Seb Montesi Interview – Guitarist and Vocalist for Canadian Death Metal band Auroch. Interview October 10, 2012
Auroch Interview
1. Could you tell me about the recording of Auroch’s new album From Forgotten Worlds? The record came together from songs written over a time span of about a year and a half. We tracked the drums with Stuart McKillop over at Rain City Recorders, and he was great. From there we went to an assortment of studios to get the rest sorted.
2. How did the song writing process work? Our songs will generally start around a riff, or a good introductory drumbeat and spiral off from there. Very rarely do we have a concept, lyrical or musical, before we start jamming over riffs and ideas.
3. What would be some the amplifiers and guitars used in the recording to create the tones? From Forgotten Worlds was recorded with a tone combined for a Madison Divinity and an ENGL Fireball. As these are two of our favourite amps it was very cool to capture a tone that we had really fantasized about. The cabs were these great, boutique cabs made by a local company called Olde Crowe. I really recommend checking them out. In terms of guitars, I recorded all my parts with my main guitar, which is a BC Rich Ironbird pro. Never was much of a fan of crazy shaped guitars until I tried an Ironbird… Now I own two of them and nothing else haha. For his parts, and all 7 string parts, Paul used a custom Carvin guitar, which sounded absolutely brilliant and you can really hear it cut through. All of his very shred solos were recorded on his main guitar, which is an ESP.
5. Any tour dates lineup? Indeed- October 26 we’ll play Vancouver with some excellent bands (Tyrants Blood, Archspire, etc). Nov 10 we’re going to be supporting the exceptional Dire Omen in Victoria. Next year we’ve been announced for Torment in Fire with the legendary Mystifier (the thought of that blows my mind), and we’ve also been confirmed for a few killer festivals that haven’t been announced yet.
6. What do you think of the music industry today and where it is going? I know that people say it’s dying, but I really feel that the support for underground death and black metal is unwavering. Even as an independent band we’ve felt nothing but support and devotion from fans.
7. Would you say the health of the Music scene is becoming stronger? Nearly impossible to say, but what I would say, is that it’s amazing- 30 years of extreme metal and bands are still pushing the boundaries of what acceptable and unheard.
8. What’s your vision of the internet for musicians in the future? To be honest, I think we’re in the midst of experiencing it. For musicians to be able to establish a page of sorts, easily spread the word and have a secure system to sell is all one could ask for from something like the internet. The true nexus of a real death metal scene will always be a show though- fanatics thrashing about, oggling merch, guzzling booze. Totally debauched.
9. What could we find interesting in your music collection at home? A fairly wide range of things. Clearly the core of it is established from the classics and the modern necesities: Morbid Angel, Carcass, Death, Inquisition, Pathogen, Origin, Nile, Deicide, Impiety, Abhorrance, etc. I also own every item that a few of my favourite newer bands, namely Adversarial and Mitochondrion, have ever released. Aside from metal, I love Delerium, Dead Can Dance, Explosions in the Sky, Spaceghostpurrp, Gotan Project, Buena Vista Social Club and many, many more.
Extra Questions for Seb Montesi from Auroch
Life without music would : be droll
Favorite movie : The Exorcist
Favorite sport : Boxing
Favorite food : Pastel de choclo favorite drink Vodka, straight
Favorite saying : per aspera ad astra
Favorite car : Sherman Tank
Favorite book : What!? That’s too hard…
Favorite band : Again!!! Way too hard, but its between Akercocke, Morbid Angel, Inquisition, Nile, Death or Angelcorpse.
Star Wars or Star Trek : Star Wars
PC or Mac : Mac but I use PC