interview with Ilemauzar
How was the band formed? The band was formed back in 1996 when Bloodcurse met up with Thoth. We were playing in an old band called Abaddon. But the band split and Thoth got Bloodcurse to play with him in Ilemauzar.
Where are all band members from?/Who does what in the band? Both guitarist, Dissector and Lord Pain are from Singapore. Our bassist, Khesanaz is from Malaysia and our drummer, Maelstrom, is from Perth, Australia. Bloodcurse is the lead vocalist from Singapore.
What was the ambitions of the band when you started? To be famous by playing music? Hahahaha…
Could you explain your music to someone that haven't heard you? We would probably just tell them it is metal written in our very own style. Loud to some people and soothing to others. Lyrically, Ilemauzar writes about our own ideology. Some people might take it as a fairy tale but it’s up to that individual if they want to believe it or not. We have haters and we have people who agrees. End of the day, we write and play what we feel.
Where was your first gig? Our 1st gig was in Singapore in 1999. Supreme Fest 99.
Where was the latest gig? Our latest gig was in Singapore as well. Vent Box 2014 Underground Music Festival
Who writes your songs?/Who writes the music who writes lyrics?
The upcoming songs from the full length are basically written by Bloodcurse and some members that already left. Lyrics are written by Bloodcurse with some help from Ms Winnie.
Who has the best sense of humor in the band? All of us are clowns. Clowns look scary though… but we always cheer people up. Hahahaha…
What's good/bad with the band?/What genre do you feel you are? Everything is good for the band. Except for the constant lineup changes which is finally… pretty stable now. Genre wise, we would just stick to Metal.
What are your songs about? Indoctrination which should never have existed.
Have you made any albums?/If yes what are they? Our debut album will be out in 2015. Right now, we have a free digital promo titled, The Ascension. Available for free download via http://ilemauzar.bandcamp.com. The old Pit of Despair demo tapes were already all sold out in the late 90s.
Do you have any clips on YouTube? Yes. We do have some live clips on YouTube.
How old are you?/What got you started in music? I am 35. Got into music when I started listening to Iron Maiden in 1993.
At what age did you start playing? I started playing rock and some metal stuff when I was only 14.
Best/worst gig you've played? I wouldn’t say there is any bad gig as long as you put your heart and soul to playing.
What places will you be playing in in the imidate future? Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Hopefully in Australia again.
Where have you played from then till now? We’ve played Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia.
Which band is the best you´ve seen? I would say in terms of stage presence, Behemoth.
What has been the best/most promising gig so far? Coronation Black Metal Festival in Perth, Australia.
Have you had any bigger tours from start to now? Not really since we got into a hiatus from 13 years.
How big crowds do you usually play for? We played to normal crowd of 50-100. But our biggest crowd was 3000 in Rock in Solo New World Propaganda.
What are the plans for the rest of the year? Year is almost over. But for 2015, we’ll be targeting to release our debut full length under Sepsis Records from Indonesia. Getting more shows and probably a short tour.
How do you get psyched up for a gig? Drink a bit of alcohol but not till you are drunk.
When did you decide to go all in for the music? Not at the moment because it’s still too early to tell where the band will head in the future.
Is it easier to get your inspiration from older bands or from bands more modern? None. I would say inspiration comes from deep within your subconscious. It’s comes anytime and anywhere. Even while you’re sleeping, it might just come in your dream.
What are your sources of inspiration? Subconscious mind
What's the first step when making a new song? Pick the guitar up and start writing riffs. Track it and listen to see what can be edited. Then get the vocal patterns up and write the lyrics.
How do you feel about the downloading of music instead of buying albums? If it’s legal. But digital downloading is still inevitable. It’s a way of evolution.
What would be your dreams for the band? Touring around the world sharing stage with other great bands.
What do you hold most dear? The band.
What would be your greatest fears for the future? Justin Bieber forming a metal band featured on the front page of Metal Hammer as the best metal act of the year!
When you are on stage, what do you fear most then? Nobody is watching you! It will be really disappointing when that happens.
Have you been in any other bands?
The band members all have their own bands.
Lord Pain – Harvester, Cardiac Necropsy
Maelstrom – DeathFuckingCunt, Wardaemonic, Xeper and etc
Dissector – Deus Ex Machina
Khesanaz – Dispiteous
Bloodcurse only plays for Ilemauzar
What do you work with outside of the band and the music?
Bloodcurse is a Marketing Manager for some gaming distributor
Lord Pain runs his own I.T solution company
Khesanaz is a sales executive selling notebooks and PCs.
Dissector is an I.T Engineer
What would you do if there was no music? Rot in hell.
How important are your fans? Extremely important to us. They are the ones that will keep the flame burning for a band.
How often do you rehearse? 2 to 3 times a year.
Where do you rehearse? A jamming studio in the heart of the city of Singapore.
Name 2 of your own songs you like at the moment? Relinquishing the Faith (Currently un-release)
Ode to Apostasy (Release on The Ascension Promo)
Do you have any webpages?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ilemauzar
Bandcamp: http://ilemauzar.bandcamp.com
Reverbnation: http://www.revernation.com/ilemauzarhorde
Any pearls of wisdom for all other bands out there? Never give up no matter what happens. Keep playing and the results will surface.
How do you view the musicindurty of today? Rotten as it is.
What are the biggest obstacles for a band? Lineup changes over the years.
Tell us about upcomming gigs and why we should be at them? Our upcoming gig will be in Singapore supporting the mighty Impiety! No metal heads should missed a true metal gig!!!
How would you describe your sound in one sentenceAward winning Metal music for the masses! Hahahaha…