Almost A Dirty Dozen with DYMBUR – May 2022

According to a recent press release: “Shillong, India based, Khasi Thraat Folk Metal band DYMBUR has released the official music video for “Rape Culture.” Recorded. Mixed & mastered by founder and guitarist CORNELIUS KHARSYNTIEW at Legato Recording Studio, the video for “Rape Culture” was produced by ANDREAS NATHANIAL WAR and edited by KHARSYNTIEW. The KHASI people are an indigenous tribe, who live in the State of Meghalaya which is in the north eastern part of India. ‘DYMBUR’ – The fig tree symbolizing rebirth, progression and evolution, of victory after struggle, Fresh leaves from old branches forming new shapes defining one of nature’s basic laws, the ability to regenerate and grow anew after a dry spell.” We get the band to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

The song ‘Rape Culture’ is an attempt to raise awareness on the rape crisis that is prevalent in India. With the country’s capital Delhi being termed ‘the rape capital of the nation’, we realized that it was high time to address this issue. We guess the listeners might not grab the different layers of synths added in the song on their first listen. Only diehard fans that knew the genre of music we played before we shifted to folk metal might find the breakdown of the song interesting.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

Cornelius: I got used to music at home from a young age, I was introduced to classic rock and pop music when I was 8 and my parents wanted me to play the guitar. An uncle of mine introduced me to bands like Iron Maiden, Metallica, Sepultura and since then I started listening to Metal. I also played in school concerts from the age of 12 and took music seriously when I formed my own band in 2009. It made me what I am today by being a part of this beautiful journey.

Andreas: I was born and brought up in Shillong, a little town in North East India, where most people grew up listening to western music. My parents loved anything from the blues to rock & roll and from there in my own time I started listening to metal and wanted to become a musician.

Mayson: When I was about 9 or 10 years old my Dad would make me listen to bands like Deep Purple, Metallica & Iron Maiden. I fell in love with them and had always wanted to become a musician since then. In 2012, Cornelius & I formed Dymbur and there was no turning back since then.

Gaudy: I was born in a family of musicians and that got into music. I started playing the guitar when I was 12 and I formed a death metal band along with my brother Sain (Drummer) and since then we’ve always been playing together and now both of us are with Dymbur.

Lancaster: My grandfather was my greatest inspiration and he introduced me to music at a very young age. Growing up as a child I was part of a children’s choir and it was then that I wanted to become a vocalist in a band.

Sain: My parents were musicians along with my uncle who played drums for their band. I remember watching my uncle playing the drums when I was around 10 years old and I’d try to imitate what he does with the drum-kit. Later on he taught me and also introduced me to rock and metal bands.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Cornelius: The first time I listened to Cradle of Filth “Hallowed Be Thy Name” Iron Maiden Cover when I was like 12, that guided my musical taste and it made me dig deep into the Metal genre and I started listening to heavier bands like Arch Enemy, Amon Amarth, Meshuggah, Cryptopsy, Veil of Maya to name a few.

Andreas: The song “Together As One” by Death and a few original songs from my previous band was what really changed me to play metal.

Mayson: Bands like Iron Maiden, Metallica and Deep Purple got me into metal.

Gaudy: For me it was Dying Fetus.

Lancaster: Pantera, Mudvayne, Soul Fly, Sepultura to name a few.

Sain: I had multiple bands that guided my music taste. Bands like ACDC, RHPC, Nirvana, SOAD, Megadeth, Slipknot, Dying Fetus to name a few.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

It’s difficult for us to choose between these two vocalist, Vessel from Sleep Token and Sam Carter from Architects. Sam is insanely talented to be able to hold those long, melodic pitched screams, we’d love to have him on some of our songs. Vessel’s vocals is filled with variety of feelings and emotions, he’d be a great match if we do ever get a chance to collaborate.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

Cornelius: It’s always been music for me lol. I’m mostly in my studio 24*7. I guess I need to get out of my cave sometimes. Haha. Anyways, I do love playing games on my PC, watch Netflix or go out for movies with my other half.

Andreas: I love to play poker but more than that I love a good fishing trip.

Mayson: I’m a football fan so I mostly spend my time watching football and sometimes playing the game as well.

Gaudy: During my free time I usually like to hang out with friends and socialize. Mostly playing video games is what I do to unwind.

Lancaster: I love swimming and camping.

Sain: I love spending time with my family & friends.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

Khasi Thraat Folk Metal is what we’d like to call our genre. It could be define as a sub-genre of Indian Folk Metal since we belong to a different tribe from the Northeaster Part of India and the traditional instruments that we use is totally different from other Indian instruments.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Lancaster cooks, Andreas brings in the booze and Mayson is the guy who cranks the acoustic guitar.

8. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

Cornelius: You can never get bored, with constant day to day variety, you’ve got so many things to do. Expressing our ideas and messages through our songs and letting people know about the issues we write about, hoping that it will impact a person’s life is the best thing about being a musician. I feel music serves society and helps people in ways that no other medium can. It’s a super cool and important job to have. If not a musician then I’d definitely stick with my job as a producer in my studio, after all it’s still a job that involves music.

Andreas: Being a musician keeps me happy and I’m glad that I took this journey in life. If somehow music were to be stripped away from my life, then I definitely would go into depression.

Mayson: The best part about being a musician is that it keeps me happy and motivated at times. I was going through depression at one point in life and music helped me get out of it. I could never picture myself having to let go of music and do something else, because it was the only thing I’ve ever wanted.

Gaudy: Connecting with many people through music is a great medium and it’s always fun to play music. I would have approach a different line of work if I was not a musician.

Lancaster: Singing in front of fans, meeting new people and expressing what we feel and write about is the best thing about being a vocalist. I can never imaging myself letting go of this.

Sain: I can never imagine my life without music. Being a drummer, your entire body gets into the heart of the song and you get to control everything on stage in front of fans and supporters, that’s the best part for me.

9. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

Meaning of the word ‘THRAAT’ and the answer is: In 2015, we started promoting our own band updates, songs and videos through our Facebook | Instagram band pages and other social networking sites with message boards and tagged them with the word THRAAT. THRAAT, when pronounced found to be extremely funny. Guitarist, Cornelius Kharsyntiew says that THRAAT is an explanation to the sound of Triplets played and the sound of the abrupt stops in the band’s music. Thus, admits to including this word in the band’s official communication without any good explanation, which became popular in the Indian Metal Scene. In 2019, we depicted THRAAT as our Fifth member (since we were a 4 piece band back then) and as an imaginary beast in the band’s Concept Debut Album THE LEGEND OF THRAAT. In 2020, we decided to fuse Djent/Metal with Khasi traditional instruments to create a sound of our own and added the word THRAAT to our genre which we termed as Khasi Thraat Folk Metal. We’re really tired of answering questions like, what is your fav band, what got you into music and questions about our personal life.

10. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

We should have shifted our genre to folk metal and added our traditional instruments a few years back… that’s it.

11. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Cornelius: Being in the studio with Meshuggah, when they recorded “Bleed.” This song really changed the way I felt about prog/djent music. It made me wanted to learn and push myself to be a better musician. The riff on this one is so sick and it took me quite a long time to cover it.

Andreas: For me it would be my Dad’s favorite song “House Of The Rising Sun” by Animals. I would love to go back in time and be part of their recording session.

Mayson: I would love to be in the studio with Queen when they recorded “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It was and always will be my favorite song. This song has inspired me in many ways and it has really made me fall in love much more with music.

Gaudy: It would be Dream Theater when they recorded the song “Spirit Carries On.” This song is very close to me and I’ve been listening to it since my Mom passed away.

Lancaster: I’d love to be part of the recording session of “Anything For You” by Mr. Big. I’d really love to check out how these guys write and compose in the studio.

Sain: Recording session of “From Womb To Waste” by Dying Fetus. This band has inspired me in many ways.

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Category: Interviews