Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
Greetings. We formed in Adelaide, Ausralia, around the Christmas of 1997. For several years we performed as a 3 piece featuring Jeremy Lammas on guitars, Justin Wood on vocals and myself Matt Spencer on bass, vocals and beat programming. In 2006 we were devastated by the passing of Jeremy in a car accident. He was a priceless friend and band mate for many years. This all but halted our momentum for some time. The passion for the music was still there, but the routine was broken. We gradually retreated from live performance and temporarily focused on other projects. Eventually focus returned and we began the arduous construction of the album that is “The music of chance”. We had struggled to find an Australian drummer capable of playing all the beats I had scripted for it, so being a big fan of Anata I approached the man Conny Pettersson about attempting it. He absolutely nailed it down and here we are.
How would you describe your style? Which bands influenced your music?
I have struggled since our inception to coin a precise phrase to describe our music. I would say the axis of it is extreme metal. Elements of death, black, thrash and grind are almost always present vocally or musically. Rotating around that axis is a natural blend of many genres of music. We will include anything that feels like an appropriate transition at any moment. If a black metal influenced passage needs a ska influenced guitar on the up beat, we do it, no holds barred. Sounds of any genre may rear their heads, but those of extreme metal are the ever presents. Some of the hundreds, maybe thousands of bands that have influenced and inspired me to write the music of One step beyond include Napalm death, Macabre, Edge of sanity, Frank Zappa, Fishbone, Living colour, Vader, Die apokalyptischen reiter, Suffocation, Underground resistance, Agalloch, John Zorn, Miles Davis, Firehose, Black Sabbath, Krallice, Public enemy, Weakling, Warning, Plastikman, Death, Tulus………..
Why should a metalhead buy your demos/albums?
First and foremost because they can hear things on our albums that they can’t hear elsewhere. Lyrically and musically we have many unique moments that are ripe for serious personal emotional investment. Secondly, we make personal financial sacrifices in our day to day lives to bring this music to fruition, so any remunerations sent are hugely appreciated. We completely grasp the value of the consumers dollar in this incredibly crowded market.
What have you released so far and how were your releases received by the public/media?
We have two albums, “Life imitates art” (2002) and “Beyond good and evil” (2007) on CD and digital release. And an EP named “Out with the old” (2008) which is currently digital only. The reception for the albums was predominantly excellent. There are many divisive moments musically and lyrically on both, so some of the more conservative ears in the media seemed affronted by our genre mash ups, but mostly it seemed people were happy to hear a band trying to take metal in new directions.
Do you play live as well? How's your live activity so far?
Previously yes, but currently no. We have spent the last four years solely as a recording act. We have been gradually gathering a capable set of musicians in anticipation of a return to the stage, but no date is set.
What should labels/zines/promoters know about your band? Why should they be interested in it?
Again, we feel our band provides musical and lyrical moments that no other band does. We can’t be summarized by an established death/grind or black/thrash style tag. We do not subscribe to the traditional extreme metal album format that requires ten versions of what is almost the same song. Every consecutive minute of The Music of chance should hopefully offer something that the preceding moment did not. A new tone, thought, groove or emotion, yet it should all blend seamlessly, hopefully not jarringly. We feel our music can reach a broader range of ears than most extreme metal acts, but we never seek to contrive “accessibility”.
What plans do you have for the near future as a band?
Currently we are putting the finishing touches to the follow up to The music of chance. We are incredibly excited about it and will impatiently await the day we can share it with those who would receive it!
Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
Currently you can most conveniently catch us at http://onestepbeyond1.bandcamp.com/ and from Metal scrap records website. More to be announced.
December 2014