Interview with the Band MothFlesh

May 13, 2022

Interview with the Band MothFlesh

By Mick Michaels

The Cosmick View: Hello, and welcome to The Cosmick View/MBM Ten Pounder! Thanks for taking some time to chat with us!

CV: Describe your definition of the band’s sound and style and how does that definition uniquely describe the music?
MothFlesh: We call ourselves a Groovecore band. Incorporating tech-death riffs with elements of metallic hardcore and groove-metal rhythms. We grew up listening to a healthy mix of bands like Necrophagist, Dying Fetus with groove-oriented bands like Chimaira, Daath and Sepultura.

CV: Today, everyone talks about artist and audience connection. Is such a level of connection actually achievable for an artist and if so, how have you made the connection to your fans?
MothFlesh: Yes, absolutely. If anything, that connection is one of the utmost important things an artist should consider, when it comes to creating their art. Of course, as musicians we do not want to compromise our authenticity, doing something which does not resonate with our musical ethos, just to satisfy everyone’s auditory needs. But to some extent, we must find that balance to ensure that our audiences can dive deep into our brand of art and resonate with the messages, emotions, creativity, etc. At the end of the day, our audiences are the ones who will buy our records and (mostly) nobody is going to buy a record they cannot resonate with or understand about.

For us, we try to talk about issues that are well-connected with the stories of what people struggle with today. We also carry ourselves in a way that is very approachable for our fans to connect with us. We make sure that their messages are replied to; their enquiries are answered, and even take time to hangout with some of them just to establish a stronger link between us and our fans.

CV: Is fan interaction an important part of the band’s inner culture?
MothFlesh: Yes, very much so. As stated above, we would make the effort to make sure that we do not come out as arrogant individuals. If we have the time to create interactions with our fans, we will do so without a doubt. One thing that we try to do is to go and talk to our fans after every show. Sit down with a few (sometimes, too many) beers while we have fruitful conversations with them. Every member of the band is expected, to some degree, make the effort to achieve this after every show.

CV: Can a band truly interact with its fans and still maintain a level of personal privacy without crossing the line and giving up their “personal space” in your opinion?
MothFlesh: We believe for a band of our stature; it is still possible to maintain our personal privacy. Unless, by some strange stroke of luck, we ended up becoming as big as Metallica, Lady Gaga, or Beyonce, then that’s a different story haha. Most of our fans are part of the crew who became our drinking buddies and what have you. If they feel shy to approach us at first, we will make sure that we talk to them and make them feel included as part of the band. Of course, we will remind ourselves to not cross the line that allows, not just our fans, but anyone to invade our personal space without proper consent.

CV: Is music, and its value, viewed differently around the world in your opinion? If so, what do you see as the biggest difference in such multiple views among various cultures?
MothFlesh: Yes, definitely. Every culture would have their own intrinsic interpretation of what music is and how music shapes their overall cultural make-up. But unfortunately, in our country, music (in particularly, Metal music) is still strongly associated with a specific race and religion. The scene is very race-based. This rarely happens in our neighboring countries like Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore; where people would just enjoy music regardless of skin color, creed, religion, etc. We still have groups here that believe certain music belongs to a certain race only and shall not be performed by individuals who are not part of that said group. Though it is more watered-down in recent years, it is still a big problem. Some people cannot seem to differentiate culture-exclusivity with what universally; we can all be part of.

CV: Do you feel that a band that has an international appeal, will tend to connect more so to American audiences? Would they be more enticed or intrigued to see the band over indigenous acts because of the foreign flavor?
MothFlesh: Music is an artistic reflection of culture and society. Any music coming outside of the American sphere of influence will possess features that are unique to its own, no matter how minute or grand those influences are. We are always fascinated and interested with what foreign acts are involved in whether it is music, literature, or film. They’re bound to provide a unique perspective that’s drawn from their indigenous environment that provide, exciting and spectacular perspectives, especially when looked at from the outside.

CV: Has modern-day digital technology made everyone an artist on some level in your opinion? Have the actual lines of what really is an artist been blurred?
MothFlesh: Absolutely, beyond the convention of actually writing music and creating art, today musicians, have to contend with the factors of social media. Content derived fan engagement has been a new challenge for us and it’s something we discuss constantly as a band, “How can we create a constant stream of content that is both honest, relatable and relevant”. So as a short answer, yes, the lines are blurred because we have to simultaneously humanize our content - which at times leads to compromising small characteristics of your personal life – and also create art. There is a bigger emphasis on the visual aspect of the band as today’s media consumption is on images and videos. We’ve all become more adept at image and video software programs as a result, so gaining a practical set of skills has its upside. We’ve gotten comfortable with the idea that being a musician in today’s world means that we’ve got to be equal parts a public personality and an artistic creator.

The internet has made technology more accessible, and the socialistic function of the internet has made it more democratized. Now anyone can map out a song on MIDI and make it sound as good as a professional player. The notion of going to a music school to be certified or a conservatoire to study under a rarely impressed teacher to climb up the career as a musician has lost its place in modern society. The ability to connect the music to the listeners in a more effective and rapid manner has become the crowning jewel in the music industry at large. Today, everyone can be an artist, and that doesn’t diminish the hard work that goes into being an artist, instead of working harder, we just need to work smarter.

CV: How would you describe the difference between an artist who follows trends and one who sets them?
MothFlesh: In simple words, “The amount money each of them is making” haha. Though there is no right or wrong in this situation, usually people who follow trends tend to get recognized faster and amass a bigger fanbase. Nothing wrong with that, of course. As for artists who are more incline to create trends or becoming a trend-setter, it usually takes more time for them to gain recognition. At least, in our part of the world it is. The people here prefer familiarity and things that are accessible in abundance. So, if you try to do something different, it usually takes time for them to recognize. Unless, what you are currently doing becomes a trend in the near future, then people will start jumping on the bandwagon and want to be part of it. But until then, most trend-setters here will spend a big chunk of their time being esoteric acts.

Another point of discussion is that trend is also very relative. Especially if we ought to compare what is trendy here and what is trendy in the United States. Some Asian countries are late to pick up on what has already been trendy in the Western world. So, by the time it becomes a trend here, it is probably long abandoned by the Western world already.

CV: Has music overall been splintered into too many sub-genres in an effort to appease fan tastes in your opinion? And has such fan appeasements, in actuality, weakened music’s impact as a whole by dividing audiences?
MothFlesh: It really depends on how elitist people can be about the musical taste and flavors, and we can’t ignore the factor of culture that’s strongly associated with the music. We’ll use Malaysia’s underground scene as an example to highlight how elitism can divide the impact of music. The scene is inherently divided into 4 group: the metalcore/post-hardcore/synthcore/core scene, the punk scene, the old school death metal scene, and black metal scene. Each group holds their musical preference and cultural taste in such high regard that they exist in their own little box, often oblivious and unknown to what’s going outside of it. This reinforced elitism deters younger members of their respective scenes to reach out, explore or diversify their musical palette. For bands that are influenced by genres that are drawn from two different scenes, like for example a Deathcore band, they’re going to have a lot of trouble finding a place to regularly play because they exist in two or different musical “realms”. The division is never good in our opinion, but we understand that it’s hard to go against the grain of culture. People crave identity and music gives us identity, at times, the demand of inclusion can be a little too dogmatic though. The whole notion of categorization of sub-genres can be extremely deceptive as well. Ulver’s early catalogue is pretty much black metal, but their last 4 albums have been a huge dive into synth and darkwave. How would we sub-categorize bands that take on too many elements – yet – have a sound unique and distinct enough to stand on its own? it’s a great question to ruminate over, but it isn’t something that we as a band are too hung up over. A lot of the great bands we grew up with like Mastodon, Gojira, Sikth and Opeth did away with subgenres.

CV: What can fans expect to see coming next from you?
MothFlesh: Maddog just purchased an 8-string guitar so that means one thing. We’re going heavier. An EP is probably going to be in the works, we like to keep our releases consistent with a release of a single or EP every year. It’s a great way to highlight our creative headspace as a unit and engage our fans. Music is constantly evolving and presently quicker ever than before – in some sense, releasing music at an annual rate keeps our finger on the pulse with the state of music and technology. Beyond our musical goals, we’d like to explore the possibility of being one of the few Malaysian metal bands to be able to tour Europe comprehensively and share music from our little corner of the world.

CV: Thanks again for taking some time and talking. It is greatly appreciated.
MothFlesh: Thank you for having us. We truly appreciated the opportunity given. Until next time!

Check out Moth Flesh at:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/Mothfleshband

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Mothfleshband

Bandcamp: www.Mothflesh.bandcamp.com

Youtube: www.youtube.com/Mothfleshband

Spotify: Mothflesh

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.