Jun 20, 2023

Interview: SWINDLE (Malaysia)


Kuala Lumpur’s UK82-punks worshipper! The Malaysian punk band SWINDLE was formed in 2022 and it has been said that they emerged as a part of the UK82 style, fast and aggressive hardcore punk. The quartet released an excellent debut album “Loud, Gross & Misbehave” which got overwhelming responses! Let’s hear a collective voice from the band members for the questions asked.

- Interview by Atandistorted [June 16, 2023]

1: Hey dudes! What’s up? Fuck! Swindle is truly fucking punk as fuck!! Let us know a bit about the band history and lineup? 
Hello mates! Thank you for the compliments brother really appreciate it! Before this our first line up was Merah (vocalist), Arol Chaos (drummer), Boy Thunder (bassist) and Rony Rebel (guitarist). But then Boy were too busy with his work and don’t have so much time for the band, so we decide to bring Iwan Uchida on bass.

2: You guys mixed well doses of ‘77 melodic punk with the UK82 style! How was this idea developed, and why did Swindle choose to go for it?
It depends on how the punks describe what kind of style music that we play. It’s a basic for Hardcore Punk Roots. It make us remember who we are and where we were belong. So the genre UK82 is to make us remember our starting point, so it’s up to you and all people to describe our hardcore punk style in their own ears! Plus when people heard about UK82 their will imagine the band…the music of early 77/82 UK style and the most important is the attitude! We get annoying when some bands that mention on that thing but didn’t exactly fit to the genre! Some punks think attitude (outfit) are not important only the music but not for us. We take that thing seriously!  Plus we didn’t see lot of punk band nowadays with the real punk outfit! We don’t have any problem against that so why not Swindle came out with kind of that spirit again?

3: Do you reject or even hate other music genres? What is punk to be exact?
Why should we hate other genres? Do anything you like as long as you enjoying your life. For me punk is just being yourself.


4: Explain more please about your debut album “Loud, Gross & Misbehave” in terms of songwriting, lyrics, recording quality, production, etc?
Our first release “Loud, Gross and Misbehave” album were mostly written by Merah (vocalist) but few songs are contribute by our friends. Most of our lyrics based on real life issue and circle behavior. We recorded at ISeek Studio, Shout out to Mr.Mokhtar helping us in so many ways, the best! We do self release album by our own without any label.

5: I heard it got an overwhelming response, congratulations. How far has it been distributed?
We didn’t expect that it got some good response out there! The tape was release on 200 copies and surprise it got sold out very fast! We actually not so sure how far it has been distributed but what we believe is it’s been already distribute in the whole Malaysia! …and we got some good response outside Malaysia as well!

6: Any plans for the next recordings and future releases?
For sure we got that future plan! Right now we been focusing writing new song for our new material…we doing a self released on our first tape and surely in future we will release it again! And touring plan also maybe? Time will tell.

7: Damn! you guys are active in live shows and touring everywhere by now. Tell us some of the best, and how do you see the gigs and punks scene over here in Malaysia?
We were based on Kuala Lumpur right now and of course we were playing in our town and it was a good response and wild! Pogo everywhere there is like no tomorrow or you named it haha! Plus we just playing a show outside the town last month in Malacca, Penang and Perak. It was a good experience for a new band like us and it was a fun!

8: Any other Swindle merchandise for sale?
Our tape already sold out but you can check our bandcamp to listening…and we will be releasing our new t-shirt coming very soon.

9: Cheers and more beers! Add your last words please.
Keep pogo punks!!!!


Jun 19, 2023

Interview: SPOILED (Italy)


Rome-based Thrashcore commando! SPOILED has unleashed a truly impressive EP album, entitled “Anti Human Machine Gun”, released on January 25, 2022. The band currently consists of Laura (vocals), Zibbo (drums), Pekkia (guitars) and Yari (bass). The following interview made with all the band members together, arranged by drummer Zibbo give us space to get to know them better. Check out this Italian fast and furious act!

- Interview by Atandistorted [June 15, 2023]

1: Hello Spoiled. Anything new from the band?
Hi guys, we do have a lots of news but I think that the most important is that we’re working on our new album (which is actually almost finished).

2: Tell us the band history and current members?
The band was born in early 2017 from an insane idea of our drummer Zibbo. The band took the first steps in Bologna. During the Bologna-based era we released our first EP which was very raw (you can find it somewhere on the net, maybe on YouTube, just search it…). Since the recording of the EP our path was clear, we made it faster and we extremized it on the first official release “Anti Human Machine Gun” (aka AHMG EP). In early 2021 the former members of the band moved to Rome and with some new band members and a lot of brand new brutality we released AHMG EP. Nowadays the line up is quite the same…but we have very important news  ‘bout that…

3: Why did you choose to play thrashcore and who influenced you musically?
We always loved bands such as: S.O.D., M.O.D., Suicidal Tendencies, Municipal Waste and Slayer (and many many more) so we decide to mix up our influences in a brand new concept of thrash core (or crossover thrash if you are born before 1980…). What you see is what you get: fast music, no bullshits and a strong punk hardcore attitude.

4: Explain something about your album “Anti Human Machine Gun” - matters related to composing works, recording, production etc?
The AHMG EP contains some of the songs from the Spoiled EP. We made them faster and louder. Together with the old tracks the EP features some new songs such as: “Detonation”, “Buried To Death”, “Marchin’ Band” and many more. It was very simple to write new songs with the new band members (we share the same motivations and passion). The EP was recorded in our headquarter (Timba music school) and it was mixed, edited and mastered at Cut Fire Studios (owned by our friend Alberto). The EP was released as a co-production between different labels.

5: How was the responses and feedback you got for the album CDs and Tapes? Is it also available on vinyls? 
We had a good feedback especially from the lovers of extreme music. We decided to release the EP only on tape and CD but we’re looking for a label crazy enough to repress AHMG on vinyl…

6: What are the lyrics about in that album?
We sing about the things we see everyday, you have lyrics about social issues such us those based on aspects of our lives. Surely we’re are fans of post-apocalyptic movies and book and in the lyrics of “Skynet” this love can be found… 

7: Tell us your live shows - local gigs and tours if any? 
Nowadays we’re completely involved in finishing the new record, I think that we’re going to play some gigs this summer in our city (Rome). As soon as the new record will be set and ready we’re going to play elsewhere…so be careful, we’re comin’ to your town!!!!!

8: What would be your next releases?
We think that we’re going to release the new album on winter 2023/2024.

9: Tell a little bit about the thrash/punk scene in Rome, Italy?
I don’t think that we can talk about an “Italian thrash core scene”, surely there are some good bands but they are very few, so instead of being part of a non-existing-scene we (and the bands like us) are usually considered punk hardcore bands and we used to play in that scene.

10: Thank you. Say anything to close this interview?
Thank you for this interview, thank you to help keeping this crazy little thing called thrash core alive…and to the others…GO FAST OR GO HOME!!!!

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