FIGURE OF MERIT
FIGURE OF MERIT is a great surprise, another
creative band in an ocean of clones. They play a deep, inovative & powerful
kind of avantgarde metal, with some thrash metal grooves and another hardcore
touches, but the structure of the compositions are very complex and sometimes it
remember the jazz spirit. The band released the new album VATIC, an opus of
agressive climates and deep atmospheres. KREPUSKULUM interviewed them.
KREPUSKULUM: FIGURE OF MERIT are formed in 1998 and we already released 3 CDs, the first EP TBA, the debut album SHAPING THE ANTISTRAIN & the new full lenght VATIC. Talk to us about the band´s history and about the inovative proposal of your music.
DP:+++ Figure of Merit started out and has always been about writing powerful
and emotionally releasing music from day one without compromising our integrity
for any purpose. That being said, we got together in December ’98 began
writing material and in three months had recorded the TBA ep with Adam Lazlo at
the Bunker Studios in Minneapolis. It was fairly well received with-in the
community and Blue Worm Records in MPLS decided we would be a good fit for the
roster. Continuing on with writing and recording, in May 2001 came the release
of Shaping the Antistrain. This showed a progression through more dynamic and
complex songs, a small amount of singing, and a much more intense over all
feeling. While Shaping the Antistrain was a good representation as to
where we were musically at that point in our history, shortly after recording we
began pushing the envelope further musically and lyrically. The previous
two albums did not catch the true feeling of the music or the band as a whole,
so we were determined to try and capture that in the recording. With Vatic
we decided to push everything, musically, in the studio, and vocally. I feel we
didn’t hold back at all and the true Figure of Merit came out on tape. We
captured the energy and harshness that takes place in the rehearsal space and on
stage with the recording of Vatic.+++
FIGURE OF MERIT is a strange name, where come from the inspiration to put it
in the band?
RC: I came across the term "Figure of Merit" in an engineering
text at work. It seemed to fit the feel of the music we were writing.
AZ: What I really liked about the name “Figure of Merit” was not only
its literal, mathematic, meaning, but the idea of being positive (merit) figures
in the metal scene. Also, the fact that Merit is the Egyptian goddess of
music is cool.
The music of the band sounds like a strange mix of thrash, death, heavy,
hardcore, and a jazzy groove. Am I right? Are you a thrash metal band with new
elements? How you called your musical style??
DP:+++ I think its hard to pigeon-hole our musical style. We all have different
influences and come from a different background musically. If I were to put a
label on the music I would call it to doomcore. We aren’t straight-up hardcore
and by no means are we a doom metal band, I think we encompass the highlights of
each genre fairly well and incorporate that into our songs.+++
Is FIGURE OF MERIT´s music destined for the metal fans? The metal
music world is an universe with a lot of radical fans, they hate strange mixtures
and abominate genres like nu metal. What do you think about this kind of people?
AL- I think our music is for the open minded. A big turn-off in the "metal"
scene is the unwillingness to experiment and be more creative with different sounds
and textures. I consider FOM to be "metal" at its roots, and indefinable
around the perimeter. We are all influenced by different genres and styles of
music.
The cover artwork and the booklet of VATIC are very simple, it remember some
cover arts to minimal & avantgarde musics bands. These kind of artwork are
very distant to the traditional aesthetic of heavy metal. Talk to us about this
artwork and about its meaning for you.
RC: It is kind of hard for me to put this into words, but I will try.
We feel that there is an "epic" quality to our music - which we wanted
to convey in the cover art for Vatic. Personally, I am overwhelmed by the
vastness of celestial objects. This overwhelming feeling is not unlike the
feeling I have when I am playing with Figure of Merit, hence the reason for
including celestial photographs in the sleeve.
Do you like traditional heavy metal? And another genres like black, death, grindcore,
doom, gothic, nu metal? Talk to us about your influences.
We all like just about all forms of metal,
provided it is well written and has meaning. “Nu metal” does not do much
for us, but some is alright. We grew up on primarily death, doom, and old
school punk. The fact that we all have a bit different tastes in metal has
really led to our unique sound.Key influences would have to include: Black
Sabbath, Helmet, Fugazi/Minor Threat, Slayer, and Neurosis.
Some musics of the impressive new album are very complex and interesting, with
a lot of climates and variations. Talk to us about the creative process behind
these great musics.
DP:+++ We basically still trade tapes. Roger records a lot of riffs, then he brings
the tape to the next practice, and we jam them out from there. A lot of time is
spent just messing around with riffs. We are all part of the assembly part of the
songs, organizing, and the overall structure. Lyrics come from all four of us.
In your opinion, what are the 10 best bands of the rock/metal music of all
times? And what are your 10 favourite albums?
AZ: My favorites include:
Black Sabbath – Paranoid
Fugazi – Repeater
Helmet – Meantime
Minor Threat – all
Refused – The Shape of Punk to Come
At The Drive Inn – all
DP: 10 favorite albums:
1- Neurosis- Times of Grace
2- Black Sabbath- Black Sabbath
3- Slayer- South 0f Heaven
4- Isis- All
5- Everytime I Die- Last Night In Town
6- Crowbar- Odd Fellows Rest
7- Morbid Angel- Alters of Madness
8- Iron Maiden- Piece of Mind
9- Napalm Death- Eutopia Banished
10- Converge- Jane Doe
RC: Some of my favorite albums include:
godflesh - streetcleaner
autechre - ep7
cathedral - forest of equilibrium
today is the day - willpower
neuorsis - through silver in blood
deadguy - screaming with the deadguy quintet
kyuss - s/t
pankration - of monkey, of man, of wizard
refused - the shape of punk to come
isis - the red sea
dead can dance - aeon
fugazi - end hits
botch - we are the romans
morbid angel - domination
the international noise conspiracy - a new morning, changing weather
black sabbath - s/t
party of helicopters - mt. forever
converge - jane doe
AL- Bands and Albums that primarily influenced me(in no particular order)
Metallica- Master of Puppets
Dillinger Escape Plan- Calculating Infinity
Tool- Aenema
Carcass- Heartwork
Judas Priest- Sin After Sin
Today is The Day- Temple of The Morning Star
Nine Inch Nails- Broken
Fear Factory- Demanufacture
Deftones- The White Pony
Pelican- Self-titled EP
Marylin Manson- Antichrist Superstar
Def Leppard- Pyromania
Neurosis- Through Silver in Blood
The lyrics of VATIC are strange and deep, what are the real meaning of the
lyrics such as "PARTS BROKEN AND JUXTAPOSED", "OVERHEAD
PROJECTOR" & "VATIC"?
AZ: “Parts Broken and Juxtaposed” is about frustration with
“popular” metal’s concentration on inner-hate lyrics. We’ve heard
enough “about to break” crap to last a lifetime. There are other ways
to vent other than through destruction and hate.
AZ: “Overhead Projector” reflects on the changes that friends go
through as they grow older, and unfortunately, more often than not, unravel.
Our differences are transparent as children, but get in the way as we become
older.
AL: "Vatic,” in it's birth, was an anti-political and conspiracy theory
summary I wrote after reading into the lifestyles and secrets of a certain
religious and political sect. When we got together to add the lyrics to the
song, we took the strongest elements of the writing and condensed it into a much
more personal and liberating song about finding the inner strength and knowledge
to determine what is true in your life.
The music of FIGURE OF MERIT is very inovative and avantgarde, is it being
difficult for you to get a recording label interested in your albums?
AZ: We have not really looked for label support. Blue Worm
Records, and indie label out of Minneapolis, MN, heard our stuff and loved it,
so we spent some time with them. Shortly after the release of “vatic,”
we decided to part ways with BWR, and are currently trudging forward solo.
Thank you for the interview. Give some last words to the avantgarde metal
south american fans.
RC: Thank you very much for asking us to be included in your webzine. It
is truly an honor.
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