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The HXC: So, it's been awhile since you've guys have done any publicity, what has been going?
Shane: Since releasing "Cheer's..." we have parted ways with our long time friend and drummer Pat Kelly and guitarist Mike Biener. This was unfortunately due to career and reliability conflicts. Our last show with the original "Cheer's" line up took place at the Loft in July, and ever since we have just focused all of our energy and attention to rebuilding as well as writing new material.
After much lament and dissatisfaction with which Matt and I saw ourselves and Mabus in, we decided to move on and search once again for new members. Mike and Kevin, formerly of Nathaniel White soon after would take on the role of the Mabus guitar section. Ironically, they were going through the same pitfalls of musician un-reliability as us and contacted Matt and I after Nathaniel White saw its last day.
Publicity, although appreciated was not our primary concern at the time. The important thing was locating new, trustworthy and talented musicians so we could promise ourselves future publicity.
The HXC: Your first release came out earlier this year "Cheers to Doomsday Gloom", how has it been received since its release?
Shane: Well, Glacial Records has sent out a ton of copies of the CD to numerous magazines and webzines, and for the most part we have gathered a lot praiseworthy. One major plus of having a labels support is that they will, hopefully send your CD out to many listeners who would never have found your music otherwise. It has broadened our audience, and for that we are very thankful.
A huge accomplishment in our eyes was the review we received in the November issue of Metal Maniacs. Iron Maiden was on the cover, and inside, in color, was our review. They basically said that for a band who is young, and who has endured many line change ups, we are something to watch out for. That was incredible. Our good friends Randall Flag were in that issue as well, and they flagged us down in our little towns Main Street that Sunday afternoon to tell us of this awesome news. We had no idea we were going to be in it, so we immediately took the celebration from the street to the bar.
The HXC: There are numerous influences surrounding the material on the EP, what are more of the primary influences of the band?
Shane: Bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan, System of A Down, Converge, Pantera, Pink Floyd, The Nat King Cole Trio, Nevermore, Bela Fleck and also local bands such as Robots and Empire, Casket Architects, and My Bitter End.
The HXC: There is plenty technical playing all throughout this release, who writes the compositions for the band?
Shane: Matt is the primary writer. He wrote most of the songs on the CD and pretty much any Mabus song ever. He is the brains behind the machine.
The HXC: Given all of the nu-metalcore garbage out there these days, are you guys ever afraid of being lumped into that category?
Shane: People love to lump. And lump they will. Sadly, it's out of our hands. If they lump they lump. Although I'd like to say we are set apart from alot of our influences and contemporaries, we have heavy metal riffage and screaming and for alot of today’s Music listeners that all tends to sound the same. We never considered ourselves anything but Metal, with a side of class.
The HXC: Given the various elements heard in the EP, Jazz, rock, metal, and grind, do you think material on the next Mabus release will change dramatically?
Shane: I don't think a dramatic change will occur, but one that will find us mixing all of our influences into a more mature fashion. We have grown with eachother and with each of our respectable instruments alot since the two summers ago we recorded "Cheers” and hope to really take the music to another level. The newer stuff sounds even more intricate yet coherent.
The HXC: How have the member changed/effected the new material?
Shane: Mike and Kevin have added alot to the mix of things. Songs off "Cheer's" sound even more intense and harmonized, we love it and what they have done to that songs. Their contributions to new ideas have been greatly received. Their styles seem to blend better than ever with that of Matts.
The HXC: Old news now, but tell us a little bit about how you guys were signed to New York's Glacial Records?
Shane: Jay, from Robots and Empire, who runs the Label called me in hopes that we would want to be a part of Glacial. Being fans of his music, and after meeting with the Glacial squad we joined forces. At the time, we had no guitarist, and they were gracious enough to be patient with us. The deal was we were to record as soon as we had the guitar slot filled and they would press the CD's and get us some press. So upon finding Mike, who recorded "Cheer's" with us, he was learning the songs as we were recording/writing them in the studio.
The HXC: Any shows within the foreseeable future lined up?
Shane: We have none yet. As soon as a drummer is found we will be playing a plethora of shows. Once summer is here, and hopefully by then a new drummer will be amongst us, we plan on touring again.
The HXC: That's all on my end thanks again Shane, is there anything else you would like to add?
Shane: If you are an experienced and reliable drummer,looking to enjoy Mabus, who is also willing to tour please contact us shane.cashman@purchase.edu or at www.myspace.com/mabus or www.mabushf.com
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