EMQ’s With INMATE
EMQ’s With INMATE
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with Slovenian Metal band, Inmate. Huge thanks to them 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?
We are INMATE, a metal band from Velenje, Slovenia, blending metalcore, melodic death metal, and our own unique style of new age metal. Active since 2005, we have built our name on powerful riffs, melodic hooks, and a strong passion for creating original music.
With six albums recorded and countless live shows behind us, we are four brothers united by our love for metal. We live for the stage, giving everything to deliver an intense, energetic, and honest live experience. What sets us apart is a positive message wrapped in heavy music. We want our music to lift people up and hit hard while doing it.
How did you come up with your band name?
The name INMATE embodies the band’s strong connection to themes of internal conflict, restriction, and personal growth. It was originally chosen to reflect the idea that every individual, in some way, is imprisoned by their own thoughts, routines, memories, or the expectations placed on them by society. It speaks to the emotional and mental struggles that people face and the ongoing effort to rise above those barriers.
For INMATE, music is a powerful force for change. It serves as a means of confronting inner limitations and pushing toward a sense of freedom and self-understanding. This message is woven into the band’s lyrics and overall artistic vision, especially in albums like Free at Last, The Salt, and Let the Dead Bury Their Dead, which focus on themes of awakening, transformation, and personal strength.
The name INMATE is not about crime or punishment. It’s a symbol of the human experience of feeling trapped and the courageous fight to break free.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
We come from Slovenia, a country where the metal scene exists in a much smaller market compared to many others. Despite the size, there are many talented bands here, covering a wide range of metal subgenres. However, the scene itself can be quite challenging.
There are a few venues, but local support is often limited. If you’re a Slovenian band trying to go beyond the average and build something greater, the path is difficult. There’s a lack of media coverage, almost no dedicated booking agencies, and very little management support for this kind of music.
Even though Slovenia has a strong community of metal fans, it takes real passion and determination to move forward. You have to be driven and focused if you want to achieve something meaningful. That’s why it’s such a big accomplishment when a Slovenian band reaches international recognition. It’s not easy, and we know it firsthand but we keep pushing forward.
What is your latest release?
We are currently still in the promotion phase of our latest album Let the Dead Bury Their Dead, which was released in 2024. Right now, our focus is on the album’s title track, Let the Dead Bury Their Dead, for which we released an official music video on June 1st. This track stands as our latest single.
The video holds deep emotional meaning for us. It is dedicated to our brother and guitarist, Andrej Bezjak, who tragically passed away in November 2024. His loss has left a huge void in our band, and we miss him deeply. This song and video are our tribute to him, a way to honor his memory and the mark he left on our music and lives.
Who have been your greatest influences?
We’ve been influenced by a wide range of bands over the years. Some of our biggest inspirations include legends like In flames, Iron Maiden and Slayer, as well as more modern metalcore acts. Each member of INMATE brings their own musical background and personal influences, which adds to the diversity of our sound.
At the core, the origins of INMATE are rooted in melodic death metal from Sweden, combined with elements of classic heavy metal and the energy of modern metalcore. This blend defines our sound and drives our creative direction.
What first got you into music?
At the heart of everything, we simply love music and the creative process. We also have a deep appreciation for structure, even math in a way, which often finds its way into how we write and shape our songs. But most of all, we love playing our instruments and creating music together. It’s something that’s deeply rooted in us, not just a passion, but a part of who we are.
When we write new songs, it’s more than just making music. It’s a moment where we grow, not only as musicians, but as individuals. It’s a process that relaxes us, sharpens our focus, and gives us a real sense of purpose. And when a song is finally complete, there’s this powerful feeling of joy and release. Sharing that finished piece with our friends and fans is one of the best parts of it all.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
We’ve already done a few collaborations in the past. For example, we worked with the singer and guitarist of one of the most well-known metal bands in Slovenia, Noctiferia. Looking ahead, we definitely plan to continue collaborating with other musicians. In fact, we already have some ideas and plans in the works.
Of course, we would be excited to collaborate with a well-known artist someday. But for us, it’s not just about fame. What truly matters is working with someone who genuinely enjoys collaborating, someone who understands our vision and is eager to bring something meaningful to the music.
The personality and mindset of the person are just as important as their musical skills. A great collaboration happens when everyone involved connects with the purpose of the song, contributes creatively, and enjoys the entire process. It’s not about putting a big name on a track, it’s about making something authentic that everyone can stand behind.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
We’ve definitely set our sights on Wacken Open Air. It’s the biggest and most popular metal festival in Europe! All the big names have played there, and still do. We truly believe that one day, we’ll get the chance to perform there too.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
This isn’t for publicity
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Stay hungry for new music, and don’t hesitate to give us a hug if you see us behind the stage, on the street, or at a bar. We play for you.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Jure V.: Brad Delp (Boston singer).
Marko: Defining a star is weird. For me it’s just pure rockers. I would just say I would gladly spent some time with Lemmy Kilmister. He was not bothered by “fame”. He just wanted drugs and girls. He just had true heart of a rock and role life.
David: Freddie Mercury
Jure G.: Cliff Burton
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
What I enjoy most about being a musician is creating music that touches people’s emotions, locking eyes with someone in the crowd and seeing them smile, and the thrill of making something new, whether it’s a song, a video, or any kind of content. What I don’t enjoy is the business side of music and the backstage ego trips, where some people think they deserve special treatment. I prefer down-to-earth, genuine people, especially in the metal scene.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
If there’s one thing I could change about the music industry, it would be to make sure more of the revenue goes directly to the people creating the music and putting on the shows. Cutting out the middlemen, improving support for local bands when big acts come to town, and rethinking the role of streaming services would all be steps in the right direction.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Jure V.: Dark Tranqullity – “Damage Done”
Marko: Metallica – “Metallica”
David: Iron Maiden – “Powerslave”
Jure G.: Slayer – “God hates us all”
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
Streaming is great for ease of use and mobility, but when it comes to supporting bands, CDs still hold value. And of course, nothing beats the feel and sound of vinyl.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Our best performance is always the most recent one, because we give it everything we’ve got—no matter the stage. Whether it’s a major festival or an intimate local show, we always put in 120%. We’ve evolved musically and personally over the years, so each show builds on the last. We’re constantly pushing ourselves, and that’s why we can honestly say: the last gig was our best yet
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Outside of music, we’re passionate about staying active. We’re into rock climbing, cycling, hiking, and a variety of other sports. Keeping fit and healthy is essential for us because it allows us to bring maximum energy and stamina to every performance. Physical activity fuels our presence on stage.
As for becoming musicians, it was inevitable. Our love for this music runs so deep that nothing could’ve stopped us. Being in a band and creating music is something we were always meant to do. It’s addictive, impossible to walk away from. Music isn’t just what we do, it’s who we are.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
For a dinner party, we would definitely invite our girlfriends/wifes. Since we spend most of our time, especially on weekends on the road, playing shows and touring, we’re often away from home. That’s why we really want to make the most of these moments and be with the people who mean the most to us. It’s the most precious time for us.
What’s next for the band?
The next big step for Inmate is to play as many shows as possible and continue promoting our current album, Let The Dead Bury Their Death, which was released last year. We also recently released a music video for the title track, just two months ago, so it’s still in the promotion cycle. Another video is planned by the end of the year.
Video: INMATE – Let The Dead Bury Their Dead – YouTube
At the same time, we’re working on a special remake of a song from our second album Tree of life, featuring a guest artist. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Tree of life, so we’ll be re-releasing that one track to celebrate.
Besides that, we’re already deep into the process of creating new material for our next album. We’re keeping ourselves busy and most importantly, we have big plans to tour across Europe as much as possible.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
We are present on all social media and streaming platforms. Please check the links below. You can get our merch on Big Cartel and Bandcamp. Thank you all for supporting us and we hope to see you live under the stage.
https://www.facebook.com/inmateband
https://www.instagram.com/inmateband
https://www.youtube.com/user/inmateloud
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2gM1KGcd8KOkyy9ysJTw30?si=Tzn25bcMTx-ev00-9SUqNA
https://twitter.com/inmateloud
https://soundcloud.com/inmateband
https://inmateloud.bigcartel.com
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?
A.Honestly, we’re not really sure what the correct name is for a round piece of bread in the UK. There seem to be so many different terms! We actually asked ChatGPT to help us out, and it turns out it all depends on the region. Words like bap, barm cake, batch, bun, cob, muffin, roll, and tea cake are all used somewhere in the UK. So yeah, it’s pretty confusing, and we’re still a bit lost! Maybe next time we’ll just stick to calling it ‘bread.’
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
We would like to sincerely thank you for giving us the opportunity to do this interview. We want to highlight that Slovenia has many great metal bands while they might not be as well-known or big as some in the larger scene, they’re definitely talented and worth seeing live. Please continue supporting metal music, and we hope that Slovenian bands will also get a chance to be featured on your website.
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
