Testify

Interview by Javier Baldeon


Tell me about the band, some aspects

Myk: Testify was founded in the early Nineties in order to create something that is a mixture of Aggression, weirdness, electronic and guitars combined in the most rude way possible. The forerunner band off which Testify in those days was but an offspring was The Fair Sex, a German EBM-band. The co-operation with musicians of Metal brought about a long period of working together, melting two aspects of Underground music, with ever the dominance of guitar and noise.

Detail me about your new material and a little of the last records

Myk: "Triviality Beyond Acceptance" is the third full-length release of Testify - or even the fourth, if you count the 1998-release "Crack The Mind" under this term which some people do. Since 1994 we had releases in the US. Our debut, simply named "Testify 01" was sort of super-fast "postpunk Industrial", as some journalists characterized it. "BallroomKiller" was its Remix-successor, presenting remixes of Ministry-engineer Keith Auerbach. With the classic "MMMYAOOOO" of 1996/97 Testify treaded news path - bringing into the concept the slow thickness of weird psychotic elements (I just quote German writers). This album was followed up by "Crack The Mind": the combat between four remixers and the band that created five all-new tracks (bringing about astonishing results). "Triviality Beyond Acceptance", our latest release, in our eyes brings out the best Testify ever been: the perfect mixture of all ingredients ever.

Are you working in a next production ?, are you touring ?

Myk: We have already gathered new ideas and material but they are not very ripened - as well as tour plans.

Tell me about you last concert or tour

Myk: Thru-out the last touring we had some extra-ordinaire experiments of chaos and confusion, of weird patterns of life that are simply to long to be told now; indeed we already have made a script of our adventures which one day shall be turned into a movie. har. Sounds crazy, but it's the truth! (At least the writing of the script).

Refering me about the last question tell me about the bands that you shared a concert, or play together.

Myk: We had touring or concerts with Die Krupps, Armageddon Dildos, Clan Of Xymox, Cubanate, U.L.A.A. - and some German bands that are vanished into oblivion by now

Tell me about the scene, how is the movement in your country ?

Myk: Over here in the Germany the Independent Scene is dominated by Electro-Music being followed up by Gothic Rock. The mixture of these musical regions had a hard stand during the last few years - but it will seem that this combination (which is simply the genre that we personnally prefer) is gaining more strength again for the time being.

What is your opinions about old glorious metal singers and CHUCK deceased (from DEATH band)

Myk: I must confess that I have indeed a kind of indifferent point of view concerning that - at least for the time being when I am quite bent on our new ideas

How long are you playing metal ?

Myk: We had not wandered the fields of Metal before starting Testify in 1992. But since then we derive those features of that genre that we appriciate. Sometimes we lose contacts with the current scene, just to free our minds and be totally concentrated and devoted to our own constructions. And then we do return to regarding what is going on within the scene. To compare it with our style.

Have one of you have studied music ?

Myk: No, none of us ever studied music (and I hope that not too many people will say: `jau! That is a fact that is proved by Testify's music!`)

Are you playing in other bands ?

Myk: There are indeed several side-projects in which members of Testify are involved for example The Fair Sex, Nice Gods Bleed, Electric Pow-Ow - some of which are only present here in Germany.

About metal, speaking generally, about the plenty of variations or mixing that have occurred, what do you think about the end of all that ?

Myk: Ah, the end is not certain! I have the feeling that the combination of different styles, combined with a new innovation, will bear even more and even unexpected fruits in the future. Lets wait and see.

Tell me about the influences of the band from the begining

Myk: We have quite often been compared with Ministry and Screw, and Fear Factory and sort of alike stuff. And, at least for this time, we will not deny it: That is the kind of genre we are active in.

Do you think that there are really metal people, that the scene is a real one ?

Myk: I am convinced that people are free enough to chose their own way - to chose out of music what they really personally prefer. They are not too much persuaded by media, or at least that is what I think. So in my eyes the scene is a real one.

How dificult is to record you material ?

Myk: Yeah, nowadays it takes some time completing an album, for we don't get satisfied as early as in former days. Especially the guitar-work is of high importance for us - and we always feel forced to improve the results. And sometimes we are really fighting with the demons of realization! Sometimes it is really difficult to record material.

Can you live off of the music ?

Myk: There are some things that must change before that state is reached

Your final words .....

Myk: The gnawing dissatisfaction will drive us on....


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