Interview with DEVIARE
Welcome to FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine!
To kick things off, tell us a few things about DEVIARE. When was the band formed, who are the members, and how did the whole story begin?
Deviare was formed in late 2023, the band comprises Ad for vox, Hirwan for lead guitar, Farhan for second guitar, Yazz for drums and Wan for bass. We basically already knew each other as friends because Singapore’s punk scene is relatively small and almost everyone is already in one band or another. It was at a Malaysia gig, the drummer, Yazz, asked Hirwan if he’d be interested to play guitars for a sacrilege-lifeless dark-style crust band seeing as southeast asia doesn’t have much of that style. Unbeknownst to Yazz, Hirwan, Ad and Wan had raised the same thoughts as well and were on a lookout for a drummer. It was a coincidence that we had the same intention to play in that style. Which got Farhan interested to play as second guitar as well. That’s how it pretty much started, we covered Misantropic and sacrilege songs to get the vibe going and then started with making our originals.
You have recently released your debut album, ''Age of Madness''. What kind of feedback have you received so far from your audience, as well as from the press?
Y: Yeah that debut album took quite a while to finish due to our own hectic lives here. We received a pretty good response actually both locally and overseas.
A: I’m actually pretty surprised & happy that we are getting some traction overseas as well, personally I think our album gave a bit of the nostalgia of crust punk back haha.
The cover artwork has a killer atmosphere! What is the story behind it, and how does it connect with the music and themes of the album?
Y: It took some time to find an artist that can capture our ideas and embody it in an image. Nothing shouts crust like war imagery, skulls and all that, i think its quite fitting to the lyrics. We wanna thank Bree for doing an amazing job.
A: I have an insane obsession with The Lord Of The Rings, I find the storyline is very befitting of war and the current state of the world and relatable to the music we made as well from that aspect. We envisioned a dystopian world in the artwork, focusing on the ruins and symbolism of death such as the grim skeletal soldier and the dark horses in the background. Fun fact, the ruins are actually the artist's rendition of the war-torn city of Osgiliath in TLOTR.
What about the lyrics? What are the main themes and ideas you explore through them, and how important are they to DEVIARE's music?
Y: The album title says it all, we’re living in this mad times, everything wrong that’s happening around the world. I think like any band that’s trying to send a message, might actually inspire anyone who’s listening to ours and take action in some way. If not us, then who right?
A: Yea like what Yazz mentioned above, we feel this intense sense of helplessness at the state of the world. When we write songs, the lyrics are almost always inspired by real life issues such as genocide, socio-politics and oppression, I relate back to every word not just as a women but also as a human being. I think it’s very important to speak up in the face of injustice, and being able to share it through music is a privilege.
Are you currently looking for a record label? What would you prefer for DEVIARE: working with a label or staying DIY? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach, in your opinion?
Y: We’re currently working with Archaic Records from Seattle. They’re distributing our physical copies. Shoutout to Evelyn! Appreciate all that she has done, really grateful.
A: As much as we love keeping things DIY, the disadvantage is that it is a bit harder for us here in Singapore due to the lack of resources and accessibility. Many things have to be outsourced, so for now we DIY our small merch line like tote bags and pins, the advantage is that we do get to maintain some form of control at least.
H: Depends on the context, if it's working with a label like how punk bands usually work with DIY punk record labels, i think it is great! It gives the band an opportunity to spread their music across the globe. But in terms of signing a deal agreement with a label, i'd rather go DIY. As all of us are either involved with other bands or hands on crafting projects on top of our never-ending daily chores,we don't think we can commit and be proactive. We rather work at our own pace instead of being owned by someone and being told what to do and when they need it.
Is there any funny, strange, crazy, or unexpected story from the recording sessions or your live shows that you would like to share with us?
So our bassist and vox are a married couple with kids and there was this period of time where they just had their third child and she is just everywhere with us, you can hear her little shout in the raw vox track of one of our songs during the recording session and she was also strapped to a carrier with her mom (wearing protective headphones) in one of our live performances. She’s basically the 6th band member at this point haha!
When it comes to physical formats, which one do you prefer: Vinyl, Tape, or CD? And what do you think about the growing dominance of digital formats?
Y: I think I prefer vinyls, it's really up to one’s preferences. Vinyl just sounds better with the right setup. It aesthetically looks cooler with the sleeves. The growing dominance of digital formats can be a bad thing for diy artists/bands, seeing as the recent case about unethical streaming platforms, (except Bandcamp) bands never really got their share for their art. Not saying we prioritise profits just that the money can always be used for a good cause. I think supporting bands by buying their physical copies is a lot more meaningful and personal.
H: Digital platforms are useful for those who are still exploring different kinds of genres and are too "shy" from trying to listen to a new band without hurting their wallet. Some people might not be amused by the name of your band and the album cover, that is when digital formats plays a big part,bands get to expose their music to wider audience who face difficulties in getting their hands on bands that are not largely talk about in their area. Unlike digital formats,on physical copies,you get to see the band artistic ideas such as the layout of the booklet, how they arrange their lyrics,the arts printed on the booklet and so on. And i feel that there is a form of communication between you,the band and the artist responsible of the artwork while browsing through the booklet.
DEVIARE's sound is rooted in crust/punk. Which bands and artists have had the biggest influence on your music, and what are some of your all-time favourite records?
Y: I would say Sacrilege, Discharge, Antisect & Axegrinder have impacted me a lot, not just for this band. Lifeless Dark’s debut EP is still the best crust release and of course Sacrilege’s ‘Behind the Realms of Madness’.
A: I’ve always been into bands like Contravene, Harum Scarum, Thulsa Doom. I think I naturally gravitated towards female fronted Anarcho and Crust punk because of the socio-political parts and hearing another voice matching my lived experiences fueled this intensity of feeling seen. Years later that still gives me the influence when songwriting and performing.
H: I've been listening to Tchaikovsky and Syu of Galneryus a lot. The challenge I had was writing a heavily crust punk influenced kind of stuff while incorporating melodic pieces is weird and felt a bit too much, so whenever I had the chance to, I did try to fit in neo classical elements when composing the guitar parts. I feel empty if I don't express that musical side of me. Détente ‘Recognise No Authority’ album has also inspired me a lot in song writing for Deviare.
W: To me, bands that got me influenced would be Driller Killer & Warwound.
The music scene can demand a lot from a band. What do you think a band has to sacrifice in order to move forward and succeed? Have you ever had to sacrifice something personally for the future of DEVIARE?
Y: Mostly our time and energy. The preparation for our album really took a toll on us as a band. The challenge was to find time when all of us are available to record the songs. And particularly at this famous studio in Singapore which was about to close down. So you can imagine the pressure we had.
A&W: Time for sure, some of us are gruelling the 9-5 while some of us work at ungodly hours. The both of us always struggle with family time so it does affect our commitment and capabilities to divide the love for the band and music and for our family.
What would your ideal live show look and feel like? Do you believe you have already experienced that kind of show, either as performers or as part of the audience?
Y: For me an ideal show would be to just have a fun lineup with friends, it doesn’t have to be a big venue. Just everyone having fun. It’d be fun to play in a punk festival too ngl.
A: I want a kids corner at shows. Like imagine moshing on one side of the room for bands & performances and one partitioned side dedicated for the kiddos (headphone on kids for sure haha.) Just doing safe kid stuffs while the adults are adulting. It’s 2026 and I think this is a missing opp and a chance to build into the community.
AI is becoming increasingly involved in music production, songwriting, artwork, and promotion. What is your opinion on the rise of AI in music? Do you see it as a useful tool, a threat, or perhaps a bit of both?
Y: When it comes to AI, I don't think it belongs to the creative side. Its not passionate anymore using that, there’s no heart.
A: I think AI should remain in heavy machine or logistics automation but not in music or the arts. It shouldn’t be taking away the creative freedom and opportunity from real life people. As a creative I think it’s lazy and all the AI posters and trends look the same while farming your identity and your face. And if the government is pushing out AI like hardcore, it’s definitely us too.
There are countless bands trying to make their mark today. What do you think a new band needs in order to develop its own identity and stand out from the crowd?
Y: Everyone starts somewhere, so just do it. Bands are like relationships, alot of compromise, alot of understanding and alot of patience. It can be tedious but it can also be fun. Don’t always follow trends, if you think something is cool then make something out of it and share. Don’t be afraid to be different.
Do you believe that digital platforms and social media are helping new bands reach a wider audience? In your opinion, what is the most effective way for an underground band to promote its music today?
Y: To a certain extent yes. It’s much easier to expose music nowadays. People in the diy scene understand the concept when a new band release something, we automatically show support and share around. Your music will reach to the right audience and with time form connections and friends. Networking helps alot when going to shows locally and overseas. Someone you meet might be printing merch or stickers, owns a record store or have contacts with a factory that does physical formats.
Based on your own experience, what advice would you give to a new band entering the underground music scene? Is there anything they should definitely do or avoid?
H: There's no harm doing a quick background check about the bands, organisers or even the venue before playing the show. Sometimes,they or the people they are associated with might not align with your stand. It's best to have lesser gigs surrounded with great people than to be fully booked throughout the year but end up playing in a show that supports the ideas that you oppose. And ignore all those bands that take yours as a competition, they will try to compete with every band that is a threat to them.
A: Agreeing with Hirwan above, I’ve had rejections/skepticism to play in other bands, I’ve had people who secretly competed against me too. It is bound to happen, but I always think back to the friends who stood by my side and supported me throughout, and I believe in the message our band is sending across. So trust the process.
Tell us a few things about the current underground Metal/Punk scene in Singapore. Which bands, fanzines, webzines, venues, clubs, or other people and organisations should we check out?
H: The metal/punk community are still around but due to the complaints from the neighbours at the venue and high rental fee,most of the venues doesn't allow heavy music or has shut down. The DIY shows are currently held at the same venue for the past years. You guys may want to check out Surface Noise, they are one of the place we can think of right now as we wrote this, it's a record store-cum-practice space with a number of residence bands such as Doldrey, Lifelock, Sial etc. They do have a great list of records,local and overseas,so do check them out whenever you visit Singapore!
Y: The current busiest venue in Singapore right now is Room526 hosting most of the underground shows of all genres. (Instagram: roomfivetwosix ) As for zines, you should check out Shrub (Instagram: shrub.0128 ).
What does music mean to you personally? And if you had to choose 10 albums that run through your veins, which ones would they be?
H: Music is the best way of expressing your thoughts and feelings and it is the best tool to connect with the audience. For us,we want to have our message conveyed through our songs.
A: Music is a reflection of our innermost thoughts. When I’m feeling melancholic, I gravitate to a lot of melodic types of music like Fall of Efrafa. I could listen to one track that is like 16 minutes long and it would just calm my mind. Their conceptual albums are inspired by the novel Watership Down, exploring themes of anarchism and anti-authoritarianism. I think that’s a really cool way to incorporate storytelling into music.
W: For my all time fav records would be Fatum - Life Dungeons album! They really dope the crust! A // E
Y: Music has always been an artform for me, a way to express and inspire what words can’t say. Musically and lyrically it can hold any sort of emotions that conveys to a person regardless of constraints like language. Top 10 albums for me would be Ekkaia-Demasiado Tarde Para Pedir Perdón, Sacrilege-Behind the Realms of Madness, Zoe-The Last Axe Beat, Destruct-Echoes of Life, Physique-Punk Life is Shit, Discharge-H.N.S.N.S.N, Sepultura - Beneath the Remains, Anti-Cimex Raped Ass, Bolt Thrower - Those Once Loyal & Radioactivity S/T.
Are you familiar with the Hellenic Metal scene? Have you listened to any Greek bands? If so, which ones have caught your attention?
H: Not much that we know of,I just found out that Firewind was from Greece. Though I don't listen to them that much and Gus G is one of the big names in the guitar community, that's the only metal band that I have heard of! Other than that, Dishonor, a crust band from Greece. Huge apologies to every other band that we do not know of!
What are the future plans for DEVIARE? Any upcoming releases, shows, tours, or other projects you would like to tell us about?
A: We are excitedly waiting for our physical copies of the album where we would likely hold a local show for the release. Dates are still up in the air for now, keep a lookout on our IG page for the latest details.
Y: We’re planning to play shows overseas, perhaps a tour maybe in Japan or Indonesia.
Thank you very much for your time! It was a pleasure having DEVIARE on FILTHY DOGS OF METAL. The final words are yours. Αnything you would like to say to your fans and to our readers?
A: Thank you for reaching out to us, I’m so glad our band managed to catch your interest. I think if you have this dream to share your thoughts and experiences, go make that band you’ve been meaning to make, write those songs, share those feelings, shout your pain, there’s nothing stopping you but yourself yk?
Y: Punk goes beyond music. Be kind to one another, the world can be a better place. We hold more power than we think we do. We wanna thank everyone who supports what we do and our music.Thank you for having us! Much love.
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
DEVIARE CONTACT:
https://www.instagram.com/deviarecrust
https://deviarecrust.bandcamp.com/