Interview with Dave DR (IMMORTALIZER) and Pete Devine of Pete’s Rock News and Views (https://petesrocknewsandviews.com)
PD: Getting started, please explain why did you chose the name “Ιmmortalizer”. And what does it mean?
DDR: When I started writing demos for what would later become Immortalizer, I started searching for the right name. Almost every band name imaginable was taken so I decided to get creative. I had this song idea about a sword that would make its owner immortal (at the expense of their soul) I called it the Immortalizer! It immediately leaped off the page and I felt it was perfect. That’s also why the T logo (which is also part of the lettering) is a sword with a skull!
PD: Do you believe that being from Canada helping your career?
DDR: Well, it’s hard to say for sure, but Canada does have tons of diehard Metal fans that are incredibly loyal; which is awesome! Lots of other Canadian artists have become huge internationally as well. Mostly I think it’s our close proximity to the USA which is a huge plus.
PD: Tell us about your last work.
DDR: My most recent work is the upcoming single “I’m gone” It’s a song about being in a toxic relationship and saying no more, I’m done. It’s got some pretty wild guitar solos and riffs that get stuck in your head. I’m still putting the final touches on the track, but it should be released soon!
PD: Before you start this band, were you experienced about other bands?
DDR: I’ve been playing music for nearly 25 years, and in that time, I’ve been in about a dozen bands. Mostly ones I co-founded with my best friend Jay. I think my favourite one would have to be Masked Resistance. It was a Metal band I started with Jay that sounded a bit like a mix of Motörhead and Judas Priest. It was pretty wild, but it was not to be. But yes, I’ve been in lots of bands, that’s for sure.
PD: What are you musical influences? If you have, of course.
DDR: My musical influences range quite a bit, from members of my own family to big stars like Rob 
Halford and Judas Priest. Lemmy from Motörhead is of course another person who had a huge impact on me as a kid and as an adult. Biff Byford and Saxon, Ralf Scheepers and Primal Fear, Dave Mustaine and Megadeth, they’re all great examples of people I greatly admire.
PD: Regarding your songwriting, tell us about your lyrics. What they are about?
DDR: I write about all kinds of things really. Cutting loose and having fun, playing music, life, death, sex, lust, love, hate, drugs, depression, society and so on. Mostly I try to write about what I know. Writing from personal experience is always a safe bet in my opinion. It’s easy to express yourself through lyrics when you’ve lived it. Writing from other people’s perspective is more challenging, but can also lead to great lyrics. I spend a lot of time writing my lyrics because I truly believe that good lyrics are key. Bad lyrics can easily destroy an otherwise really solid tune.
PD: Where did you record your last single “Lemmy”?
DDR: The “Lemmy” single was recorded in my home studio. I would have loved to record in a professional studio, but unfortunately the Covid restrictions in Canada made that impossible. However, despite not having the best gear at home, I was still able to get the song out there which I’m very happy about.
PD: Speaking about live performances, do you have any experience?
DDR: I’ve performed quite a bit since I was 13 years old. My best friend Jay and I performed with our various bands over the years, and after things changed and he returned to school and our other musician friends either did the same or chose different paths in life, I started working on my solo projects and eventually on creating Immortalizer. I’m looking forward to getting back into playing live again, I miss it a lot.
PD: What are your single releases until now?
DDR: I’ve released 3 Immortalizer singles so far. My first two, Unleashed and Lost were released on CD and 7” vinyl and later on Social Media and of course more recently I released “Lemmy” my tribute song to Lemmy Kilmister and Motörhead. Soon I’ll be releasing “I’m Gone” as my 4th single, so I’m really excited about that.
PD: What was different in your past releases compared with the new song “Lemmy”?
DDR: The main difference between my first releases and “Lemmy” was my use of acoustic drums vs digital ones. I was disappointed cause I really wanted to use my acoustic drums, but Covid made that impossible. However, the show must go on, so I decided to move forward with the digital drums for the time being, but I plan on re-recording the drums for the album version.
PD: There are a lot of hard rock/metal bands in Canada. What is the whole situation?
DDR: Canada has tons of great Rock & Metal bands for sure. Like the rest of the world, we have a mix of bands that are out there just to have fun and others that are trying to get signed and are working very 
hard to get discovered. But It’s rough out there, more and more bars, clubs and music halls are closing down and being replaced by nightclubs with DJ’s. Bands also struggle to get recognized on the internet cause there’s so much competition and so much other content out there. So you need to be very driven to keep going despite all those hurdles.
PD: Do you believe that passion is important about a metal band?
DDR: Absolutely, I think being passionate about your music is key! There’s always going to be those rough days that bring you down, and if you don’t have that unshakeable passion for your band and your music, it can all easily fall apart. If you show other people how passionate you are through your music and your performances, they are way more likely to take a genuine interest in your music. If you want people to remember you, you have to show them you’re worth being remembered!
PD: The last lines are yours…Thank you so much for this interview!
DDR: It was my pleasure! As always, I’d like to thank Immortalizer fans everywhere for their support! You metal maniacs are amazing!! Can’t wait to bring Immortalizer to the stage and to your town!
Stay safe out there,
Dave D.R.
IMMORTALIZER links:
Band/Artist location – Toronto Canada
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