Interview with RABIES
!!!THRASH METAL FROM PHILIPPINES!!!
We had a conversation with Jervish Alcos (Guitars/Vocals). Enjoy!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about RABIES (Members, Starting Year etc).
The band started in 2009 that's also the same year we recorded our first 4 song demo Radiation Devastation after that we recorded our first EP Apocalypse Agenda in 2010 the original lineup stayed until 2011. Then in 2011 Arius (Infestor) and MG (Ataul) joined on guitars and bass and since then the current lineup stayed.
You have recently released your EP ''Time Paradox Meltdown''. What is the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
We experimented a lot on this new EP so we are not expecting any positive feedback. The good thing is everyone seems to be enjoying the direction of our music which pushes us to experiment more on future releases.
Label or DIY and why?
BOTH worked well with us but I prefer having a record label because they will do the promotion and distribution side of things.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
Not a weird story but this is a gross one haha I remember there was one gig that i played with an abscessed tooth and my gums are swelling and it bled while singing and I was forced to drink that blood because I can't spit it on the stage.
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
Personally, I prefer digital format because of the convenience but I still have tapes and CDs that I traded/bought during my early days of discovering metal but I rarely play them these days.
Your music style is Thrash Metal. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
I enjoy a simple 3 chord Discharge raw punk rock the same way I enjoy listening to a complex 20min Rush song. As a band we have a very wide range of influences especially outside thrash metal like hardcore punk that explains why we always do cover songs of our favorite hardcore/punk bands like Dead Kennedys and Circle Jerks as bonus tracks on our albums.
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?
I can't answer for other bands but the usual thing I sacrifice is money and time and everyone has a different definition of success and I think we are kinda successful as a band with our metrics.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
An ideal live show is when the backline is good and each member hears their instruments well and of course when the crowd goes nuts on every song that I think is an ideal live show.
What attributes do you think that a new Thrash Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique
Just accept that thrash metal is a well established metal genre and everything you do will always sounds unoriginal just don't be afraid to mix influences outside thrash metal to find your own sound.
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Thrash Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its work?
Digital platforms are a great help both bandcamp and youtube are good for promoting music/live shows. Each band has their own way of promoting their music. We just do whatever works for us.
Do you see any differences between the Metal Market in Philippines & the EU Metal Market (Labels, Bands, Fans etc)?
Being in a metalhead in a third world country, the metal scene in Europe is all we can dream everything is better there in Europe compared to the Philippines. But I think in terms of the quality of bands the Philippines can compete with every other country.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Philippines (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.
There are a few new bands that I like from our scene Power Abuse, Eurycide and Filipino Toxic Youth comes to mind you can them out as for the old bands there are Paganfire, Mass Hypnosia and End of Man are still flying the flag here. There are still a few of local labels releasing tapes and CDs like Anugal Audio Terror and Metal Choice Cuts. Printed zines are long dead here in the Philippines i used to collect a lot back in the 2010's but mostly shifted into online webzines.
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
Metal Throne Productions from Greece released our Apocalypse Agenda EP on cassette tape way back in 2011 and of course Rotting Christ!
In the last 4 years, worldwide in the world, we have faced many dark, strange, and new situations in our everyday lives (covid, lockdown, etc.). Did all of this affect you positively or negatively?
I treat the covid lockdown as a positive for me, the 2 year lockdown made me miss playing live again because i was getting burned out playing gigs before the pandemic, it also gave us time to focus on writing songs rather than playing live.
What are your future plans?
We are planning to start writing songs for the third album by next year. We are also planning to record a live studio session for our 15th anniversary release which will contain selected tracks from the first demo up to the latest release.
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Our new EP Time Paradox Meltdown is out digitally thru our bandcamp page:
https://rabiesattack.bandcamp.com/album/time-paradox-meltdown-ep
Cassette Tape version is also out via Anugal Audio Terror:
https://www.facebook.com/Anugalaudioterror
Bands, zines, labels contact us:
https://www.facebook.com/RabiesAttack
By Steve the Filthy Dog.