Yashar: We are doing great! Extremely busy with a handful of releases which we are anxious to write, record and release for everyone.
Rohan: I'm great thanks! I'm happy to do this interview. It's currently
boiling in Australia at the moment so I'll probably head out to the beach
sometime later.
I
can’t miss an opportunity to ask about your age. When you started a band you
were only 15 (!!!) How did you get into grindcore? What was the first bands
that made you love this genre? Why you started performing this extreme
underground kind of music in the first place?
Yashar: I got
into grindcore through a 2003 documentary which included a 10 minute segment of
Napalm Death. The 2 songs that were included were Suffer the Children and If
The Truth Be Known. I was immediately in love of the wall of noise I was
listening to and checked out more Napalm Death before buying Scum. The Top 3
bands that made me want to play grindcore are: Carcass, Napalm Death and most
of all; Terrorizer. I could not get enough of Terrorizer in particular because
the songs were so addictive for me and I felt that the style that Jesse played
was more or less similar to what I played. After Rohan and I got extremely into
grindcore we decided to form a small, short lived noisegrind band called Rancid
Earrape which eventually dissolved into a more straight forward grindcore band,
we decided to land on Avian Terror after listening to Coffin Birth too many
times.
Rohan: Well when I was about 13 I was a big metal head. I was even in a thrash
metal band. I'm pretty sure I didn't even know what grindcore even was. Then at
the end of 2014, I went for my first local show. I met a lot of people that
night. Due to most of them being into grindcore, I somehow got linked to Insect
Warfare's World Extermination record and that changed everything. I started going
to local shows at the start of 2015.
If I remember it correctly, Avian Terror was formed year ago. Tell us about
how it all started, I think it will be interesting to those our readers who
don’t know much about you yet.
Yashar: The
previous answer kind of touched base on this. We formed a small short lived
noisegrind band called Rancid Earrape which ended up recording and very roughly
mixing 50 songs in 4-5 hours. I then messaged Rohan asking if he wanted to form
a legitimate grindcore band. After many unsuccessful name ideas we landed on
Avian Terror, after the Coffin Birth song: Avian Anthrax Terror Attack.
Rohan:Before we started Avain Terror, in the school holidays of 2014, my
guitarist and I made a shitty noise core band called Rancid Earrape. We made a
50 track demo called bedroom crushing blues. As shit as it was, it was a lot of
fun recording together. Sometime in the beginning of 2015, my guitarist
messaged me asking if we wanted to start a legit grind band. I wanted to be
guitarist because I didn't know how to play drums but he wanted to be guitarist
as well so we had to see who was better. Around April we saw an ad that a
studio was putting up, called "free recording at monster mouse
studios". We recorded our demo there All of the songs we recorded were
made up on the spot.
And of
course I should ask you about your first gig. How was it? Everything went
smoothly? Were you all sweaty from the excitement?
Rohan: Our first gig was very cool. We had a lot of friends come out to see us.
Before the gig we were pretty nervous but happy nervous. We played at a new DIY
venue called, "Wastelands". It was pretty awesome playing live on
drums and singing.
Yashar: First gig was at a small DIY venue called Wasteland. Which was on the 11th
of July 2015. We played with: Unknown to God, Frame 313, D.W.A. and Offensive
Behemoth (also their first show). The nervousness in me turned into pure
energy, which turned out to be one of the best times I had ever had.
Even
though you are young band, you already made 3 tapes for the first year of the
band’s existence, that’s very impressive. Tell our readers about those releases
that are already out, and also we would like to know about future plans of
Avian Terror.
Yashar: “Demo MMXV” was recorded at a small
recording space/stage called Monster Mouse, which would occasionally host free
jam/recording sessions, Avian Terror and Rohan's other band Hammerhead were
supposed to occupy the hour and a half we had but for whatever reason
Hammerhead couldn't make it. So we recorded 3 official songs and winged 5
others. Our 2 splits with Shitnoise Bastards and WRØNG were recorded in a small
room by a guy called Mark if I remember rightly (sorry if I don't), which
turned out a lot cleaner than I imagined but was still very lo-fi and was
awesome. Upcoming releases: Split with Archagathus, Split with Commit Arson,
Split with Sete Star Sept, Split with Carcass Grinder and a 7” EP.
Rohan: Yeah well after we made our demo and put it up on the Internet, Drew from
Naked Noise records messaged me asking if I would let him make Avian Terror
tapes. I was pretty surprised but ever since then he has been willing to do all
our stuff. We currently have our demo (sold out) and two splits with WRØNG and
Shitnoise Batsards. We got some more splits coming out with Carcass Grinder,
Commit Arson, Sete Star Sept and Archagathus. We are currently working on a
7" record. We are doing an East Coast Tour (Australia) this year.
Next
question is about parents. What do your parents tell you about all this
grindcore stuff you’re doing? Do they support you?
Yashar: Rohan's parents are extremely supportive of the band and usually show up to
our gigs to watch us, they also fund many aspects of us like our shirts, the
designs people draw us etc. My parents don't really know or care, they just let
me do what I want.
Rohan: I have no idea what I would have done without my parents. They are the most
supportive people ever. They drive us to shows, they let us rehearse in the
house, they loan us money to pay for merch (which we pay back from the money we
make) and they generally take an interest in our band and the Sydney DIY scene.
What
kind of feedback did you get outside of Australia? Is there many fans of Avian
Terror around the world?
Yashar: Surprisingly
there are fans all over the world, We have support from Southeast Asia and some
European countries. Though most of our fanbase is mostly centred in Australia.
Rohan: We have gotten some good feedback. It's pretty cool that people from other
countries appreciate our music.
All your music was released on Naked Noise Records. Did you sell your souls
to Drew?)
Rohan: Yes, definitely sold our soul. Drew is a legend for supporting us. Thanks Drew .
Yashar: Yes we
did.
You
managed to perform on stage with such mastodons like The Kill and Captain
Cleanoff in 2015. Don’t you think it’s awesome and a great step for a band? By
the way, how often do you get invited to play live shows?
Rohan: When we started the band we were listening to those bands, we had no idea
that in less than a year, we would be opening for them. Yeah it's a big step
for us. We get asked maybe a couple times a month, I'm not really sure. It's a
bit annoying that we may not be able to play as many shows because I'm starting
year 11 and I need to focus on my school work a lot more. Yeah I know it's not
very grind but that's life I guess?
Yashar: Playing with the Kill and Captain Cleanoff was the biggest surprise to us.
We look up to these bands and aspire to be like them and not even 12 months
later we are sharing a stage with them. Though some people might not say that
it is a huge accomplishment we think it is for us. Wasteland is the place we
most often get asked to plays shows at, most of the time we try to slip
ourselves onto shows, like the Captain Cleanoff show.
I know
that Australia is famous for its venomous creatures that sometimes get in the
house or can be seen while just walking. Was there any dangerous situation you
got into because of these poisonous bastards?)
Yashar: While being interviewed for My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama, I stumbled
upon a redback spider while I was outside. But the truth be told I haven't had
gotten into any serious cases with Australian predators. Though you will see
big spiders just hanging outside your house very often.
Rohan: Yeah there are heaps of dangerous shit all over Australia but you know
what? The one thing I hate are birds. I hated them even before we made Avian
Terror. Nasty shits swoop me all the time.
Imagine that because of an airplane crash you found yourself on desert
island. What would you do?
Yashar: Scream
very loudly, then probably call for help on my phone.
Rohan: I mean, I already live in one but I would probably sit down and question my
existence.
Who wins and why: Jason (from Friday, 13th) or Creature from Black
Lagoon?
Rohan: Admittedly I have not seen either of those movies but from what they look
like, I'd have to go with Jason from Friday the 13th. Will have to check out
both of those movies.
Yashar: Would
probably be an even match, though Jason does have a machete so that gives him
points.
And that’s all, thank you so much for this interview! Would you like to
say something to our readers in the end?
Yashar: We love you all.
Rohan: Cheers man! Grind your fuckin mind.
