Murtaza Farooq grabbed the chance to catch up with Asadullah Qureshi and Agha Majid of stoner metal band, Myosis from Karachi. Recently they have released a split album with Singaporean metal band titled ‘The Schism of Precepts’.
Here is what these antisocial, frustrated individuals have to say about their personal affiliation with their lyrics and all the pent up angst they have for the run-of-the-mill mentality in society.
What exactly is the history behind Myosis and does the name signify anything?
Asad: Agha and I were schoolmates back in the day but we had lost touch. We met again through Hassan Umer (of band Multinational Corporations). Agha was looking to form a band and I was supposed to help out but it never happened because of prior commitments on my part…
Agha: I believe that Asad was just too lazy…
Asad (ignores him): So even though the band wasn’t around then, we had been meaning to do music together ever since. As far as the name goes, we wanted to pay homage to Neurosis.
Which leads us to the question of which bands have influenced Myosis and what’s the line-up?
Asad: Well, musically, our sound is rooted heavily in sludge and stoner doom. Some obvious reference points would be Iron Monkey, Grief, Noothgrush, Melvins and Corrupted. But we are crazy people so don’t be surprised if we end up doing noise rock or something of the sort. As for the lyrics, we draw on daily experiences. For example, while writing this, I am cooped up inside my room unable to set foot outside my house because of this political tug of war that has been going on for ages in Karachi. There is a stereotypical stoner aesthetic to us also but it’s mostly self parody. I do the guitars and drums and Agha does the vocals.
Your latest split-album Schism of Precepts was just brilliant and a huge step forward for the scene. I particularly enjoyed ‘The Uncaring strokes of the Master’ and ‘Cultivating the Tao’. What was the songwriting and recording process?
Asad: Most of our music starts as basic riffs. I keep messing around on my acoustic guitar since there is no electricity for the most part. If I come up with an interesting riff, I record it on my MP3 player and then I write most of the song around that riff. Once I have a basic sketch in mind, I make a demo out of it and send it to Agha. As for recording, we record on a dilapidated PC.
Agha: When I’m done with the recording, we listen to it. If we feel any part needs to be redone, especially on my part we record it again until it meets our standards.
Today people are paying less and less attention to their lyrics and frankly music has become monotonous with materialistic lyrics and ridiculous synthesised sounds. Is metal ever going to go mainstream again in your opinion?
Asad: It doesn’t really concern me. Metal isn’t meant for mainstream sensibilities. I mean the pop and indie crowd have tried appropriating metal but it rarely ever sounds convincing. Very easy to detect and identify. “Normal” people don’t like thinking very much so naturally they have a fast-food approach to music.
What should we expect from Myosis in the future with our expectations so far up after the album release?
Asad: Well we are going to continue making music. Maybe another split album with another awesome foreign band or a full length solo album.
What do you love and hate the most about the entire recording process and the audience in general?
Agha: Writing the lyrics is always trying and obviously the unpredictable power cuts.
Asad: Apart from that, I really enjoy writing and recording music. We do music for very selfish reasons. It has to have some kind of meaning for us. That’s my primary motivation, at least. But, yeah, I really love it when the more mature listeners take the time out to actually provide some constructive feedback. Haters and detractors are always there but you’ve got to live with them and you can’t let them get to you.
Are there any personal sentiments attached to your songs?
Asad: Yeah. As I mentioned earlier also, Myosis is a very personal affair. It is political but there is more to it than just, “Damn the corporations…Anarchy! Argghg!”
What bands would you recommend to a newcomer to the scene?
Asad: Marg, Dusk, Venom Vault, Necktarium, Foreskin, Depletion, Sorr, Makham, Dionysus, Cardinal Sin, Taarma, Berserker, Odyssey and Orion.
Agha: And don’t forget Dionysus.
Do we hope to see you playing live anytime soon?
Asad: We might if we end up finding ourselves people to play with. I plan on doing that with my other band so why not.
Is your education something less important to the band? A lot of
young people think that making music requires no hard work and things always work out. Do you have anything to say to them?
Asad: Personally, I think people should stop attributing any more importance to formal education than is reasonable. It is an ideological tool. Music is hard work. You need to invest time in it.
Any advice for the readers?
Asad: Ask questions. Think. Challenge what you know to be “good.” Is it inherently good if it works for you? Damn the government. Damn the army. Power to the common man!
