Anomic emerged in 2023, blending thrash and death metal influences. Founding members Raaf and Fadi discuss their unique musical journey and the creation of their debut EP, 'Opacity.'
1. Can
you tell us about the formation of Anomic and how the band members came
together from different countries?
Raaf:
Anomic started after I left War Agenda in August 2023. We had some musical
differences and I already had written some songs and riffs for the next War
Agenda album, alongside Ingo the guitarist and one of the founding members of
WA. And then when I left I wanted to do my own thrash metal band, but I wanted
to mix it with death metal, not just thrash as WA was. Then I contacted my old
friend Fadi, who lives in Germany, to talk about mixing and mastering the EP.
I've known Fadi for over 15 years from the Syrian metal scene. Fadi is a great
multi-instrumentalist and a brilliant producer. We have always wanted to do a
project together. He mixed and mastered a Sepultura cover I did with some
friends last year, so I immediately contacted him for the EP. Then I also told
him there are vacancies for a bassist and second vocalist, and he was very
interested. So he officially joined the band and we took it from there.
2. What
inspired the name 'Anomic' and how does it reflect your music and lyrical
themes?
Raaf: I
guess the name came from feeling detached from society and social norms. It is
a feeling that many people experience, being socially alienated. Moreover, the
name opens up other windows for lyrical content other than the traditional
thrash topic like politics and war etc. I can feel free to dabble in topics
like insanity and morbidity that sometimes result from being socially
unoriented and ostracized.
3.Raafat,
as the main songwriter, what influences your music and lyrics, especially the
themes of existentialism, society, politics, insanity, and morbidity?
Raaf: As
many metal artist, I like to tap into the dark side of human existence. But I
did not want to focus only on the sociopolitical lyrical themes. I wanted to go
a bit deeper into the human
psyche and
the dark thoughts we have in our minds. I don't just want to blame politics and
the governments for the current state of the world. I believe that the public
is responsible too. Their acceptance of the current affairs, the defeat they
showcase are just as lethal and destructive as the deeds of politicians and
organized crimes. So I wanted to tap into all that and have a variety of topics
to discuss
4. How has your diverse cultural background (Dutch/Syrian, German, Polish) influenced the sound and dynamics of Anomic?
Raaf: Musically and lyrically, I tried not to incorporate blunt Oriental aspects. Whether in terms of historical, mythological or cultural aspects. We did not even incorporate any Oriental instruments, at least not on this EP. And it's not that I don't appreciate those things, I do, but I feel that a lot of bands from the Middle East have already used those themes to great extents and did amazing work with them. So I wanted to target the more globally recognized issues such as life and death, insanity, delusions, wars and overall chaos. In the music, I always like to incorporate different scales and modes. so there are definitely some Oriental licks here and there like the melody in the beginning of the song 'Opacity', but I did not rely on that element as the core sound of the band. Moreover, in the Middle East, we have seen a lot of acceptance and submission to dictators for a long time. We have seen the aggressive response to any criticism of politics, tradition, religious extremism. And that ties in with the global outlook we have on the submission of the earth's population to the awful state of the modern world, whether it's through accepting materialism as the last remaining human value, or through diminishing and ridiculing those who question authorities and societal norms
5. Your debut EP 'Opacity' is set to release soon. Can you walk us through the creative and recording process of this EP?
Raaf: when
I left War Agenda, I already had full songs ready, so I started Anomic right
away. Ingo from WA and I agreed that I would take my riffs and use them, and
Ingo would take his and use them however he likes. Then I thought I should
start the new band with an EP, not a full length right away, to give the band a
bit of momentum and put the name on the map. So I decided to compose 3 new
songs from scratch and leave the stuff I composed with WA to be used as a full
length, because I wrote all the lyrics for the next WA album and there was a
theme I created for it. So I didn't wanna give that up, I wanna use the theme
and lyrics on Anomic's upcoming full length. So I composed 3 new songs for the
EP, wrote lyrics for them, recorded all the guitars, hired Krzysztof Klingbein
to record the drums. After this phase was done, Fadi came into the picture as
bassist and second vocalist, and of course he mixed and mastered the EP as
well.
6. The
title track 'Opacity' and 'On Deaf Ears' have already been released as lyric
videos. How have the fans responded to these tracks so far?
Raaf: I
cannot say we have "fans" yet since we are very new, but the people
who heard the song have given us some really positive feedback. We are very
thrilled with the responses so far. Even radio shows, magazines and webzines
are writing positive reviews and posts. It's been very flattering thus far, and
we hope they enjoy the rest of the EP just as much!
7. Fadi,
you handled the mixing and mastering for the EP. How did you approach this task
to ensure the final product met the band's vision?
Fadi: I
went with an aggressive but clear sound especially with the guitars since the
music has a thrashy side as well as a technical aspect. So I wanted to maintain
the thrashy feel without losing the details. Most importantly for me was to
make a sound that is in your face that compliments the attitude of the band's
musical and lyrical theme.
8. Can
you tell us about the collaboration with Stefan Nordstrom on the track 'On Deaf
Ears' and how that came about?
Raaf:
Stefan and I, along with other friends/musicians, collaborated on a Sepultura
video where we covered 'Mass Hypnosis' and the guy's vocal ability is stellar.
since I heard him in Desolator and Soliloquium I wanted to work with him, and
we enjoyed working together on the Sepultura song, so I decided to ask him to
sing on both bands of mine actually, Anomic and Paindemonium, and he was happy
to partake in both project. Very stoked to have wave worked with him. Great
dude also!
9. The
artwork and logo of the band play a significant role in your visual identity.
Can you discuss the concept behind the design and how it complements your
music?
Raaf: Good
question. As I mentioned earlier, Anomic means socially alienated and
disoriented. So when I gave the idea to my friend Adham Eltorky, he came up
with the idea of a man hanging from a noose in the letter M. It was genius.
Fits the name perfectly and gives a nuanced aesthetic to the logo. Then when I
assigned Chuck Cuevas from BlaqkDesign, I specifically told him to incorporate
the hanging man in the M. I also wanted a legible logo with some edged corners
to give it a menacing feel, and Chuck did a great job showcasing those aspects.
As for the artwork, I wanted something that has 2 faces merged together, but
also seeming detached from one another. On one hand, it compliments the band
name of alienation and detachment, on the other hand it compliments the EP
title, which represents vagueness of the human mind and existence. Also, I
wanted to incorporate elements of all 3 songs. So you have the destroyed
buildings and towers after the world has been annihilated, which I talk about
in 'On Deaf Ears', and you got the blood leaking all over the artwork, which
represents the bleeding character of 'This Blood is Mine". Nicolas
Oliveros did an awesome job conveying those elements in my opinion.
10. What
are your future plans after the release of 'Opacity'? Can fans expect a tour or
new music in the near future?
Raaf: We
are using the EP to talk to a couple of labels at the moment and see if we get
picked up for the upcoming album, which is almost 80% ready and recorded. We
are also in contact with a couple of booking agencies and bands trying to set
up a mini tour. So, yes many plans, and the new album should be out somewhere
next year, we hope. So keep an eye!
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