Interviews : “Controversy will always follow us.” – A chat with Perseverance

It’s not very often that Melbourne’s Perseverance do much in the way of press, or any sort of communication really, but with a new album on the way, they broke that trend to answer a few questions from White Noise Productions (who released their debut album The Fading Light last year).

———————————–

White Noise Productions: G’day, would you mind introducing yourselves, and what part you play in PERSEVERANCE?

Damien Rankin: Alright, my name is Damien and I (try to) play the drums.

Rhys Mathew: Rhys, guitars.

WNP: Would you care to try to define for us the style or genre that best describes Perseverance, and maybe say a few words about the lyrical direction up to this point? What’s this all about?

DR: When it comes to questions like these, I’d probably like to play the ‘I’m just a drummer’ card because in all honesty I just hit shit and pay very little attention to what else is going on around me (this would be my answer for every band I’ve ever been in) – lets hope Rhys can give you a better insight into Perseverance then me!

RM: Perseverance plays Extreme Metal – to break it down any further would not do it justice. The individuals behind Perseverance draw inspiration from Black Metal, Death Metal, traditional Heavy Metal, Punk and Hardcore, and more. The first album was firmly rooted in Black Metal, with themes of hatred, despair and self-destruction. The follow-up showcases some new ideas, expanding upon the foundation laid with The Fading Light.

WNP: We understand that you guys are currently working on a new album, your second full-length and the follow-up in fact to 2011’s debut, ‘the Fading Light’. Can you give us a little information about the new CD, and what we might expect, similarities or differences from the first album?

DR: Well for starters we have legit drums! I guess also this album has had alot more input from the band as a whole in terms of what we’re all playing rather then it all being Gary’s baby, as per the first album.

RM: Recording with Damien will definitely improve the band’s energy and dynamics. I’d say this album is more extreme, like The Fading Light pushed into overdrive. The riffs are tougher, but without losing the melancholy of the first album. There’s greater contrast between the darker and lighter passages on the album. I’d say it’s a step forwards.

WNP: How has your music been recieved so far, can you define a typical Perseverance show, and have you had the opportunity to play many shows locally and interstate since the first release?

DR: I play music I like and don’t really care too much for others opinions, I’m sure there are people out there who love us and those that hate us. I think through a show those who have never seen us may not know how to take us? Typically a Perseverance show can be very unpredictable, and depending what form Gary is in could depend on what the crowd reaction is. But as I said, end of the day we’re up there playing music we like and having fun so couldn’t care less what people think of us. We have played locally and interstate, Sydney was interesting – we probably weren’t on a very like-minded bill so shit got pretty funny..

RM: Perseverance shows can be violent and chaotic – exactly as a live band should be. There’s precious little danger in live shows, Metal has become very safe. We tread a different path – some will love us and some will hate us.

WNP: Can you share any crazy tour stories, or maybe any funny or not-so-funny incidents during any live shows up to this point?

DR: Wow where to start?! This is what I love about this band.. there have been so many funny moments, even the moments considered not funny have been funny. Sydney was shit, yet hilarious – the crowd received the bulldog and may I say deserved it! There have been many funny local moments also, and I just would like to say – Gary, please never change.

RM: Yeah, we were forcefully removed from the stage in Sydney, and won’t be welcomed back to that venue in a hurry. Besides the Black Hole over Sydney and maybe Gary’s impromptu workouts during a set, I don’t think there’s anything funny about a Perseverance show. We’ve had fights on stage and in the crowd, there’s been fair amounts of blood spilt at Perseverance shows.

WNP: I remember reading or hearing some controversial statements and accusations about a member(s) of Perseverance over the last six months or so, would you care to elaborate at all?

DR: Is this the one about our old bass player blowing truck drivers on our drive up to Sydney? Or the one about Gary fingering the rehearsal studio girl for a meat pie? I believe there have been a few controversial things that have happened recently, but hey, that’s music. I just hope it’s not true what Rhys did to his pet cats..

RM: Controversy will always follow us. You could be referring to any number of things – violence/politics/feuds/bodily fluids spilt on stage. I do hear people question the bands politics often. Perseverance is not a political band. We are four individuals with different musical influences and political views, creating dark music.

WNP: So what motivates you guys to play the sort of music that you do, have you always had a fascination with Death, Darkness and the themes of the project, or did you both grow up around this sort of thing?

DR: I play the drums because I love music in general. I mainly grew up playing in Punk/Hardcore & Metal bands and have always wanted to play in a band like Perseverance. My current motivation is more just the dudes I’m in a band with, we have a lot of laughes just at rehearsal alone so it’s great to escape from everything else going on in life – hit some drums and talk some shit for a couple hours.

RM: The lyrical themes of the band come straight from Gary. I shouldn’t speak for Gary, but I know he’s had his ups and downs. He seems to have a lot of hatred that he wants to share with the world. As for myself, I just want to play music that is real. Music that is heavy, spiteful, dark. This is what we’re attracted to and what we want to spread.

WNP: Do you guys play for any other projects locally, and would you like to give a ‘shout out’ to any other bands in the Melbourne scene worth checking out?:

DR: Perseverance is my main project nowadays, in the past I have had other bands going on whilst in Perseverance but these days life is fairly busy for me so I like to keep things under control and concentrate on the one band. Not to mention my drumming skills have escaped me, in which I play like shit so would struggle drumming in another band.

RM: Any other projects I’m involved with are entirely separate entities and are not relevant here. As for the Melbourne scene? Melbourne is, or was, home to some wicked bands, but Black Metal in Melbourne has become very diluted. There are a few bands with the old spirit, but many of the younger bands are spiritless rubbish, and are not worth mentioning!

WNP: Famous last words..?:

DR: LICK MY BALLS

RM: EAT MEAT

WNP: Thanks for your time, guys. Check out Perseverance online at:

http://www.facebook.com/perseveranceaus
http://www.myspace.com/perseveranceaus
http://perseveranceaus.bandcamp.com/album/the-fading-light