Interviews

Interview with Scott Ian Lewis of Carnifex

Published

8 years ago

April 29, 2018

Interview By: George Archibald
Photos By: Andrew Bastion

Carnifex has been going steady on the road ever since their album Slow Death hit the market August 5th, 2016. The album peaked at #3 on the US Hard Rock charts surpassing Die Without Hope as their most successful record by industry standards. The Chaos and Carnage Tour is the last stop to see Carnifex in the United States performing for 2018, wrapping up their US dates in Los Angeles on May 5th. For the band it has been a grueling year and a half of non-stop touring that has seen many successes along the way, which they owe it all to their fans. Without their support the band wouldn’t be where they are now. As the touring cycle comes to an end, Carnifex is gearing up to start writing their 7th studio album. I got the chance to talk to vocalist Scott Ian Lewis of the band to learn more about lies ahead for Carnifex.

GA:I have read that the Chaos and Carnage Tour was announced as Carnifex’s last American tour for 2018, with its last date on May 5th in Los Angeles; what does the band have planned for the second half of 2018?
SL: This is the end of the touring cycle for Slow Death in the states. We are going back to Europe in July for three weeks, and then that is the end of the touring cycle. We plan on working on the new record throughout summer and into the fall. We look to start recording in early 2019. In early 2019, we will be getting the record finished, and shooting music videos, and getting all the promotion ready for a summer 2019 release.
GA: The band has seen huge success with your latest album Slow Death; now hearing there is a future album in the works, can you tell me a little about the foundation you have for this new record? Will it continue in the same direction, same inspiration or themes as with Slow Death, or is the band looking to branch out more like you did with Slow Death; i.e. heading in the direction of black metal feel versus doing a more traditional deathcore vibe?
SL: I think so, we have four songs written so far, and that is the point where you start getting into the groove. We are finding the tone of the album. One thing that was important to us on Die Without Hope and Slow Death, is to have those albums be us, but also have a unique sound. I think if you would listen to a song on Slow Death, you hear the difference between that, and a song that is on Die Without Hope. I think we want to do the same thing with this new album, is obviously be us but when you hear it, it doesn’t sound like Slow Death B sides. It is going to have its own unique feel, and its own twist. We are focusing on that and trying to make our songs bigger, to have the scope of them be bigger. For me as the lyricist, I have always written from my perspective, my point of view. I have usually written from a first-person stance; and I think I want to move beyond just my internal feelings and explore some other thoughts. I am so excited to take all this time to focus on the record. This gives us the opportunity to lock in on the tone and feel that we want, and it gives us the chance to explore things a little more than we have had in the past. It gives us the time to develop these things on the album. I want to get in there, and make sure every song is getting our full attention, from the beginning to the end.
GA: All killer, no filler. Looking back over the last two years, what must be in your eyes the most successful benchmark the band has hit since the release of Slow Death?
SL: From the business side of things, Slow Death out sold Die Without Hope. So, I think if you look at how record sales are, and how the industry is now; to have a new album out sell an older album that did really well, that means something. It was exciting to see, when people are telling us no one buys records anymore, which is true to a degree. So, for Slow Death to be such a commercial success it was such a good feeling. You have all these intrinsic feelings: like you played a good show, you see everyone having fun, but as far as getting the label people happy and to keep them pushing the band forward, you need things like that.
GA: Of all the places in the world you have been able to perform at, what must have been your favorite place to have visited?
SL: South Africa was unique; all the southeast Asia shows were awesome. Thailand was awesome. We have been to Ecuador and Costa Rica, and a lot of interesting places like Dubai. We travelled all through Russia. We played this one place in Russia that was so far East it was above Mongolia, so we were going back the other way, which was a strange experience. I don’t know if I could point to a single place, but the experience as a whole has been amazing.
GA:Along with that success, the crowds have seen many additions to your live show can you tell more about these additions? Like the additions of extra lighting and wearing the metal costumes live.
SL: Absolutely, we don’t want to be five guys having band practice on a big stage every night. I look to Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie; they are great musicians, but why are people also excited to go see them? It’s because they are great entertainers. So, I think if we are going to ask people to pay twenty bucks to see us, we can’t just be up there in gym shorts and sandals. It is like, we are asking people to pay twenty bucks, get out of their house, and you are going to see a show. We want to give you some entertainment, we want to make it a bit of a production. For me, I am a theater kid, I grew up in theater, so it is kind of a natural progression for us to try and bring that element of entertainment and theater to our live show. We want to be exciting while being good entertainers.
GA: The last time I spoke with you, you were in the middle of writing your book, Death Dreamer, can you tell me more about the book, and where in the process are you with releasing it?
SL: The actual release date for the book is July 18th. Currently, the book is being worked on by the artists since I don’t draw. The artists have the script, the illustrator is about done, and the colorist is about half way through. In June, we will start doing preorders for anyone that is wanting to participate in that. Then we will be releasing the book on July 18th, which I will be doing a Comic Con around the release date. I also will be doing some signings for the book around that time. It is a big moment, I have been working on this book for the last two years. I am always working with the guys in the band and our agents and managers. So, to do something on my own it is a little nerve-wracking because, it’s like are people going to care, I don’t know. I love the story and I am really proud of it. The book is going to look amazing when its finished. I have some great artists working on it. I am working with Christian Debarre, who has worked on The Hulk and has been a professional comic book artist for 15 years now. He does fantastic work.

Andrew Bastion, EE Photographer: Have you thought about checking out any horror cons to visit, to promote the book?
SL: We are going to look into what cons to go to following the release and seeing what sort of response we are getting. If the response is there I will try to get out there to meet people. So, we will see. We are going to San Diego and New York for sure.
GA: Are there any bands out there now, that you wish you could hook up a tour with or any bands you want to play with, that you haven’t had the chance to yet?
SL: We got to play with Slipknot once which was at Knotfest, but man we need to tour together. They are doing a new record in 2019 too, and so are we so, if enough people ask for it, it might happen.
GA: Where can people keep up with the band, also where can they find your merch?
SL: I think the best place to stay up to date is Instagram (@carnifex) and Twitter (@carnifex). I feel that Facebook has had a mass exodus of users, but if you are still on there we are still active there too. I think Instagram is the best way to stay in contact, and I am . For merch we have a Indiemerch store which they are in Cleveland. Indiemerch is our official North American store.
GA: Anything else you would like to add?
SL: I hope everyone has had a great time on this tour. Hopefully everyone can hang tight for about a year, we will be back!!!

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George Archibald

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Interviews

EIHWAR COME TO BALTIMORE TO BRING THE VIKING WAR TRANCE

Published

6 days ago

August 20, 2026

Ron

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

About Author

Ron

Ron has keen eye for new talent, a love for the underground, and a tremendous passion for music of any genera. You’ll probably bump into him at a horror convention or some seedy club checking out the next need-to-know band.

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Interviews

INTERVIEW WITH KURT DEIMER

Published

4 months ago

May 8, 2026

Ron

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

About Author

Ron

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Empire Interviews

Inferious—Interview

Published

4 months ago

May 5, 2026

Josh Drespling

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.

About Author

Josh Drespling

Josh is the Publisher and creator of Empire Extreme and it’s sister publication Kingdom Extreme Magazine. He is an accomplished writer, photographer and graphic designer. He is always conjuring up new ideas and has a amazing passion for the music industry and all the things that surround it.

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