Psychomanteum – Thanks for Asking

Psychomanteum – Thanks for Asking, by Liam Sweeny.

We reached out to the band Psychomanteum, Listen Up winner and all-around swell bunch. You can listen in.

RRX: Every band’s first song is a milestone. But so is the latest song. Describe the first song/album you recorded, and also the latest song/album you recorded; what are the differences?

Brian: The band started with Brian and Pete jamming in his basement in the summer of 2017. We wrote the music to our first song in about 40 minutes. It’s great, but it hasn’t been fully recorded yet because we feel our songwriting/arrangement ability has improved. Over the years we have developed more of an identity and a sense of what works live. That said, some of our best songs come together very quickly. Often if it is too labored, it’s usually set aside. Our new song “Blood Atonement” was put together very quickly and was very natural for all three of us.

RRX: Like songs, every band has a unique feeling about their first show. What was your first show like? Was it your best show? If not, what was your best show like?

Pete: Our first show was when we had six people in the band. It was a good one by all standards but felt disjointed. This project didn’t need that many people, so it felt off kilter the first time we played live for some reason. We’ve condensed ourselves down to three, and the energy is much cleaner. The best show we have had so far, I would say, are two of them. We played a show in Hudson Falls, NY, with a NIN tribute called SIN. Our performance that evening was very forthright, and we made a sonic statement. The second show that shared the pole position with that one was a show we did in Winooski VA. We were strangers in a strange land and didn’t know what to expect. Our first time there and the crowd response was amazing, to say the least. We truly felt at home.

RRX: Music genres are difficult for some bands. Some strictly adhere; others not so much. What is your perspective on the genre you play, or the genres you hover around?

Matt: We’re all fans of science fiction and horror. When I’m writing lyrics, I try to keep that theme . Each song is a story . It could be about one’s interpretation of the afterlife.  It could be about an invasion of vampire-like space creatures.  As far as genre goes , we’re metal . Metal is a broad term for a label or style . We basically write  what we like . Hopefully people enjoy it.

Pete: Oh boy. This is a good one. We tend to hover around the idea of science fiction. Each of us has certain stories that pique our interest. Some songs are just rooted in science itself such as “The Mad Space Between Stars” which delves into the idea that at what point does the mind crack after examining the scope of our surroundings.

RRX: It’s a lot of fun living in the present, but we all collect memories and give birth to dreams. We’re talking dreams here. Where you see yourself next year? In the next five years?

Matt: Who knows what the future holds ? In five years , maybe the mothership will have visited us . We might be playing on intergalactic flights as entertainment for aliens . Realistically, it would be very cool to do some shows in Europe.

RRX: We all get a little support from those around us. And we also can be impressed by our fellow bands. Who do you admire in your community, and why?

Brian: Most of our support has come from the media outlets like RadioRadioX.com, That Fuzzing Rock Show, Ralph Renna who has supported our past bands…and the amazing photographers we have in our scene like Amy Klemme and Jim Wertman.

Honestly, we don’t really fit in with some of the Metal scene. We have incredible Death Metal and Hardcore bands here but we don’t really fall under that. At the same time, we are too heavy for some of the alternative/indie/punk shows, so we have relied upon word of mouth, social media, and the support of those mentioned above. We have also had some success with playing out of state and appreciate those promoters, as well.

Local bands that we respect are too many to list but a few are Malefic, Horse Grave, Balor, The Erotics, Candy Ambulance…our scene is incredible right now.

More from Liam Sweeny.