Keep in mind that this interview is pretty old and somewhat dated, i did this many moons ago before they had a line-up, done a show or even had the album out. Was done for a zine i was meant to do but i just frankly couldn't ever have the energy or time planning to do it so here's probably my favourite interview I've ever done with the one man machine Andy Wounds.
PROCEED TO READ!
Abraxis may be a little unbeknown to some, can you explain what Abraxis is as a whole?
Abraxis is, and will always be, simply my musical output, since my deptarture from AGAINST, I had a lot of songs to record, mostly hardcore/metal style. But Abraxis is more than just a hardcore band to me, its my absolute freedom to record music, art, words. Being now part of the holy terror, I can work with similar artists who have the same ideas about music. It seems like people have this idea that its a one man band studio style, It was some ways. The songs written an recorded, the thought put in was by me alone, until I got back jamming with Brett, But as far as the other parts i havnt found the right people to allow into Abraxis. Once i am set it will be full blown chaos. Shit talkers and backstabbers are always there to knock this project down.
When abraxis finally comes to doing shows, will you be looking to play alot of shows or do you see shows as more special when they are few and far between?
yeah, actually today i started going over the music with some friends. Shows, its going to be like every other band ive played in, start from the bottom and work my way up. It helps being a writer in old bands like AGAINST, FROM THESE WOUNDS, FXFX, and playing shows with bands I grew up with, but im not going to use it like stepping stone, im going to work like i always have, ill be playing as often as i can. wherever i can.
The HT seems to have a very similar occurrence with members in bands, in being that it's members can be few and far between, sometimes in separate countries even. Does this improve the overall quality of the music, having members that are completely like minded?
Alot of bands are very secretive of whos in their band, which adds to the mystique, but comes across like its one person. Some are just studio bands that play every now and then so they can be from the other side of the globe. I do think it adds abit of quality to the music, your not just collaborating with your friend around the corner who isnt into the same stuff as you, so you find people out there that are very like minded and it works easier, plus the cultural difference comes through too.
As far as i know you've put out a demo and have an album just about ready to release on Frequency Deleted, is there anything else in the works for Abraxis?
Im always recording, So far theres the demo i did last year and the new CD out shortly. I still have some songs not quite done, but due to the last year ive had, most of my equipment and recording gear is at my old address. I have some songs ready to go which im hoping i can organise a 7" or split with one of my fellow Holy Terrorists. But I am always updating songs on the myspace, like the Portishead cover, songs that are just spur of the moment things. Songs that may not really fit into a genre or maybe just a song i am willing to give away because i believe in it. Somethings missing in music these days, someone willing to give their art for free just because they back it.
Alot of your songs are based around very dark topics, do you feel that people ignore the true darkness in this world?
I dont think they ignore it, i just think its not there for them personally. Some people end up drawn to darkness because of where theyve come from and then theres just the evil. But theres good and bad in all of us.
On the album, there's the Integrity Cover: 'Abraxis Annihilation'. Why this particular song, where does it fit in with the whole theme of the album?
The cover, no real reason. While me, mackey an Brett were jamming we played that an hollow, I liked the mid break an the intro alot music wise, the album it's from I learnt how to play guitar to. The dynamics in the song vocally are great, if you read dwids words an play the song it's very different an in the studio it was the hardest song to record. Theme wise it doesn't really stand to far from the rest an I thought using it's lyrics as a jumping board for the life of Abraxis.
The album has artwork done by GIVE UP, an artist commonly known for doing street art and posters. Why did you choose him to do the artwork?
Firstly, His art is amazing. He is part of the HT and after seeing the designs for bands like Palehorse, Rot in Hell, How can you really not ask? Plus he was keen to do it and was really easy to work with, He nailed it and hes a rad dude, get his book. very impressive
Being a 'god free' band of sorts, what's your take on all these bands just stating blatant disbelief for anything?
I think you can tell someone trying to be defiant and someone just speaking thier mind. Straight edge, Christian, Godfree, its all the same, you can talk it up but make sure you back it up, your willing to die for god, kill yourself, you really believe a blonde haired blue eyed messiah from the middle east died for your sins? A person who walked on water only to be named in history by two historians, one being a liar and the other only just saying the name jesus. How can you put your life into a book. A book written by god ? courtesy of john the baptist. The WORD of GOD, written by someone else? your straight edge? great, stay the fuck away from drugs, you cant tell me how bad they are if you never tried them yourself, your edge before your 18? You cant even drink yet legally anyway, look at all the greatest bands ever an whats their main drive behind the music… drugs. Except Earth Crisis, cos im sure the Strife boys sold out. Ive been friends with straight edgers who would score for me on tour, Christian bands doing covers of Zao for my old band. I dont think you should have to spout out about how hard you are. My songs have always been about that, people who know me properly know thats what im about, we had songs in Against about it, Forever fighting was about it. I never intended to sound like a godfree band, I just wrote about liars, an one of the greatest liars or lie is Christianity, religion, Dark times bring out the darkness and thats what it abraxis is about about, friends fucking you over, enemies trying to get the best of you, people you trust going behind your back, ending in an actual insane asylum. My musical background has always reflected this, except for some, but the music was able to go beyond the boundaries of the message.
A fair few Holy Terror bands, ala Integrity, Rot In Hell, The Banner... are very into extensive packaging and presentation, providing lots of added extras/rarities to their releases. Is this something that you feel is equally as important to the releases as the actual songs themselves?
Presentation is always something i have really loved in a release, Labels like Southern Lord and the other labels supporting most HT bands really do go that extra mile, be it Vinyl only releases, LTD pressings, its not AS important as the music but it definatly makes supporters actually BUY a cd, DVD vinyl. But to me, music is the starting point, I mean you can find a dime a dozen of bands with CDs out, but it doesnt mean shit cos its in a box, if the music sucks, it sucks. The most important thing about bands with some artistic integrity commonly found in bands like, Vegas, Sunn0))), Merzbow, Striborg, Goatsnake, Pulling Teeth, Agoraphobic nosebleed, Converge, is that they make the art as important to the music for themselves, not because it will sell a shirt. They make art worthy of the music. 7" s and LTD pressings are almost a way of the past compared to all the weak metalcore carbon copies out now.
Favourite albums of all time, regardless of genre.
Mindsnare - hanged choked wrists slit, Dillinger Escape Plan - calculating infinity, Ringworm - Birth is pain, Mayhem - wolfs lair abyss, Mayhem - Grand declaration of war, Integrity - Humanity is the devil, Origin - S/T, Deftones - white pony, Weakling - dead as dreams, Venetian snares - doll doll doll, Tool - AEnima, Reprisal - where heavy gloom dominates, Suffocation - Despise the sun, Zao - Liberte ex inferis (Sp?) Shining – Halmstad, Burzum – filosifem, Congress – angry with the sun.. it goes on
If you could have any one person, living or dead contribute to Abraxis, who would it be and why?
too many people, Dwid would be good, Aaron Turner? Merzbow? the Melnick twins before 2000, Neurosis, The twins from Wish for Wings
What is the best live show you've ever seen, weather it be hardcore or not?
thats hard too, every show mindsnare did on the Against, Mindsnare Samsara tour. Opeth the first time they came. Ringworm, Raised Fist, Satyricon, American Nightmare. too many, Blood duster when FTW played with them, pretty much anything Beltzy has done.
Why is Mindsnares cover of Iron Fist so fucking awesome?
Iron fist? Anything Beltzy does is gold. That guy is Australias best guitarist no lie!
Name any one song that you would like to see any one band cover and why?
Any song...Deathcrush by mayhem played by mindsnare or in the shadow of the horns by darkthrone played by blood duster. Oh an funeral moon by mayhem played by mindsnare too!!
Common question, seeing as this zine is aimed at people who may not have tapped into this side of hardcore, whats with Manson and the Flying Fish?
Manson should be set free, the fish.. its iconic to the HT... cant really go deeper
Any people to put a thanks out to or a fuck you out to, living, dead, imaginary?
Thanks, fd records, dwid t from vegas, kasner, give up, nigel, dave samsara, graham, greg against.
Fuck off to all the people who went cold as when I left against, like I'm a fucking leper.
Fuck Fence sitters. Fuck god, fuck jehova, praise Satan ,praise the goat, praise boyd rice, praise the tides to wash this all away.
Praise the drug dealers in my area praise cocaine, praise valium, praise Xanax. praise the hardcore bands who know who chubby fresh is and fuck the Nchc take that how you want, fuck sideways hats, fuck listening to dance music while a hardcore band is playing live, praise Satan.
Praise the holy terror alliance
Fuck bridge nine for making the hardcore world turn into a bunch of copycats and fuck haters who say Abraxis sounds like integrity, I ripped off day of mourning and left for dead. Fuck off
Fxfx forever true, this interview goes out to Gaz an the with wings twins
Andy Wounds
www.myspace.com/Abraxishc
www.holyterror.com
www.myspace.com/chuckedguts
