Shaun Farrugia
IN MALICE'S WAKE
A CURA DI R&MINB
29/02/2012
After the release of their last album, "The Thrashening", Shaun Farrugia from "IN MALICE'S WAKE" gave us the great opportunity to ask him some questions about the band's carreer and plans for the future.
Enjoy!
R&MINB: First of all, I'm very curious about your name. How did you choose it?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: In Malice's Wake is a reference to what's left behind after evil has run its course. I always visualise it by imagining what the world will look like after humanity has finally burnt out, what will things look like in the "wake" of this evil?
R&MINB: Can you tell us something more about the history of In Malice's Wake?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: Mark (Drums) and myself, begun the band in '01, being a huge fan of metal music obviously. Over time we have built a great line-up, with very minimal personnel changes. We have managed to build a very strong, very loyal fan base in Australia, in Melbourne our home town in particular. We have travelled to every state and territory in our large country, ventured out the New Zealand also during the tour for "The Thrashening" and are forever looking to expand our reach. Over time our music has become heavier, faster and darker, and things are definitely continuing down this path.
R&MINB: How did you all approach your instrument for the first time and, most specifically, metal music?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: I think it was the fairly typical path of hearing metal in your travels during the high school stage of our lives. I think it's an instinctive thing, you are either drawn to metal or you are not. All of us fell in love with the style of music early in our lives, and the natural next step is to create the music you love. I fell in love with the guitar right away, the sound of it, what you could do with it - it's a brilliant creative tool. I had a few mates at high school that helped me get started, however before long I was teaching myself and writing. The guys all share a fairly similar story, Dave and Luke played together in a band called Legion, and they've ended up together again in Malice.
R&MINB: After 10 years, and a great album as "The Thrashening", how do you feel about your career?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: I believe it is important to never be 100% satisfied with what you have created, however it is just as important to reflect and be proud of your achievements. I am personally extremely proud of our previous two albums. I feel that "The Thrashening" in particular was a work that held it's own against the best in the genre. There was a great sense of personal satisfaction from the record, however I want the next to be bigger, badder - more intense?there's a drive to continuously improve on what you've done previously. We'd definitely love to expand our reach - we have our eye on South Asia at the moment, but for me personally - Europe would be the epitome. Mark and I were at Wacken in '10, and we truly do not have anything that comes close on this side of the globe. I want to put In Malice's Wake on the world stage where it can be truly appreciated.
R&MINB: What would your advice be for a band that has just embarked on a musical career?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: Learn your instrument, set the shit filter on "high" when it comes to writing and play as many quality shows as you can. Try to avoid shows that seem sub par even on paper, as these can do more harm than good. Promote yourself through all available channels and spend your money wisely! There is an industry full of people ready to take the money of bands who do not know any better - make sure you are spending where it is effective. Strive for professionalism all of the time, and make sure your band members are all on the same page stylistically and goal wise.
R&MINB: How's the Australian metal scene nowadays?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: We have a range of excellent bands from all genres and the crowds are fantastic, some of the shows in '11 especially were wild. Without the fans to keep the shows going there is nothing, so we are very appreciative of all the headbangers that make it out and remind us of why we do what we do. The challenge in Australia is getting your music out beyond our shores, and we are all in the same boat in this challenge. The population here is lower per capita and unfortunately you can have multiple bands playing on separate bills in the same night - there is a lack of communication in some cases.
R&MINB: Is there any other notable colleague you would like to recommend?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: We toured with Desecrator last year, and they are producing fantastic music and putting in more blood, sweat and tears than most. They are working extremely hard to get their music out there so chances are you'll hear of them sooner rather than later, but seek them out in the meantime. They were an absolute blast to tour with also.
R&MINB: I've carefully listened to your second full-length, "The Thrashening", and I found it very interesting. What is the concept (or the idea) behind the work's lyrics and melodies?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: The lyrics in general dealt with the ugly side of human nature, and the state of the world. The music exhibited a darkness that was not present on the previous record and it enjoyed exploring this theme in various forms - war, nuclear & technological horror, human hatred etc.
R&MINB: I personally consider "The Crawling Chaos", from your last EP, one of the most charming songs among all your works. Can you tell us something about it?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: This was a personal favourite of mine also. It was the most removed lyrically, dealing with a fictional scenario - about underground, flesh eating creatures that burrow slowly and surely towards the surface of the earth. The detail that you can only hear them scratching when everything is silent was one of my favourites, as we are never silent in our day to day lives. I realised afterwards that this song shares the name with a Lovecraft short story, however the two have nothing else in common. I especially like the dynamic range of this song, utilising clean sounds, a slow build up and finishing with bloody soaking intensity, matching the lyrics as the song progresses.
R&MINB: We can notice a substantial change between your first album "Eternal Nightfall" and "The Thrashening". What caused this change?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: I believe change is important, the next record will show signs of progression from "The Thrashening" and so forth. Without progress and change, things become stagnant. Adding Luke (Bass) to the line-up also had a big impact, as he was heavily involved with the entire writing process and had a lot of input.
R&MINB: Is there any band that particularly inspired you?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: Personally I feel that both Testament & Sodom are very big influences on our sound. I am a huge fan of both bands in terms of vocals also and my vocal style has been compared to both on numerous occasions (Chuck Billy) in particular. I do not wish to mimic either band however, I want In Malice's Wake to be it's own creation - however there is no doubting that these influences are present.
R&MINB: How did it feel to play with Mortal Sin (the first and most well-known thrash band in your country) and with German thrash legends like Destruction?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: I am a big fan of Mortal Sin and we have played with them on numerous occasions. It is always a thrill to have them down from Sydney and play alongside a band so well regarded. Playing with Destruction is definitely a career highlight - I am a huge Destruction fan and it is hard to top playing on a line-up with a band that has lived in your car, living room, and on the party stereo for so many years. The guys were brilliant to talk to also, Schmier in particular. Destruction played a fantastic set, as expected and I'd love to do it again
R&MINB: Is there any other musician you would like to play with?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: I can't speak for the whole band, but on a personal level - it would be hard to go past both Sodom and Testament. Playing with your personal inspirations is hard to top.
R&MINB: Speaking of live performances...What are your plans for the future? Are there any possibilities of seeing you in Europe?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: We are continuously attempting to get on board with international record companies and touring companies and our ultimate goal would be to reach Europe. However there is nothing set so far, so we will continue to build on what we have done and hopefully fulfil this dream at some point in the near future. In the meantime, fans worldwide can access our music through Cd Baby (http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/inmaliceswake) or Big Cartel (http://inmaliceswake.bigcartel.com/).
R&MINB: Are you already working on another studio album?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: Absolutely, after the huge year we had in '11 we have taken a month off, but reformed recently to begin writing of our third record. Things are progressing beautifully - things are about to get a lot darker, a lot heavier and it won't be too long until we have another full album to put down in the studio. I personally can not wait.
R&MINB: What about a message for your Italian fans?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: It's a thrill to have metal fans reading about In Malice's Wake on the other side of the world. For those seeking hard and heavy thrash metal that is both memorable and intense, check out "The Thrashening" and we appreciate the opportunity to reach out to our metal brothers & sisters in Italy - Prepare for Thrash Metal Warfare!
R&MINB: First of all, I'm very curious about your name. How did you choose it?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: In Malice's Wake is a reference to what's left behind after evil has run its course. I always visualise it by imagining what the world will look like after humanity has finally burnt out, what will things look like in the "wake" of this evil?
R&MINB: Can you tell us something more about the history of In Malice's Wake?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: Mark (Drums) and myself, begun the band in '01, being a huge fan of metal music obviously. Over time we have built a great line-up, with very minimal personnel changes. We have managed to build a very strong, very loyal fan base in Australia, in Melbourne our home town in particular. We have travelled to every state and territory in our large country, ventured out the New Zealand also during the tour for "The Thrashening" and are forever looking to expand our reach. Over time our music has become heavier, faster and darker, and things are definitely continuing down this path.
R&MINB: How did you all approach your instrument for the first time and, most specifically, metal music?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: I think it was the fairly typical path of hearing metal in your travels during the high school stage of our lives. I think it's an instinctive thing, you are either drawn to metal or you are not. All of us fell in love with the style of music early in our lives, and the natural next step is to create the music you love. I fell in love with the guitar right away, the sound of it, what you could do with it - it's a brilliant creative tool. I had a few mates at high school that helped me get started, however before long I was teaching myself and writing. The guys all share a fairly similar story, Dave and Luke played together in a band called Legion, and they've ended up together again in Malice.
R&MINB: After 10 years, and a great album as "The Thrashening", how do you feel about your career?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: I believe it is important to never be 100% satisfied with what you have created, however it is just as important to reflect and be proud of your achievements. I am personally extremely proud of our previous two albums. I feel that "The Thrashening" in particular was a work that held it's own against the best in the genre. There was a great sense of personal satisfaction from the record, however I want the next to be bigger, badder - more intense?there's a drive to continuously improve on what you've done previously. We'd definitely love to expand our reach - we have our eye on South Asia at the moment, but for me personally - Europe would be the epitome. Mark and I were at Wacken in '10, and we truly do not have anything that comes close on this side of the globe. I want to put In Malice's Wake on the world stage where it can be truly appreciated.
R&MINB: What would your advice be for a band that has just embarked on a musical career?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: Learn your instrument, set the shit filter on "high" when it comes to writing and play as many quality shows as you can. Try to avoid shows that seem sub par even on paper, as these can do more harm than good. Promote yourself through all available channels and spend your money wisely! There is an industry full of people ready to take the money of bands who do not know any better - make sure you are spending where it is effective. Strive for professionalism all of the time, and make sure your band members are all on the same page stylistically and goal wise.
R&MINB: How's the Australian metal scene nowadays?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: We have a range of excellent bands from all genres and the crowds are fantastic, some of the shows in '11 especially were wild. Without the fans to keep the shows going there is nothing, so we are very appreciative of all the headbangers that make it out and remind us of why we do what we do. The challenge in Australia is getting your music out beyond our shores, and we are all in the same boat in this challenge. The population here is lower per capita and unfortunately you can have multiple bands playing on separate bills in the same night - there is a lack of communication in some cases.
R&MINB: Is there any other notable colleague you would like to recommend?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: We toured with Desecrator last year, and they are producing fantastic music and putting in more blood, sweat and tears than most. They are working extremely hard to get their music out there so chances are you'll hear of them sooner rather than later, but seek them out in the meantime. They were an absolute blast to tour with also.
R&MINB: I've carefully listened to your second full-length, "The Thrashening", and I found it very interesting. What is the concept (or the idea) behind the work's lyrics and melodies?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: The lyrics in general dealt with the ugly side of human nature, and the state of the world. The music exhibited a darkness that was not present on the previous record and it enjoyed exploring this theme in various forms - war, nuclear & technological horror, human hatred etc.
R&MINB: I personally consider "The Crawling Chaos", from your last EP, one of the most charming songs among all your works. Can you tell us something about it?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: This was a personal favourite of mine also. It was the most removed lyrically, dealing with a fictional scenario - about underground, flesh eating creatures that burrow slowly and surely towards the surface of the earth. The detail that you can only hear them scratching when everything is silent was one of my favourites, as we are never silent in our day to day lives. I realised afterwards that this song shares the name with a Lovecraft short story, however the two have nothing else in common. I especially like the dynamic range of this song, utilising clean sounds, a slow build up and finishing with bloody soaking intensity, matching the lyrics as the song progresses.
R&MINB: We can notice a substantial change between your first album "Eternal Nightfall" and "The Thrashening". What caused this change?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: I believe change is important, the next record will show signs of progression from "The Thrashening" and so forth. Without progress and change, things become stagnant. Adding Luke (Bass) to the line-up also had a big impact, as he was heavily involved with the entire writing process and had a lot of input.
R&MINB: Is there any band that particularly inspired you?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: Personally I feel that both Testament & Sodom are very big influences on our sound. I am a huge fan of both bands in terms of vocals also and my vocal style has been compared to both on numerous occasions (Chuck Billy) in particular. I do not wish to mimic either band however, I want In Malice's Wake to be it's own creation - however there is no doubting that these influences are present.
R&MINB: How did it feel to play with Mortal Sin (the first and most well-known thrash band in your country) and with German thrash legends like Destruction?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: I am a big fan of Mortal Sin and we have played with them on numerous occasions. It is always a thrill to have them down from Sydney and play alongside a band so well regarded. Playing with Destruction is definitely a career highlight - I am a huge Destruction fan and it is hard to top playing on a line-up with a band that has lived in your car, living room, and on the party stereo for so many years. The guys were brilliant to talk to also, Schmier in particular. Destruction played a fantastic set, as expected and I'd love to do it again
R&MINB: Is there any other musician you would like to play with?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: I can't speak for the whole band, but on a personal level - it would be hard to go past both Sodom and Testament. Playing with your personal inspirations is hard to top.
R&MINB: Speaking of live performances...What are your plans for the future? Are there any possibilities of seeing you in Europe?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: We are continuously attempting to get on board with international record companies and touring companies and our ultimate goal would be to reach Europe. However there is nothing set so far, so we will continue to build on what we have done and hopefully fulfil this dream at some point in the near future. In the meantime, fans worldwide can access our music through Cd Baby (http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/inmaliceswake) or Big Cartel (http://inmaliceswake.bigcartel.com/).
R&MINB: Are you already working on another studio album?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: Absolutely, after the huge year we had in '11 we have taken a month off, but reformed recently to begin writing of our third record. Things are progressing beautifully - things are about to get a lot darker, a lot heavier and it won't be too long until we have another full album to put down in the studio. I personally can not wait.
R&MINB: What about a message for your Italian fans?
Shaun Farrugia - Vocals, Guitar: It's a thrill to have metal fans reading about In Malice's Wake on the other side of the world. For those seeking hard and heavy thrash metal that is both memorable and intense, check out "The Thrashening" and we appreciate the opportunity to reach out to our metal brothers & sisters in Italy - Prepare for Thrash Metal Warfare!
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