Interviews: Conteiner

This is a new interview with the Sludge Metal/Progressive Metal band Conteiner from Spain. Check out the interview and follow the band on his FACEBOOK PAGE.

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

We just searched for a consistent and kinda heavy-sounding name. Our first idea was to name it "Container" (with an instead of an e), but of course, the name already existed - there is a long-running electronic artist using it for more than a decade -. We just replaced the vowel and went ahead.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Well... to be honest, we have never been interested in being stuck in just one genre, that would be a little boring for us. We have been playing for years in noise-rock bands (Ximel, Meido...), hard rock (Positiva), free-rock (Killerkume) or more improvisation/experimental-oriented acts (Orbain Unit, etc). All of us have been into heavy riff music for a while. But heavy riffing is not really enough for us. We are also interested in other different styles, which inevitably affects Conteiner´s way of composing too. Call it jazz, progressive rock, electronics... they could have a certain degree of influence on our sound (some of them maybe more in other bands and projects we are involved in), which we think is enriching when writing material.

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

Yes, Iñaki and Unai have known each other since 1999-2000. They even played together at the beginning of Ximel, a Basque noise-rock band that toured Europe with Today Is The Day in 2005.

4. Each band member's favorite band?

Superdifficult question, mate! The answers may vary in just a few minutes... hahaha. Well let's go:

Iñaki: Keelhaul, Staer, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Breach, High On Fire, Noxagt, Knut, Ultralyd, Sebadoh, Chameleons...

Mikel: Black Sabbath (rock), Alice & John Coltrane (jazz), Autechre (electronics), Voivod (metal), Iannis Xenakis (composer), Clipping (rap), and Tapia ta Leturia (euskaltriki fandango squad).

Unai: Sabbath, High On Fire, Pentagram, Zeppelin, Buffalo, Eyehategod, Hendrix, Today Is The Day, Purple, Botch, Sleep...

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

The first inspiration comes straight from our amps and drums. We really need to feel the room's energy and that something special or interesting is coming out when jamming. As previously mentioned, we are not interested in just one genre. That's not our game. So we definitely try to find out by going through many branches in order to make our compositions sound dynamic and driven by what we consider fluent progressions.

6. Where was your last gig?

It was in October 2019. We played at a local underground-rock venue in Bilbao called El Muelle with an awesome Swiss duo called Ester Poly. So yeah... definitely eager to step on stage again.

7. Where would you like to act?

We would play anywhere where the sound pressure pushes us and makes us feel high and "bien engorilaos". For this reason, small venues are great places for us to discharge. Those are the places we come from and are used to: DIY spaces. Nevertheless, we are also open to play bigger venues and festivals with walls of P.As, although we don't really know how to enter that scene. We really think we could sound intense as fuck in a big P.A context.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Of course, there would be tons of artists worldwide we´d obviously like to collaborate with in our dreams. Both with known and totally unknown musicians. 

9. Who not?

It could be any people with whom we do not connect musically or ideologically. First and foremost we would need to feel comfortable with people themselves (and obviously people with us, the other way too). And of course, we wouldn't get in touch with guys with reactionary ideas because it makes no sense to us.

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

Not really. We do not see ourselves comfortable in a "super accurate tip givers´" role but, hey: we just try to enjoy whatever the hell is coming out of our loud amps and feel the energy of the whole. It's so obvious to say, but playing live is one of the most pleasant sensations someone could experience, so why be afraid of it?

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

It can be tons of ´em and coming from several genres. Let's try some common ones we all three enjoy: Jesus Lizard, Black Sabbath, Unsane, Celtic Frost, Noxagt, Entombed, Breach, Today Is The Day, High On Fire, Suma, Voivod, Knut, Motorhead, Keelhaul, Venom, Moho, Melvins, Regulator Watts, Dut, Oranssi Pazuzu, Earth, Tantrum, Imperial Triumphant, Sunn O))), Mahavishnu Orchestra, Electric Wizard, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Lightning Bolt, Dysrhythmia, Hammerhead, Eyehategod, Abyssal, Abhinanda...

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

Nothing special. Some of them just yelled "Hijos de puta!" at us at the end of each song while playing our first gig. They weren't really insulting us. Fortunately, it was just a happy celebration of the drums & amp havoc.

13. What do you think of your fans?

We wouldn't say they are "fans" because most of them are friends of ours. We are happy with those little bastards because they are like we are. :)

14. What do you think of our site?

Websites like yours are so helpful to spread the word about underground bands. In this sense, we see it as a useful information source that supports digging among not-so-known releases. We are truly in need of underground sites and people collaborating with them. Besides, we would also like to see more metal bands from all over the world featured because they deserve better media coverage. Everything is still too anglocentric.

15. Something to add?

People in Basque Country and Spain: The trend is already lasting too much. Please forget about reguetrón and fucking spin your glam-rock-era Celtic Frost albums! Rosalía, you are still on time to boost your career.