(scroll down the bar and find an English version)
We hear all the time about our artists leaving their homeland and planting their creative spirit somewhere beyond Slovenia’s borders. Far fewer are the stories where the homeland is some foreign country and the new home is our little corner of the world. One of those kicked off in 2020, when the viral hurricane had thoroughly taken over every corner of the globe, but it didn’t stop four musicians who decided to swap their home in Malta for a new one in Slovenia. The new residents of Zreče, Kris Farrugia, Ehren Fenech, John ‘Castiel’ Gatt and Matthew ‘BomBom’ Mercieca, are members of Decline the fall, but they’d rather call their life together a brotherhood.
Decline the fall immortalized their first autumn in Slovenia with their debut Our own demise, which they haven’t had a chance to present yet. So Saturday, October 30, 2021, is one of the first opportunities to serve their old and new fans a batch of brand-new tracks. After exactly 22 months, the guys are stepping back on stage as part of the Helloween Raspaljotka night at Center mladih Koper.
We talked to vocalist John about this intriguing brotherhood’s story so far.
Even if I wanted to, it’d be hard to start any other way, so… It’s a long road from Malta to Slovenia. Agreed, we live in a beautiful country, but it’s not exactly an everyday thing for four metalheads, a whole band, to pack their bags and move to Slovenia. To Zreče, to be precise. So what’s the story?
As you probably know, Malta is a small island, which means we’re limited both in space and in options for creating. For four musicians who want to make it on an international level, staying in Malta was a limitation. Slovenia was the ideal choice because of its central location in Europe, and also because the cost of living and quality of life are perfect. We found the house in Zreče through a friend who lives in Slovenske Konjice! Coming from a place where you’re surrounded by nothing but buildings, construction sites and sea, we fell in love with Zreče, because here we’re surrounded by endless green and mountains.
It’s winter, you’re enjoying your new home, it’s probably snowing outside, a proper winter idyll… Everything would be perfect if it weren’t for the pandemic. As musicians in a new country, you found yourselves in an unenviable spot. How did that affect your plans?
We decided to move to Slovenia during the pandemic because we’d rather start from scratch in another country, since that already meant a step forward. Yes, it was interesting waking up and admiring the snowy landscape through the window, shoveling snow off the yard so we could move the car, but we got used to all these winter joys very quickly. Because of the pandemic we couldn’t play live, so we poured all our energy into our social media presence and creating new material.
The band’s beginnings go back to 2015, with a different lineup and musical direction. When and how did Decline the fall become the band we know today?
The last change happened when Matthew replaced Nathan, who left for Canada. If I’m not mistaken, that was in 2017. Anyway, I’m convinced the direction we chose lets us keep growing as a band. A strong urge to learn new techniques is what drives us forward.
You like to say you’re not just a band, but a brotherhood. What does that mean?
We always have each other’s backs. It’s not just making and playing music that ties us together, but also living together. That means we accept each other’s flaws and know we’re four individuals with very different lifestyles and outlooks on life. We can talk about anything, anytime, even when we don’t see eye to eye.
In Malta you’re known as one of the leading metal bands. Maybe people don’t expect an island we associate with beaches, sun and sea to have a thriving metal scene, but that’s very far from the truth, right?
The metal scene in Malta is very similar to the Slovenian one. If you look at gig attendance stats, we’re at roughly the same level. And just like in Slovenia, the Maltese metal community is tightly knit, everybody knows everybody and they back each other up despite different musical styles. Our style was something unusual for Malta, and that’s exactly why we pulled in a lot of listeners.
You’ve played a few gigs abroad, sharing the stage with big names like Mayhem, Rotting Christ and Lacuna Coil. You also played the well-known Bulgarian festival Hills of Rock in Plovdiv. What was it like playing such huge stages in front of such big crowds?
Absolutely fantastic. Playing the festival was a dream come true. They picked us up at the airport in Sofia and drove us to Plovdiv, where we stayed in the same hotel as all the big bands. For those four days we literally lived like rock stars. Playing in front of a crowd like that stirs up a lot of excitement, of course, but it stays etched in your memory forever. I’ll never forget our conversation boarding the plane back to Malta. That’s when we set ourselves the goal of living through as many moments like that as possible – not as just one among many, but so that they become a constant. That was a turning point, because after we got back we got seriously busy with leaving the island.
Your debut Our own demise blew out its first candle in September. The album took a few years to make. How did you create it, and was any part of it made in Slovenia?
We made the whole album in Malta, including the production and music videos. That’s right, it took a few years, because we had to save up enough money for a professional release. In Slovenia, though, we made an acoustic version of our first single Nemesis and shot a video for it in Zreče and on Rogla. The scenery there is gorgeous and suited the acoustic makeover perfectly.
Your music comes with very explicit lyrics about the harm we do to ourselves. Is that the message you want to share with listeners?
Yes, that’s exactly what we want to tell the public. All four of us have some pretty rough experiences behind us, and we know there are plenty of people out there who have been, or still are, going through similar things. We want to give them a voice, tell them we understand because we’ve been there, and that they have our support. Sadly, our voice isn’t enough to fix national disgraces like tearing down trees in Malta to build a ridiculous number of buildings. We want to be heard by those who can make decisions, or influence them.
Is music still what gets people thinking, maybe even changing, or are we so flooded with this kind of message that we simply don’t hear it anymore?
Whoever wants to listen will hear. The problem isn’t a flood of messages, it’s a lack of interest and a refusal to acknowledge the problem itself. Some people are simply too egocentric and selfish to even grasp that a problem really exists. Sadly, money and greed drive a lot of people through life.
Have you had a chance to meet any Slovenian musicians and check out the local metal scene yet? What have your experiences been so far?
We’ve met quite a few musicians, and we’re getting to know the local metal scene slowly, step by step. We’re playing in Koper at the end of the month, and I’m sure it’ll open doors for collaborations with Slovenian bands. We’ve been to a few gigs and the atmosphere was fantastic. Very similar to Malta’s.
As you mentioned, in August you released an acoustic version of Nemesis and shot the video for it entirely on your own. Why the new makeover, and what was it like doing a self-produced, self-directed video?
That’s right. We wanted to try out how some of the songs would sound acoustic. We knew we could put them in a completely different emotional frame and the message would still be strong, clear and loud. For the first time we did everything ourselves, from recording and producing the track to shooting and editing the video. We’re really happy with the result, because we know how important it is to be able to do everything within the band.
After 22 months, it’s finally time to play live and present the album. When and where are you playing, and above all, how do you feel about it? Are you planning any more gigs in the coming months?
On October 30 we’ll be playing at Center mladih Koper. It won’t be our first Halloween gig, so we’re looking forward to the vibe and, of course, getting back on stage after so many months! We definitely have other shows planned. Right now we’re carefully sticking to the pandemic measures, but we’ve got quite a few plans for next year and can’t wait to share them with our fans.
How did your fans in Malta react to your move, and are they still following you? Do you want to reach Slovenian listeners too? Got a message for them?
Nobody expected such a bold move, especially in the middle of a pandemic. The average Maltese person is convinced that the sea is the limit, but we blew way past that. Of course we still have plenty of fans in Malta, but we want to reach as far as we can, and we definitely want to win over Slovenian fans too! Let them know we came here with our feet on the ground, ready to work hard to be accepted into the Slovenian metal community, and we can’t wait to give them a different musical experience.
In the song Nemesis you ask: ‘Are we the cure or the disease?’
We could be the cure. We’ll stay the disease until the vast majority start joining forces to build a better future for everyone, not just those with power and money.
Author: Nataša Fajon
English Version:
Decline the fall: Are we the cure or the disease?
Even if I wanted to, it would be hard to start with anything else, so… There’s a long way from Malta to Slovenia. Ok, it’s a beautiful country, I know, but it doesn’t happen every day that four metal musicians, members of a band, pack their bags and move to Slovenia. More precisely to Zreče. So, what’s the story?
As you know, Malta is a tiny island, which means that we are limited with space and things to do. For 4 musicians who want to make themselves heard internationally, remaining in Malta was a limitation. Slovenia was the ideal choice for us due to its central location in Europe and also because the cost of living and quality of living are perfect. We came across our house in Zreče thanks to a friend of ours who lives in Slovenske Konjice! Coming from a country where all you see is endless buildings, construction sites and sea, Zreče gave us the possibility to live surrounded by so much greenery and mountains!
It’s winter, you’re enjoying your new home, maybe there’s snow all around… There’s only one ‘little’ problem, a pandemic. Not a good time to be a musician in a new country. What do you do? Sure, all that had a bad impact on your plans or not?
We chose to move from Malta to Slovenia during the pandemic simply because, we’d rather start from scratch in another country rather than in Malta, since this would still represent a step forward. Yes of course, it is interesting waking up to snow, having to shovel the driveway in order to move the car, but it is something which we adapted to rather quickly. Since the pandemic meant no gigs and concerts, then we focused all our energies on our social media presence and on creating new material.
The band started in 2015 with a different line up and musical direction. When and how did Decline the fall become the band we know today?
The last line up change we had was when Matthew joined the band after Nathan left for Canada; I believe this was in 2017! However, I would say that the direction the band took up is synonymous with the bands’ technical growth. We have a constant desire to learn new techniques and in turn, pushes the band forward.
You like to say that you’re not just a band, but a brotherhood. What does that mean?
We are a constant support for each other. It is not just about creating, producing and playing music, but it also about accepting each other’s flaws and understanding that we are 4 individuals with very different ways of living and seeing life. We can open up with each other, be it for confrontation or be it for solidarity.
You’re known as one of Malta’s leading metalcore bands. Maybe people wouldn’t expect an island of sand, sea, and sun to have a metal scene but that’s very far from the truth, right?
I’d say that the metal scene in Malta is somewhat similar to the metal scene in Slovenia. Even statistically speaking, numbers present at gigs/concerts are more or less on the same lines. And same as in Slovenia, the metal community is closely knit where everyone knows everyone and there is general support towards each other, even if the styles of music vary. We represent a style that was uncommon in Malta and this helped with creating a very good following.
You played some gigs abroad, supporting international acts such as Mayhem, Rotting Christ & Lacuna Coil. Later, the band performed at the esteemed Bulgarian festival Hills of Rock, situated in Plovdiv. What was it like to play on a big stage in front of a huge public?
It was absolutely fantastic. The whole trip was a dream come true. We were collected from the airport in Sofia, driven to Plovdiv where we were accommodated in the same hotel as all the big bands. We literally lived 4 days of the rockstar life. Of course, performing in front of such a crowd gives the chills but remains imprinted in your mind! One thing I will never forget, is boarding the plane back to Malta and saying to each other that our goal is to live as many of these moments as possible – they cannot be one-offs, but they must become a constant. This was a turning point for the band, as this is what led to focusing on leaving the island.
In September your debut album “Our Own Demise” celebrated its first birthday. You were working on it for a few years. What was the process of making it, and did you make any of its part here in Slovenia?
As regards to Our Own Demise, everything was done in Malta – from music videos, production etc. As you said, the process took a few years since we were currently saving money to cover all the costs which go with launching such an album in an absolute professional manner. We did, however, work on an acoustic version of our first release ‘Nemesis’ in Slovenia and we also shot a music video in Zreče and up in Rogla. The scenery is fantastic up there and suited the acoustic version perfectly!
Your music is accompanied by very explicit words about the damage we’re doing to ourselves. Is this the kind of message you want to deliver to the public? What do you want to communicate with your music?
Yes, that is exactly what we want to deliver to the public. The 4 of us had our own experiences with many social situations and we know how many people out there suffer/ed from the same situations. We want to give a voice to these people, show them that we understand, that we went through it and that they have support. Unfortunately, when it comes to National situations like the annihilation of trees in Malta to make way for the ridiculous amount of construction sites, we need more than just our voices. We want to be heard by those who could take decisions, or possibly influence decisions.
Does the music still have the power to make people think and actually change something, or are we so overflowed with all those messages we simply don’t hear them anymore?
I think that those who want to listen, will listen. The problem is not the overflowing number of messages, but the lack of interest and acknowledgement of the problem in itself. Some people are just too self-centered and selfish to realise that there actually is a problem. Money and Greed have become the gods of many people unfortunately.
GHave you had the chance to meet and work with Slovenian musicians? Did you experience the metal scene in our country? What are your thoughts so far?
We did meet quite a few musicians and we are slowly but gradually getting to know the metal scene here. We will be playing a gig towards the end of October in Koper and I’m sure that this will give us an even better indication with working with other Slovenian musicians. We did go to a few gigs and we enjoyed the atmosphere that we found. Again, we found it to be very similar to Malta.
In August you released a new acoustic version and music video of the song “Nemesis” which was completely done by the band. The video was recorded in Zreče and its surroundings. Why the new version and video, and how did you feel recording your own material?
That’s absolutely correct. All members of the band had the desire to rewrite some of our songs with an acoustic mind frame. We knew that we could give a very different emotion, yet keep the message so strong, loud and clear. It was our first time doing the whole process, from recording, producing, shooting the video and editing the music video also. We are very happy with the result and we know how important it is for a band to be self-sufficient.
After 22 months, it’s time to play live again and finally promote the album. When and where will you playing, and most of all, how do you feel about it? Are there any other gigs planned for the coming months?
We will be playing on the 30 October in Center Mladih Koper – actually, this will not be our first Halloween event in general, so we’re looking forward to the atmosphere and of course, getting back on stage after so long! There are definitely other gigs in the pipeline, we’re currently making sure to implement the right precautions due to the pandemic, however we have quite a few plans for next year and can’t wait to share them with our fans!
What was the reaction of your fan base in Malta to your moving and are they still following you nowadays? Do you plan to reach Slovenian fans too? Is there any message you’d like to pass on to them?
No one really expected us to make such a bold move, especially right in the middle of a pandemic. The general Maltese person thinks that the sea is the limit, but we went well beyond that. We still have plenty of Maltese fans of course, but we plan to reach as far as possible and we most definitely want to reach the Slovenian fans too!
In Nemesis you ask yourself ‘Are we the cure or the disease?’
We can be the cure, but we will remain the disease till the vast majority start working together with pulling the same rope for a better future which suits us all, and not just the wealthy and powerful.
