Interview to DENOUNCED DISGRACED (USA)

1. Hello my friend, pleasure to have you on Rotten Pages ´zine. How are you doing today? Let us set the scene first. Where do we find you right now? Please describe your surroundings.

We're located in Charleston, South Carolina in the US.

2. The line-up is consisting of members of the American Deathcore scene. Can you name some of the bands who you first really admired and helped shape your future in music? Were there certain artists that influenced you in your musical upbringing?

We have various influences. The most common ones include The Black Dahlia Murder, Despised Icon, As Blood Runs Black, Job for a Cowboy, and Between the Buried and Me.

Dan the vocalist influences include The Dillinger Escape Plan, Poison the Well, and Emmure.

Wolfe the guitarist influences include Death, Opeth, and Muse.

Duncan the bassist influences include Nile, Soilwork, and Suicide Silence.

Mark the drummer influences include The Black Dahlia Murder, Sikth, and The Faceless.

3. Your music is described as technical death metal mixed with deathcore. How do you balance these different influences to create a cohesive sound?

Great question! haha All of us just love blast beats and breakdowns. We're able to come together with our various influences and make brutal music.

4. Could you describe the vision/hallucination that inspired the name "Denounced Disgraced" and how it relates to the band's identity and music?

We're named after a song by The Black Dahlia Murder. I like the name because it reminds me of being rejected from societal norms, which is fitting for the type of music we play.

5. Which things do you think a band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your band?

The biggest thing is time. I think it is important to stay on a schedule. We consistently practice 1-2 times a week. It does not feel as much of a sacrifice though. I like to think of it as a good bro time to get together and use it as an artistic outlet.

6. Looking back, what would you say was the biggest success in your career and what was the biggest mistake or setback?

Our biggest successes include playing the Music Farm and releasing our own EP. I would not call it a setback; however, we put out a music video on Slam Worldwide. We hit every road block while shooting it and to date, two of the members in the video are no longer in the band. Definitely a learning experience.

7. Denounced Disgraced has been active for over 3 years now. How has your sound evolved over the years, and what has kept you inspired to continue creating music?

Lineup changes have impacted guitars and bass, but it has all turned out to be positive changes. For example, our current guitarist has a degree in music while our bassist can play multiple instruments.

8. Your songs delivers a powerful, massive, and heavy sound. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your music and how it felt to release your EP to the world?

We draw influences from dark subject matters. For example, Just a Corpse is about an out of body experience of someone overlooking a fatal car wreck.

9. Can you give us a glimpse into the creative process behind your music? How do you typically approach songwriting and arranging?

With our previous guitarist he would come to the table with various riffs and we would discuss arrangement. Now that we have a guitarist with more formal training he has the ability to write an entire song, then we provide feedback and adjustments as needed.

10. Your debut EP is coming in January. Musicians often have a single favourite spot on each release they make. What would be your moment of joy on this particular EP?

That we finally made it! lol. It was a little stressful but it was definitely good stress. We released physical copies on 1/24 and it will be on streaming services on 2/6.

11. The UG scene is known for its intense brotherhood and camaraderie. What’s the craziest and most memorable experience you’ve had as a band so far?

I can't think of anyone one experience, but I love how metal attracts all different walks of life. For the most part, you can put aside your differences and come together to headbang and mosh. I strongly believe in being respectful to everyone I encounter.

12. Between recording music and performing live shows, which would you say is more in your favor or do you think both have their own significant ways?

Both are important, but I think having a legitimate recorded single to give people a taste of what they will hear live is very important.

13. What can fans expect from an Denounced Disgraced live show? Do you have any particular rituals or routines before hitting the stage?

I have to brag but we pride ourselves on being very precise and technical. We practice the set a lot, we play to a click, and use in ear monitors. We are not going on stage to give a half assed performance. We want it as close to the recorded product as possible.

14. How does the band's live performance translate the intensity and energy of your music to the stage?

Brutal blast beats and breakdowns speak for themselves. It does help now that our guitarist and bassist are both capable of doing backup vocals. They're able to support the main vocals and also help with hyping up the crowd.

15. How has the reception been for your music so far? Have there been any standout moments or memorable experiences you'd like to share?

At our EP release show we covered the song Funeral Thirst by The Black Dahlia Murder. Jacob who is the vocalist for another local band, Homicyde, joined on stage to assist with vocals. I focused primarily on the highs while he covered the lows. We had practiced the song together a week prior and it was awesome that it all came together on stage.

16. It's time to conclude, perhaps you could tell us about your future projects or something?

We're already working on the next EP! Our plan is to write and record the next one so we have it ready to release whenever we want.

Thanks for your time homie!

https://www.facebook.com/denounceddisgracedband