I actually write songs much faster than I record them: I have enough material for 2 or 3 LP’s and it’s not counting the incomplete stuff!
What are your ambitions and how far do you want to push your band?
I enjoy making music, and, of course, I want people all around the world to listen to it. I don’t have any intention of becoming a big celebrity: I’d rather have a relatively small fanbase, that actually understand my music, than some big brainless crowd. The live shows and tours are cool and fun, but I don’t feel like doing it now: they are not essential for music, I’d rather spend my money and time on recording something new.
What are your influences/musical references and the impact those same influences had in your sound?
The first band I heard that mixed thrash metal with heavy synths was Strapping Young Lad. It gave me the whole idea of founding the one-man-band: Devin Townsend was also alone when he started SYL, as you know. Dir En Grey is another great band, it inspires me to write more complex music and to think outside the box. I’m also influenced by another Japanese artist (more obscure, though) called Utsu-P. He makes truly bizarre music, mixing extreme metal with EDM and using Vocaloid software instead of a real vocals. He makes Hatsune Miku scream and growl, that’s mindblowing!
Basically, every good piece of music can influence me: some of my songs are even inspired by 8-bit videogame OST’s and silly j-pop, but you will never suspect it until I tell you so.
What’s next for you?
I’ve already started to work on a new single that will be relased in the first half of 2019. That will be a self-sufficient relase, marking the end of certain era of Insidious One. I’ve got some new foreign fans recently, so there will be Russian and English language versions of the single. Then the recording of a second full-length album will begin. It will be a totally new experience: much bigger, much more interesting and complex music than everything I did before. It probably won’t be an one-man act anymore: I’ll most likely get some good musicians to help me record. So, stay tuned for the news!
Answers: Alexander Shalaev