On this year Kolkata based death metal band Purgatory
reformed again and put their live show again on 13th May,2015 at Hell Fest.
Earlier this Kolkata based death metal band Purgatory served up some
devastatingly sacrilegious, old school death metal EP entitled “Thou Shall Be
Purged” in 2006. So recently I’ve interviewed Purgatory Vocalist Argo Mitra. I was very keen to interact with
him and I’ve tried to enlighten on their upcoming new album and tried to
explore more about his bands. Check out the full interview below.Interview done
by Souvik Basu.
1. Hello,
how are you doing today?
Argo : I’m doing fine,only the sweltering and scorching
weather beating me down.Well,How bout you Souvik?
2. Yeah I’m
fine and can’t tolerate this disgusting scorching weather.Well, Purgatory was
formed in 17th Sep,2003,Can you give me a brief history of how the band got
together?Had you been in any bands or musical apparition before Purgatory?
Argo: At First I
wanna say Death metal does not stagnate in a constant form. Death metal
presented in various forms also you too know about that. Well,Purgatory started
as a Death metal band in 2003,Later we have changed our music genre into
Avant-Garde death metal then Technical death metal.Now we are in Progressive
technical death metal genre. See the basically thing is that we actually
planned a larger than life metal act when we are in school because Kolkata did
not come across this type of sound before. I want to mention “Aatmahatya” who
are very close to us back in the millennium when kolkata had no clue about heavy riff,hyped
pedals,guttural aggression of vocal chords.
3. There are two basic ways of looking at music. In the
first, there is a mechanism to the arrangement of certain tones ,musical
style.in the second, a narration occurs where a story is told or a poetic
function completed. In your view of compositions, which is more important?
Where were you when you first thought the project had longterm potential for
you?
Argo: What I think that both terms are relative in nature
and go hand in hand.It is equally important that in compositions,the
structures,riff orientations and the tonal quality are very very important but
we should keep in mind that the narrative and the thesis of the song is primary
infrastructure of a skeletal framework of a story.So,when we started of we kept
both these properties in mind.
4. Do you have a preference for type of equipment? In your
mind, how important is equipment to the production of music?
Argo: Equipment for me is really very important. As the
production quality depends on the usage of high performance gadgets and the
gears. So,every composition has it’s preferential aspects related to the tonal
quality according to the lyrics and the themes of every single composition.
5.I’ve noticed Purgatory’s musical style reminds late
80’s/early 90’s death metal with the low-pitched screams of mid-80's thrash
segments laced with a lil bit old school black metal influence would you agree
with this?
Argo: I completely agree with your point of view.The
guttural technique used in the compositions of Purgatory is influenced heavily
by the late80’s/early 90’s such as Sodom,Necrophagist,Six Feet
Under,Immolaton,Cannibal Corpse. I specially want to mention the name of
Mr.Chris Barnes founder member of Cannibal Corpse & Six Feet Under,Mr.
Muhammed Suicmez from Necrophagist,Mr.Ross Dolan from Immolation,Mr.Glen Benton
From Deicide and Mr.Jeff Walker from Carcass. Our track “Elms For The
Condemned” for the high experimentation on Avant-Garde metal and guttural
technique amalgamated with black metal high pitched screams and snarls.
6. Do you guys have any official videos coming out soon?
Argo: Yeah.Our
official video will be coming out in a month or two and we are working on
it.Also I’m revealing our upcoming album entitled “Thou Shall Be Purged” which
would be consist with some old EP tracks and obviously some head exploding new
track.
7. Your vocals style is raspy, aggressive,raw and tortured
.appreciate your vocal style.how do you prepare your vocals before the studio
or especially for live performances? Did any band in particular inspire you in
the shrieking department?
Argo: One of the major exercise before every studio take and
every time stage is the tremendous breathing technique where the diaphragm is
expanded for more pressure and a bit of smoking and more foods helps me
out.That is my trade secret. Smoke more,eat more and growl more.
8. What do you do as individual band members to relax, when
not working on music? Do you have jobs or business?
Argo: I’m the one dedicated soul without a fuckin business.
I dedicate my time entirely in music,my family and close friends(some now my
would be manages the most of it). And I should also mention a lots of
computer,PSP games. That’s what keeps me going
9.last one question,what are your future band goals &
tell us something about upcoming tour.
Lastly, a lots of teenagers aim to be full-time musicians. Many of them might
be without any proper guidance, any words of wisdom for them?
Argo: Purgatory is heading for the next album “Thou Shall Be
Purged” which is a remake of our old EP but definitely it will come with more
brutality,new,fresh track and larger than sound structures and we are also not
talking about the things which we used to talk about in the past. This time we
have a different theory to portray.We are providing a picturesque view of
devastation and apocalypse.Our suggestion and word of advice to the younger
bands is to do what they are doing and go to the roots of the genres and
lyrical themes that they are trying to showcase on stage or via production
labels.
10. That's all I've got right now.best of luck for upcoming
release ”Thou Shall Be Purged”.this album would be one of my anticipated
release.thanks a lot for enduring this torture haha. Any final
thoughts,comments for the readers? If I forgot anything, please insert it in
here.
Argo: A big thanks for the interview and your interest in
the band. India was not a fairground of metal music back in the days but now it
is so. I would request the organizers and gig official organizers improve the
metal scene of India and provide us with regular acclamation as musicians of a
different and out of the box genres.Get Purged !
Interview done by - Souvik Basu.
