Interview with SUBLIND
!!!THRASH METAL FROM LUXEMBOURG!!!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
We had a conversation with Luca Tommasi (vocals) & Mehdi Addi (bass)
Tell us a few things about SUBLIND (Members, Starting Year etc).
L: Hi, first of all, thanks a lot for having us. We are Sublind, a thrash metal band from Luxembourg, active since December 2005. Our main influence is obviously thrash metal, be it that from the 80ies or the new wave. Since our
foundation we had the chance to play an important amount of gigs here and there, meeting international legends and making a lot of friends. We had some important line-up changes over all these years, which fortunately did not stop us to release some records, be it EP’s, demos or albums, which are well received all in all. Over the last weeks and months we were busy preparing the release from our upcoming EP “Metalmorphosis”, which will be dropped on February 14 th … Valentine’s Day. This happens only two years after “The Cenosillicaphobic Sessions” was thrown to the masses.
M: In summer 2024, I joined the band as their new bass player to replace Rol and had my first concert ever a month later. I am more of a guitar player but once I received that opportunity to join them as a bass player, I didn’t hesitate a second. The first rehearsal was smooth as I got to know both the band members through our different interactions before and the music as well, so everything went well and as expected. What can I say? I’m glad that I joined Sublind and thrilled to continue the journey.
In 2023 you have released your album ''The Cenosillicaphobic Sessions''. What was the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
M: From a fan’s perspective, here is a story of how I stumbled upon Sublind for the first time. It was by a coincidence, on a Sunday evening, in January 2023 at the MK Bar (that is 200 m far away from my place) while they were filming their video clip of “For those about to Riot” from the album “The Cenosillicaphobic Sessions”. As I was passing by, I’ve noticed that the bar was open which was a very odd thing on a Sunday. My curiosity stepped up and I didn’t hesitate to step inside, and we had our first interaction, and with no hesitation they welcomed me to stay. And they played a set in the meantime to warm up before filming the album. Everything struck me at once; the discovery of the band, the sound and the energy that was pulled off. I fell in love with the band since that day. Then the full album dropped two months later and didn’t disappoint the performance that I’ve seen the first time and the future concerts that I’ve been into either in Luxembourg or when they opened for Exhorder & Nervosa last year in Germany.
L: We are more than happy with the feedback we received. I think a lot of people just got stuck with the snotty brachiality, which I think we express quite well on the record. You get a lot of feedback on social media, and at the end of 2023 we saw or read several times that the album was ranked among the top albums of the year, chosen by many individuals but also smaller webzines or magazines. A considerable number of copies were ordered by people outside Luxembourg, including a distributor and a record store from Japan who wanted to sell our album there. The record store even sold out after a few weeks. That gives you motivation and confirms that your work pays off.
You are going to release your new EP "Metalmorphosis". Tell us a few things about this project.
L: That’s right. In fact the EP contains six older and re-recorded songs from our album “Thrashing Delirium”, which was released in February 2014. We think the old songs are strong and that's why some of them are still played live and shouted along to at local concerts. Since the line-up of the band has changed several times over the years and we have also developed musically (luckily, haha), it was time to re-wrap the old songs with a new sound and better recording and to revive the cover with a new look. For the artwork we worked together with none other than Dan Goldsworthy. The album “Thrashing Delirium” thus becomes “Metalmorphosis”, where the title of the latter is also exactly groundbreaking! We worked with an excellent producer, Billy Kauffmann, who understood very precisely what we wanted and how Sublind should sound in 2025. The idea of recording this EP came up in 2022, while we were finishing the recordings for “The Cenosillicaphobic Sessions”.
Label or DIY and why?
L: As a band, we want to stay independent and go the DIY route. It gives us full creative control, freedom to make our own decisions, and the ability to connect directly with our fans. While a label is definitely interesting, it's not a direct need for us right now. Maybe for an upcoming record, we will discuss it. We’re happy building things on our own terms!
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
L: We fortunately had not that much weird shows, but more weird experiences or adventures with the band. When they’re weird, they are worth to be told, wait for it! One of my favorite anecdotes is this one: something very weird happened after a gig in summer 2011, when our former bass player lost his two basses just in front of his house door at 3:00 am. How is this possible? I was driving that night and drove him back home after that boozy night. When we arrived at his house and he got out of the car, I found out the next day that he fell asleep with his two basses right after I left the place. In fact, the morning after, he called me and asked if I kept his basses. We found out that finally when he woke up in the morning, still outside, that both basses disappeared. No one on this planet knows how the basses disappeared, whether they were stolen, taken by a UFO or just got legs and ran away. I love this story! And luckily, our former bass player laughs also about this. I could tell a lot more, but many anecdotes would break the squad. Next question please?
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
M: For me personally I prefer having a vinyl in my hands to immerse myself in the experience of the record while listening to it. But growing up I used all sorts of available formats and especially digital format because it was simpler to get and more available, it also enabled me to discover more albums and more bands that influenced me throughout the years.
L: I’m definitely team CD and vinyl, but I get that streaming is super important in today’s music business—it’s a game-changer for getting music out there and reaching new fans. Still, nothing beats holding a physical copy and really appreciating the artwork. Streaming might be the future, but I’ll always have a soft spot for that old-school, tangible vibe! And let’s not forget that buying a physical copy of music is the best way to support the artist.
Your music style is Thrash Metal. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
L: Our band’s main influence is Thrash metal. That does not mean that all the as members we only listen to that. Personally, I also love death metal, I am totally into the classic stuff but also really started to appreciate newer and more technical stuff. I also love stoner doom and a huge amount of bands which are not “classified” under this genres. If I had to name my top artists, that would be Venom, Sepultura, Exodus, Judas Priest and Sodom.
M: I’m joining Luca in his main influences, and as a bass player I always had a huge admiration for technical Thrash Metal bands such as Coroner, Sadus, Mekong Delta and Annihilator.
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?
L: As a band, we sacrifice a lot of time and energy to see important results. Like every band member, we all work 40-hour weeks, so balancing jobs and music takes a lot of dedication. We’ve definitely sacrificed personal time and some comforts, but it’s all worth it to push the band forward and build a future. Of course, there are things—like family—that are more important, and we make sure to keep that balance. You have to be willing to put in the work for the dream, but also know when to step back and focus on what really matters!
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
L: My ideal live show as a band would be a high-energy, sweaty, crowd-packed experience where we can really connect with the audience. Think small, intimate club vibes, but with the energy of a stadium—people screaming the lyrics back at us, jumping, and maybe even crowd surfing. Then, crystal clear sound, but with that raw, live feel that defines our band. And after the gig, I want to be absolutely destroyed—exhausted, sore, barely able to move—but so happy and overwhelmed that I can't stop smiling. Thankfully, this happens nearly everytime! The kind of exhaustion where you feel like you've just run a marathon, but all you want to do is high-five everyone around you and collapse into a pile of gear cases.
What attributes do you think that a new Thrash Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
M: To gain identity and be a unique Thrash Metal band is the most difficult thing in an era where other music genres have taken more importance with a lot of bands that some are thriving, and some are getting left behind. In the new wave of Thrash Metal, the best example for me would be Havok. They have achieved a unique sound, intense riffs, astonishing leads, nailed vocals with slamming drums and outstanding basslines that envelop everything quite uniquely. It’s a mix of consistency of the musical structure, harmony, persistency and energy. When creating new music, we must also put in mind not to fall into the trap of the will to bring back the same music that was created by the legendary Thrash Metal bands in the 80s and early 90s, but just to have the spirit, the mentality of it and thrash it!
L: Yep, totally agree with Mehdi! Personally, I think thrash metal starts with attitude. The riffing and musicality come right after that—it's the backbone of thrash, but the attitude has to be there first. A new band should focus on being unapologetically themselves, staying true to what thrash is about, but also putting their own unique spin on it. Whether it's through killer riffs, an intense live show, or just the way they carry themselves, it’s that authenticity and energy that will set them apart!
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?
L: Absolutely! They give you the ability to reach people from all over the world, which, let’s be honest, was pretty much impossible 5-10 years ago. Now, we can connect with fans directly and share our music in places we’d never have imagined before. That being said, I still think the most authentic way to promote your band is through live performances. Nothing beats the energy of a thrash show, where you can feel the crowd, see the sweat, and see people go nuts—digital platforms can’t quite match the chaos and glory of a live mosh pit. It’s like, you can post a video of a headbang, but you can’t quite capture the feeling of actually being in the pit, right? That’s the heart and soul of thrash metal!
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Luxembourg (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
L: Luxembourg has countless great metal bands, like Fusion Bomb, Kraton, Cosmogon, Desdemonia, Blanket Hill, Scarlet Anger and many new young bands, just to name a very, very few, and we’ve got so much talent here that we definitely deserve more attention. The underground scene is thriving, even if we're a small country. As for venues, we only have a very few of them, but the ones we do have, for example the MK Bar, the Kufa and Rocklab, are super active and supportive of the local scene. They host awesome gigs, giving bands the chance to play and really keep the metal spirit alive. It’s great to see many people involved and supporting each other, from bands to promoters to the fans who keep coming out. We might be small, but the metal here is loud and proud! And honestly, when it comes to quality, we don’t have to hide behind the international scene—we’ve got the chops to stand quite close to them!
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
L: Greece has a lot of excellent bands like Suicidal Angels, Rotting Christ, SepticFlesh which I really enjoy. But my favourite band from Greece might be Omega, ultra raw and old-school blackened thrash. Then there are Violent Definition and Riffobia, which released outstanding records over the last years!
What are your future plans?
L: Well, we’re all about promoting our upcoming EP “Metalmorphosis”, and we’re excited to get it into as many hands and ears as possible! We’ll be playing a few gigs here and there, making some noise, and hopefully causing a bit of chaos, in the best way possible. It’s all about enjoying our time as a band, having fun, and of course, making sure our merch table is well-stocked with cool stuff. We might not be headlining arenas just yet, but we're having a blast along the way! And hey, if we can find a way to tour with an endless supply of beer and pasta, we’ll call it a win!
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
We thank you all for your support and hope you’ll enjoy our upcoming EP. PLAY IT LOUD!
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
PS. Many thanks to Markus (https://www.facebook.com/MetalMessage.Global) for this interview (Cheers mate!)
SUBLIND CONTACT:
https://www.facebook.com/sublind
https://www.instagram.com/sublindthrash/
https://sublind.bandcamp.com/music
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7zwethsHY66MfvoGjr0k6K