Make Them Suffer Interview

Christopher, bass player and original member of Make Them Suffer recently took the time to answer a few questions about how far they've come, what's next for the band and much more. Enjoy!

RR: How's the reception been for your debut album Neverbloom?

Chris: Thus far the reception has been incredible. We certainly didn’t expect people to be so receptive to some of the tracks we experimented with. While we were writing the album it was always lingering in the back of our minds how people would respond to a track like Elegies or a track like Widower. So we’re very thankful that everyone has listened to Neverbloom with an open mind.

Did you ever think that your videos for 'Neverbloom' and 'Widower' would be received so well and gather 200,000 plus views?

Not a chance. It’s been quite overwhelming to look up your music on YouTube and see a figure like 200,000 views under the video. We’ve been very fortunate to have quite a lot of support on our social networks and having so many people help spread our music across the globe.

Tell us a bit about how Make Them Suffer first got started.

To cut a long story short, Make Them Suffer started out as a project between myself and original members Richard, Jarryd and Wyn. We fooled around with a couple of tracks, came up with one we were fairly happy with and decided to put it on MySpace. I had known Sean from meeting at a couple of local shows so once we began our search for a vocalist Sean fit the mould perfectly. So we continued writing our first couple of songs and decided we were going to take it a little more seriously which led us to searching for a drummer. So, in a similar fashion, Tim approached us on MySpace based on the tracks we had up and decided he wanted to give it a go. So in July 2008 in my Mums kitchen, we finally had ourselves our first official line-up.

What sort of bands did you listen to when you first discovered heavy music?

The first metal bands I was introduced to were Slipknot, Korn and Fear Factory. I guess it’s one of those things that you just stumble across. Whether it’s through someone at school, T.V, a video game, you’re never really too far away from being introduced to new music.

Who and what are some of the bands biggest influences when it comes to your sound?

Our influences (as a whole) have changed over the years. I mean, when we first started out Sean, Tim and myself were huge fans of Suicide Silence, Carnifex, Whitechapel and a tonne of other Deathcore bands. Over time you fall in and out of love with different bands, styles etc. so of course it comes through with the music you write at different points of your life. For me personally if I had to narrow it down I would say the key influences would be Dimmu Borgir, Deftones, Bleeding Through and Emmure.

What are some bands that you yourself are enjoying right now?
 

A bit of everything really. Bloc Party, Band Of Horses and The Album Leaf to name a few.

The ‘Movember Mayhem’ tour kicks off this month, you'll be playing beside In Fear And Faith from the States among with some other great Australian bands, what can fans expect from these shows?

I think people can expect something a little different from your standard tour package. The tour offers four bands showcasing a different genre and live show between them so I definitely feel there’s something for everyone. Which is great because we’ll be able to reach out to a different audience that more than likely isn’t familiar with Make Them Suffer.

Are there any other international bands that you'd love to share the stage with?

Of course! Where do I start? If I could pick three bands for Make Them Suffer to tour with I would go with Slipknot, Deftones and Eminem.

What's your opinion on the Metal scene right now?

It depends how you look at it. On a national scale I think Australia has really stepped up and become one of the frontrunners in the genre. We’re home to a number of incredible artists who have generated a huge amount of demand from overseas countries. Ultimately I think the biggest thing that has helped with those doors opening for Australian metal bands is the success Parkway Drive have had internationally. You can’t deny that they have opened a huge door for upcoming Australian artists to be recognised on an international scale. Now you have the likes of Northlane and Thy Art Is Murder making their way abroad which will again open doors for Australian artists on a similar level to make the jump.

Do you have a personal favourite album for 2012 yet?

Tough call. I’ll go with Frank Ocean – Channel Orange.

How far do you want Make Them Suffer to go and where do you see the band in the next year or two?

I’d love for Make Them Suffer to tour abroad. Playing a major festival? Certainly two of our biggest goals across 2013 / 2014. 

Do you have any tips for bands that are just getting started and want to succeed?

The first thing to scratch off the board is thinking about success. If you go into your first band thinking “Ok guys, we’re gonna write 5 songs and start touring Australia to become the next Parkway Drive” then you may as well pack up shop and forget about it. That’s not what playing music is about. Playing music is about being passionate with what you write and believing that your music can give people something in their lives. Just have fun with your creativity. If the success comes? Bonus.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions for the readers, any last words for your fans?

DENCH.