Interview to VEX-HATE (USA)

1. Hello dear 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.

Well first off let me thank you for reaching out and having me for your magazine! In one word for how things are today here let's just say cold, it's about -27°c here in Milwaukee. Right now I am at my home computer area surrounded by all the things one might expect as in autographed records framed on the wall from bands like Macabre, Cannibal Corpse, Deceased and what not along with horror movie actors. A lot of things are packed up in storage totes right now since I am in the process of buying a new house which will have a full proper jamming and recording studio in.

2. Vex-Hate is a quartet — how long have you known each other? And how did you discover metal for the first time?

Vex-Hate actually started as just me bedroom recording project since I was already in another band where the music didn't really fit in with the style they had already established. I played and songs for friends and they actually liked it and wanted me to get an actual line up together. The guys on the demo i actually haven't known for that long maybe 2 years tops. It's really hard to find people that can and are willing to play that actual can play.

I would say I found death metal for the 1st time when I was in middle school maybe 7th grade or so. Back then MTV had the headbangers ball show and they would play videos from Napalm Death, Cannibal Corpse and Morbid Angel drum time to time so I would say that was my first introduction to the genre.

3. Death Metal as a genre is one of the most complex genres in music. In my mind. More generally, why you chose to have a brutal Death Metal sound? It is part of yourself?

Now that is kind of a tough one for me to really say, I was actually playing in an ultra brutal old school death metal band when I started Vex-Hate and the reason was these suns just wouldn't fit with what they were doing. When I first started playing guitar my parents actually had me in classical lessons (like the whole finger picking nylon string acoustic guitars) so that kind of have me a whole new appreciation for musicianship. That love of musicianship i think is why I hated "radio friendly" music so much and death metal as a genre never had any problems with pushing musical boundaries and creating something people never heard before and I think that's why it spoke to me and I feel it just hits me harder than any other genre

4. Congrats on your debut demo. What effect has this release’s reception on you? How do you fell about it?

Thank you and so far there has only been an online release of the demo, I am actually playing a physical release on 12" vinyl very soon. I'm not really sure how many people are actually jamming out to it to be honest so hopefully this interview will boost that! Lol

I do feel like this demo kind of captures the "soul" of the old tape trading snail mail days in the way out was recorded and the dough sound to it.

5. You have an heavy and solid sound, can you tell us the typical approach you take when composing a song?

To be fully honest and not to sound cliché but most of the songs come from just something that pops into my head while at work or maybe even walking the dog so I try to remember it for when I get home to bring the sounds from my head out through the hands on guitar and through speakers. I'll show the other guys and tell them hey this is a lyrical topic that I think fits and it goes from there.

It's kind of like if the isn't any time going though my head than I must be dead lol

6. How do you create the new songs? Is it predetermined process, or do you leave substantial space for improvisations?

Well it's kinda like I said before that it usually starts with something going on in my screwed up mind that I do my best to put into music lol. Improvisation isn't really my thing but my bass player David Simon is a king at that so sometimes he will come up with things that just fit perfectly.

7. Talking about The Demo, what can you tell me about the recording process and what kind of sound you were going for? Are you satisfied with final results?

The recording process was actually ultra simple, we had 2 mics set up in the jam space and we just played the songs so it's basically a live recording. I am not unsatisfied with the result of the demo sounds but I do think it could be better. When it gets pressed to vinyl perhaps people may want it so they can hear the beginnings of the band. One thing I really do like about the demo is that I think it does carry on the spirit of a band playing live and the rawness of what demos you would get in the mail back in the day.

8. When you’re a band on demo level what ways are there to spread the word of the band?

I think you are the perfect example of spreading the word! This magazine giving us the time and recognition is huge for us! Other than that it's pretty much just playing local metal shows and hoping people come out that haven't seen or heard us before and they dig our sound.

9. With so many metal bands coming up these days, how do you manage to keep your material relevant? How challenging is it to come up with newer material?

I honestly don't care what other people or bands are doing, I just keep making my metal music. And it isn't hard at all to come up with new music for me, I see misery, hatred, abuse and malice everywhere I look so there is always a muse for me.

10. What is the thought process when writing new Vex-Hate songs? 

As I mentioned before, it's all about hearing something in your head then getting it through the speakers. Some times it is just pure misery, some times pure hatred and just getting those feelings out in a non violent artistic way. When a new riffs and idea for a song hit you it just happens.

There are also times something really funny happens that I can just put a dark spin on and make it sound evil so the whole thing is an inside joke

11. How do you define “underground” and where do you see yourself and your band in it?

My personal definition of underfunded has changed a lot over the years, especially with the internet. I got into underground metal back when it was still tape trading in the 90's. Back then it was all about word of mouth, how many other bands were putting your band flyers in envelopes back to you and what the fan zines said.

I just think underground is so much more accessible these days with the internet and just being able to look anything up and not have to wait a week or 2 for a demo in the mail box. It is cool though because it does give me bands a chance to get out there.

I'm honestly not sure where Vex-Hate fits in though. We're just here to play and fucking metal

12. Who are your greatest heroes in the field of Death Metal?

Honestly my #1 might be Brian Straight from the band Witch-Hunt, their Darkend Salvation demo changed the way I saw extreme metal when I got it in the mail as a kid. Another would be Al Andrews of Cyanosis. He took me on as a lead guitarist when he got the band back together in 00's and remains one of my best friends.

13. Do you support your metal scene and where would you like death metal to go in the future? How can you, as a band, help in moving the scene forward?

I do support my local death metal scene in ways I can. I'm able to make it to every show anymore but when I do I make sure to buy the merch to support the local bands. As for the future of death metal I kind of would just appreciate it if it could get taken me seriously in the mainstream since our genre DOES have the best musicians out there playing for the love instead of playing covers to try to make $! And as being on the band I'm in a place now to try to actually get shows together to showcase what Milwaukee has to offer!

14. What is the heavy music scene like in Wisconsin, USA?  What are some other bands from your area that we should be paying attention to?

The heavy extreme music scene here in Wisconsin, Milwaukee especially has always been pretty healthy since I got into the more underground stuff around 1994 or so. There are so many bands i can list off for you that are from here.... I'll start with a couple of the old guard bands that started in the 1980s that are back like Morbid Saint and Viogression. Then you got band new upcoming solo guys like Queef Huffer and Puss Filled. Then there are more thrash bands like Union Undead. There are so many other great local metal band here.

15. I want to thank you, sincerely, for your time. Before we end our conversation, is there anything else in particular you’d like to share?

Yes, I thank you fun the bottom of my blackened soulless heart for finding Vex-Hate and giving us the space in your magazine! Let's set some shows up for us to come by you in 2027!!!!

And metal on my brother!

https://www.facebook.com/p/Vex-Hate-100032084576380/