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THE ARCHIVES
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Morrigan's Pit has closed down as of November 2006. The site and its articles will stay online as an archive until September at least, but probably longer.
The Archives
2002-2006
» CD REVIEWS
» INTERVIEWS
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» SPECIALS
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LOSA
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Joshua Urista
August 2005
http://www.losa.nu
Losa first caught my attention with their "strange" name, album title and cover. I mean, in their case these components were unusual for a "regular" metal band. But as always, the best comes from the unexpected and I was looking forward to give them a try, even preparing for the worst. But I was right and Losa's first album was more than impressive. To learn more about their diverse, experimental, always evolving music and the people behind it, I enquired Joshua Urista, their bass player.
Your homepage is not really informative about the band, so let’s start with a little Losa biography.
Losa, as it is know today, was conceived in May of 2003. However, I befriended Chris, Mike, and Dave after seeing them play in Tyler, TX in 2002. I encouraged them to come to Dallas where they could gain more exposure through the numerous clubs in the area. After relocating, they hooked up with Kory who had just moved down from Oklahoma. I finally joined the band after my previous band called it quits in March of 2003.
After moving to Dallas you had lots of shows. How do you remember back to these times?
As with any new band, the best way to get your name out there is to play, play, and play some more, which is exactly what Losa did. This was before I was in the band, but I can attest that they played any and every show, regardless of what day of the week it was, whether they got paid or not. It eventually paid off and they slowly started to create a buzz.
How much different was Losa's sound then compared to your sound now?
More than anything, our sound is a lot more dynamic now than it was in the past. We don't limit ourselves to one style of music and NEVER get caught up in whole "genre" thing. If we like it, we keep it. If we don't, we don't...plain and simple.
In those times the band went through a few line-up changes. How much effect did it have on Losa?
I think it had a huge effect! It offered a fresh start for everyone involved and allowed us the opportunity to experiment with new ideas, which ultimately led to a more diverse sound than in the past.
You recorded your first demo in October 2003. Did you expect that your first material would bring you a record deal with a label like Metal Blade?
From day one we all knew that if we were given the opportunity to perform in front of the right people that we could turn some heads. More than the demo itself, our live show is what caught the attention of Metal Blade. Metal Blade has given us and our music an opportunity to reach markets that we otherwise would not be able to. They have been doing this for over 20 years and we are flattered to be apart of that legacy.
After you had signed to Metal Blade you started to record your album last summer. The band was the main producer of the album. Why did you want to do almost everything on your own?
We felt it necessary to self-produce the album as a result of the layout of the music. The slightest change here or there would affect so much more than just that. Also, money and time constraints played a role as well. However, in the future we would love the opportunity to work with a producer.
Can you tell us a bit about the recording session?
We recorded the album in our hometown of Dallas, TX for three weeks, July 19th – August 7th of 2004, at Last Beat Studios. We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity of working with Mr. Matthew Ellard (Converge, Between the Buried and Me) for a week as he mixed the album. The ever-popular Alan Douches handled mastering at West West Side. For the most part, recording went smooth with the exception of a few computer problems here and there.
Though Matthew Ellard helped you out in engineering and mixing and Alan Douche was in charge for the mastering. What was it like to work with them?
Matthew Ellard is one of the most focused and intense people I have ever worked with. The man would go non-stop for hours and hours, stopping only to eat…once! Other than that just make sure he has his Snickers bar and Red bull. Oh, and stay out of his way or you WILL get run over! As for Alan Douches, he does all of his work up in NY so we didn't get to work with him directly. However, I had the opportunity to speak with him a couple of times on the phone and he was a super nice guy.
Most of the reviews I read about "The Perfect Moment" were very positive. How did you feel about that the album got such a warm welcome?
- As with anything, it is always flattering when someone takes the time to recognize you, whether it be good or bad. Of course, it is always helps when they praise you! Other than that, we take it all with a grain of salt.
How much satisfied are you with "The Perfect Moment" if you look at it now, one year after the recording and months after it got released?
I am a perfectionist and over-analyze everything. As long as others find some sort of enjoyment in what we are doing, then I am satisfied.
By the way, where did it receive a better welcome, in the States or in Europe?
I really couldn't say to be honest with you.
Is there any band you could compare Losa with?
We have been compared to a number of different bands, but the ones that we get compared to the most are: Mastodon, Converge, and Tool. Great company if you ask me!
What are your influences? What bands influenced Losa's music?
Opeth, Meshuggah, Tool, Pink Floyd, Led Zepplin...just to name a few.
How do you work on the songs?
Writing music is a collective effort for Losa. We all throw in our two cents; I attribute that to the diversity. As far as lyrics are concerned, Michael, our vocalist, handles that.
The lyrics weren't included on the promo album, so please tell us what are your lyrics about? Reading the song titles, I had a slight feeling there is a concept behind it?
There is an overall concept behind the album, at least for us. The under-lying theme throughout the album is the innocence of new beginnings and the loss thereafter. However, our lyrics are written so that the listener may read into them as they see fit.
Your music is diverse and requires lots of skill and technical ability. When you write the music, what are the main aspects when it comes to how a song should sound?
As far as "The Perfect Moment" is concerned, we wrote all the music with no preconceived notions. We allow the music to grow on its own and determine our next step, which in turn gave the album a more organic feel as a whole.
It is not just your music that is diverse but also the vocals. How difficult, how exhausting is it for Michael to do the sudden changes and just giving his best all the time?
Michael is an amazing vocalist, plain and simple.
What are your musical backgrounds? Did you learn music or are your self-taught? I guess you have all played in other bands before Losa?
For the most, we are all self-taught with the exception of Dave, our drummer. We have all been playing music in one capacity or another for well over 10 years.
How much time do you generally spend with practicing? Do you play on other instruments?
We generally practice three times a week for about 3-4 hours at a time. At this point and time we focus on our instrument, however, you never know what the future may bring.
But back to the album.. the cover is definitely not a typical metal cover. Who came up with this cover idea?
A friend of ours, Nathan Steinberg, created the artwork. We gave him a disc and told him the overall theme to the album and let him run with it. Needless to say, he did an amazing job and in our eyes totally captured a visual side to our music.
In my review I said that the diversity of your music makes the album feel like twice as long as it is. And I also said overall it is aggressive and suggestive. Do you agree?
Definitely! The album clocks in at just over 40 minutes, with intro and outro. It feels a lot longer than that when you sit back and listen to it. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that it is 40 minutes of non-stop continuous music.
Do you have a favourite song on the album?
For me personally, the whole album is one song.
The title of the album, "The Perfect Moment" can have several meanings. You can interpret it differently depending on your mood, the actual song you are listening to... But what was your idea when you gave this title to the album? Does it have any special meaning?
"The Perfect Moment" refers to a number of things, but most importantly it refers to two things: the overall theme of the album (as stated above) and our current place in time in regards to our musical careers. Having the opportunity to record an album for worldwide distribution and extensive touring is something we have all dreamed about for quite sometime, hence the perfect moment.
You've toured in the States after the album had come out. What was it like?
It was a blast! It was our first ever tour so we learned a lot and made some amazing new friends along the way. We also learned to make due without the finer things life, i.e. regular bathing, beds, clean clothes, etc. Can't wait to do it again!
What kind of feedback did you get from the listeners so far?
For the most part people seemed pretty receptive to what we are doing. However, I do feel that we are quite a bit to digest the first time around. Once people get a chance to listen to the CD a few times I think the response will be much better.
Any chance to see touring you in Europe?
Touring over-seas has always been a goal of ours. If and when the opportunity arises, we will be ready and waiting.
Plans for the rest of the year?
Tour, tour, tour! We are a new band and have got to get out there and make a name for ourselves, plain and simple.
What do you like the most about Losa?
I love the fact that we don't put any types of boundaries on ourselves. The opportunity to be creative and explore new ideas is so refreshing to me. I love the collaboration.
I found a few Losa interview on the internet and all was answered by you. Do the others give interviews or is it only your duty? :)
For the most part I do most of the interviews. I guess that is because I am the most vocal person in the band...I don't know. The rest of the guys do their part too.
I assume you can't make your living form Losa.
Right now Kory is the only one working. The rest of us are BROKE! Thankfully we have a great support system that believes in us to fullest.
As I said earlier, the band's website it not too informative...is it still under construction or you just want to keep it the way it is now?
We are going to launch a new site in the future, but don’t expect to much more than what is up there now. You see, we are all about the music, period. We like to keep things simple and somewhat mysterious.
What kind of bands are you listening to at home?
A Life Once Lost, The Black Dahlia Murder, Strapping Young Lad, Meshuggah, Team Sleep, Nine Inch Nails. Two up and coming bands that EVERYONE should checkout: Strength In Numbers (Ironbound Records) and Jacknife (Zero Sum Records).
Anything you would like to add?
Many thanX to you and your readers for lending an ear to what we are doing. We hope you continue to support NEW music. Don't give into the masses!
Thanks a lot for your time! CU in Hungary soon!
submitted by Katalin 14.08.2005
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