Interview with Sylosis - Josh Middleton (2015)

In the eve of the release of "Dormant Heart", we managed to have a conversation with the band's frontman Josh Middleton. After interrogating the band, here are the best questions we came up with:

Infernal Masquerade: "Dormant Heart" the band's latest release was recorded back in March 2014, almost 8 months before its release. Any particular reason why this album took a while to come out?

Josh Middleton: We began recording in March with the drums but the recording process was interrupted by tours etc so it was quite broken up. We went on tour for a few weeks then came back and did the guitars and bass, then had some festivals over the summer and finished off the vocals. Then the mixing process and artwork took a little longer than expected and the label's schedule was pretty full so we had to wait til 2015 for the release which worked out for the best.

I.M: Did you keep fiddling with the mix/mastering until recently or was it good to go from the start?

J.M: It ran on a bit longer than we'd hoped. You always get to a point where you think you have it then you have to make a few major changes at the last minute but it wasn't going on too long.

I.M: What would you say are the biggest changes that the fans will encounter in this release in contrast with "Monolith"?

J.M: It's definitely our darkest album to date and some of the doomier elements have crept through but everything that makes us the band we are is still there. The main foundation of our sound is thrash and having technical guitar playing. We just wanted to create a vibe and atmosphere for this album to set it apart from the others.

I.M: In terms of concept, we have a pretty interesting cover art. Can you elaborate more about the ideas behind this release?

J.M: The cover art depicts a woman sacrificing a lamb which is just meant as a symbolic thing. Most people have heard the term 'sacrificial lamb' which is also derived from a line in Victims and Pawns. There is also an ominous figure in the background. It's meant to show this woman feels pressured into doing something against her will on behalf of others. Lyrically there are themes of people sticking with certain things, prejudices, habits etc just out of tradition and fear of change or feeling that society forces what's 'right' or acceptable on people just because 'this is how its always been' etc.

I.M: A few years back (2013) during your tour with DevilDriver and Trivium in the USA you guys suffered an RV accident, and on the 2011 tour your guitarist broke his wrist. Is there some kind of curse that on odd numbered years
Sylosis can't to complete a 'complete' full tour of the USA? So no tour in 2015? Any plans for one in 2016 maybe?

J.M: Well the Lamb of God tour was the biggest USA tour we've done and we completed that one without any hitches. We will be touring the US hopefully in 2015, either the summer or the end of the year.

I.M: Having changed drummers (but not for the album), how do you feel the new and old songs sound live? Did you guys looked for a drummer that just filled in? or did you wanted the drummer to add some of his flair
and style to the music?

J.M: Ali had filled in for us on a tour back in March/April 2014 and when Rob told us he was going to leave we knew Ali was the right guy. He's one of the best drummers in the country. Drummers add their own flair regardless. It's such a physical instrument so your own style will always come through. He's a really creative drummer and hits so hard so we're looking forward to seeing what he comes up with for the next album.

I.M: With all the good releases comming out this 2015, what would you say to fans and Metal heads from the world to compell them to acquire the excellent "Dormant Heart"?

J.M: I think we have a pretty unique and eclectic mix of influences that I just don't hear any other band doing. We're mostly a thrash band, but we're not a 'revivalist' band. Our influences range from early Metallica to bands like Cult of Luna to Rush and Pink Floyd to Neurosis etc. We never set out to try and create some new genre and I'm not saying we have done, but we've ignored all the trends that come in go in heavy music and I think it's set us apart. I think Dormant Heart is our best album to date and the most intense and urgent sounding album we've done

Read our review of "Dormant Heart" here.

More info:

http://www.sylosis.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Sylosis

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