EMQ’s With Display of Decay
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with Canadian Brutal Death Metal band, Display Of Decay. Huge thanks to their Guitarist/ Vocalist, Sean Watson, for taking part.
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 Sean Watson, guitarist and vocalist for Display of Decay. We formed in Edmonton, Alberta Canada in 2007. We’ve played across Canada and the United States, releasing 5 records and performing a number of notable festivals.
How did you come up with your band name?
Right around 2005, we were just hanging out around the fire having some drinks, and a buddy started talking about this weird dream he had where he was a cannibal and had literally visioned eating all of us around a fire (kinda of ironic timing right?) and we were all like… alright, this is kind of weird, next thing you know someone else blurts out ‘Woah, that would be such a Display of Decay.’ It wasn’t one of those lightbulb moments, but it was cool enough that we stuck with it.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
Edmonton, Alberta Canada. Alberta has always had an eccentric and dedicated fanbase. Whether it’s music or sports, they go hard. We’ve lost quite a few venues around here since the pandemic which is unfortunate but there is a strong scene with lots of elite acts and up-and-comers starting to form that you can find a metal gig usually most weekends with a decent turnout.
What is your latest release?
Our latest release is coming out on October 20th through GoreHouse Productions titled, “Vitriol”. It’s an 8 song record featuring what we feel are the most dynamic songs we’ve ever written. There are a few singles already out on all streaming platforms so be sure to check them out!
Who have been your greatest influences?
Pantera and Cannibal Corpse hands down, and it’s funny because we’ve often been referred to as a ‘if those two bands had a baby’ type sound which to me is the highest compliment imaginable (even though I don’t feel up to that level of honour.) AC/DC got me to pick up an instrument, Pantera made me work 12 hours a day practising to craft my style, and Cannibal Corpse gave me the direction I wanted to go. Everything happens for a reason, but seeing Cannibal Corpse in 2007 really changed my life and gave me the purpose I needed and I’ve been flying that death metal banner ever since.
What first got you into music?
My brother who’s 6 years older than me introduced me to metal. White Zombie – “Astro Creep 2000” was one of the first CD’s I ever got from him and it really got the ball rolling for me. Eventually, I just graduated to heavier and heavier from there. I briefly touched on it earlier, but AC/DC was definitely a big one. All these albums I inherited were crucial, but AC/DC got me to actually want to get an instrument and give it a go.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
I’ve always wanted to see what our sound would be like if Phil Anselmo had some vocals thrown in on it, so that would probably be my number one. Number two, it would be awesome to work with Cannibal Corpse in some fashion or another.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Wacken or Bloodstock. Those massive stages and oceans of people are a dream for sure. I’ve dreamt about it hundreds of times over. Maybe someday.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
We had a fan who was adamant about getting us to come to play Texas in her living room, she even named it the ‘Couch Tour.’ I don’t know if she was actually so much into the idea of us playing, or her spending time with our singer at the time but it was a pretty hilarious interaction that continued on our socials for some time.
Another odd one we had was when we were heading through the US we had a show drop and quickly filled the spot with another one so there really weren’t any formalities in terms of pay or anything like that. It was a weekday gig with Pathology at a small pub and the turnout wasn’t bad but wasn’t anything huge. The promoter ended up paying us in the cheapest weed known to mankind, and beer koozies. So that was pretty wild to say the least hahaha.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Thank you for the endless support and dedication, this record is for you and you only.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Dimebag 100%. I’ve read and heard so many stories of the comedian he was, but to see him live would be unbelievable.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
The adrenaline rush of getting onto that stage and starting up a tune is like nothing else. If there was a way to bottle up that feeling and sell it I’d be an extremely wealthy man. Things I hate, not a fan of the loading-in process because it’s just tedious as hell on a daily basis but maybe someday we’ll have a crew of roadies hahaha. Can dream right?
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Musicians spend thousands to put out new material only to get pennies back due to the streaming services. Streaming is a great way to get your music out to a demographic that otherwise could be nearly impossible, but it would be nice to see artists actually reap the rewards of their work. Touring artists have to spend so much on fuel, visas and merch, while also having to give up percentages of their sales to venues and bookers. It’s a real travesty if you ask me.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Cannibal Corpse – “Kill”. I would be nothing without that record. Funny enough, if you listen to the guitar solo in ‘Death Walking Terror’ and compare it to ‘Maggot Feast’ from our earlier records, it’s definitely following pretty damn closely. I knew that too, I just sucked and really liked that solo hahaha.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
I still love CD’s myself, but I’m a 90’s kid. I like physically having the product in my hand and being able to see all the work that went into the artwork, layout and all that jazz.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Most memorable is Las Vegas Deathfest. I dreamt early on of playing it, formed a lineup in a few months, and built a tour around that date. It was a blast. Best gig is a tough one because the last couple of years they just keep getting bigger and better, but for me right now was probably our show at home in December of last year. It was my first gig doing guitar and vocals and the crowd was truly maniacal in the pit. I had adrenaline for weeks after that.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
I don’t even know to be honest, probably just grinding out the daily job here wiring up homes. Love the job, but I feel like without music life has very minimal purpose. Family and music are most important to me… and Runescape. I love my virtual world there ha ha ha!
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Ola Englund, Phil Anselmo, Corpsegrinder, Pat O’Brien, and probably James Hetfield. Some of the most talented musicians on the planet that I’ve had great conversations with over the years with the exception of Hetfield (though I feel like he would be cool as hell to hang out with!).
What’s next for the band?
Once “Vitrio”l is released this coming October, we’re doing a few dates around home here and looking to cover some new territory. We’re looking into Europe as well as Japan for 2024 so we’ll just wait and see what’s in store next!
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
www.facebook.com/displayofdecayofficial
www.instagram.com/displayofdecayofficial
www.youtube.com/user/displayofdecay
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?
Over here we just call it a bun, we’re simple folks ha ha ha ha!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thanks for the support, be sure to check out “Vitriol” on all platforms coming out October 20th through GoreHouse Productions!
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.