Interview With Brandon Mitchell (Swallowed By Apathy) 2

Just a few months ago Brandon Mitchell had moved away and left Swallowed By Apathy behind. The other member (Kevin) credited for writing on Dysgenesis picked up the pieces after Brandon left and was going to continue the project. Just days ago things took a sudden turn when Brandon decided to take the band name back and sever his involvement with Kevin. In this interview we get Brandon's side of the story and get some new info on what is to come in the near future from Swallowed By Apathy.

Foul Feast: There seems to be a disagreement in terms of how much input Kevin had in the writing process of Dysgenesis. Give us your side of the story.

Mitchell: It's simple. I wrote the record while living in Newark, 3 hours away from where Kevin lives. I sent him the tunes to work on his bass parts until I could get up there to track in his studio. Other than that he wrote the lyrics to "Journeyman of the Lucid" and "Cynical Transparency". As far as vocal melodies for those two go, I came up with them myself. While he did program the drums on "Dysgenesis", I was there to translate what drum parts I thought would fit because I play drums myself and wanted to make sure it wasn't impossible to achieve for live shows.

FF: What caused the sudden change of heart? Why not take the band name with you when you first split ways with Kevin?

Mitchell: Well, when I told Kevin I needed to home with my family he flipped out. I was under the impression we would put Swallowed By Apathy to rest for awhile. Out of respect for him I didn't want to just kick him out and take shit elsewhere, I figured it was only fair. Later on he decides to get this childish attitude and say "I'm doing it without you." His tone of voice was basically like "fuck you". I mean this was minutes before I went home. I don't know if being rude to me made him feel manly or what but I'm not one to be talked down to. His father basically made me leave immediately and although I payed for half of the discs I wasn't allowed to take my cut. I financed the mixing entirely out of my pocket as well as other things we needed for the band. I had a job while living up there and Kevin made to effort to follow up on his applications. Working long days were stressful but I still came home energized and ready to rehearse. Kevin always had an excuse as to why he didn't want to practice. It seemed as if rehearsing the same song over and over got old to him. I have a lot of live experience so I wanted to get everything as tight as possible. Kevin had never been in a band in his life before Swallowed By Apathy and live shows didn't seem to be a priority. To me giving the audience my best is everything. Swallowed By Apathy isn't meant to be a studio project. I formed it with the goal of playing live and that is what I intend to do. If you must know about my change of heart, it was losing my Grandmother to cancer on Thanksgiving. It's changed the way that I view everything now and the only reason I didn't take Swallowed By Apathy back sooner is out of respect for Rob and Conor (who isn't with the band anymore). I worked too hard to have someone take it away and get the glory for my blood, sweat, and tears.

FF: Will you be using any of the material that was written when Kevin was still a part of the band on the upcoming release?

Mitchell: After the record was finished I immediately began to write because I am always full of ideas but Kevin didn't want to work with me. What I had worked on before I left Cleveland was constructed purely by me. I got some good material out of that time frame but the stuff I have been working on since I came back home is more evolved.

FF: How do you feel about Kevin's new project Aethereal Inception? Do you wish him the best in his future endeavors?

Mitchell: I was unaware until you had mentioned it. He still has yet to restore my admin rights on the original Facebook page so fuck him. I don't wish him any luck but at the same time I don't wish him harm. I more or less just don't give a shit one way or another. I'm thinking about my band at the moment.

FF: Are you and Kevin still on good terms after all of this?

Mitchell: Nope.

FF: Has a new line-up been considered yet?

Mitchell: A new line-up is already in order. Josh Chilcote is our new guitarist and we back as far as Junior High School. He was actually the first drummer of Swallowed By Apathy and did session work on our 2010 demo. Him and Steven (our new drummer) also play in Vultaria which is a death/thrash band that I was with for almost 2 years. I released 2 EP's with them and I'm looking to have Vultaria play with Swallowed By Apathy any chance that I get because they are insane live. Josh is normally a front-man so for this it's kinda new to see him focusing purely on guitar. He also played bass for the band Only Flesh who are currently label-mates with Goatwhore on Rotten Records. The guy has a wicked stage presence, a professional attitude, and live experience out the ass. Not to mention he knows how to have a good time. Steven is without a doubt the most talented drummer I have ever worked with and I'm willing to bet ever will. He's a blast beat machine and soaks up new techniques like a sponge. He's a really diverse musician and I'm looking to bring his black metal influence into the band a bit. I guess the real "new" guy is Ryan Boggs. He is handling bass duties and is levels ahead of anything Kevin could do with the genre. I hate watching Ryan play because he actually shits on most guitarists I've played with and he uses his fingers. lol

FF: You've been in bands previously in that area, any chance we may see some of the people you have worked with before in Swallowed By Apathy?

Mitchell: haha! This question has already been answered but yes. You will be seeing them! As a matter of fact we are getting ready to do a photo shoot so you can actually see them.

FF: How is the new stuff going to differ from what we heard on Dysgenesis?

Mitchell: More clean vocals! I'm not going to sugar coat it. lol Most bands say, "Oh it's going to be the heaviest thing we've ever done." or something really cliche. It's going to be the most melodic thing we've done yet. It's going to be musically much heavier and very dark at times. But I have a lot of ability as a singer that needs to be displayed on this record. It's not going to be a massive departure from what we've already done. It's just going to be a logical step forward and I'm making it a bit more progressive. The catchy choruses will be there as always. The record is going to be called, "The Oracle of Disarray" and some song titles are, "Death Will Pave Our Way", "Trinity", "Unworldly Entity", "Mark My Words" and "The Imminent Question". I just gave away a good amount of info on that but I can tell you there will be no instrumentals, covers, or filler tracks. It's all going to be full songs and I'm shooting to have about 13 tracks recorded between now and late 2012. Expect an early 2013 release! We're hitting the studio in January to record a new single so keep your eye and ears out for that! Also we will be playing live a lot in 2011! We'll have some hometown shows as well as shows in surrounding states so who knows, maybe we'll be in your area.

FF: Do you plan on keeping Chris Clancy involved in the project at all in the future?

Mitchell: This time around we are recording in our hometown with a guy by the name of Joe Wahl at his home studio. He has the tools to mix and master our record just fine as well as a degree in music recording. We'll be in good hands! haha I love what Chris did with the first record but I wanna try something different this time around.

FF: Any final thoughts?

Mitchell: http://www.facebook.com/swallowedbyapathy is our new Facebook page!!! "Unlike" the old one and "like" the current link because that's where all the current and up to date info is. Oh and keep supporting FoulFeast because he's got tasty reviews and cool info on unsigned metal acts. Hopefully this covers everything!

Interview with Brandon Mitchell (ex-Swallowed By Apathy)

Brandon Mitchell just recently made the decision to part ways will Swallowed By Apathy shortly after the release of their debut full-length. In this interview we discuss why he left the band and where he is going from here.

Foul Feast: First off I'll address what is probably on everyones mind, what made you decide to leave Swallowed By Apathy?

Brandon Mitchell: I left Swallowed by Apathy simply because I was living 3 hours away from my closest friends and family. As much as I enjoyed the whole experience the distance had taken it's toll on me. I had not anticipated such an amazing following or response to the album and I will cherish every second that I spent in the band. It was my baby, I had the band formed before Kevin joined and I watched a small idea grow into a reality. After Kevin joined a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders and we worked as a team. I am happy that they will continue to carry on the legacy but I know that because of the fact I wrote 95% of the guitar parts and my vocal melodies it will have a different vibe. I can tell you from working with Kevin for a year and my time spent with Conor Sullivan that it will still be very solid and progressive musically. Conor fucking rips dude. lol After all I would expect nothing short of greatness from those two. Rob is an insane drummer and I think with him in the fold they will explore new territories. I have no regrets simply because we accomplished so much in little time. I need a little break from music but I will definitely be releasing stuff in the future. I want to make it but as of right now I need to be with family and friends.

FF: Are you happy with how Dysgenesis came out?

Brandon Mitchell: Oh absolutely, as an artist I feel that there are always ways to grow and improve so sure I may have done things differently but in the end we put it out and crafted it to be the best it could at that time. I'm thrilled by the support I have been shown and hope that people continue to support the band.

FF: Do you have any ideas of what you may do musically in the future?

Brandon Mitchell: Oh definitely, I got plans for the future. I can tell you I have always wanted to front a power metal band and fully intend on displaying my ability and range as a singer. I've been approached the past few days about getting involved with some new artists but at the moment I am taking a breather.

FF: Is there any chance of you and Kevin doing anymore music together?

Brandon Mitchell: Kevin and I are still on good terms so I would never say never but I think it's best we go our own ways and branch out with different people. I have learned a lot from him and I sure as hell influenced him so we will take what we learned and apply it to the future.

FF: What is going to happen to the material that was being written for Swallowed By Apathy that hasn't been released yet?

Brandon Mitchell: We'll considering I wrote everything on guitar and we haven't fully pieced anything together, I plan on working most of it into future projects as it is slightly more evolved and I am proud of it. It's good shit and when it gets released you will enjoy it. I am sure of that.

FF: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Brandon Mitchell: Just a big thanks to everyone who has supported me through everything and when I get back on my feet with material you will be the first to know.

Swallowed By Apathy- Dysgenesis

Swallowed By Apathy is a progressive death metal band from the US. Some of you may remember our review for their previous EP not too long ago. They followed up that EP rather quickly and have improved vastly since. This debut full-length consists of eight new tracks and a cover. Dysgenesis clocks in at just over forty minutes and throughout that time you will be taken on a tour of the many sounds that Swallowed By Apathy bring forth on this release.

The guitar playing here is pretty complex for the most part. Every riff sticks in your head and a wide range of techniques are used. Though many sections here are fairly intricate none of the songs are overly technical. It is clear when listening that all the members are well rounded with their instruments and have some solid experience under their belts. The bass also has some great moments. The most notable is on the track "Cynical Transparency" which starts off with some crazy bass playing and also has a very overpowering, thick sound when compared to the rest of the tracks on the album.

One thing that has improved in a major way since the first EP is the clean vocals. The delivery has gotten much more powerful. Most likely the power that  was lacking on the first EP may have been due to the production values, but either way it really seems like he is holding back less here. As usual Brandon Mitchell brings a wide variety of vocal styles to the table and delivers them all well. The cleans play a huge role in the albums overall sound so the improvement in that department is more than welcome. For the most part choruses consist of fairly catchy soaring clean vocals. There is also an amazing guest spot on "Sleep Paralysis" with Chris Clancy (ex- Mutiny Within vocalist), who also mixed the album. The production on this album is leaps and bounds ahead of their debut. This really helps get the intensity across overall and makes for a much more pleasant listen all around.

The variety of tracks featured on Dysgenesis is huge. Each song has it's own special vibe and none of them blend together. This makes for an extremely interesting listen and shoots the replay value through the roof. With that being said, one thing is always consistent, the songwriting is top notch all the way through. Whether it be an epic track like "Journey of the Lucid" or a heavy hitter like "Idiosyncrasy" it is clear that a vast amount of time was put into crafting every single song to be the best that it can be. Also included on the album is a cover of "Crystal Mountain" by Death. I mentioned in my previous review for the bands EP that a few aspects of their sound (especially some of Mitchell's vocals) reminded me of Death. Their version does the original justice and is hands down the best Death cover I have ever heard. In terms of covers a better choice could not have been made, it fits perfectly with the rest of the album and doesn't disrupt the flow like many covers do.

Overall considering it is the bands first full-length, Dysgenesis is an incredibly mature effort. I can only see their sound getting better and expanding from here. Fans of the EP will definitely be impressed with this album, and newcomers will most certainly be coming back for more in the future. Anyone looking for progressive death metal should give this release a listen immediately. Get.

Interview With Swallowed By Apathy

Brandon Mitchell and Kevin Czarnecki of Swallowed By Apathy took the time out to discuss a few things involving the band and where it is headed. 

Foul Feast- Tell us a little about how Swallowed By Apathy came about.

Brandon- Basically after leaving my other band Vultaria, I wanted to do something different that was more of my style, which is progressive metal. So me and my old drummer Blaine began writing material with a good friend of mine named Brandon Ball. We met Kevin at a Death Angel show and he came in to track bass and eventually became a prominent member. Blaine and Brandon exited the band and Kevin and I were just kinda left to carry it on. Since then, we have been working on better material and have been self-sufficient with the recording process.

Kevin- As Brandon had mentioned, I met him and the original lineup of SBA at a Death Angel show. We had just kinda hung out and we really hit it off. Basically I was brought in and just tracked my bass. At the time, the original songs we had done were done at a studio in Newark, OH by a friend of Brandon's, but now I record everything the band does. Not only am I the bass player, but I produce and program everything for the most part. I had never really been in a band before, a serious one at least, so I'm extremely happy with the way SBA has progressed throughout this short time we've been around. We're doing a lot more than most bands do in their first year of formation.

FF- If I'm remembering correctly you recorded the EP as a two piece. Are there any plans of getting together a full line-up?

Brandon- We are still working on that. It's really rough with the nature of the music, because a band is like a marriage and with having such a particular sound we want to make sure that who we bring in clicks with us musically.

Kevin- Definitely. It's necessary for this band to move forward. We want to start playing shows and getting out there more, but like Brandon mentioned it's really hard to find someone who clicks with you. I was fortunate enough to meet Brandon, who actually lives 3 hours away from me, at that show and we click perfectly musically. Sure, there are disagreements, but it's simply just like a family and whoever we bring in needs to click with us not only musically but there needs to be a good chemistry socially. Infact, we just put Egor Sadovnic into the band and he'll be playing guitar along side of Brandon.

FF- How is the new album coming together thus far?

Brandon- The new album is going fantastic. We've put a lot of time into the writing process and we're being extremely picky in making sure that every instrument is played as cleanly and clearly as possible. We learned a lot from our last EP and this is a defining moment for us. I think that people will really see that when it's released. From the artwork to the lyrics it's very deep and well thought out.

Kevin- Let's be honest: as good as it's going, it's also a huge bitch. I'll be totally honest with you, when we recorded the EP I knew what I was doing but at the same time I knew nothing. When it came to mixing, I went through such a learning process and so many failed mixes before I got something I was satisfied with. I'm not saying I'm the next Andy Sneap, but damn if I didn't do a decent job for what I had and the things I knew. Going into this album, I know all the mistakes I made when we originally recorded the EP and I'm equipped to fix them now. I'm having a lot of fun and releasing this will be my biggest accomplishment thus far.

FF- For those not aware, what does the title "Dysgenesis" mean?

Brandon-"Dysgenesis" to me represents the flaw in society, or mankind as a whole. Genesis is obviously an origin or start of something and the title represents how man is natural prone to error. With the state of our world and the nature of the material it is very fitting. Originally the album was going to be a concept record inspired by my mother's experiences with mental illness . As we got further into the writing we realized that we had much more to say and I think the concept idea would have taken away from the versatility of the material. With this title it represents the theme but it doesn't limit our topics.

Kevin-Well the textbook definition is basically to be born with a malformed organ, and based off of our previous album title and how it dealt with mental illness, I wanted to not stray too far from that subject so when I thought "Dysgenesis", I automatically thought malformation of the brain. I've always personally liked lyrics and themes dealing with society and the flaws of mankind, so this really excites me. The artwork really reflects this, because when I designed it I wanted to make it seem like someone was trying to seek salvation from the pains of his/her own human mind, and the use of the hands of an infant really helps portray the idea that finding ourselves and dealing with the corruptions and flaws of life are a lifelong struggle and that no matter how stubborn people may be, we all need a little help and that's where the second hand reaching out for the one emerging from the ground came into play. The cool thing about it all is that it leaves room for the listener to determine what they personally think it means and that's always something I look for in music.

FF- How did you end up getting in touch with Chris Clancy (of Mutiny Within) for mixing and mastering the new album?

Brandon- Ironically Mutiny Within had played at the Death Angel show where Kevin and I had met. lol I talked with Chris periodically throughout the night and I was shocked by how passionate he was about the music and he had a very humble attitude. Meeting him was a huge honor and so for him to be as kind and outgoing as he was made a huge impact. I kept in touch with him through Facebook and as we began planning the album we realized that mixing is expensive. Chris not only offered us a great deal but he actually expressed excitement about working on it. It's definitely necessary to have someone who understands your music and can give you the best sound possible. He actually wants this to be of great quality and he puts a lot of effort into what he does.

Kevin- I mixed the EP to the best of my abilities, but I know I'm NO where near ready to mix and master an entire full length album so I decided to shoot Chris a message on Facebook. I knew he mixed for bands but the deal he offered us was one we couldn't shoot down so we decided to work with him. We've sent him stuff already and what he's sent back sounds so phenomenal and I think everyone will be really surprised.

FF- How do you feel your music has progressed since the recording of the EP?

Brandon- I would say we put more thought into writing good songs overall. Sometimes when writing progressive music it can be easy to lose sight of the catchiness and hooks. We want to not only write challenging music but also music that will click with people and stick in their heads. We have been really good about not adding unnecessary parts and so forth. I also think the songs vary from one another a great deal so that the listener can differentiate every song from one another. I hate when albums start strong and then material just kind of runs together.

Kevin- Brandon wrote all the guitar parts and what not, and judging by what he's written I'd say the writing has matured so much since the EP. The transitions are fantastic and everything flows great. Seeing it all come together with drums and what have you not is something that never gets old to me. There's much more of an excitement with the album, even more so than with the EP. Each song is definitely unique to one another. The cool thing about it is you can tell it's us by each and every song but we are able to put a spin on everything. You'll hear some death metal, some jazz, some melo death, some power metal, some folk metal, it's all there and that's really what I love.

FF- Obviously you both draw influences from a wide variety of artists, but is there anyone that sticks out the most in terms of inspiration?

Brandon- Into Eternity is easily my favorite band. We actually got our band name out of line in their song "Paralyzed". That band opened so many doors for me and I've taken a lot from Tim's guitar work. There isn't anyone out there who has even a fraction of the skill those guys have. Musically, they are not only technical but they are catchy and write carefully. Death, Nevermore, Martyr, Quo Vadis, Trivium, and Mutiny Within are also some of my favorites. There's also a band out there called Chaos Divine from Australia. They are excellent and unfortunately not as big as they should be. I took a great deal of influence from them while writing 'Dysgenesis'.

Kevin- As Brandon said, I'd say Into Eternity is definitely one of the big influences. For me, I take a great deal of influence from Death, Control Denied, Martyr, Nevermore, Divinity, Obscura, basically all the same stuff as Brandon. My bass work has been compared to that of Steve DiGiorgio, one of my biggest idols, and I'm aiming to really push it to the next level on the album.

FF- Have you guys played any gigs yet?

Brandon- Not yet unfortunately. When we had the originally line-up we planned on gigging a lot but until we find a solid drummer it isn't possible. That's why we are putting a lot of time into writing great material so that we can assemble a live line-up and put on a great show every gig. I've had a lot of experience in past bands and I know the potential of what SBA could do. I just want to make sure we deliver the most professional live show we can.

Kevin- No gigs but I'm really excited to bring SBA into the live environment. With Egor in the band now, I think we'll be able to make it happen a lot quicker than anticipated.

FF- How is the metal scene in Cleveland?

Brandon- I'm just now moving here so I don't know too much lol. I really like The Dagger Rebellion. They are probably my favorite unsigned progressive band and they make Ohio proud. I also like Stoneking from up North. They play progressive death metal, they have a unique sound as well.

Kevin- The Cleveland music scene is great. I mean, sure, it has its shit like every other scene, but I'm pretty happy with it. You have The Dagger Rebellion, Salt the Wound, Ruled by Reason, all these great bands. Not to mention Chimaira and Mushroomhead. Definitely a lot of potential and talent.

FF- Any final thoughts?

Brandon- Quadtracking guitars sucks. It's going to be the death of me. lol Other than that, support the local bands because it's rough trying to be heard. Also if you want something don't let anything stop you. I hope everyone out there picks up "Dysgenesis" when it is finished and continues to spread the word.

Kevin- It's been a really shitty, tedious process and it seems like we haven't even broke the tip of the iceberg yet, but when this album comes out, you'll all be extremely surprised and satisfied at the results. Keep supporting us and spreading the word!

Swallowed By Apathy- EP

Swallowed By Apathy is a two piece progressive metal band from Ohio. The band formed in 2010 and have since released this EP. It is clear when listening that the band draws influence from many different sections of the metal genre and that they have worked hard at creating a sound that doesn't grow dull after a few listens. They fall in the right place when it comes to progressive music, it is interesting enough to keep the listener guessing but it never comes across as too self indulgent. Many bands can't successfully find that middle ground and with that being said it makes for a truly excellent release.

The guitar playing on this release is solid. The riffs fit together in a very coherent manner and for such young musicians they show great potential in terms of writing ability. Many moments featured here are graced with some epic shredding and it never seems out of place in the slightest. The bulk of the riffs are extremely infectious and linger through your head awhile after listening. The cleanly played sections are executed with great precision, these sections of the album never sound tacked on in an attempt to "sound progressive". The moments fit perfectly with what Swallowed By Apathy is setting out to do. The bass also plays a decent sized role in the overall sound. It adds a great deal of depth to the bands already big sound.

The vocals are the EP consist of a wide variety of styles. One major flaw in many extreme bands is the lack of vocal diversity, luckily Swallowed By Apathy isn't afraid to go out of the typical boundaries and switch off styles quite often. The only minor gripe I have about the vocal performance involves the cleans. They aren't bad by any means, they are actually quite good, but they are lacking some power. A more powerful delivery would give the clean moments that extra push into greatness. Another thing that might catch the attention of the listener is the opening vocals on the track "Neurophobia" which have a stunning resemblance of the death metal legend Chuck Schuldiner.

Overall Swallowed By Apathy have started off on solid ground. This is a very good release and leaves just enough impact to stick with the listener afterwards. Apparently the band is already recording a full-length so be sure to lookout for that in the near future. Fans of mid-era Death may find this to be right up their alley. Anyone in to metal in general that can handle a little heaviness should give this EP a shot.