Review Fix chats with Pokerface drummer Doc, who discusses the band’s origin, new album “Divide and Rule†and their goals for 2016. An eclectic group of trash metals from Russia, Doc and the rest of the band have their sights set on making a big splash on the United States metal scene.
Review Fix: How did you guys get together?
Doc: Nowadays it’s not big deal to create metal band, you know. But it’s very difficult to be famous.
But if you really want – you need a strategy, good management and some funds. You see – nothing about musicians, genres, songs and gears. We started to build metal band in 2013, we used to play with about tens musicians, we were trying to construct metal project on person-risk free strategy. So in result we work hard in metal project POKERFACE. All together.
Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?
Doc: Unfortunately, we are not full-time musicians. We write some riffs at home, on mic or music-sequencer and later try it on music base with real staff and environment. We always record several variants on recorder and listen to these tracks in home, in silence. We are keeping ears open to new ideas, critics and something like that. Sometimes we give tracks to sound producer asking what he thinks about it. After that we test new track on gigs or live show and make some fixes. That’s how track becomes ready to be recorded.
Review Fix: What do you think makes this band special?
Doc: Nowadays not many band are playing old thrash with female growling vocal. Many clones melodic death, metalcore etc. But growling cute sexy girl? Very rarely. And we are can do a dynamic show with powerful music on the stage, you know. We are not so special as Unusual-New-Experimental-Style-F*cking-Music-Gods but we are enough special for real moment in real music environment.
Review Fix: How would you describe your style?
Doc: Simple, raw and aggressive speed-thrash. Some guys describe our style as thrash-death. I know nothing about precise metal-segmentation (it’s a myth) and I call our music as thrash. Main thing is – play music you want. Let music reviewers to give the names of your style.
Review Fix: What are your goals for this album?
Doc: The main goal – we could spread our product in Europe via promoters and streaming services. Now we have a huge amount reviews on our band, albums and tracks. It’s very important to understand how you do the business and how you must go further. We have about 8 points from 10 in average for “Divide And Rule” and that’s enough mark for keep going. Another goal – album opens doors to touring organizations, to recording label’s offers, promoters etc. Album – it’s a good boost for band.
Review Fix: What’s the standout song? Is there a story behind it?
Doc: The “Chessboard Killer” is really outstanding, of course. That song is about psychomaniac from Moscow. He killed many-many homeless and lonely people. It was so creepy and scaring and our ex-member Dietrich wrote this track. Nowadays, we play this one every gig. Several guys think we are greeting the murders but it’s a bullshit, we just play song about human-beast. It’s not a propaganda.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Doc: We have a strategy and we are keeping follow it. Our plans – huge promotion in Europe, gigs, tours, festivals, second LP album, promotion and again and again and maybe someday we will be famous band from my first answer!
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