Interview by Carla Predan
NADER SADEK is an Egyptian-American death metal band, created and named after the artist with the same name. Known for his stage masks and costumes design for Mayhem and Sunn O))), he decided to create a band and started to write lyrics. So, after months of songwriting, he released in 2011 the first album “In The Flesh” along with members of Aura Noir, Morbid Angel, Mayhem and Cryptopsy. In 2014, together with members of Cryptopsy, Aura Noir, Sepultura, Cattle Decapitation and Decapitated, Nader Sadek released a new EP called “The Malefic: Chapter III”.
One of Metal Shock Finland‘s readers, Carla Predan had a chance to do her first-ever interview with Nader Sadek himself, talking about his music, art, latest project “The Malefic: Chapter III” and his upcoming EP.
Hello Nader, how are you doing?
NS: I’m great, thanks. Looking forward for my next projects and next year.
You are known as a visual artist, when did you start doing this and why do you make music?
NS: I started drawing as a child, some people noticed it and encouraged me to continue. Eventually, growing up I realized that life is an art, we are all artists, one way or another, just because someone can draw, play the guitar or sculpt, that’s not that makes an artist and to me making art is mental process, the ideas and chasing to realize and materialize into reality. And so with this philosophy I decided to tackle everything, I was ambitious to experiment with every medium out there. I like music a lot so naturally I was drawn into producing something into that field.
You do masks and you also made the stage costumes and masks for Attila Csihar of Mayhem and for Sunn O))). What material you are using to create them and are there any other artists you made such pieces for?
NS: It’s made of silicone, a two part chemical compound, it’s what I use for most objects I create, whether sculpture or masks/costumes and yeah I made for a few artists, one of them is David Nesselhauf, also a band I made the video for and I made the masks for, I made also for the super-star Andrew W.K, he is a big fan of Attila Csihar and he loved my work so he asked me to make one for him as well.
Let’s talk about music, in 2011 you released the album “In The Flesh”, who are the musicians you collaborated with for this album?
NS: Everytime I do something it involves many people, most of them are people I worked from the beginning, Attila Csihar, Tony Norman and Destructhor.
Was it a success?
NS: Most people seemed to like it more than I expected so I guess yeah.
Last year saw you released a new EP “The Malefic:Chapter III”. How did the recordings go? Did you record it with the same line up as your first album?
NS: Not really, I decided to stay with 3 of them from the previous album and the process was very different.
How was the songwriting process for this EP? Was it you who wrote the songs?
NS: I together with Rune Eriksen (ex-Mayhem, Aura Noir) and Flo Mounier (Cryptopsy). I wrote the very first riffs on the record on Deformation By Incison song, I wrote all the lyrics and phrasing too. Originally I had a different idea for vocals, but this turned out great, but I had something else in my mind, especially I liked using Travis Ryan (Cattle Decapitation) for the voice effect, he adds so much with his unreal lows screams, but for his lows I find them unemotional and kind of flat. I made the phrasing so that it suits my taste exactly which is an attempt to be catchy, but also make an effort to not be as repetitive music and make it being boring. It was quiet a challenge because I was doing it for the first time.
Can you tell me about your influences? What inspires you?
NS: As far as art is inspiration, my favorite is Gustave Dore, it’s pretty breathtaking but as far as outside I guess my life is so fucked up sometimes that it makes me do some things to move on and that’s the inspiration, enough.
And music-wise?
NS: Well at the moment I am not listening to music, I’m concentrating on our next record and I don’t like hearing things, even new ones. I’ll listen whatever a friend played, it helps me get motivated to search a library in my mind.
Have you started already to record some new stuff?
NS: Yes, the new EP is near completion and the next one is about to be recorded.
What is the theme of the new EP and who designed the artwork for it?
NS: I made the painting for the cover. The theme that is told throughout the three chapters of The Malefic and this is the end of the chapter.
Between heaven and hell, it’s about souls being trapped and a man’s mission is to free them but ends tragically for everyone. I don’t want to spoil it, I think people will enjoy reading the illustrated book which will be along with the 3 chapters of the story.
Do you see a bright future with your band in metal scenes, especially in death metal?
NS: I see a bright future for this project, yeah, but it’s not a band actually, it’s just a collection of musicians to create an album. It has never had such ’’solid” members.
And to close this interview, a message to your fans?
NS: Thanks to everyone who has been following me into this crazy journey.
Thank you Nader for your time, wish you all the best!!
NS: Thank you too!
For more information:
http://www.nadersadek.com/
https://www.facebook.com/naderflesh
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNadersadek
http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Nader_Sadek/3540328284
http://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Nader_Sadek/211774
Click image to watch the video
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