www.facebook.com/souldaemon
From: Italy
Sounds like: Death Metal
1. How did you get started with music and how did you develop your sound? Who thought of the name “SoulDaemon” and is there any meaning behind it?
I was 13 when I listened to my first heavy metal tapes of Manowar, Iron Maiden and Metallica while and I started to play the guitar. However, my motivation was to play the bass guitar. Five years later, I collected money to pay my drive licence…. but ... I had to postpone it one year because I spent all the money to buymy first bass guitar and an amp!! SoulDaemon was born the next year, in 1999. I was playing in a band, but my riffs were constantly discarded. Can you imagine the frustration when you are young and your riffs were treated as crap? So, I funded SoulDaemon to collect my ideas, which were influenced by Morbid Angel, Death, Bolt Thrower, Immortal. Also, I love Epic Metal from the 80’s such as Manowar, Cirith Ungol, Manilla Road, and I think you can perceive these influences on slower themes. Regarding the name, when we feel negative emotions as rage, hate, sadness, loneliness, pride, desperation, depression, inadequacy, we are talking to our inner demons. You can ignore them and be overwhelmed or accept them. SoulDaemon represents and exorcise these demons. Negative thoughts create negative events. We have to save us from ourselves. None ‘ll do it for us, none can help us.
2. What do you want people to take away from your music?
I hope people take away two things: the passion, and self confidence. SoulDaemon was born as a project, and I put a lot of passion and personal growth. When people told me, I couldn’t create music only with bass, nobody was interested, well I’d continue again and again.
3. How would you describe your sound to the average listener?
It’s Death Metal without blast beat, rough sound, a little of melody and sadness. I like to focus on atmosphere, i.e., Evil Tree or to insert some experimental riff such as in the video of Quantum Oracle.
4. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?
I would like to play with bands that have influenced my sound such as Obituary, Morbid Angel, Benediction or.... mmh Memoriam !
5. How has Covid affected what you do as a band?
Covid affects everyday life. Since last year, the life flows slower, and this calm moment gave me time to sort things out. After 2016, the band turned into a project, and the Covid is speeding up a metamorphosis. Last year me and Alresh (guitar) had no break; we had been practising remotely and we produced new songs. Now we have a new drummer.
6. What’s your take on the current state of Death Metal?
There are very good Death Metal Band, extreme and aggressive, well performing.
7. What’s the current music scene like there in Italy?
From my point of view, before pandemic the local scene in Italy was full of good bands. We have lots of new music, songs, but we lack of socialization and live audience. It seems a no-sense. Now It is suffering, the pandemic penalizes live clubs, booking agencies, bands. I hope we can have a renaissance after the pandemic, and there’ll be the curiosity to discover and listen to new ideas, original music, mixing genres, not only cover bands.
8. What’s your take on the royalties that streaming services pay out to artists?
Royalties collected using streaming services are very low, but streaming offers a broad audience. Even a CD could be a loss of money without good distribution. I believe music needs time to be listened to, and the value of a song is the time that a guy spent in listening. There are lots of songs every day, I think the challenge is to spread the music and engage the audience.
9. What’s next for SoulDaemon?
Soon we’ll publish the new song Survive in the Abyss that concludes the phase opened in 2016. Since February 2021 we are working with Oph Serpent on new material; we have 4 good drafts and many other ideas… I would like to continue publishing singles, and in future maybe we can realize a compilation or a new CD!
10. Any shoutouts?
It’s your turn to discover SoulDameon on Spotify or YouTube!! I would like to thank all the people who helped me, past members, and the friends that are supporting SoulDaemon. Thank you!
