Metalphetamine speaks with Dis Pater from Midnight Odyssey

He writes all the music, plays all the instruments, and is named after the Roman god of the underworld.

Dis Pater is a one-man metal maestro from Brisbane, Australia, and he was kind enough to talk with us about his music, the pandemic, and some of his favourite bands – many of which happen to be Australian.

If you haven’t yet checked out his stuff, do, here, and read on to find out more about the man behind the music…

What are you currently working on?

Currently, I’m taking a break from music. I have finished part 2 of the Biolume trilogy but it was supposed to be out already. Covid put a hold on that happening so I’m just recharging myself before embarking on the next project.

Obligatory COVID question: How has the pandemic impacted you creatively? Has it inspired you with any specific themes to explore?

The pandemic hasn’t really changed anything for me. If anything it has only strengthened my feelings towards the human race. Nothing will change from it, those thinking we are going to come out wiser and different are only fooling themselves. It really has exposed the greed and ignorance of humanity. I think next year things will get worse.

Death is a recurring theme in your music. You’ve stated in other interviews that it features strongly in your creative output as it’s the one certainty in life for humanity. I guess the pandemic has only reiterated this… What do you think?

Death is the binding force of humanity and all living things. It puts us in our place, stops us from being gods, though we truly act like gods. The pandemic in Australia isn’t as bad as overseas, so my personal view of it isn’t from someone deeply impacted. But looking from the outside in, its prevalence is from human error and stupidity. If the stupid ones die from it I can hardly feel sorry for them but that often isn’t the case and it’s those who might be trying to do the right thing who suffer.

Tell me about your creative process. How do ideas (both musical and lyrical) present themselves to you, and what is the process for turning them into music?

I’m fortunate that my influences can come from many different things, like music, books, art, or from nature itself. I have a strong connection to how something I see or think should sound, so usually that’s where the overall feel of the music comes from. Sometimes I’ll just pick up a guitar or play on a synth and see what comes out. But it’s more that to write something I need to be in the right frame of mind. I don’t force it upon myself if I’m not mentally there. Like right now my motivation is not there to try to write something so I don’t. But I can write 2 or 3 songs in a couple of days when I’m motivated.

Do you dedicate time every day or week to making music? Or do you create whenever inspiration strikes?

Sorry kind of answered that one already but no I don’t write everyday. I’m actually really busy with general life so my music keeps getting pushed to the side a lot. Inspiration can come from out of the blue.

How does the fact that you’re Australian influence, if at all, your music? What has been the reception of your music overseas? Do you find that people are often surprised to learn that you’re Australia when they learn about your music? Is there anything about the Australian metal scene that is unique?

I can’t say it really influences me too much but growing up listening to metal in Australia has introduced me to many great Australian bands that I may have missed out on hearing. We have a truly high calibre of bands for such a small demographic but not many get big overseas. I’m fortunate that not many people in Australia know my music but I have more fans from overseas, particularly Europe. Europe is where I really first started seeing interest in my music which isn’t that surprising since that’s where most of my influences came from.

I don’t know if people are surprised, maybe Australian people are if they didn’t know (SOL: I was), but I don’t talk too much to fans or other bands so I’m not sure.

I don’t know if there is anything unique about it. There certainly was in the past, but the internet and a new generation of fans and bands have somewhat homogenised the scene with the rest of the world. We had a really good war or black thrash scene, a great death and death doom scene and a well-received but sparse black metal scene. Many Aussie bands are still amongst my favourites like Nazxul, Lord Kaos, Destroyer 666, Gospel of the Horns, Sadistik Exekution, Alchemist and Misery, but I’m showing my age when I reminisce about those bands. The scene has changed a lot but I’ve always enjoyed not really being too involved in it.

Follow Midnight Odyssey and Dis Pater’s musical creations at Bandcamp, Spotify and Facebook.

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What is your favourite Australian metal bands? Tell us in the comments below…

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