COMMUNIC (Eng.)
– Hi Oddleif , thanks for your time. First off, I hope you don’t mind starting with some history of the band…
Hey, no probs, I have had several bands up during the years before it all turned into Communic. At one point, back in the days I was a vocalist in another local band called Scariot, I was a bit tired of playing guitar so I was only a vocalist here. After we released an album (Strange to Numbers) and started to work on new songs, I got more into playing guitar again, and I tried to get a few songs that I had written approved to be used in Scariot, but there was no room for these songs in the band. So I asked Tor Atle, that also was in that band at that time if he wanted to jam out a few songs – just for fun – and it resulted in a sideproject that I called Communic, we recorded a 3-track demo that eventually got us signed to Nuclear Blast – so then it was GOODBYE SCARIOT, and Tor Atle and I quit that band to focus on Communic as the one and only band, and here we are, 8 years later.
– Why «Communic»?
Why that name you mean?, well in Scariot there was a lack of communication in the band, and I was quite pissed of at that time of the structure, or lack of structure. Then finding a name for “my new band”, I was thining about what music is for me, and that is COMMUNICATION, get your thoughts out there, and try to tell a story. Thats how it ended up as COMMUNIC, as in communication!
– And what are the band’s main musical influences? As we can find elements from different Metal styles in your music.
Mainly the early thrash metal from the 90’s, Megadeth, Testament, Overkill, then mixed with queensryche, fates warning, Anacrusis, Psychotic waltz, Candlemass, Dio, Rush, Sabbath, Deep Purple… a nice mix that all blends into Communic I guess.†
– You have just released «The Bottom Deep»; how’s going its
feedback so far?
Great so far, looks like the is a lot of interest around this release. I think that we have defined our sound with this new album. It is still Communic the way people know it, but this is a more “organic” album.
– And how could you describe the album in just a few words?
Human, dark and emotionally deep.
– How was the songwriting process for the album? Also your inspirations when writing, as lyrics are always quite realistic.
It is based on personal happenings and feelings that was in my mind and focus during this whole writing process. This is a concept album, based on ONE specific incident in my life, that also forced me to take a step back from everything. That is also the main reason for the big waiting gap between the last albums. It is all dealing with a personal close encounter by death that suddenly came all to close, when someone really close to me passed away way to soon. This incident left so many unanswered questions about life and death behind and twisted my mind, and all these thoughts and feelings came back to me in form of the words and songs on this album. It is not easy to talk or describe to detailed, but expressing myself through music is easier for me, and it is all written between the lines, so the deeper meaning of the album can be explored by those who feel like it. It is a much darker theme than I have
ever done before, and everything is as personal as I could allow myself to be. It is actually more personal that I actually wanted to be, but I had to let this happen. Writing this album has been like going to a «shrink», it has been more like therapy session for me, something that I just had to do, no matter what people would think of it in the end. I hope I don’t have to do another album like this ever again, even dough I love these songs, and the outcome of the album is for me close to perfect – it will be a statement in my life forever, and I am proud of my courage to actually go through with this. Those who cares to read the lyrics and put themselves into the situation will get an even deeper album, even dough the songs will work great on their own as well for those who just like to listen so some interesting metal tunes..†
– Please, tell us a bit about the artwork.
The artwork fits this album as a glove. The title referring to be as far down mentally and physically, and all the thought that surrounds you in that situation. I always try to let the artwork guide the listener in on the
atmosphere, and the overall feel of the album. Eliran did a fantastic job, and out from the lyrics and from my basic information that I gave him about the concept, this was what he came up with. On the artwork you see and elderly man, reflecting back on his life, while behind him, you see a vulture, the closest thing here on Earth to the Grim Reaper, wrapping its wings around him, caressing him in his last moments, but you know that he is only waiting for you to die so he can scrape up the remains of your dead body. A cool detail in the artwork, you will find if you take a closer look at the shadow that the man and the vulture is casting on the floor…†
– One of the songs I think I could stand out off the album is ballad «The Bottom Deep», as I think it has the emotion the bands has always has and shows perfectly your creativity. What are your thoughts on it?
It’s the closure of the album, a short song that only lasts for 2:30 minutes, and is some way this song wraps this whole album theme into what it’s all about. A really important track, and a perfect way to close the album… “this is the end my friend…”
– I could say guitars have always been an important element for COMMUNIC, both with its melodies and effects, and this time you
make no exception. How do you approach your guitar work?
I always try to put the song in the front, what does the song need to be complete. Sometimes I have a melody for the vocals first, then create the guitars and arrangement around it, other times I have the riff first and starts to build the song from that. Some time I only have a title and everything evolves from that. I don’t have a magic solution to it, whatever way it comes to me, I try to crack the code and get the feelings into the song.
– All your 4 albums so far have been released through a big label as Nuclear Blast; how positive is this for you as a band?
We have a good relationship, we are a small band on the lable but we feel that we are treated with respect, and that they like what we do and want to release it. We still have an album or two lefte of our contract with them.
– As I said before, you blend styles from Power to Progressive, some Thrash Metal and so on. Do you actually have any favourite Metal style?
Guess my favourite cup of tea is thrash and progressive power metal.
– You haven’t changed your line-up since you were formed; does this make things easier for you and a better result in your sound?
Less is more, I don’t know, but this has worked out pretty well for us. We have a really powerful sound, even live, and all the intruments has a destinct plasement in our sound. As long as we don’t feel like something is missing, we will proceed this way. Somethimes I feel like it would be great to have a 2nd guitarplayer to hide behind, giving me more room to do more stage movememt, but as long as we manages to pull it of, it is quite cool.
– In fact, response for all your albums have always been overwhelming; does this motivate you to keep on evolving or putes some pressure on you?
Sure, I always feel the pressure in some way. All our albums have been really well received, so it seems that people expect a lot from us, and expect that we deliver every time, but as long as we feel that we please our selves – we have the confident that we are doing the right thing.
– Finally, what are the band’s near-future plans?
We are looking for a cool new tour, then play some festivals and then see where we are able to go and play. Would be cool to visit Spain again. I also have some ideas for the next album spinning in my head, so we will probably look into that as well when tings calm down during the winter.
– That’s all, thanks again for your time. If you want to add some final words, freel freee to do it.
Thanks for the interview, for those who want to follow us, we have a new official facebook site up, where we put out all the latest news, chat and hang around – come join us.
http://www.facebook.com/OfficialCommunic
