Summon: How did the band get started?
Jer: Originally, the band was called “Torch,” which started in 2005, but in 2008 the name changed to FlesHarvest. There were personnel changes, but we’ve stuck with the three: Torch, Chrys and Jer for the last 4 years and counting.
Summon: What kind of music do you play?
Jer: It’s a little difficult to brand or label us because we mix in many influences from each member. For instance, in one song you can hear black, death and speed metal all in one song. We do like playing fast, so we can all say that we all have a speed metal influence – Slayer, Megadeth, Testament, etc.
Summon: How has the fan response been?
Jer: We have been gaining fans with every show we play, but we have been working toward a progressive approach to make our sound even more distinctive. We would like to have a sound that people will definitely know us by.
Summon: Where did the band name come from?
Jer: It was mostly reaper-influenced. There are other bands with the two words, but we are the only ones with one ‘H’ and one word. We like to Harvest good music to share with others.
Summon: Introduce the band members and what they do in the band.
Jer: Torch provides bass and vocals, Chrystian is the drummer, and Jer is the guitar.
Summon: Who writes the music? Lyrics?
Jer: We collaborate on music, but Torch writes the lyrics. We spend a great deal of time writing songs together so we can match what we are thinking about sonically.
Summon: And where do the lyric ideas come from?
Jer: Torch comes up with our lyrical content. Most of our lyrical themes balance on battles – Good vs. Evil, David vs. Goliath. They would mean certain things to certain people and the battles they choose every day.
Summon: What is your view in Satanism and Occultism?
Jer: We don’t preach to anybody, but we do believe in free expression.
Summon: How many albums/CD’s have you released?
Jer: There have been several versions of an EP we’ve recorded in various places. After trying a few we were the happiest with the product we finally made ourselves. We weren’t rushed nor did we feel confined, so the latest songs published on www.reverbnation.com/flesharvestlegion and www.bandcamp.com/flesharvest are our favorites; however we have much more to record in the future.
Summon: Tell me about some the songs on the latest CD?
Jer: They are our original songs that have grown since the inception of FlesHarvest. They have evolved a bit since 2008, but still retain most of their aggressiveness. “Fates Warning,” “Deliverance,” “Brutal Intention,” and “Scarred for Life” have all been staples of our live and recorded performances. They are probably the most recognizable; however we probably have enough material to fill up one or two more albums.
Summon: Do you have any side projects?
Jer: Not at the moment.
Summon: Who are some of your musical influences?
Jer: To name a few: Slayer, Megadeth, Sepultura, Testament, Pantera, Death, and Behemoth. We always have listened to a ton of old school thrash and speed metal. We are always in awe of technical bands that really hone their skills. It’s great to look up at guys like Chuck Schuldiner and see what he did for a genre. I don’t think Tech Death would exist without him.
Summon: Which current bands?
Jer: We’ve really been digging Fleshgod Apocalypse, Gorod, Animals as Leaders, Obscura, Beyond Creation, Soreption and any other progressive metal we can get our hands on.
Summon: What is the band like when you play live?
Jer: We are very much different from the recorded aspect. I don’t think most music gets appreciated until it is seen in the truest, rawest form, so we are a different beast when seen live. I think people appreciate it more that way. There is a ferocity that only comes out when we are live.
Summon: Have you guys ever played in another country?
Jer: No, but Torch is from the Philippines and Chrystian is from Brazil, so technically, yes?
Summon: How big of crowd shows up at shows usually?
Jer: It all depends. We have played for big and small crowds. It’s been so erratic lately, that on nights where you don’t expect anybody to show the venues are packed. It’s probably always sort of been that way, but that is something that has been debated intensely for quite some time.
Summon: How is the crowd response when you play?
Jer: Usually either people go completely nuts, or are people are completely mystified by the sound that only three guys can make. Either way we appreciate it. It’s always nice to see people mosh, but it’s also neat to know that you blew somebody’s mind as well.
Summon: What do you think of the US Black Metal/Death Metal scene?
Jer: Being in Florida, we appreciate the history of Death Metal and acknowledge its roots here. We are bigger fans of the traditional Death and Black Metal; however the newest incarnations are hard to ignore – Tech Death, Deathcore, Blackened Thrash – however you want to label it. We do seem to run into plenty of the “core” type of bands currently and it seems that is the younger generation’s stamp on metal at the moment.
Summon: What do you think of the Overseas scenes?
Jer: The grass always looks greener, doesn’t it? It would be an awesome opportunity to get to experience it someday. Just from seeing the Sonishphere and Wacken Open Air festivals – the heavy music culture looks bigger than ever in European countries.
Summon: What are some of new favorite black metal/death metal bands?
Jer: Fleshgod Apocalypse, Gorod, Decapitation, Suffocation. We also like some of the recent Florida Death Metal bands like Impurity, Path to Prevail, The Hackish, Diabolic Intent.
Summon: When do you guys plan on writing any new material?
Jer: ASAP.
Summon: What does the future hold for the band??
Jer: Hopefully, some good stuff. We are getting to share the stage with Soulfly, so that is definitely a dream of ours. We aren’t going anywhere, so we will keep hammering away and seeking the opportunities as they come.
Contact them at:
http://www.reverbnation.com/flesharvestlegion
https://www.facebook.com/flesharvest
