Interview with Where The Corpses Fall!

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Genre(s): Experimental/Metalcore

Location: N/A

PSAB: Why did you choose the name "Where The Corpses Fall" for your band? 

Dan: Well, this is a funny tale: We originally had a different name than Where The Corpses Fall. Our name was Enthrone The Abhorrent. To most people, it was the hardest pronunciation of words. People would try asking how to pronounce it and the way they would try to say it would be a really trip every single time. They would not only try to pronounce it right but also remember it. After a while, we decided to ditch the name for something more simplistic but still packing as much brutality as ETA.

The name Where The Corpses Fall came about one day at practice when we were goofing off and talking about old video games and such, our ex-drummer, Alex Fedeli , had mentioned he had thought of a new name. He talked about how in the game Super Smash Bros Melee whenever you'd knock a player off the platform during a battle and send them spiraling over the horizon. He called that Where The Corpses Fall and it sounded like a solid band name. So we stuck with it. 

PSAB: You stated you may have to push back the release of your album. How far back do you plan to push it back, if you have to?

Bill: Hopefully we won’t need to push the album back, but the three of us have fairly busy personal lives at the moment. Because of this, our window of opportunity for recording is somewhat limited. We were aiming to release the album around December 8th (the one-year anniversary since our formation) and we’re quite close to that goal, but if we do have to push back the release, it won’t be for much longer than a couple of weeks. 

PSAB: If you had the choice to have a musician featured on one of your tracks. Which musician would that be and why? 

Dan: For me, It would probably either be Danny Leal of Upon A Burning Body because I really enjoy his yelling style and enjoy alot of his old stuff on The World Is Ours, Kevin Oakley of Molotov Solution for the sheer fact that he is a beast an,d Molotov is not doing much now-a-days, Brendan Van Ryn who is the ex-vocalist for Thy Art Is Murder (Ei. Infinite Death EP, demos and such) because he is so unknown in the world of new-age Thy Art fans and they only know him for Whore To A Chainsaw, Phil Bozeman of whitechapel because i can imagine his gutturals on a WTCF song, or the great Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed, Jasta and Kingdom of Sorrow. Jamey is a true CT homie and still listens to all the new bands in CT, so there is a chance he has heard us!!

Bill: If we had the option to choose from deceased musicians I would have to narrow it down to either Jimi Hendrix or Peter Steele (Type O Negative). To me they were both so inspirational in their own unique ways, and they inspired me to help craft my own sound through the way they expressed their musicality in their own ways. But if we’re talking strictly living musicians, I might have to go with Rob [Barrett] or Pat [O’Brien] from Cannibal Corpse. Not only do I love their guitar work but I feel their approach to extreme metal would complement our songs should they ever be featured.

Jesse: I'd have to say Jeff Waters the guitarist and master mind behind the band Annihilator. I'd love to see him rip a solo on one of our songs or even just lay down some rhythm guitar tracks along with our guitarist Bill. Seeing Bill and Jeff Waters trade licks on a song of ours or even how their styles would compliment each other would be a real treat for me to see and to hear. To me Jeff Water's is one of the best metal guitarists ever and he really knows how to craft a solo, whether it's a fast song or a slower song he knows how to pick the right notes and make it sound perfect.

PSAB: What is the metal scene like in your area? 

Dan: its alive with bands but either they're really, REALLY unknown and nobody will give it a chance, generic metalcore stuff, cover bands, and then there are the actually really good bands. In Connecticut, we have bands like Hatebreed, Emmure (who originally started and formed in CT) and Set Sail At Sunrise (Technically still a local band but they are among the biggest in CT) that have made it out of CT and then there are bands that should be signed and should be touring like Physics of Demise, The Shape, The Same, Anarachy Inc, Mind Over Master; I mean i could go on forever. The scene here has become dry with turn outs for shows and let-alone, not too many venues to play here that will allow local bands. There are maybe 6 I could name; the problem is, is that most of these venues don't have all ages shows. So you could play a few of the big local venues and have a fanbase of mainly teenagers who want to go to the shows, but can't because the show is typically a 21+ crowd.

I mean there are some good venues in CT but there's a short supply of them. You would have to play some of these venues countless times, again and again, and at that point, you get tired of playing those venues. Sure, you can gain a strong gathering because people know you'll be there at that venue again but after a while, you get used to the fact that there won't be many people at these shows and all you'll gain is experience playing on a stage.

What is worst about this scene is that most people will be loyal on the internet and support your music, but the turn outs for when you finally play a show are weak. We've only played a couple of shows in our career because we are nearing our first year together but we all have gone to and have played the venues here and have knowledge about what this scene is like. In short, it's become dry over the years. lots of acts coming out (either good or bad) but not alot of people willing to keep the flame alive or actually show support for these bands. None, the less i'm okay with the scene here but I really wish it were better.

Bill: I won’t lie, I have a pretty bleak outlook on the southern Connecticut metal scene. There’s a whole plethora of issues to be addressed but they can all be summarized with one word: Elitism. It seems very hard to get people to come out to shows and display their enthusiasm while there, unless it’s for a signed, well-known band. Furthermore, the scene seems to be generally very unaccepting of any new ideas or approaches to music. Because almost no major acts have been signed out of Connecticut, it seems as if there’s some sort of herd mentality to play the sort of stuff that gets the most attention so it will be easier for record execs to scout you because you “have the sound” you think they’re looking for. 

That being said, unless you’re recycling the same death metal or metalcore/hardcore that’s been prevalent since the ‘90s, you’re going to have a very tough time getting your name out there and finding people that are interested in what you create. It’s a very cold, unfeeling place for musicians that want to express any true individuality and to be honest, it’s infuriated me for quite some time. The only people that have any means to giving other bands attention are a small, colonized group of in-crowd types that only seem to care about “taking care of their own”, while they wave off newcomers. To me it really feels like the state is a self-contained biodome of sorts, but considering how well the responses to our music have been, I think there’s hope to open people’s eyes and ears to new music. You just have to be assertive about it and believe in yourself, because sincerity goes a long way in any artistic medium.

Jesse: I'd have to agree with Bill 100%.

PSAB: What are three bands that play the most influence on your music? 

Dan: The Black Dahlia Murder, As Blood Runs Black, and Suicide Silence can be easily noted as influences in the way and structure of our music though I feel we don't tend to heed towards them too much so people don't say "You guys sound like you're ripping off Dahlia or what-have-you"

Bill: Oh boy, I’m not sure I could narrow it down to only three! I listen to all types of music from progressive rock to avant-garde to black metal, so I’m always open to finding inspiration from a new source. I really like stuff that has an atmosphere of grandeur, bands like Rush, Opeth, Children of Bodom and Dream Theater. I’ve also been heavily influenced by the blues and bluesy guitarists since basically day one; I grew up with bands like Kiss, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, so a lot of that shows up in my writing. And one musician that never gets enough credit that I look up to is Frank Zappa, his music really helped open my eyes to thinking outside the box. I could go on forever about all the different types of bands and specific bands that influence me, but these guys are all artists that’ve stuck with me for ages so I felt obliged to include them.

Jesse: This is tough!But if I absolutely had to boil it down to three it would be, Annihilator, Rush and As Blood Runs Black with a honerable mention to Cannibal Corpse. As Blood Runs Black really helped shape my writing style early on. When I first started writing heavier music it was As Blood Runs Black and Cannibal Corpse that helped me get started. What really drew me in to As Blood Runs Black was their use of melodies in such a heavy style. Songs like The Brighter Side of Suffering and Hester Prynne really impacted me. 

My love of Rush helped further shape my style with adding a lot of progressive tendencies and odd time signatures to songs I write. And finally Annihilator is probably the biggest influence of all for me. I love their progressive take on thrash metal and I try to do what they did for thrash metal and take it a step further by making it more death metal. Faster, a little more technical and odd song structures. And of course I can't leave out Cannibal Corpse because they were one of the bands that got me into death metal. To say they haven't impacted me or my writing would be a lie. Once our album comes out listen to the song Enthrallment. You'll hear the early Cannibal Corpse influence all over that track. 

PSAB: Have any shout outs to give? 

Dan: Absolutely! More than happy to! First off, a shout out to my boys in the band, Bill and Jesse. Shout out to all my friends and family that have supported me through my music and have always had my back through everything, Feschino, Alasdair, Austin, Chris Fox, Rich, John, Mike, the guys in Anarchy Inc., my long-term girlfriend, Kristianna Schlosser (love ya babe) for not only being there for me but also taking pictures of my band and such, shout out to my dude Micah in Pig Squeals and Breakdowns for being really cool an giving us an interview plus sharing our music on his page. Thanks to everyone who has been listening to us and waiting on us, we will not let you down with our musical conquest!!

Bill:  I'd love to send some love to the guys in Physics of Demise and Anarchy, Inc.! I’m buddies with all the guys in both those bands and I think they’re genuinely talented and deserve attention, so be sure to give them a crank. Also to Jesse’s other band Kings of Nothing, that goes without saying. And last but definitely not least, my guitar teacher of seven years, Ronnie Neuhauser. That man taught me practically all I've ever learned on guitar and he’s really a brilliant musician, so I highly recommend checking his projects out if you want to hear some genius work at play.

Jesse: I would like to give a shout out to my fiance Kaitlin for always being there for me and supporting everything I do. I love you and couldn't have gotten to where I am today without your support! Also my friends, my family, fellow musicians in Insano Vision (check them out if you like stoner metal. They have an album coming out very soon), Samsara, Disable Time, The Shape and Transpire.