Sudden Death Syndrome
Hi, what's up in BILOCATE, are you writing some new stuff?
Hi, thank you for interviewing BILOCATE, we're doing excellent, and yes we are writing some new stuff, as we're now preparing for the re-release of our first album "Dysphoria" in a whole new outfit, and in parallel we are preparing lyrics and plans for new material to be released in a whole new album afterwards.
Some time ago there have been reports your secret police ordered you to stop performing and dissolve due to your lyrics. Is it true?
Actually it's true to a certain extent, we've been ordered not to hold any concerts in our country and also been advised to dissolve the band, but it wasn't in reference to our lyrics, our lyrics aren't actually as extreme as assumed, they are mostly from the real life, and in some parts visionary, the basic idea behind the restriction we're facing is that this whole type of music isn't appreciated as a type of art, and is actually covered under the umbrella of extreme acts such as Satanism, which's completely unacceptable in our society.
Your music has very strong and mysterious atmosphere. Will you continue with it on your next albums?
Absolutely yes, we've founded the Dark Oriental Metal sub-genre which's built upon a strong concept, principles, and characteristics, so we'll surly continue working with it in progressive development.
What is the general situation in your country as to metal music? Here in Slovakia were a couple of attempts to stop metal shows by Christian organizations, but only for big bands as BLACK SABBATH, etc.. Is metal music playing in the TV or radio in Jordan?
Basically, metal music in Jordan is forbidden, by the authorities, the society, and religious institutes, but you would find some off-the-map stuff like... a couple of metal songs played on radio here and there, actually we ourselves have been interviewed twice on radio and our music was played on air, but we're not allowed to perform live under any circumstances.
Would you like to play here in neighboring Czech Republic at Brutal Assault Fest? It will be 12 - 14. August 2010.
The Czech Republic is a place that we're certainly looking forward to play-in, and surly wither it's a gig or a festival, however for Brutal assault we haven't been invited by the promoters, any promoter / organizer can reach us through our booking agency Lugga music (luggamusic.com)
Album "Sudden Death Syndrome" has a great sound, but why the recording session taken almost 4 months?
You are right, the recording of “Sudden Death Syndrome” took more than expected as we wanted to reach the ultimate sound quality, the band members are currently living in 3 different countries so it took us more time to record all the lines in the level we needed, and then we had to search for a proper professional studio for the mixing and mastering which is also not easy being away from Europe and using the internet tools for communications. Finally we managed to get one of the top producers in Europe to work with us after he heard the samples we've sent to him and the results as you heard were amazing.
What does mean the album title?
"Sudden Death Syndrome" literally means "War", conceptually, when you're living in a region with continuous warring around, it's possible that you'd fall dead unexpectedly while you're doing any normal behavior, like having dinner with your family, or going to buy some medicine, you'd be actually having a sudden death, but the syndrome is there, it's the warring environment.
Blooded Forrest track takes over 17 minutes, how was it created? Is it difficult to write such a long track?
We had the lyrics for Blooded Forest ready since 2001, and we were just waiting for the right timing to build the whole song, when we figured the perfect fit for it, we translated the lyrics into musical ideas to become a whole song, for us it's not really that difficult, because this epic style is actually one of the essential characteristics in our style, but I'd have to say, creating such a track does require a special focus to be able to put such a strong and epic concept into a song, on "Dysphoria" we have a song titled "A Desire to Leave", it's almost 20 minutes long, and till this very moment it's known as the longest track created by an Arab metal band.
Bands as MELECHESH or ORPHANED LAND play an oriental metal, do you like it?
Yes for sure, we share the same history and culture, adding oriental elements to metal music gives it a unique sound which you can’t find normally. The sounds oriental bands produce when it’s done professionally are pretty much welcomed by all metal fans worldwide. In May 2009 we shared a festival with MELECHESH and it was amazing to hear our dark oriental metal music with MELECHESH black oriental music, it’s an experience we will remember forever.
Haven’t you been thinking about moving to another state as MELECHESH did?
It’s not an easy thing to do but we like to experience new cultures and yes we had the thought of moving to Europe or US as it’s a better market for our music with much less restrictions as our region. Metal is banned in most of the middle eastern countries so whatever BILOCATE and other bands are doing is definitely a huge accomplishment, nothing is easy around here.
Metal Archives page keeps track of only 13 active metal bands from Jordan. Is it not a little to a country which has the same population as Slovakia?
It's very little in comparisons to the population and also so many bands in comparison the actual scene / listeners to this type of music, and even it’s safe to cut their list of bands to half that are almost active, so many factors lead to this situation, for ex. you have the whole society working against you, being unappreciated for the work you do, not to mentioned the little support you get IF you got it, musical equipment with over 60% tax's so if the guitar cost 100USD at the origin country in Jordan it will be around 400USD, for ex. I recall buying my 1st bass for 50 JOD (70 USD) which is more as a bow than a bass, and took me ages to collect, so many youth facing the same, when it come to the 1st thing you might ever need to form a band which is equipment.
On the other side you have no live shows, so you figure where you can get a motivation to create a band, for ex. Bilocate our 1st live appearance was in 2006, 3 years after formation and releasing a full album!!! Even while I'm writing now I still can't comprehended how we managed to stay this long?
I think you are quite unappreciated band; a larger label would certainly help you. Haven’t you try to contact someone?
To some extend it's true, however we've been in touch with many label, even Major and their A&R aware of Bilocate, however Music by itself nowadays not enough, it's pure business, before you attract a major label your CD sale need to hit over 15,000 copy, I recall the other day talking with A&R of a major label and some of the conversation was about the economical crises effect alongside the low buying of actual CD, and their now trying to cut bands that their sale not hitting the 6-7 thousands.
However on the other side some of the offers we got weren't justifying and more into slaving the band, that's why we keep the full right of album to ourselves, and prefer to be labeless than be tied and controlled, since the band member are all coming from a solid business background.
1 month ago we signed with KOLONY RECORDS from Italy, the label showed much interest in “Sudden Death Syndrome” after its release 2 year ago to release it again in 2010 all over Europe, we found Kolony to be a good label, working and focusing on their bands so it was a good step, currently we are seeking a label for our next release (late 2010).
Are you interested in the history of your country? Near your area, specifically in Sumer, they say our civilization was born...
Well, of course, and there's actually much of history to be told here in our region :), but however, I wouldn't say that BILOCATE is strictly a history-telling band, we might get to this in some moments, but we have a larger pool of concepts to draw our ideas from.
There is written 90% of Jordan covers desert or semi desert, but you live in the capital Amman. How does it feel to walk the desert? Does it inspire you in composing music, or lyrics? Probably you don’t know snow there?
Ummm, actually there's an exaggeration here, out capital city Amman, is actually built on 7 mountains, a very considerable amount of the geography of Jordan is made of mountains, valleys, and plains, of course am not denying that there's a desert in Jordan but it's more at the southern and eastern parts of the country, basically, I don't walk on desert, unless I go at a special trip or travel to the south on the area between Amman and Aqaba which's around 350 KM, and not all pure desert, Aqaba by the way is the city at the farthest south of the country and it's a bay city, on the other hand when you check out the middle of Jordan going to the north and/or west you'd find many mountains and plains, and green fields. And about snow, oh yes I do, I live on a mountain peak, it's significantly high and so cold and we do have a lot of rains and mists in winter, and this is really great :). In general we do get inspired by the environment around us, and I can say it does have an important effect on our production.
The album features The Dead Sea song, sure you were inspired by the Dead Sea which you neighbors. Do you know why it is called just dead? Is it such morbid sea? Ha
In fact The Dead Sea is in Jordan not a neighbor :), the song is not about that sea it’s about a sea that is watching war around him and filled with blood yet it’s not able to do anything the sea is like a graveyard seeing death all around it and it’s dead and cannot do anything. The Dead Sea in Jordan is called this way because it doesn't have any sea life in it, all sea creatures are dead and cannot survive the level of salt in its water as it’s very high that kills anything in the sea.
Bilocate word is not a common word, what does it means to you and why you selected it?
BILOCATE mean being in many different places at the same time, it was taken from the word Bilocation, we feel that it reflects our vision as we are in one place yet our music is in many different places so we are Bilocating with our thoughts and tunes.
Which bands are you recently listening to most? That would be all from me. End it all up somehow and if you can, add your current top 5 albums. Wish you all the best.
Well, we do have some variation when you as each member to state the bands he listens to but I think I can state the following in general:
Opeth, Bloodbath, Katatonia, Porcupine Tree, My Dying Bride, Emperor, as for albums:
1. Pink Floyd - The Wall
2. Edge of Sanity - Crimson I and II
3. Opeth - Ghost Reviers and Orchid
4. Katatonia - Brave Murder Day
5. My Dying Bride - The light at the end of the world
6. Bloodbath - Nightmares made flesh
7. Porcupine - In Absentia
and many others to list.
Thanks again, it's been really a pleasure answering your questions, keep it true.
Ramzi 7. 5. 2010 Storm
http://www.bilocate.net/
Hi, thank you for interviewing BILOCATE, we're doing excellent, and yes we are writing some new stuff, as we're now preparing for the re-release of our first album "Dysphoria" in a whole new outfit, and in parallel we are preparing lyrics and plans for new material to be released in a whole new album afterwards.
Some time ago there have been reports your secret police ordered you to stop performing and dissolve due to your lyrics. Is it true?
Actually it's true to a certain extent, we've been ordered not to hold any concerts in our country and also been advised to dissolve the band, but it wasn't in reference to our lyrics, our lyrics aren't actually as extreme as assumed, they are mostly from the real life, and in some parts visionary, the basic idea behind the restriction we're facing is that this whole type of music isn't appreciated as a type of art, and is actually covered under the umbrella of extreme acts such as Satanism, which's completely unacceptable in our society.
Your music has very strong and mysterious atmosphere. Will you continue with it on your next albums?
Absolutely yes, we've founded the Dark Oriental Metal sub-genre which's built upon a strong concept, principles, and characteristics, so we'll surly continue working with it in progressive development.
What is the general situation in your country as to metal music? Here in Slovakia were a couple of attempts to stop metal shows by Christian organizations, but only for big bands as BLACK SABBATH, etc.. Is metal music playing in the TV or radio in Jordan?
Basically, metal music in Jordan is forbidden, by the authorities, the society, and religious institutes, but you would find some off-the-map stuff like... a couple of metal songs played on radio here and there, actually we ourselves have been interviewed twice on radio and our music was played on air, but we're not allowed to perform live under any circumstances.
Would you like to play here in neighboring Czech Republic at Brutal Assault Fest? It will be 12 - 14. August 2010.
The Czech Republic is a place that we're certainly looking forward to play-in, and surly wither it's a gig or a festival, however for Brutal assault we haven't been invited by the promoters, any promoter / organizer can reach us through our booking agency Lugga music (luggamusic.com)
Album "Sudden Death Syndrome" has a great sound, but why the recording session taken almost 4 months?
You are right, the recording of “Sudden Death Syndrome” took more than expected as we wanted to reach the ultimate sound quality, the band members are currently living in 3 different countries so it took us more time to record all the lines in the level we needed, and then we had to search for a proper professional studio for the mixing and mastering which is also not easy being away from Europe and using the internet tools for communications. Finally we managed to get one of the top producers in Europe to work with us after he heard the samples we've sent to him and the results as you heard were amazing.
What does mean the album title?
"Sudden Death Syndrome" literally means "War", conceptually, when you're living in a region with continuous warring around, it's possible that you'd fall dead unexpectedly while you're doing any normal behavior, like having dinner with your family, or going to buy some medicine, you'd be actually having a sudden death, but the syndrome is there, it's the warring environment.
Blooded Forrest track takes over 17 minutes, how was it created? Is it difficult to write such a long track?
We had the lyrics for Blooded Forest ready since 2001, and we were just waiting for the right timing to build the whole song, when we figured the perfect fit for it, we translated the lyrics into musical ideas to become a whole song, for us it's not really that difficult, because this epic style is actually one of the essential characteristics in our style, but I'd have to say, creating such a track does require a special focus to be able to put such a strong and epic concept into a song, on "Dysphoria" we have a song titled "A Desire to Leave", it's almost 20 minutes long, and till this very moment it's known as the longest track created by an Arab metal band.
Bands as MELECHESH or ORPHANED LAND play an oriental metal, do you like it?
Yes for sure, we share the same history and culture, adding oriental elements to metal music gives it a unique sound which you can’t find normally. The sounds oriental bands produce when it’s done professionally are pretty much welcomed by all metal fans worldwide. In May 2009 we shared a festival with MELECHESH and it was amazing to hear our dark oriental metal music with MELECHESH black oriental music, it’s an experience we will remember forever.
Haven’t you been thinking about moving to another state as MELECHESH did?
It’s not an easy thing to do but we like to experience new cultures and yes we had the thought of moving to Europe or US as it’s a better market for our music with much less restrictions as our region. Metal is banned in most of the middle eastern countries so whatever BILOCATE and other bands are doing is definitely a huge accomplishment, nothing is easy around here.
Metal Archives page keeps track of only 13 active metal bands from Jordan. Is it not a little to a country which has the same population as Slovakia?
It's very little in comparisons to the population and also so many bands in comparison the actual scene / listeners to this type of music, and even it’s safe to cut their list of bands to half that are almost active, so many factors lead to this situation, for ex. you have the whole society working against you, being unappreciated for the work you do, not to mentioned the little support you get IF you got it, musical equipment with over 60% tax's so if the guitar cost 100USD at the origin country in Jordan it will be around 400USD, for ex. I recall buying my 1st bass for 50 JOD (70 USD) which is more as a bow than a bass, and took me ages to collect, so many youth facing the same, when it come to the 1st thing you might ever need to form a band which is equipment.
On the other side you have no live shows, so you figure where you can get a motivation to create a band, for ex. Bilocate our 1st live appearance was in 2006, 3 years after formation and releasing a full album!!! Even while I'm writing now I still can't comprehended how we managed to stay this long?
I think you are quite unappreciated band; a larger label would certainly help you. Haven’t you try to contact someone?
To some extend it's true, however we've been in touch with many label, even Major and their A&R aware of Bilocate, however Music by itself nowadays not enough, it's pure business, before you attract a major label your CD sale need to hit over 15,000 copy, I recall the other day talking with A&R of a major label and some of the conversation was about the economical crises effect alongside the low buying of actual CD, and their now trying to cut bands that their sale not hitting the 6-7 thousands.
However on the other side some of the offers we got weren't justifying and more into slaving the band, that's why we keep the full right of album to ourselves, and prefer to be labeless than be tied and controlled, since the band member are all coming from a solid business background.
1 month ago we signed with KOLONY RECORDS from Italy, the label showed much interest in “Sudden Death Syndrome” after its release 2 year ago to release it again in 2010 all over Europe, we found Kolony to be a good label, working and focusing on their bands so it was a good step, currently we are seeking a label for our next release (late 2010).
Are you interested in the history of your country? Near your area, specifically in Sumer, they say our civilization was born...
Well, of course, and there's actually much of history to be told here in our region :), but however, I wouldn't say that BILOCATE is strictly a history-telling band, we might get to this in some moments, but we have a larger pool of concepts to draw our ideas from.
There is written 90% of Jordan covers desert or semi desert, but you live in the capital Amman. How does it feel to walk the desert? Does it inspire you in composing music, or lyrics? Probably you don’t know snow there?
Ummm, actually there's an exaggeration here, out capital city Amman, is actually built on 7 mountains, a very considerable amount of the geography of Jordan is made of mountains, valleys, and plains, of course am not denying that there's a desert in Jordan but it's more at the southern and eastern parts of the country, basically, I don't walk on desert, unless I go at a special trip or travel to the south on the area between Amman and Aqaba which's around 350 KM, and not all pure desert, Aqaba by the way is the city at the farthest south of the country and it's a bay city, on the other hand when you check out the middle of Jordan going to the north and/or west you'd find many mountains and plains, and green fields. And about snow, oh yes I do, I live on a mountain peak, it's significantly high and so cold and we do have a lot of rains and mists in winter, and this is really great :). In general we do get inspired by the environment around us, and I can say it does have an important effect on our production.
The album features The Dead Sea song, sure you were inspired by the Dead Sea which you neighbors. Do you know why it is called just dead? Is it such morbid sea? Ha
In fact The Dead Sea is in Jordan not a neighbor :), the song is not about that sea it’s about a sea that is watching war around him and filled with blood yet it’s not able to do anything the sea is like a graveyard seeing death all around it and it’s dead and cannot do anything. The Dead Sea in Jordan is called this way because it doesn't have any sea life in it, all sea creatures are dead and cannot survive the level of salt in its water as it’s very high that kills anything in the sea.
Bilocate word is not a common word, what does it means to you and why you selected it?
BILOCATE mean being in many different places at the same time, it was taken from the word Bilocation, we feel that it reflects our vision as we are in one place yet our music is in many different places so we are Bilocating with our thoughts and tunes.
Which bands are you recently listening to most? That would be all from me. End it all up somehow and if you can, add your current top 5 albums. Wish you all the best.
Well, we do have some variation when you as each member to state the bands he listens to but I think I can state the following in general:
Opeth, Bloodbath, Katatonia, Porcupine Tree, My Dying Bride, Emperor, as for albums:
1. Pink Floyd - The Wall
2. Edge of Sanity - Crimson I and II
3. Opeth - Ghost Reviers and Orchid
4. Katatonia - Brave Murder Day
5. My Dying Bride - The light at the end of the world
6. Bloodbath - Nightmares made flesh
7. Porcupine - In Absentia
and many others to list.
Thanks again, it's been really a pleasure answering your questions, keep it true.
Ramzi 7. 5. 2010 Storm
http://www.bilocate.net/
