Interviews: LOKUST

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Groove Metal band LOKUST from the USA. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did the name LOKUST come from, and what inspired the concept behind the project?

I (Matt Bidart) grew up on a street named Locust St. in Southern California. My parents have a garage in the back of their property that my brother and I converted into a rehearsal space. My brother is a few years younger than me and is a metal drummer. We used to jam with a lot of other local metal musicians and friends while growing up. I named this project LOKUST in honor of the spirit of growing up, playing in different metal bands, and collaborating with other local metal musicians. Plus... doesn't Lokust with a "K" sound more metal? Right? Haha.

2. What originally motivated you to build LOKUST as an international collaborative metal project rather than a traditional band?

Most traditional bands, in general, are short-lived. There are a lot of variables that make it difficult for a traditional band to stay together and continue making music in a fun and creative way.

I enjoy the dynamics of working with multiple musicians from all over the world and having LOKUST exist as an ever-evolving project. I love playing off other musicians' ideas. It challenges me and keeps the music moving forward.

Nowadays, it is so easy to share files and exchange ideas back and forth. It is also a great way to consistently release new music. There are so many incredible musicians around the world—why limit yourself to only working with people in your immediate area?

3. How has the vision for LOKUST evolved since the project's earliest releases?

This project is constantly evolving. I have had the opportunity to work with so many great metal musicians throughout the past 10 years of LOKUST's existence.

I think the international aspect is the biggest change for LOKUST. I met a Sardinian alt-metal band (Awake for Days) a few years ago while they were on tour with the band Cold. I instantly hit it off with those guys and ended up recording a single with their singer, Lukas Moore, called "False Hope."

In working with Lukas, I connected with Alby Bandino, a producer friend of theirs who runs Cut Fire Studio. He and I worked together to produce this latest EP.

Both vocalists on this EP, Matt Montis (Abysso) and Sime (Sevensent), are also Italian. When we were exchanging files back and forth, I was so excited when these songs started taking shape. I feel like this EP really pushed the songwriting to another level.

4. What does Pair of Lies represent creatively compared to previous LOKUST material?

I feel like this record is darker musically. Lots of angry riffs on this EP. I think "Deadweight" may be the heaviest song we have written so far. Much of the lyrics on this EP are darker as well. Much of the lyrics center around topics of betrayal and learning the hard way.

5. You described this EP as darker and more melodic. What inspired that shift in direction?

I have always been very groove-oriented with my songwriting. A lot of that comes from simply growing up with a brother who is a drummer. Rhythm and groove have always been a huge part of how I approach writing music. I felt like Sime and Matt were the main key in this record, sounding darker and more melodic. Matt is so good at nailing the more hardcore side and aggressive vocals, while Sime brought big hooks/choruses to the table. Sime has such a knack for nailing big hooks.

6. What is the meaning behind the title Pair of Lies?

It is a play on the term "paralyze." The lyrical focus of the title track is about overcoming deception and dealing with the people who try to hold you back.

I love what Sime did with the chorus on that song. That track and "Hindsight" are probably my favorite choruses on the EP.

7. Are the songs connected by a common theme or narrative?

Typically, when I write songs, I focus on the music and composition first and give the song a temporary name based on a word or phrase that pops into my head. That way, I don't end up with a bunch of songs simply called "Song 1," "Song 2," etc. Most of these songs were started last year. This time around, the temporary song titles actually stuck, and Sime and Matt Montis built the lyrics around those concepts.

Playing metal for my entire adult life, I have always disliked the stereotypes that metal is just obnoxious and loud. There are so many stigmas in this genre of music. I feel like songs such as "Hindsight" and "Failsafe" touch on some deeper themes involving reflection, overcoming obstacles, and dealing with the challenges life throws at you.

8. How did the collaborations with Sime and Matt Montis come together? What unique qualities did each vocalist bring to the EP?

Sime brings the big choruses. I really loved the dynamic between him and Matt. Matt comes from a hardcore background with Abysso, and his aggressive vocal style paired extremely well with Sime's more melodic approach.

It was almost a yin-and-yang situation. Their voices complemented each other and brought a great balance to the EP.

9. How does the songwriting process work when collaborating with musicians from different countries and backgrounds?

I don't speak Italian... yet. Haha. Luckily, everyone involved speaks fluent English, so there was never a language barrier. The process was very natural. We would exchange ideas, send files back and forth, and build the songs together from different parts of the world.

10. What were some of the biggest challenges involved in coordinating an international project like this?

The biggest challenge is probably just managing everyone's schedules. Everyone involved has their own projects, careers, and responsibilities, so finding time to coordinate everything can be difficult.

That being said, modern technology has made this process much easier. Being able to send files instantly and collaborate from different parts of the world has opened up so many possibilities.

11. Which track on Pair of Lies was the most difficult to complete, and why?

I think "Failsafe" was the most challenging. Alby had the idea of adding a guitar solo to the bridge. Initially, the song was a bit shorter, but I feel like his guitar solo really elevated the track and took it to another level.

Not only is Alby a killer producer, but the dude can also shred a solo. Check out his band Dexal—they are a killer groove metal band from Sardinia in the vein of Pantera and Lamb of God.

12. Were there any moments during the recording process that surprised you creatively?

It is always hard to critique my own music, but I am really proud of this EP. I initially thought "Failsafe" was going to be my favorite track, but once I heard the final hook for "Hindsight," I felt really happy and proud of where that song went.

I am always trying to maintain the identity of this project by keeping it riff-heavy while also creating memorable hooks. I am constantly trying to challenge myself and top our previous releases.

13. How involved are collaborators in shaping the final songs versus interpreting your original vision?

I have always given all of my vocal collaborators full creative control over the lyrics. Lyrics are not my strongest area—I focus more on guitar riffs, melodies, and arrangements.

I have been lucky enough to work with some incredible vocalists like Cristian Machado, Carlos Zema, Lukas Moore, and others. All of the ideas they have brought to the table have been finalized. I have rarely had to make adjustments to their contributions because they understand how to bring their own creativity into the songs.

I did make a small vocal appearance at the end of "Deadweight," but I am definitely more confident behind a guitar than behind a microphone. Matt and Sime absolutely knocked it out of the park on this EP.

14. What role do melody and hooks play in balancing the heaviness of LOKUST's sound?

Riffs and melody are everything. There are a lot of bands that can play fast and technical, but I am trying to write riffs that listeners can bang their heads to and melodies that stick in their heads.

I try to blend the heaviness of melodic death metal and groove metal with the kind of catchy hooks you hear from bands like Sevendust.

15. You've previously worked with musicians such as Cristian Machado, Carlos Zema, and Roy-Z. How have those experiences influenced your approach as a songwriter and producer?

I was honestly very humbled by the experience of working with them. I have so much respect for their body of work, and I definitely deal with a bit of imposter syndrome when collaborating with musicians of that caliber.

I am honored to have worked with all of them. If anything, those experiences showed me that they are just as amazing as human beings as they are as musicians.

Spending time with them during recording sessions and getting to know them helped me relax, enjoy the process, and have fun with the songs.

16. How did working with Alby Bandino at Cut Fire Studio help shape the final sound of the EP?

Alby was a huge part of shaping the final sound of this EP. He brought a producer's perspective that helped push the songs further while still maintaining the core identity of LOKUST.

His ideas, attention to detail, and ability to bring out the best performances from everyone involved really elevated the final product. He understood the balance I was looking for between heavy riffs, melody, and atmosphere.

17. Which bands or albums had the greatest influence on Pair of Lies?

I never aim to copy any particular band. The bands that have had the biggest impact on me as a songwriter include Metallica's ...And Justice for All, Carcass, Malevolent Creation, Deicide, as well as more commercial metal bands such as Sevendust, Saosin, and D.R.U.G.S.

I think all of those influences come together in my writing, but I always try to put my own spin on them.

18. If someone has never heard LOKUST before, which track from the EP would you recommend as their introduction and why?

Like I mentioned earlier, I am always trying to top my last release. At the moment, this EP is my favorite LOKUST release so far.

All four of these tracks make me proud, but if I had to choose one, I would recommend "Hindsight." I love how big that song sounds, and I think it represents a lot of what LOKUST is about.

19. What do you hope listeners take away after hearing Pair of Lies from beginning to end?

I am just happy to share these songs with other metal fans. I had such a great time creating this EP, and I hope listeners can feel the passion and energy that went into making it.

20. Do you see LOKUST eventually evolving into a live-performing project, or will it remain primarily studio-focused?

I would love to do some live shows at some point soon. Joseph Estrada (drums) is a close friend of mine and lives in the same city. He comes over regularly, and we go over ideas together. We are basically the Hetfield and Ulrich of LOKUST.

Joseph recently introduced me to his friend Javier Cuba, who lives in the Corona area and works for Fender. He is also local to Joseph and me, and it would be great to do some live shows with him. He killed it with his bass lines on this EP. Listen to his lines on this EP. Javier is a genius. He can shred on guitar as well. I am grateful I was able to add him to the fold on this EP.

We will see where things go from here. The new EP has been receiving a lot of positive attention lately, and it has definitely inspired me to keep writing more music.

21.What excites you most about the future of LOKUST?

More networking and expanding the LOKUST music catalog. I feel like every release LOKUST has put out so far has been incredibly fun to work on. There have been different lineups involved with almost every release, and I have met so many amazing people along the way. It has been really cool to chronicle these collaborations and see how each release has its own identity.

22. LOKUST has become known for bringing together musicians from around the world. If you could assemble your dream lineup from any metal musicians, past or present, who would be involved and what kind of record would you create?

Oh damn! Super fun question. This one is tough. Of course, it would be heavy and riff-driven, just like the rest of the LOKUST catalog. My dream team would include LJ from Sevendust on vocals alongside Cristian Machado. That vocal combination would be absolutely killer.

I have also always been amazed by Jeff Loomis' guitar playing. He is a metal god among men. The dude can write crushing riffs just as easily as he can shred an incredible solo. I would love to have him contribute a guest solo on a track.

Dimebag Darrell would be another dream collaborator. He is one of the true godfathers of groove metal. If I could bring him back, I would love to see his creative process and watch how he approached writing those legendary riffs.

Lastly, I would love the opportunity to collaborate with the Swedish band VOLA. Every one of their records is straight fire. I love the atmosphere and mood they create in their songs. They are such a heavy band while also incorporating really cool synth elements and textures.

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