Keep up with Sean here:
Former bands :
Maniak Mansion (technical punk rock)
Legion (metalcore)
Camilla Rhodes (metalcore)
The Lorax (grind/black metal)
Take Their Lives (metalcore)
Withdraw (brutal death)
Orphans In Coma (death/grindcore)
(the) Plasmarifle (death/grindcore)
The Crimson Syndicate (hardcore hip hop)
Beyond Resilience (black/death metal)
Current projects:
Cold Will (death metal)
For my latest live links, follow links below from 2008 at Club Soda :
(the) Plasmarifle – Haunted by the Ghosts of a Dead Actress / To Those that May be Concerned
(the) Plasmarifle – Exhaling Life as Ink on a Page
(the) Plasmarifle – From The Trail Of Ashes
Sean Connors, 31 years old, currently in metal outfit Cold Will, has been evolving in the Montreal death metal/grind scene since a few years now. The band is currently recording their first full length album, hopefully to be released in early 2015. You can also listen to some of his work with his previous band (the) Plasmarifle who had their debut full length album intitled ‘’While you were sleeping…’’ released in October 2007 on SOAR/Ferret Records, and Orphans In Coma, Withdraw and Beyond Resilience who have some songs posted on their band profiles.
I started drumming at the age of 10 years old, after a few years of piano playing, since my father needed a drummer in his band and figured I would be the most available for his jams sessions…I never took any lessons since then, I played out of pure passion and kept it self-taught. Until I reached the age of 16, I wasn’t a good drummer at all, but never gave up no matter what people thought of my playing. Never give up on what you love. When I started listening to death metal, mostly Cryptopsy (for 6 months straight only rotating albums), that gave me the determination to learn fast double bass drumming and blast beats. Since then my objective has been to find the most brutal bands ever, so extreme drum patterns can haunt my mind all day long. Developing my drum skills mentally by letting my imagination constantly create new drum lines and fills has helped me greatly to push my limits physically, because I always want to achieve playing on my actual kit the patterns I create in my mind.
Throughout my metal debut, I’ve been involved in numerous bands mentioned here-above. All these experiences have helped me build up live and studio performance skills. I’m also working with different styles of music, doing vocals/drums for hip-hop formations and exploring the great world of jazz. You can keep updated on these projects by checking out my personnal facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/apokryph666
My goal as a musician is too push my physical skills to extreme limits, while being as creative and original as I can and always raising the technical level.
Current kit: Ayotte 6 piece professional/drumsmith maple drums, Mapex Black Panther maple snare, Sabian and Ufip cymbals, Yamaha professional direct drive single pedals and Vic Firth Thomas Lang drumsticks.
Sean Connors Interview:
SDM: How old were you when you started playing?
Sean: 10 years old, but 16 years old seriously with bandmates.
SDM: Did you play in a school band or any drum corps?
Sean: Nope, I only did a few shows in high school events but I sucked back then.
SDM: Ever take any lessons?
Sean: Never, I grew up with old rock and blues patterns and built up from then on. I mostly learned metal techniques from watching some of my friends practice in the Montreal scene.
SDM: Who are your top 5 influences?
Sean: Flo Mounier, Derek Roddy, Alex Pelletier, Eric Park, and Kevin Talley.
SDM: Assuming that influences doesn't mean favorites, who are your favorites?
Sean: Flo Mounier, Alex Pelletier (Despised Icon), George Kollias, Marco Pitruzella, KC Howard and Virgil Donati.
SDM: Let us know 5 CD's that are in your current rotation
Sean:
Devourment – Butcher The Weak
Cryptopsy – Whisper Supremacy
Circle Of Dead Children – Human Harvest
Implosive Disgorgence – Self-titled
Decrepit Birth – All
SDM: Can you remember a night you think was your best playing ever? If yes, when and where?
Sean: Hell yeah ! This is a good story. We played Terrorfest this year in Toronto, where I started drinking booze at 10am, and drank until we played our set…which was at 2am at night, we were the last band to close the fest. That night, being hobos as we are, we slept under the sun in a soccer field and took Mexican showers the next morning. We ended up shooting our videoclip for OIC during that day in an alley, and played a house show that night (second to last band to play). I was a pure zombie…I was scared shitless to be unable to blast beat, but I ended up loosing my mind and being possessed. I did no errors and a bunch of improvised fills and blast, it was amazing. I don’t know where that energy came from. Added the fact that my knuckles were completely busted open and my kit was bleeding. Fun times.
SDM: Do you have a favorite brand of drums or cymbals?
Sean: I enjoy my Ayotte kit a lot, but I also appreciate DW and Mapex drums. As for cymbals, I’ve been playing only on Sabian all my life, and don’t see the need to switch. I also live for Vic Firth’s Thomas Lang sticks.
SDM: Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Sean: I pump myself up with black metal and brutal death until my adrenaline makes me mentally way too primed up. A few tokes, 2 beers, 2 Redbull’s and some imaginary drumkit warm-up.
SDM: If you could give one piece of advice to young drummers, it would be…
Sean: Perseverance and determination ! Keep your mind focused on getting better and never lose faith in your development no matter what people tell you. Have a strong mind and stay positive because that’s were everything starts at. Never give up.
SDM: Who gave the best live performance you've ever seen?
Sean: It’s too much of a tough decision between Flo Mounier during the Cryptopsy None So Vile tour, Kevin Talley with Dying Fetus and Derek Roddy with Hate Eternal.
SDM: If you had to stop drumming, what would you want to do with your life?
Sean: I’d rather not think of that… since it’s happened to one of my best friends before. I would probably continue my career doing vocals for hip hop and black metal bands.
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