Interviews: Ocular Trauma

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Death Metal band, Ocular Trauma from Canada. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

The band name came to us naturally when thinking about themes we wanted to convey in our music. We touch on subjects like nightmares and psychological horror, so a name like Ocular Trauma ended up being a visceral representation of this for us.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Despite us having a deep love of music in general, metal was all of our gateways to finding our passion for expressing ourselves. Death metal is deeply rooted within us, but it is also a genre that is elastic. There are so many variables of creative things you can mix in with the genre and that really excites us to take new chances with experimentation.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

We played in a few bands for a couple of years before Ocular Trauma became a reality and our focus.

4. Each band member's favorite band?

All of us are great fans of a wide variety of similar bands. It is difficult to pick absolute favorites. To name but a few within the scope of metal: Dir en Grey, Cattle Decapitation, Carcass, Death, System of a Down, Meshuggah, and Cryptopsy. The list could turn into an hour-long read.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

We are keen on letting everyday life be the inspiration of our songwriting process. Unfortunately, there is always something happening in the world that shakes us to the core, whether it's in our personal lives or happening elsewhere. We take these moments to form them as music. Art should not be disingenuous. It is a powerful and honest form of communication that people have with each other. This is what always inspires us to create.

6. Where was your last gig?

Our last gig was at Dundas and Sons Brewing Company which is located in London, Ontario. This show actually had our greatest reception as a band yet. The crowd was very active and up-close with us on the floor. We had a blast playing there and hope to again very soon.

7. Where would you like to act?

We would definitely like to branch out of the country. Playing around Canada is definitely on our list, but we would love to be present in Europe.

8. Whom would you like to feature with and whom not?

To answer both of these questions at once, we are open to playing with anyone. We find it exciting that we can be mixed in with all sorts of different bands and opportunities, so we wouldn't want to steer that away from ourselves. We have been misbilled more than a few times but we find that refreshing no matter what a particular crowd thinks of us.

9. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

Stage fright in some form is always going to be present with us. Even if it is minuscule in our lives, there is always a hint of anxiety or unease when we step up in front of a crowd. A tip for beginners is to treat a show like you are in your comfort zone at band practice. Play what you have rehearsed, remind yourself that your bandmates and friends are with you, and the rest will follow. Muscle memory kicks in and sometimes the crowd can even become a blur. Playing live is a very surreal experience. The way to get used to anything is to do it over and over ad nauseam.

10. What bands have inspired you the most?

One of the bands we've stated previously was System of a Down. In particular, for all of us, that's been a turning point in our lives of getting into heavier and weirder music. It definitely still inspires us to this day, just like countless other bands we've discovered along the way that display these qualities.

11. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

There hasn't been anything weird enough yet that isn't worth noting. Here is hoping we'll have some good ones to recall in time.

12. What do you think of your fans?

It's always going to be nice to have our fans and keep building upon that. For us, we're too focused on making ourselves happy with our art and not letting anything cloud us in doing so. The people who enjoy our work are a bonus.

13. What do you think of our site?

The site shows a clear passion for what it displays. Straightforward in the best way possible, showcasing a love for music and wanting to help bring people together in discovering new music and keep the flow going. Much respect.

14. Something to add?

Thank you for this opportunity and thank you to those who read this. Keep listening to what you love. "The Dissection of Tragedy" will be available on April 28th of this year. Give it a chance.