Gigan - The death metal of the “false eye”

When they released “The Order Of The False Eye“, Gigan were virtually unknown, yet they immediately established themselves as one of the most interesting acts in contemporary death metal. What might have seemed like a one-off exploit later proved, with the release of the recent “Quasi-Hallucinogenic Sonic Landscapes“, to be just the first step in building an utterly original sound, one in which an unbridled passion for the space psychedelia of Hawkwind, the guitar minimalism of Orthrelm, the progressive, geometric fury of Gorguts, and a love for H.P. Lovecraft's horror-science-fiction universe all coexist.

How did Gigan come about?

After spending many years in other bands, I realized it was time to put together something of my own. The only limit would be my imagination.

When the adventure began, what was going through your head?

That the world was at my feet. And that the time had come to take over…

What does "Gigan" mean?

Gigan is a Japanese word that stands for "false eye". It's a reference to man's ability to look beyond his own "mind's eye". 

Before Gigan, you played in Hate Eternal. What do you remember of that experience?

It was a very formative experience for me! I'm honored to have been part of Hate Eternal's history, even though my involvement was minimal (Eric played guitar in the band between 2005 and 2007, ed.). I learned all their songs and played in two videos, but I never took part in a live show or recorded with the band. Before that chance ever came up, I decided to leave and start Gigan.

Why did you decide, back then, to play death metal specifically?

I've been playing metal ever since I picked up the guitar at age nine. I'm 34 now and I feel comfortable with pretty much every style. Why death metal specifically? Because I like playing fast, I always have! I've always had a lot of "pent-up" emotions, and death metal has always been a good "release" for me! I express myself creatively in many ways, but the guitar has been a good friend to me. Above all, I feel like an artist. 

What are your most important influences?

I'm influenced a bit by everything around me. Above all, by my imagination.

Your songs have a pronounced spacey, lysergic feel. I know Hawkwind are one of your favorite bands, right? So, how would you define the Gigan sound?

I love Hawkwind!!! I'd define Gigan as a "psychedelic extreme metal" band. The more colors, the better!

Ten essential records for your musical education…

I'll give you fifteen, in no particular order…

Miles Davis – The complete Bitches Brew.

Primus – The first four albums

Rush – everything, but especially Moving Pictures.

Coroner – Punishment for Decadence.

Thanatopsis – everything

Jimi Hendrix – Axis: Bold as Love.

Sugar Hill Gang – everything

GZA – Liquid Swords.

Terrorizer – World Downfall.

Iron Maiden – Killers, Powerslave e Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.

Autopsy – Mental Funeral.

Sadus – Swallowed In Black.

Morbid Angel – Altars of Madness, Blessed Are the Sick, Covenant e Formulas Fatal to the Flesh

Henry Manfredini – everything

Goblin – everything

On top of that, add every kind of classical-orchestral music, especially the more "aggressive" side of it. But that's never enough, since there are so many more I could name!!!

Ah, Goblin! Is there any other Italian band you're into?

I like Putridity, Fleshgod Apocalypse, and also Hour of Penance.

When and how did you meet your current partners in crime?

I met both John (Collett, the singer; ed.) and Kaish (Doane, the drummer, ed.) while I was on tour with Gigan: Kaish while I was touring with Vital Remains, and John when his band opened for us at a show in Tampa, Florida.

What happened with Randy Piro and Danny Ryan?

Danny left because of legal trouble: he couldn't leave Georgia (his home state) for a year. Randy, on the other hand, left because he no longer felt like touring. He quit the band a month before the tour with Origin and Malevolent Creation, in June 2010.

Let's take a quick look back at your records. Let's start with “Footsteps Of Gigan”.

It was meant to be a demo, but when we recorded it, in early 2006, Index Entertainment liked it so much that they decided to release it!

Then came the big leap forward with “The Order Of The False Eye”…

That was our first full length. We recorded it with Sanford Parker in Chicago. After that, we went on a long tour!

In my opinion, “The Order Of The False Eye” shows some clear echoes of Gorguts' “Obscura”…

There are two or three riffs that Randy wrote under the heavy influence of “Obscura”. Everything else is pure coincidence.

By the way, tell me about “Unnamed”, the long jam (over twenty-one minutes!) that closed the album. A very evocative moment. Was it a bonus track, as I've read somewhere, or was it an integral part of the record?

It was meant to be an untitled bonus track. Anyway, it's just a section of a much longer improvised jam. We didn't give it a title because it amused us a lot…

And finally, the very recent “Quasi-Hallucinogenic Sonic Landscapes”. What are the most obvious differences between this new work and the previous ones?

“Quasi…” is without doubt our most focused work, and also the best-recorded one. It boasts better production, in short, and superior songwriting. We decided to work with Sanford again. Yes, without a doubt the best thing Gigan has done so far!

Is there some kind of concept behind the album's eight tracks?

No, no specific concept, except for the Gigan philosophy: ”let your imagination become your only limit!”

What's the meaning behind the title “Quasi-Hallucinogenic Sonic Landscapes”?

I liked giving people who were going to buy the record a fairly precise indication. The title is a description of the overall feeling of the album.

What can you tell me about the songwriting process for the album?

Very intense, but also very successful! Also very consistent, so much so that, once we got into the studio, the recording process turned out excellent. As I already said, we worked with Sanford Parker, and he did a truly great job!

What inspired the lyrics and how did you work on them?

All my lyrics come about at different times, which means that when I work on them I'm also in different moods. The inspiration comes from everything churning around in my mind. Whatever my mind offers me, I put it down. Usually I start from a specific concept, and only afterwards do the words come to me.

On this new record, are there any tracks you're particularly attached to, or that at least hide some interesting story?

One of my favorites is "Mountains Perched Like Beasts Awaiting the Attack". The idea for this song came to me while we were on tour. We were driving through some vast mountain ranges and I thought: what if the mountains were actually sentient beings that have been here forever and are lying in wait? I also wondered whether humanity's corrupt attitudes could generate enough negative force to reanimate the stones... If so, what would the outcome be?

Your songs have a very pronounced sci-fi touch. I'd guess you're also a Lovecraft fan, right?

Of course, I love H.P. Lovecraft. Without him, Gigan would never have existed! He's my most important literary influence. In his day he was tremendously underrated... and I have a lot of sympathy for that "situation" of his.

As for the sci-fi touch, everything that's "otherworldly" inspires me deeply.

In my view, the main reason lies in his perfect synthesis of horror, fantasy and sci-fi. His imagination was so wonderful and detailed that it's been able to inspire many bands. And many more will be inspired in the future.

"In the Tentacled Grasp Of A Buried Behemoth" is the first part of a series of songs based precisely on H.P. Lovecraft...

Maybe…;)

What kind of tour have you set up to support this new release?

Gigan have always been a “touring band” and this record is certainly no exception! We already have a North American tour lined up with Grave, Blood Red Throne and Pathology. It should kick off between August and September. After that, still in North America, we'll be out with Immolation for the whole of October! Other tours are still being worked out. We're also hoping to make it to Europe and the rest of the world! We appreciate all our “allies” and hope to meet them all!

What about Italy?

I've been to Italy both on holiday and on tour, but that was when I was playing with Diabolic. Not yet with Gigan, unfortunately!

What's your opinion on today's extreme metal scene, and metal in general?

In my view, both extreme metal and more traditional metal are going through a period of evolution, with bands and labels trying every which way to deal with all the “theft” happening online. Hopefully things sort themselves out, and soon, otherwise everyone's going to have to start producing their own music on their own. In the meantime, Gigan keep doing what we love doing most: jamming!

Is the legacy of Florida's historic death-metal scene still alive?

Absolutely! There are a lot of bands that keep popping up, even more so than in the past. Some of them don't amount to much, but others are really good. Tampa, in particular, has one of the strongest metal scenes in the whole country!

Any “really good” bands you'd recommend?

No, better you dig around yourself! That's what the internet lets us do! What's good for one person isn't necessarily good for someone else… That said, for instance, Maruta aren't bad at all…

How has your guitar style evolved over the years?

I'm constantly improving, day by day. For me, music is like a language, and I learn new words every day.

Some of your most deranged guitar passages (I'm thinking, for instance, of tracks like “Space Coffin Hallucination”, “Mountains Perched Like Beasts Awaiting The Attack” and “Suspended In Cubes Of Torment”) remind me of Mick Barr, especially in his Orthrelm phase. Do you know him?

Never heard of him. I'll have to check him out somehow.

Your favorite guitarists?

There are no "favorites"; rather, I appreciate certain traits in various guitarists, including Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Lifeson, Ler LaLonde, Trey Azagthoth, Buckethead, Eric Cutler, Danny Coralles and many others…

Do you see any bands out there that are "similar" to Gigan?

There are bands with similar elements: blast-beats/double bass/fast tempos, but no band shares our sound just yet. To be honest, I don't listen to many new bands, so of course there could well be some out there, who knows?

How did you come across Willowtip Records?

They contacted us through our agent, while we were looking for a new "home". Jason Tipton (the label's president) got in touch with me and the rest is history!

I'd say that's enough for now, Eric. Good luck, and if you're ever around, drop by Naples!

Okay, buddy! Thanks again for the support! Hope to see you in Italy soon!

(14/08/2011)

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