interview: Beyond Our Awfulness

Beyond Our Awful is an instrumental young band from Madagascar. In 2019 have a five-song EP called Awful. Their sound focuses on thrashing riffs within a metalcore framework. They also like to shred and doing a bunch of other little details, like blasting in some parts, they also add bits of melody, some proggy parts. Mostly, it’s very friendly for the mosh pit. The EP features the following compositions:

1.Glass Shattered 03:52

2.Anna's Song 05:14

3.Ashes Rise 06:27

4.Get to the Bus 04:18

5.お前はもう死んでいる (OWMS) 02:53

total time 22:44

What can you tell us about your band, the members and the history of the band?

BOA or Beyond Our Awfulness is a trio composed of guitarist Jason Malala, bassist Nampoina Ratsimiseta and drummer Setra. The band formed in 2010 where Jason and Nampoina where were still in middle school. Setra the drummer was in another local thrash metal band Sharks with Jason as well on rhythm guitar. Setra has already finished university, both Jason and Nampoina are still studying at the university. For the majority of time we are listening to the same bands like Killswitch Engage and Veil of Maya but also some death metal bands like Nile and Necrophagist. The first line-up which is only composed of Jason and Nampoina had being around 9 years now and the actual line up for 1 year and half.

How is the metal scene in your country: shows, fans, recording and things like that?

Metal scene is diverse with numerous band representing most of metal subgenre. However, the scene is very small, with 25 million of population the island as around 10 000 metal or rock fans spread all across. The metal scene is still very underground yet some bands start to have label support rising them out of the underground. We don’t play frequently because it’s very hard for band like us, we need to do everything on our own organize a gig, search for venue or rent it look for the PA to rent pay some tax to the town hall in order to have permission for doing a show. Per show an autoproduced band like us spend around 300$. The main issue for us doing live shows is organise it, it consumes a lot of time and preparing it without a staff and a manager is hell. There are very few places where metal band plays restaurant cultural venue and clubs. Only big named band can manage to have nicer spots

What bands inspired you? What are some bands in Madagascar that you like?

For me (Jason) I started to play bass at 13 years old. For the other guys maybe earlier such as Nampoina our bassist as theory knowledge. Personally, Cliff burton of Metallica inspired me to pick up an instrument further more Killswitch engage and a lot different bands. There many band that I recommend Behind the Mask from the east coast KR78, Jonjorombona, Sharks, Sasamaso, El Dino, Beyond Your Ritual (Setra our drummer also play in this band), Egraygore, Step To Heaven, Black Wizard Cult to name a few the list goes on go on YouTube and type Malagasy metal. I was introduced to metal by my cousins but before them videogames and wresting I would say.

What do you think about popular or traditional music in your country? Are there metal bands in your country that incorporate traditional music from Madagascar?

Popular music in Madagascar is mainly tropical music mixed with sampled electro synth or just song like “Gangnam Style” where you don’t find any sense within it. Yeah, there are 3 bands if I’m not mistaken Alina, Loharano, Jonjorombona. They blend the traditional sounds in Malagasy music into metal which is for an uncharted territory. But there also my thrash metal bands Sharks and heavy metal band Blackwizard Cult also have song that as the traditional Malagasy vibe into some songs but we have taken more a metal direction where the others bands that previously named balanced it.

Tell us about the recording of the EP and that whole process.

I recorded the EP at my house on my own. For the sound engineering I (still Jason) did my best to not s# on the mixes of the songs, for the next record I will search someone else to do the sound engineering. So actually did everything on the EP programmed the drums, played the guitar and bass because the schedule prog for the EP was so tight and I can’t bother my bandmates with it.

How have metal fans in your city reacted to BOA? What do your families think?

Very good question, we don’t have much of reaction since the EP is only available in cd and on Bandcamp we are invisible actually. My family they are not in to it. As far as I’m concerned Nampoina’s mother still angry at me because of the artwork of EP because its evil. I don’t know if they like it you never get honest opinion with family anyway.

Why is your band instrumental? Will future music be that way, too?

Very good question. We are an instrumental band, the main reason is we are tighter when is only the three us, but I think in the future if we found another guitar player we will two guitars, most BOA songs resulted of the others bands I was in so I had enough vocals to be honest. I don’t mind having vocals if it fits with the vibe.

Do you have any other news?

We are still struggling to resolve our financial crisis and we will record a full-length album, maybe a video and a remix of the EP with the long length version of some songs.

beyondourawfulness.bandcamp.com/releases

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