CHOKE CHAIN anxious, distressed sound that I aim for. Also, the political aspect of punk is something that I try and bring into my music from time to time, as the anxieties I deal with are caused by the people in power. Governments across the world are only in it for themselves, to preserve their own power, and they will go to any length to maintain it, its insanity. With only three EPs released, Choke Chain is already considered one of the names to follow of the EBM/dark electro scene. In those works, he has managed to transmit the anguish and problematics of modern society, as he delivers raw and direct music.He is releasing his first full album on the 22nd of September, entitled Mortality. Choke Chain is also coming to Europe for a tour that will stop at Praga, Budapest, Munich,Paris and Berlin among other cities. Why did you choose a name like Choke Chain for your project? Did you want to give a sense of oppression/ anguish? I guess so, I am a very anxious person and one of my symptoms is feeling like I can’t breathe or as if I am choking. A lot of my music has to do with my anxieties so I felt like it fit. You are a follower of punk and hardcore and you have confessed that bands like Rudimentary Peni, Wasted Youth or Sacrilege have influenced your work. What inspires you from this genre: the rawness, the aggressiveness…? For sure the rawness of the production style. I try to pay homage to punk in a way by always making sure to keep my music as raw as possible. I’m a big fan of music that feels very real and visceral and the production can play a big part in that. My vocal style is very influenced by punk bands, specifically by acts like Rudimentary Peni and Dystopia, both bands that capture the same sort of www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be - 4 - When did you get into industrial/EBM? How did you do the transition from punk to industrial? I’ve sort of always been aware of industrial in general from an early age as well as punk. My older brother played in both goth and punk bands as I was growing up and was constantly introducing me to new music. I discovered Skinny Puppy in 2011 or so and quickly fell in love with them and then saw them in 2014 with Youth Code. Seeing Youth Code was incredibly eye opening to me, seeing that punks were making old school industrial.As far as the transition from playing in punk bands to doing industrial music, it was very natural to me.The way I think of Choke Chain is that I’m just doing punk with synthesizers. You said that one of your main influences is mid-90s Front Line Assembly and records like Caustic Grip or Tactical Neural Implant. What have you learned from these albums? I’m very influenced by FLA’s sampling style, the sort of erratic way they would incorporate samples into their music. Also, they kind of gave me a template as to what an EBM record should sound like I guess, Caustic Grip is a very intense and energetic record and Tactical Neural Implant has some slower elements in some of the songs that have inspired me. I was actually able to tour with them a year or so ago on a leg of their 2022 US tour, which was incredible. I never in my life thought this music would enable me to tour with one of my biggest influences in industrial music You have named Spike Hellis as a band that motivates you. As we should try to interview them in the near future, can you please tell us what do you find interesting in their music? Before I even mention their music, I want to stress how great they are as human beings. They truly care about making connections with people just for the sake of it, not to further some sort of goal or image. I’m the same way, and when we met I think we mutually sensed that from each other. I’ve had some really good times with them and they have also been there for me when I needed friends and that is something so important that
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