DJ Interview: Valar Morghulis

Here;s my interview with the band, Valar Morghulis

How'd you get started in music?

GR -(Guitar) a child of the 80's, I started playing guitar after my grandfather gave me one when I was 12.   Didn't really start actually learning well until about a year later. 

Ewen (Guitar)- I picked up the guitar around when I was 17 (late in the game, but it's never too early to start).  I really got into live shows when I was in high school.  I had no clue there was a loca metal scene in North Carolina until I was 19, when I saw my first local act.  After the show they were chilling at the bar and I thought that was really cool and knew then that was what I wanted to do.  Perform live.  

Marcus (drums) I grew up around my Dad playing music.  He played professionally for about 50 years of his life.  From tagging along cause I was too young to be where he was playing once they opened, to helping him load into gigs, it has been my upbringing.  

DJ (vocals) I come from multiple generations of musicians on both side of my family.  Starting singing as a kid in church and such.  Got into metal around 14 and was in a cover band in high school.  Start writing my own lyrics and making music since then.  

Joey (Bass) I started learned as a place to escape reality.  My own space.  It turned into something I enjoyed doing then turned into a passion.

 

Who are your inspirations or influences?

GR  (Guitar)- Black Sabbath, obviously the Big 4 (Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth) but also Death Angel, Testament, Overkill and Exodus.  Death, Obituary, Morbid Angel, Deicide, Suffocation, Bloodbath, At the Gates, Hypocrisy, are early influences.  I also like Dying Fetus, Fit For An Autopsy, Aborted, 

Ewen (Guitar) - I;m highly influenced by Lamb of God, specifically the Wrath album, Trivium and their Vengeance Falls, and literally every note Mark Tremonti plays.  

Marcus (drums) My main influences for drums (top 3) are Despised Icon, Oceano and Aversions Crown.

DJ (Vocals) That's a big ask!  Pantera, Slayer, Sepultura, Terror, Mudvayne, Deftones, Ice Cube, Biggie, outlaw country, Bloodbath, Man Must Die, old Six Feet Under, and I absolutely can't leave out my last band, Imperium and current band Valar Morghulis. Both of these groups of musicians have pushed me to keep getting better and better at what I do.  

Joey (Bass) I was inspired by early hair/glam metal, then thrash metal, then death metal.  In that order. 

What advice would you offer aspiring performers?

GR (Guitar) Stay true to what you want to do.  If you have a vision for how you want your sound, don't lose sight of it just because of trends. New doesn't always mean better.   

Ewen (Guitar) As I stated before, it's never too early start.  If you wanna do it, you've got to work for it and grind every day to reach your goals.  Be hungry and never get comfortable.  

Marcus (drums) My main advice would be to leave your personal issues off the stage.  In that moment, it;s about the audience. They paid to get away from their lives and have some fun for the night.  It's your job, in that moment, to give them a good time that they can enjoy.  Be it music they can dance to, or mosh to, it's your job to entertain.  It's not about you.  Know your instrument and always try to learn more and more.  You're never done learning. 

DJ (Vocals) Never stop.  Practice until you cannot go on.  Look to your circle for inspiration.  Always keep it at 100% with yourself and those around you.  That's how you keep it pure.  And if you got first time jitters, don't focus on the crowd.  Find a spot in the back of the venue and focus on that.  Once the stage rush kicks in, you'll be good.  Most importantly?  Have fun.  Also don't forget you get what you put into it!  Do it with passion or don't bother.  

Joey (bass) If enjoy making music, never give up.  

How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers?

We're metal heads.  We're all influenced by many different subgenres of metal, and we try to blend some of them all.  We think we have enough of "something for everyone".  Because we're all of varying ages and came to love metal at different times in our lives, we bring a little something different to the group when we're writing.  It's very organic and spontaeous.  Someone comes up with a riff, and if we dig it, we go from there. 

Any new gigs or albums in the future?

We have several gigs over the summer and fall, while we are working on our first full length album.  Targeting for release early 2023.  Also we'll be working on a video to go along with our latest single over the next few weeks.