BRET HOFFMANN (Malevolent Creation) – Reign in Blood made me do it

Siden ET har hatt grei kontakt med Malevolent Creation i flere år, følte vi at Bret Hoffmann var en vokalist som burde være med i vår Deepthroat serie. Vi spurte derfor Bret da han tok kontakt med oss via MySpace angående et intervju rundt bandets kommende album Doomsday X, og han leverte sitt bidrag til The Deepthroat Series i løpet av ett par dager.

ET – When did you start doing extreme vocals (What year and at what age)?
BRET – I was 18 and it was around 1985

ET – What made you start to do extreme vocals?
BRET – Reign in Blood

ET – Can you describe the technique or the techniques you are using?
BRET – I wouldn't really know how to describe it — it's a cross between the old school hardcore shit and Tom Araya with my own approach

ET – Has your technique changed during your career?
BRET – No, but I think my voice has matured over the years and gotten more powerful

ET – Have you ever hurt yourself by using a "wrong technique"?
BRET – Yes, usually back in the beginning I would try to scream using more of my throat; you need to come more from your diaphragm. Also, I've hurt my voice and I'm sure other people have too when you have shitty monitors or a very bad monitor mix and you can't hear yourself and so you compensate by getting louder and you don't realize that's what you've been doing until you hurt your voice. So that's why I always tell other singers, if you have bad monitors just try to sing the way it feels right to you when you can hear it.

ET – Is there something you do on a regular basis to keep your voice in shape? Any routines?
BRET – I practice, and if I'm on tour I'll only drink hot water mixed with honey.

ET – Do you think it can be dangerous to do extreme vocals?
BRET – No, as long as you don't strain yourself. If you practice and have good control/support, it shouldn't be a problem.

ET – What is most important for you – to make cool sounds and interesting rhythms, or to have a clear diction/pronunciation?
BRET – I do like to have clear diction and pronunciation but I also try to do really long, powerful screams.

ET – Do you think that extreme vocals can be made into a science, like "this is how it works for everyone, to make this sound you have to do this etc"? Or is it more intuitive and individual how to do it?
BRET – I would think it's more individual. Probably certain ways of singing like using your diaphragm and lungs more should pretty much work for everyone, but after that it's definitely more individualistic, how you control that.

ET – Do you have any advice to people who wants to start doing extreme vocals?
BRET – Yes, start practicing to Rob Halford, Ripper Owens, Bruce Dickinson and Ian Gillan (Born Again). Because when you can master those kind of vocals, then you can move onto pretty much anything else you want. If you cac learn to have that level of power and control, you can translate that into any other vocular approach

ET – Mention three extreme vocalists whose style you admire, and explain your choice. What specifically do you like about the styles of those three? Also mention three vocalists (not necessarily extreme vocalists) which you have been influence by, and explain in which way you have been influenced by each of them.
BRET – Tom Araya — for the screams and the aggression (in the early days)
John Tardy — because of the uniqueness of the sound of his voice, because he was really a progenitor in this style
Kao from Rottin Sound — because he has a more hardcore edge to his vocals

Rob Halford — because I started out practicing to his songs and his consistently powerful vocal lines
Ian Gillan — same reasons, but also I feel he's very unique even today
Roger Miret — because I love hardcore and his vocals are the standard all others in the genre should be held to

ET – Who do you want to challenge in this series? (Who should be the next extreme vocalist to answer these questions?) Give a brief explanation for your choice.
BRET – Tom Araya because I can scream longer, stronger and louder than he ever did, even in his prime
My suggestion for the next vocalists is Kyle Thomas (former Exhorder, now Alabama Thunder Pussy and the only reason why Phil Anselmo ever got an ounce of recognition)

 

 

Kyle Thomas var en enkel herremann å få tak i og hans bidrag er allerede i box.