EPIDEMY: "We Play Metal from the Heart and Never Pretend to Be Something We're Not"

EPIDEMY are not a band that blindly follows current trends or changes its identity for larger stages. Their music is built on honest thrash metal, energy, emotion and, above all, the joy of playing - something to which they are willing to devote most of their free time. Although music is not their livelihood, they approach every concert, new song and every aspect of the band's presentation professionally and with complete commitment.

In this interview for Rebel Sound, they speak openly about the reality faced by smaller metal bands, staying true to their own style, the demanding life behind the concert curtain and why they would turn down a sold-out O2 arena if it meant they had to stop being themselves. They also recall a broken-down van on the way to Masters of Rock, imagine sharing a beer with music legends and give a clear answer to the question of what kind of legacy EPIDEMY would one day like to leave behind.

If you had to describe EPIDEMY to someone who has never listened to metal, what would your most honest definition be?

EPIDEMY are not just a band. We are a group of people brought together by the same passion for music and the same idea of what honest thrash metal should sound like. We do not play to follow trends or prove to anyone that we are the heaviest band around. We play because we enjoy it and because we believe music should have energy, emotion and an identity of its own. If someone does not listen to metal, I probably would not try to explain what thrash metal is. I would simply say that we are a band that gives everything to every song. Our lyrics most often tell stories showing that good and evil are not merely black-and-white concepts. And when you come to one of our shows, we do not want you to just stand there and listen. We want you to feel that energy with us. If someone walks away from a concert thinking, "That was not just loud music - it had a soul," then we have achieved our goal.

Is there a song that represents you better as a band than your most-listened-to track? Why that one?

Yes. And perhaps surprisingly, it is not our most-listened-to song. At the moment, I think the track that represents us best is Bez soucitu ("Without Mercy"). It contains everything we want to give our listeners. It has aggression, melody and emotionally charged lyrics that are not simply superficial. If someone wanted to understand who we are and where we are heading musically, this is the song I would play for them. Not because it is our best song, but because it is the most EPIDEMY. That said, we stand behind every song we have created as EPIDEMY, because every one of them is EPIDEMY.

Was there a moment in EPIDEMY's history when you said, "Yeah, this is not just a hobby anymore"?

Honestly? We still see it as a hobby. None of us makes a living from it. I do not think that is really possible these days. It is about enjoying what we do, and we are happy that more and more people are beginning to enjoy EPIDEMY with us. Even though we still call it a hobby, we give it everything. We want everything around the band to be professional - from how we play and present ourselves onstage to the merch stand. We also want promoters to know that they can rely on us: we follow the rules, we do not cause trouble and we always play well so that people have a good time.

What frustrates you most about today's music scene, and what keeps motivating you to continue?

Probably the same thing that frustrates every band at our level. The Czech scene does not do much to support smaller bands. It keeps betting on the big names. Unfortunately, many people in the Czech Republic are satisfied with some kind of tribute act playing familiar hits, and then enthusiastically tell you they have never heard a better band. That disappoints us a little. What keeps us going are the other people - those who come to gigs, live for the metal scene and come up to us afterwards to say that it was genuinely great.

If you could erase one stereotype about metal fans, which one would it be?

If I could erase one stereotype about metal fans, it would definitely be the idea that they are aggressive or dangerous. In reality, I have experienced the exact opposite. The metal community is full of people who help and respect one another, brought together above all by their love of music. Sure, onstage it can look like total warfare, with hair flying and a mosh pit raging below, but once the concert is over, you realise you are talking to completely ordinary people. We may wear black T-shirts and listen to loud music, but our hearts are often bigger than those of many people in suits.

Do you have any rule when writing songs that you would never break? Or are there no rules at all?

No, there are no rules. The only requirement is that the song fits EPIDEMY's style. Otherwise, everyone brings ideas. Sometimes it is almost a complete song; sometimes it is just a few riffs. We try to record the ideas at home, and then we put everything together at rehearsal. Every song we have written was refined more or less spontaneously. Anything that did not feel right did not make it onto the album. In the future, we are considering working with a producer. We want to try this way of working and see whether it can push EPIDEMY further.

Which song gave you the most trouble while you were creating it, yet ended up completely different from what you expected?

None of them really gave us too much trouble. Maybe Podepsáno krví ("Signed in Blood"). It came together very quickly and was brought in by our singer, Paulie. It is a great track, but there simply was not much time. The vocalist and the drummer drilled it, and then it was time to head into the studio. Paulie recorded the entire track himself over the drum track, including all the guitars and solos, and then Jirka and I had to learn it. Otherwise, the songs that give me the most trouble in the studio are always the ones I think will be easy to record. Then you get stuck on one passage and just cannot nail it. Meanwhile, your bandmates are standing there with beers in their hands, telling you how you should do it.

What is the biggest part of band life that fans never see, but ought to hear about?

I think many people mainly see the 60 minutes onstage. What they do not see is everything that comes before it: hours in the rehearsal room, writing new material, endless discussions about arrangements, travelling, loading and unloading the equipment, or the fact that instead of celebrating after a show, we are often packing up the gear and driving home for several hours. Each of us has a regular job, and the band is something to which we sacrifice our free time, energy and money because we simply love it. That may be the most important thing - we are not onstage because we have to be, but because we do not know how to function without the music. It completely draws you in. Not only the concert itself, but everything around it. It is highly addictive.

If someone offered you a sold-out O2 arena on the condition that you radically changed your style, would you accept?

No. Of course, playing in front of a sold-out O2 arena would be amazing, but not at the cost of no longer being ourselves. EPIDEMY were formed as a thrash metal band, and that is what we want to remain. When someone comes to see us, we want them to get exactly what they expect from us - honest thrash metal. If the O2 arena ever happens, we want it to be because of our music, not because we adapted ourselves to current trends. But of course, that is only a very big dream.

What matters more to you: a perfectly played show, or a show people will still remember a year later?

Ideally, of course, you want both. But if I have to choose, a well-played concert must come first. If a band does not play well, no amount of pyrotechnics, smoke or choreography will save it. When a strong performance is joined by a great atmosphere, energy between the band and the audience and something truly special, that is when you create exactly the kind of concert people will still remember a year later.

What is the most absurd or funniest situation you have experienced at a concert or on the road?

There have been so many that we could publish a whole book about them. Perhaps the funniest thing is that almost every band ends up dealing with something completely unrelated to music while travelling - forgotten cables one time, navigation problems the next, and then searching for a petrol station at two in the morning. There is also one unwritten rule: the more important the concert, the greater the chance that something will go wrong. The first time we travelled to Masters of Rock, the van broke down. The second time, the flames did not work. On another occasion, the batteries you were absolutely certain you had packed at home suddenly disappear. At the time, it is hell, especially at festivals where every minute matters, but these moments are also what make it all feel real.

If you could sit down for a beer with any music legend, living or dead, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Everyone in our band is a huge SLAYER fan, so having a beer with Jeff Hanneman would be amazing or Ozzy. I would never wash the mug we clinked together, and I would have it vacuum-sealed so that the moment could be preserved forever. There are so many heroes we could choose. If we had to raise a glass with every one of them, we would be in the pub for a very long time. And of course, we would probably ask what devil they made a deal with to become so good, and whether they could give us his contact details.

When someone writes the story of EPIDEMY one day, what single sentence would you want it to contain?

This probably calls for something grand, soaring and memorable, such as: "They never took the easiest road, but they always remained true to themselves and their music." No, for God's sake, no. Fame and social media numbers will disappear one day, but if, years from now - perhaps when we are no longer playing - someone says that EPIDEMY were an honest band who played metal from the heart and never pretended to be something they were not, that will be the best legacy we could ever ask for.

Johny answered on behalf of EPIDEMY. 

EPIDEMY RULES

Johny's answers make it clear that EPIDEMY do not build their existence on grand statements, social media numbers or the prospect of rapid success. What matters more to them is playing a high-quality show, being a reliable band and giving their fans music they can stand behind without reservation.

Perhaps this straightforward honesty is their greatest strength. EPIDEMY do not try to appear to be something they are not. They play thrash metal because they love it, and with every song and every concert they prove that a band's true strength does not have to depend on the size of the stage. It is enough for the music to have energy, an identity of its own and, above all, heart.

Denča