Carpathian Interview.

After releasing Isolation CD/LP Resist Records and Deathwish Inc, Carpathian have been playing numerous shows and had done a European tour last year. This year they have decided to tour South East Asia before heading back to Europe again to perform alongside with the finest European hardcore bands "Anchor" and "Ritual". We, the people at Allyearsummer, will take the chance to talk with Carpathian frontman Martin Kirby to find out his feelings on it as well as any other interesting story that he could share with us.

1. Hi Martin. What is your role in the band and tell me a brief of history about Carpathian?
- Hey I sing for the band, we are a hardcore band from Melbourne, Australia and have been around for around 6 years.
Too many member changes to name. We are straight edge, vegetarian and love travelling.

2. After releasing "Isolation" on Resist Records, Carpathian was the first band from the Asian region that is signed under Deathwish Inc, How did you guys get hooked up with Deathwish?
- We recorded Isolation in Boston after I had spoken with JD from Shipwreck A.D online and decided that Boston would be a wild holiday as well as a good chance to meet labels and bands from that area. JD introduced me to Tre and the Deathwish crew and everything went from there. We are obviously stoked to be a part of Deathwish and proud to be flying the flag from the Australasia side of the world.

3. Overall in my opinion, "Isolation" is totally different from your previous releases in both writing and music. What would be the biggest influence in the making of "Isolation"?
- Obviously the band Joy Division and everything associated, New Order, Factory Records, Manchester bands were a huge influence on this record and always have been a huge influence. I think the change was mainly due to the fact the band had grown older, moved on from bullshit in our lives, and realised alot about the people and places surrounding us... the record is pissed off and desperate because thats how I felt at that point in my life. In those 12 months I felt like we grew up so fast and its reflected on the record.

4. The lyrics to your songs are extremely personal. In particular, the lyric for "Ceremony and The Cold Front" really stands out to me. Any story behind those lyrics?
- Ceremony is a song about a specific few people that I've lost touch with. Some of my best friends growing up who I shared everything with including the band and traveling decided to move on and eventually cease all contact with me. It's a personal song for sure and mainly just expresses my disappointment in how things can turn out.
The Cold Front is a song about refusal. Refusing to contribute to all the bullshit in the world, drugs, alcoholism, consumption of animals. It's a sad documentation of the destruction of our planet, cultures and lives.

5. This July Carpathian is going to do a South East Asia tour for the first time. Is there any expectation for this tour?
- We are so excited to be traveling to SE Asia for a million reasons. Obviously the culture and lifestyle of these countries is something we want to experience, as well as playing shows
to people who might not get to experience hardcore as often as we get to with so many tours happening in Australia. We cant wait to meet new people and play awesome shows and just having a wild time in general.
Hopefully we get to see some nice beaches and nature!

6. Right after S.E Asia, Carpathian going to be heading to Euro with bands such as Ritual, Anchor and Rise And Fall. Is it hard to set up the tour in Europe compared to Australia?
Europe is definitely a big deal for an Australian band. Its so expensive to get there with flights and then the Australian dollar being so weak compared to the Euro. So we have to travel there knowing that we will lose money, which sucks but at the same time we were never in this band to make money, being able to survive and play shows in countries that we otherwise would never have visited is everything.
Our booking agency Avocado does a really good job in sorting out tours for us and we are lucky to be going back for our third tour.

7. Love Like... Electrocution and Mindsnare is the first band I heard from Australia. Have you seen them play before? How was hardcore punk scene in Melbourne right now.? Any band should we check out?
- I've never seen LLE before, they have never really been my thing. Mindsnare are an awesome band from the city we are from Melbourne and have always been an iconic Australian hardcore band, they are our friends and amazing musicians. They have some side projects including Frenzal Rhomb and Ire.
Other bands to check out include The Hollow, Ghost Town, Vultures and Hopeless who are all reachable through our Myspace.

8. What is your daily routine other than playing in a band? Any 9 to 5 job? What other projects that the members of Carpathian are currently involved in?
- I'm the only member of the band that doesn't really work another job, im always so busy with the band or with the record label. I have a new puppy who takes up alot of my time and do filipino martial arts (arnis/kombatan).
Most of the band skates and rides bikes, surfs etc. Im working on a few other bands and starting up a recording studio when I get home from this tour also.

9. You just started a label called "DeadSouls" and Shipwreck /Carpathian 7" will be a first baby for DeadSouls. What make you start DeadSouls?
- I wanted to start Dead Souls to help encourage more real Australian hardcore bands to write music and tour. The first release was the Carpathian / Shipwreck AD split which was primarily so I could afford to releasethe next record. The next record is The Hollow EP which is available this week and will be on tour with us in SE Asia. They have a myspace at www.myspace.com/thehollownc

10. What do you think about commercialization in hardcore?
- Its such a difficult topic. Commercialization of anything sucks but its a double edged sword. Without more money being in the industry it would be harder for bands to tour and travel to different places but at the same time the money is spent by labels and booking agencies by trying to promote the next big thing which is almost always a bunch of fucking assholes. I 100% back labels and people working hard to promote the right bands.

11. Carpathian have already finish a short tour with Have Heart and it will be the last tour ever for them. I know there is a lot of good story from the tour. Would you mind to share with us a few?
- There really isn't any good stories from the tour. The only story really was a huge fight in Sydney on the last night of tour. Pat from Have Heart was unfortunately placed in a street fight between groups of other people on the streets of Sydney and Carpathian came running down from the hotel into a huge fight. Maybe 15+ dudes fighting some with chains and keys as weapons. Team Carpathian totally won. I KO'd two guys and realised I wasn't wearing any shoes but unfortunately our drummer Skan ended up with a broken wrist and won't be able to do SE Asia or Europe with us. Which sucks!

12. I know you are crazy about Joy Division. Have you watch the movie "24hours party people"? What do you think about Ian Curtis suicide before doing the U.S tour? Do you like New Order?
- I love New Order. Substance is an awesome record. Ceremony is one of my favorite songs ever obviously. Great dance music, but I dont dance!
24 Hour Party People is pretty cool as a comedy but I think its a bad reflection of the band Joy Division and of Ian especially.
Control is an incredible movie and anyone wondering about the band or where I take influence from should check it out!

13. Thanks a lot for sparing us the time to answer these questions. Is there anything else you'd like to share with the readers?
- Thank you for having us in SE Asia. See you soon! XXX

Carpathian Myspace | Deadsouls Myspace