Interviews: SLEEPING GIANT

On this new occasion, we had the opportunity to interview the Stoner Metal/Doom Metal band SLEEPING GIANT, from Iceland. Check out the interview and follow this band on their FACEBOOK PAGE. 

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name? Did you plan it or came out like that?

The band name is taken from a lyric in Megadeth's song Blackmail the Universe - "Awaken those sleeping giants in the dust of the ground." It just stuck out immediately to vocalist Oddur, who ran with the name to us, and we thought it seemed very fitting. In the original lyric, it's a reference to warfare and devastation, which has always been a lyrical inspiration as well!

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

We'll answer that when we've settled on a genre to play, haha! Although we were hell bent on making pure doom, we soon found it to be far more entertaining to branch out and incorporate members' various influences. They say too many cooks spoil the broth, but ours is still delicious!

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

Four of us (Árni, Darri, Finnbogi & Oddur) went to the same high school and found mutual interest in heavy music and intense dislike of mid-2000s indie-rock, which was seemingly all around us. Guðmundur and Ási joined us later; we'd gotten to know them through mutual acquaintances in the very tightly knit and open Icelandic metal scene. We've not gone through too many lineup changes, although drummer Magnús (of Svartidauði and Misþyrming fame, among others, definitely one of Iceland's top extreme metal drummers) was with us for the first few years.

4. Each band member's favourite band?

Ási - Mezzoforte

Árni - Megadeth

Darri - HLH Flokkurinn, Primus & First Fragment

Finnbogi - Cardiacs

Guðmundur - Genesis

Oddur - Colter Wall

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Lyrically: Human misery, misanthropy, war, apocalypse

Musically: Anything that's heavy, riff-driven, and grooves

6. Where was your last gig?

Last May, we played the Icelandic edition of Wacken Metal Battle. While we didn't win over the judges, the audience was overwhelmingly positive, which was creme de la creme.

7. Where would you like to act?

Roadburn. Although we're usually very receptive to being asked to perform (hint, hint promoters)

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

YOB

9. Whom not?

Any band whose members are douchebags, as we don't have a lot of tolerance for douchebaggery, whichever form it takes.

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

First and foremost, practice makes perfect, and we've always been very tight in the rehearsal space and managed to (almost) perfect our craft there, which duly delivers on stage. Some nerves kick in, but they're usually gone by the first minute or so.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

As mentioned earlier, individually, we have very varied tastes in music. But collectively, YOB, Electric Wizard, Megadeth, and Mastodon.

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

Well, surely it's gotta be our fans, the organizers of Reykjadoom Festival, asking us to reunite to play their 2024 edition. Can't say we regret saying yes to that!

13. What do you think of your fans?

Goddamn legends, the lot of them!

14. What do you think of our site?

UI wise, it's neatly set up and easy to filter. Content-wise, we love that you guys pay great attention to underground metal on a global scale. In short, very grateful to be featured!

15. Something to add?

If you're a fan of heavy, riff-driven metal with slick drumming and guttural, powerful vocals, make sure to give our debut single "Conqueror" a listen and stay tuned for our EP coming out next year via Octopus Rising/Argonauta Records! If you happen to be visiting Iceland around the  14th-15th of November, make sure to see us and other heavy riff monsters featured at Fuzz Fezt!