Wednesday 19 August 2015

Dienamic - Afterlife Review + Interview


Once again I have writer's block, but this time it only goes as far as the title for this feature. Basically, I couldn't think of one. Hopefully the feature itself should do all the talking anyway. Norwegian metallers Dienamic released their second full-length "Afterlife" earlier this year via WormHoleDeath Records. They've recently become a five-piece and have been plying what they call "Arctic Death Metal" since 2009. This feature includes a review of their latest album and an interview, where Dienamic talk about their beginnings and why they're so feverishly adored in Japan!

TNIO: To start off, can you please give people an introduction to Dienamic? Who the members are and what brought you together as a band?

Dienamic: Dienamic consists of: 
Gustav Lindquist - Vox
Stein-Odin Johannessen - Guitar
Eivind Killie - Guitar
Sebastian Jacobsson - Drums
Kenneth Iversen Moutkajærvi - Bass

The band started up in 2010 by Odin and Gustav. The influences are taken from 80/90s thrash, groove metal and elements of hardcore and death metal. The only reason we are the band we are today is that we never stopped looking for the souls that really burned and had the passion for this line of work. We didn't want to make any compromise on how far people was willing to go. To survive and succeed in the music business today, especially in the metal genre, we had to set our goals ten to twenty years in the future. When we found people that shared our vision and music idea, then we became this band.  It took five years and a lot of trial and error, and we are from a small city so it doesn't rain musicians with the big dream and balls to actually do it. Here we are, a band that are ready and equipped with a plan, some experience and a hell of a lot of determination and willpower to make this our livelihood.

TNIO: You released your latest full-length “Afterlife” in April. What has the reaction been like to the album so far?

Dienamic: The reaction has been over the top. It seem that this is a love or hate type of album. For the most part we have gained positive feedback. But for those who don't like it, i kind of agree with them on some issues. But you can't please them all. So far so good.

TNIO: What are the main lyrical themes going through “Afterlife?

Dienamic: Hmm, I think I have to go for war / revolutions as well as trying to put our eyes and minds in single individuals. Try to think what we would feel and do in different situations. It is impossible to do but we can feel the anger and frustration just thinking of it. There is also personal themes, global events and personal opinions around this. But for the most part, as I said, war and greed. 

TNIO: You recently went on a European tour in support of “Afterlife”. How was the tour and what were the high points? Were there any moments that didn’t go so well?

Dienamic: The tour was a blast. I think all bands experience the same thing going on this kind of solo tours with local support, it may vary with attendance, and it did.  Some places we played on Mondays and Tuesdays for 10-15 people. The energy from the audience was awesome everywhere. But the closer we came to the weekends the venues started to fill up. We all had different highlights, but I think I answer correct if I say that Zadar in Croatia and Banja Luka in Bosnia were the sickest shows. 

We had a small gig in a biker club as the end show of the tour and nothing worked as it should. Eventually you are doomed to have that kind of show. As for the road we got pulled over by cops in Czech Republic, drove the big ass van up in the mountain on a small and rocky road, of course the GPS woman wasn't updated in Bosnia. Finally we got our ass on the highway, spent five hours in custom on the border to Bosnia. The police searched us, the van and all the equipment for drugs before letting us through. Ten meters from the border the engine failure lamp came on and we had to drive three hours with 50% engine power until we reached a workshop. For a tour that last for 3 weeks this was nothing, we were lucky I think.

TNIO: I read somewhere that Dienamic was the first metal band from North-Norway to tour in Japan (when you toured there in 2013 with Nightrage). You’re going back again this September as headliners. How does it feel to be going back to Japan again?

Dienamic: We are so looking forward to this tour, meeting up with friends, eating local food and just suck in the awesome culture that Japan has to offer. We don't actually know how many people there will be at the shows, we don't really care at this point, it's all about building the fan base. The people are nice and polite so you always feel welcome. Of course if you behave like a dick you will get in trouble. I just say don't get put in jail, you risk being locked away for 3 months with out any trial before banned from the country for life.

TNIO: What have been the highlights of your career so far as a band?

Dienamic: Japan tour 2013, supporting Sepultura in Belgrade 2014, Europe Tour 2015, release party for 'Afterlife' 2015 and Bukta Open Air Festival 2015. Hard to pick one as a favourite. 

TNIO: Having been active as a band for sometime now and with more experience of the music industry, what advice would you give to new bands?

Dienamic: That is a very difficult task. I think it is more fare to give advice to each and every one of you out there that have a band or want to start a band. 

Some things that I know work for us is:

If you are a five piece act you need 
-a Brain, maybe two but that is a risk to take. (The one that have the plan and are good at putting them into action)
-A Star, that person should get people in their hand and make them yours (live stage).  Can be a front man.
-A lead guitar player that knows his shit is awesome, but be sure that he have some social antennas left so he don't forget to be the centre of attention when it is needed.
-A Joker that you can make fun of, and he can make everybody else laugh when there is a down period.
-A bass player that can play bass.

When you have collected all the pieces, get a job that pays more then you need. You put all your money and time in the band. While the other guys are working on how to spend all you money and get the band cool gigs you should practice your instrument daily. Play live and work on being a cool live act. If you are the best musician in the band teach the others what you know. Promote your band as best you can. Take step by step. Build you network around the band. Network is everything. Record labels can be a smart thing to have. They may have a good networks that you can benefit from. Get a promo agent and booking agency. With good quality recording of your music you are up and running. 

Good luck!

Ps.
If you just want to have a band as you hobby, and not ruin yourself. 

Tell people around you and you will end up with the best musicians there is. The only thing you need know is a lot of beer and place to practice.


Tracklist:-

1. The Reaping
2. Innocent Gun
3. Revolution For Nothing
4. Where God Feeds
5. Dance With The Devil
6. You Still Walk
7. Generation Reboot
8. Overthrown
9. Afterlife
10. The End

Afterlife is full to the brim with modern, guitar-driven extreme metal. Dienamic takes influence from different corners of metal, including the Scandinavian scene (obviously) and also from their American cousins. Starting with blistering opener, The Reaping they throw breakneck drumming in with a huge barrage of riffs and melodic leads. The vocals are a mix of harsh death-metal like screams and semi-clean singing. People may here similarities between Dienamic and Lamb Of God, especially on Innocent Gun. I apologise for using such a comparison here, but sometimes a reference point is useful and I’m not saying that Dienamic are mere imitators either. They’re very adept at their craft and Afterlife is a pleasure to listen to. They break out some thrash-metal chops on Revolution For Nothing, which does nothing to slow the momentum of the album. Dienamic have got their song-structure game nailed as well. Where God Feeds lasts little over three-minutes but is brimming with hooks and just solid song-writing. Hearing Dance With The Devil made me smile a lot, because it reminds me of my teen years, discovering bands through Terrorizer and Metal Hammer magazines. A song that does that to you, can’t be bad at all. There’s a slightly menacing atmosphere lurking thing You Still Walk, which hasn’t been present in the songs prior. It’s pace is slightly slower yet it’s full of emotion and promise. Generation Reboot has all the makings of a modern classic and begs the question - Why aren’t Dienamic bigger?. Okay, so Overthrown does take the Lamb Of God influence a little too far, but you can’t have a metal album without some form of musical recycling can you! At least Dienamic can play their instruments well and with plenty of passion to boot. Just listen to kick-drumming towards the end! The title-track is very much their call-to-arms and highlights the quality of their melo-death. The opposite extremes of both harsh and clean vocals will appeal to a wide range of metal fans and show why Dienamic have gained support slots alongside Sepultura and Rage, to name a but couple. Afterlife ends rather fittingly, with a song called The End. This album has twister and turned it’s way through nearly forty-minutes of top quality thrash-laden death metal and it’s well worth your time.

Afterlife isn't streaming on Bandcamp or anything as far as I can tell. but you can watch videos for both Revolution For Nothing and Dance With The Devil via Dienamic's website here - http://www.dienamic.no/video/.

You can buy merch including CD copies of Afterlife from Dienamic here - http://www.dienamic.no/store/

Dienamic Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DienamicBand
WormHoldDeath Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/WormHoleDeath

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