Hail, Sorin! I'm former Snapjaw vocalist, the current Spinecrusher vocalist.
2.Which was your first band?(In case it is not Snapjaw, give some details about the band/bands where you sang.)
The first bands with which I sang was MG42 before having this name, at the 2nd and the last edition of a jam session.
The idea back then was that only the vocalist to be changed by the genre of the songs.
I sang with them 4 songs: "Witching Hour", "Ace of Spades", "Symphony of Destruction" and "Motorbreath".
3.How did you started to collaborate with Snapjaw, and what can you tell about the band(I guess that lots of people who read S.W. do not know about Snapjaw)
The collaboration with Snapjaw began some weeks after the jam-sessions I told you earlier. Cata(rhythm guitar) was in the crowd in that evening, searching for a
vocalist for the band he wanted to form. We didn't spoke back then, because I left immediately after the jam, but we met by mistake at a video show Pantera - "Watch it go",
where he asked me to be the vocalist. The band had no name back then, so I came up with the name Snapjaw.
 |
| Snapjaw playing live. From left to right: Cata Psycho, Bony, Mishu and Cristi |
There were lots of reasons, I do not even know where to begin. The age difference I can say was one of the reasons, the rest of the members had a different point of view than mine,
towards the band and its style; they wanted a more modern(and updated sound?) that can sell; big demands regarding concerts and rehearsal places; line-up changing, that went to
the replacement of the older songs, but the biggest reason, at least for me, was the last of money. The others being much older, had jobs and they could afford paying monthly for the
rehearsal place. I couldn't afford so I proposed them that we should get on hold until I will find a job to pay for the rehearsal place. Of course that break was for forever,
because the band wanted to change the style, something pop-rock with another vocalist.
5.Between 2010 and 2012, as far as I know you didn't sang in any band. Did you left the metal scene in this time, or you were still in it but doing something else(besides Necrogore Productions)?
I left the metal scene for forever, because back then a group of people "owned" the scene, to say like this, had a plan to help bands who paid money or praised them,
something typically romanian unfortunately, and I did not wanted to take part. Actually, without money and without them, you have no chance to raise as a band or to
survive in the scene. Many venues where metal concerts were held closed the door, and chances to find new people for this style to form a new band, were very small,
almost impossible.
6.Since 2012 you are the vocalist of Spinecrusher. What can you say about this band? Did you influenced the band in any way?
I can say that Spinecrusher are reaching the level I wanted to reach with Snapjaw, they are much closer to the style I wanted to play. My influence on the band, was the
same I had also on the scene, that is about the image on stage. When I started to sing, many of the bands looked the same, they wore the same street-clothes on the stage,
and everything seemed unoriginal and dull. I left those concerts disappointed, and I felt that they did not deserved the money, so I wanted to do something that I wanted to see
at the other bands; the crowd to see a show as well, not just to listen the music(that you can do as well at home, being relaxed in your lounge).
7. Also, you released a demo with Spinecrusher. What can you tell us about it(recodings, who produced it, who wrote the music, the lyrics)?
The demo was recorded at my place, self-produced in the most DIY style to reduce the costs. The songs and the lyrics were written before I joined the band. It's a
3-songs demo, that tells a story.
8.What about Spinecrusher's future plans(signing with a label, perhaps an album)?
We plan to release a 10-songs album, hopefully to be released next year. I don't know if we'll sign with a label too soon, because our style it's not a sell-out on, like the core bands or
pagan/folk/avant-garde/experimental/bla-bla-manelo-subacvatic black metal that are the fashion bands.
9.Also, Spinecrusher opened for many bands such as Blasphemophagher, Sodomizer, Hellkommander, better said, Romanian Thrash Metal Club's events. What do you think about RTMC.
And how did they influenced Spinecrusher's activity?
They had a big role in the band's development, besides the mentioned concerts, "Hellthrash" would not even exist without their help. RTMC is one of the reasons that made me
to return in the metal scene and showed me that there is a chance for the genre I play. If they would form before, or if Snapjaw would resist a little bit, maybe that band would still be alive.
 |
| Spinecrusher |
and some of its events.
The collaboration with Necrogore Production does not exist for some time. I only did some flyers for events, and when they organized a concert, I helped them staying at the entrance.
Because I had no band and I no longer wanted to have anything to do with metal, I thought it was a waste of time, and I had nothing to gain or to learn from it, I thought
I had not enough artistic freedom. After the organizer learnt how to use Photoshop(or Corel?) it was no need of my help. I can only wish them good luck for the future.
11.What do you think about the Romanian metal scene?
I have a very bad opinion, at least before joining Spinecrusher. The scene itself was one of the reasons I left the metal scene.
As I said before, a big part of it is seems to be a big "circlejerk", many people from "the previous generation" only help between themselves, praising themselves even
for the smallest achievements/releases, most of them being inexistent. Some people who only exploit the scene for personal profit, who openly lament for how hard is what they do
and that is the crowd's fault for their failures, because they cannot appreciate what is good. I know a lot of people who agree with me, but do not express openly because they're
afraid of those whom they depend on more or less. I see the metal scene as a music of revolt where you can express your ideas openly, and also your personally vision towards the
world. Although many things are in my detriment, I can not stop to openly express my honest opinion towards some persons and things that happened in our scene. In this way I know
exactly that every next event will be deserved, not for those who pay or give praisings to. I don't like that many things released in the metal press regarding some cancellations or
line-up changings are hidden. But nothing is lost though, luckily there appears in a new wave of bands, a new generation with big potential that I hope will bury the outdated mentalities.
12.Are you satisfied with Snapjaw and Spinecrusher's releases? Would you change something at them?
I can't say that I am satisfied regarding Snapjaw, actually, they are not that excellent. Regarding the EP, I am not proud at all; it would be better if it wouldn't exist,
if I'd knew that will end this way. I gained some experience since, and this is only a good thing, but mostly, I think that I wasted some good dieas. I would liked a LP instead of that EP,
that was only released because "that's how it is done&it is demanded".
I would like those releases to be recorded in another place, at someone with ideas and much more knowledge about metal and I would like to draw that artwork myself, which was in my opinion,
a waste of money just to look "actual". Mostly, I think that were taken lots of decisions that I didn't agreed with and maybe we will not be that known in this way.
I think we all have a favourite band, that changed the style into something not that good and you'd wish that band to split before this to happen, or at least to change the name.
Spinecrusher is at another level, it is just how I wished Snapjaw to be and I am more happy with its musical direction.
13.Speaking of Snapjaw, some of the songs were never released. Would you like to reform the band? Or, those songs to be part of Spinecrusher's setlist?
I would like to reform the band, but it's not mine and I think it will never happen. I lost lots of good songs that I liked a lot, but nobody remembers them and there are only
some bad-quality live recordings. A big part of Snapjaw's songs cannot be part of Spinecrusher's setlist, songs like "Waking up the vampire" that is too
melodic for Spinecrusher's style. Maybe "Back from the Grave" I would like to sing, but unfortunately, there is not any recorded version. It is the only song I liked a lot and I am sorry for it.
I would like to sing with Spinecrusher, but I didn't wrote it; so this is the situation. It would be cool to release an album with all the songs we have and to do a farewell tour, but these wishes will never achieve.
14.What romanian bands do you recommend(or from abroad)?
From Romania I don't know what to recommend, I rarely listen to romanian bands, this because of the lyrics, many times these lyrics are written in romanian language,
thing that I don't like, but actually it is good. Romanian bands that I mostly listen to are Cap de Craniu, The 13th Sun, The Nuggers, First Division, Raizing Hell,
Psycho Symphony, Crossbone and Code Red. From abroad I recommend Usurpress, Bombs of Hades, Tribulation, The Black Dahlia Murder, Blood Freak, Ghoul, Tormented, Repugnant,
Splatterhouse, After the Bombs, Skeletal Remains, Acid Witch, The Cramps, Kap Bambino, Pistamashina, Daikaiju, Guantanamo Baywatch, Dr. Living Dead, Gallhammer, Hellkommander
and Sodomizer. There are bands that influenced me, but many of them are already known
15.Your top 10 all-favourite albums...?
Tankard - Beast of Bourbon
Faith No More - Angel Dust
Mercyful Fate - Don't break the Oath
Motörhead - Bomber
Misfits - Earth A.D.
D.R.I. - Thrash Zone
Possessed - Beyond the Gates
Hellhammer - Triumph of Death
Black Sabbath - Sabotage
Judas Priest - Screaming for Vengeance
16.The last words are yours!
Support the bands with their own songs, not the tribute bands who does only exploit the scene.
