DEVIL'S ISLAND featuring Viserion
Welcome to this weeks edition of Devil's Island! Every week we maroon a band or artist on the island and see what they get up to, how they cope with being all alone on a small island in the middle of the ocean. It's not your average desert island and we'll see just how each person copes with the extreme conditions.
This week when we arrived at Devil's Island we find Viserion sat on the beach. The island is far from their home, so how did they end up here and how did they cope with life on Devil's Island?
Find out now...
Welcome to The Razors'e Edge and our somewhat lovely, warm desert island. Don't worry about it's name I'm sure it's not as bad as that would suggest.
So you're marooned here on this island, but before you ended up shipwrecked you chose one album that you couldn't live without. Which album did you each chose and why?
Ben: I would have to pick 'Still Life' by Opeth. Theres just something about that release that makes it perfect to me. The transitions between songs and the melodies and lyrics all come together to create a masterpiece. Especially Face of Melinda into Serenity Painted Death and then ending with White Cluster. It’s killer.
Matt: I would go with 'The Downward Spiral' by Nine Inch Nails. The way the album musically portrays the degradation and destruction of someone is masterful. The mechanical, industrial heaviness is perfectly juxtaposed with the quieter, softer parts. “Mr. Self Destruct” and “The Becoming” are my favourite tracks, but the entire album is phenomenal.
John: Mayhem – 'De Mysterious Sathanas'
Just behind that palm tree is a shack for each of you to stay in, with enough space for you to put up a poster on the wall of one album cover. What album cover do you each chose?
Ben: I would pick 'Around the Fur' by Deftones or anything similar to that. It’ll get lonely on that island.
Matt: For me, I had to pick 'Planetary Duality' by The Faceless because the album artwork is awesome.
John: 'Tomb Of The Mutilated' by Cannibal Corpse because it’s brutal
There's also a bar on this here island. But alas each of you only get to choose one drink for the entirety of your stay. What's your tipple of choice?
Ben: Cragganmore 12 year old Scotch. It’s a super smooth great tasting scotch with a little bit of smoke to it. And It doesn’t give me a bad hangover
Matt: Blanton’s bourbon for me. It’s incredibly smooth and is probably my favourite bourbon. If I was rich, I’d drink it all the time.
John: Gin and Tonic.
Your suitcases were lost when your ship sank, but you each managed to salvage one item of band merch. What’s the merch and for what band?
Ben: My Devourment “Legalize Homicide” Hoodie is by far my favorite piece of merch I own. Its not only comfortable but the reactions you get are also great
Matt: My Rings Of Saturn “Legendary Warriors” shirt. It has artwork of Mewtwo fighting Beerus the Destroyer on it and it looks badass.
John: Burzum
You’re sat on the island thinking “I’m stuck here on this island with my bandmates for eternity”… who would you rather have been shipwrecked with?
Ben: Scarlett Johanson cause she seems cool and well I mean it’s Scarlett Johanson!
Matt: Shaq because he’s hilarious and if any villagers try to attack us, he’d kick their asses.
John: I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather be shipwrecked with...
There's a walkman in your pocket, on the tape inside is the recording of the one live show that stands out for you. It could be any show, from any band, anywhere in the world. What show is on that walkman?
Ben: Gorgoroth’s Black Mass Krakow 2004. This show is infamous for its visuals but its also musically great with an amazing setlist.
Matt: Rush’s R30 tour. I unfortunately never saw Neil Peart live and his solo “Der Trommler” on that tour is one of my favorite drum solos ever.
John: Watain when the were in NYC at Brooklyn Bazaar
You're getting desperate, you decide the only course of action is to put a message in a bottle and hope someone finds it. Your message could be to any member of any band, but should be the most suitable for a rescue attempt. Who is it?
Ben: It would be the guitarist of my other band Moniasin, Oli Sucio, I know for sure he would come save our asses.
Matt: Grimes. She can tell Elon Musk and he’ll send over his spaceship or satellite or transformer to come pick us up.
John: I would send it to my bandmates. I’m definitely dead.
You've been stuck here for a while and food supplies are running low. There's only one thing for it... which fellow band member gets sacrificed to help the others survive?
Ben: I'd probably just starve to death.
Matt: We’d draw straws but I would cheat so I don’t die. That sounds mean but it’s survival of the fittest. “Natural Selection” out August 13th.
John: I wouldn’t be able to sacrifice either. We’d all go out together.
Finally, when the ship sank you each managed to save one person from the wreckage. That person is the one musician that has influenced your career the most, shaped your way of thinking and your outlook on life. Who did you save?
Ben: I saved Mikael Akerfeldt. His approach to extreme music changed my whole way of looking at it.
Matt: Trent Reznor. His songwriting ability is so versatile, unique, creative and cathartic. And it inspires me to try and do the same.
John: Nergal from Behemoth
