1.Hello Natalia and MW Daniels please introduce yourselves to the readers?
I’m M W Daniels and make all the music for Sisters Memon and I created and named the project.
I’m Natalia S S and I’m vocalist for Sisters Memon. Also I write texts.
2.When did you two first discover black metal and what is it about this musicial style that has kept your interest over the years?
I discovered Black metal in late 1982 through the second Venom album, I was 12 years old at the time. The first wave will always be my favourite but I do love a lot of the second wave and so on, Especially the first four Burzum albums and the second Emperor album. The musical style has not necessarily kept my interest so I suppose that’s why I created Sisters Memon as a way of pleasing myself with something new.
It was 7 years ago. I found death metal bands like Deicide and Bloodbath. Then I found Burzum and it was something New for me. I started from Norvegian Black Metal like Mayhem, Darkthrone ect... But, when I try to song (growling and screaming) I didn’t want to sounds like classical black metal. That’s why I use growl from BM but scream from DSBM. I just try to put that two genre together. To create something crazy, deap and insane.
3.Who were the first bands and artists that you discovered?Who are some of the current bands that you have been listening to?
Back in 1982 it was motorhead, black Sabbath, AC/DC, trouble, discharge, crass, tank, iron maiden, venom, saxon, judas priest and then moving on to 83/84/85 slayer, metallica, hellhammer, celtic frost, Hawaii, mercyful fate, bathory, destruction, Sodom, iron angel, razor etc. I don’t listen to hardly any current bands from metal anyway but the only ones I can think of are Portal, Impetuous ritual, infernal coil. I tend to listen to a lot of classical and jazz and also easy listening/library music.
If you think about stronger music it was Arch Enemy with Angela on vocals. But just to be “fan”for the first time in my life it was Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. I Fall in love with his expression.
4.Natalia you have some of the best vocals i have ever heard when did you first become interested in screaming and growling? Do you do anything special to keep your voice and throat healthy when recording?
Thank you, that's nice. When I discovered Arch Enemy I thought "hmm, that woman is screaming, maybe I could too. Maybe every goat screaming and not just a man". Then I started trying. I studied for a long time. I learned to growling, but I didn't want to sound like everyone else. I have been working on my own singing style for 2 years. You have to exercise so that your throat does not die during the recordings. I often sing in the kitchen while I make pancakes. It helps. When I'm recording I have a cup of tea with honey next to me. I sip my tea while I singing and that helps.
5.Who would you say are some vocalists that you would consider influences to your vocal style?Are their any non metal singers that you admire?
Angela Gossow, Niklas Kvarforth, Nattramn, Varg Vikernes, Nergal from early Behemoth time and Nihil from Furia (Polish Black Metal). I don't mix metal and non metal vocals. If I sing I have to be in different thinking
6. MW Daniels you handle the music for the band when did you first become interested in writing and performing music?
I first started playing drums back in the mid 80s and also learnt piano/synth/guitar and bass in the 90s.
7.Did you take lessons when first starting out or are you self taught? What are the instruments that you currently play and are their any instruments that you would like to learn one day?
Self taught and I still play all those hence the project. I love to learn sitar.
8.Who would you say are some musicians that you would consider influences to your writing style?Are their any non metal musicians that you admire?
I always said that these three albums are the initial male up of Sisters Memon. Venom – Welcome to hell, Mercyful fate – Melissa and Bathory – The return.
As in non metal I love kate bush, oum kalthoum, lots of soundtrack composers from jerry goldsmith to mark korven.
9.I know both of you live in different countries so i was interested when did the two of you first meet and was it long before you started Sisters Memon ?How did you choose Sisters Memon as the name of this band and does it have a special meaning?
I created the idea 10 years ago but I never pursued the idea until January 2020. I was looking for female singer and after a few false starts I found Natalia on instagram and loved her voice and the rest is history. The name loosely derives from 2 terrorist connected sisters in the middle east.I wanted to make music. It was my dream. It's hard to make black metal when you're a woman. I thought no one would want me. That's when Daniel discovered me. It was the best thing in my life.
10.Who would you say are the bands biggest influences and have they remained the same over the years?For the readers unfamilar with Sisters Memon's musicial style how would you best describe it?
Our inspirations as always are early venom, early burzum, early bathory, hellhammer and the first three celtic frost and of course Mercyful fate – Melissa which for me is the greatest metal album ever made. My solos are very inspired by Pink floyd’s David Gilmour and the late great Huw Lloyd Langdon who was in hawkwnd. Our style is one side very extreme especially as we incorporate electronic noise into some of the tracks and the other side is more introspective s in the closing track on the new album. We always have inspirations that are outside of metal running through the music like Xmal Deutschland, killing joke, theatre of hate, early swans and big black etc, these are much more prominent on some of the new album.
Pagan, anti-Catholic shit with Satan. Crazy, mysterious and emotional
11.I,The Witch is the second full length from the band how long did it take you to write the music for the new release?How long does it usually take you MW. to complete one song?
The tracks can take anything from one day to 2 weeks to complete as it depends on time and also I’m extremely perfectionist over all music I do.
12.Who usually handles writing the lyrics for the music and what are some subjects written about on I,The Witch?
At the beginning we both wrote lyrics but Natalia writes all the lyrics now and I come up with track titles. Lots of subjects from satanic terrorism, chemical and biological warfare, our own secret mystical world which I cannot reveal.
13.Besides the upcoming second release does the band have any copies of the debut still availible?Besides physical releases is their any other merchandise currently availible to purchase? If yes what is availible and where can the readers purchase it?
Our label Plague Demon possibly still some copies of the debut left and they also have t shirts too.
14.What does Black Metal mean to the two of you?
For us Sisters Memon IS Black Metal.
Yes, it’s our soul and time to be who we are
15.Natalia you live in Poland what is your opinion of the Polish black metal scene over the years?
The Polish black metal scene is changing a lot, but very slowly. The changes can be seen on the example of the Behemoth band. You can see that we've always tried to be like the rest of the world. The real Polish black metal has been around for a short time. It is on the verge of poetry, pos black metal and regret in the heart. Of course, I love the classics to which KAT belongs. Especially the album 666 influenced my taste a lot. Modern bands are different. They are deep, slow, mesmerizing and beautiful. It's not as crazy as it used to be, but times change. I like Polish black metal, it is Soviet sadness and anger.
16.Who are your all-time favorite bands coming out of Poland and are their any new bands you could recomend to the readers?
I like old bands like KAT or Turbo, but I love thees new bands like Arkona, Sznur, Kły Massemord, Furia, Plaga
17.MW. you live in England what are your thoughts of the black metal scene in the U.K over the years?
I’ve no idea really as I don’t keep up with the black metal scene here and I don’t consider Sisters Memon to be part of any scene. We are complete outsiders.
18.Who are your all-time favorite bands coming out of the U.K and are their any new bands you could recomend to the readers?
My all time favourite band to come out of the uk would be Motorhead. No idea about any new bands.
19.Besides working in Sisters Memon do either of you currently work with any other bands or solo projects?If yes please tell the readers a little about them?
I do a dark techno project called MWD and work doing soundtracks for the films I make. The third MWD EP entitled Sexual is out in august. Yes, I create classic music comosition by myself. Also I have project Aura (as guitar and vocal) with Italian musican. Sometimes I work with Necrolust or other small bands. I’m always happy when I can create something as guest.
20.When you need to take a break from working on band business what do you like to do in your free time?
I keep working on music and film.
I study film at Academy of Art in Poland so I always do something, I mean exhibitions, movies etc.
21.Thank you both Natalia and MW for taking the time to fill this interview out do you have any final comments for the readers?
Many thanks for the interview we really appreciate it.
Thank you so much. Have nice day with Satan. Band Contacts https://sistersmemon.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/sistersmemonblackmetal/ https://www.instagram.com/sisters_memon_black_metal/?hl=en Plague Demon Records https://plaguedemonrecords.storenvy.com/ https://plaguedemonrecords.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Plaguedemonrecords.net/ https://www.instagram.com/namtar.axarcuth/?hl=en B,C.H.Records https://bchrecords.storenvy.com/ https://blasphemouscreationsofhellrecords1.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/blasphemouscreationsofhellrecords/
