Exclusive Interview with DEMONWARP

In this in-depth interview by INFRARED MAGAZINE, we explore DEMONWARP‘s artistic saga, where confronting evil often means transforming into a greater demon. Their music, a rich narrative influenced by black metal, industrial, cyberpunk, darksynth, and horror, embodies this theme. The band, evolving from house to metal, discusses their latest single “Possess Me,” their innovative sound, and future endeavors. This dialogue provides a window into DEMONWARP‘s creative journey and their philosophy of facing darkness with a mightier force.

INFRARED MAG: Hello and thank you for taking the time to speak with us. To begin, could you introduce DEMONWARP and share a bit about the band’s history and background?

DEMONWARP: Appreciate the opportunity. DEMONWARP is a passion project built on a future where demons and hellish hordes are merging with AI. In 2666 the only option is to succumb or become the greater demon. The music represents the time before, during, or after the merge.

I was originally a house music producer, and that scene has just changed so much I went back to the metal scene I grew up in for inspiration. From seeing bands like DEATH before Chuck passed, MORBID ANGEL, FEAR FACTORY, and listening to SATYRICON, CHEMLAB, and KMFDM, I decided to experiment and see what I could conjure. I am a one-man operation and reach out to others for instrumentation and sometimes my own brother for vocals. His band, THE BLACK MORIAH, just got done touring with POSSESSED.

INFRARED MAG: What was the inspiration behind the latest single?

DEMONWARP: I got the idea for “Possess Me” after seeing A DARK SONG. Great imagery and rituals in the film. I thought women are so powerful, so what if they conjured a demon and a powerful witch took control of the demon’s powers for this torn world. Jenna’s voice captured the feminine beauty and power I needed for the song. Whether its anger, frustration, or turmoil I want the listener to feel the journey through the emotional state, never stuck always acknowledging and moving forward.

INFRARED MAG: Are your songs created mostly the same way or does the process differ for different tracks?

DEMONWARP: I always start with an emotion maybe a single lyric line or feel I want to capture. This really helps me decide how hard or in your face the song will be, tempo, and beat structure. Warlock from my first album came about after watching the movie Warlock and I paused and replayed this one line where he is talking to a Witch about power and being rewarded and she states, “service is the reward.” Then I wanted to capture this dystopian Warlock that still did it for service as the only reward.

INFRARED MAG: These days short-form videos and consistent content in variety are two of the biggest trends in music promotion. What do you see in the future of promotion?

DEMONWARP: I am not a big fan of social media and its distortion of reality. We keep going further and further away from the artist’s intent. Physical to digital, to single songs to now snippets. Hopefully, that leads to discovery and sometimes it does but otherwise we are left with fractions of cents for someone to experience 20 seconds of our work. I do like algorithms where music discovery or video discovery could lead you to new music and similar interests. If I could collaborate with someone to do some short pieces of art and music, now that would be worth it. I do like Patreon and think the subscription service for fans to support and get content is great platform moving forward.

INFRARED MAG: What sets the latest single apart from previous work? Would you go back and do things differently on a previous release if you had the opportunity?

DEMONWARP: I would be a liar if I said I was 100 percent happy with every single production thus far. But it has its place and as long as people enjoy it and get something out of it, I’m good. This latest single was an experiment to really find a hybrid between the atmosphere, ambience, and raw sounds. I really wanted that journey and story to flow.

INFRARED MAG: How important is storytelling in songs and videos to you?

Probably the biggest component. I enjoy the harsher vocals with bass music. And there is something about working with Jenna where she pulls my lyrics and ideas together so well. Her voice is truly its own instrument and pulls you in. I want my music to last, and it won’t last without a story and emotion.

INFRARED MAG: Touring these days, it has been said is especially challenging for artists at least in terms of making a profit. What do you think it will take to turn that around and make it easier?

DEMONWARP: That is my goal for 2024. I am preparing my live set now and getting a custom mask built. It is challenging and the audience has to be present or the venue willing to take a risk. I think collaborating more with larger acts or coming together with similar artists will drive that forward. That will always drive up the audience and pull away from all the festivals being pushed. I like the festival, but it is just not intimate for that true connection with the audience.

INFRARED MAG: Do you have a vision for how the new material will be represented in a live show? Are the tracks selected for live shows picked for any particular reason? (theme/length/fan favorite)

DEMONWARP: Yes, cyber meets horror, Event Horizon and cyberpunk merging on stage. That is my goal. I want a live guitarist in addition to live vocals and music. So, it may start as half live, half hybrid to get it done faster than evolving to the full set.

INFRARED MAG: What have you planned for the forthcoming months?

DEMONWARP: I’m about 5 songs into my live set and looking for the right collaborators to start rehearsal to launch it in 2024. I also did some vocals for REVIZIA for a new take of “Lawless” off his stellar album ‘Chronicles’ that will be coming soon. Since I usually release singles, I’m looking to combine my new material, live developments and a few past tracks into an album for digital and physical release.

Appreciate your interests and look forward to seeing all the Demons in 2024.