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Flesh Engine 

Flesh Engine is a Philadelphia based thrash band and after hearing the band's new CD I thought it was time for an interview and here is an interview done with band member Dustin:

MC: Let's get the typical question out of the way. How did the band form and come to be and what is the current line-up?

Dustin: Well the current line up is Tom Stowe on Drums and backing vocals, Paul Orkin is on the Bass, or you could say LEAD bass, but BASS, non-the less. And he does backing harsh vocals as well, Dave Orkin on Guitar and Dustin Hamel on Vocals & Guitar. Though both guitarist do solos. It’s more of job outline then a description.

Myself, Dave, and Paul have been together nearly 5 years. Meeting Paul through myspace and Dave being his brother. We picked up Tom through a guy we knew by the name of John Valle nearly 2 years ago.

MC: I know you just released a new CD. How did the recording process go for this and were things pretty smooth in the studio? How long did it take you to write and record these songs?

Dustin: Well three of the songs have been with us since the 2008’s release of ESSENCE OF HELL. We wrote the majority of songs over the past 3 years prior, failing a previous recording with an old drummer, and then writing 2 last songs “The Battle Hymn Part 1 & Part 2” with Tom a few weeks before tracking the drums the 2nd time around.

The recording process was pretty smooth at first, Leisurely cutting instruments and such. Then a timeline came into being with a goal of when to be done and we panicked a bit as the release date was getting closer. In the end all came out great.

MC: Which is easier for you guys to do lyrics or actual music and how does a song come together. Is it a band effort or one of 2 members and where was the weirdest place you came up with a song idea?

Dustin:Oh boy, here’s a story for you. I will do this in a breakdown in order.

Which is easier Lyrics or music? Well I write the lyrics, and then I have a pretty clear mind set on the story that I’m trying to write about. Each song represents a chapter in the story one way or another. And then the same song can and will hold overtones of life issues or maybe a mood it has. But its several re-writes before it’s completely done. Music with the current line up seems to flow untouched. There are usually creative differences, but we have a strict no bullshit, no drama motto. So if we get stuck on something while in the writing process, we move to another idea and come back to it.

How does a song come together? Well different songs I can say have come together different ways. With about 90% of the album, someone brings a riff in. We jam it, and then allow it to flow into newer versions or alterations. Collectively we put what we “feel” is right or if the riffs are repetitive or just ass backwards. Sometimes someone would hear a good spot for another riff they previously wrote and add it in. We would practice part by part, making sure the continuitycorrect and leaving good space for lyrics. Thenwe eventually put the song into one unit and practice the holy FUCK out of it.

How long to write and record. Writing these songs was probably three years in the making, as per time allowance and how many shows. But the flow we have with the current line up that will quicken for the next album. Recording took nearly a year.

MC: I know you had a release before this one. What are your thoughts on that nowadays and is it still available?

Dustin: The release “Essence of Hell” is no longer available; it was a demo containing 3 songs from “Walking the Aether” and we recorded with an older lineup. Our thoughts are “We are not ashamed of its sound, how it felt or who was involved. It is LITTERALLY part of our full length that just came out. So we still love it, but, now it’s just a memory.

MC: How do you plan on pushing this release? Are you going to be sending some to labels in the hopes of getting a record deal?

Dave: As of right now, we’ve been pushing the new CD on all our websites, shows, and certain underground distribution companies that will carry it in the USA, Europe, & South America.

As far as labels, we’ve been sending promotional packages with the CD to every label possible, hoping to get a deal of some sort.

MC: How did you come up with the band name and were any other names considered?

Dustin: Long, long, long, long time ago….. in a basement not too far away.

Name USED to be Leave of Absence. I’m the ONLY one left from that era. There was a slew of other names we considered, but this one felt best.

Flesh Engine at the time had a meaning, towards the fact that our bodies were ENGINES made of FLESH. It encompassed at the time that we are only who we are, and can only function as we are programmed. Lyrics at the time dwelled into the hierarchy of cliqs and gangs.

Present day it trends to a mythology standpoint.

MC: For those who never have heard you, what would you say your music style is?

Dustin: Melodic Thrash Metal is what we hear by most.

Slayer < south of heaven era> meets Machine Head meets Iron Maiden.

MC: Now I know your from the Phila, PA area. How would you say the metal scene is and do you get to play out live much and di you think your a good live band? Any live videos floating on the internet?

Dustin: You want Live videos? Well we FUCKING LIVE for LIVE!

Tell you the truth, I believe if we could get known on tour and never release a CD, some of us would prefer that over anything. But fuck, we have both! And both is super fucking awesome.

The scene in Philly has picked up since the great places in NJ have dropped. Some of us are feeling the pulse of people running low on money going to bars to forget the bullshit. Guess who is there to guide them?

Bands like US. Great on CD, but better live. We live for the reactions, the cheering, the love of the fans, and if you put Flesh Engine in YOUTUBE.

You WILL find us for sure.

MC: How did you come up with the cover of the CD and what is the meaning behind it?

Dustin: The cover is a still of a scene in the story “Walking the Aether ™”

Story is about the conquest of Asmodeus over the OverGod Zeus. The end of the human world and the start of the war between the planes of existence.

MC: So far have you felt most of your reviews have been pretty fair or have you had some that in your eyes you feel were unfair?

Dave: We’ve had nothing but positive feedback so far about the new album.

And we hope it keeps continuing for a years to come.

MC: What are the short term and long term goals for the band?

Dustin: Short term = Jam our musical cock in every ear we can find.

Long Term = Spread our music faster then herpes. 1 in 4 people will have Flesh Engine. That’s the hope.

MC: Tell me a little bit about each band member and do you hang out at all when your doing non music stuff?

Dave: Everyone tries as much as they can to hang out whenever we can other than shows. Sometimes it gets kind of hectic, but we all survive.

MC: In your eyes and ears what makes a good song?

Dustin: A song that doesn’t limit itself to a two minute radio friendly piece of shit. Length with the ability to keep your attention will always be more remembered.

MC: What are some of your favorite bands that you like and is there any non-metal stuff your into?

Dave: I would have to say some of my favorite bands are King Diamond-Mercyful Fate, Testament, Slayer, Forbidden, etc. As far as non-metal bands go very, very few.

MC: About how much time each week is taken up doing band related stuff?

Dustin: Dave and I almost everyday are doing something band related

whether it’s rehearsal 2 times a week, or booking shows, or just promoting our asses off.

MC: Where do you see the underground scene in say 5 years?

Dustin: Honestly, it seems like it’s picking up a bit. So hopefully it will start thriving a bit more. We hope people start to realize the 8-12 bucks is worth the experience to listen to all styles of heavy music, like it was back in the day.

MC: Plug any websites you have and any merchandise you have for sale?

Dave: You can get all of our merchandise at any of our websites including the new CD, and many other shirts, stickers, etc. @ these sites.

www.fleshengine.com / www.reverbnation.com/fleshengine

www.mspace.com/fleshengine / www.facebook.com/fleshengine

MC: Do you feel there is too many bands and labels in the scene today that makes it tough for bands to get noticed at all?

Dustin: It does limit the ability to actually pay attention to the bands who try harder, and do their work. Have the creativity. But believably so, everyone deserves the chance. If we didn’t get anywhere with a reallabel and ‘make it,’

It’s really just the way it goes. It’s our job to stand out, do the work and get recognized. The situation isn’t going to change that, so we have to change to match the situation.

MC: Any last words, horns up for doing this interview.

Dustin: With out the fans, the supporters like fanzines or radio stations like Black Collar, we are nothing. We love our people, and respectfully are humbled by there time and effort to come and see us, helping make us feel good,

Which in turn makes us work harder to create the best material we can make.