Few South Africans have been to Middelburg: situated in the heart of Mpumalanga, Middleburg is renowned for its luxury guest lodges, flourishing farming community and many industrial plants. All this considered, death metal band, Bleeding Spawn, is a large step away from the convention of their hometown.
Dominic Vorster, Bleeding Spawn‘s bass guitarist, thinks that the stereotypes in Middelburg have greatly contributed to their success as a band. “The knee-length-socked-men,” he refers to the Afrikaans farmers in the area, “Are here but the stereotypes are what fed me! Oppression leads to anger and anger leads to death metal. Being in a metal band here in our town is seen as underground and people don’t really like the whole look and image. That’s why we have learnt to not care what people think or say, but rather take that negative energy and feed our music with it. We have overcome the hardest parts of being in a death metal band in a small town, and now it’s our duty to feed our fans with the anger and oppression that we see.”
The band has labelled their brand of death metal as “futuristic” due to their unique sound. Dominic explains what makes their sound unique: “Seven string guitars, the six string bass, super-fast drumming and dual guttural vocals which in this era of time is seen as low end music/metal. But what gives us that edge is our song structure, the complex diversity of each song we have is the same, but all have unique blends that make it sound futuristic.”
Apart from music, the band finds music inspiration in zombie and gore movies, amoung other things.
“The best death scenes are acted through underpaid actors are great ideas for lyrical themes,” Dominic says, and adds; “Marvel and DC comics – imagination is the key to capture a good story.”
Bleeding Spawn might be musically unique, but like many other death metal bands, their name is not one that everyones grandmother would approve of, yet the band feels their name is the molten brand which tells you what they are about.
“In my opinion with a band like Cannibal Corpse the name says it all – death, gore and horror. They don’t beat around the bush. They use their name to illustrate exactly what they are about, which also becomes a household name for their fans and for listeners. I wouldn’t be impressed if I hear a band name like Prostitute Disfigurement only to find out they play Backstreet Boys covers.” Thus Dominic thinks a band’s name, as much as it’s music, classifies them.
This weekend, the band will kick off their national tour with international death metal band, Fleshgod Apocalypse. Dominic thinks they’ve come a long way from their first live performance. “Our first gig was in our hometown on Halloween and until this day I will not forget it. It was the most nerve wrecking thing I have ever done. Lots of people pitched up and I knew we had to bring it. The show was a success and it was the best feeling that I have ever experienced. As it was our first show ever; we didn’t have much stage experience. The performances on the tour will show that we have learnt a lot about what to do and what not to do.”
The other members of the band are just as excited for the tour.
“It’s going to be an eye-opening experience playing alongside guys of their calibre, but I think it’s going to be an epic party at the same time. We are all super nervous and excited and ready to represent South African death metal as best we can,” says guitarist, Gary Parkin.
Fans can see Bleeding Spawn and others playing with Fleshgod Apocalypse from tomorrow in Gauteng, Pietermaritzburg, PE and Cape Town. For more information, visit the Detonation Tour website.