Interview Opium Death

Introducing Opium Death and their upcoming album "Genocidal Nemesis," a fusion of extreme metal styles promising intense musical evolution and impactful themes, inviting listeners into a unique sonic journey.

1. Congratulations on the upcoming release of your first full-length album, "Genocidal Nemesis." How does it feel to have this project come to fruition, and what can fans expect from this album in terms of musical evolution since your earlier work as Cazador?

Irvin: It feels great and quite surreal due to the fact that at one time we were sitting on these songs fully written but not recorded for a while to suddenly be released to the general public. There was a lot of work put into this record by making sure everything was on time and clean as possible and hoping no mistakes came through the record. It feels like a huge amount of weight has been lifted off our shoulders. The music evolution for Opium Death is interesting because we started out as a thrash/speed metal with hardcore influences to now lean more towards the progressive extreme metal style. We will be diving more into the brutal realm of death metal with more dense musical ideas.

2. The latest single, "The Condemned," addresses a poignant and dark subject matter related to school bullying. Can you share more about the inspiration behind this song and how you hope it will impact listeners both musically and emotionally?

Irvin: I remember seeing a lot of stories in the news during my middle school and high school years that there was a rise in suicide rates among teenagers. Seeing it in movies or TV shows is one thing but in real life, there are actual lives that are being affected and the pain would spread into that person’s circle. The language utilization in the song reflects the anger that the person feels in the afterlife having no peace and will not rest until they see the same thing happen to the bully. Even when the situation has been reported, it lingers in their mind endlessly which can affect their mentality towards other people even themselves. I am sure everyone has seen or/and experienced it firsthand and so what I ask is that we cannot be bystanders when we see it. There is a lot of good in people and I hope this song inspires the action to halt the situation before it gets worse. 

3. The band has undergone lineup changes since its inception in 2012. How have these changes influenced the creative dynamics within Opium Death, and what challenges did you face during the evolution of the band?

Irvin: It is very interesting seeing how different members with different musical upbringings ignite a fresh creative drive and goal for each song as we write them. Most of them already had a riff in mind or part of a song that they wanted to show to the band and so we let them show it to us and work from there. Challenges arose when it came down to a musical idea being fixated with no feedback from other members and so compromises had to be worked out. We did not move on to the next song until the last one was finished, and everyone was on the same page with it. 

4. Guitarist Irvin Gonzalez mentioned that "The Condemned" has a captivating groove. Can you delve into the musical aspects of the track and how it represents the overall sound of "Genocidal Nemesis"?

Irvin: From its inception, the goal of this song was to be a straightforward track with little twists and turns in its riffs and rhythms and a message that we felt could be taken to a relatable level. We believe the song achieved this and helps emphasize the album as a whole that much of it is supposed to be in your face with a mix of good musicianship and lyrics that go beyond the typical tropes of extreme metal. We want to captivate the musical idea of catchy hooks to bring the listener into it but then lead them to a dark and heavy sound that they cannot back out of. Each song has that quality where it captures the ears just like the intro of the song before it dives into a dark and rigid section which then leads to a groovy verse riff.  

5. The album seems to touch on various heavy themes. Can you provide insights into the conceptualization and themes explored throughout "Genocidal Nemesis," and how the track listing plays a role in conveying the album's narrative?

Irvin: A lot of it has to be stemming from books that we have read as students in high school where we see characters going against the corrupt leaders of a civilization or local group. That and to think about oneself in a conforming group/society and how such actions could inspire or punish others around them. We think this helped create a theme of hubris and self-destruction being a major flaw in the human psyche and how it could spread like a sickness onto others with whoever it comes in contact with. 

6. With influences like Gojira, Cannibal Corpse, and Cattle Decapitation, how do you navigate incorporating these inspirations while maintaining Opium Death's unique sound and identity?

Irvin: We navigate through them by seeing what was the underlying goal that they wanted to achieve with each song they wrote. It helped us identify which ideas worked and which didn’t work then listening to the song we wrote a few times across days to avoid similarities. The maintenance of the band’s identity comes down to us feeling comfortable and agreeing that this is the sound the band is going for.  

7. Opium Death plans to showcase the new album at local and regional venues. What can fans expect from your live performances, and how do you envision the audience reacting to the sonic intensity and passion you bring to the stage?

Irvin: Expect a lot of movement from us to showcase the energy these songs bring out and voice it out to the audience to follow along as well. We want to create an environment in the venue that this is what metal is all about where you can be in a room with friends and strangers who love the same type of music. 

8. The album is available for pre-order on Bandcamp. How important is the support of your fan base, and what exclusive experiences or content can fans expect when pre-ordering "Genocidal Nemesis"?

Irvin: It is very important since it helps fund merch, and studio time to invest into the best quality that the next release will get, as well as supporting our goals to go on the road by getting our hands on a vehicle for transportation when we go on tour. Just know that any support will help the band move forward and we want to establish a community that will get exclusives from early demos of new songs to Q and A sessions, access to rough cuts or even finished music videos as well as behind-the-scenes of our studio sessions. It is something want to push for not just for the debut album but everything else forward. 

9. Looking ahead, what are the band's goals and aspirations after the release of "Genocidal Nemesis"? Are there any specific milestones or achievements you are aiming for in the near future?

Irvin: Right now, we’re working on booking more shows in support of the album locally and eventually performing in the neighboring states to spread our name. We try to aim for one or two shows a month hoping to open for touring acts as they come through town to expose ourselves to their audience. We are working on getting new merch for fans as well as looking to record some music videos for the songs off the album.

10. In a landscape filled with diverse metal genres, what do you believe sets Opium Death apart from other bands? How would you describe the essence of Opium Death's music and its impact on the metal scene?

Irvin: I believe what sets us apart from other bands is our blend of different metal styles combined into one focused sound. Each of us listens to a ton of subgenres of metal and we get inspired from what we listen and so we try to approach the songwriting process with an open mind. We try to not limit ourselves of how our songs should sound like but rather making sure that in the end it is heavy and loud. We hope this type of mindset helps both listeners and musicians that one should not be afraid to think outside the box when getting into the creative process because in the end no one is telling you how your songs should sound like. We want to emphasize that you as an individual has a lot of freedom to write and play whatever you want because the authenticity shines through oneself and onto the song. 

Opium Death (opiumdeathofficial.com)

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Genocidal Nemesis | Opium Death (bandcamp.com)