www.Myspace.com/TesseracT
Q: The name 'TesseracT', many people don't know what an octachoron is. Can you please explain what it is, and how you came to chose this very particular and unique name for the band?
A: TesseracT is the name we use for our ideal. Creating music that is fluid and not reliant upon modern pop structure, much like a lot of tech metal but more like alt rock of such bands as Pink Floyd, where it just evolves and develops all of its own accord. Often it tells us where to go! There is no scientific connection, it just fits our vibe. Its different, but without a doubt us. Plus why not? Its better than new kids on the block and they didn't do half bad!
Q: While writing out music, do you take a notational approach? Or a mathematical one? Or is that something that just happens?
A: It definitely just happens, its all about the groove. A lot of bands sacrifice the groove of a section to fit it into a mathematical idea or structure where as we are not interested in that. No time signatures, harmonic structures, or math music approaches, just...music. As simple and as complex as it can be. It took a while for us to drop our musical habits and just play!
Q: Where do you draw your unique style from?
A: All and everything we've ever listened to. Some of it is quite clearly 'filmic' for lack of a better word, meaning it would work very well as a soundtrack - we're Moricone of the Rock world - haha. Sounds are just as important as structures and melodies to us, so maybe by having an ear for that side of things has helped us develop an edge?
Q: How do you guys deal with the attention you are receiving? Any crazy fan stories?
A: To be honest apart from the odd grab of your bits at a gig or an over enthusiastic fan after a show, we don't get that much. We ain't Backstreet Boys level yet, but there's still time to reach that goal. Some amazing dude in the U.S. made a tesseract out of ballons - that was fucking great. The amazing thing is that as we're only gigging in the U.K. at the moment, people are traveling to see us from other Countries. We've had people from Sweden, Italy, France and fucking Canada! I mean what the fuck! Ontario, Canada to London, England - wow! That’s amazing.
Q: Have you guys gone through any intense transformations in between the first song you wrote together until now? And if so, how, and what inspired it?
A: The older stuff was wrote without the idea of a vocalist, so it has a lot more going on, more layers and stuff that would get in the way of a vocal line. But now with Abi here, there’s more room in the tracks for him to do his thing. So really that’s the only change. Maybe arrangement-wise there’s more attention to sounds used, not just distortion and that’s it!
Q: You guys have a very large following , almost a legion of people, who think you kick ass and are spreading the word over the net etc. What do you have to say to your fans?
A: You guys are amazing. It’s so good to hear from you so keep getting in touch and letting us know where you're from. Its just so cool to hear from the farthest reaches of this massive yet somehow tiny planet we live on.
Q: When experienced metal heads hear you for the first time, they may think 'Meshuggah', how do you react to that?
A: We don't have a problem with it, its a compliment to be compared to them, I mean come on, if we toured with them they'd hand our asses to us every single night. They are amazing live. But bands always sound like Each other, take the new new new wave of heavy metal. Jeez those bands sound exactly the same as each other and no-one seems to go -“hey is that Lamb of God, or Slayer or Metallica.”. It’s almost like when people here rap music for the first time or rock and metal - they generalize. That’s cool. So the response to us is like the audio equivalent of a sheltered white guy who doesn't have any black friends and thinks all black guys look the same - haha - wicked! People always generalize. They start with the bigger picture and then gradually get the details as they discover more. One thing though, can't remember the last time Meshuggah had any singing in it?
Q: Do you guys feel like you are part of a new style/movement in metal music along with bands like Periphery, Sikth and Textures?
A: Well apart from Sikth being no more, there is a repeat of the prog days coming around again, which is cool. There is definitely a move towards less standard stuff. Again to be put in the same league as Textures, Periphery and Sikth is a surprise to us. We don't consider our stuff all that metal, and like Textures enjoy exploring other aspects of sound and genre. Lets just hope we can keep it real and not disappear up our own arseholes like many a good prog rock band has done!
Q: You used to do home recordings which sounded phenomenal, what made you want to go into the studio?
A: Firstly, it's what every home recording aficionado dreams of doing. When the chance arises you have to take it. Secondly its real hard recording a drummer in a tiny space, and the equipment in some of these big studios makes everything so much easier. Don't get me wrong it's possible to do anything anywhere these days, but a big massive desk and lush mics and preamps encourages great performances and makes getting great sounds easier.
Q: Acle, you used to be the sole member of this band right? How has adding members affected the music overall?
A: [Acle] I hate it - every night I cry, my baby, my baby....hahahaha
Q: What's going on with you guys getting signed? What would you look for in a contract?
A: Money money money...jokes. Vision, commitment and a proven track record. We realize we ain't gonna hit no.1 on the billboard charts, but give it a few years and who knows! TesseracT could be the next Tool, touring stadiums throughout the world. But money would be nice too.
Q: Acle, you are the guitarist for Fell Silent, do any of you other guys have other bands? How will TesseracT effect those?
A: [Acle] Yeah Jay is in a band called Heights, who are great, and Mos works as a session musician for a fairly well known band so there will come a point when the shit hits the fan and clashes occur, but we'll just have to wait and see. Although TesseracT is an obsession for all of us so we all know the answer to that question really.
Q: You guys have taken your time with releasing tunes and making moves. Do you guys have a 'slow and steady wins the race' attitude? When do you see TesseracT exploding?
A: It would be nice to say ‘now‘! But we do take our time, simply because its not easy to right this stuff. As there is no formula, its a case of inspiration hitting, and following the story as far as the song will take us. We are finishing of our first mini album - called Concealing Fate. Finally we can put a nail in that one and move on! And then there is the demos for the album which we have just started too. It'll take a few more months yet but we'll get there and it'll be worth it too!
Q: TesseracT uses many musical layers. Some of the sounds that you guys get are very esoteric. What is the approach to writing with layers, and where do you find the sounds?
A: [Mos] The sounds come from experimentation, and to be honest so do the ideas. I always come up with loads of sound ideas, but they'll be sparked from the original ideas that Acle puts down. He'll be the first to admit - he just jams along to what he's put down on tape and experiments that way, just letting himself get immersed in the tone and groove.
Q: On the layers topic, are any of your songs have difficulty translating into a live setting? A: Its very simple to take it live as we use a sequencer in addition to us playing. So at times it'll sound like a wall of guitars and synths, with just the 5 of us on stage! We're working on a Milli Vanilli thing so Abi doesn't have to sing anymore ;)
Q: Your music has a lot of emotional 'color' to it, what kind of mindset do you get in when you write?
A: Again just get immersed until the right vibe is hit. Often until the vocals are added its very hard to predict he nature of the final emotion though, so we're always accepting that it might change. When people hear your songs, they immediately know that it's TesseracT. Q: What do you think creates this signature sound, and how would you describe it?
A: Thats like asking the cornel for his secret recipe! We're hoping now that the vocal demos are getting out there too that Abi's unique character and timbre will add to that TesseracT 'sound', but I'm guessing its the groove, vibe, and production, all of which we strive to make as good as we can, yet keep human.
Q: A lot of people have partially accredited it to the gear that you use with your signature sound. Have you changed your gear up at all over time? Why?
A: Yeah it can't be just our gear as we change it all the time - upgrade it. Acle has just gone from Pod's to Axe FX Ultra's. The gear is inspiration for the tunes basically, we get a new toy then a new track comes along - haha. Basically, and this may seem like a contradiction to an earlier answer, but I suppose we do have an idea of what we want and how to use certain tools to get these.
Q: What advice would you have for young bands that look up to you guys?
A: Don't try and copy anyone. What will make you unique is creating your own sound. Now you'll discover that many many others have done what you've done before but don't let it dishearten you. Most importantly though - surround yourself with musicians that inspire you. If you are the guitarist in a band and you're a better drummer than the one you have - get a better one! Never ever give up, do it for the love and the money will come soon enough, well that’s what we hope anyway! :D
Don’t miss the opportunity to see TesseracT headlining the unsigned stage at Bloodstock Sunday, August 17th.
Bloodstock: Nightwish, Soilwork, Dimmu Borgir, Kataklysm, Soulfly, As I Lay Dying, Opeth, Helloween, Iced Earth, Overkill, At The Gates, Primal Fear, Communic, Mob Rules, Moonsorow, Kataklysm, Soulfly, Swallow The Sun, Eluveitie, Napalm Death, Destruction, Evile, Hospital Of Death, Akercocke, Praying Mantis, Cloudscape, Alestorm, Heaven’s Basement, Ravens Creed.
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