Testify

Interview by Jan-Erik Nyman

Hello this is Myk, the voice of Testify, doing this interview

Could you first tell the readers that haven't heard Testify what kind of music you play and a little bit of the bands history?

Myk: I guess what we do is Industrial Metal in its classic form including all the feature this genre is known for: Deep, roaring guitars, with additions of noise and atmospheric sounds, the Vocals Of Wrath, a bit of electronic features... We have started doing these aural creations in the winter 1992/93, and besides other projects we ever and anon come back to Testify again. In 1993 we released our first works in Germany (where we live), and since 1994 we are quite regularly present with our releases in the USA. The band line-up though ever changed throughout the years, so that nowadays only few of the original members are left.

Please tell me a little bit about your latest release Triviality Beyond Acceptance. How has the response been on that album so far?

Myk: As far as I got to know Triviality Beyond Acceptance has been warmly received in the USA; it is yet unreleased in other countries. We already recorded the album in the 2000/2001- season, and it took some time until it finally was released, yet I don' think that it sounds obsolete: as newest releases in the Industrial Scene confirm, in my ears.

What do you personally think about the album? If you compare it to the older ones, what do think has changed the most?

Myk: In order to characterize this album I always like to use a standard (which Paul McCartney probably has already used in 1973): We think this new one is the strongest work of our band ever. (What Paul might not have added is): The guitars are fatter and deeper than before, the mid tempo titles have gained more importance than on the previous releases when the super-speed-attitude still ruled our minds. I think "Triviality Beyond Acceptance" quite continues our very own way in a very logical step.

Who of you writes the lyrics and from what do you get the inspiration?

Myk: It is me who creates the stuff. And I never have any plan or a vision about what I am going to write when starting the work at new lyrics. Possibly the lyrics somehow write themselves. In the end, when everything is finished, I recognize most times that some of my favorite themes have turned up again: The hunger of the soul, the wretchedness of the mind, the torn-and-worn-feeling, the displeasure about the world we live in, the dark thoughts that arise in the midst of t

There is something I am very interested in and that is the idea behind the name of your third album. Why was it named "Mmmyaoooo"? How killed the cat? Myk: I should give Moses W. (who had the idea of that particular album-title) the band-intern "Hyper-Album-Title-Prize", because even after some years now almost everyone is asking about the meaning of the word. Strangely enough it is not about a cat, which would be quite appropriate; but it is the scream of a cow, if I remember right. He picked it up in a Slapstick Fantasy Story written by Terry Pratchett.

What is the musical background for the members in Testify and do you got any current side projects?

Myk: Testify was originally created by members of the German Electro Band The Fair Sex in 1992 when we wanted to start something more in the guitar-noise- vein. TFS (and other projects of the Dark Electro Underground) is still (or again) alive, as some new projects in which we are involved as well. And that is our background: The German Independent Scene.

Which bands do you think have had the most impact on you and the band?

Myk: Aah! I will answer that question today in a more extraordinary way as usual (leaving it up to you if you believe me or not): We never listen to other bands of this genre. In fact we do not know any of them. We create the whole thing just listening to our innermost being.

What are your interests except creating music?

Myk: We drink too much, if that might be stated under the category of interests. I have started to write novels such as the last year's persiflage "The Lord Of The Earrings". We are champions in the craft of wasting time.The heaviest burden of terrifying interests is my being fascinated by the phenomenon called sexus.

Where in the world have you got the most fans? What do you think is the biggest difference between the European fan and the American fan?

Myk: I guess in the US we have most of our fans. I think one of thegreatest difference between the American listener and the European fan is that in the USA only recently the Domination of Electro was Germany it has been the status quo for several years now.

What do you think about the industrial metal scene today? See a bright future or a darker one?

Myk: For the time being it is not the Peak of Popularity of Industrial; but it will recover - quite soon, I even believe.

What are your plans for the future? Any upcoming gigs?

Myk: Our plan is to create another title such as "Under The Cold Moon" (the last title of the album) - and this one we personally think to be extremely outstanding and almost unbelievable. But we have failed so far to create another title of similar hugeness. So we will continue the work.

And finally, a classical question. Why did the chicken cross the road? (Because some bands have not understood this question I will briefly explain it. There is no right answer but the answer shall be linked in some way to your band or image. For example: Sigmund Freud: The chicken obviously was female and obviously interpreted the pole on which the crosswalk sign was mounted as a phallic symbol of which she was envious, selbstverstaendlich Julius Caesar: To come, to see, to conquer Joseph Stalin: I don't care. Catch it. Crack its eggs to make my omelet.

Myk: The chicken crossed the road in quest of The Big Egg which, as legends confirm, in its inner contains the Big Yellow Truth And The Everlasting Peace Of Mind. It is a philosophical chicken - but it will fail and probably not reached its aim. The Ever unreachable aim. Well you get the picture.)

The final words are yours

Myk: Don't let The Black Anger eat your heart.

Thank you for the interview and hopefully I will see you on tour in Finland sometime.


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