ORIGIN – Variety is the spice of life

Det amerikanske tekniske death metal bandet ORIGIN slipper sitt syvende album "Unparalleled Universe" i slutten av inneværende måned og i den forbindelsen tok Eternal Terrors Rune Grande seg en liten prat med eneste gjenværende originalmedlem, låtskriver og gitarist Paul Ryan.

Your new album "Unparalleled Universe" will be released at the end of this month. What can you tell us about it? 

It’s a continuation of of the origin sound with a few new aspects that will shock and surprise some. It’s our first album with the same lineup from the previous album lineup something we are very proud of that it’s not the easiest path to choose this musical journey 

Did you do anything different this time during the recording process or was it business as usual the Origin way?

I personally recorded DEMO guitar tracks to a click for about 90% of the album which we have never done before and drums were tracked to a recording of me playing the songs except a few improv parts. Later I went back and track the guitars to the drum parts that were recorded 

A couple of weeks ago there was yet another terrorist attack at a concert here in Europe. A pop concert, but still a concert. Do these attacks make you think a lot before you decide where to play? 

I can’t live being afraid. If that was the case I would never leave the house. I wouldn’t get up to go to work or live my live. If we all just buried our head in the sand what would be the point of life.

Are you frightened that this might happen at one of your gigs?

I feel Origins music as ferocious as it is it’s also a very euphoric sound if you get it. I look down while playing and see a lot of people having a good time. It’s a positive release of negative energy. 

I don’t believe anyone that really listens to this music has intention of doing the things that these religious fanatics are doing for their personal beliefs

This music expands thoughts sonically and always lets the listener create their own interpretation…

Where as the fanatics force their personal opinion through bloodshed. 

With the music business today and the lack of CD sales plusthe necessity of touring to make any money at all, is it hard to be in a band like Origin and combine it with some sort of family life? 

Anything in the music industry is difficult to make revenue from in every angle. Add in a family to support it makes it even more difficult. 2 of the 4 members have children so it’s even harder for them yet we fight the daily battle of how do we do this. How do we do what supports our families & yet retain true to ourselves and what we started with and what do the people support of Origin 

Now a few guitar questions. After Jeremy quit the band seven years ago, you have been handling all the guitars. First, was it a hard decision to continue with only one guitar and how did you handle the challenges it entailed?

Origin live has been a single guitar band since 2006 as Jeremy performed on the album in 2008 but was unable to tour. I had 0 intention of quitting regardless and basically I run 2 rigs now and Mike and I determine what harmonies work best whether it be bass or guitar

What was your first guitar? Do you still have it?

My 1st electric guitar was a Electra Lady Guitar. Yes I still have it

Do you think that the guitarist makes the quality of the music or maybe the equipment can do magic?

We don’t rely on computers to make our music. Nothing has ever been guitar pro. It’s always been me playing the instrument. It’s still a microphone in front of a tube amplifier tracking. I compose ideas on the guitar and have a basic skeleton of a song written but all the flesh gets added when we compose together in a jam hall

Have you ever run out of ideas while composing music for a new album? 

No, there is still a abundance of unused material after every album. I enjoy creating music. I keep little mental notes of material that I have stored inside my head. I’ve always worked this way.

In all the years that you’ve been playing did something go totally wrong during a concert of yours? 

Maybe a malfunction of equipment but never a complete mental error

Origin haven’t been in Norway too often. It’s actually pretty rare to see you up here. Any chance you will consider Norway the next time you are coming over to Europe?

We plan on playing as much as we can in support of our whole discography

Which song, older or from the new album, is the most challenging to play live and why?

It’s always the new stuff as it’s the most unrehearsed together otherwise we work together really well

A lot of the bigger US death metal bands have signed for European record labels lately, including yourselves. Many of them are on Nuclear Blast, but also Season of Mist and a few other labels have signed US death metal bands. Do European labels offer more money, better contracts or what is it? What is the reason you signed on Nuclear Blast first and then Agonia?

For a American band it helps having allies in Europe working for you in their perspective country as it’s hard for a American label to promote and distribute. NB said they were into the retro bands and were focusing on them rather than some newer more extreme sound so rather than be out on the back burner we signed with Agonia who has done excellent work for us

Nowadays the record companies release vinyl in as many different color combinations as they can trying to make the most money out of the fans. What are your thoughts about this topic?

Variety is the spice of life and to me it’s cool to have the different color options. It’s not like this is something new in the form of selling. 

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