Interview with DIAMOND FALCON
!!!AUSTRIAN HEAVY METAL!!!
We had a conversation with Vin Weazzel (Vocals). Enjoy!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about DIAMOND FALCON (Members, Starting Year etc).
We’re a heavy metal band from Vienna, Austria. The brothers Steve Savage and Vin Weazzel (me) started the band 2012 as an anti-movement to the huge wave of upcoming metalcore bands back at the time. Over the last 10 years Diamond Falcon has toured Europe a couple of times and has put out three releases (2 albums, 1 EP).
You have recently released your EP ''New Shit 2019''. What is the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
Overwhelmingly positive throughout. We’re really happy about all the feedback reaching us, but we especially appreciate the feedback from our friends in other bands. Everyone seems to dig it so far, even though it’s heavier and darker than our previous releases.
Label or DIY and why?
DIY. I have gotten into recording back in 2017 and started a little home studio. Since the release of Falcon’s Revenge, the gear was upgraded and of course I gained way more know-how on productions and different recording techniques so it would have been an utter waste of money to jump into a studio when the knowledge is “in house”. Also we’re not really tight on schedule as you may have noticed by our 2022 release called “NEW SHIT 2019”...
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
Actually everything. We’d really love a Vinyl release, but waiting times on the production are preposterous and the price is too high for an EP. We’re really just trying to put out our music for the love of it, so we’re not going for fancy physical limited edition super special productions or anything like that. We’re putting out our music on Bandcamp as a free download with the option to pay for it if you wanna support our band. We believe it’s about THE MUSIC so you can also just download it for free. If people dig it, they should be able to listen to it. We do offer CD’s though, for the real physical collectors such as ourselves.
Your music style is Heavy Metal. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
The earlier stuff was clearly leaning towards a traditional NWOBHM style, so pick your favourite artists from this movement and you’re probably there. The Big Four are also very prevalent in our songwriting. As for the later material we’ve gone into a heavier sound that’s not so much reminiscent of any traditional heavy metal but really more the band’s own evolutionary sound.
Which things do you think a Band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your Band?
Some heavy stuff you’re shooting at us right there. But I don’t think you should sacrifice anything “to succeed”. To be honest, I don’t even know what the question means. I think that the only goal for a musician should be to hone their skills and their music to a degree that they are happy with their work and to keep pushing the boundaries of their creative output. That’s what I would interpret as creatively “succeeding”. For that to happen I don’t need to sacrifice anything. If anything, I need to give everything. Everyone can define that goal of course any way they want. But if the defined goal is – for example – to drive a Ferrari, then you’re in the wrong business, go be a banker. As an artist, you should always be committed to your art. If you meet your expectations to convey your message with your art. Congratulations, you succeeded!
Describe your ideal live show as a performance Band. Have you already experienced that?
Good vibes and lots of beer haha. We’ve had shows where we played in front of a fairly large crowd but no one would move their asses. And then there was this one show in some Serbian dance club without a stage, without proper monitoring, without backstage or anything. 50 people tops. And it was insane! The people wouldn’t let us finish our show. We had to rock through the set 2,5 times before they let us take off our guitars and have the after show party. So it doesn’t really matter the crowd size or the location. If the people are cool and the vibe is there – that’s all you need!
Which attributes, do you think, that a new Heavy Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
Everyone’s unique. So everything you have to do is to be yourself. Many bands and people try to be someone else. We’re not completely free of this vice I’ll admit. In our starting days we leaned way to heavy towards imitating Iron Maiden in sound and style and my whole singing technique was (and thus in it’s core still is) centered around Bruce’s sound, but as we grew as musicians we’ve realized that that’s not what needs to be done, since it’s already been done. I respect a mediocre band that is honest and has their own style 10 times more than the perfect pseudo coverband that only copies template music that’s already been done a million times.
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Heavy Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a Band to promote its work?
I don’t even want to begin going into the matter of how the music industry works these days… If you want my opinion on this, I suggest we start a whole new interview on this subject, because it’s gonna be a long one.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Austria (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
The Austrian scene is good. We’ve got lots of bands actually. In my perception there was the “early wave” of Heavy Metal that spawned the “Austrian Heavy Metal Alliance” (a relic of the past, don’t ask). It was Liquid Steel, Roadwolf, Wildhunt, High Heeler and Diamond Falcon. Now we’re seeing a “new wave” of Heavy Metal bands like Küenring, Venator or Titan Killer. All great bands and there are regular live sets of every one of these. Of course those are just the ones that kind of overlap with our work, there’s COUNTLESS more bands, also “older” ones. As for bars, we’ve got numerous. Huge shoutout to our fav bar, the Escape Metalcorner, though. They even have a custom cocktail, the “Red Falcon” that is dedicated to our band. It’s an honour! There’s a bunch of Fan- and Webzines, too. I guess everyone in the Austrian Metal Scene would know Stormbringer or Starkstrom.
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
Not too much, but we have a few overlaps. Since we have ties into Greece we have loose contact to local Greek metal bands.
What are your future plans?
Play music and drink beer. Obviously.
Thank you very much for your time & Keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Thanks for the opportunity to have this interview and your interest in our work! To everyone reading this: see on on the road or in a bar. Thanks for reading, feel free to download our music if you dig it. Metal is alive and well!
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
DIAMOND FALCON CONTACT:
https://www.facebook.com/DiamondFalconMetal
https://www.instagram.com/diamond_falcon_official/
https://diamondfalcon.bandcamp.com/releases