UNHOLY aus Syracuse, New York haben mit ihrer Debüt-MCD “Awaken The Sleep“ über Silentstagnation kürzlich eine rundum gelungene New School-Scheibe vorgelegt. Hinter der Band verbergen sich derzeitige und ehemalige Mitglieder von u.a. Path Of Resistance, When Tigers Fight, Another Victim, Santa Sangre oder The Promise, und so klingen UNHOLY dann auch.

Musicscan: Give our readers a short briefing about Unholy, please. What are you guys doing right at the moment?

Unholy: Unholy has been an active band for about a year now. Right now were finishing up material for a upcoming full-length record that were recording this winter.

Musicscan: How'd the band start and how long has it been around? I'm asking, because you havn't release a full-length yet...

Unholy: Unholy started as a project band, I went through some line up changes from it. Due to distractions from other bands Unholy didnt have the attention it deserved till now.

Musicscan: What have been your first rehearsels like and how did you get the current Unholy members together?

Unholy: We didnt have any real rehearsals till our final line up. The players I chose were all people I know from other local bands.

Musicscan: Has there been some kind of benefit you could build up this new band on, because bands members have been / are involved in other well known groups?

Unholy: Kind of. Most the bands that are the most well know that I have done are hardcore bands... we dont exactly apeal to them. Our singer was in a band called blood Runs Black and Godbellow so fans of those bands dig us.

Musicscan: What did you guys do differently with Unholy that you hadn't done with your previously bands to keep things progressing for yourself?

Unholy: Musically Unholy is much more metal than anything we ve done in the past. Lyrically were writing a concept album which we ve never attepted before.

Musicscan: Have there been other recorded songs before this Awaken The Sleep MCD? Has there been some kind of demo?

Unholy: We did record a three song demo a while back, it sounded very crude. We re-recorded those songs for the EP.

Musicscan: When you were writing the songs for your MCD did you have certain issues you specifically wanted to address? How did you go about writing your songs?

Unholy: The only issue we address is the awareness of the human condition... how we are doomed to failure as a race.

Musicscan: Every band has a vision of how their songs should sound like after the recordings. Listening to the material now, Would you say that this was a successful mission or would you even say that the band was able to surprise itself? If this is the case ? in how far?

Unholy: We are pretty satisfied with how the recording came out... especially from the budget we worded with.

Musicscan: If you would summarise the message and atmosphere of Unholy's music in one (or two) sentences. what would it be?

Unholy: Doom.

Musicscan: What are the feelings you get out of your songs? And what are the feelings you want to cause within your listeners?

Unholy: Doom.

Musicscan: Could you imagine another way to get rid of your frustration and aggression besides playing straight forward hardcore music?

Unholy: Of course... Here in Syracuse NY we kill people for fun.

Musicscan: What are your thoughts on how punk/hardcore is getting more big-time these days?

Unholy: Its good on some ways, bad in others. It all depends on what you want to make of your band.

Musicscan: Do you feel hardcore/punk is losing it's edge by having more and more bands with no real political or social stance? is "more rock, less talk" a real viable idea in the punk movement?

Unholy: Hardcore/punk lost its edge years ago. There?s still a few bands trying to keep meaning through their music, but it went out the window ages ago. Hardcore/punk has turned into nothing more than 3rd rate radio rock.

Musicscan: What lessons have you learned from being involved with punk and hardcore for years? What has it done for you? One thing i notice is your very DIY-based working style...

Unholy: I grew up hardcore, thats who I am... I learned to apply that to my outlook in life. The only lessons I ve learned is what happends when you stop thinking... and reading between the lines.

Musicscan: Are there any principles you would never give up to as a band? What kind of?

Unholy: I would never compromise my self musically to any current trends... I play what i like to hear.

Musicscan: You are around with different bands for years now. Do you ever wish you had made a different choice and went with your standard job? Or is Unholy only some kind of project beside your regular work?

Unholy: Its a doubled edge sword. One one hand when your out on the road constantly you sometimes think about how nice it would be to have a steady paying income through a job. But when you are locked down just working you miss the road. By this coming summer I hope Unholy will become full time.

Musicscan: How much attention you put on Europe in general?

Unholy: We plan on touring Europe next year... so we hope we are welcomed their.

Musicscan: Your biggest wish to happen for the band?

Unholy: A sexually transmitted disease that will cause the victim to become sterile... this would replace AIDS and be much more effective... this world would be a wonderful place!