Conneticut brutalists The Breathing Process are about to issue their new album through SOAR Records, so Planet Loud caught up with the band to find out more about this awesome black/death metal inspired mob.
Planet Loud – Hey guys, thanks for your time, how’s it going today?
The Breathing Process – Spectacular, we’re just about to leave for a show.
Planet Loud – You’ll be quite a new band to the UK, can you introduce who you are?
The Breathing Process – We’re a metal band from Connecticut if that’s what you mean.
Planet Loud – You’ve signed to Siege Of Amida Records, how did those guys get involved?
The Breathing Process – They contacted us last spring as we were recording our album, they really liked it and we really liked how the label was growing so, after a few months of negotiating, we signed.
Planet Loud – As part of that deal, you’ve got an album coming out in late January, care to plug it?
The Breathing Process – *cough* January22ndinstoreseverwhere *cough*. Cop dat Son!
Planet Loud – The album is awesome, what did you want to achieve with it?
The Breathing Process – Thank you. We basically wanted to write music that we wanted to hear and we wanted to share our vision with anyone who would listen. It was quite a draining experience as we spent almost a year straight living together, writing and recording it but we’re pretty happy with how it came out.
Planet Loud – How would you describe your sound?
The Breathing Process – Brutalicious.
Planet Loud – While the main part of your sound is death metal, there is a definite black metal influence to the sound. What inspires that?
The Breathing Process – We love bands like Dimmu Borgir, Emperor, Cradle of Filth, bands of that nature and we’re all really into classical music like Bach and Chopin so we like to see how we can combine those influences with death metal.
Planet Loud – What about lyrically, what inspires the lyrics on the album?
The Breathing Process – God of War and Magic the Gathering, ha ha, those are more metal than anything on earth. We really just wanted to tell a story that describes the spectrum of human emotion but something that you could relate to in real life as well.
Planet Loud – The death metal scene has had a fairly few successful Myspace bands recently – Job For A Cowboy, The Black Dahlia Murder etc. Do you think they have been good for the death metal scene or have they turned death metal fashionable?
The Breathing Process – We think their success is great for the death metal scene it brings the genre more to the forefront making it easier for more bands to get noticed. They work hard just like every other band and they definitely deserve the success and acclaim they have gotten.
Planet Loud – A friend of mine asked why young fans will go and see a Myspace manufactured death metal band like Job For A Cowboy but would not going and watch a non-Myspace manufactured death metal band like Aborted. Why do you think that is?
The Breathing Process – Because myspace is cool. Ha!
Planet Loud – Criticism of Myspace aside, how important is it for a band at your level?
The Breathing Process – Very, it makes it so much easier for people to discover you, and faster and it lets you have more of a personal relationship with your fans. Without it, becoming successful in this genre would be a lot harder than with ye ole space.
Planet Loud – Looking at your gig list though, you’ve got a mammoth amount of touring coming up in 2008, how important is touring for you?
The Breathing Process – The single most important piece to a band is their live show. At least that’s how we view it. So touring is very important, There is a whole different energy when you see a band live than when you’re just listening to their CD. We are a band to see live. To get the full effect of our music, you have to see it live.
Planet Loud – You’re were due to be coming over to the UK in March with Decapitated..
The Breathing Process – We were until it got cancelled due to the tragedy that struck Decapitated. It was a real bummer but the situation over there is far worse, so we’ll hopefully be over there shortly.
Planet Loud – What are you expecting from the UK?
The Breathing Process – Cherio, cup o’ tea, bad food, worse weather, Mary fuckin’ Poppins , LONDON BABY! We’re all really excited to go there, we’re hoping you guys enjoy us.Planet Loud – You’re also going out touring across the States in early January, are you looking forward to that?
The Breathing Process – Very much. When we finished the album we took a few months off so we’re really excited to get back on the road.
Planet Loud – Being that you come from both Massachussets, which has a huge metal scene and Connecticut which has a huge hardcore scene, which side of the musical field do your loyalties lie? Are you hardcore kids playing metal or metal kids who like hardcore?
The Breathing Process – Our loyalties lie with all of New England, both have quite violent scenes but we’re used to it now. We’re from Connecticut, which has both metal and hardcore, it’s the scene we came up in, so with our metal sound, and hardcore upbringing, we kinda like it all. We’re not hardcore or metal kids…. we’re just dudes with beards and a chick that will kill you.
Planet Loud – Are you friends with many of the bands in both areas?
The Breathing Process – Yes, but we’re not really into name dropping, we kinda know them all. New England is small, so everyone kinda knows everyone.
Planet Loud – What are your local scenes like? Do kids come out to shows for local bands?
The Breathing Process – Since no big tours come through Connecticut really, the scene is made up of mostly local bands. So kids definitely come out to support their friends and locals that they like.
Planet Loud – Okay, thanks for your time, all the best for 2008, is there anything else you would like to say?
The Breathing Process – No, thank you for your time! it’s been a pleasure *cough* January22ndbuythealbum *cough*
Interview by Graham Finney
