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Last Edit/Update
April 02, 2000

An Interview With

Oscar Storm
Of
Allied Vision

This interview was conducted by
Kim Alexander and Michael C. Lund
via Email on 12 February, 1998.
Oscar was in Spain during this interview.

How would you describe the sounds of Allied Vision?

          I'll describe them as dark, painful emotive cutting edge sounds,and I work to achieve this with processing the sounds very much. Processing is something I care alot.

What, if any, messages or philosophy are you trying to relay with Allied Vision?

          The messages can be seen on parts of the lyrics as the one written inside digipack DESTROY RETROGRADE... I pursue the Dark aesthetics on my sound for my fascination for the aggressive electronic sounds -- I think they turn open your mind on and open your senses. It is Brain Feeding, and for lyrics the human being mysteries such as Death, Alien life influences in my lyrics. They have been well received.

When did you begin your musical career? What age, instruments were you interested in at the beginning?

          Curiously I have a Canadian background in my musical career -- when I was a young student in Vancouver I got into sequencers and synths, and from there I started to get my own equipment.

How old are you now?

          I'm 26.

How long have you been writing, playing?

          I've been writing for some years, I started make my first tapes on 1991. I did some hard nice tracks at that time. It is a slow process though because the amount of money I have to invest and the different pieces of gear to have to try out. I've been really looking for the best studio set and programming skills I could have for ALLIED VISION and this happened cuz I've got the "UNBURIED" to see the light.

What's your favourite thing to do in the studio relative to instruments?

          I like to work with samplers and make music with them, it can [such] a versatile instrument that surprises you allowss you to make some amazing things. I like to mesh around with my synths too, to make new sounds with them, specially with FX.

What instruments do you use to create the sounds of Allied Vision (gear list?).

          This is what I use or used in my studio:

SYNTHS & SAMPLERS

AKAI S1000 18MB with Zip drives w/ Toshiba 12X Cdrom player
AKAI S1100 18MB
AKAI CD3000I
Yamaha SY77
Yamaha TG77 with Synthworks editor
Oberheim OBMX 6 voice expanded-
my favourite analog synth
Waldorf Pulse
Korg MS20, MS10
Waldorf Microwave
RECORDING & SEQUENCING
Tascam DA20
Atari 1040STE 2MB w EZ drive w/ Creator SL sequencer-my fave sequencer
AKAI DR8 1GIG hard disk recorder
ADL 1500 stereo tube compressor
ALESIS Quadraverb +
Roland R880 digital reverb
DBX274 quad noise gate X2
Marshall Time Modulator 5002A
Behringer ULTRALIKNK
MACKIE 24.8
Tannoy system 8 monitors
Apple Machintosh 7300
Eventide GTR4000
Roland SDX330
AKAI ME80 Midi Patch Bay
PANASONIC hi-fi VCR NV-F75
BOSS GX700
BOSS SX700
BOSS SE70
YAMAHA EMP700

Do you have any formal training in voice or instruments? IF so, when and from whom?

          I tried to [take] a course to play piano when I was 18, but I didn't have the patience so I left it.

What inspires you to write your music? Bands, people or any life experiences?

          Basically what inspires me are the sounds and the things I spontaneously write. It's also the new things I like from other bands which gives me some air to expand myself in my studio and make something I like.

Does anyone else produce or play with Allied Vision, or are you a one man act?

          Allied Vision has always been me. I make absolutely everything and that's quite alot of work to do especially before you come out [on a label] -- you have to make every step by yourself. There was a time when I'd like to work with someone else but in this country that's not possible or very difficult to do there, are not many industrial [music] makers here. The only industrial band I know in Spain is Esplendor Geometrico but that's an 80's industrial kind [of band].

Will you ever go on tour? If so, will you take anyone with you?  If you tour alone, how would you reproduce the sounds of Allied Vision being a "one-man act"?

          That's what I'm working right now, I'm contacting with promoters to get some gigs, but as I'm located on non-industrial soil -- it is not easy -- I made contact with the German agency Diva Performance to offer them my band to play live. I hope they include my band, when planning the gig. I'll hire some extra sampler/keyboardist to join my live stage. So for the moment we'll be at least 2 people and of course I'll be at the vocals, I love to do vocals and shock the stage.

How and why did you become involved in Industrial Music? How did you connect with Zoth Ommog? Do you have any pointers or suggestions for someone wanting to get signed to a major label?

          I got involved in the EBM thing when I was 17 years old, when I bought my first EBM record FRONT 242, NITZER EBB & FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, they
totally fascinated me and my life turned to be an industrial devout. Last Summer 1997.
           I sent a demo tape to ZOTH OMMOG and they inmediately proposed me to sign me on with their company. By the moment I don't have any suggestion to get signed to a major label. I think ZOTH is moving quite well with the album.

What is the Electronic/Industrial scene like in Spain? Where do you currently reside (region)? Have you lived there all your life? What kind of reception do you receive with your music there? Are there any bands, WWW sites, clubs or radio stations you would like to promote with this interview where you live or otherwise?

          Unfortunately there is not any industrial scene here [in Spain], they are so behind, it's a very sad electro/musical scene, there is only stingy dance stuff, I lived all my life here except in 1988 when I stayed one year in Vancouver -- also I have lived in Madrid in 1991. I had very nice moments there because they played a lot of EBM music & I enjoyed that very much.
          The only big radio station that plays alternative music is Siglo XXI, they played my album and promoted it quite well. There is an industrial web site made by a friend of mine -- it is a nicely designed site with lots of reviews and pictures the web is on the AV web page. [However], the scene club is totally nothing.

What people, sounds or bands have influenced or currently influence you in your music? What inspires you to do the type of music you do?

          My fave bands are FLA ,Skinny Puppy, Wumpscut ,they are my main influences, but AV has their own vision of Industrial/EBM.

Do you have any formal university educational background, or are you currently in a college or university? If so, what subjects do you study?

          I never liked the school system. I liked to be on my own and learn the things I really like and need to make the music I feel & like. Also I have a company that sells electronic musical instruments here in Bilbao [Spain].

Last Sigh is loosely name after the Spanish film director Luis Bunuel's autobiography: "My Last Breath". Are you familiar with Bunuel? If so, do you have any thoughts on his work?

          I've seen him on some TV reports but I didn't took any notes but I promise I take notes of him the next time/ i'm more into present Terror movies. I like Terror movies very much, they are a big influence for me.

What are three of your favourite films and why? Have you thought about writing soundtracks for film in the future?

          No I didn't think of it, but everything is possible. I like a lot of terror movies and scie ce fiction. I like HELLRAISER movies, PREDATOR, ALIEN, and Devil movies. Escapism is another good influence in my music.

Do you have any ethical concerns you would like to address with your music. If you could do music for a film that was involved in socio-ethical subjects what would that be? (Animal rights, domestic abuse, environmental, human rights etc...?)

          Yes I'm concerned about the directions of this world. There is so much cruelty injustice and enviroment abuse that is being claimed on my lyrics, and the music wants indeed to wake up the conscience of the people.

Do you think there is anything particularly Spanish about your choice of lyrics? You use a good deal of medieval imagery and religion in your writing. What, if any, religion do you uphold or practice in your past or present?

          For me the music has always been my religion. I studied in a religious school and I never liked the imperative dogmas -- they have condemned and destroyed to death many people in man's history. Throughout history, it has been an end to control and exploit the human being. The human being is just starting a new era and has to find their right place in the universe and respect all the Earth and its life forms -- Otherwise they self destruct.

How do you compose your music, that is...do you have any set pattern to how you write, such as: do you need a quiet atmosphere, go to some special place that inspires you or are you at home when you write/compose?

          Each time is different but generally I like to be completely alone to be fully concentrated in the music. I generally start to make a good Intro and from there I extract the whole song. I'm very spontanious so I make this and then make a starting melody and then add the a drum pattern and sequences and everything the song demmands. I generally make different drum sounds for each song. I make drum layering to sound like that and make the same with the snare drum to get a real impact drum sound. I don't use any Drum machine, I don't like them. Sometimes I make the drum sound processing -- it's hard to drive it completely insane such as those crazy snare shots in "Demon Sect".

Do you have any upcoming releases you would like us to know about? What label will it (they) be on? Are you currently on any other releases? What label(s) and where can we find them (in the U.S. or in Europe).

          Yes I have agreed with the company that new album will be out in JULY 98 and it will be on ZOTH OMMOG. I have half album made and i think it's the best work I've made. I hope to follow with this quality level to the rest of the new songs. I'll work hard to please myself . The American label Metropolis has licensd the UNBURIED album and they'll release it in April-May of 1998.

If you had one day off a week, how would you spend your time?

          I'd make a Hellish ALLIED gig, if that is not possible, I'd go to the Cinema with my girlfriend to watch a great movie.

If you could chose two bands to tour with, whom would they be and why? Have you ever been to the United States? If not, where you like to go, what would you like to see, and why?

          I'd like to tour with FLA or Download -- FLA because I really love it and Download because it is now different to their Skinny Puppy stuff, but good to play with, though for listening I prefer Skinny.
          I've been in USA when I was in Vancouver. I flew down to San Francisco, that I wanted to visit & I had some good friends there, but also I'd like to go back to Vancouver because I have good memories from there.They played industrial stuff in the clubs and that was great !!!

Where do you see the future of Industrial- Underground music going?

          The future of Industrial music is in our hands, and our Allied technology to make new and unconceivable music. The story just has begun.

What are your plans for the future, musically and personally?

          Make the best ALLIED VISION album ever and go to the stage to execute an ALLIED live Assault.

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