Trivax is a circle of mayhem and misanthropy that crawled out of nowhere and will destroy everything that stands in front of it as the existence of a band like this serve very high purposes.
It was originally formed as a one man black metal band by Shayan in Tehran, Iran in year 2009 and later in 2010 it achieved a full line-up. The band ended up with a lot of problems caused by authorities due to Metal being banned and the members at that time which included robbery, drug problems and getting stabbed.
In 2011 Shayan disbanded Trivax and moved to Birmingham, UK., the home of metal, on his own to find a way to continue Trivax and pursue the mission and after 3 months of stay, while studying music, he found and formed the true Trivax that it is today. Since then the band has been very active and they have improved every day with their craftsmanship.
“Trivax is a very active and hard working band although inside the band is always surrounded by very dark energies that are chosen to be manifested through us and the music itself has always come out of very dark places and very dark situations while we had been searching for a burning redemption to give back these melodies that have been given to us.”
The combination of the hard work and the surrounding energies and actions and the actual songwriting abilities of Shayan and their limitless will-power certainly make Trivax a very unique band amongst many others.
It is something that you have to experience to understand.
Hello Guys and welcome to Metalheads Forever Magazine, It is our pleasure to talk with you guys about the band , it’s formation by fire so to speak and the origins of you style and the influences that got you started and how you come to find the Black Metal scene and the road taken to get to where you are at this point in time, I was very impressed with your Biography, so much so I felt compelled to lead into our conversation using it.. Let’s begin:
Tell us in more detail please how the band’s incantation began? Tell us a little more about the band members and their respective roles within the band? I love the name and I feel it stands for something of significance can you tell us how this name was first considered and finally decided upon?
Thank you. The band name was taken from a Lavizan Jangal album called “Trivax Motamaneling Humanism…” and yes of course it has a very deep and strong meaning but more in the sense that it is the name of an entity that is being fed with energies more and more as time goes by and its roots are penetrating even deeper into the world. Trivax is the name of our life mission and it is what we give our everything to. The origin of the name was actually written in Farsi at first and it was supposed to be pronounced as “Treevaux” but I changed it and it became what it is today. Apparently there is a surname in the USA with the same spelling but it’s two completely different names and they’re pronounced differently as well while our version of it is actually a translation of Persian writing. There were quite a few band names actually before it got to Trivax but that was the one that felt right. Even the guys in the UK who are now the members, when I first met them and we decided we were going to do this, they also seemed very attracted to the name once I brought it up. How we work in this band is that each one of us need to be there to keep a unit going, I’m responsible for the creation of the music and the arrangements to the external world however just like any other unit, say if I was the brain, I would be paralyzed without the presence of the rest of the band members.
I’m not one to Genre Monger but Black Metal is such a controversial and complex and unique entity from all other Genres in the Metal and Metal Sub-genres IMO. What led you to be drawn to this Genre and as I read in your Bio these Dark forces and dark places you speak of are of a Religious nature? Are they of a Satanic nature? What is your view on religion and Metal and in particular Black Metal in this case?
It was interesting how I ended up here, it almost feels like as if it was preplanned by something a lot greater, but I don’t take that for granted. It is interesting because ever since birth (or probably before that) I have had something in my heart that has made the world feel like it’s not right and it could never truly be right, even in school when I sat in every class I was always subconsciously aware that while everyone was involved in their rat games and confusion, there was something out there, something very dark and backwards but also extremely powerful. I think that where I’ve been has been a result of my subconscious state without even realizing it most of the time. When I first got into Black Metal at the age of 13 or 14 it was just because I found darkness very attractive but I didn’t really think so much why I liked it at the time, but now it makes a lot more sense to me and it makes even more sense that I’m doing it myself and it has become my life mission. The darkness is very much there and with spiritual growth comes the responsibility of spreading that darkness wherever god reigns.
If anyone claims to be a part of Black Metal then it is absolutely mandatory for them to be Satanic, the ones who call themselves Black Metal and sing about trolls and forests are totally missing the point, it’s like being a Jew who doesn’t protect his wallet and still has foreskin on his cock. The problem is that to a lot of people, especially those who are curious about it because they are getting into Black Metal, “Satanism” just seems like a rise against organized religion and something against the church or the mosque, but that is a drastic underestimation in every way possible, because what it really should be is something that is the complete opposite of the core of what holds the universe together and the pure chaos that is beyond everything that we are imprisoned by.
I never fully have claimed that Trivax is a Black Metal band because first of all musically I believe that we are way too diverse to just go under one dimension and secondly it’s because that the band is just a complete entity of its own. I wouldn’t like to put a label on myself or the band based on what’s out there, however, it is mandatory for me to use the music as a tool to inject chaos to the listener’s conscious and tear down the walls of reality in front of them.The reason as to why I approach the matter in that way is that I don’t understand the obsession with labeling things as everyone is always trying to figure out which side of the platform the artist stands for whether it’s the genre of the music or the ideology, I think that every true artist have their own vision and how they perceive such matters so any kind of label is only a limitation… but of course, I have no shame in admitting that my ambitions are indeed of a Satanic nature and I think that the energies in the music and the live shows speak on behalf of that.
What are your political views on the current state of the world and are they tied in with your religious views if any?
I’m surprised it has taken this long for Russia to finally snap, but that’s how things are meant to be. You can’t expect to run a world with a system like this where an illusionary entity called money speaks first. Eventually it’s all going to crumble in every corner because there is only so long where the world can stand in front of a mirror with closed eyes. Should be expecting a nuclear explosion any minute now I think… I know we can make the world a better place and put back the eye on the pyramids and all that stuff, but in order to do that then you have to become a part of the game and the rat race to get to those places and I’m not interested in that, just like the fact that not all politicians are cunts when they start out but they will always have to become one because that’s just how the system works. Although I think that I was born in order to make very good changes in the world, at this point I’m just happy drinking whiskey and playing live shows with Trivax and cumming whenever I feel like it, I’m gonna die anyway and I think that I’ve angered god too many times now to be given any opportunities. So yeah, sorry about that.
Then again that’s the case with all people, have you noticed how everyone has dreams and as soon as they achieve it they feel really empty?! It’s like the little hamster running on the wheels.
I was watching this video the other day that made me think exactly of this particular subject because there was some woman who used to be a wrestler and she retired after her success and now she spends her time empowering other women or teaching them how to defend themselves against harassing men or something like that, it made me laugh a lot because it’s so natural for everyone to be like that but it’s also very sad, you can just feel the void in their heart. No one is happy, humanity is doomed, everything is fucked and everyone everywhere are kicking for their last bits of breath… but the only thing I care about is for people to hear the upcoming Trivax album, that way I can feel just as empty as the rest of us worms.
How was your choice and style received in Iran and was it difficult to get your music to the public? Was that a reason or one of the reasons you transplanted to the UK? How have things changed for the band since your arrival in the UK? Have things changed for the better, worse or pretty much the same?
It was not welcomed at all and yes it was quite difficult doing that because I hardly knew anyone and we had trouble recording our music so we couldn’t get it anywhere at all to begin with, the only thing we could do was to post some of the band’s underground live photos on the internet but hardly anyone saw them, which is probably for the better because there could have been some serious trouble if they had been noticed by the wrong people. The reason as to why I moved to the UK was of course because I wanted to be outside of Iran and be somewhere so that I can perform live music since all rock and metal are banned in Iran and you have zero freedom of speech. I know it sound very ridiculous to do something like that but this is a severe urge that I’ve been carrying for years and if I didn’t have Trivax I would have seriously hurt myself or someone and I’m not someone who lives very well with guilt. So yeah, to go back to your question, the choice was not received well in Iran at all. See, music in culture over there works differently compared to a more western civilization. Here, the most you get against listening to metal is weird looks or a simple disagreement with your parents or just very simply being somewhat of an outsider while you can still stick to what you’re doing and join groups and whatnot and go to pubs as much you want… In Iran on the other hand, it would be a case of being a complete social outcast and an alien to everything the society knows. Here, even though people might have different views, everyone will still kind of be on the same page and the most that they argue about is matters like “should Britain stay in the EU or not” whereas in Iran everyone is supposed to be on the same side, usually with religion involved, and whoever isn’t on that side or doesn’t share the same belief should be killed. So people here can play “Black Metal” and sing about Satan and all that stuff they think is rebellious, but as far as I know they always go back to their jobs being puppets after the weekend is through and there’s hardly any danger surrounding what they do and create and to me they are all missing something. Forget Black Metal and religion and all that, anyone who is constantly in their comfort zone is missing out on life, it’s all about pushing further and further away from that even if it breaks you completely. You only find your true self from breaking what you know from the very base of it and analyzing existence with the real knowledge that you find; sure, it can drive you to insanity but the awareness is priceless and the reason why the world is fucked is because there is no conscious awareness.
You’ve mentioned that you are a unique band and very different from other bands, may I ask what separates you from all other bands and in particular Black Metal bands? Is this difference organic or by design? in other words is your unique ways a part of getting your band noticed? or is it the result of who you are as people and a evolution of you and your band mates and your collective ideas naturally?
Firstly because no other band shares the same history as ours, I know there are other people who have done this but literally none of them has lasted as long as I have and most of them never even bothered forming a band after moving out of their country or Iran especially, let alone be as active as we have been. But more important than the history, I think that Trivax is one of the best rock bands in the world and the songwriting is one of the best that there has ever existed in any genre and if anyone has doubts I have the upcoming album to back up what I am saying. There are a lot of really good bands that have been around throughout the history of rock music, but if you’ve noticed, there is no band that becomes the only one that you listen to and if it is then it’s just a phase… you always have to listen to tons of different bands to really get what you want, but I think that to me, Trivax is the one, it can be the only one you listen to and still be okay with it. Plus if the fire in the music of Trivax doesn’t make you want to burst out of your skin then I really don’t know what will. We’re meant to be touring stadiums and taking away your children with us wherever we go all over the globe. The chaos is for everyone. Everyone must be devoured by it.
How do you guys feel about the Artistic side of the music industry?
Well unfortunately too many people are involved and there’s not enough fans left and when people start creating for themselves they think that they are doing something important where in reality they are just creating traffic for the good bands to come through. The creation of the art has to be from very special personalities, the rivalry in the industry is incredibly unfair, certain respected bands should not have to compete with band where the most difficult thing that happened in their life was a breakup with a girlfriend or something. I don’t need to go to a festival and hear the same riffs from literally every band, because that is actually exactly what happened over this past weekend in Scotland, good job Nifelheim came over and showed everyone how it’s really done even though they were extremely limited with the situation there.
Do you prefer the writing process and the recording process or do you like having the finished product and have it incorporated into the live show? How does it feel to perform new music for the first time?
Well this album was a completely different set of how any band would make something like this because it was more like a book that we were writing as we were going along for 7 years and then the conclusion is what became the album. While all of this was going on we still didn’t stop playing live shows since the minute the band was formed in the UK, so all the new tracks would always just creep into the sets without us making too much of a fuss about it to the public because in most cases it was the first time people were seeing us anyway. So in a way you can say that I still don’t know what it’s like to write an album from start to finish, then record it and release it at the end.
I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed the process of doing this album, it really took a toll on me both mentally and physically but honestly from what the result sounds like I can say that everything was worth it. Playing new music live, like I said, we don’t make a big fuss to the public about it or at least up to this point we haven’t, but usually for us it’s a very interesting experience to see how the people react because it’s usually not what we expect.
What is the usual fan reaction?
I think that it’s extreme on both ends, always positive and negative, which is great of course! Because that’s the same to me, as long as there’s a reaction then I’m happy and it’s a reward to the get the proof that what we do and the tools that we use for it actually work! We’re putting an energy out there and we’re doing it for us, so just knowing that it affects people is good enough, I prefer witnessing the effect that it makes rather than people come over and buy merch, that’s great too of course but I only enjoy that side if it’s for the right reasons, if that makes sense. As you would expect, there’s always people who just pull a straight face and pretend that the show didn’t affect them in any way but they will always feel really bad for suppressing it because it’s like having your thumb cut off and pretending that it didn’t happen. They fight the will to acknowledge our efforts because they don’t know us and we’re just meant to be some underground band that they can’t take serious, but it always fucks them up more doing that which is again great to me! If you’ve ever lived in a haunted house then you will know that fighting what’s in your heart because of fear will only allow for the spirits and demons to penetrate their way closer to your soul.
What are your plans for the future? Touring? New album? New material etc? What else can fans expect from Trivax in the coming Months?
Well, as I kept mentioning, our debut album “SIN” is going to be out on the 13th of November this year and that is seed planted into the world that from the moment that it’s planted it will only grow with an unstoppable force! Hopefully we will start doing longer tours in the coming year and discover more cities and rape the minds of more people with the magic of the band.
But again I’ve learned that with Trivax it’s really difficult to preplan so much because most of what we do now is often a result of very spontaneous and sudden happenings and conclusions so aside from the fact that we have 3 shows booked and have an album release in the next couple of months, I have no idea what is actually going to happen, both personally and professionally. Hopefully we can just continue and do what we want to do, that’s the thing I care about the most.
Random question before we wrap up do you guys have any routine rituals or superstitions before you have a live show or in life in general?
I guess we do yes but it’s a very private moment I think and the pre-show vibe to me is almost impossible to describe because it’s one of the strangest feelings I’ve ever had in my lifetime… it’s like everything gets very bright but very dark at the same time, everything gets very loud but very silent at the same time… it’s sort of a very intense twilight state. We often use animal blood, magic oil and other ingredients to enhance the experience but we’ve learned to make it work without them as well because of the hassle and also the mental discomfort that sometimes comes with our live experiences because sometimes it can work against the show if you use too much of everything if the right circumstances aren’t there.
Any closing words for your friends and fans all over the world and for your readers here at Metalheads Forever Magazine?
Our album “SIN” will be released on the 13th of November this year and I heavily urge not all extreme metal fanatics but all rock music fans to check out the album especially if you’re sick of hearing bands that all sound the same. The origin of this music comes from both Iran where metal is banned and Birmingham where it is the home of metal itself, there’s never been a better fusion in the history of music. Thank you for your support
Fuck The World!
Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with us, it’s been a pleasure and I hope to chat again in the very near future. Once again thanks so much for your time and the best of luck on your future endeavours.
David Maloney / Metalheads Forever Magazine
