Vengeance Resides

Vengeance Resides is a Durban based metal band, consisting of four guys passionate about music.

The band formed early 2009 when Nic Hagan (Vocals, Guitars), Andrew De Croes (Guitars) and Leon Deyzel (Drums) started jamming together.
With Nic’s brutal low and screeching high vocals, Andy’s technical guitar riffs, and Leon’s solid double bass drenched drums, there was instant chemistry.
Gareth Fraser later joined and added a new dimension with his thrash/jazz bass playing.
Playing a mix of thrash/death they captivate the audience with an intense live experience.

In short, Vengeance Resides are:
Nic Hagan – Vocals & Guitar
Andrew de Croes – Guitar
Gareth Fraser – Bass
Leon Deyzel – Drums

Interview by the official voice of South African metal – Scream!

Headbang Today: Welcome to South Africa’s heavy metal portal! Let’s have a very swift round-up and get to know you dudes: Each member tell me, what influenced you and currently inspires you to do what you are doing in the band.

Vengeance Resides:

Leon

My musical influences started from an early age when I got hold of some of my brothers death metal tapes, such as Benediction, Malevolent Creation and Obituary to name a few. I was captivated with metal drumming, especially double bass drums, so I got myself a drumkit and started bashing away. Currently my musical influences include Strapping Young Lad, Behemoth, Therion, Testament, etc.

Gareth

When I was young some of my parent’s friends were muso’s and when I saw them on stage it always gave me the feeling of wishing to be on stage like them, just jamming to the masses. My inspiration comes from purely just hearing a metal riff on guitar with drums and just listening to the raw power and ferocity of it all. It makes me just wanna jam man!

Andy

Well I’ve always been drawn to the guitar. I knew I wanted to play from the age of like 8 but I only went and bought one about a year after I got into metal, which was when I was about 13. These days I listen to a lot of Lamb of God but I’d say I get inspiration from a lot of different bands and genres of metal.

Nic

Hearing heavy metal for the first time inspired me to want to play guitar and vocal in a band.

Headbang Today:  Have you gigged anywhere else besides Durban? If not, are there any plans to do so in the near future?

Vengeance Resides:

Leon

We’ve played at Red Door in Pietermaritzburg for the From the Dark festival. We have also recently played at The Black Dahlia in Joburg and (believe it or not) Cool Runnings in Mellville. It was awesome to see Bile of Man rip up the stage with us at both these venues. We saw some amazed/scared faces at Cool Runnings which is always cool for us.

Gareth

Yeah, we’ve gigged in Joburg. It was awesome and truly an eye-opener for us and showed us how cool the music scene is over there. We hope to go back in August. Hopefully do a few gigs in Cape Town by the end of the year or beginning of next year.

Andy

We did our first Joburg tour at the beginning of March and really enjoyed it. We’ll definitely be going back later this year. There’s also a few shows lined up for the South Coast and in Pietermaritzburg so we’re looking forward to that.

Nic

Yes, we have played in Joburg and Pietermaritzburg and we would also like to go to Cape Town someday.

Headbang Today: Nic’s vocals are pretty awesome. How do you maintain your growling heaviness and how do you warm up before a show?

Vengeance Resides:

Nic

Lots of Beer and biltong!

Headbang Today: As for the outstanding guitar work and solid rhythmic drumming, tell us a bit more about the writing processes involved when coming up with new material.

Vengeance Resides:

Leon

There isn’t any formula set in stone that we use, however the basis usually starts with rhythm guitar and drums. Andy and Nick will have a couple of ideas for riffs, and then Leon will add lay down the options for the most suitable drum patterns. Gareth will add his flavor of mayhem to it all and the vocals follow last. When it comes to changeovers and songs structures the band will usually sit together and discuss some ideas and choose the best ones. Basically we all work together as a band for each song and there is no dictation from any band member.

Gareth

Well Andy and I often sit down and he plays a riff for me that he’s been fiddling with at home then I put a bit of input into it and we add whole new riffs eventually turning it into a song. Leon usually starts adding drums in the mid way of laying down the guitar work. After that Nic comes up with the vocals, and then we pretty much have a whole new song.

Andy

We have a few different methods. Sometimes one person will come in with a couple of riffs and we’ll make a song from it. Other times someone will bring in a song and the rest will add on their parts and some stuff we’ve come up with just by jamming and trying out ideas we might have had.

Nic

We get together and bring riffs and let the magic happen.

Headbang Today: When can we expect a full-length album from Vengeance Resides?

Vengeance Resides:

Leon

Well, we are looking at recording a couple more songs before August 2010. We would say early 2011 for a full length album. If we had the money we would do it now as we already have an established repertoire of songs, more than enough for a full length album. Any sponsors out there?

Gareth

I really hope it’s soon as we have enough songs to create a full length album.

Andy

Realistically we’ll probably start putting together an album at the beginning of next year. In the meantime we’ll hopefully have an EP together by the second half of this year. Our main focus is that it comes out sounding awesome so we’ll probably have to be a bit patient with it.

Headbang Today:  Which moral boundaries would each individual band member be willing to cross in order to share a stage with Lamb of God one day?

Vengeance Resides:

Leon,

None. I can’t give two shits about jamming with them. My moral beliefs are too important.

Gareth

As for Nic, Andy and Leon I cannot answer but as for myself I’d suck Robert Mugabe’s cock for a chance on stage with L.O.G!!

Andy

Fuckin’ name one dude!! Haha yeah not too many ey. They are my favorite band ever. Leon likes to give me a bit of stick about it but yeah, you know drummers, that’s what they do.

Nic

I would sell Andy’s BMW

Headbang Today:  The turritopsis nutricula jellyfish is able to cycle from a mature adult back to an immature polyp stage a limitless number of times meaning that it appears to be impossible for it to die of old age. Would you be willing to pose as guinea pigs for an experiment that’ll involve you being injected with this jellyfish’s substances in the attempt to become immortal?

Vengeance Resides:

Leon,

We are already immortal. Ever watched Highlander? Well, we are from the clan “ Metal up your ass”

Gareth

Yes I would as the jellyfish can still turn old if it wants to therefore I could turn old when I want to after being injected, so I can be alive as long as I want and accomplish all my goals. Once I’m done with my goals I can be old then die.

Andy

Depends, would I have to go live in the ocean after that? I’m not a bit fan of the beach. Besides everyone already knows to become immortal all you have to do is kill the Highlander…

Nic

Oooo, yeah!

Headbang Today:  We’ve asked ‘The Hollow’ this question before and due to a slight disbelief on our sides, we need to ask this again: Are Durbanite headbangers the most ferocious breed of metal heads in the country and why?

Vengeance Resides:

Leon

No they are not, they prefer to drink beer and smoke weed outside the venues than rather than supporting the local bands. Are you listening Durban? Get your fucking asses to the mosh pit next time.

Gareth

I can’t say. I’ve seen crazy motherfuckers in the crowd before yet I also see calm and collected metalheads that love listening to the music.

I think there’s a crazy bunch of metalheads everywhere you go in SA.

Andy

A few weeks ago I probably would have said yes, but since Joburg I’m not so sure. Let’s just say I came back with a few bumps. It’s hard to say for sure where the craziest mofo’s are, but a pit in Durban is by no means a safe place to be.

Nic

It’s 50/50. Metalheads are metalheads, it doesn’t matter where you go.

Headbang Today: When can we expect Vengeance Resides to perform down here in the most beautiful country in the world… Cape Town?

Vengeance Resides:

Gareth

I personally hope by the end of this year, beginning of next year.

Andy

Haha Well I spose we’ll have to see if our passports are up to date. We’re really keen to come to Cape Town, mostly likely when we do come it’ll be for a festival.

Headbang Today: Your sickest gig ever was when…

Vengeance Resides:

Gareth

Man there’s so many but probably Metal4Africa with mind assault. That gig was insane!

Andy

For me it would defiantly be the Metal 4 Africa gig at Burn. We even had the dudes from Mind Assault moshing to us. Was an awesome show!!

Nic

Metal 4 Africa

Headbang Today:  You’ve recently jammed with Jo’burg death metallers Bile of Man. How did that go down?

Vengeance Resides:

Leon

Bile of Man is one intense brutal/extreme metal band. Their style is a bit different than ours (understatement), but it was awesome jamming with them. They are fucking nice guys and we will definitely be collaborating with them in the future.

Gareth

They scare the shit outta me but they’re an awesome band. Probably one of the best death metal acts to ever come out of SA.

Andy

Was great! I hadn’t seen them before so I was just happy to finally watch them. They’re a really cool band but also cool dudes to hang out with. Rehan the vocalist was the first person to buy a Vengeance shirt so we were stoked!

Nic

It was fucking awesome and I hope to do it again

Headbang Today: Any final words?

Vengeance Resides:

Gareth

Stay in school kids haha! If life’s ever getting you down, put on your favorite metal bands cd, have a smoke and a beer and let the good times roll!!

Andy

Rhubarb

Nic

K-k-k-k-k yeah! (In the words of Dr. Rockso, the rock and roll clown)

Vengeance Resides, 10.0 out of 10 based on 1 rating