Interviews
Interview with Miles Dimitri Baker: Voidbringer
I have to say, it has been an honor to watch the talents and star of Miles Dimitri Baker shine over the last few years. Being an accomplished musician he has shared his talents to many bands and fans around the world. His list of accolades is very long spanning, from his work and time in Aenimus, Rings of Saturn, and Interloper; to fill in positions with Carnifex and a few more upcoming bands very soon, to having a signature guitar model through Schecter Guitars. Miles is ever expanding on his talents and is about to debut a new project Voidbringer. It is a melodic death metal band, where you will not only hear his signature riffs, but also the debut of Miles vocally. Listeners can expect blistering speed, technical prowess, and powerful vocal lines coming from this seasoned musician.
I got to speak with Miles to learn more about Voidbringer, what to expect, and their plans for the future.
GA: The first question that comes to my mind is, how did you come up with the concept of the new project and what was your driving decision to start a new project?
MB: I wanted to start something that was completely free to do on my own, where I am making music I want to hear. I wanted to do stuff that I can’t do with Interloper, because it is a bit of a different style. I’ve been developing my voice over the last few years, and I’ve been wanting to something incorporating playing guitar and singing. I wanted to go back to writing music that is heavy and at the core of what I like, I love Interloper but the roots of what I am doing (in music) is more along the lines of what I am doing in Voidbringer.
GA: Who is all involved with this project?
MB: It is just me; I am doing everything. I have been working with Joey Virrueta, he is doing the mix/mastering and producing things. He has had a few ideas here and there, specifically with drums. I am not a drummer, and my drum ideas are very elementary, but I have given him skeletons and ideas, and he has improved a lot of the fills and different things like that; since he is more familiar with that instrument than I am. Outside of that it is just me.
GA: Do you have an album in the wings and if so, what can you tell me?
MB: I do have an EP coming out through Bloodblast distribution, which is called Wasteland. The first single ‘Years of Waste’ will be released on August 18th. The rest of the album’s song’s themes lyrically are about self-reflection and past/current struggles. Musically each song is different. There is some really cool stuff on there and I’m very excited about it.
GA: Who are you working with to put out the album with and who did you your artwork?
MB: This EP is being released through Bloodblast distribution; they are a subsidiary of Nuclear Blast. It’s nice because there is already a relationship there with many familiar people, so the process has been very easy going. The EP will be a digital release but if it does well there may be physical releases in the future. For the artwork I wanted something that fit with the name. I had a few names I tossed around for this band and ended up with Voidbringer. The idea I had was like a visual metaphor;like Years of Waste//wasteland. The idea was/is you are in the wasteland after certain life choices. You are the one wandering through this hellscape you are putting yourself through. I am a fan of Fallout (the gaming franchise) and the whole apocalyptic vibe; it has been a cool influence in what I like visually in things, and I wanted that to be apart of the art for Voidbringer.
GA: You have been in or affiliated with so many bands in the past Aenimus, Rings of Saturn, Interloper, Carnifex to name a few; in what ways does Voidbringer separate itself from the pack?
MB: I would say Voidbringer is more melodic, than most of those other bands outside of Interloper at least. I would say it falls in the melodic/progressive death metal world, which is something I haven’t done outside of early Interloper in a long time, with some tech death mixed in. I wouldn’t say it is death core but there are some parts that have a death core feel to them. This is a tough question; as I see it those other bands are deathcore, outside of Interloper which I’d say is progressive metal. I would say Voidbringer falls into that progressive melodic death category, by incorporating some other musical elements that never made it into those other bands.
GA: I got to listen to your single ‘Years of Waste’ and it is a beast. Just angry out of the gate with no filler. It’s relentless… If I am going to compare it to anything; I get a bit of an Archspire feel with the quicker paced tech, and even some Fallujah in there on the last lead of the song. Musically what was your aim when writing the song?
MB: It has some groovy elements like the intro riff, which is trudging. It comes off heavy then in the first section are where the tech death elements come shining through. I wasn’t thinking about any bands when I was writing, its more the core bands that I loved over the years that have shaped me into how and what I write now. Those bands will always be present; I’d say the versesection of the song has some Obscura vibes to it, that band was a big one for me back in the day. The chorus leads I can see where you’d say Fallujah. I’d also like to say Gojira, because I have been doing pitch screaming which is something that Gojira has become popular for. There are other bands utilizing this technique like Fit for An Autopsy and it sounds tight. I do think there are a lot of different elements in this song connecting bands across several different genres.
GA: This is also the first time we as listeners are hearing you do vocals. How was it transitioning from just playing guitar to now having to vocalize while playing?
MB: It’s a whole different world. It’s insane to develop. I have been playing guitar for seventeen years, and then getting the vocal aspect together was a whole other task. I understand I have learned things on the guitar side over the years that can only be learned with time, and with vocals; a lot of it is maintenance and practice throughout the day because it is so physical. With guitar, I am just sitting there playing, while with vocals its: Did I sleep enough? Did I drink enough water? Did I get drunk last night, and my voice is dry? There are so many elements that can impact your voice/performance, that I have had to learn. Putting those things together (playing and singing)has been an eye-opening experience. I have to be aware of a lot more things now than what I had to before. Trying to perform them both, putting them together is where in your brain the gears begin to really spin. I had to learn to get the rhythms down, speaking over playing. Also, full volume and full power are a whole other thing. It has been a big learning experience and in the big picture, I would say I’m still very new to it, but it is coming along quite well. I’ve had guidance from some great people and a solid foundation to work from. This has been a long time coming with all the work I’ve been doing behind the scenes.
GA: What were some of the influences that went into writing ‘Years of Waste’ and its lyrical content, where did you draw your inspiration from?
MB: When writing lyrics, I am not making up a story, I’m not doing an abstract thought, I pull from personal experience. Years of Waste reflects on things I’ve been involved in or have spent time doing (in whatever facet that may be), that are not good for me. It’s about the struggle of going through all of that. The self-destruction, loss of self-confidence and self-worth, because of these things you are doing, and reflecting on it. Looking at the wasted years and trying to move forward, and not continuing those things before you lose it all. It reflects on, pulling yourself out of this pit of doing those things you shouldn’t be doing. It’s a reflection on self-destruction basically. I’ve learned a lot, and unfortunately, I’m someone who has to learn it the hard way.
GA: What equipment are you using for the band? You have been seen to pick up a 7 string from time to time, but do have a 6-string signature model through Schecter, can that possibly be a change in the future?
MB: Yes, there was a soft launch for my new 7-string signature model through Schecter Guitars, they are not in stock just yet, but are in the process of being shipped from the factory so there is inventory to purchase. The album was recorded using my 7-string signature model. I’ve had a couple of them for awhile now, the prototypes which are same as the production models. For ‘Years of Waste’ It was all done on the 7. I usually track leads on a 6, but my 7-string model has a 25.5” scale length so it is very similar to playing on a 6 string. I also use Seymour Duncan pickups, for my tone I use Fractal Audio Ax FX. I also use Elixir Strings; a fresh set of strings makes a huge difference in how stuff sounds. A fresh set of Elixirs are life changing. For vocals, I used a Rode PodMic, it is comparable to a SM 7B. Which I’d love to get my hands on one of those for future vocal recordings.
GA: What are the plans for the future of Voidbringer?
MB: I’m not thinking of Voidbringer as a solo project even though it currently is, this isn’t a solo thing I do, and go here you are. This will be something I will be taking out on the road. I would like to gather live members at first for touring. It is really difficult, and I’d say unwise to choose band members without having toured and done stuff with them. A lot of people I know are either involved in other projects or busy, so I haven’t had time to put much consideration into finding permanent members right now. I do have plans to be a touring band in the future. I don’t want to make any decisions on someone until I know for sure. I didn’t want to be in the scenario of dropping a line up and not knowing if these people would be available to tour when the time comes.
GA: What is next for Miles?
MB: I will be hitting the road with Interloper in September with Fallujah and Psycroptic. Then I will be doing fill ins on the Pain Remains Tour with Lorna Shore, Angelmaker, Aborted, Ingested, and Ov Sulfur. After that wraps I want to focus on more Voidbringer stuff. That’s a big thing on the list as we have a bunch of content to put out, lyric and other content videos that I am shooting here very soon. I’m trying to put my best foot forward and not waste anymore time.
Voidbringer’s debut single ‘Years of Waste’ Releases on August 18th on all streaming platforms so be sure to check it out. You can catch Miles on tour coming to a city near you starting in September with Interloper, or later in the year on the Pain Remains Tour.
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IVE BEEN SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE UPCOMING TOUR FOR EIHWAR. I FOUND THEM ON THE INTERNET AND THEY BLEW ME AWAY WITH THEIR VIKING/FOLK/PAGAN MUSIC MIXED WITH ELECTRONIC. EIHWAR WILL BE COMING TO THE RECHER IN TOWNSON MARYLAND ON AUGUST 30TH. EMPIRE EXTREME GOT TO ASK THE DUO A FEW QUESTIONS BEFORE THE SHOW.
ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT DOING YOUR FIRST AMERICAN TOUR? ANY AMERICAN THINGS OR PLACES YOU WANT TO EXPLORE?
ASRUNN: For now, I have to admit I’m still completely stunned. I’m not excited or imagining it yet at all. Right now, I feel like I’m about to go to a country that only exists in TV shows, so I’m still kind of wading through disbelief.
Once I’m actually there, though, I’ll probably start talking way too fast and way too loud, and I’ll want to go way too everywhere.
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN VIKING WAR TRANCE AS A GENRE OF MUSIC?
MARK: Viking War Trance is basically what happens when you mix Nordic folk influences, tribal rhythms, electronic music and something much more primitive and aggressive. We wanted music that makes you want to dance, fight and enter some kind of trance at the same time. So instead of trying to fit into an existing genre, we just called it Viking War Trance. And about the word “war”: it’s not a war against others, but a war against ourselves. Against our rigidity, our limiting beliefs, our fears. Victory is letting go.
WHAT CAN FANS EXPECT WHEN SEEING THE BAND LIVE?
MARK: Our concerts are much more physical than people sometimes expect from listening to the albums. We want people to dance, scream, jump, crowd surf and completely lose themselves for an hour. It’s somewhere between a concert, a rave and a pagan ritual, but with a lot of joy. “Joyful chaos” is the word that Asrunn often use.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE PLAYING HELLFEST AND WACKEN?
ASRUNN: It’s basically spending an entire hour on stage thinking, “Seriously, what the hell am I doing here? This makes absolutely no sense,” and then, the second it’s over, thinking, “Fuck, that was WAY TOO SHORT!”, hahahahaha!
In reality, it’s a mix of intense concentration and this explosion of joy inside when we manage to bring such a huge crowd into our madness with us. It’s as if, all of a sudden, we’re no longer men and women, but one human tribe, united by joy and raw energy.
HOW DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR STYLE OF VIKING MUSIC AND IMAGE DIFFERS FROM OTHER VIKING AND FOLK METAL?
MARK: What sets us apart from folk metal is simply that we’re not metal. We don’t use distorted guitars or acoustic drums. As for pagan folk, I think the differences are pretty obvious too. Most pagan bands take a fairly ceremonial approach, resulting in atmospheric, ambient music. Some of them are even very serious. From our point of view, seriousness is a symptom of bad digestion. We prefer to fool around.
As for the peace you find in atmospheric ritual music, we don’t know much about it. Asrunn, our leader, is nothing like a priestess in a linen dress singing with butterflies in the forest. She’s living anger. Our music is joyful and brutal, primitive techno made to dance to until the end of the night.
The biggest difference is also, and perhaps above all, harmonic, in the musicological sense. With ancient instruments, it’s difficult to modulate frequently or to play every note in every octave. We use machines, and that gives us much more freedom to create melodies and chord progressions that evolve constantly and are far more pop-oriented than ancient instruments would normally allow.
DREAM TOUR: YOU CAN GO ON TOUR WITH ANY 2 OTHER BANDS, WHO DO YOU CHOOSE?
ASRUNN: MmmmdzgebhfugzFDBZueisfg that’s WAY too hard to choooooose HAAAAA! I’d say……….. NIN and… well, Sofia Isella, lately. She’s tooooooo good to be true.
MARK: The Prodigy and Peter Gabriel
FAVORITE GAME OF THRONES CHARACTER?
MARK: Don’t know, but I like the soundtrack.
ASRUNN: Bree Van De Kamp.
IF YOU COULD RESURRECT ONE HISTORIC VIKING WHO WOULD IT BE?
MARK: Honestly, my memories from that time aren’t clear enough for me to really know. But I was very fond of the monk Eadwig of Durham, and I’d be curious — and happy — to see him again.
ASRUNN: Lagertha, to prove to Mark that he’s wrong when he says she had bigger boobs than me.
IF YOU HAVEN’T BOUGHT UR TICKETS YET GET THEM HERE
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EMPIRE EXTREME GOT TO INTERVIEW KURT DEIMER ABOUT THE NEW ALBUM “A GROG IS BORN” HIM WORKING WITH GEOFF TATE AND JOSH TODD AND BEING KILLED BY MICHAEL MEYERS AND HORROR MOVIES
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by Josh Drespling
I was at Preserving Underground to cover Filth and Resistor. I was all set with my photo pass and cameras at the ready. And then this young band exploded onto the stage. No grand entrance, no intro music, no flashy lights—just a wall of noise from the first guitar chord and a guttural growl that seemed to come from somewhere below the floorboards. I was blown away. Thoroughly impressed.
This band was Inferious, out of Dayton, Ohio. If you look up the word “inferious,” most dictionaries will tell you it means something low-status, submissive, or fit for sacrifice. But this Ohio metalcore outfit Inferious has spent the last several years proving that definition couldn’t be more wrong. Tonight in the basement of a converted church, Inferious delivered raw, sweat-soaked fury to all who were smart enough to show up early.
Before their set was even half over, I made up my mind that I had to talk to them and let our readers know about this band. Here is how it went:
Empire: This was the first time I have ever seen you guys. I’ve heard your name before but never had the chance to listen. The show tonight was freaking awesome. I loved it from the first few notes. The vocals and the guitar tone just hit ya right in the chest.
Since I am a new fan, can you give me the nickel tour of how you came together and I understand you are from Dayton, Ohio.
Shaun O’Shaughnessy – Guitarist: I live in Dayton, and the original band members all formed in Dayton, but it was kind of a collage of multiple band folks. People from the southwest Ohio area. Gabe [McQueen – vocals] and I were there at the beginning, and then through some line-up changes, this is our current and most solid touring line-up so far with Cody and Kyle. They also are from the area and have been in several bands. So they were always in the same circles, at the same shows, talking to the same people. It all worked out one day.
Empire: Given that, it seems like there is a healthy music scene in Dayton. Are there any good clubs, any fields to play in?
Shaun: It’s hard to say Dayton, Ohio, specifically so much as just southwest Ohio because of the way that Dayton, Columbus, and Cincinnati form like a little triangle. You’re only an hour apart from each other. So we can get into that larger music scene pretty easily. So Dayton itself has venues, but the whole collective area has stuff. There’s some house venues, like Gnome House, there’s Bob’s, but then Cincinnati has Madison Live, and Design Collective [DSGN CLLCTV] was doing shows for a while, but I think they got in trouble.
Cody: Yeah, it some code stuff.
Empire: I think there are a couple decent places in Akron, and even across the border is Huntington, WV?
Shaun: Yeah, that area still does have sick stuff. It’s just farther away from our personal local scene. Cleveland is kind of separate from us too.
Cody: That’s not necessarily our scene, but there is such a good underground local scene from the Huntington / Athens / Charleston area. Shout to Feverwar.
Shaun: We were just at the Grog Shop [outside Cleveland].
Cody: We were at the New Foundry not too long ago.
Empire: Oh, yeah, like upstairs?
Shaun: No, it is Foundry’s new location.
Empire: I’ve not been there.
Shaun: It looks basically like the old one, but it’s new.
Empire: You mentioned the Grog Shop. Were you guys there with Filth and Resistor?
Shaun: Yeah, we’ve been on tour with Filth and Resistor. The first half of the tour had Two-Piece on it; we missed them, but now Mono’s [Monochromatic Black] on for the second half, and they’re homies.
Gabe and I toured with them in Inferious a couple years ago with band called AMTAE, and Monochromatic Black. So, those are long-time homies as well. So, we’ve known Tanya [Elizabeth (Beickert) – Vocals] and Eddie [DeCesare – Drums] for a long time, and Pierce [Akers – Guitar] is our new best friend as well.
Empire: So, it’s just like a big hang for you guys.
Shaun: Yeah, all the homies are back. We’ve toured with Filth before too; we were out with them on the Oceano tour, and then actually a year ago, I think like right now, like today a year ago, we toured with Filth also. So, it’s Filth and Oceano, and then Filth again.
So, it’s been fun to have a full circle of friend hangs, and every night’s been sick. The show turnouts have been amazing, and then just hanging out with all our friends has been amazing.
Empire: That’s part of what makes it fun. Whether you have 50 people or 1000, you have that camaraderie and shared experience.
Empire: So do you currently have an album out? Where do you guys stand with that?
Gabe: We have music out everywhere, on all music platforms: Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, and YouTube Music. Shit, if you even got to rip that shit, YouTube to MP4, do it, man!
Shaun: We got your back. We got three full lengths and an EP. We are working on a new EP with a label we’re signed to that we’ll announce here soon, but that’s going to be really exciting stuff, and just stoked to be able to get that out soon.
Empire: Cool. So don’t say the label name, but your deal is in place, and then the new album in the fall, winter, spring?
Shaun: Yeah, the EP should be coming out sometime this year, if all the schedules align and everything, but that’s in the works.
Empire: Cool. Filth tour, what’s after that?
Shaun: Finishing up the EP. Record release cycle, and then hopefully touring in support of that. Whether it’s co-headlining with somebody or doing some more support stuff, we’re down for whatever. Hopefully we can fill up the rest of the year.
You know, touring is hard financially, so while we’re able to still make ends meet on the road, it’s hard to pay all the bills, so we’ve got to go home, stack our bread back up, and then be ready to go back out again.
Empire: I understand. Is this your first time in Pittsburgh?
Shaun: We’ve actually played Preserving. This is at least the fifth time.
We played the DIY room, we played this room, this orientation, we played this room when it was facing the other direction. AJ, the owner, has been good to us. He is a rad dude.
Empire: AJ is great.
Shaun: The record shop and merch store upstairs is sick, I just bought a shirt, a Never Ending Game shirt, because we have to do a laundry soon, and I bought a shirt to extend one more day to get through.
Empire: Anything you guys want to add, anything going on? Shameless plugs?
Shaun: This has been a kind of sick tour, because I think we’ve all got to see family members. Gabe’s dad dropped him off, so we got to see Gabe’s dad. We got to go get breakfast with my mom and some family, I saw my aunt. Cody’s mom let us stay at her crib, and we got to hang out with her and his family. Kyle’s family came out last night and hung out, and that was pretty sick, so it’s been a good time.
Empire: Kyle hasn’t said anything, so tell me about your family coming out and seeing the show.
Kyle: I mean, it was my sister’s first time seeing us live.
Empire: What did she have to say? I mean, I’m sure she knew the style.
Kyle: Oh, yeah, she’s conditioned to it.
Empire: She’s not like a Britney Spears fan at a hardcore show?
Kyle: No, no, she’s by far not a normie, but close to it.
Empire: Thank you, gentlemen. That’s all I have today. Appreciate it, and thanks for the show. It was great; loved it.
Shaun: See you next time.
Before that night at Preserving Underground, I’ll be honest: Inferious was just a name on a show flyer. Another opening band before the acts I actually came to see.
That’s the thing about this level of heavy music. The headliners get the lights, the longer set, and the crowd that’s already warmed up. But the openers? They get twenty-five minutes, a soundcheck that barely counts, and a room full of people who are mostly looking at their phones. Inferious didn’t just overcome that. They incinerated it.
What struck me most, sitting down with Shaun, Gabe, Cody, and Kyle after the show, was how unpretentious they were. No egos. No rock-star posturing. Just four guys from southwest Ohio who’ve been grinding in the same circles, playing the same basement venues, and slowly building something real. They talked about the small venues with the same reverence other bands reserve for stadiums. They shouted out Feverwar. They bought merch from the shop upstairs to make it through one more day on the road.
That’s the part you don’t see from the crowd. The financial grind. The van trouble. The “stack our bread back up” reality of modern touring. And yet, here they were—genuinely stoked to have seen family members at shows, genuinely grateful for AJ at Preserving keeping the doors open for underground bands, and genuinely excited about an upcoming EP they couldn’t even name the label for yet.
Inferious may have a name that suggests something low-status, something sacrificial. But after watching them level a converted church in New Kensington, and after listening to them talk about their scene with the easy confidence of people who have nothing to prove, I think the definition needs an update.
Check them out on all the streaming platforms. Catch them when they roll through your town on the next tour. And for the love of God, show up early.
You never know which opening band is going to blow your doors off.
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