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Metal Pit: Greetings to you Mel and thank you for joining us on the Metal Pit
today.
Mel Mari: Thank you Nick
Metal Pit : Please introduce yourself to our readers
and tell us a little about yourself and the band.
Mel........
vocalist , I was born in Mill Valley Ca. I knew from a very young age I wanted
to play music . Played Violin then I picked up a guitar at 7 and by the time I
was 10 I was writing songs. Took classical , jazz and have been Bands since I
was 18 first as a bass player , then guitar and vocals now just vocals and my
body .
Simon Moon Lead guitar was born in England lived in
Australia , England and USA by the time he was 11. He made his first guitar when
he was 17. He was soon playing in the popular Speed Metal Band Kilroi in the bay
area.
G bass is from the Philippines he was forced to castrate his grandmas
dog when he was a kid which traumatized him . He started playing bass and
creating music to avoid remembering the piercing screams and to calm his mind
Lorrissa rhythm guitar was believed to be possessed as a teenager and was
exorcised by her mothers church . Ironically she is a big fan of King Diamond.
Monico Drummer is from Nebraska and kept himself entertained by learning
drums, listening to Metal and jumping over cars going 60 miles an hour while
staying alive.
Metal Pit : How did you all get together and decide you
wanted to form a Metal band?
The original band
members are myself,Simon and G and we came together via Craigslist. The Band has
gone through one name change ( Thread ) two drummers and we added rhythm
guitarist Lorrissa . Monico is our newest member and we are very excited about
our current lineup
Metal Pit : Mel, I have heard some of Thread's music in the past and thought
that was an excellent band, can you tell us why you decided to move on to
something else?
Thread and Death Under Fire are the same band
we changed our name last year in a very interesting way . There were 2 other
bands with the same name and a D.J with the name Thread threatened to sue us. We
were playing a show one night and a fan came up to us whom I had never met and
told me he was from Texas and our name did not fit our music, that the music was
epic and we should call ourselves Death Under Fire . I never saw him again. But
it haunted me . I googled the name and there were no bands with Death Under Fire
so that was that . I registered it . and it really does fit our music better. If
I ever see him again he will always get free backstage passes and music for
life!
Metal Pit : Have you played in any other bands in the past
that we may have heard of?
I was in a band with Simon
called Mindscar which was Metal prior to that I was in a hard rock band called
Flip Side Mary which toured in California and southwest U.S.
Metal Pit : How would you describe " Death Under Fire's
music to potential new fans of the band?
We have been
described by fans as: Old School Metal , Dark, progressive ,Dramatic you
will hear influences as Megadeth , Mercyful Fate , Black Sabbath , Iron Maiden.
But I really feel we have developed into our own sound
Metal Pit : What about your vocal technique,would you
say you sing more clean or extreme vocals?
I am from
the Dio , Bruce Dickinson school of singing clean Dramatic , I use some
screaming and grit for emphasis on words and phrases. And I have a Dave Mustaine
snarl at times.
Metal Pit : You are currently living in California (U.S.),what can you tell
us about the Metal scene there today?
I am from
Northern California which is where Thrash started. Megadeth had its first gig at
a club in Berkeley which is now closed . Unfortunately this is the case with a
lot of the clubs . But there is a great group of Metal Heads around here that
keep it alive.
Metal Pit : What's the club scene like
there,any favorites the band has played?
I would like to give my
horns up and thanks to Vinnie's and the Time Out in Concord , Lommori
productions Chris's Club in Vallejo , Fire Escape and AmbPirate Rose in
Sacramento. Pine Street in Livermore , Madhouse productions Hella Jenn in San
Francisco, ManDown productions and the Avalon in San Jose. Pete Schaaphok and
Bands4Bands, your Music Magazine, Last Day Saloon in Santa Rosa . Without these
people , clubs and organizations metal would have a rough time in Northern
California. Also I cannot forget Ace and Danny at reality check TV, they are
really supportive and important to the metal community out here.
Metal Pit : Have you had the opportunity to play a lot of live
shows?
I have played 100's of shows but this
bands lineup is new and we have our first show this month and we plan on gigging
and touring in 2011 and 2012
Metal Pit : The band has some songs on your
Myspace page,any thoughts as to when you will release a full length CD?
We are planning on having a full length release in 2011 . We are in talks
right now with a well known producer in L.A. which we are very excited about!
That is all I can say for now but be ready for some big surprises this year from
us.
Metal Pit : Your tunes are pretty intense and have some very powerful
lyrics,as the singer do you write all the lyrics yourself?
I used to
write all the lyrics in other bands I have been in but Death Under Fire is truly
a band project we all contribute and we write as a band. I tend to write the
angry psychological political lyrics.
Metal Pit : Lyrics for
the most part are such a very personal thing to me, does your inspiration come
from personal experiences, current events or fantasy?
Personal
experiences, pain and current events. I learned from a young age that there is
so much more then meets the eye if you are willing to research and go deep into
a subject . The farther you are willing to go the better the lyric.
Metal
Pit : Unfortunately you have been through some pretty hard times in your life,if
you don't mind can you tell us about some of your struggles in the
past?
My mother is mentally ill
she is in a home now and does not acknowledge that I am her daughter. As a child
all I experienced was yelling from my father and my mother telling me I was an
accident , unwanted and that she wished I was a boy.
I escaped into my room into music and books I had
incredibly low self esteem that lack of confidence is what drove me into some
difficult times. By the time I was 15 I left home because my parents split up
and my Mom went off the deep end, within a year my father died of Colon Cancer.
When I was 18 I lived in my car and I really could not face my pain. I did not
feel capable of doing anything and my boyfriend at the time talked me into
selling my body.
Through all of it I
continued to write and play music. I have had many jobs many stories , I have
been raped and beaten but I do not blame, I take responsibility for my pain which
led me to those people, those events.
Metal Pit : I am sorry you have had to deal with all of
this Mel,but I am a firm believer in the phrase "What doesn't Kill us
makes us Stronger",do you think fighting through all that pain has helped
define the person you are today and given you strength that maybe you thought
you never had?
Yes I don't regret anything or anyone in my life it is all
for a reason . I am strong I have faced and gone into the fire and I have faced
every fear. I feel like a warrior of life and I hope through music I can share
some of the hope I have for everyone who has to face their
demons.
Metal Pit : Is Metal music a catharsis for you and does it
help you to expel some of those demons when you are writing songs or performing
on stage?
Yes I feel almost posessed at times like I am expeling everyones
demons through my body. I think that is why I do not play an instrument on stage
anymore. It is what I would call a shamanistic experience. I do not know what is
going to happen sometimes .
Metal Pit : I am sure some of our younger
readers both male and female will find your story very inspirational,what advice
would you give to young people today who are trying to fight through some of
their own demons?
That it is ok to be in pain to be in fear just don't let
that pain and fear control you and your life. Find someone that you can talk to
who does not judge you or want to manipulate you. You are important you are
unique and have something important to give to this world and inside you know
what that is. I believe in you!
Metal Pit : As a strong woman in Metal and
a very positive example of a role model or mentor,what advice do you have for
the young women out there who are possibly thinking of starting their own Metal
band?
Practice Practice Practice becme a master of your instrument. Don't let
anyone try to sterotype you,find your own style . Be willing to go into deep
places to write those fearful dark places are where the really good music comes
from. Don't just be another chick musician
Metal Pit : Do you
personally think women in the scene have finally arrived and are getting the
respect they deserve as musicians or do you think we still have a long way to
go?
Its better than when I started but I agree with Angela Gossow from Arch
Enemy who said she will be happy when we are not a genre but just fellow metal
musicians. I also see some of the marketing of some of the younger ones being as
explotive as ever. But sex sells and its just another way of dumbing down the
public.
Metal Pit : Who are some women in the scene that you admire and
why?
Otep for her poetry and passion, Debi Gunn from Sentinel Beast for
her Awesome voice and she was here first! Kas from Serpent & Seraph for
going from Brutal to Beauty In a phrase. Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil for the
perfection of her voice that so many try to copy. Angela from Arch Enemy for
staying strong and brutal.
Metal Pit : What cd's would I find in your car
at the moment?
Mob Rules Sabbath, Iron Maiden Number and powerslave,
Testament The Formation of Damnation, Megadeth Endgame, countdown
to extinction, Coroner Mental vortex
Metal Pit : If "Death Under
Fire" had the chance to share the stage with just one other band,who would it
be?
Megadeth!
Metal Pit : When not singing for the band what other
kind's of things do you enjoy doing?
Simon and I saved a bunch of feral
Kittens so we have 8 cats!
I also love to research alternative history and
news. Through my experiences and if you really look in to it you can see how we
have been lied to and manipulated for a very long time.
I work out do yoga ,
I like to help people with healthy eating I had cancer at one time and you can
really strengthen your mind and body by what you put and don't put into it.
Metal Pit : Damn, Mel...you are a cancer survivor as well. You truly are a
warrior my friend, do you care to tell us a bit about that experience?
I
was diagnosed with stage one Cervical cancer over 10 years ago. As I mentioned
before my father died very quickly after he was diagnosed for Colon Cancer and
that had a strong impact on me. He died in the hospital in a very unpleasant way
. It was horrible having to watch him die like that. When I found out I had
cancer I vowed to the spirit of my father that I would not end up the way he did
. So I realized that I would have to figure it out for myself . I researched and
cleansed and fasted , read everything I could find on
alternative cancer
treatment . I also worked on my mind and my pain. Within a year the cancer was
in remission and ( knock on wood ) it has not come back. This has been a
blessing in disguise because I have been able to support a lot of people in
helping themselves with changing their diets and getting stronger in their
lives.
Metal Pit : If there was just one sentence to sum up your
philosophy on life, what would that be?
Think for yourself and stay Free! I
will die on my feet not on my knees!
Metal Pit : Is there anything
else you would like to share with us today,maybe what lies ahead for you and the
band in 2011 or
anything else you would like to add?
We want to
have a full album release this year , tour Europe and US and make a mini film of
the song Masters of Manipulation. We want to reach as many fans and new fans as
we can.
Metal Pit : Where can fans find out more about the band and
get to hear your music?
For now http://www.myspace.com/deathunderfire and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Death-Under-Fire/501321985037
and coming soon http://www.deathunderfire.com will be up and running.
Metal Pit : What does it mean to you to be chosen as the Metal
Pit's Maiden of the Month?
It is really an honor to be chosen I
really appreciate you allowing me to unveil my true self .
Metal Pit :
Mel, the one thing we Metal fans love more than our music is a fighter and you my
friend are just that. You are an
inspiration to a lot of people with your
spirit and your music and I for one feel very proud to know you. On behalf of
myself and
the Metal Pit we want to wish you and the band the best of luck in
2011 and beyond and we also wish you good health.
Thank You so much Nick
that means a lot to me :)
Horns up brothers and
sisters...............
Nick
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