Reunion…
After approximately 5 years of inactivity, the urge for Death
Requisite to reconvene and return to the world of metal was undeniable.
Desirous as this was, it was not an easy decision for us. During most of our 5
year break, I had spent the majority of my time in devout study and meditation
to cultivate a spiritual growth I had not known prior. Our primary concerns
were whether or not it was the right time, and whether this was just something
we wanted for ourselves, or was there a greater purpose. On this side of the
decision it seems clear the time was right, and there was a personal purpose as
well as a higher one.
Prophets…
The first musical result of DR’s reunion was “Prophets of Doom.” This album was
birthed out a confidence that we had an important message for our current
generation. The ancient prophets of Israel were known as “Prophets of Doom”
because of the almost constant warnings of violence and judgment that would
soon fall upon a wicked nation. Comparing the similarities of our current
culture with that of their time, the words of warning are just as appropriate
today as they were then. This is the modus operandi of that work, (and much of
our material) to serve as a warning; not as judgment or criticism, but to raise
awareness to the dangers we are preparing for ourselves.
Track-by-track
While the message of the entire project is a word of caution,
it is most specifically attributable to the title track. “Martyr’s Revenge” focuses more on the role of those murdered for
their faith, and examines religious texts that describe their actions as
members of an army who had transcended death, exacting vengeance on the behalf
of the righteous in the last days. “Sorcerer”
addresses the subject of witchcraft and the ‘dark arts’ from a spiritual
perspective, and heeds against the dangers and consequences of exercising such
practices.
Seconds…
The next chapter in Death Requisite’s history is “Second Death.” This title is a clever
play on words, as a second death was prophesied for those “whose names are not
written in the Lamb’s book of life”; and this is the second installment of the
“Prophets of Doom” musical era. All
of the songs recorded for “Second Death”
had been prepared and performed along side the songs featured on the “Prophets of Doom” release.
Track-by-track
The title track “Second
Death” is a revised, re-imagined, and expanded performance of one of our
first songs ever written; it serves as a very ‘metal’ reminder that there are
consequences for everyone, and we all have a choice to make. “Eternal Immortal” is a very exciting collection
of the hymns recorded in apocalyptic literature; while “Refuge of Lies” is a very bold admonition for those who choose to
live in self delusion. Included on this release is our first recorded instrumental
track entitled “Foreboding Horizon;”
which is of great interest to me, as it is a musical interpretation of a very
vivid and memorable dream I once had, which centered on a frightfully perilous
storm sweeping across the land.
Generations…
We tend to operate under the assumption that most of our
current audience only know of us from 2010 and on; it’s not often discussed
anywhere that we were a group formed in 1999, who decided to go on hiatus in
2005. It would have been nice if we were able to draw more advantage from our
past successes, but the appeal to earn our own merits in the current metal
scene is attractive as well. Differences
Earlier we had the advantage of a thriving local scene for which the only social network was a personal and physically interactive exchange amongst those in attendance; more of our support was local back then; even our record deals were from local companies. Today we market worldwide along everyone else on networks like Facebook, ReverbNation and YouTube; it’s not as exciting, but we’re still reaching people with our music.
Prophecy…
It has long been a desire of ours to record what we would
refer to as the pinnacle of our work; we are currently investing a great deal
of time, thought, personal finance, and effort into preparing for what we hope
to be our finest offering. As is the case for most every band, we feel more
accomplished and closer to our dream with each new release; but we have had our
collective mind’s-eye on this next album for years.
Exposition
Tentatively titled “Apokalypsis”
Death
Requisite is currently writing and pre-producing a full length,
heavy-metal, re-telling of eschatological prophecies, from the perspective of
those who will be participants in the events themselves. Musically and lyrically, this is intended to
be the culmination of everything we have done up until now; and we aim to make
this the most intensive and immersive extreme metal experience anyone has ever
produced. That may sound like a lot to boast, especially for an underground
band, but that is honestly what we are striving achieve.
Conclusion…
Please continue to enjoy and share our material as much as
possible. We are counting on the support of our audience to make these dreams a
reality; we write metal that we enjoy, but without the support of others it
goes nowhere. DR acknowledges that we are not the most productive metal act
in terms of recordings or shows, but we are serious about the music we create;
and we aren’t finished yet. It is our hope: that the metal community will
continue to embrace us, that more people find and enjoy what we bring to the
world of heavy metal, and that we will all continue this journey together. 