Interview with Pete Devine of Pete’s Rock News and Views (http://petesrocknewsandviews.com)
PD: How would you describe yourself or your band as an artist?
Mike: Well, we’re like the lovechild of Satan and Beethoven. We play death metal, but with a side of thrash and a sprinkle of black metal.
Patrick: As a band, if I had to pick a label or genre to lump us into, I would just say death metal. We take influence from a variety of other metal genres and aren’t really trying to fit into a specific category, we’re just trying to write heavy, head bang-able catchy riffs.
Joshua: Good ol fashion death metal.
PD: Can you tell us briefly about your background – i.e. where you’re from, how you came to make music, etc.
Mike: I was born in the fires of hell, and music was my only escape from the constant screams of the damned.
Tanner: Growing up, there were a lot of different genres of music that were always playing throughout the household. From country, hair metal, folk etc. It wasn’t until middle school that I was introduced to the heavier side of music. I play a lot of different types of music and instruments.
Patrick: I grew up in a small town in southeastern MN. Been playing music since I was a kid, starting with piano lessons up until about 8th grade and I played French horn throughout high school. I got my first guitar in 8th or 9th grade and haven’t looked back.
Joshua: Minnesota – started screaming in bands at 15 and haven’t stopped yet.
PD: Who and what inspires you to make music, both in terms of musical and other influences? What do you like to write about in your songs?
Mike: We’re inspired by the sounds of tortured souls, the smell of burning brimstone, and the taste of blood. As for our lyrics, we like to write about kittens and rainbows.
Tanner: There’s a whole world of inspiration out there and sometimes it’s surprising what can be inspiring. Descent of Man was pretty politically and environmentally charged when it came to the lyrics. Now, it’s more out there. Monsters, aliens etc.
Patrick: Metal music is just so fun to listen to, watch live, and play, so I don’t know that I have a single entity that was my personal inspiration, I just seemed to gravitate toward heavier stuff once I got into high school and my tastes just got heavier and more technical as I learned more on guitar. I liked listening to music that was more challenging than my technical playing abilities, I suppose maybe that drove me to continue learning and honing techniques as well as finding bands that get more creative, technical, and intense.
Joshua: I love finding bands that can spin a genre to make their own unique sound. My lyrical themes are often fantasy-based, but occasionally I will write about dissent towards government/religion.
PD: What are your aspirations as an artist?
Mike: To conquer the world with our music, and turn every living soul into a headbanging, moshing, metal maniac.
Dane: I want to play shows & share my music with as many people as possible. A world tour would be a huge accomplishment for me.
Joshua: To continue making music that others enjoy and will share with friends.
Tanner: I just want to keep making music that I enjoy.
Patrick: I want to record a full length album in the next year or so and play out more, hopefully some touring. I just want to keep the band progressing and keep progressing as a musician.
PD: What is the proudest moment in your music career so far?
Mike: When we played a show, and the audience didn’t flee in terror.
Tanner: Our latest release, honestly. It has great production value. Thanks to Roman Pinter for recording us and Demigod Recordings for mixing and mastering.
Patrick: Playing a packed hometown show is always fun for me, the energy and support from the crowd that knows your music just hits differently. Seeing people move to our music makes me feel pretty proud.
Joshua: Touring with friends.
PD: Promoting one’s music is such a challenge these days, especially with so many new artists emerging from bedrooms in the day of the home studio. How is that going?
Mike: We tried promoting our music by setting it on fire and throwing it at people, but it didn’t seem to work. So, we hired a manager.
Dane: I let Josh, Mike, and Tanner do the work. I think it’s going pretty well.
Tanner: We recently teamed up with DM Booking and Management and Dustyn has been killing it so far. The guy does a great job.
Patrick: Promoting is challenging and we’ve all got full time day jobs. We’re at a point now that we’ve hired a booking and management agency to help accelerate our progress while still being able to focus on the fun parts of being in a band – writing and performing.
PD: And how do you book and promote your live shows and tours? Any performances coming up?
Mike: We sacrifice goats to the metal gods and pray for good luck. As for upcoming shows, we’ll be performing in the fiery pits of hell next month.
Dane :Same as above, I let Josh, Mike and Tanner do the work. We have a show at the Skyway Theater in Minneapolis 3/31.
Tanner: As Dane mentioned, we’ll be in Minneapolis at the end of the month. Then, we’ll be playing Winona Metal Fest shortly after that on April 15th. As for new booking inquiries, they will go through our manager.
Joshua: Often contacting friends or promoters that I have previously worked with.
Patrick: We have historically just networked and fielded show offers through bookers and other bands just reaching out, but we’re hoping to elevate our reach through a booking agency moving forward.
PD: What do you think about downloading music online? What about streaming sites like Spotify? We don’t really care about downloading music online.
Mike: We’re just happy if people are listening to our music, whether it’s on Spotify or on a wax cylinder.
Dane: I think it is great as it allows listeners to hear a wide variety of music in a much more convenient fashion.
Tanner: Basically what Dane said.
Patrick: Getting your music out there is important to generate interest and get people to come to live shows. It’s not where the money is made, at least not for a lot of underground bands, but it gets you the exposure that is needed to build a fan base.
Joshua: Bandcamp or bust – I do not use any other “digital” medium to listen to music.
PD: What song do you wish you’d written and why?
Mike: We wish we’d written “Baby Shark” because that sh*t is catchy.
Dane: Britney Spears – Hit me Baby one more time – This song is a staple of society.
Patrick: I don’t really know. I wouldn’t want to just be a one hit wonder, nor would I want to write something with the sole goal of making money. I want to write original music that sounds like Descent of Man.
PD: Is there anything you don’t like about the music industry, which you would change if you could?
Mike: We would like it if everyone in the music industry had to wear leather pants all the time.
Tanner: Well, it’s ever changing to keep up with trends and all that shit. We’ve been independent for a long time but we’ve figured out the ropes for the most part. Hell, that could change in a year.
Patrick: I’d say we’re still learning about the music industry. I don’t know if this needs changed because I haven’t reached a final conclusion, but I want it to be easier to have a non-music career and family but still be in a successful band. Maybe we cannot tour 6 months a year at the moment, but we have some very talented musicians and we’re still having fun writing and performing our music.
Joshua: How expensive it is to be in a band, yet there is little to no return monetarily.
PD: So, what are you working on at the moment?
Mike: We’re working on a concept album about a unicorn who discovers heavy metal and becomes a headbanging, moshing, metal maniac.
Dane: Writing the DoM full-length album along with various other projects.
Tanner: What Dane said. Never what Mike says. Or maybe a little of what Mike says.
Patrick: I’m writing riffs and arranging songs that will be used on a forthcoming full length album. My rehearsal time is split between polishing riffs and getting ready for our upcoming shows and focusing on techniques and music theory to elevate my overall guitar playing.
Joshua: An upcoming full length.
PD: Where can we learn more about you and buy your music/merch online?
Mike:You can learn more about us by reading the Necronomicon, and you can buy our music and merch on the dark web.
Tanner: Any of the major social media sites, you can find us on.
Patrick: You can follow us on our social media platforms and all the music streaming services. We will ship merch and obviously sell it at shows and we’re working on getting our webstore back up and running.
Joshua: All social media sites, bandcamp, metal-archives, etc.
Descent of Man links:
Band/Artist location – Winona, MN.
Facebook – You Tube – Bandcamp – Reverbnation –
Twitter – Instagram – Apple – Spotify – Amazon – Deezer –
Check our page for Descent Of Man
