Swedish death metallers Shikaka are about to released their debut EP Ocean of Blood. In an interview for Moshville, the band talks about the inspiration for the name, the music, and more.
What made you go for the name Shikaka?
We just love the Ace Ventura movies and needed a name for the band. So Shikaka just felt right. Spur of the moment, basically.
How do you usually describe your music?
It’s hard to put it in a genre. But when people ask we usually say we play a slow kind of horror deathmetal.
The important thing for us is that it makes the listener feel something. The riffs doesn’t need to be advanced or technical as long as they are right for the song.
What is your writing process like?
The process is usually that someone writes a song at home, often pretty basic. Then we get together and pick it apart, decide on the direction for it and write more or new parts together. Everybody in the band gets to put their own touch on it. Then we take it to the rehearsal room to try it out and sometimes change stuff later on.
Who or what is your inspiration, if you have any?
The opposite of Ace Ventura, horror movies, real life horror and disgusting things.
What is your favourite piece on the Ocean of Blood EP?
Our favourite piece is actually how the EP evolved. In the beginning we didn’t plan on using any orchestral production. It was an afterthought that turned out extremly well. So our favourite part is how the orchestral parts really tied the definition of Shikaka and Ocean of Blood together.
What makes Ocean of Blood different?
For us Ocean of Blood and Shikaka is different because we wanted to try something new. To make fairly simple and well written songs and not focus on always playing as fast or as technical as possible. It has been a challenge to keep it simple.
What should music lovers expect from “Ocean of Blood”?
Very heavy, very downtuned deathmetal with huge classical horror influences.
What kind of emotions would you like your audience to feel when they listen to your music?
Hopefully happiness because they like it.
Which do you like most, life in the studio or on tour?
We enjoy both. Both are an equally impotant part of being a musician.
Pick your three favourite albums that you would take on a desert island with you.
‘Aborted – Global Flatline’, ‘Ion Dissonance – Minus the herd’ and ‘Cannibal Corpse – A skeletal domain’.
Shikaka: facebook
