METAL PULP AND PAPER: Hello Mallika. So glad to be catching up with you. Thank you for doing this interview with Metal Pulp And Paper. We appreciate it.
So how are you, how are things going so far, this year?
MALLIKA SUNDARAMURTHY: This year we have been mainly focused on writing our next album. We put shows on hold while we do that, but earlier in the year we got to share the stage with Dying Fetus as part of a short tour. We’re looking forward to hitting the road again soon.
MPAP: It’s been a little quiet in the Abnormality camp? Anything going on soon that you can mention, or are you all just taking a break for now?
MALLIKA: As I mentioned we’re really in the writing mode now. We are already making tour plans for next year.
MPAP: So, before we get into the heart of the interview, let’s back up a bit and have you introduce yourself and tell everyone what they need to know about you and your band, Abnormality, that you sing vocals for?
MILLIKA: I’m the vocalist and one of the founders of the band Abnormality. It’s a death metal band in the vein of Suffocation, Origin, Morbid Angel, Cryptopsy, etc., etc.
MPAP: The band would form in 2005, but it wouldn’t be until 2007 that a demo would be released. Why did it take so long to do this?
MALLIKA: It took us some time to form the full lineup, and in fact we didn’t have a full-time bass player for years. We spent the first year and a half practicing, writing, playing shows, and honing our style.
MPAP: Digging even deeper, peeling back the skin even further, Abnormality formed from various acts such as Sexcrement, Forced Asphyxiation, Goratory, Parasitic Extirpation, and Iranach, correct?
MALLIKA: That’s not completely correct. Some of those bands we joined after forming Abnormality, not before. I myself joined Parasitic Extirpation in 2011 and did both bands full time until 2014. Goratory, Iranach, Teratism, Compost Pile, Revengeance, those were some of the older projects. Also new members came to the band years later and brought with them their experience from other bands.
MPAP: Was everyone at a standstill in their previous bands, or not happy, and starting a new band, Abnormality, was the best thing to do?
MALLIKA: All our experience from our past bands contributed to what we do in Abnormality now. We are proud of what we did with our past projects, and it definitely made us better musicians. We are very passionate about music and some of us are regularly in multiple bands.
MPAP: What is the music scene like Boston, Massachusetts? Is it overcrowded, being a technical metal band, or are there just a few bands that stand out and you can keep your head above water?
MALLIKA: The Boston metal and hardcore scene we came up in was a very active and supportive place. There are many talented musicians who grew up together and learned from each other. There were many metal bands, but it wasn’t too competitive. We all supported each other’s shows and the best bands naturally rose to the top.
MPAP: On April 2016, you would release your 2nd studio album, Mechanisms Of Omniscience. It would get some great reviews. Being called tight as ever, explosive in your face music. Even Satan himself smiled when he listened to it. It’s always good if Satan approves it correct? But seriously, what do you think of the great reviews?
MALLIKA: We are very satisfied with the response and support for Mechanisms. It always feels good when others appreciate what you create.
MPAP: For that new listener, what song would you want them to listen to grab them by the ears and ravage their ear drums with?
MALLIKA: I would recommend the title track or "Swarm" to start them off.
MPAP: What were your first thoughts when you found out you were going to join the Metal Blade Records family?
MALLIKA: It wasn’t an instantaneous thing. It was a result of more than 10 years of hard work, touring, and releasing music. Of course, we were thrilled to join forces with the label that has served as the benchmark of underground metal for thirty plus years.
MPAP: Any pressure you or the band have when you release your next album? Or are you just going to enter the studio and see what happens? No pressure on anyone, just make some music?
MALLIKA: There’s no pressure from the label. We ourselves work hard to write and record the best music we can, and we ourselves must be satisfied with the music first.
MPAP: How would you say you’ve grown as a band from your first release, Contaminating The Hive Mind (June 2012), to, Mechanisms Of Omniscience?
MALLIKA: It was a natural progression and evolution over the years, as well as the differences arising from the arrival of a new guitarist, Sam.
MPAP: There was a four-year span between those two releases, will it be 2020 before your fans get to hear new material?
MALLIKA: We are aiming to release our next album in 2018, so just a couple years.
MPAP: There have been a few lineup changes over the years, the most recent one in 2015 with Sam Kirsch joining the ranks as lead guitar. What did Sam bring to the table that you were missing before?
MALLIKA: We had a previous lead guitarist, Ben, who left for his own personal reasons. Sam did a great job of taking over that role and bringing his own personal style to the mix.
MPAP: If you could sit down with one person, alive or dead to get a concept for a new song who would you pick and why?
MALLIKA: Hmm, that’s a tough one. Probably Edward Snowden or Alex Jones since many of our songs are about government conspiracies.
MPAP: If the skies parted and the earth opened up and you were given one magical wish to claim a song as your own, what song would it be?
MALLIKA: Lol, maybe Suffocation's "Thrones Of Blood", and probably the whole Pierced From Within album.
MPAP: After Abnormality started to grow its roots into the metal music foundations, what was your breakthrough moment? Can you describe it?
MALLIKA: There wasn’t one single breakthrough moment, but a series of small breakthroughs leading to where we are now. Over the past 12 years there have been many ups and downs.
MPAP: What’s next for Abnormality? What can your fans expect to finish out the year 2017?
MALLIKA: We are currently preparing songs for our next album, and we enter the studio early 2018. We expect to do a lot of touring after the release of the album, probably including North America and Europe.
MPAP: What was it like recently touring with Napalm Death and The Black Dahlia Murder?
MALLIKA: Uhhh, awesome, obviously.
MPAP: Any backstage stories you care to share?
MALLIKA: It was pretty cool to hear Barney telling stories about some of the old days in Napalm Death. Like having to punch Nazi skinheads during their set cause they stormed the stage. We also got into some pretty interesting friendly political debates.
MPAP: On behalf of myself and Metal Pulp And Paper, I’d like to thank you, Mallika, for letting us get to know you and your band a bit more. Look forward to what Abnormality does to finish out 2017 and beyond.
MALLIKA: My pleasure.
MPAP: Any last words you’d like to say to everyone before we bring this interview to a close?
MALLIKA: Thank you everyone who has supported us in any way. It means more than you know. If you don’t know us, check it out. See you on tour!
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©metalpulpandpaper
So how are you, how are things going so far, this year?
MALLIKA SUNDARAMURTHY: This year we have been mainly focused on writing our next album. We put shows on hold while we do that, but earlier in the year we got to share the stage with Dying Fetus as part of a short tour. We’re looking forward to hitting the road again soon.
MPAP: It’s been a little quiet in the Abnormality camp? Anything going on soon that you can mention, or are you all just taking a break for now?
MALLIKA: As I mentioned we’re really in the writing mode now. We are already making tour plans for next year.
MPAP: So, before we get into the heart of the interview, let’s back up a bit and have you introduce yourself and tell everyone what they need to know about you and your band, Abnormality, that you sing vocals for?
MILLIKA: I’m the vocalist and one of the founders of the band Abnormality. It’s a death metal band in the vein of Suffocation, Origin, Morbid Angel, Cryptopsy, etc., etc.
MPAP: The band would form in 2005, but it wouldn’t be until 2007 that a demo would be released. Why did it take so long to do this?
MALLIKA: It took us some time to form the full lineup, and in fact we didn’t have a full-time bass player for years. We spent the first year and a half practicing, writing, playing shows, and honing our style.
MPAP: Digging even deeper, peeling back the skin even further, Abnormality formed from various acts such as Sexcrement, Forced Asphyxiation, Goratory, Parasitic Extirpation, and Iranach, correct?
MALLIKA: That’s not completely correct. Some of those bands we joined after forming Abnormality, not before. I myself joined Parasitic Extirpation in 2011 and did both bands full time until 2014. Goratory, Iranach, Teratism, Compost Pile, Revengeance, those were some of the older projects. Also new members came to the band years later and brought with them their experience from other bands.
MPAP: Was everyone at a standstill in their previous bands, or not happy, and starting a new band, Abnormality, was the best thing to do?
MALLIKA: All our experience from our past bands contributed to what we do in Abnormality now. We are proud of what we did with our past projects, and it definitely made us better musicians. We are very passionate about music and some of us are regularly in multiple bands.
MPAP: What is the music scene like Boston, Massachusetts? Is it overcrowded, being a technical metal band, or are there just a few bands that stand out and you can keep your head above water?
MALLIKA: The Boston metal and hardcore scene we came up in was a very active and supportive place. There are many talented musicians who grew up together and learned from each other. There were many metal bands, but it wasn’t too competitive. We all supported each other’s shows and the best bands naturally rose to the top.
MPAP: On April 2016, you would release your 2nd studio album, Mechanisms Of Omniscience. It would get some great reviews. Being called tight as ever, explosive in your face music. Even Satan himself smiled when he listened to it. It’s always good if Satan approves it correct? But seriously, what do you think of the great reviews?
MALLIKA: We are very satisfied with the response and support for Mechanisms. It always feels good when others appreciate what you create.
MPAP: For that new listener, what song would you want them to listen to grab them by the ears and ravage their ear drums with?
MALLIKA: I would recommend the title track or "Swarm" to start them off.
MPAP: What were your first thoughts when you found out you were going to join the Metal Blade Records family?
MALLIKA: It wasn’t an instantaneous thing. It was a result of more than 10 years of hard work, touring, and releasing music. Of course, we were thrilled to join forces with the label that has served as the benchmark of underground metal for thirty plus years.
MPAP: Any pressure you or the band have when you release your next album? Or are you just going to enter the studio and see what happens? No pressure on anyone, just make some music?
MALLIKA: There’s no pressure from the label. We ourselves work hard to write and record the best music we can, and we ourselves must be satisfied with the music first.
MPAP: How would you say you’ve grown as a band from your first release, Contaminating The Hive Mind (June 2012), to, Mechanisms Of Omniscience?
MALLIKA: It was a natural progression and evolution over the years, as well as the differences arising from the arrival of a new guitarist, Sam.
MPAP: There was a four-year span between those two releases, will it be 2020 before your fans get to hear new material?
MALLIKA: We are aiming to release our next album in 2018, so just a couple years.
MPAP: There have been a few lineup changes over the years, the most recent one in 2015 with Sam Kirsch joining the ranks as lead guitar. What did Sam bring to the table that you were missing before?
MALLIKA: We had a previous lead guitarist, Ben, who left for his own personal reasons. Sam did a great job of taking over that role and bringing his own personal style to the mix.
MPAP: If you could sit down with one person, alive or dead to get a concept for a new song who would you pick and why?
MALLIKA: Hmm, that’s a tough one. Probably Edward Snowden or Alex Jones since many of our songs are about government conspiracies.
MPAP: If the skies parted and the earth opened up and you were given one magical wish to claim a song as your own, what song would it be?
MALLIKA: Lol, maybe Suffocation's "Thrones Of Blood", and probably the whole Pierced From Within album.
MPAP: After Abnormality started to grow its roots into the metal music foundations, what was your breakthrough moment? Can you describe it?
MALLIKA: There wasn’t one single breakthrough moment, but a series of small breakthroughs leading to where we are now. Over the past 12 years there have been many ups and downs.
MPAP: What’s next for Abnormality? What can your fans expect to finish out the year 2017?
MALLIKA: We are currently preparing songs for our next album, and we enter the studio early 2018. We expect to do a lot of touring after the release of the album, probably including North America and Europe.
MPAP: What was it like recently touring with Napalm Death and The Black Dahlia Murder?
MALLIKA: Uhhh, awesome, obviously.
MPAP: Any backstage stories you care to share?
MALLIKA: It was pretty cool to hear Barney telling stories about some of the old days in Napalm Death. Like having to punch Nazi skinheads during their set cause they stormed the stage. We also got into some pretty interesting friendly political debates.
MPAP: On behalf of myself and Metal Pulp And Paper, I’d like to thank you, Mallika, for letting us get to know you and your band a bit more. Look forward to what Abnormality does to finish out 2017 and beyond.
MALLIKA: My pleasure.
MPAP: Any last words you’d like to say to everyone before we bring this interview to a close?
MALLIKA: Thank you everyone who has supported us in any way. It means more than you know. If you don’t know us, check it out. See you on tour!
©metalpulpandpaper