rattlead.hu
An interview with Evie Austin, bassist of Inscribed, who has been a mainstay in a number of death metal bands from a young age.
So Evie, be welcome on our sites! How are you doing these days?
Hey, I’m doing well. Things are just rolling along and I’m doing what I’ve always done the best I can.
Please, at first, introduce yourself for our readers!
Hi folks! I’m Evie Austin, and I’m a metal bassist based out of Florida, in the USA.
At which point did you discover the realm of heavy metal? What are/were some of the records, bands, artists that you grew up listening to/enjoyed immensely?
Well, it kind of all started before metal, with progressive rock for me. That quickly transformed into some songs by Dio, Metallica, etc. I think the song that really solidified me as a metal fan for life was „Wake Up Dead” by Megadeth. It was unlike anything I’d ever heard before, none of the riffs repeated later than the song, and it was pure technicality on every level. I think the next game changer for me was Dark Angel. Their speed and brutality blew my mind.
By the way, do you have a wide range of interests musically?
Yes, I would say I do. While metal is the kind of music I perform primarily, I listen to all kinds of stuff, especially from the ’70s and ’80s. As I mentioned earlier, I have a huge affinity for prog rock, with artists like King Crimson, Yes, Family, and Genesis. Similarly, I love jazz fusion, which can be a pretty broad genre but includes artists like Brand X, Stanley Clarke, and Weather Report. There’s also plenty of of blues, classic rock, goth, new wave, R&B, and other such things in my palette. In the end, though, the kind of music I perform on a creative level, writing my own music and working with original artists, is metal. It’s just such a great creative outlet, it’s limitless. I’ll put it this way: it’s much easier to cram whatever I want, like those crazy Stanley Clarke-Yes-Jaco bass lines into a metal song, while keeping it metal, than the other way around, trying to fit metal influences into a different genre.
What made you to turn into death metal?
Picking up from the Dark Angel thing, I kept on getting drawn to these more extreme forms of metal. Dark Angel was definitely the beginning of that, convincing me that fast was the way to go. I dug Obituary when I heard them a lot, I think that was probably the first death metal band I thought sounded palatable. Death’s „Spiritual Healing” was next. And then Atheist came along for me. Piece of Time, was just unlike anything else. It was like I was hearing speeds akin to Dark Angel, with death metal vocals, and bass parts that were beyond anything else. That was what really got me on wanting to play a combination of death and thrash metal with a lot of technical influences, while keeping it heavy. It also solidified Roger Patterson as my ultimate bass hero.
Are you perhaps the stepson of Dave Austin (ex-Nasty Savage)….- ?
No, as far as I am aware, I have absolutely no relation to David Austin. It’d be pretty cool, though. He’s the only other „Austin” I can think of in the metal world. Plus, Nasty Savage is an enormous musical influence.
Being based in Florida, do you think so, that Florida has been the epicenter of the U. S. death metal genre going as far back as the mid/late ’80s?
It’s hard to answer that from my perspective, because I was not there in that time. I would not want to speak on the behalf of those who were really there in the time, pioneering this music across the country. However, my two cents on the subject is that it absolutely was. No other place in the world was pumping out these bands as prolifically as Florida was. It seemed to be all over the state, too! Whether it was the well known central Florida bands like Death, Obituary (Xecutioner), Deicide (Amon), Atheist, Nocturnus, Morbid Angel, or the equally as important South Florida gang (with the massively underrated and important Hellwitch, prog pioneers Cynic, and absolutely crushing Solstice). It was all over the state, it seems. Everyone was joining each other’s bands and making it happen.
Is it still widely considered to be the hot spot for aspiring young death metal acts to flourish?
I wouldn’t say that at all. Most young folks nowadays are into the whole hardcore thing, and it seems to be that way across the entire country. It’s just not my thing at all. I think there’s a few really great newer death metal bands in Florida, like Sorcerer, Hexorcist, and Ejecutador. There’s some thrash leanings in those too, but I believe all great death metal needs to have a clear foot in thrash. I haven’t seen any bands that legitimately play death metal that are as young as Inscribed, though. At least we have a couple of the old bands, like Hellwitch, still kicking ass like it’s 1988!
You are involving in Inscribed, how did the band get together? What about the musical past/experiences of your bandmates?
Inscribed was started by myself and my best friend, Lucas Moore (drums, vocals) in late 2021 as a project where we could kind of vent out our musical ideas. I think he was 14 at the time and I was 16. He had just started playing drums a couple years before, after he came over to my place and used my mom’s drumkit. He had such a natural aptitude for it, as he does with every instrument, and I was like, „Dude, you should be a drummer!” We slowly worked on writing, and upon the joining of Mario Alvarez (guitar) in September of 2022, we finally had an entire lineup and started arranging the final versions of those songs. Mario was a godsend, and immediately became a strong musical force in the band, as well as my other very best friend. He was the one of us who had been playing their instrument the longest, and he was exactly what we needed.
In 2022 you released a two tracks demo, did it really represent, what you want(ed) to achieve Inscribed with?
I don’t think I even knew what I wanted at the time! Or, perhaps I just didn’t have the means to communicate what I wanted at the time. I think Lucas and I were always toying around the with the idea of having something kind of progressive like Atheist, but we were really stuck in just being a random thrashy death metal band at the time. And don’t forget my shitty attempt at vocals! Never remind me of that again. At least a lot of the framework of certain riffs would be reused for us later on, just sped up and made way more technical.
Was it spread around to attract label’s and/or fan’s interests?
I don’t think anyone really cared at all! It wasn’t until our EP that anyone cared, and for good reason. Hell, record labels still have not gotten their eyes on us one bit!
This year came out your Ep, titled In Silent Oblivion, how did the recording sessions go, compared to the demo?
For one thing, we were in a proper studio, that was a big change. Lucas also didn’t have to track guitars, that was left to our actual guitarists. There were some hurdles, but we made it through and I couldn’t be happier with the result!
It was recorded and mixed at The Shack North, wasn’t it?
Yes, in Hialeah, Florida. Ferny is an amazing engineer, I can’t describe how much I love working with him! He’s not even exclusive to metal, but he completely understands what I’m doing at all times, regardless of the project. That takes some special ears and musical knowledge as a producer/engineer.
Can you give us any details regarding the songs?
?
Did you develope compared to the demo
Yes, we had improved miles since that demo. The speeds had been increased a ton, and we added a much more progressive influence.
How do you view, that the material is only 3 tracks, but in them are incredible musicianship, aggressive tones, and some of the best bass playing?
I really appreciate you saying such kind words about the record! Yeah, I think we managed to make the three tracks each have their own identity, while still fitting together in a cohesive package. I think the goal was to make it like a proper debut statement in only three tracks! I’d hope that we succeeded on that front.
Is in Empress of Cold the music more death-thrash, than on the previous tracks?
Are you saying the music sounds more straightforward on that one?
Besides Inscribed, you are playing both in Cemetery Filth and in Faethom, what can you tell us about these outfits?
For one, both acts have been around since long before I was even playing bass! I’ll start with Faethom, since I joined them first. They’re based out of South Florida, like I am, and employ elements from heavy, black, thrash, and progressive metal to make a really unique combination that sounds completely original. I joined them in 2022, and later that year I laid down the bass tracks for what would become Faethom’s third LP, Chaosmorphogoria, which would come out in October of 2023 and would be my first proper musical release. It definitely prepared me for all that would come next! Now, Inscribed’s Lucas has joined on drums, so we’re looking to do some more shows and another album! Cemetery Filth is a death metal band based out of of Atlanta, Georgia, which formed in 2014. I connected with Maddie sometime in 2022, and when the band was working on their new mini album, they were down a bassist. I was the one to get to the call as a „session” member on Senses of Detriment, which would be recorded in November 2023, not long after „In Silent Oblivion”. The band was really impressed with my bass tracks, and asked me to join full time as they were to embark on a really big tour.
What are the differences and similarities (common) between them?
I think the biggest differences between all of the bands is the really unique approach of each singer, as well as the way I have to adjust my bass parts at times to fit the riffing styles. The common link is that they all have a distinct extreme metal influence, using theashbeats and blast beats and all that sick stuff.
Cemetery Filth toured this year in the U. S., what do you recall of this tour? How did it go as a whole?
First of all, I just want to say it was totally awesome! I’d never even done a short leg of dates before, so to basically go from doing single shows to doing 30 consecutive shows was a really crazy experience. Especially with people I’d never even met in person before. I suppose that’s the advent of the modern age. Our tour mates, Mortuous, were wonderful people as well and I just appreciate how everyone on the tour was kind and respectful. Plus, it was exhilarating to play almost every night, and to see such a badass death metal band like Mortuous playing constantly. It was definitely a big undertaking, there were parts that weren’t easy, but I’m so glad I did it, and I am grateful to Maddie and the band for taking a chance on me and bringing me along. I am one lucky individual for that.
What about your future plans?
As far as upcoming things, I think the the biggest thing right now is Inscribed recording our full-length album. We have all of the songs completely written, we just have to cough up the money to record! It’s going to be an amazing album, I promise you that. I have a couple albums with the Canadian thrash metal band Wreck-Defy that are going to be released soon. „Hybridized” is up for pre-orders and should be shipping super soon! That album features myself on bass and Chris Poland (ex-Megadeth) on lead guitar for every track. It’s killer stuff.
I’ve also got some touring in the works for the summer, both with Cemetery Filth and Faethom, so that’ll be awesome! I’ve also joined the South Florida melodic death metal band, Mannequinkind, and we’re working up some new music. So, yeah, there’s a lot going on right now! I’m really grateful for all the folks that have taken a chance on me and my playing. Hopefully there’s more really cool stuff on the horizon!
Evie, thanks a lot for the interview, what are your closing words/thoughts?
If any musicians are reading this, just go for it! Do what inspires you most and don’t worry about all of the things life throws at you. Music is a true gift!
