Following
the release of their debut album 'Bullet In Your Head' we catch up with
lead singer/guitarist and founding member of the band to hear more on
what Poland's best kept secret have to offer.
MM - Hi, would you like to start by introducing the band members
to us and telling us a little bit of background on the band and how you
all came together?
Mike – Hello, my name is Mike and I
play lead guitar and sing. Tomek plays on drums, Radek holds rhythm
guitar and Jarek keeps his fingers on bass guitar. That’s the whole
Made Of Hate. We are all from Warsaw, capital of Poland. What’s more,
we are actually almost all from the same district of Warsaw, so it was
only a matter of time till we met.
The order of introducing guys from band matches also the way we met each
other. So at first I met Tomek when I was like 15 maybe, maybe even
younger and we started to play together. After many different
experiences, also as a different band, we found Radek once in a bar at
the gig. Few years later, after another searching for right people for
band we found Jarek. Before we actually stood up with this line-up we
had to change people on the instruments very often, until we finally
found it working the way we liked.
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MM -
When did you realize the band was going to work?
Mike – As for Made Of Hate I
would say it was like back in late 2006. We decided to break the
chains of our former band and start running things alive in new
creation, with clear goals and right motivation. I would say at
that time we felt we had to grow up both as musicians as well as
a band.
The greatest feeling of
being a new band was actually right before the studio. That was
our breaking point I suppose. We knew exactly what we needed and
what we wanted. That was also a time of disposal some old trash
and unfinished business. Made Of Hate was the ultimate answer in
almost all cases we had to face.
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MM - Who or what
inspired you to join a band in the first place?
Mike - I
don’t think of any people or event that inspired me to start a band. I
believe there was a lot of small, accidental signals that along with
love for metal and desire to be a part of it’s world actually put me
in position of a band member. I’ve never joined a band, it was always
my place. I started it at the beginning and I’ll tell when it’s
over. In fact, I can’t imagine that situation. I also can’t imagine
entering a someone else’s band. As for me it would be really hard to
work in a different way then mine, I guess.
MM - How hard is
it for band not just from Poland but the whole Eastern block to break
into the European markets and beyond?
Mike –
Pretty damn hard! First of all, we have some mentality issues I think.
The thing is about confidence in ourselves. Secondly it’s really hard
for us to get proper musical equipment, because it’s amazingly
expensive here, especially when you consider our average salary and
it’s just annoying when you compare polish prices to prices in the US
for example. The third thing that for young bands it’s really hard not
to get into the hands of labels from your country, because, as examples
show, they rip off bands and it’s a pointless circle between band and
label. The last thing is a barrier of language. Some bands can’t say
anything understandable in English and let’s get this clear, it’s a
base of any business nowadays. Metal is not an exception. That would be
all what comes straight to the eyes.
MM - With the
release of your debut album ‘Bullet In Your Head’ earlier this year,
how are the band feeling right now?
Mike –
Great! We are in a great label, the album is available in most of the
metal world and our future looks really fine! We are happy that we
are where we are. Considering the previous question I would say we
couldn’t be happier. But it doesn’t mean we are the men. No, we
always look forward a few steps ahead, so there is no time to celebrate
our debut album, we need to go further and harder. No time for losers
here.
MM - What
feedback have you received from the fans and music media been so far to
this release?
Mike -
We have received a lot of positive feedback from people into metal from
around the world. Recently we have also been honoured by Bruce Dickinson
as he played us few times at his BBC Rock Show and commented with
compliments. Media has been cool with us, they say there is something in
us and we are worth the attention. Fans come closer to the band through
the MySpace site which is our primary contact board with people
interested in Made Of Hate. I’d say everything seems to be really,
really fine.
MM - Do you have
any plans to tour in support of the album?
Mike –
It depends on selling, that’s how it is. We are waiting for first
selling results and in the meantime we are spreading the word about us,
so we can gain constantly more attention around us. If everything goes
as it looks like, we will be able to hit the road with some tour in
October or November. But time will tell, let’s just stay put on our
MySpace. We will put all confirmed dates over there. This way or
another, we are open for any occasion to play here and there.
MM -
Have you had a chance to think about how you will approach your
follow up album or is it too early to say?
Mike –
It’s early, that’s a fact, but anyway I’ve started to think about
the new album. All I’m certain about the follower, is that it’s
going to be solid and moving act of heavy metal with solos, which has
become like our trade mark or something. Or at least journalists keep on
saying that. I also believe that we will get improved sound. I wish I
could tell you more, but it needs more time and more concerned idea.
MM - How would
you best describe your music to any of our readers who are currently
unfamiliar with your music?
Mike –
Well, it’s a real heavy metal, with dynamic and hard-balled rhythms,
crushing riffs and chopping solos filled with lots of melody and
emotions. Wild and raw vocals fulfil the space. Everything is done with
huge dose of precision and passion. This is a metal from the heart.
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MM - Who
writes the songs that you perform? Is it a solo or a joint
effort?
Mike –
It’s basically solo thing. I write all music, all single
tracks for every instrument and I have the control of everything
we play. Also what we sing. This is how people like Mozart or
Bach used to work. I mean alone, they created their music by
themselves and they could follow the ideas the way
they liked. I think it’s the best way to express my own ideas.
Sometimes the train of thought don’t allow me to stop. I need
to write it down and suddenly I have whole song. So I don’t
need any support here. But the guys can also write stuff. If I
like it and it matches my vision I may take it. It’s rare but
happens from time to time.
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MM
- Who are your inspirations musically and spiritually?
Mike –
I usually can talk about my inspirations for a long time, but I’ll try
to give it a brief. Well, at most it’s instrumental classical music. I
think it’s the perfect combination of my both, musical and spiritual
inspirations. I like baroque, classical and romantic era in music
history. Maybe it’s easier for me to take from classical music since
I’ve studied it at university. Anyway, there is also a place for heavy
metal and rock, especially from 80's and 90's.
I used to play a lot of neoclassical rock and modern metal with example
of Scandinavian term of “melodic metal”. Huge impression on me has
progressive rock and metal. Along with those inspirations comes jazz,
funky and pop music. I like to listen everything I like, no matter of
music genre, but it also doesn’t mean I like everything. I’m rather
picky and if something seems to be garbage to me and other people say
it’s brilliant, I’ll still put this in the trash can. There are few
musical elements that have to be in right place and in right proportion
to attract me. If they are not, I let it go.
MM
- Does music dominate your life or do you get time to relax in between?
If so how do you like to chill?
Mike –
Music definitely dominates my life. Except playing in Made Of Hate and
practice my guitar skills, I study musicology at Warsaw University and I
teach playing the guitar. It’s a lot about music and to keep my
thoughts in right order I have chill from time to time. I usually do
some sports, like gym or bike. I also enjoy, well I love, football.
Watching the game is on of my favourites duties except music. I also
like to play the video games from time to time. Especially football
games of course. But not alone, I like multiplayer games, because it’s
fun. I also watch a lot of movies in my free time, but these days it’s
really hard for me to find cool movie and enjoy it. I think there are
too many rubbish at the cinema theatres now.
MM
- Is there anything you have done in the past that you wished you had
done differently?
Mike –
Of course, there a lot of things I’d like to change in the past, but
life is life and I’ve learned how to make my choices and don’t
regret them. So the point is, that even if I wished I had done some
things in different way, I have to face the life just the way as it is
now. Besides, I don’t have time to look back, I have a lot of things
before me and I’m eager for the future. I’m that kind of man.
MM
- How do you see yourself in 5 years time?
Mike –
I would like to become a well-known part of international heavy metal
world, with 3 or more great albums on our account. I would like to earn
for living from music and be healthy. I think everything of all I
mentioned, is possible. We just need to keep up the faith and keep
on working on our success. This attitude has become fruitful so we just
need to keep on it.
MM
- What would you most like to be remembered for?
Mike –
I’d like to be remembered for my guitar playing, solos. That’s
personally. As a band I’d like to be remembered as fine and kicking
ass live & studio band, which used to perform on stage brilliant
music. In both cases there are a lot of things to do. Anyway, time will
tell whether we will be remembered of not.
MM
- Do you have any final words for our readers or is there anything
we’ve omitted to ask?
Mike –
Well, I’d like to invite you all to our musical world. Please check
out our tunes and I really hope you enjoy it like a lot of people have
so far. I just guarantee you won’t be disappointment if you like
melodic, aggressive and honest heavy metal.
That’s how we roll. I also hope to meet you on the road as soon as we
start tour with Made Of Hate. Best of luck and stay heavy!
MM - We'd like to thank Mike for taking the time out of his hectic
schedule to chat with us today and wish him and the rest of the band
every success with their new album 'Bullet In Your Head'. If you
haven't heard it already then be sure to check it out, you won't be
disappointed.