As We Die and throwing away the neagtive energy

As We Die are a melodic deathcore band from Italy that know how to put an extra spin on an overused genre. By adding harmonic clean vocals among their death metal aggression, they’ve quickly risen in population. Recently, the band is very happy about signing to SG records to help promote their debut EP, The Right Choices. It is certainly a great start for the group and really gets their sound off the ground with a running start that will evolve into something massive… massively good that is. I got a chance to ask the bands a few questions about their history, unique influences, and what keeps them insane enough to put out such good music.

Hello. Thanks for taking the time with BRUTALISM to answer a few questions and congratulations of the success of your EP. It seems like a great start for the group. What was your first reaction when you got signed?
We were very happy when we discovered that someone wanted to cover our backs. The label is very helping with promotion. Thanks SG records!!

Your style of music is more than just deathcore. What would you describe it as?
We tried to mix our favorite bands creating something new, a mix of powerful metal and melodic parts.

Any influences that you’d like to name in particular?
It Dies Today, Destroy the Runner, I Killed the Prom Queen, Caliban, As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, All that Remains, etc… There’s many more, but these are the most important.

What got the group into metal and made them want to be the band that it has become today?
We started six years ago in a small garage playing a sort of new metal, than with the passage of time we matched our inspiration in metalcore!

Favorite thing about metal in general?
The speedy and burning drums and guitars and the energy that it transmit! There’s something about metal riffing, you know? A thing that makes you go nuts over it? It is a great way to throw away all the negative energy.

What do you think of metal in the present as opposed to ten years ago? What’s changed and how has it become better? Or worse?
Well, we got much more bands now than 10 years ago, or maybe we shall say we get to hear more bands now thanks to the internet. Anyone can spend his money in studio to make it sound great even if he can’t play for real, and be sort of famous on the net. I think that’s the reason why lots of people are critical towards today’s metal scene, but we must consider that there are lots of bands that are no less awesome than old bands. So it’s not worse or better, you just have to find out who’s cool and who’s not. And the only way is going to the shows.

How did As We Die start as a band?
We were friends before starting playing guitar, so we started together taking lesson and after one year we decided to play in our former bassist garage. Then our drummer/friend Denis joined the band and Luca tried to sing with surprising results! . As we die born officially in 2007 with the firsts songs and live. Rob joined the band in 2008, as we toured Italy. Recently Luca left the band, it was an honest choice and we’re still great friends. Tommy replaced him and we’re going to announce the name of our new bassist very soon. As we die born officially in 2007 with the firsts songs and live.

What’s the best thing about your success? The money, the fame, or the girls?
Hahahahah. I think all of that, no? Nooooo we are fighting for the glory hehe! The most amazing part of being in a band is the amount of fun you have playing at gigs, with crazy people and lots of different situations, knowing that all of this comes from music.

What is the ultimate goal for the band and its message to listeners and fans?
We don’t have a message in particular, but we like to keep music as it is. Songs are about how you feel and what’s inside your mind, but no great message at all.

Since the EP was self produced, would you say there is more creative freedom in producing your own music than with a major label/ mixer? What are some pros and cons for bands who have the choice between the two and which would you recommend?
Even thou we’re never been that side of the road, we can tell that having a producer must be really cool. It’s like having another member in the band that helps you get the best out of your possibilities. If you find someone who believes in you, it can never be bad.

The contrast of death vocals and clean vocals are obviously the biggest thing that sets As We Die apart from other deathcore bands that primarily use the growling and screaming. Care to share a bit on why that particular vocal style was chosen?
We think that clean parts can take the song to other levels, because it’s obviously another layer of melody in the song. And they make screaming more powerful and less tedious. Metal definitely needs them.

Now that the EP has become a big success, do you find fan demands much more extreme now as far as future sounds and touring goes?
Don’t know that, we’re always trying our best to write original music, with no particular attention to extremeness. You just play what you feel!

Speaking of tours, anything planned? What’s the band’s ‘dream tour’ if they could have it?
We’re starting a new chapter with new singer and bassist, we’re already working on new songs and we’ll be good to go in a couple of months. We’re thinking about warming up in Italy and then move out to Europe in spring or summer. Check our Facebook and MySpace pages for all the news, we’ll be posting fun stuff and news about the works.

When not on tour or in the studio, what do you guys like to do for downtime?
We like going snowboarding, motorbiking, some of us are into technology and computers, or hiking. But, most of the time we’re working or finishing our studies.

Is there any advice you’d like to give to any of our readers who may have bands that are just starting up and need advice from seasoned metal warriors such as yourselves?
Stop flattering us! Haha! It may sound obvious and dreamy, but it’s really just about how you believe in what you’re doing. If you wake up in the morning and your thoughts are already on the band you surely make it one day. Being in a band it’s like having a girlfriend, you need to care about it or it will go away. Practice! Think about your music even when you’re not playing. All the bands you envy are just guys who cared more than you do, and made it. We’re still far from being a great band, but we’re trying our best!

Thanks again and best of luck in the future. Stay brutal!