Becoming the Swarm

An Interview with Shayne Johnson of The Schoenberg Automaton

By George Archibald.  

Australian technical death metal outfit The Schoenberg Automaton have been a riding a wave of success with the release of their new album Apus. The album has been getting wide reviews and catching the ear of many in the industry. You can also read Empire Extreme’s review of the album under the album reviews section. The band’s name is a play on the name of composer Arnold Schoenberg. It is said his approach to music, both in terms of harmony and development, has been one of the most influential of 20th-century musical thought. This was the thought process in which The Schoenberg Automaton took when writing Apus. I got a chance to ask a few questions TSA’s own Shayne Johnson.

The Schoenberg Automaton

GA: What is the origin of the band name? Is this a play-off of the composer of the same name?
SJ: It is, actually! Funnily enough, I had a dream that Arnold Schoenberg had come back as a clockwork robot (many late nights playing Bioshock, no doubt). I loved the sonic possibilities that presented itself as that “concept” and we moved it forward.

GA: How did The Schoenberg Automaton form? *I know a little of the story that the band started with a bunch of riffs and ideas, that were eventually strung together to form the first songs, but where did it all begin?
SJ: Well, it started out as a side project that Nelson and I created. We were both in bands at the time and jammed at the same rehearsal space, so we eventually started talking about making music together. We had an idea for something “super tech” but didn’t really know what we’re dipping our toes into until the first track was done.

 GA: What got you into playing technical death metal/ Influences?
SJ: Vehemence! The riffage on God was Created is 10/10

GA: Did you have lessons or learned on your own for your instruments?
SJ: I had a great guitar teacher for a year or two when I first started (’03 I think?), but am primarily self-taught. Most of us are primarily self-taught.

GA: What are your thoughts on the emerging Death Metal wave out of Australia? By this I mean you are among the ranks of Thy Art is Murder, Boris the Blade, Signal the Firing Line, and many others.
SJ: I think it’s absolutely fantastic. There’s a distinct flavor that is produced from Aus Death Metal that the world clearly loves.

GA: What do you think is the reason why Australian Death metal is so aggressive? It has a distinct feel to it, could it be where you guys are from? I know hardcore music from the US is kind of a regional thing. There is a stand out region in the northeast that has harbored many bands. I think this has to do with the weather, the northeast US gets a lot of snow during the winter and it gets very cold, effecting ones’ attitude. Could this be somewhat comparable?
SJ: Haha, shit man. Um… I guess you could say that! Summer is like being constantly in the armpit of sweaty sex offender, so I guess you could say that type of gnarly, wild aggression comes across after being exposed to it for long enough.

GA: Did you bring any new techniques or equipment to the recording process of Apus? In what ways did TSA advance from the Vela album?
SJ: We flew in producer Shane Frisby, who has worked on The Ghost Inside/Bury Your Dead etc., from the USA, set up a crowd funding campaign and went from there. The album was funded; we recorded drums at a lovely studio in Brisbane called The Hunting Grounds, vocals at a studio on the Sunshine Coast and guitars/bass were done by ourselves.

GA:  What was your favorite part about recording the new album?
SJ: Hearing your ideas just come together from a skeleton, to a visceral treat ­ it’s not really the parts that are enjoyable, it’s more than the sum of its whole, if that makes sense.

GA: What other types of music do you guys like to listen to other than metal?
SJ: Oh of course ­ metal is great because it has no boundaries in what you can do to it and still call it metal. I’m a prog nerd and huge Allan Holdsworth fan. On the tour bus though… things get a little weird.

GA: What gear do you use during touring? If you have any endorsements, please feel free to tell us about them.

SJ: I’m currently using a Xen/ET Guitars HDC6 for my 6 string and a ’91 MIJ Ibanez 7 string (my workhorse for new material) ­ both guitars have Lace Pickups. Damien is currently playing an Ormsby HypeGTR. Zimi plays a Fender Jazz 5­String and Nelson usually plays Pearl Masters.

GA: What is next for TSA? Any touring, if so when and where can we see you?
SJ: We are off to the UK for a tour with The Hirsch Effekt and a performance at UK TechMetal Fest. Canada shall be after that in August and if the support keeps rolling, anywhere is an option!

GA: Anything else you would to add?
SJ:  Thanks to everyone to contributed to getting APUS from a dream, to reality.

I want to thank Shayne for taking time out of his busy schedule to conduct this interview with me. I wish you guys good luck on tour and safe journeys. I hope that you all can come to the States because it would be awesome to see you live. You can pick up The Schoenberg Automaton’s album Apus, now in stores.

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George Archibald

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