ENVY THE DEAD is a band that routes its motion towards Death Core metal. The band hails from Houston and has been on the music scene for six years. They are focused on their first album's production. They dialogued with us about it and other band's insights.

As a band that just begins to make its way on the Houston scene, what are the challenges and the feedback you've received so far? "…The main issue with Houston's scene is purely the fact that the city is so big and spread out. There are many pockets in the city with great artists and fans who show a great deal of support, but the distances between venues make it difficult for there to be any singular hotspot that attracts people from all over. That being said, some venues and artists manage to attract people from all over the city and all over the state. The feedback we've gotten has always been good, but as of late has begun to snowball, and we finally like we're in a position to spread our music and art beyond just local and regional levels. The current lineup is Aïcha Finnleikr, Oliver Reed, Ethan Doig, and Alex Davis…" 

Aïcha Finnleikr's voice is a potent instrument within the group. Have you guys ever imagined having a female singer? How did you find her? Has she changed the way you conceived of the band at the beginning? "…No, we never gave the idea much thought, not because we were against it, but simply because our main focus was always to find a vocalist who fit the sound of what we were trying to do. We chose Aïcha simply because she was the best vocalist for the job, and she meshed with our energy and vision, almost right off the bat. We found her on Craigslist, we tried her out, and things didn't immediately click for her or us, so we told her we would get back to her. We ended up having a handful of vocalists trying out, so we called all of them up and had them sing one song each live at a St Patrick's Day show. Aïcha ended up blowing all of us away, so we immediately offered her the spot. The main impact she has had regarding the concept would be her lyrical input and the message that comes with it, the imagery and vibe we feel the music should be conveying alongside her vocal style. She has established the sonic identity through her vocal sound and abilities and given the music a direction to focus in. All that being said, ultimately, it has been a mutually beneficial partnership which has allowed all of us to push each other's boundaries with our artistic output and creations in ways which we wouldn't have done without each other…"

Houston is a very large city with a huge crowd within rock and metal, but I feel it at times dispersed, very indifferent in terms of supporting the local scene. How do you see it after almost six years of existence? "…Initially, though the feedback was good, we still had a difficult time transferring that positive feedback into other parts of the city or even other sub-scenes within it. At times, it was difficult to ascertain whether this was an issue of geography or taste, but ultimately, after having put in so much time and seeing the results begin to flourish, we all feel that Houston has a thriving music scene, and you just have to work your ass off to prove yourself within it…" READ MORE...