5 Questions With Vilipend

Popping GEEKPR0N’s ‘5 Questions With’ cherry are Toronto noise-hardcore-metal boys, Vilipend. Self-proclaimed total geeks, the four piece have been recording their upcoming album, playing shows, and gearing up to shoot their first music video. In other words, Vilipend have been busy. This is a band you are going to want to watch out for this year because if you don’t, singer Christopher Gramlich might be inclined to make you walk off a cliff. Huh? Read on to find out just how he’s gonna do that and more.

GEEKPR0N: Describe your musical style in 140 characters or less.

Christopher Gramlich: “Northern Hostility.” 

If your band could have any superpower, what would it be and what would you do with it?

CG: Well, besides the powers that every band desire — sell all the records and merch, and have people actually care about them and come see them on an ever-increasing scale — I’d have to say, for me, vocalist Christopher Gramlich (as I can’t speak for the other members of Vilipend), my ideal superpower would be something akin to the Voice of God power Jesse has in Preacher, where I could force people to actually do what they say and stick to their words and promises. Or failing that, make them walk off a cliff.

Who would be on the bill of your dream tour; dead, alive or fictional?

CG: Again, for me, as we all would most likely have different dream tours in Vilipend, my ideal dream tour would feature Deadguy, Buzzov*en (Sore line-up), Ink & Dagger (with a resurrected Sean Patrick McCabe, circa The Fine Art of Original Sin) and Vilipend, obviously. Those are some of my favourite acts of all time and biggest influences.

Photo by: Alitzia Tyminski

Star Trek or Star Wars?

CG: Well, even before the prequels, I most likely would have gone Trek — TNG or DS9, specifically, although let’s not overlook Voyager, but screw Enterprise and Quantum Leap boy. However, what with the constant cash grabbing, legacy ruining and ceaseless tinkering, it’s no contest: Star Trek any day of the week and twice on Sundays. For my money, it doesn’t get better than either the Klingon or Dominion wars in DS9, although the Borg Queen and Species 8472 are awesome in Voyager. As well, Voyager features The Year of Hell two-parter, which are some of my fave Star Trek episodes ever.

What have you been up to lately and what can we look forward to coming up from Vilipend?

CG: What have we been up to? Well, I won’t say it’s been a tumultuous time for Vilipend, but we have been overcoming adversity — and hating it. We recorded our debut full-length, Inamorata, a bit ago (following the Love Left to Rot… EP, Plague Bearer seven-inch and Northern Hostility: Live in Ajax digital release), and after committing to a Canadian label for its release at the end of March 2012, had to adjust our plans after an act of god (i.e., the Canadian Revenue Service) basically put said label on indefinite hiatus from releasing physical material. It currently looks like an American indie hardcore/metal label will be releasing Inamorata (don’t want to let the cat out of the bag just yet, however) a few months after the original release date, hopefully, so those pro-VPND won’t have to wait that much longer than originally planned. Otherwise, we’ve been rehearsing, writing, working on returning to the States (coinciding with the release of Inamorata and then supporting it in the summer) and will be filming our first music video with renowned agent provocateur David Hall (Today is the Day, Fuck the Facts) in the beginning of March. As well, we will be playing (or have played) with the Isosceles Project in Toronto on April 13 (Friday the 13th) for their CD release show. Otherwise, just doing what bands do: play shows, rehearse, write, kill.

Vilipend is Mike Crossley (bass/vocals), Adam McGillvray (drums), Christopher Gramlich (vocals) and Derek Del Vecchio (guitar/vocals). Listen to more Vilipend on their Facebook page.