EMQs with Symbiotic Growth
EMQs with Symbiotic Growth
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with Canadian Progressive Black/ Death Metal band, Symbiotic Growth. Huge thanks to their Guitarist and Vocalist, Aaron, 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 Aaron, and I play guitar and do the vocals. Symbiotic growth started about 10 years ago with myself, Dan, and a different vocalist at the time. He stepped away due to musical differences, and soon afte,r we got Devin into the band as a second guitarist, and he was with us at the end of writing the first album and then the writing of the entire second album. Unfortunately, now, Devin has decided to move on from the band and so it is back to myself and Dan.
How did you come up with your band name?
Kind of through a process of elimination, really. We had a bunch of different names we had picked, and we landed on just “Symbiotic” but felt it needed something more, and once we landed on “growth” we knew that was it. It really encompassed how we felt about writing progressive music.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
We’re from Sudbury, Ontario and the scene here has died down quite a bit since COVID.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Our newest release is an album called “Beyond The Sleepless Aether”
Who have been your greatest influences?
Ne Obliviscaris, between the buried and me, Black Crown Initiate, An Abstract Illusion
What first got you into music?
My old man had an acoustic guitar, which he kind of messed around with from time to time and he taught me a couple of riffs, and it was just love from there on.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
I’m not really sure, me and Dan already work together so well that I don’t really have an ambition to work with other people all that much.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
I’d probably pick Summer Breeze, they always have great bands playing. It would be awesome to get on that bill.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
We’ve never received any gifts from fans as is, but we have received a pretty cool message from one of them telling us how much our album meant to them. That was really cool.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
You know, our album deals with a lot of tough topics, including suicide, so I would say to our fans, don’t be afraid to get help when you feel you need it, we’re big supporters of therapy and getting your mental health where it needs to be. Everyone is important.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Either Chuck Shuldiner of Death or Valfar of Windir. I’d be really curious about the music those guys would’ve continued to make.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I think creating the music and seeing everybody’s reaction to it is the best part about it. I wouldn’t say there’s anything I truly hate about it, but the whole recording process to get everything to be the best it can be is a little monotonous at times.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
Probably the whole crappy payment thing with streaming services
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Ne Obliviscaris’ “Portal Of I” is an all-time fave
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs or Downloads?
I’m pretty partial to CD and vinyl. Can’t beat holding physical copies of your favorite music in your hand.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Our first gig ever was opening for Wolfheart, so that was pretty cool.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Well, I do work as an electrician, so probably that.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Hmmm. I would invite Meriadoc Brandybuck, Peregrine Took, Samwise Gamgee, Frodo Baggins, and Gandalf, of course. It would definitely have to be at an all-you-can-eat buffet, although.
What’s next for the band?
Hopefully, we can play some shows soon, outside of that, probably just writing new music.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
We use a majority of them, Instagram, Facebook, & Bandcamp.
https://linktr.ee/symbioticgrowth
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?
I’m guessing a Roll?
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thanks for the interview, and hopefully we can see some people out on the road soon! Cheers!
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