MACHINEMADE GOD

// Falber Teles

SOURCE - "The Infinity Complex" marks your debut on the Metal Blade Records. Tell us about the how the album came together?
FLORIAN VELTEN (vocals) - We had enough time writing our songs. We wrote from the beginning on and since we were an unsigned band, we didn´t have any pressure like a deadline for a release date or any critics that we had to impress or reviews that we had to top. So we could check if the songs still satisfy us after some months or even longer, we could check if the songs work out live and all that.

When we went out for the recording of our album, we felt ready and we felt that our songs were mature enough to be recorded. Metal Blade Records came after the recording, so I guess we weren´t that wrong then with what we did.

S - You just released a new album, "The Infinity Complex". How has the reactions been so far?
FV - The release is out in Europe since February the 10th. So we read a lot of reviews and most of them were really good, a lot were even better than we would have ever hoped it.

We had a lot of promotion going on and got a lot feedback, mostly positive. Features in Metal Hammer and Rock Hard Magazine, features on CD-Compilations and what not. Also the feedback from fans at shows and messages we received through e-mail and MySpace were really positive. I guess we can’t complain about that.

Now the promotion starts in the US, since the release come out there on March 21st. I haven’t read any reviews yet from the US press, so I can’t say anything to this up to now. I hope they like it over there as much as in Europe.

S - You've worked with Jacob Bredahl on the first album. Did he has an impact on the evolution of your music ? Why recorded the album in ZigZound Studio ?
FV - When it came to go out and record our album we thought about what studio we’re going and with who we wanted to record.

Most of the bands went to the “Antfarm Studios” and worked with Tue Madsen. Don’t get me wrong, he’s really doing a good job. The good thing about him is, that he gives every band a good sound, despite if they are well-known or not. The bad thing about it is, that all the bands sound kinda the same. They all had the typical Madsen sound. We thought it’s a bit worn-out, so we looked for something new, something fresher. Jacob just started his studio and ZERO MENTALITY and END OF DAYS just worked with him. We are pretty good friends with them and they told us that he’s really good to work with. We also liked his productions and the fact that he gives each band an individual sound, a sound the bands wants and needs.

We sent him our demo and he was totally into our stuff. He has a lot of experience as singer in HATESPHERE and guitarist in BARCODE, so he knows how things work and how they sound right. He didn’t change anything on our songs, but he had some nice detailed ideas, but it was always up to us if we use his suggestions or not. Before we started to record, he said” I am not going to do any tricks. I record what you are able to play. If you can’t perform it, forget about it!” I really liked that, cause that really pushed as a lot. We are happy with the result and especially with the sound. Jacob and Ziggy really did a great job on that one.

S - Could you explain what the song, “Friendster is Sooo 2 Months Ago” is about?
FV - The song is about those kids, who just blindly follow their idols or their leaders. Kids who don’t say what they really think, and care more about what others might think of them. People should start thinking for their own and stand behind their selves and behind what they think and say. Start being yourself and stop following each fucking trend.

S - It’s no secret that MACHINEMADE GOD is placed under the metalcore stamp in the scene and by the media. What do you think of this and what are your own thoughts on the so-called ‘next best thing’ of metal?
FV - Honestly, we really don’t care what the media or people in general are labeling us, as long as they give us try it’s cool, and if they like what they hear it’s even cooler.

Personally I don’t like the term Metalcore at all. Hardcore bands using metal riffs is nothing new, bands like MORNING AGAIN or DAY OF SUFFERING did it years before the term was created. But at this time, the music didn’t get that much attention like today, and then the term popped up. To me it’s not really defining a sound. If you take UNEARTH, BLEEDING THROUGH, THE BLACK DHALIA MURDER, KILL SWITCH ENGAGE and AS I LAY DYING, you have five Metalcore bands, but they all sound really different.

S - The scene in Germany have grown a lot during the past years. What are your opinions about it?
FV - That’s true. Shows are getting bigger, more and more kids join the scene. What we realized is, that the people that are still around in the and have been in the scene since years are mostly just the ones who are playing in bands or promote shows or work for fanzines or are active in any other way in the scene. The ones who just “consume” by coming out to shows are totally new kids, but more then ever. So there’s basically a new scene, it’s big and strong, but also the old values of the hardcore scene are gone somehow.

S - What are your opinions of the German scene? Are you pleased with it? Any cool unsigned band that you would like to recommend to everyone?
FV - The fact that so many bands are getting big now makes a lot of people start bands. There are a lot of good, unsigned bands out there. TRIBUN from Germany are pretty good. Also HATEDRIVE or MISERY SPEAKS.

S - Please elaborate on your musical backgrounds in order to shed some light on your current activities.
FV - We’re a pretty young band, since we started about three years ago. But we all have been active in the scene for a long time. Everyone of us played in bands before and went to shows.

Holger (G) was in COPYKILL and DRIFT, Sven (B) was playing in an emo-rock band, Sky (G) played in SUIDAKRA, a metalband on Century Media Records. I had some Punk-Rock bands and did stand-in vocals for CALIBAN on  tour. I also worked for a lot of bands as MERCHGUY or ROADIE. When the other bands called their quit, we started MACHINEMADE GOD.

We all knew us from shows and because we were from the same area. Our roots are in the hardcore scene but we all liked metal as well. We all wanted to do a serious band and we had the same goals. I guess the fact that we exactly knew what sound we wanted to make, what goals we wanted to reach as a band and the experiences we had from our former bands and the tours we did, helped us to work professional from the beginning on and get a mature songwriting pretty quick, even though we are such a young band.

S - Do you guys do anything else besides playing music in MACHINEMADE GOD ? Can you live from the proceeds of the band, or do you all have to have a job besides the band? And, if so, is the band easy to combine with work or other responsibilities?
FV - A lot of people think that a record on Metal Blade Records means that you get a gazillion dollars and that you never ever have to work again. Right now we can’t live off the band and we all have to take care about how we pay our apartments and our bills.

We try to combine it the best way we can and spent all our free time with playing shows and touring as much as possible. We hope to make a band a living someday, but it’s a long way to go.

S - The bands put a new song in the mp3 format on the official website. In general, what is your opinion about mp3s, file sharing programs and stuff like that?
FV - It´s a double edged sword. The good thing is that a lot of people get access to your music. It´s good promotion and really helps to get your name out there. Sad is that a lot of kids don’t buy the albums, even though they dig it. It´s smaller bands and labels and also new bands on bigger bands who suffer from that.

Personally I think it’s OK to download. It helps to not spend money on CD´s that you don’t like in the end. But if you dig an album or a band, then support them by buying the original CD.

S - In Brazil there's much fans listening your kind of music. What do you know about the Brazil ?
FV - I just know the stories our friends in CALIBAN and HEAVEN SHALL BURN told us. They said that shows over there are really overwhelming and outstanding and that they really enjoyed it to play there. The shows were just intense. We hope that we can come out to Brazil someday, cause we really wanna experience that.

S - It has become time to thank you for doing this interview with us. I wish you good luck with your new record. Is there any last words/thoughts you would like to share with our readers before we wrap this interview up ?
FV - Thanks for the interview and always support the local scene. Never lose the fun in what you’re doing and we hope that we can come out to Brazil someday!

Metal Blade Records
MACHINEMADE GOD

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