TORCHE:
Stoner pop? Beach Boys-like doom? Whatever.

IREPRESS:
On Grammar, War, Their Love for Cindy Lauper and Their Letting Out of All Emotions.

COBALT:
I don't really consider us black metal in any sense of what black metal is.

DODSFERD:
Motivated by desolation,
despair, hate, irony, death,
loss, betrayal, etc

PYGMYLUSH:
Between the delicacy of
gorgeous acoustics & the
ugliness of noise rock.

TRACTOR SEX FATALITY:
The most active defunct garage band in Seattle answers our questions.

MERCILESS DEATH:
Thrash metal revivalists  
speak out against false metal .

MORE INTERVIEWS

GIGAN: Psychedelic Extreme Metal From Tampa; Enter Gigan's Warped Universe.

Tampa's Gigan belong to another planet. A planet where extreme metalheads know that technicality doesn't suffice and that you need to add more to the recipe than just a maddening conglomeration of notes. Their 2008 full-length The Order of the False Eye is one of the most intricate and psychedelically fucked up albums metal has ever seen. Enter Gigan's universe...Read on and spread the word.

- For a while Tampa was one of the most important cities for extreme music. How is the current scene? Are there any other extremely technical bands in the area?

Tampa still has a very strong underground metal scene. It is not 1989 around here, but there are quality bands as well as some of the originators-like Morbid Angel, for example. A couple of new bands worth checking out are Omniety and Generichrist. Neither band would want to be considered "technical" specifically, but both bands are passionate about what they do and it comes across in their delivery.

- How does Gigan come about? Was it hard finding like-minded musicians?

I started Gigan in 2006 intending to give myself the ability to express myself musically and lyrically - with no limits. I went through a few quality musicians trying to find the right Gigan line-up. It is no small task finding people that are both technically proficient and creative. Add to that the fact that everyone has to get along. It can be difficult. Fortunately, Randy and I always worked well together in addition to being friends, so when he joined in late 2006/2007 Gigan had
its core. Our first recording, The Footsteps of Gigan ep was done with Grover Norton III behind the drum-kit, but he was replaced by our current drummer/percussionist Danny Ryan. Randy, Danny and myself recorded The Order of the False Eye with Sanford Parker in Chicago and here we are.

- Eric you had been jamming with Hate Eternal, and I never got to listen to Gigan's first EP. What was your mindset when you first started the band? Did you have a particular musical style you wanted to explore?

Well as I mentioned before, when I started Gigan I knew I wanted to just let myself go, creatively. I wasn't quite sure what would come out, at first. Once riffs started flowing and structures presented themselves, I had a feeling everything was gonna work out. The three songs on the ep were just a glimpse into the Gigan universe...a universe that is opening up more everyday.

- The music of Gigan is extremely technical. When songwriting do you ever get to a point where you just crack up when you realize that the music is ridiculously technical? How do you strike a balance between song and just a collection of notes?

Honestly, when writing these songs I never considered them that technical. There are some parts that are out there, technique-wise, but at no point did I or Randy think, ‘whoa, this is silly’! I think if we did we would leave it in, though. Maybe even make it worse. Brutality is important to Gigan's sound specifically. All bands need not be brutal to be killer. However, many of the emotions and colors within the Gigan universe would be considered brutal or scary. Therefore, Gigan will always have those colors. I think the balance between a song and a collection of notes is that-with a song- you feel something when listening...it moves you, somehow. With notes it's just that-notes. Components. Parts of something, but not in use. Although, beauty is in the eyes and ears of the beholder: notes to me is genius to someone else.

- As far as the songwriting process, because of its technicality, it's hard to think of Gigan as a band whose music is the product of jamming? How does the songwriting usually go?

Our process is a combo of individual work and Randy and I putting stuff together. Sometimes I have whole songs put together, but most of the time there is at least some collaboration between Randy and myself. We will give drum ideas to Danny and he refines them. I usually have lyric ideas or poetry for the songs while writing the music. It all starts with a riff. That's all there is to it!

- The Order of the False Eye was recorded in Chicago with Sanford Parker who pretty much seems to be cornering the market for good music. How was the recording process?

Sanford and I have been friends for many years, so when he got his new set up and I put together Gigan I knew he would be doing our albums. We recorded for two and a half weeks and mixed for 5 days or so. Three weeks total plus one day mastering. It was amazing and we got exactly what we wanted! A heavy, natural sounding album from another universe!!! Sanford provided some killer input , but we had a pretty good idea of what we wanted.

- While playing live, since the music is so demanding, how hard is it to replicate in a live setting?

All of the Gigan songs can and have been reproduced live and we love to play them! It is a little tricky to play tight and put on a good show, but that is exactly what we try to do every night!!! I think the best way to experience the full power of Gigan is by watching the performance. We will be building on it and making it as visually stimulating as possible!!!

- With so much music going on, are three members enough? Have you ever thought about adding an extra member that could accentuate the psychedelic aspect of the band?

We perform live with a bass player so nothing is left out. Sally Gates is our current bass ally when we play live. She took the time and learned all my bass lines from the recordings and does a killer job playing them and making them her own! She comes to us all the way from New Zealand, so it's like she is from another universe too! We will be incorporating more instruments as time goes on to better express ourselves. Randy has taken to using a theremin and I will be bringing out synths eventually.

- Where do you foresee the music of Gigan going? More into psychedelia, or more into technical death metal?

Only time will tell. The point of Gigan is to just let things happen, so who knows. Gigan will always be challenging and imaginative, I can promise that. The new stuff I have now is pretty weird. Be patient and you will be pleased.

- I am always looking for new music, please list a few of the albums that have influenced you the most in becoming a musician and a few albums that you may be currently digging a great deal.

Here are a few important things(there are MANY more):
Thanatopsis- all
Sadus- all
Cobra Strike- all
Autopsy- all
Minor Threat- all
Pink Floyd- Saucerful of Secrets
Death- Scream Bloody Gore, Leprosy and Human
Hawkwind- all
Dismember- Like an Everflowing Stream

- As of November, 2008, what's Gigan's motto/maxim?

GGGGGIIIIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Last words?

Mega-thanx for the interview and interest. Thanx to all that pay attention to creativity!!! Come out to the Killing Til oblivion Tour Jan/Feb 2009!!!

Check Gigan's tour dates and drop them a love note @ their MySpace page.

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