Utter Trash--Alchemist

Transforming Metal

An interview with Adam of Alchemist

By Bob Ignizio

There’s certainly no shortage of underground metal bands in the world these days, although you wouldn’t know it from listening to the radio, watching MTV, or reading mainstream music magazines. Of course a lot of what’s out there is unoriginal or just plain bad. Not Australia’s Alchemist (Adam – vocals/guitar/keyboards, Roy – guitar, John – bass, and Rodney - drums). Like their namesake, they’ve been transforming base metal into gold since releasing their first demo in 1990. They’ve continued down the same path ever since, culminating in their recent Relapse records album ‘Australalien’. They’ve accomplished this with good songwriting and by adding a touch of psychedelia to their sound without compromising on the heaviness. Recently Adam was kind enough to answer some questions for me by email.

UT: Alchemists are of course those folks trying to change lead into gold, and if one believes certain writers that's actually just a code for various mystical practices used to achieve "illumination". Did you pick the name in an effort to associate yourselves with such metaphysical ideas or did you just dig the sound of it?

Adam: We were very young and we thought it sounded cool, I think it’s a great name for our band because Alchemist is like a boiling cauldron full of many elements and influences. We are not all that interested in the metaphysical side of things.

UT: Although I've unfortunately not heard any of your earlier albums, I understand you started as more of a straight-forward extreme metal band. What led you to shift to a more progressive/psychedelic rock sound? Do you think extreme metal has reached a musical dead end and do you still consider yourselves "metal"?

Adam: Well our first two demos in 90 and 91 were a mix of technical thrash metal with little psychedelic interludes, so we were always into being different. From the inception of the band in the late eighties we wanted to have our own style, we wanted to sound like Alchemist. Our first release ‘Jar of Kingdom’ in 1993 is still the craziest album from that era that I have heard. So I guess what I’m trying to say is that we never set out to be extreme, just different, and I believe that by our second album ‘Lunasphere’ we were forging our own style. I think some bands out there are still making great extreme albums but I would not consider Alchemist that extreme.

UT: I could swear I detect a bit of Hawkwind (later period) in your sound. Are they a band that you consider an influence? If not, or in addition to, what bands have shaped your sound?

Adam: Yeah they would be a small influence for sure, but I would say early Pink Floyd and King crimson were bigger influences; we liked the idea of Psychedelic metal. As far as influences go its anywhere from the Beatles to Autopsy. We like anything that tickles our fancy.

UT: Most folks here in the U.S. when they think of Australian rock at all probably think of AC/DC or Air Supply. What other new Australian bands besides yourselves should we be checking out?

Adam: Pod People, Blood duster, Jerk, Astriaal, Earth, Damaged, Vanishing Point and Dungeon, and Daysend.

UT: A number of your songs have lyrics that express environmental concerns. Are you involved in any sort of activism, and what got you interested in the topic?

Adam: No we are not involved with any activism but we do think these are important topics and we feel strongly about them. Australia is an environmental wonderland and we don’t like the exploitation of some of the world’s most beautiful ecosystems.

UT: There's also a little bit of UFO/space alien stuff going on lyrically on the current album. Is that just a fun topic to write about for you, or do you believe we're being "visited"?

Adam: I try to be open minded about many topics I for sure would not say that is impossible. In our lyrics sometimes we are simply posing questions sort of weighing up alternative possibilities. Other times we are simply stating things we don’t like and sometimes the lyrics deal with personal issues. We do like Sci fiction topics for sure.

UT: Has the band done any touring outside of Australia so far? Any plans to hit the U.S. anytime soon either on a tour or maybe just for a festival gig or two? Any big or especially fun shows at home?

Adam: We have never played outside of the country and are dying to, especially now with the good reviews and great promo work from Relapse. We have no agent overseas so it’s proving to be difficult to able to get out this year, but I know that Relapse are also working very hard on the problem.

Adam: Making a decent living recording and touring, to be able to do it all the time. And I suppose to know that my music has touched people.

UT: Having already changed your sound somewhat from when you started, do
you think the next album will be fairly similar to 'Austral Alien' or will
you be making another shift?

Adam: Way to early to tell yet I would not rule it out though. We try to make each Album a unique thing, We try to reinvent ourselves each time while still sounding like Alchemist, This can be a very hard thing to achieve and that’s why it can take several years to write the next album, but Id say this time we will get the next album out quicker as we have commenced writing.

Adam: I just hope that people will go out and buy Austral Alien, I know if people hear it they will like it and it will increase our chances of playing abroad.