Mistress Tina - DesDemon
Interview By Ed MacLaren
New York is the city that never sleeps
, in no small part due to the thunderous symphonic slabs of metal emanating from hometown band DesDemon. With "The Awakening", an extended concept EP revolving around one of Shakespeare’s most iconic characters, DesDemon weave a tale that goes far beyond the scope of the original. Femme Metal met recently with Mistress Tina to talk about "The Awakening" and the state of female-fronted metal in America.
Concept albums are nothing new but a concept EP? A pretty bold statement for a debut but you pull it off in supreme fashion. What made you and the band decide to go that route with "The Awakening"?
Thanks a lot. I really worked off the name DesDemon at first and the emotion behind Shakespeare's Othello. I decided to work the story into the music and so the concept for the album was created. We were all pretty much in agreement with a concept album. Of course lyrically, "The Awakening" must be related to DesDemon’s namesake. "The Awakening" EP is definitely related to the name. Now we're working on a play on the name, using "demon" as a focal point.
"The Awakening" is making waves and not just in the United States. Are you pleased with the reception from critics and fans alike?
We are very excited and are curious to see what will come about in our future. Whether it's positive or negative, it's still an experience we're willing to be a part of. The music is what we work hard on and it's great to hear that people are enjoying it.
The EP clocks in at well over 30 minutes – long for an EP – with some extended-length tracks too. The songs are densely structured but they never get repetitive or predictable. What’s the songwriting process like?
Our guitarist, Lord Metadox, really has a unique structure to his writing and I can't really say what goes through his mind when he writes but we pretty much agree with what he does. :) When I write a song I also have a particular structure but I like throwing in a couple of curveballs so long as it sounds good.
Your singing voice is strong and powerful, aggressive with more than a touch of attitude– a vocal reflection of DesDemon’s music. How much influence do your vocals have on the music?
Thank you. I really try to work different techniques with the words, it has to make sense. I don't want to sing something like "I will kill you" in an operatic fashion, though it sounds like a funny kind of sarcasm. I don't want to do that. Everything has to work together.
DesDemon’s sound is rooted in European metal styles but it has a distinct but evasive New York feel that gives it a different vibe. A bit more dirt on it perhaps? What is it about New York that makes its metal bands so distinct?
I guess it would have to be that everyone is influenced by so many different types of music. We have some who listen to jazz, rock, classical, black metal, death metal, punk. Some of those may seep into the music, but for us it's very subtle.
Since Shakespeare is a touchstone for the band, can we assume that DesDemon draws a lot of inspiration and imagery from literature?
This EP is drawn especially from Shakespeare. We're influenced by many other stories and literature, so we'll have to see what other stories await in the future.
Female-fronted metal bands run around Europe like the plague (in a good way, of course) but they’re still relatively rare to see in the United States. Many successful European-based bands tour the U.S. and perform for a couple of hundred people in some cities. Do most Americans just not get it?
The genre is growing slowly here. Even though Evanescence is not "metal", they in a way started to bring the sound more into the mainstream. I mean, you had Heart and Vixen a few years ago but the younger generation don't really know who they are. Some people may not think female-fronted bands are "badass" enough; maybe they don’t want to give it a chance. In Europe, I think, from our experience, the audience is a lot more open to different genres. Like in Europe you can have Kiss, Obituary, Leaves’ Eyes, and TYR on a bill and it would be okay. That would not go over so well here.
You’re going to be playing with Amanda Somerville at Sirens of Metal Fest 2010 in Detroit this summer. As a new band, you’ve been able to share the stage with a lot of top tier metal artists. What have you been getting out of these experiences as a young band?
We've been meeting a lot of cool people, learning about where they're from and their experiences on the road. Some are very encouraging and very fun. You meet a lot of different characters.
Are there any American female-fronted metal bands that you’ve met on the road or who have influenced you that you want to give props?
Benedictum is a very cool band from Arizona. Veronica's singing is badass and she has great presence.
DesDemon is a staple on the New York scene but you’ve had some experience with European audiences. What was the reception like for you in Europe? Were the fans any different than those in stateside?
We had a great time there. And like I said before, they're very open and they really got into the music. They clap and chant with you. They really let themselves go!
Are you planning to expand your touring base this year? Are you heading to South America or overseas anytime soon?
We have Detroit, we're working on some Canadian dates, and we're working on our next European trip.
The DesDemon live experience must be a powerhouse event. How do you get psyched up to get on stage?
Well I always get the pre-performance jitters before every show. I don't need anything to get me going. Usually I drink a lot of water to make sure I'm ready enough because my mouth dries up terribly before I hit the stage.
What can those who get to one of your shows expect?
Energetic, hair-tossing, sweat-dripping performances! :) We hope to see you and everyone else out on the road! Thank you!
Links
Mistress Tina Official Profile
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