After having changed the name of the band (from Cancelled to Demia) and after releasing their first full-length album I decided it was time to interview these guys again. This time it was bassist Spit to take the time to answer my questions and talk about dancing contests, too much alcohol and butterflies. Or at lest something closely related. Read the result below!

Hey, how’s life?

“Hey Erik, life is pretty awesome at the moment.”

Please introduce yourself and your band.

“Well, I’m Spit, bassist of the metal band Demia.”

It’s been a while but most people probably still remember you guys as Cancelled. What was the reason to change that name and how did you come up with the name Demia?

“The first reason for changing the name is very simple. It just didn’t work out when we were playing outside of Holland. Promoters didn’t put us on posters etc. since people would think the show was cancelled. The name is great but the meaning just sucks haha. The second reason is that we thought our music changed a bit and finally releasing a full-length album and everything else gave us the idea to start it all over. Cancelled gave us good years and we did a lot of amazing things but sometimes you got to leave something behind to start all over and kick more ass than before. Cancelled was the cocoon and Demia is the butterfly to say it in a poetic way. Quoted from our singer Yoav though...”

You’ve just returned from a tour with Pro-Pain and Zuul FX, how was it?

“The tour was a three week mega blast. Thrashing 10 countries in 23 days with Pro-Pain was a dream coming true. We’ve learned a lot from these guys since they have been around already for so long. And Zuul FX was great too. We will probably do some shows with Zuul FX in France this year and we’re planning to take them on tour with us here in Holland. On Friday December 21st we played with Pro-Pain again in the LVC, Leiden. It was awesome to have seen them again and of course finally meet you after like a few years of only email contact.”

How did the crowd respond to your (new) material?

“Very well. We sold a lot of CDs and other merch on the tour and people really liked what they heard and saw on stage. And in my view Demia is a live band more than an album band so being on the road playing for a lot of people is the best way to present ourselves.”

Any memorable moments of the tour you’d like to share with us?

“Too much alcohol. At one show in France the owner made his own rum with banana, apple taste and more of those fruits. You could buy the shooters per meter so we were all wasted and drunk as fuck. And at one show in Germany I started some old-school break-dancing and before we knew it we had a dancing contest going on. Everybody from the bands was on the “dance-floor” showing off... you should have seen the faces of the people working in the club... it was an overall amazing and hilarious tour.” 



You recently signed to Scarlet Records but it took quite a while for you guys to sign to a label. How come?

“We had options from labels and they just didn’t have what we wanted in the deal. And sometimes you send a deal back with what you want and then they send something back, etc. So even to go over 1 contract you already spend a couple of months to find out that in the end it will not work out. The interest from Scarlet came after we already turned down some labels and then to get the contract that suits us both you are again a few months later. Plus the fact that a release date is mostly looked at in a marketing point of view. The release was therefore later than we expected.”

How’s has the label been treating so far?

“Very well. We got good communication with them, either us directly to them or our management (Allen Wright of Go Down Believing) with them. So no complains so far.”

So, your new album Insidious has finally been released a couple of weeks ago, how are the reactions so far?

“Good. The record is one that needs to grow on you, as you wrote in your review, so I hope that people take the time to spin it a few times. And as usual with our music I see a lot of reviews that mention so many different bands we ‘sound’ like. But that is good in my view... I guess we got something for almost every metalhead in our music.”

The album was produced, mixed and mastered by the famous Logan Mader, how did you guys end up working together with him?

“We went to LA a year before we recorded the record to do some shows in venues like The Whisky A GoGo. When we were hanging out in Hollywood I met a guy I knew of whom I knew he was a good friend of Lucas (Banker, the other producer). I invited Lucas to our show in the Whisky A GoGo and he took Logan with him. After the show we had a good talk and they wanted to record a demo with us. A few months later we were ready to record our record and looked in Europe for a good producer. We wanted to work with Tue Madson but due to his very busy schedule and us not having a label yet we got postponed a few times. As a band at a certain moment you just have to record your songs otherwise you go nuts… at least that was our experience. So then we contacted Logan and Lucas that we wanted to record the album with them and before we knew it the studio was booked and we were in the plane off to our adventure in Hollywood.”

Besides a (probably) better sound, what other advantages does it have to work with a well-known producer instead of a producer with fewer qualities?

“We’ve always worked with producers for our demo (Plankton), CD-single (Abstained) and EP (Sinus) but we were always missing something in our sound that got taped for the recordings. We all went through our CDs at home and found out that we mostly like the so called ‘American’ sound. That’s one of the main reasons we wanted to work with Logan and Lucas. Plus it’s more scheduled and organised in Los Angeles. Maybe because of more experience or that life in general is a rollercoaster anyways in Hollywood. And of course it was great working with somebody you also admire as a guitarist.”

What was it like to stay in California and how long have you been there? Did it also influence your music and/or knowledge about certain things? If so, in what way?

“It was awesome. Although Hollywood is a bit fake, if you know what I mean. We’ve been there for 5 weeks in a nice apartment with the 5 of us, which also resulted in us working as a whole team for the record. You really live together so that got the spirit up as well. We could have been in Holland and go home every evening after recording and fall back in your normal life but then you’re not in a recording mood all the time which I think will be bad for your record.”

How did you come up with the title for the album?

“Yoav, our singer, came up with the album title. In the booklet you’ll find the whole piece he wrote about what the record means to him. Check it out, we’re more than just some guys thrashing on guitars, bass and pounding the drums. Till now I haven’t read a review that talks about the lyrics as well… too bad journalists don’t find the time to check that nowadays since I guess they need to review like 50 albums every month.” 



The album being released and the first supporting tour already finished, what’s the nearby future gonna bring for Demia?

“We got some nice shows coming up. We’ve recently been thrashing at the 013, Tilburg during the Heavy Xmass with bands like Gorefest and After Forever. And this coming Friday we will play at the Eurosonic festival with amongst others Volbeat. We’re planning some more Dutch and German dates as well. We’re just confirmed to open for Prong next week at Willem 2 in Den Bosch and at Lantaarn in Hellendoorn so that is awesome. Plus we are also looking to get on a European tour again. We’ve set our goal for at least two nice tours this year and hopefully some nice festivals as well.”

What do you see as the main differences between now and back when you just started out as a band?

“We’ve grown so much more as a band and are very close friends as well. We also learned from our mistakes and try to do everything more thought over. Plus now finally having a record out all seems so much easier. It’s hard work but this is what we all want and we got an amazing crew as well who has been with us from the very beginning when we started out as Cancelled.”

What goals would you still like to achieve with Demia?

“We aim for Global Domination. Aim high I always say.”

Now, a lot of bands have members in their ranks who work on side projects, how’s that in Demia? Anything (musically) special going on outside the band?

“At this moment I’m the only one having other bands next to Demia. I’m a fulltime member of the death/thrash band MagnaCult with whom we released our debut Synoré through Rusty Cage Records. And I also play bass in a metal/hardcore band from Amsterdam called My City Burning. With them I recorded a demo CD which is about to be released. I love music, I breathe music, I live music... I wish it could pay my bills but I love being on stage. It’s not easy. I’ve got a full-time job, a wonderful supporting girl and two angels of kids, Rey who’s 7 now and Steev who’s 3 years old, so it’s a lot of planning to get and give everybody the attention that they need to get.”

There’s this DVD called: “Metal: A Headbangers Journey”. It’s a documentary I think every metalfan should check out at least once. The question the documentary is based on is: “Why is metal music consistently stereotyped, dismissed and condemned?” Why do you think it is that way?

“Hmmm I have to admit I haven’t seen the movie yet. I know of the movie but I haven’t taken the time yet to see it...”

Stupid question then; In movies, who do you prefer? Arnold Schwarzenegger of Sylvester Stallone? Motivation?

“I’d go for Sylvester Stallone. I was a huge fan of him when I was younger and I still love the Rocky and Rambo movies. Although he sucks at funny movies in which Arnold can be pretty funny sometimes.”

Well that was my final question, do you have anything left to say to our readers?

“We are Demia and we’re gonna f#ck your face with metal! And of course check out our homepage and/or MySpace page to see when we play a show near you!”

Thank you very much for your time and good luck in the future man!

“Thank you and keep on going with Metalrage.com! One of the best online sites I know and visit everyday to be up-to-date about the music-bizz...”