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BACK
PROPHECY
- Foretelling Brutality
By Adrian 'The Energizer' Bromley
Most
bands will tell you that it takes a lot of hard work to get established
as a band, to get signed to a label and/or to just make it all work
in the end. It has been a long grueling road for Dallas, Texas-based
act Prophecy the last couple of years (tack onto that about 17 drummers
since their existence according to guitarist James Parks II), but
things seem to be on the up and up with their recent signing to
Forever Underground Records and the release of their brutally intense
album Our Domain.
"I
think one of the great things about being in this band is that we
are always working hard to be original. Not to say anyone else out
there is not original, but we just put our heart and soul into what
we do and hope people notice that," says James Parks II down
the line from Texas. "We put a lot of blood, sweat and tears
into this. This album is definitely the hardest thing we have done."
So
over the years has being in the band become somewhat of a burden?
"No.
Actually, to us it has become a burden to do everything else,"
quips Parks II. "Our passion is definitely music. Death metal
is what we are all about. We (the band is rounded out by vocalist
Phil Holland, guitarist Jeff Hernandez, bassist Burt Buchanan and
drummer Billy Bonsal) are all definitely on the same page when it
comes to making music and I think it comes through on Our Domain.
I think when people hear the album they can sense that we are really
into this and want to be a part of this. We want the fans out there
to feel what we felt when we wrote this album.
"This
album is definitely a step up from what he had done in the past,"
acknowledges Parks II. "We felt like we have evolved as musicians
as well as a band. It has been four years since our last album so
a lot has changed for us. We have seen lots of lineup changes, record
labels, etc. Anything you can imagine that has happened to us has
happened to us. I think we have progressed enormously as a band.
"We
are very excited about this release and think that this is the best
release that we could have put out at this point in time. I'm sure
down the road when the next one comes out it will come out a certain
way because of certain situations, etc, but right now we couldn't
be happier with Our Domain."
It
is good to see a band with so much confidence, and that even through
thick and thin, they've kept their heads up and strived to make
the best of a given situation. The music industry is a tough business
to get noticed and Prophecy is determined to make a mark with their
brutal death metal assault. Does it bother the guitarist and his
band that other bands are more successful than them?
"Not
at all," he replies. "We enjoy everything that we get
and we appreciate anything we can get. We are happy with any kind
of response we get, good or bad. Any form of constructive criticism
is fine with us. From that we can see how people are reacting to
what we do."
The
topic turns to the album title and what it means to the band. Singer
Phil Holland steps in to answer; "Basically it kind of pays
tribute to all of the people out there who has supported [us]. I
have been involved in the death metal scene here in Dallas for ten
years now and I have seen a lot happen, with this band and many
others. The title Our Domain is basically saying thanks to those
out there who listen to death metal or come out to the shows. I
mean people work and it is hard to get out to shows. There are lots
of clubs and hundreds of bands and those fans come and see you play
and it feels good. It is our way of giving back to them."
Holland
adds, "I am so happy to be a part of the death metal scene.
It is the most energetic form of music around. It is kind of like
the best sex you'll have. It is a feeling you never forget. I got
into death metal back in 1992 when I saw Napalm Death on tour here
and up to that point I thought Slayer was the heaviest thing going.
Then I saw Barney (Greenway; singer for Napalm Death) singing and
I was blown away. From there I got into Grave, Cannibal Corpse and
so on. I mean the music and bands have changed a lot over the years
but the energy level has always been there."
This
being the first album for the band in four years, is this just a
start for the band's creativity to begin pouring out?
Responds
the singer, "I really do think here is a lot more for us to
do as a band. In the last four years since the last release, we
have become a lot more popular. People have always been interested
in what we have done in the last little while, either at home or
out of state. That support from all of those who have been into
us has just made this much more special.
"There
is a lot more left. I can tell you without a doubt, Prophecy will
never die," ends off Parks II. "As long as I am alive,
this will be going. I have always had this dream of being in a band
and I very lucky to have found four other guys who feel the same
way. We'll be around for a long time brother, so don't you worry."
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