DIM MAK (Eng.)
– Hi Shaune, thanks for answering to our questions. What’s currently keeping DIM MAK busy?
Hey whats up Tania no probs…Well just releasing the Emergence of Reptilian altars and getting those tunes out to the fans. Sort of letting it do its thing since it just came out in Nov
– You formed legendary RIPPING CORPSE and then DIM MAK, that was actually some time ago. How did your interest for Death Metal start?
Well I guess through listening to classic metal like Judas Priest ,Iron Maiden into metallica, slayer, darkangel etc…on into the death metal era .Hearing it progressively getting heavier and more skilled I started enjoying the idea of maybe forming a brutal sick band
– You also teamed up again with your old Mate Erik Rutan and recorded «Fury & Flames» with HATE ETERNAL, even toured with them. How do you remember that experience?
Oh man that was incredible getting to see Europe a few times and release a record with Erik on Metal Blade. It was like a dream come true pretty much. I had an amazing time while performing onstage with Hate Eternal. The fans in Europe were awesome and ill never forget those great tours. Getting to record with Alex Webster was also a great experience. Good stuff
– Now already getting into DIM MAK. How did the band arise?
Well we had been doing Ripping Corpse for 5 or 6 years at that point and it became hard to get another decent record deal. The market was flooded with imitation garbage that destroyed the scene for a while. Anyways we started thinking about a change. Still brutal metal with technical skills but more like combative violence and martial arts themed. Just something that wasnt being done really besides like hip hop acts like the wu tang clan. It just felt natural to use real anger and rage in the music at that point
– You focused (or you did so until your latest effort) your lyrics on martial arts; how did the idea of singing about this start? As its quite innovative for a Metal band.
Well on the Emergence e steered away from the martial arts even though Joey is an actual Gracie Blackbelt and avid practioner of mma. I am just a huge fan and always loves combative sports like wrestling and boxing then UFC, Pride and mma events hit and I was hooked. I think it blends well with metal
– In fact the band’s name has a lot to do with this «lyrical concept». To all those who may don’t know about it; could you please tell us where does the name «Dim Mak» come from?
Dim Mak is the death touch or also known as poison hands. A one touch kill martial arts system based on pressure points along meridians in your body. A lot of myths surround it and it just made a lot of sense to me using the (death touch) as the band name. It also sounds pretty original so it was just right for the change we were after
– Your latest album is «The Emergence of Reptilian Altars», which has just reached Europe. Has been released 6 years after your previous «Knives of Ice». Do you guys take now things more smoothly?
Honestly I just release shit when I feel its right. I dont have an every year system or even any system for that matter..I write music then when I have an albums worth I see what I can do with it. Luckily willowtip gave me a nice 2 album deal so I just took my time and we got together and released the Emergence and knives when we were all free and had the time to make it so.
– This record shows Joey Capizzi’s debut on vocals. What could you say has he brought to the band? I personally think is really aggressive; so maybe he has provided even more brutality to your music? It has a really different style to Scott Ruth’s vocals so, how has been the reaction from your fans?
Ive got mostly great reactions about Joey and the fans seem to dig the new approach. Joey definetly added a consice evil clarity and flow to the songs. I would just say Joey brought exactly what I wanted..Killer lyrics and a sick vocal flow. He sorta used his voice like an instrument rythmically with an almost back metal tone. Its hard to describe really but its a real voice. No cokie monster bs there
– Lyric-wise, you have put a twist of them, having this time an evil approach. How do these concepts fit with the album’s name? Would you mind to elaborate a bit on its meaning?
The central concept behind the title is concious transformation.The Emergence of Reptilian Altars represents the transformation from the higher Human vibrational states/altars to that ofthe lower Reptilian order. The title is twofold in its nature. In one case the individual is conciously transforming into the reptilian dimensions. The premise if exploration being that of destroying evil with evil. The searcher is looking to transcend and resolve the utter blackness so that it may be possible to peer further into the arcane mysteries. In the second the individual is being transformed unconsiously the the lower reptilian frequencies. These are the lower vibrational states/altarswhich dominate the individual with compulsions of fear and aggression
– And what has inspired you to create these more «evil» lyrics?
Well we always had on and off evil songs with Ripping Corpse and Dim Mak. Not everything is martial arts related Like the incedent at the temple at leng and the great worm of hell for example. We have been inspired by lovecraft and horror and evil for a long time so it was more like Joey just brought it back to the forefront again instead of martial arts topics. No real specific reason just what Joey came up with
– In fact if I’m not mistaken, Scott was one of the responsibles for lyrics. Has this had a big impact on DIM MAK?
Yes Scott was in charge of all the lyrical concepts and now I gave that to Joey. Not Really I just knew I needed someone that can be a frontman and lyricist .In actuality when Scott left he recommended I give Joey a call because he was like family and just fit so in essence I got Ruths blessings as well. I feel Joey is the perfect addition for the new record.I was looking for a strong brutal clarity in the vocals and he delivered just that with some sick lyrical hooks
– Though «The Emergence of Reptilian Altars» has your usual brutality and complexity, we can also find some musical surprises. One of these surprises is «Through Rivers of Pestilence», your first instrumental track. What could you comment on it?
Well it was originally a tribute song for Bruce lee.If you listen carefully the middle riff is actually a lick from the movie enter the dragon.The song itself is pretty fast and strangely funky. Not a lot to say besides that really we just kept it around as it as pretty funky and different
– John Longstreth, for example, is also playing in ORIGIN, which is a quite active band so, do you see the chance of touring with DIM MAK in support of «The Emergence of Reptilian Altars»?
Probably not. Its more of a music project Dim Mak then anything at this point. Luckily someone still wanted to release my music. We have tossed around the idea of doing some choice gigs with Origin but well see what happens theres not really tour plans for the record. Just releasing it was the goal
– And finally, what are the future plans for the band?
Not really sure but everyone of us wanna make another record at some point. That was our last record on contract with willowtip records so I just hope the fans dig it and knives and keep it happily in there collections. Well have to wait and see what time brings. Were happy with our releases for willowtip and hope the fans dig our contributions to metal
– That’s everything from my side, thanks once more for taking the time. If you now want to add some final words, last lines are all yours.
Hey thanks for the interview and I would just like to thank the Dim Mak fans from over the past 14 years and hope we gave you what you wanted. Stay sick!!!
