Best of 2014 is a 5 piece series where we sit down with
artists from across the globe and ask them their favorite albums of 2014.
Featured in this first edition, is none other than the DEMONSTEALER!
Sahil Makhija (a.k.a Demonstealer) has gained quite a good reputation and respect from the fans in the Metal scene in India over the years. He has 3 full-fledged projects running in Demonic
Resurrection, Reptilian Death and Workshop. On top of it, his metal-cooking
show (hell yeah!) – Headbanger’s Kitchen is now running in its third season. To
add to the impressive list, he has revived his long planned solo album for a mid-2015
release. We sat down and had a small chat with him.
Hi Sahil, pleasure to have you here on Metal Melancholy.
2014 was a good year for Demonic Resurrection with the
release of ‘The Demon King’ and the European tour. 2015 marks 15 years for the
band, what all plans are being made to make this one memorable for both the band and
the fans?
Demonstealer: We always try to do
our best but there are many hurdles in our way so at this point all we can
promise the fans is we’re going to try and play every city possible and keep
delivering kick-ass live performances. We also hope to start work on our 5th
studio album this year. We’re going to keep ourselves busy and keep delivering
the goods hopefully for another 15 years.
Your all 3 projects have faced constant line-up changes
over throughout their respective existence. What kept you going on all 3 front?
Demonstealer: I guess it’s just my
attitude with things I have a passion for, which is, don’t quit. I also have
had a lot of support and all three bands have had fans and I get a lot of
strength from them. I’ve also come so far in and there are so many people that
have put their faith in my like our record labels who have released the music
and I don’t know if I could let them down and quit. I’ve also had some very
loyal band mates like Hamza, Husain, Mephisto, Viru who have been with the
bands for a long time and I know they are going to stick around come what may
so I find strength in all of this to carry forward.
Your long time planned solo Demonstealer solo record is
finally being recorded, with the crowd-funding running. What made you plan a
solo record, even after the fact that you have 3 other projects (Demonic
Resurrection, Reptilian Death and Workshop)?
Demonstealer: I guess I have music
in me which doesn’t fit these 3 projects so this is my outlet for that but to
be honest this album is very personal, these songs, these riffs, these melodies
they are me putting myself out to the world. It’s one of my most honest
expressions of myself. So I really hope it goes down well. Though I was told
early on that ‘your music will never mean more to anyone than it does to you’
so I’m just hoping people enjoy the album and I definitely do have a few tricks
up my sleeves. I guess this album is my expression, completely unchained,
unrestricted and unedited.
What can the fans expect from the solo record?
Demonstealer: A lot of heart in the
music. The album is still very metal but it’s also very melodic at the same
time, a lot more singing and a lot more vocal experimentation. There will be
some guest musicians who I believe will help take the album to the next level.
I’m very excited for the fans to hear this and form their own opinion on the
music.
Your favorite albums of 2014.
1. Behemoth - The Satanist - This band never lets me down,
what an epic release.
2. Evergrey - Hymns For The Broken - Amazing melody, great
singing, brilliant lead guitar playing. This album is perfect.
3. Anaal Nathrakh - Desideratum - Still makes me want to
break stuff, absolutely crushing and monstrous!
4. Septicflesh - Titan - Orchestral brilliance, what a great
atmosphere and crushing brutality.
5. Bhayanak Maut - Man - These groove metal monsters released
a blinder of an album. 13 tracks of madness with each song being a story of a
serial killer all woven into a beautiful 118 page pdf file. Sadly only a
digital release.
Best of 2014 – PART 2 – Wilhelm [The Gardnerz] Picks: HERE
Best of 2014 – PART 3 – Sam Bell [Mask of Judas] Picks: HERE Best of 2014 – PART 4 – Srikanth [Bevar Sea] Picks: HERE Best of 2014 – Indian Metal [Melancholy Edition] : HERE
