The Human Dilemma - Interview

In this new occasion we have the great opportunity to interview the Progressive Metal/Djent band The Human Dilemma from USA, here we will let you their FACEBOOK PAGE to give them a like and follow them. We have nothing more to say, so enjoy this interview!

1.Where did you get the idea for the band name? Did you plan it or did it come out just like that?

The band name “The Human Dilemma” occurred simply from a long night thinking about the purpose of human existence. I think the question “What is the purpose of our existence?” is, in itself, quite a monumental human dilemma. For instance, what if the purpose of our existence is the meaning we put into it? Would that be enough to warrant your continued existence? Yet it's this question alone that motivates us to keep facing and overcoming the struggles of life. It's the desire to find our purpose, our reason to exist that pushes us forward. I feel like that's the true human dilemma; the idea that striving to find your purpose in life might not lead to the meaningful existence you seek, yet pursuing the answer to this question is also the very thing that gives your existence meaning.

To make a long story short though, I was really intrigued by the band name “The Human Dilemma” from that night on. I thought it properly summed up, in many ways, the sort of thought-provoking music we were trying to create. I brought the name up to Ryan the next day and we just decided to go with it.

2.Why did you want to play this genre?

There's numerous opportunities to create thought-provoking, intriguing music in the progressive metalcore/progressive metal genre. Since many of the same bands we listen to create music within that genre as well, we decided that refining our craft within the progressive metalcore/progressive metal genre was a smart move overflowing with creative possibilities.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Both Ryan (Instruments) and I (Josh, the vocalist) were in previous bands beforehand (A Thousand Times Over and Creacia, respectively). We even played a few shows together during that time span before we decided to start creating music together years later. The experience we received playing in our previous bands has noticeably contributed to the growing success of The Human Dilemma, in our opinion.

4. What is each band member's favorite band?

Some of our favorite bands include Between the Buried and Me, Veil of Maya, The

Contortionist, Northlane, and The Afterimage. These bands have easily left a memorable imprint on us as musicians and continue to influence us in some form or another to this day.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Ryan: My inspiration stems from listening to something phenomenal and wanting to recreate the feeling it gives me.

Josh: There are many different things that inspire me lyrically. These include things like my own personal struggles (both internal and external), questions of human existence, and even psychology and the human mind. I think it is extremely important for vocalists to create lyrics with meaningful and thought-provoking messages, something that will stick within the listener's mind long after the song has concluded. Therefore, I try to take inspiration from the struggles, thoughts or feelings I have experienced during the course of my life in an attempt to possibly relate to the listener a bit more.

6. Where was your last gig?

We actually haven't played any shows yet, but perhaps sometime in the future that will become a possibility. For now though, we are just two individuals hoping to create thought-provoking music people truly love.

7. Where would you like to act?

Playing at the Webster Hall in New York would be amazing if we had to choose a venue. However, we would honestly be willing to perform just about anywhere if we were given the opportunity. If it's a venue with a good crowd and a decent sound system, we would be down to perform there.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Ryan would enjoy playing a show with Between the Buried and Me. As for me, well, there are quite a few bands I have always dreamed of playing a show with. I'd personally love to play a show with Veil of Maya, Northlane, and Whitechapel (to name a few).

9. Whom not?

We would honestly play a show with anyone given the opportunity.

10. Have any of you suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

I'm not sure about Ryan, but I've dealt with small doses of stage fright when I first started playing shows years ago. Believe me, having extreme cotton mouth isn't fun when you're the vocalist. Haha. You just have to be confident in your capabilities, no matter what you contribute to the band. It certainty doesn't happen overnight, but if you remain confident in yourself that'll shine through in your performance. The hardest part is getting past your first show. From there, playing as many shows as possible will only elevate your stage performance and increase your confidence when it comes to playing in front of crowds.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Ryan takes inspiration from both Between the Buried and Me, and Periphery. As for me, I take inspiration from bands like Northlane, The Afterimage and The Contortionist, among many others.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Our fans (so far) haven't asked for anything weird from us. Most ask about when our EP will be released (which won't be anytime soon) or about the possibility of physical copies once it has released. However, there's always time for our fans to get weird! haha

13. What do you think of your fans?

Our fans are the lifeblood of the band, simple as that. Being a musician means constantly facing your own self-doubt and insecurities head-on, and having our fans support our music and help us achieve our numerous goals is something we are beyond grateful for. We honestly couldn't do this without them!

14. What do you think of our site?

Any promotion site/page that goes out of their way to promote bands who have put tremendous effort into creating music they're passionate about is absolutely fantastic in my book. You guys guide potential fans to all these deserving bands, and we in particular couldn't be happier to be a part of your site. To answer your question about your site though, I personally think it's an excellent platform to help people find new bands to enjoy and we really appreciate everything you've done for us so far!