OPERATION: DOWNFALL
While surfing the net I came across another group that caught my attention! I was instantly hooked to the heavy and brutal sounds that were pounding on my speakers. Catchy grooves and songs well structured together like "Dissolute" and the heaviness but melodic tones in "Hidden Sin". I had to get behind the scenes with this L.A based unit!
VMU: Hey guys how are you?
Mike: What's up man. I'm fuckin great.
VMU: Could you tell us where your from and who's the current line up?
Mike: We are based out of LA. Part of the band is from North Hills, and
the other part is from Hollywood. Our current line-up, and we have had so many,
is me (Mike) on lead vocals and guitar, Bobby on backup vox and guitar, Dom on
backup vox and bass, and Jacque (Jax) on drums.
VMU: How many releases have you put out and who produced them? (and
where)
Mike: Well we have 3 demos since the band started. With this linup we
have 1. All produced by us. The newest demo was also co-produced by Gabriel from
Avilon Studios. We recorded over there in Burbank. Let me tell you man, it was a
fuckin great experiance and fun as fuck.
VMU: Were the recordings done digital or analog? (if computer what
programs)
Mike: We used digital. We used pro-tools to record it.
VMU: Very heavy and emotional sound!! How did you all get together?
Mike: Thanks for the words man. Well I started the band with our
original singer. Bobby and Dom I have known my whole life. And Jacque we met
through one of her friends. It was kinda like fate. It was just meant to be this
lineup. It took a little while to get it right, hahaha, but we got it.
VMU: Could you explain what your lyrics are about and who writes them?
Mike: For sure. We write about a bunch of different things... all about
life. Some bands like to write about horror movies and monsters, which is fuckin
great in some cases. Other bands like to ONLY write about relationships and
girls... where is the challenge in that? Everything we write about is real. Some
experianced through us, some through the eyes of others. We hit on a bunch of
different subjects from religion, to kidnapping, to just things that have
happened to us personally. We all pitch in toward the lyrics. We all come
together with ideas and just play off eachother. Hope everyone likes them.
"I think, in LA, it's really hard for metal bands to get the recognition some of them deserve." - Mike
VMU: Could you tell us
in detail what gear you use live and in studio?
Mike: I actually used the same shit in the studio as i use live. I use
a Crate Excalliber head, with a Crate cab. The guitar I use mainly is a B.C.
Rich Warlock. It's a collective body art modle called "the fly". It has some bad
ass sound on it man. That thing is fuckin rad.
VMU: Was the recordings done live or 1 on 1?
Mike: We record all at once to kinda track the drums and bass a little
bit. Then we went back and did 1 on 1 to clean it all up. It was a real learning
experiance and we are really looking forward to going back soon.
VMU: How do you feel about the maintream music scene in the USA and over
seas?
Mike: I think, in LA, it's really hard for metal bands to get the
recognition some of them deserve. There is too much pop, emo, punk, and all that
shit out here. Some places have a way better scene for our type of music. As for
over seas... well it's a whole different ball game over there. We could be Gods
over there. haha. Metal is huge over seas and I think they are on the right
track. We need to catch up man. We need to get rid of limp-singing pop stars
like Ashley Simpson, who gets big because her sister is important.
VMU: How do you feel about touring and were there any bad experiances
playing live?
Mike: We are actually looking forward to touring, hopefully, in the
winter. If not, we are planing on doing a west coast tour in the summer of 2005.
As for bad experiances... well, the first few years of this band were bad
experiances. haha. But not with this lineup.
VMU: Who are you musical influences?
Mike: Well we have many influences in common, but not all. Slipknot is
a HUGE influence on us all. Persoanlly, mine are Slipknot, Lamb of God, Arch
Enemy, Metallica, Static-X, Flaw, Mudvayne, A Perfect Circle, Sybreed,
Crossbreed, NIN, Chevelle, Devildriver, and shit like that. I like the heavier
shit.
VMU: (optional) How did you feel about the election for president in
2004? (I had to throw that in)
Mike: Well, I'm sure I will get shit for this, but I'm glad Bush won. I
didn't get a chance to vote because I had work. But I really hate Kerry and
people need to understand... if Kerry would have won, we wouldn't have pulled
the troops out either. He can't. We are in the middle of this and that's all
there is to it. Stop talking shit about everything and start showing some
support now.
VMU: How do you feel about other musical artists who express their
beliefs? (religious/political)
Mike: I am kinda split on it. I don't like when it's done in a preechy
way, because it makes it look like they are forcing you to believe what they do.
We talk religiously, but not every song, and we do it in a different way. We
like to have all kinds of looks on it and kinda show the flaws in religion.
Political bands piss me off. Like if you want to talk shit about the govt and
what not, fine, but don't make every song on every album about that shit. It
gets old. When we do it we like to point out the flaws in the subjects (like
religion) that everyone talks possitive about.
VMU: What are in the works now for the group? (new releases or tour)
Mike: Well as I said we are planning a tour right now. Also, we have
been workin on new songs and way heavier shit. We usually have a new song every
show. Or at least every other one. We are always writting new shit. We like to
keep the people on the edge.
VMU: Any advise for the struggling musicians today?
Mike: Well, as a struggling musician myself, I would just say go for
it. Keep that shit real and just give it your total heart and soul. What I live
by, and my band lives by a similar thing, is that if you really want something
to happen, and put your full heart and soul in to it, shit will happen. So
yeah... take what you will from that.
VMU: Thank you so much for your time!! Any last words?
Mike: Thank you man. This was fuckin great. Um, just keep an eye out
for Operation:Downfall. We are taking no fuckin prisoners. The eye of the storm
is over, and infection has begun. Downfall has arrived.
http://www.myspace.com/operationdownfall
VM
UNDERGROUND
NOV 6th 2004
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