Interview with vocalist Danny Nelson  

Danny first off brother I have to say it is a huge honor to interview you!
Malignancy is world renowned one of the best brutal death metal acts out today!

1) You guys are one of the most renowned brutal death metal bands in New York!
What are some of your favorite bands in the NYDM scene?

Danny) Wow, I have never heard world renowned attached to anything said about Malignancy before, thanks. Well not too sure, not that many New York Death bands around anymore. Everyone always says Suffocation when asked this question anyway. There are a ton of great acts that have come out of NY, the ones I grew up with. Like early Immolation, Suffocation, Mortician, Morpheus Descends, Disfigured, Candiria, Dehumanized, Copremesis, Biolich, Internal Bleeding. We have shared the stage with all these killer bands, minus Candiria, Morpheus & Immolation.

2) Who are some of your vocal influences?

Danny) That’s a funny one. My biggest influences where Martin of Pestilence, Max of Sepultura, Barney (Napalm Death), Frank (Suffocation) & believe it or not Ben of Soilent Green. He used to be in a band called Paralysis. I loved his vocals because there was a ton of range. Killer CD, Patrons of the Dark, pick it up.

3) Are you or have you been in any other bands other then Malignancy?

Danny) No sorry to say I have not, I want to do another project eventually. No one ever asked me and I started Malignancy back in 1992 and I do not want to start all over again with another band. I have done some vocals on things that have never seen the light of day, hopefully it stays that way..ahahah!

4) Name one Malignancy song that you just love to play live?

Danny) Oh that’s an easy one….uummm….mmmm….ahhhh. All of them!! Kidding!! I really dig Mortality Weakness personally. Every song makes me feel different. Virulent Contagion makes me really pissed , no idea why. I squeeze the shit out of the mic when I sing that.

5) How long have you been doing vocals? Also do you play any other
instruments?

Danny) No other instruments…yet. I have played bass & drums but not too good. I think I could maybe play bass better than drums if I tried to learn. I have been singing..I mean growling & grunting since about 92. They have takin on a mutation of their own over the past few years. Sometimes I am like, “Is that me?”

6) This is a question i always ask all death metal bands during an interview.
What are some of your favorite horror films?

Danny) Horror is like metal, there is so much good shit out there. But these are a few of my favorites: Jaws, The Thing, Dawn, Day, Return & Night of the Living Dead, Creepshow, Fright Night, The Howling, An American Werewolf in London & Evil Dead. There are many more, but these are these are some classic movies.

7) How do you come up with some of the lyrics that you write for your band?
What inspires you to write them?

Danny) Some of my lyrics I take from personal experience, while other topics deal with things going on in the world. After the first demo I started to write lyrics about things that could happen or already do. The lyrics on the new CD are more real life kind of stuff.

8) What is currently in your cd player at home or in your car and etc.?

Danny) Right now I have Candiria – Surrealistic Madness, Benediction – The Grand Leveler, Biohazard s/t, Vio-lence – Oppressing the Masses, Prince of Persia soundtrack, Testament – First Strike Is Still Deadly, and I forgot the rest.

9) What are some of your major music influences?

Danny) When it comes to Malignancy, I try to keep true to my original conviction with the band. To be as non generic as possible, whenever possible. This scene has had its’ saturation points, I feel we are going through other one right now. There are just too many bands doing the same thing. The shitty part about it the band’s that are doing something different usually get lost in the shuffle.

10) What's your feeling on the whole mp3 or bootleg trading on the Internet?

Danny) Well in a lot of ways it can hurt the artist that created it. I personally do not mind it too much. I want our sound to spread through any means necessary. A lot of people that download usually end up buying the real deal eventually anyway. There is no way to regulate bootlegging, never has been. Someone will always find a way. It is like the early days when people tape traded, the internet has just blown that up to the 10th power.

11) This is something I also ask alot. Do you ever miss the old
tape trading days?

Danny) Hahahahah! I do and don’t. For me it was always difficult to find someone that made the dubs as good as you. I hated putting in time to make someone’s tape excellent and then you get a beat down 3rd generation, already been used twice, garbled shit dub.

12) How much are you involved in the NYDM scene?

Danny) Since we live here, I think we do our part. I try to make it out to shows as much as possible. When we are in recording mode though, we drop out of the scene for a little while to get work done. We help promote shows & get local bands on gigs with us, the normal shit bands do for each other.

13) What is your take on some of the newer brutal music that is coming
out today? And do you have any favorites?

Danny) Some of it is killer, but it does become stale. To me it seems like the music is losing its drive. All the newer shit is brutal for the sake of being brutal. I think almost anyone can play a power chord or crunch. Blasting has become the norm too. I remember when it was so intense when a well placed blast would come in. Now it is always blast away all the time, monotony killed the blast.

14) How did you join Malignancy?

Danny) Me and a friend from high school decided to try and get a band together. Our first practice was on Valentine’s Day in 1992, I still have the cassette. Man did it suck!! Hahahah! I am the only original member left, I have to rebuild the band a few times to finally get it right!

15) Do you have a website or link so people can get more info or merch from the band?

Danny) Indeed: malignancy.com/merchandise or they can check myspace.com/malignancy.

16) What can we be expecting from Malignancy in the future?

Danny) To push the envelope as much as we can without sacrificing our sound . The new CD Inhuman Grotesqueries should please fans of old & new Malignancy style.

17) How is the recording process when you lay down your sick ass vocal tracks?

Danny) Over the years it has changed. For Motivated By Hunger I tracked my vocals by myself. The last two CDs Lance has engineered my tracking. I prefer a relaxed setting and to take my time when I do them.

18) Any last statements that you would like to add?

Danny) Thanks for the interview Mr. Stench and thanks to all the Malig fans that have supported us. Stay Malignant!!

Thanks a lot brother for letting me interview you. I know you guys are super busy!
So thanks again and stay sick!!!

http://www.myspace.com/malignancy
http://www.malignancy.com