Matricide

Matricide ceased existence until life was drummed back into this grunge metal serpent, all thanks to their new drummer Marco! Now back from the dead, each band member is programmed to slaughter any gig or event that crosses their path (in a good way). All hail Matricide, Capetonian metallers on a mission to seek and destroy as they are equipped with pure South African metal talent!

INTERVIEW BY: Scream

Band Members:

Headbang Today: Welcome to Headbang Today! As always, we pay a ridiculous amount of respect to South African bands as we are well aware that the industry is tough and will leave any unsuccessful band bruised, tattered and planted into the ground without a proper funeral. What are your views on SA’s metal scene?

Matricide: Marco & Byron: Not enough support is shown for the more deserving of the metal bands, which of course makes life that bit harder for the smaller bands of this genre (and subsequently it’s sub-genres).

Furthermore, it doesn’t help when people pitch up to only support one band or their friends and then leave the venue. It’s understandable if they only purposefully missioned to the event for a specific band, as this is inevitable, but why not stick around to also see what everyone else has to offer? There’s so much talent it’s truly astounding and it’s all locally available which is excellent!

So many good shows are hosted virtually every weekend with excellent bands performing their souls out, so let’s see some more support, people! I’m not directing this at our own gigs, but at all gigs.

I’ve been to many awesome gigs without playing them, had a blast rocking out to the bands, but unfortunately I did so alone or seemingly alone as the turn out was just disappointing. Let’s show our comrades the support they deserve and all go home with whiplash!

Headbang Today: You’ve got quite an impressive list of influences containing epic names in the industry such as Killswitch Engage, In Flames, Entombed, Slayer, Alice in Chains AND System Of A Down. Which band at the moment do you as band members feel is currently inspiring Matricide the most?

Matricide: Byron: Queen

Headbang Today: You’ve been gigging extensively over the past couple of months in and around Cape Town. Tell us about your best and worst shows thus far. Got any strange experiences to share?

Matricide: Worst show: The lineup of bands was a little awkward as it was a bunch of soft rock bands and then us and it was hosted at a venue which isn’t made for metal heads, so they’re existences were very scarce if at all. The response we got was two drunken dutch men nodding away from the bar with drinks in hand, haha.

Headbang Today: Gravel in your pubes would probably not be the only thing you’ll get while boning a stranger in an alley… So when can we expect an EP or even an album from you dudes?

Matricide: Marco: We plan to have an EP and possibly some basic merchandise (Like stickers) done by March. By the end of the year our goal is a full album and other merchandise like shirts.

Headbang Today: I want a sticker! Tell us a bit more about what your songs are about. Who writes the lyrics?

Matricide: Captain Glock’ writes the lyrics. The others know a few lyrics, but Raven’s Gate is about rape.

Headbang Today: A typical Matricide jam session consists out of…:

Matricide: Byron: “Sitting in silence for twenty minutes. Especially on Sundays…”

Headbang Today: You’ve entered our signature band contest without any second thoughts. What would you as a band say would be your game plan to crush other contestants and emerge victorious as Headbang Today’s signature band?

Matricide: Byron: “Hope no one fucks up. Sit there playing a piece, after a couple bars we switch to the next piece and… Ah, fuck… Marco messed up again. Back from the top, guys…”

Headbang Today: In the not too distant future parents will have the chance to customize their unborn baby any way they see fit. Do you think that we could perhaps pull this off and use science and technology to breed and overpopulate this planet with more ravish metal heads?

Matricide: Armin: “Heck yes!”

Byron: “MTV should be shot first…”

Headbang Today: HAHA! Metal horns my friend, it’ll be pure metal horns! What are on the cards for the band this year? How many gigs can fans expect from Matricide?

Matricide: As many as possible. This is going to be an extremely busy year for the band and we plan to, not only play often, but at many different venues.

Headbang Today: If we were able to get Cape Town stadium as a venue for a Headbang Today festival and jam pack it with headbangers while Matricide is sweating it out on stage, what kind of show would you put on for the masses? Would you keep it cool or put your bodies on the line for something crazy?

Matricide: “Lots of head-banging, trashing and break-dancing will occur…”

Headbang Today: Awesome! How do you feel about side-project bands? Do you think that it is the main reason for band breakups or does it actually have a positive influential outcome on the main band’s new material?

Matricide: Byron & Armin: “(Shrug…)”

Headbang Today: Give us your own individual pros and cons of living a life while being in a pro-active band.

Matricide: Pros: (Armin) Not bored on weekends. (Byron) Get to see Captain Glock more often. (Marco) The thrill of being on stage and people are enjoying what you’re playing for them.

Headbang Today: Soccer is not exactly every person’s sport, but do you have hope for South Africa’s Bafana Bafana team in the 2010 World Cup?

Matricide: Byron: “Let’s go Serbia!”

Headbang Today: Will Matricide be touring abroad in the near future?
Matricide: On the 5th of March we’ll be playing Jesters in PE and are looking at playing somewhere close to PE the following night. Maybe George? Also, later in the year we’d like to play Bloemfontein, Hermanus, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban. Definitely going to end up in Durban! m/

Headbang Today: We would like to thank you for dedicating time to do this interview with Headbang Today… Any last words?

Matricide: Byron: “Does anyone have the bass tabs for Queen’s ‘Great King Rat’?”