Interview with Faithxtractor done by Patrick
1.Hello how are things going in Ohio these days? Please introduce yourself to the readers?
Hello, my name is Ash Thomas. I handle drums & lead vocals for Faithxtractor. Things in Ohio are fine these day
2.Faithxtractor was formed in 2005 when did you first get the idea to start this band?
Faithxtractor originally started as side project with my brother Marquis. Estuary was my main & most active band at the time, & the music for Estuary is much more technical & involved. The original concept for Faithxtractor was to play stripped down Death Metal twisted with conspiracy theory & misanthropy. It was an enjoyable project to be involved with while Estuary was in between albums & live gigs. Later, when Estuary became sidelined by the loss of our drummer, Faithxtractor became a live performing band & a main focus.
3.Who would you say are Faithxtractor's biggest influences?
The old DM greats like Death, Autopsy, & Grave mixed with early Kreator, Sodom & Possessed.
4.Proverbial Lambs To The Ultimate Slaughter is the bands third full-length release. Does the whole band take part in the writing process or does one member write everything? How long does it take the band to usually finish one song?
Up to this point I’ve written 90-95% of the material. The plan for the next release, however, is to have guitarist Cody Knarr contribute much more. He came into the fold after the majority of songs were written for “Proverbial…”, but now we have an empty song slate. He & I will be collaborating much more in the future.
5.Besides the upcoming release are the bands previous two releases still available for the readers to buy? Besides physical releases does the band have any other merchandise available if yes what is available and where can the readers find it?
Yes, all the previous releases are available at least on some kind of format. Be it cassette, CD or vinyl. Those interested can visit faithxtractor.bigcartel.com to order items directly through us. We update it periodically, & it includes patches & t-shirts when we have them in stock. Our label, Hells Headbangers, also carries a lot of our items, so you can visit their site as well. They have better shipping rates for international orders, so if anyone is ordering outside the US that is the route to go. It costs me more to ship a cassette out of the US, than what we charge for the item itself.
6.Does Faithxtractor play live very often or do you prefer to work in the studio? What have been some of Faithxtractor's most memorable shows over the years? And who are some bands you have had the pleasure to share the stage with?
We play live on a fairly regular basis these days. Usually long weekend runs, etc. We’ve had a lot of stand out shows. For me personally, the 1st gig ever was very important. It was great to play some of the old tunes live for the first time. There have been other very DIY shows that proved to be great because of atmosphere, etc. Some bands we’ve played with include Razor, Undergang, Deicide, Incantation, Necrot, Tombstalker, Valdrin, Sewage Grinder, & Morta Skuld.
7.Are their any shows or tours planned this summer or fall in support of Proverbial Lambs To The Ultimate Slaughter? If yes where will the band be playing?
Yeah, we’ll be venturing out more this coming fall to support the new album. We’ll be in Cleveland this October to play with the mighty Blood Feast as well as Atlanta for Mass Destruction 2 Fest to play with The Chasm, Mortuary, & many more.
8.I believe all the members have been a part of the underground scene since the mid 90's how do you feel the underground scene has changed over the decades?
A lot more social media bullshit, & a lot shorter attention spans. I still enjoy the scene though, & look forward to hearing new music. I’ve always had a knack for tuning things out I have zero interest in, so the garbage just continues to float down stream without affecting me personally.
9.Faithxtractor comes out of Ohio's mighty death metal scene what is your opinion of the scene in Ohio over the years?
I think Ohio has spawned some great bands over the years. I’m still in contact with a handful of people & bands from the early to mid 90’s. Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, & of course Cleveland have decent scenes & shows are still happening on a regular basis.
10.Who would you say are your all-time favorite bands coming out of Ohio? Are their any new bands that you feel the readers should check out soon?
Decrepit will probably always be my favorite. I really loved the ‘Hymns of Grief & Pain” demo when it came out. Killer stuff to this day… My good friends Steve & Carl from Morticite have been doing a killer grind band called Sewage Grinder for a few years now. Another band, Valdrin, are good friends & will have a new album out on Blood Harvest this September. Definitely a release to look out for.
11.When you need to take a break from writing new music or band business what do you like to do in your free time? Everything is Metal in one way or another. I really enjoy collecting music still. It’s an enjoyable past time for me to look through my collection, jam tunes, & reminisce. I also read & spend time with family.
12.Besides Faithxtractor I believe all of the members play in other bands and projects. What are some bands you are currently working in?
Zdenka Prado & I are both in Surgikill. This is strictly a long distance studio project with some underground friends. We have 1 full length out & a slew of split 7”s coming out this year. I also play in Shed the Skin with Kyle from Incantation & Matt & Ed of Ringworm. We just released a new record called “We of Scorn” via Hells Headbangers. In addition to these bands, I do studio work for Crucified Mortals from Cleveland & a Cincinnati based Death/Thrash band called Machinations of Fate.And when lucky, we still do Estuary shows when possible. We just played two gigs a couple of week ago & they were awesome.
13.Thank you for taking the time to fill this interview out do you have any final words for the readers?
Thank you Patrick for the interview. Our new album is out now via Hells Headbangers Records. Anyone into dark Death Metal will not be disappointed. Check it out…
Band Contacts
https://faithxtractor.bigcartel.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Faithxtractor/
Label Contacts
http://www.hellsheadbangers.com/
https://hellsheadbangers.bandcamp.com/
