State Of Awakening - Interview

Hey, Breathing The Core fans, here we bring you another interview of the Metalcore/Hardcore band State Of Awakening from Belgium, so here you can see and give a like their FACEBOOK PAGE.  We have nothing more to say, enjoy this excellent interview of this more excellent band. 

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

Ever since puberty, our singer Tom Leroy, wanted to start a band. He was inventing band names as he made his way through high school. The band name itself was inspired by his English teacher. So, in a certain sense, it was kinda planned. Some months after the forming of the band, it appeared to the members that the abbreviation for State of Awakening formed SoA, which is the Dutch equivalent of STD. For a short while, we were thinking about other sexually-infused abbreviations, like Something To Drink. Or He Eats Ripped Penises Ejaculating Sperm. But that would make us look like a cybergrind band. And that was not our goal.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Metalcore is the genre that every one of us listens to. We never tried to play a certain genre but some sort of metal-hardcore blend is what came out.

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

The singer knew one of the guitarists because that was his brother. And the rest of the band knew the singer. So in a way, everybody knew each other. Afterwards, it appeared that every one of the band members participated in a Gwen Stefani look-a-like contest. No one came close to winning.

4. Each band member favourite band?

Jeroen Goemaere (drummer): Heaven Shall Burn

Laurenz Goetry (guitarist): TRC, Arctic Monkeys

Sam Leroy (guitarist): The old Avenged Sevenfold, No Bragging Rights

Tom Leroy (vocals): close call between Kool & The Gang and ABBA

Ruben Nuydt (bass): Tool

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

There is not one fixed path we follow in writing our music. We mostly start from scratch, with one of the guitarists just riffing about. When anything good comes out, bass and drums are added. Lastly, vocals are written. Sometimes, we just think about music that we would have fun listening to while trying to come up with riffs.

6. Where was your last gig?

Our last gig was in The Frontline, Ghent. That’s a small venue that can take about 100 people tops. Performing here was quite symbolic for us, since this was the venue where some of us watched bands like A Day To Remember, TRC, Texas In July and Close Your Eyes during one of their first European tours. Unfortunately, the venue is being torn down to make room for apartments.

7. Where would you like to act?

There is a festival in our home country called Groezrock, that counts as the biggest punk rock and hardcore festivals in Belgium. For the moment, our goal is to play that festival. Of course, we have dreams that are harder to accomplish, like playing bigger festivals abroad alongside big acts. Our drummers biggest dream, however, is to be featured in a movie called Hairy Peter And The Sorcerers Bone, written, produced and directed by himself.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Emma Watson. For sure. If we are talking bands, August Burns Red, Heaven Shall Burn, I Killed The Prom Queen, Bury Tomorrow. And Tenacious D.

9. Whom not?

Lostprophets, because we fear for our children. As I Lay Dying, because we fear for our wives. Ozzy Osbourne, because we fear for our bats.

10. Any of you has ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

In the beginning, during our first shows, some of us did. But the more we played together and the more we performed, the more confident we became. I think the only real thing that can beat stage fright is getting your ass up that stage and having as much fun as you can have.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Avenged Sevenfold, Parkway Drive and Lamb of God have had an impact on both our guitarists. Heaven Shall Burn influenced the drummer. The bass-player claims to have been inspired by The Beatles and The Bronx.

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

A female fan expected to get ‘sauced’ by our singer in the toilet. Really. She used the word ‘sauced’.

13. What do you think of your fans?

We have a firm local fan base on which can rely on to attend every show and to get crazy during our set. Furthermore, we appreciate everyone who ever took the effort to check us out live and on the internet.

14. What do you think of our site?

We think the site looks very professional, has a beautiful lay-out and the concept is well thought-out. We like the idea that small-time bands get as much of a chance as bigger bands to be featured.

15. Something to add?

We have put our demo tape out for free and just released our debut EP, Ruin To Rebuild, which is available online as well as on every live show. We would like to thank the Breathing The Core crew for letting us do this interview. And thank you, reader, for taking the time to read our jibber jabber (as read in Samuel L. Jacksons voice).