Welcome to an exclusive interview with Paranormal Arson, the mastermind behind the EP that boldly embraces a raw, unpolished sound. Delve into the influences of classic death metal, horror themes, and unexpected genre blends, as we explore the creative journey and future of this solo project.
1. The EP has a raw and unpolished sound. Was this a
deliberate choice, and what influenced the decision to go for a grittier
production style?
Definitely! It did cause a few people and publications to turn their nose up at
it, but I think there's just as many people who get what I'm going for. Older
grind stuff like Repulsion's "Horrified" album was a big influence,
as well as a lot of punk/hardcore/crust stuff like Discharge Despise You,
Anti-Cimex, etc.
2. The first track, "Graverobbing in Texas," is inspired by
"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." How do you approach translating horror
themes into your music, both lyrically and musically?
It starts with the music. The riffs need to tell the story before anything.
Once I've got the sense of dread, anxiety, fear, etc in the song, the lyrics
fall into place much easier.
3. The EP draws inspiration from classic death metal acts like Obituary,
Deicide, and Suffocation. How do you balance paying homage to these influences
while still bringing your unique sound to the table?
Honestly, I don't! I remember Geddy Lee said something about an original sound
just being your influences coming together to make something you want to hear.
I think that makes sense, and that's more-or-less how I approach writing.
4. "Paranormal Arson" and the EP's name are derived from the
Caledonia Mills Fire Spook incident. Can you share more about how this historical
event influenced the music and themes of the EP?
It influenced that track in particular, and given that the event happened in my
area influenced me to name the project Paranormal Arson as well. That being
said, that being a piece of Nova Scotia folklore in general did influence my
writing style. Celtic folk music and the art of storytelling through song runs
very deep in Atlantic Canada. While there's no Celtic folk in the music, that
spirit of songwriting absolutely remains in Paranormal Arson.
5. The third track, "Fear of Napalm," is a cover of Terrorizer's
song. What motivated you to include this cover, and how did you put your own
spin on it?
Well the simple answer is that I love Terrorizer! They were one of the
forefathers of fusing extreme metal sound with punk ethos and attitude, so
they're obviously a very big influence on me as well. Also, unfortunately, the
song is still very relevant 34 years later, which really sucks, but it'll never
change if people don't continue to make noise.
6. "Saitama Bloodbath" is a tribute to the Frye vs. Takayama
fight. How did the intensity of that brawl inspire the creation of this track,
and what challenges did you face in capturing that energy without vocals or
solos?
I'm a huge MMA fan and have been a martial arts/combat sports guy most of my
life, so I have a soft spot for that fight. It's brutal but very untechnical,
so I just took the same approach. It actually was a bit of a challenge as I
wanted as little melody as possible. You'd think that'd be easy for extreme
metal, but it's harder than you'd think!
7. The final track, "The Name Dies with Me," is written from the
perspective of Breaking Bad's Hector Salamanca. How do you approach
storytelling through your music, especially when depicting characters from
television?
It's the same process regardless of what story I'm trying to tell. In this
case, I wanted the song to feel very angry rather than the sense of anxiety or
fear of "Graverobbing" or "Paranormal". I also wanted it to
feel very defiant, a "I'm going down, but I'm taking you with me"
vibe. Once I had that, it was just a matter of thinking what was in Hector's
head during that scene with Gus and his bodyguard.
8. The EP features a mix of classic death metal and bonus tracks that range
from a Nirvana cover to an EDM remix. How do you navigate diverse genres while
maintaining the identity of Paranormal Arson?
I honestly don't think too much about it. As long as the backbone of death
metal remains, the identity is there so if something sounds fun I'm going to go
for it.
9. Can you share some insights into the songwriting process for the EP? How
do ideas come together, and how much experimentation is involved in finding the
right sound?
I try to write riffs as unconsciously as possible, for lack of a better term.
I'll typically noodle around while watching something on YouTube until
something catches my ear, then tweak and play with it until I can call it a
riff.
A lot of experimentation for me happens when playing with guitar tones. I love
playing with different pedals, amps, different stacks, etc. A lot of times
coming up with a fun tone will yield a riff or three.
10. The bonus track "PFK 2K23" is a re-recording of an old high
school song. What led to the decision to revisit and rerecord this particular
track?
It was really just for fun. The original came about when a kid on my school bus
quipped that all metal is just "Satan and murder". I pushed back and
said I could make a death metal song about pink fluffy kittens, which he
replied "sure, bud". I took that as a challenge and made it.
Re-recording it was more for fun and nostalgia.
11. The "Graverobbing in Texas" remix takes inspiration from N64
game WCW vs. NWO Revenge. How did the idea for this unique remix come about,
and what was the experience like blending video game aesthetics with your
music?
Yes, I'm a big retro gaming fan and wrestling fan which means I'm a HUGE fan of
the AKI wrestling games on N64 (WCW vs. NWO World Tour, the aforementioned
Revenge, and WWF Wrestlemania 2000 and No Mercy). It was fun to hear what it
sounded like as an N64 track. I don't know if it fully translated, but it was a
fun challenge to try.
12. Your cover of Nirvana's "Scentless Apprentice" brings a
different energy to the EP. How do you approach covering songs from different
genres, and what drew you to this particular Nirvana track?
It was actually for a different project initially. I was recording some sludgey
noise rock stuff when I recorded the music for that cover. I actually just
found it again before the re-release and I liked it quite a bit, so I put
growly vocals over it and added it for a bit of variety.
13. The EDM-style remix of "Paranormal Arson" by OLD MILK is an
unexpected addition. How did this collaboration come about, and what was the
creative process like in transforming your death metal track into an EDM
version?
I don't know what Ryan's thought process was, that was basically all him. The
idea of doing it was inspired by the various Industrial and EDM remixes of
metal songs you used to see in the 90S. EDM isn't necessarily my genre, but I'm
always interested in how music can be applied in very different ways by
different people.
14. As a solo project, how does the creative process differ from working in
a group? What advantages and challenges do you encounter when working
independently?
I like both. The main advantage to being a solo project is scheduling. Having a
band in your 30s is a nightmare. I have a full-time job, another time-consuming
hobby in Powerlifting, a girlfriend, family and friends. Friends who I could
potentially have a band with also have full-time jobs, a lot are married with
kids. Makes finding time to jam very difficult.
Solo has its own challenges though. In a band, you have 3-5 people who share
the load in writing, laying out songs, organizing band activities and
promoting, etc. Solo, it's all me, which is a lot of work. That, and playing
gigs is basically out the window. I've seen one-man bands that have worked, but
no one wants to see a death metal dude with a looper pedal.
15. Paranormal Arson is described as a love letter to classic death metal
and horror. Can you share some specific influences, whether musical or
cinematic, that have had a lasting impact on your creative journey?
Outside of death metal, grind, and punk/hardcore, I love doom and sludge.
Crowbar in particular is a huge influence on my playing and writing. 90s
alternative rock and metal is also a big influence on me. We mentioned Nirvana,
but Helmet, Our Lady Peace, and Alice in Chains are huge for me. Both Page
Hamilton and Jerry Cantrell are probably my two biggest guitar influences, and
I likely wouldn't be down the dark/heavy music rabbit hole at all if it wasn't
for OLP's "Clumsy" album.
A lot of the Celtic folk from Atlantic Canada is a huge influence on my writing
approach as well. Great Big Sea, The Rankin Family, Ashley MacIsaac, Buddy
Wasisname & The Other Fellers (real band), among many others.
From film, aside from the already mentioned, I'm a big John Carpenter fan both
in film and music. He really knows how to set a mood and create tension with
both mediums. Other than that, I draw influence from tons of other films and
shows, horror or otherwise. Pro wrestling, The Simpsons, Pulp Fiction, Dragon
Ball Z. I'm all over the place!
16. Looking ahead, what can fans expect from Paranormal Arson in terms of
future releases and the evolution of your sound?
More dirt, more grease, more blast beats, more breakdowns and grooves, and more
weird barfing noises!
(44) Paranormal Arson - YouTube
Jamie MacDonald (@jmac.fm) • Instagram photos and videos
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