EMQs with Necronomicon Ex Mortis
EMQs with Necronomicon Ex Mortis
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with USA Death Metal band, Necronomicon Ex Mortis. This is the second EMQs they’ve done, but this time Guitarist, and Songwriter Michael Nystrom Bala has answered the questions!
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
My name is Michael Nystrom Bala, and I am the guitarist/main songwriter of Necronomicon Ex Mortis. We’re a death metal band out of Chicago, Illinois. The band started after a project I was working with fell apart, and I had a collection of songs to release. All I really did was call some of my metal friends from Berklee and piece things together over the phone.
How did you come up with your band name?
The band name is a reference to the Book of the Dead in the original Evil Dead from 1981. That’s my favorite movie of all time, and I truly never get tired of watching it.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
The guys are located all over, but Craig (the vocalist) and I are here in the Chicagoland area. The metal scene is pretty diverse, and we always have huge acts coming to the city every few weeks.
What is your latest release?
In late March of 2023, we released our debut self-titled EP. 4 months later, we dropped a single called “Crypt of the Gorilla God.” The single is promoting our next EP, called “Silver Bullet”, which at the time of this interview, will be out in a few days.
Who have been your greatest influences?
I’d like to think there’s a few different dimensions to Necronomicon Ex Mortis, and there’s a good amount of influences depending on which angle you want to look at. If I were to narrow it down, it would be as follows: Arsis, Dethklok, Black Dahlia Murder, Racer X, Obscura, Suffocation, Dying Fetus, At the Gates, Bolt Thrower, Annihilator, King Diamond…I could go on and on.
What first got you into music?
When I was a wee lad, I heard Joe Satriani’s “Surfing With the Alien” and shortly after, my parents bought me my first guitar. Ever since then, I really haven’t shown interest in any other area of life.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
I would love to get a few of my favorite metal guitarists on one of my songs. A quick rundown of that would be: John Petrucci, Christian Muezner, Jeff Loomis, Michael Romeo, Yngwie, and Paul Gilbert.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
There are many, but I would choose the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. It was the first festival I ever attended as an adult, and I had the time of my life. That being said, Massachusetts is also my favorite place in the whole ass world, so it would be cool to go play some crunchy tunes in Worcester.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
We haven’t received anything from fans yet, but I’m always down for weird stuff. I hate onions though, so please, no weird stuff involving onions.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
First of all, thank you for checking out the music and supporting us. We couldn’t do it without you. Secondly, check out some more horror movies from the 80s. That campy spirit is the best.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
It’s a toss up between Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom) and Chuck Shuldiner (Death). Maybe there are more obvious choices, but both of them had an incredible effect on the way metal guitar is played.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I enjoy practicing A LOT. It seems to be the only time the world makes any sense. Beyond that, writing tunes is a VERY close second. The thing I hate? Probably getting told I need a “real job.”
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Without going into crazy specifics or overly dramatic rants, I’d just like musicians (and music in general) to be taken more seriously.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
There are too many to mention, but if I had to pick ONE it would be “We Are the Nightmare” by Arsis. That is as close to perfection as a death metal album can get. Songwriting, melody, technicality, jaw-dropping solos; it’s all there.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
I enjoy CDs myself, but really any form of physical media is best. Paper money for physical products? Crazy.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Touring is expensive, so currently we’re putting all the money we have into releasing more music. Once we have a small fanbase built up, we plan on doing a few short tours.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Probably not much. Part of me always wanted to dabble in being a novelist, another part of me wanted to go in the woods and never come back.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
This is easy – I would bring the 4 other people in my band (Craig Schmuhl, Joey Ferretti, Yusuf Rashid, Manuel Barbara) and my homie Jakub Byzia, who doesn’t play metal, but is an amazing guitarist and songwriter.
What’s next for the band?
At the time of this interview, “Silver Bullet” comes out in a few days. Then, we’re going to the studio to record EP #3! Hopefully, a short tour is planned for the first part of 2024.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
We’re mainly active on Instagram, Bandcamp, and YouTube!
Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/@necronomiconexmortisofficial/videos
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/necronomiconexmortisband/?hl=en
Website – https://www.necronomiconexmortisband.com/
Bandcamp – https://necronomiconexmortis.bandcamp.com/
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/5mwhqFK69UHCSeS9YtzSer
Time for a very British question now. As an alternative to the humble sandwich, is the correct name for a round piece of bread common in the UK either a Bap, a Barm (or Barm Cake), a Batch, a Bun, a Cob, a Muffin, a Roll or a Tea Cake?
Barm Cake, isn’t it? My knowledge of more modern British culture comes mainly from The Inbetweeners and the latest Iron Maiden album.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thank you for the interview, and thank you to all the listeners/fans/readers! We hope you guys like the tunes we have coming up.
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
