Mind Equals Blown

Interview: Alex Hofmann of Fallujah

I recently was able to chat with vocalist Alex Hofmann of one of my favorite unsigned metal bands, Fallujah. Alex gave us a bit on insight on the upcoming release, what makes them tick and what we can expect from them in the future.

Mind Equals Blown: Are you guys working on any new music?

Alex Hoffman: Yes we are currently writing our full length, were taking this opportunity (now that were not touring) to finish this album up and hopefully have it out by winter.

MEB: Would you care to give some insight on the writing for the new album?

AH: Basically were writing the album with new resources such as home recording and pre-production equipment that make the process much more efficient. We are now able to write music and have it come to life and truly get a feel and develop a sound with these tools. Prior albums were written more in band practice sessions in which we had to choose specific times of day in which we could all get together, which wasn’t always convenient, this album has been much more economic and is showing in the music.

MEB: Being in an unsigned death metal band yields endless challenges. What is one of the toughest challenges you as a band have had to overcome?

AH:Our toughest challenge has been handling tour booking ourselves (mainly me) without a booking agent. Most agencies these days do not work with unsigned bands but we have had a blast on all the tours we have done ourselves and it has gotten me in touch with some great places and promoters for the future. Aside from touring money (as it is for all bands) is always hard. Funding records, printing, pressing, and everything else ourselves is always a difficult process but its all part of paying your dues.

MEB: When not playing in Fallujah you are…

AH: Sitting at my computer working all day and night. I am a graphic designer so I work from home. And during those shreds of time that I am not working I go to school, working towards my college degree. All the members of this band are in school and have jobs so that also poses problems sometimes as well.

MEB: What are you guys going to school for?

AH: We are a pretty young band so were all in our general education phases. I believe Scott and I are the two with decided majors (me being advertising and Scott being environmental engineering). An education is something very important to us but I think we have done a pretty good job of balancing the two.

MEB: As a graphic designer, do you plan on designing the album art for your upcoming release?

AH: At this point I’m not too sure, I think we will be getting someone else to do the artwork and I will handle the album layout as far as text and placements and stuff of that sort, the image of this band has been very dominated by my artwork and we are truly trying to bring something fresh to the table with this new album so artwork by someone else will add another dynamic to that goal.

MEB: What bands would you attribute to having the biggest influence on your music?

AH: We take a lot of influences from various music forms other than death metal. We listen to Necrophagist, Psycroptic, A Loathing Requiem, as well as fusion guitarists such as Alan Holdsworth, Guthrie Govan, and Steve Vai. The new album is going to have a lot of ambient/depressive black metal influences such as Wolves in the Throne Room, Altar of Plagues, Alcest, and Xasthur. These combinations are really coming together nicely.

MEB: The last bands you mentioned are very different from the style of music on your EP… Are you integrating the old and new sounds together on your new album?

AH: No we are not blending the two, we’re a band that constantly is trying to forget about the old music we write, once we write songs that we feel are better. Those songs had their significance to us in their time, but I feel we’ve all grown as musicians greatly since then. There are a select number of aspects that will sound familiar, more-so the melodic aspects, but the breakdowns and hardcore elements have been eliminated.

MEB: What would be your biggest guilty band?

AH: We all have our own guilty pleasures. I love Paramore to death and i don’t give a fuck what anyone says about it. Our guitarist Rob Maramonte likes Lady Gaga as well as all kinds of cheesy power metal. We listened to Journey the other day on the road, we love 80′s stuff.

MEB: If you had the chance to pick three bands to tour with, to form the ultimate show, who would they be?

AH: Probably Necrophagist, Burzum, and Andy Mckee. Those bands are totally not tour compatible but it would be the most epic show ever.

MEB: If you could suggest one band for our readers to check out, Who would it be?

AH: I will not suggest only one, but Diskreet has a new album coming out those guys are some of the hardest working musicians i’ve ever met and their new album is crushing. A Loathing Requiem is the new side project of Malcolm Pugh who is the former guitar player of Diskreet and now plays in Enfold Darkness, he just put out a new album that is amazing as well definitely check those guys out.

MEB: As a fan of your band I have to say I’m very excited for this new release. Have any words to leave our readers with?

AH: Stay tuned for this album, it should be out by winter and it will be something fresh to your ears. Turn off your TV, read a book, think for yourself. That is all.