Fallen Martyr’s Educated Roots
By: Natalie Perez
Guitarist Gabriel Luis of thrash metallers Fallen Martyr caught up with me to discuss the band’s first ever five-song EP, “The Six Roots of True Will”. Along with covering everything you should know about Fallen Martyr!
1. Normal starter question … How is Fallen Martyr? Who are the members? When were you formed? How long have you been together? Do you strictly play in the band or do you have other jobs?
Gabriel: Hey we are doing very very well actually. The Members in the band are myself (Gabriel – Lead guitars), Doug – Bass, Jake – Drums, Ryan – Vocals, Michael – Lead Guitars. Myself and Doug started this band 5 years ago when we were 16 years old, and we have had the current lineup, which is the best and most stable for about a year and a half or so. We have other jobs right now – we don’t go to school so we focus as much as we can when we aren’t working our jobs on the band, writing, playing practicing etc.
2. Where do you come from? Are there any other good bands there? How is the scene in your area?
Gabriel: We are from the Washington, DC/Maryland Area. Our friends in periphery just got signed to Sumerian which is pretty awesome, there are a few other decent bands, but I couldn’t say there’s much of a real “metal” scene. A lot of bands around here spend too much time messing around and not doing much of anything, or sometimes people go to college so they eventually break up. It sucks because there have been a few bands that had amazing potential.
3. What makes you guys different from other thrash metal bands out there?
Gabriel: I’ll go ahead and put this out there now. I don’t think we are a traditional thrash band, BUT we’ve got some thrash/speed influences, and I feel like we are a modern form of the style. I think the main thing setting us apart is having a vocalist who is multi dimensional and articulate when he sings, and the fact that our songs aren’t one big breakdown from start to finish. We’ve got solos which a lot of bands do, but for many new acts coming out now, the shred factor is disappearing again.
4. Where did the name come from?
Gabriel: Just being 16 years old and wanting to have a cool metal sounding name….no epic story or meaning to it haha, just being a teenager in high school wanting to start a band quick.
5. What influences do you have?
Gabriel: The band as a whole has many influences…me personally i get inspired to write music from the most non-metal sources…Radiohead, Muse, AIR, etc.
6. How would you describe your music?
Gabriel: Modern Heavy Metal!
7. Ok, tell me a little bit about this first five-song EP, of yours “The Six Roots of True Will”. What the writing process was like, who produced it …? What does that title mean anyways?
Gabriel: I wrote three songs, and two songs was collaboration between Mike and me. He was new at the time and still trying to get adjusted, so he didn’t have as much involvement in the writing at the time. For the New material of which we have about 11 songs done it’s been an equal amount more or less. The title is an Amalgamation of True will from the book of the law and the six roots of enlightenment from Buddhist philosophy.
8. I’m guess you have a lot of energy on stage and you give it to the public. What gives you all this energy day in day out?
Gabriel: This is what I’ve been doing since I was 16 years old, and it’s what we all would like to do for a long time.
9. Your brand of music is very nice. People really like it. Do you think you’ll become an inspiration for many bands to come?
Gabriel: We hope we give musicians the inspiration to practice on their skill, and write good songs, metal or non-metal alike
10. Looking back at the past 4 years, what is the most important thing that the band accomplished?
Gabriel: Everything up until this point has been preparing us for what are ahead. Doug and I have been together since the beginning; Ryan’s been with us about 3 years now. Just sticking together and pushing forward when things seemed hard has made where we are at an accomplishment in itself.
11. What are your big plans for the future?
Gabriel: BIG touring plans starting in February 2010…keep an eye out for that! Dates will be posted shortly – we are also going to be tracking two new songs come the last weeks of December.
12. What band would you kill to open for? Dead or alive?
Gabriel: Arch Enemy.
13. In the movie “Almost Famous” there’s a scene where the band is in a plane and they think they’re gonna crash and they come out with all these big confessions. If you were in that situation, what would you confess to the other band members?
Gabriel: I have no Idea…I hope I’m never in a plane that’s about to crash. Haha
14. When can we expect Fallen Martyr to hit the touring route?
Gabriel: February 2010.
15. Any last words?
Gabriel: Thanks for the interview! Don’t forget to check us out on MySpace and YouTube!
