THUNRAZ from Estonia play hard-hitting, hellishly
heavy Death Metal/sludge that hits you like a freight train at 1000 MPH. Their
penchant for innovation and writing quality music full of emotion sets them
apart from some of their peers. If you enjoy a somewhat original approach, like
some of the bands mentioned in this interview (Immolation, Today is The Day,
Godflesh, etc.), then I recommend you to check them out. I consider myself a
fan and have enjoyed albums like “Revelation” and “Borderline” (both released
in 2023). So without further ado, here is my interview with founder/mastermind
Madis Jalakas.
1. Hello there! Can you tell us how Thunraz was
conceived and what the band is all about?
Madis: Greetings.
Thunraz was started in 2017, after a period of significant emotional struggles
for which I needed an outlet. It's become a way for me to process certain
realities by aggressively confronting them. To establish some freedom in what
feels increasingly like a locked cage.
2. Can you elaborate a bit on your sound and
influences?
M: The initial
spiritual and musical impetus for the project was the band Bölzer from
Switzerland. I liked how they were a two-piece that sounded huge, and tried in
my own way to emulate that. You'll hear their influence mainly on Hinterland in
the tracks Stronghold of Fire, Invocation and Dysgenesis. Other influences
would quickly seep in from bands such as Immolation, Godflesh and Neurosis.
Some lesser known names like Cattle Press and Starkweather would inspire the
approach to slower tempos, and bands such as Kobong and Meshuggah, as well as
chaotic hardcore/metalcore from the 90's, would inspire the angular riffs and
rhythmic diversity.
To me it's
just heavy, pissed off metal without boundaries. Past my initial attempts,
there has scarcely been a moment where I consciously decided what to write.
3. Why isn’t your band signed? Do you think that
geography and the fact that you are not gimmicky plays some sort of factor why some
labels won't work with you?
M: There
actually was a signed contract for Hinterland, but beyond some other minor
collaborations, it has been difficult to find interested parties. I would say
that the nature of modern social media marketing plays a big part. There are
algorithmic reasons why it's harder for original material to push through.
Greater content saturation also means greater competition and a need for labels
to hyper-specialize. Same applies to bands.
That said, it
is a bit amusing to be told, "Yes, it's good, but I don't know how to sell
this". At some point all the bands that everyone considers as genre
classics were doing something new that nobody knew how to market. I wish more
people took a chance. Not just labels, but music fans in general. There are
many cool projects out there that deserve your attention.
4. Thunraz released two very solid albums in 2023,
although we will dissect them one by one. First, Revelation: This album is pretty
sick and I love the diverse influences that went into it, from old-school death
to chaotic hardcore to some pure black metal riffs. What was the overall vision
and approach to “Revelation”?
M: "Revelation"
was born from a collaborative effort between me and creative madman Jared Moran
(Acausal Intrusion, Speed Ritual Records, etc.). He created the drum tracks
based on a few keywords from me (OSDM, technical sludge), which I then
improvised on top of in a quite intuitive fashion. I'm glad you enjoy it!
5. The follow-up, entitled “Borderline”, is even
more manic. I feel like this album is heavier, and I love those moody clean vocals.
Where did the idea to utilize clean vocals come from? Are you by any chance a
fan of Acid Bath? How do you feel “Borderline” compares to “Revelation”?
M: I am
actually a huge fan of Acid Bath, although Dax has more of a blues influence to
his singing. Some other bands that mixed vocal styles and inspired me are Today
is the Day, Section 8, and Demanufacture-era Fear Factory. Honestly, even bands
like Deftones and Helmet. How it compares? I think the noisecore/metalcore
influence is more obvious. "Borderline" is much more musically
diverse than anything I've done before.
6. What are some of the themes you explore with
Thunraz and where do you draw inspiration from?
M: Usually
there will be something I'm dealing with, whether it be a personal problem, a
philosophical question, or some socio-political topic that is making me mad
enough to write lyrics about. I'm interested and passionate about many things,
so sticking to one or two themes could never sustain my interest and would
stifle a project that's meant to be freeing. Quite a few of the songs deal with
several subjects. The first lyrics I actually felt strongly enough to sing had
to do with the death of a close friend and the perpetual misery of nearly
everyone around me. If there is an overarching theme, it's my refusal to
quietly tolerate the daily horrors of existence.
7. The track ‘You and Me’ from “Borderline” has some
of the sickest riffs and is easily one of your best songs. A pure masterpiece.
Can you give us some insight on what this song is about?
M: Thank you!
"You and Me" details what can happen if two thoroughly traumatized
people meet each other and try to build a life together, with way too many
obstacles in their path. For me it forms the emotional and thematic centrepiece
of the album.
8. The music of Thunraz is dark, chaotic, and
depicts real emotion, whereas most extreme metal acts lack any sort of emotion or
feeling. Would you describe your music as angry, misanthropic, and do you think
original bands are in short supply these days?
M: I wouldn't
say that most extreme metal acts lack feeling, but death metal in particular
might not be seen as the most appropriate vehicle to deliver these super
personal expressions of pain. Black metal is a bit better suited for it, but
even in that context the expressions seem to fit a certain character that
becomes predictable after a while (like in DSBM). I enjoy a lot of these bands
nevertheless, but I want absolute creative freedom, no matter who it
displeases.
How angry or
misanthropic my music is relative to others is up for the listener to decide. I
can only say that if I truly believed there were no solutions, I'd be dead.
Within every cynic is a disappointed idealist and all that.
There are
still original bands, but they are often lost in the sea of mediocrity and
label-backed releases that follow an established pattern. Jump into the sea and
try to find those lost treasures.
9. Would you mind telling us more about the band's
current line- up and who does what? I believe Jared Moran played drums on “Revelation”,
but what about “Borderline”? It's safe to say he's one of the most prolific
musicians I've ever seen, and most of his bands are killer.
M: With the
exception of Revelation, all the music of Thunraz has been written and
performed by myself. I don't think this setup will ever change, but I might
work with a different drummer at times. Working with a new drummer right now in
fact. Very talented guy.
10. If I’m not mistaken, it is winter there right
now – is the weather a good inspiration for songwriting and does it influence the
psyche somehow?
M: It is
winter, but not a particularly cold one. The coldness of the people is the
greater inspiration. That and the legacies of the Soviet period which still
litter the landscape.
11. In light of all this global instability - with
the ongoing war in Europe, famines in Africa, and current situation in Israel -
do you think we are heading for disaster?
M: I doubt I
know any more than you, but things certainly don't look great. Anyone can see
the massive divisions in society and what that is leading to, but few are
willing to extend the olive branch. Too many are focused on the wrongs of
"the other side" and unwilling to examine their own corruption. Total
unity shouldn't be the goal. If an uneasy truce is all we can manage, it's
still better than total chaos. How very un-metal of me.
12. What are 10 albums you can’t live without?
M: These are
off the cuff and subject to change slightly, but right now, and in no
particular order:
1. Bathory -
Hammerheart
2. Today is
the Day - Willpower
3. Immolation
- Close to a World Below
4. Cattle
Press - Hordes to Abolish the Divine
5. Godflesh -
Pure
6. Swans -
Children of God
7. Cocteau
Twins - Head over heels
8. Jeff
Buckley - Grace
9. Drive Like
Jehu - Yank Crime
10. Agents of
Oblivion - Self-titled
13. How do you envision Thunraz in 10 years? The
fact that some serious labels haven't discovered your talent yet shouldn't discourage
you from creating music. If I owned a record label, I would sign your band
pronto! Hails to you!
M: I can't
even envision myself in 10 years, but I hope I'll still be creative in some
way. No one should be discouraged from making music due to outside factors. I
know it still happens, but honestly, speaking as a listener, I don't want to
hear from you if your motives are anything other than pure self-expression. I'm
glad if people make money, but if you see your band primarily as a business,
it's time to pack it in.
My most
infernal hailz to you, bro. Thanks for the interview!
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