Interview with SABIST
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about SABIST (Members, Starting Year etc).
Sentakuki: We are a doom metal band, I started playing in 2022, but in 2023 I found the current stable members. We used to be called Demon & Eleven Children, but we changed our name this year to Sabist. I play the guitar, Tsoi plays the drums, Steve plays the bass, and Poissy screams.
You have recently released your demo 'Fuzzying Test'''. What is the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
Actually, not many people listened to it, we didn't do much promotion, just some demo recordings for testing. In China, except for our friends, nearly no one cared about us, hahaha.
The cover artwork has a killer atmosphere! Tell us a few things about it.
Sentakuki: I've always handled the band's visual side. Basically, I just collage things that I find interesting, while also bringing in elements from the themes of our songs.
And what about the lyrics?
Poissy: It's basically a summary of my everyday mood swings, the supernatural stuff we're both obsessed with, and a whole lot of dark humor.
Are you in searching for a record label? What do you prefer, Label or DIY and why?
We were signed to a Stoner Doom label in China before, but we've already released all songs under that deal. We're just starting a new chapter for the band right now, and we've still got a bunch of songs to finish. So we'll look for a new label once those are done. We actually like both, but it's a bit tough running a band in this genre over China. So if we want to reach listeners overseas, getting signed to a label is definitely the way to go.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
The weirdest thing is that we have to submit our band bio and lyrics to the government for censorship before every single show in China. Our old band name included the word "Demon," which wasn't allowed too, so we had to change those words and they couldn't even tell what we were actually singing about anyway.
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
Sentakuki: Of course, everyone loves physical records because they're something real you can hold. But I'm totally fine with digital media because it's super convenient. Our generation was basically born into the digital age.
Tsoi: I'm more into cassettes, honestly. They're super easy for us to DIY, and they're just so cute being so tiny.
Steve: Tape. Because it feels like music slowly dying inside plastic.
Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
Sentakuki: Mephistofeles, if I hadn't listened to their album in 2017, I think I'd never play doom now.
Tsoi: Absolutely Mephistofeles-their previous drummer, Ivan, is the best drummer ever.
Steve: Kyuss, Sleep, Eyehategod, Weedeater, Electric Wizard.
Which things do you think a band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your band?
Sentakuki: I don't know if what I've done was sacrifice for the band, but I've really given up a lot.
Tsoi: I just enjoy playing in this band, I don't really care about whether it's a sacrifice or not.
Steve: We play doom band, and we're broke as hell. That's probably the most doom thing about us.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
Sentakuki: Sharing the stage with our favorite bands! Just happened once.
Tsoi: Getting high while playing live.
Steve: Desert, No stage. Sun burning everything.
What do you think about the rise of AI in music production?
Sentakuki: I actually work part-time tagging and labeling AI-generated music for tech companies. I've probably listened to tens of thousands of AI-generated tracks. At this point, there are a small number of songs where both the production and the music itself are so good that it's basically impossible to tell whether they were made by AI or by a human. I think even if songs are eventually required to be labeled as AI-generated, it probably won't make much of a difference. That said, you can't deny that some people just don't care whether the music they're listening to was made by AI or not.
Tsoi: I guess it's just the inevitable march of tech, right? But music with real emotion is obviously better.
What attributes do you think that a new band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
We honestly can't answer that question. Sure, we could throw out a few words to describe ourselves, and we've definitely been trying our best, but among so many bands out there, we still don't feel like we're one of the standout acts yet-especially when we compare ourselves to the bands that have had such a profound influence on us.
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its work?
Tsoi: Of course. Otherwise, we'd just stay stuck behind the wall, and no one would ever discover us.
Sentakuki: As a band that nobody cares about in China, absolutely. Digital platforms have allowed a lot more people outside of here to hear our music. We don't really have any other way to get our music out there in person right now. Something like a European tour is just too much for a band our size at this stage.
From your experience in the music industry, what would you tell to a new band to avoid or what to do?
Poissy: Find people who really share the same vision as you. That's not something you can compromise on.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in China (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
Poissy: Do we even have that kind of thing in China right now
Sentakuki: In China, black metal and thrash are probably the most popular genres. The city we're from is also known for its hardcore scene, and old-school heavy metal barely gets any attention. We've never really been part of the Chinese metal scene, which might sound a bit strange, but the Chinese metal scene has never really had much of a doom, stoner, or sludge scene. In fact, it wasn't until this month that we played our first metal theme show, some black metal bands in this show are pretty well known in China. Anyway there aren't many doom or stoner bands in China to begin with. But we do have friends playing in metal bands-Rapid Rebound and Anteinfierno, both are very cool bands.
Tsoi: Thrash metal and black metal are definitely much more active in China. Some of those bands get to play big music festivals, while others are just making music for themselves, haha.
Steve: I know nothing about the metal scene in China.
Give us 10 albums that run in your veins.
Sentakuki:
"Blood Lust" - Uncle Acid & The Deadbeat
"Come My Fanatics..." - Electric Wizard
"Vampyros Lesbos (Sexadelic Dance Party)" - Vampire sounds Inc.
And All albums by Mephistofeles
Tsoi:
Wild Beyond Belief - Satan's Satyrs
Spiritualized D - Eternal Elysium
Hell on Earth - The Curse of Sahara
Early Work Compilation - Church of Misery
Violent Theatre - Mephistofeles
Magical Metamorphosis Third Eye - Hibushibire
Take As Needed for Pain - Eyehategod
Detaching from Satan - Paul Chain Violet Theatre
Come on My Fanatics - Electric Wizard
VOL.1 - Uncle Acid & the Deadbeat
Steve:
Kyuss - Blues for the Red Sun
Kyuss - Welcome to Sky Valley
Sleep - Holy Mountain
Electric Wizard - Come My Fanatics...
Boris - Flood
Hibushibire - Turn On, Tune In, Freak Out!
Funkadelic - Funkadelic
Buzzoven - At a Loss
Weak Men - DOG
Acid Bath - When the Kite String Pops
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
Tsoi: Acid Mammoth and Suicidal Angels? To be honest, that's about as much as we know, haha.
Sentakuki: Same....
What are your future plans?
Record a new album, then maybe try some different sounds.
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Doom on )))
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
SABIST CONTACT:
https://www.instagram.com/sabistdoom
https://sabist.bandcamp.com/music