Interviews: Aural Decay

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Progressive Metal project, Aural Decay, from the UK. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for name, you planned it or came out just like that?  

Dan: For me there's a few important aspects to a band/project's name: making it memorable, original, easy to roll off the tongue, and using it as a predisposition for the listener. Aural Decay came to me one day when thinking about how I would describe the music in one or two words, and I kept saying it back to myself and it stuck. I had a really bad perforated eardrum around the time of starting the project so it was fitting for me, also!

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Dan: During my time at University (Huddersfield) I was made aware of various artists from my peers who were as much into guitar music as I was. My first introduction to modern Progressive Metal was hearing Periphery's self-titled album and I was so fascinated by how groovy and intelligent the songwriting was.

3. Is there anyone else involved in the project?

Dan: Nope, I'm a one-man machine at the moment!

4. Who is your favourite band?

Dan: I'd struggle to favour one between Periphery/Metallica. Periphery had a huge hand in the direction of my compositions but Metallica have been with me through most of my childhood.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Dan: One of my biggest inspirations is the amount of music I listen to. I've almost always got my headphones on unless I'm socialising, and yet I'm still discovering artists that continue to push creative boundaries. The most important one though would definitely be friends and family; it's hard to put into words how grateful I am for the support and incredible feedback I have received so far.

6. Where was your last gig?

Dan: I'm yet to gig with Aural Decay due to it being a recently formed project. My last live performance was with prog-metal band Individuator at the Parish, Huddersfield.

7. Where would you like to play?

Dan: Playing a big stage at a festival is something I've always dreamed of. Walking out and playing your own music to a crowd of that magnitude must be an astonishing feeling. If I was to pick an indoor venue, it would probably be the Ritz in Manchester. The gigs I've been to there have always sounded amazing!

8. Who would you like to support?

Dan: I would love to support Meshuggah. They have such a loyal and immense following and I feel like the music of Aural Decay could really get people in the mood for some 'shuggah!

9. Who not?

Dan: Dream Theater. I appreciate the sheer talent on show but that style of progressive metal just isn't for me. I could also imagine some of their fans being very pretentious.

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

Dan: I used to massively, but it definitely improves with experience. Prepare well is my advice for beginners. If you're a guitarist, make sure you're using new/relatively new strings to reduce the risk of them snapping mid-set. Test your setup is in full working order and take the time to make sure everything is how you want it to be, you're the performer after all! Finally, the most important part of all for me is know your parts inside out. This not only helps with stage relaxation, but can also contribute to your confidence with stage presence. It's easy to spot from an artist's body language how prepared they are, and that can impact the authenticity of the performance.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Dan: I take inspiration from so many different artists within modern Progressive Metal/Metalcore. My playing style has taken a lot of influence from Periphery and Meshuggah; I'd say those bands became my creative backbone. I also have a lot of love and appreciation for the more soundscape approach that artists such as Tool and TesseracT take, something I aim to incorporate more within my compositions.

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

Dan: I wouldn't say I've been asked anything weird as of yet, but one of my friends asked me if I suffer as a result of the vocal performances. It's a lot more challenging than some people perceive, but after a few months of practicing and learning the correct approach it just kinda fell into place.

13. What do you think of your fans?

Dan: My fans have been amazing so far. They're constantly helping me achieve my goal by sharing the social media news and updates as well as informing potential followers about my project. Even my friends who don't care for this particular style of music have been super supportive in helping get my name out there and I'll always be grateful for the huge support.

14. What do you think of our site?

Dan: It's an excellent platform for upcoming rock/metal artists to be heard and I'm sure I speak for us all when I say thank you for all you do for us hard-working musicians!

15. Something to add?

​Dan: Thank you so much for your time and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the release of 'Facing The Obscure', the new single landing Friday 18th September!