Old-school, raw, basement goregrind from Toronto, Ontario - Canada with a pro-environmentalist theme! METASTASIS was formed around 2012 and released its debut Demo Tape that year. Split Tape with Take That Vile Fiend / Organs Tortured and also Split Tape with Oniku are among the latest releases. We have contacted Evan E. for a conversation. – Interviewed by Atandistorted, 20 December 2020
Hello Metastasis! Please introduce your band; history, lineup, etc?
Hello, thanks for the interview. Metastasis started in 2012 as a one-man recording project of mine. But in 2019, I assembled a live lineup and we started playing gigs. The live lineup includes Leezus (G.O.D., Avon Dealer, ex-F.A.T.O.) on Vocals, Dave R. (ex-Shitfit, Stockfeeder) on Guitar and me (Evan E.) on Drums.
What is the meaning of ‘Metastasis’ and how do you relate the band name to your music and lyrics?
Metastasis obviously a typical kinda goregrind name - seems like every band is named after a pathological term that ends in ‘sis’ nowadays. In a technical sense, Metastasis refers to when cancer spreads from one area to other parts of the body. Initially, the concept of the band was about illness, pathology and death as a result of pollution and enviromental destruction. But there are no lyrics so I don’t really convey this in any way other than song titles or images. Nowadays lyrics or images are just weird or disturbing subject matter, not even specifically gore related anymore.
Please elaborate further about your music style and sound? What are among your biggest influences?
Style and sound is just old-school goregrind. Lots of influence from crust/d-beat, straight forward grindcore and maybe some minor death metal or ‘war metal’ influence too. Biggest influences were and still are LDOH, Regurgitate, Dead Infection, Autophagia, Dysmenorrheic Hemorrhage, Squash Bowels, Purulent Spermcanal, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Ulcerrhoea, etc.
What are the topics and messages written in your lyrics?
Again, there are no lyrics. But the original concept of the project was about illness, pathology and death as a result of pollution and enviromental destruction. Nowadays lyrics or images are just weird or disturbing subject matter, not even specifically gore related anymore.
Please list and explain more about some of the most essential releases from Metastasis so far?
I’m not sure which releases could be considered ‘essential’, maybe this is up to the listener to decide. But my favorite ones are the 2012 Demo, “Putrefied Humanity” Tape and many of the splits - like with Parazitozis, Vomitoma, Oniku and Take That Vile Fiend/Organs Tortured.
How do you see the band progressed both music and sound from a release to another release?
I’m not sure. The direction of the music is still more or less the same as when I started in 2012. Each release just sounds a little different depending on what I was listening to then or other factors.
Is Metastasis a studio-band or do you also play live?
Primarily a studio project, again, live shows only began in 2019 and there were only 2 gigs we played so far.
What is your next release and future plan?
Next release will be a 3-way split tape with Cystgurgle (Thailand) and Endotoxemia (Russia). There are other ideas and tentative plans/releases but this is the only concrete upcoming title I’ll mention.
Report a little bit about the extreme/underground music scene surrounding your area?
The grindcore scene here in Toronto (Canada) is very small but has improved a lot in the last years. We have some talented goregrind bands/projects like G.O.D., Avon Dealer, Acid Shower, Toxocariasis, Stockfeeder, etc. We also have a small amount of other good bands playing more traditional grindcore, crust/d-beat, black metal/death metal, etc.
Thanks. Final words?
Thanks for the interview. I’m moving slowly with Metastasis these days but if anyone reading this likes black metal, I’m working on a one-man black metal project that will have a demo out soon. This project has some mix of epic/atmospheric, folk and also punk sounds similar to Finnish, French and German BM scenes. And NO racist or nationalist shit - only themes of depression, spirituality/nature, strife, death, etc.
*Interview to be included in Reveal Fanzine issue #6
