If you are looking for a dude who has been around and I mean AROUND, then ROEL is the dude of all dudes... He has stayed loyal to rock and metal from the beginning and has been there beside Analog's and Postage's deathbed to the dawn of the Digital Snowflake era, Here it is you weaklings!!! the Roel Mores interview!!! Genuflect you Fools!!
Hello Roel, first of all I listened to that band Mincing Fury you posted, didn't know them. But I had a quick listen to Lamentations and then their newer album. all I can say is the newest sucked balls compared to the old one haha
Definitely. The new album had their moments but I hate the clean vocals. I pointed that to the band and they had a good laugh at it. Mincing Fury is a band that's not afraid to experiment so they simply do whatever they want haha
Is that something you look for a band? the courage to experiment? Realistically, it won't work for everyone, well depending on what their goals are.
Not really. I'm not a big fan of technical music but there are moments where a bit of experimentation works best for some bands. Adding a bit of different influences like jazz or reggae works for some but like you said it's not for everyone
I still prefer straightforward music especially in death metal but in grindcore it's fun to hear some experimentation
So do you consciously prefer to feature bands in your zine that rather stick to the bare characteristics of the music particularly with metal?
I feature bands that I like no matter what kind of music they play. I have a rather limited musical taste but it's somewhat diverse
With metal I prefer old school and brutal death metal
Your blog spot page seem to have stopped 2014,
That page was there to support the zine. Print zine takes a while to be out there. Some bands in the other hand wanted to have their interviews available the soonest and that's what that page was for.
Unfortunately I got busy and the zine was put in hold indefinitely
Any plans for a new issue or do you still have unpublished articles lying around?
All interviews were published online. I stopped doing reviews after seeing tons of online reviewers particularly on youtube. But I still discuss things with the bands I'm in touch with whenever they have a new release.
No concrete plans for another print issue though
Give me your top 3 or 5 albums that you'd consider as representative of you and your taste and passion for metal or music and general
Motorhead- No Sleep Til Hammersmith, Deep Purple- Made in Japan, Pink Floyd- Dark Side Of The Moon, Metallica- Kill Em All, Slayer- Reign In Blood, Autopsy- Mental Funeral
How about the local scene?
Juan dela Cruz Band- Kahit Anong Mangyari, Pus Vomit, Degrade the Worthless, Phils: Where do We Go from Here, Pathogen- Blasphemous Communion, Joey Ayala- Panganay ng Umaga
But my favorite Joey Ayala song is in Magkabilaan album, Tatang.
I am very familiar with that song! my brother had 2 Joey Ayala albums. Did your family have a personal experience that connects with Tatang's lyrics? Or is it because the song's social commentary rings true until today?
No personal experience amongst the family but the lyrics gives me a chill every time i listen and sing along to it. Tatang kind of personifies the unsung heroes of every generation. Right now our health workers are our modern day Tatangs
I agree with that. When you decided to create your zine, apart from the obvious fact that you wanted to feature bands you were interested in, was there at some point that you wanted to have a bigger or deeper purpose for it?
Remember Oi Banger zine back in the days. It was the very first fanzine that I read. I was a school journal editor back in high school and after reading Oi Banger I thought it would be really cool to do interviews and publish them. I've read tons of magazines like Metal Creem and Hit Parader back in the mid 80's but the idea if doing something similar never hit my mind.
I grabbed every fanzine I could find in Recto back in the days but the one that really pushed me into doing it were Inverted Grind Zine and Warewolf Zine.
Those 2 zines cater to metal and that's what I'm very much into. Unfirtunately I don't have a typewriter so the original idea was set aside but as early as 1990 I aprwady have a name for my Ine and even had a logo made inspired by Sarcofago logo haha
The moment I had my own computer realising my own fanzine was the first thing that I did.
I remember there was a benefit show for Dennis but never really got hold of an Oi Banger issue.
So you belong to an awesome generation who got to see tape and zine trading via postage and the dawn of the internet age. Can you describe how the distro and trading circuit worked back then, especially with international contacts, This is very important for the kids who never got a chance to see that.
IRC and blank tape is the main key if you can't afford to send the band 5 dollars. It was fun. You have to wait for at least a month before receiving a reply. Another way to save money was to put paste on top of the stamps so the post office seal won't penetrate it. You simply have to ask your correspondent to return your stamp.
Before I start corresponding internationally I began with local pen pals. I don't know how many amongst us had the pleasure if listening to the Philippines first ever metal radio station, 99 Rock. That's at 990 AM. It was short lived but that's where I got in touch with local "headbangers". We firmed our own organization called UHMP666 but it became controversial so Glen, our founding member from Gapo changed it HUKMA (Headbangers United in Keeping Metal Alive). That was in the mid 80s.
I don't remember exactly how may members we had but we had members from Olongapo to Zamboanga.
Its basically chatting and tape / magazine trading group.
By the way I discovered 99 Rock while looking for another good radio station after DZRJ AM went off air.
Wow!! I can only imagine the stigma and discrimination for metal heads back then, Yeah DZRJ AM was well documented but I didn't know about 99 Rock. The underground scene was dominated by punks then I suppose and have read only a handful of thrash and metal acts who came to be in the latter part of the 80s. Are there any crazy stories you can share about those times?
We formed the group at the height of "satanism" scare. Normally we emblazoned our mailing envelop with band names/logos cut out from magazines or write cool phrases at the back or put pentagram because it looks cool. Maybe some post office officials noticed it and soon enough letters are no longer delivered and I remember seeing in the evening news that satanist uses the mail to spread information about their evil deeds. "It's us", I thought to myself. To avoid trouble we stopped writing anything suspicious in our envelope.
Yes it was mainly punk back then but slowly the Marikina scene slowly moved into crossover. I remember some Recto punks hated Valley of Death for crossing over but then Recto began selling metal stuff over at Nizzle Dazzle and the thrash and death metal soon became one with the punks.
Do you think, despite the convenience of today's digital age, is the trading scene in the 80s and early 90s better? prefarrable? more honest and true?
Back then the only place to buy metal tapes and album was in Apex Quiapo.
In terms of honesty; yes. Bands and supporters ( I hate the term "fans") back then are more open minded. Opinions are heard but only a handful take it negatively. I remember this band from Greece. They are really awful, out of tune and all but they keep on recording and sending me their demo for an honest opinion. They suck and after 3 demo they finally disbanded but despite all the negative criticisms we never had any animosity.
Try that to bands nowadays haha
So that's why you decided to be more into biking now, What's your playlist when you're on the trail?
No I still follow the scene but not as focused as I was before. Let's be honest as long as bands focus more on gaining likes on social media rather that writing an recording songs local scene will never be as good as it was in the heyday of Pus Vomit, DFTW etc. Those bands earned their recognition thru hard work. They enter the studio with meager budget. They show their talent on record and never complain about having no money for recording. In the local scene one band that the rest of the bands should follow is Pathogen. Despite all the recognition they remain the same. Willy and the rest of the band still follow the old ethics of recording an sending them off to record labels.
Biking is fun and it keeps me fit and healthy. I'll be 50 years old this year but I don't feel my age. Nothing hurts except when I crashes on my bike haha.
I don't listen to music when i'm biking either on trails or on a.long ride. It's hard to focus when you going downhill on a rock garden and listening to Motorhead at the same time haha
Now, I think a lot of bands today just don't know what to do next after recording their material because again they never had the chance to really experience communicating with labels.
What labels do you recommend they can send their recorded materials to?
Nowadays marketing is quite easy. There are tons of small labels out there that are willing to release new bands but of course you have to have some talent in writing good music in order to get label interest.
I know you already mentioned your top bands earlier, but as far as something new... what other bands , specifically grindcore and death metal bands do you really like and recommend?
Haemorrhage, The Kill and Jig Ai remain my all time favorite grindcore/goregrind bands. PLF, Meth Leppard, Fetid, Flesh Rot, Convulsions, Chiens, Haggus, Goumet are some of the bands that I really like. I wish Looking For An Answer will reform and make another record. Whoresnation is awesome too.
And the labels?
Can't think of any particular label right now but Grindfather is probably one if the best in grindcore scene.
I remember my first exposure to metal was in the early 90s. Coming into high school older kids' notebooks or binders had posters of metal bands. Mall record stores had huge metal catalogues and a lot of college kids were playing death and thrash metal too. But being a step ahead of "that" how did you take that almost "trendy" phase back then? did it mean anything to you at all?
I was out if the country from 92 til 2002 so I did not witness that "phase" personally. Every time I go on vacation I make sure to stop by Recto to check if there are any gig posters but every time there's nothing. There are lots of tapes and CD's available but majority of them are well known bands from well known underground labels. I guess that saturated phase was good, converting grunge and new wavers to metal. Some of them ended up digging deeper into the underground scene. With all the stories I've heard and been told I have no regrets not witnessing that phase. ( note, I highlighted this last statement so you kids remember ok? - PNNP )
Any memorable zine interviews? Your favorite ones?
That would be the interview with End of Man and Boi of ADA. Those are live interviews. We did the EOM interview at a pizza parlor so you could just imagine the noise all around. Transcribing it was really a pain in the ears haha
Boi's interview I did after a show in Dasma. We locked ourselves inside his car to lessen the distraction.
Internationally it's definitely with Psychotogen. It was a lengthy interview, 3 pages I think. Also with Inhumate and Punished Earth. Those bands are really close to my heart. It's sad to think that Inhumate is getting near it's imminent demise. They have already recorded their final album and once released it will be the end if the band.
This is more of a personal question because I have experienced this, but have you reached a point where your ears refuse to absorb or appreciate new music anymore?
Never reached that point yet but there are certain bands' album that I couldn't appreciate. Napalm Death's Utilitarian album was good but it's simply not for me. Cock and Ball Torture's Egoleech album was another one. They considered it as their best effort but in my opinion they lost some sleaze on that album. Something that I love so much from their past albums and EP's. That are certain bands too, no matter how good they are that I could not get into. Pantera and Six Feet Under are two of them haha.
What's the status of Tripalium and for anyone interested please tell us how we can grab copies.
It's not dead yet. I actually am thinking of doing interviews again since there are lots of amazing new bands releasing stuff lately. Local grind and sludge scene is growing too. If ever, I might just post them online like before and might contribute to some zines as well. I hope Guttural Sickness would let me contribute interviews hehe. Tantaritas is the MAN!
What's the CONDEMNED RECORDS story? It was simply to introduce Effluvium (Laguna) to my contacts. I love the demo plus Willie's passion to underground was really inspirational. I sent some copies abroad and most of them had positive reviews. Too bad They had to shelve this band. No regrets though because Pathogen is doing great and I hope they continue on growing without compromising the music. The same goes with Pus Vomit/ DFTW split. It was a project with Alex's Berdugo Records. We love both bands and we wanted the scene to know that we have these great talents. And guess waht they eventually became two of the best Pinoy brutal death metal bands in the international scene.
OK, well that has been a hell of a conversation, thank you for giving me an opportunity. Any parting words?
Thanks Archie. You broke my monotonous lockdown life haha. Playing loud is not illegal during this lockdown so blast your neighbor with a healthy dose of grindcore and death metal. Stay safe.
THANKS!!!
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