Interview – Mike & Brennan of Hell’s Labyrinth

March 31, 2010 | Posted in: News

Remy Fan (RF): Thank you very much for taking part in Black Revelation at Home Club on the 17th of April, 2010. Please introduce yourselves for this interview.

Mike Priest (MP): This is Mike Priest from Absence ov the Sacred (AOTS).

Brennan (B): This is Brennan from Ara Ophidia.

RF: Just a couple of questions to kick start the interview for these 2 gentlemen who run a records store called Hell’s Labyrinth. Please tell us the reason for taking part in Black Revelation and working with Trippy Factory for the first time – how do you feel about it and what’s your first experience with Trippy Factory?

MP: The first impression of Trippy Factory was from the Impiety Kaos Kommand 696 Album launch in 2002, I think. Yeah, it was a pretty solid show, (I) enjoyed myself and I am looking forward to working with Trippy Factory.

RF: Great! We have a couple of good bands participating in this show at Home Club and we will have a chance to speak a little bit more about the bands later on. Now on to AOTS, being one of the headlining bands for Black Revelation, Mike, you will be performing alongside Rudra and 5 other bands. Any opinions on the rest of the performing artistes?

MP: I think all them are pretty good. It’s a good line up and I’m pretty happy with the way things are going.

RF: Any comments and opinions on the bands?

MP: Rudra, well, we have worked with them a couple of times already. Nice people, easy to work with. Duex Ex Machina, yeah, they are friends of mine. Dei Tetra, as well.

RF: So it’s almost like working with a big bunch of friends for a kick ass show?

MP: That’s right. *Grin*

RF: Now, on with the album of AOTS. I have bought both your albums – “Atrocities That Birthed Abominations” and “Era of the Apostate”. I have enjoyed them tremendously and even bought additional copies for my metalhead friends in Switzerland. What are your major influences and what has inspired you in one way or other?

MP: Bands like Hypocrisy, At The Gates are both considerable influences…

RF: Both the bands you have mentioned are from Sweden, what about bands from elsewhere?

MP: Yeah, sure! Bands like Morbid Angel, Deicide, Monstrosity.

RF: Thanks Mike. Now, moving on to you, Brennan. I understand that you are the Co-owner of Hell’s Labyrinth. How long have you been in partnership with Mike already?

B: 2 months? Hahah.
RF: So what prompted the partnership (with Mike)?

B: It all started when Mike added me on Hell’s Labyrinth’s “My Space” page. Then Mike and I met up; (and) we hit it off from the start. So…

RF: So 2 months prior to that, you didn’t know each other?

MP: We knew each other say 2-3 months before that…

B: Well, we basically see each other around in local gigs and I got to know Mike though being the band leader of AOTS and an ex-member of Impiety and yeah, it’s been pretty good in the shop so far.

RF: So one thing led to another and the two of you are now business partners and congratulations to the new business partnership.

B / MP: Thanks.

RF: Please describe your band in 5 key words.

B: Bleak, disturbing, blasphemous, horrific and err…homicidal.

RF: That sounds pretty intense, man. You mentioned in our conversation (before the interview started) that the band is a one man project and you are a multi instrumentalist as well? Please share more about it.

B: Yeah, a little bit here and there. But I am always on the look out for members to perform live shows.

RF: Moving on to Mike, 5 words to describe your band.

MP: Intense, technical, progressive (in a way), aggressive and thoughtful.

RF: Let’s hope we can see Brennan live in the circuit some day in the near future and of course for Mike and AOTS, we will be seeing each other very soon in April the 17th 2010. Okay, this is going to be a very controversial topic and question. I encourage you to vent all your frustrations and be as truthful as possible: in two sentences tell us how you feel about the “metal scene” in Singapore and in areas we can improve and what will it be?

Both: *long pauses…..*

RF: Who wants to go first? Mike you seem to have many thoughts on your mind, please go ahead.

MP: Honestly, I think that the Singapore scene is a “joke”.

RF: Ooh. Harsh. Now, why is that?

MP: And I feel that there’s way too much politics, too much nonsense and too many “kids” pretending that they know a lot but they don’t…

RF: Since you think that there’s too much politics and you think it’s a “joke” then why are you still doing it?

MP: I am not doing it for the scene, I’m doing it for myself *points at his heart* and for my band and that’s it. I don’t give a shit about the scene.

RF: What about areas you think that the Singapore scene can improve on, what do we wanna do about it and how can we progress forward?

MP: Well, I guess we’ll just have to keeping playing and fuck gossip and fuck rumours. Play music and no one is to be jealous of each other or jealous of each other’s band or whatever, or any kind of success that one has achieved. There shouldn’t be any competition and go out there and do what you love.

RF: I share the same sentiments as you do. After the Kaos Kommand show (in 2002), the metaltronic forum back then was a brutal merciless avenue for all the “nay-sayers” and “bitchers” and all sorts of ammunition was firing in my direction from all over the shop. But you just gotto take in and move on, right?

MP: That’s right. But that’s the way things have been in the Singapore scene for a long time and now it’s the same shit, but different people. Now all the old guys are getting married and the new guys are coming and spouting their shit all over the place. And it’s all the same!

RF: Let’s hope that things will change and things will move on for the better for the “scene”. Brennan, now your thoughts on the scene, please.

B: It’s come a long way, but there are still a “select few” who would fuck it up for others. So these people should really be eradicated from the scene.

RF: Besides sacrificing these “selected few” to the devil and stuff the crucifix through their arse right, what else can we do to improve the scene?

B: There is never a good way to stop all this nonsense. If you can cut one off, another is going to spring up. As long as there is a good band who sticks to their ideals and music and does what they wanna do, persevere and fuck the rest – that will be enough for a start. It takes a lot of time for them to grow of out it, but there are a lot of good (Singapore) bands out there and things will get better eventually.

RF: So now, it’s all about soldiering on, do what you have to do until death, eh? Now, any last words from the both of you?

MP: Alright guys, come on down for Black Revelation, presented to you by Trippy Factory and Remy, and support all the bands who are playing, support good music and have a good time. Drink! And support Hell’s Labyrinth as well.

RF: Super. And you Brennan?

B: Come for Black Revelation, it’s going to be an awesome gig with awesome bands that have been around for a long time. They deserve all the attention and support.

RF: Alright guys, thanks for your time!