Interview With Justin Rousselle of Beneath The Massacre

Interview with Justin Rousselle of Beneath the Massacre
June 2009 – Summer Slaughter Tour
By: Marisa Connelly

SDM: Coincidentally, in an interview with SD in May of 2007, you said you’ve had no equipment problems. Then a few months later, I saw you on tour (in the winter of ’07) with Behemoth, Gojira and Job for a Cowboy and your trigger broke. What are you using now? What were you using back then that broke?

JR: That’s the thing, you talked to me about this and that night it might have broke, but I have the same ones since that night.

SDM: What do you use?

JR: I have Rolands, the triggers are Roland RK 7. It’s the older model, and I have the newer model. But it’s like the old metal ones, they’re really solid so they’re still lasting me. And that’s the ones I’m still using today actually. So maybe that night it was just a technical problem or something, I guess.

SDM: I think I remember you telling me that you had to use Gojira’s and the sound was different?

JR: I think it was my brain that was broken, it was the adapter. Yeah, it wasn’t the triggers, it was a power problem. So, yeah, I did change modules. I used to use a Roland module, but now I have the Alesis DM 5. Which pretty much everyone that triggers uses this now for moduling because it’s cheap and has good bass end sounds.

SDM: Ohh! So that’s what it was. Now I’m remembering, from two years ago! OK, so in that SD interview, you also said that shows in America were bigger than in Canada. Is that still the case?

JR: Well, if I said this it was the first tour we were doing in the States, and it was a good tour. Since then we’ve been on bigger tours, if you want to put it that way. And we’ve been on those tours in Toronto and Montreal and the big cities in Ontario and Quebec. It depends who you are playing with, but right now we are getting more and more known in Montreal, even if it’s our home town. Now you could say we are more popular, if you want. So when we go there it’s pretty much the same. Like, the Summer Slaughter Tour is going to Toronto and Montreal, and it’s probably going to be, definitely sold out shows, because metal is really big in Montreal and Toronto. For sure. And every time we go there with a big metal band, they always say it’s the best shows. Maybe now I can say that it’s a very good place to play, for sure.

SDM: What was your reaction to being nominated as  “Best Underground Band” in the 2009 Revolver Golden Gods Awards?

JR: You know what? I feel bad because I didn’t even know that we were nominated! [laughs] Um, if we were, then no one talked to me about it, but sometimes that can happen because sometimes there’s lack of communication in a band, but I guess that’s normal. If it’s right, then that’s awesome!

SDM: Now that Dystopia is released, what do you guys do on tour to pass the time instead of writing?

JR: Well Dystopia came out October 28th, just before Halloween. It was supposed to come out earlier than this because we actually recorded that in spring of 2008. So right now we are writing again. We’re more than likely planning to take some time off in the fall to write a new album that will probably be out next summer. That’s what we’re into doing right now is writing new stuff. Hopefully it will be the best album so far.

SDM: How much do you have written?

JR: Right now it’s just basically guitar riffs. I can’t say, nothing is, that’s why we’re taking time off to really do it. We’ve had a hard time dealing with writing on tour. It’s harder than it seems, and time goes by faster when you really have to do it. I think it’s easier for us if we’re at home really concentrating on it. At the same time it will be a break from touring, and come out strong with a new album next year.

SDM: During the recording of your last album, you said you added a few more splashes to your kit to add different mechanics to the drumming. Since then, have you added anything else? And do you plan to add anything for next year?

JR: As far as my kit live, I don’t have a huge huge kit as far as cymbals and everything. I like to keep it simple but I like to have exactly three different kinds of splashes and a bell, just to put those in good places to put accents on stuff. But, next album, we’ll see. I always want to experiment with new kinds of sounds, so hopefully it will be another new thing. And we’ll have more time to compose, so we’ll really make it a good album. Special!

SDM: How different is your studio kit from your touring kit?

JR: Well, that’s pretty similar. I don’t really add anything too much extra because I’d like to be able, when I get live, to have the same kind of kit so it’s the same feeling and the same thing.

SDM: So, you guys have done 2 Summer Slaughter Tours before, correct?

JR: Yeah, technically this is our third appearance. We did the first one in 2007, and last year what they did was a separate one for Canada and the States. We did only the Canadian part, but this year they did Canadian and U.S. together again, so now we’re doing it.

SDM: How is this compared to other ones?

JR: So this is the third show, but it’s a festival that’s getting better every year. Bigger turn outs and always great great bands. They’re just working hard and making it happen. It’s cool.

SDM: Anything else?

JR: Keep rockin! That’s it!

www.beneaththemassacre.com
www.myspace.com/btm

 

 

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