ROCKET Interviews JJ of SHATTERED DESTINY

Rocket: Where were you born and raised?

JJ: We moved around a lot when I was young so I really can’t call anyone one place home. I have probably lived the most amount of years in California though. So I guess that’s the best answer? I have lived in several states, along with Hungary and Czech Republic.

Rocket: Do you come from a big family?

JJ: No not at all. I had a brother who died in his teens and other than that not really anyone else.

Rocket: Do you recall your first heavy metal concert?

JJ: It would be Motley Crue, which was also my first concert ever. I remember being awestruck by the pyro and over the top displays.

Rocket: Who are some of your biggest vocal influences?

JJ: This is an interesting question simply because I don’t think I sound like any of the people I would call my influences. My favorite vocalist, the ones I sing along to most are Michael Kiske, Joacim Cans, and Hansi Kursch. I tried in my earlier days to sing like them but eventually settled into what is my own style I guess. Since the Shattered Destiny songs are all part of story they require a certain amount of acting to portray the emotions of the characters at different points in the songs, so I tried to find a style that allowed me to do this.

Rocket: How did SHATTERED DESTINY band get started?

JJ: The story of Shattered Destiny started as a short story prose. This then turned into a screenplay which I started scoring music for. This music took a twist and I turned it into a full song. I demoed the song for a friend with the idea to make it a one-man project. But a friend of mind suggested going full force and encouraged me to really make it a true band. When I found our guitarist, Roman, I knew the foundation of the band was solid and I had made the right decision. The rest of the band fell into place perfectly. The music needs to be performed live and in front of people to have the full impact. There is so much emotion within the music and lyrics that can only be expressed in a live setting.




Rocket: Let’s talk about the debut EP from your band entitled “Fragments” that you are self-releasing March 20th. Where was it recorded and who produced it?

JJ: The EP was recorded in Gothenburg, Sweden at Rogue Studio by Martin Brandstrom. While I produced it myself primarily, I was given advice and guidance by Joacim Cans. The budget of the EP did not really afford us much in the way of pre-production as you can imagine. Joacim provided vocal coaching for me which was really helpful in getting the raw emotion into the songs. Pontus Norgren did the mix, simply because he is very good at it! He is well known for his guitar playing ability but he has a brilliant ear as well.

Rocket: There’s four songs. Can you please give me a brief rundown on the title and a brief description of each track?




JJ: The four songs on the EP are from the full-length story. In the story Welcome comes first and Epilogue is last. Deceitful Heart and Oblivion occur in the middle of the story. While each Shattered Destiny song move the main story along, they all have a secondary meaning as well apart from the concept story.

Welcome – This is the introduction to the story. The main character is being admitted into a prison hospital. He is remembering horrific events and does not know if these are acts he did or witnessed. On the other side, the song is about life and that point in life when you realize you are not protected anymore. When we realize we are no longer invincible and that there are many obstacles to overcome. Time becomes meaningless amidst the struggle of daily life and no one really ever prepares you for this. I think it is something everyone experiences at a different point in life.

Deceitful Heart – This is the main character remember the tragic event that led him to be in the prison. I don’t want to give away too much of the story since it is much better experienced in its entirety. The other focus of the song is guilt, especially guilt over death or loss of some kind. We tend to blame ourselves for the death of loved ones. The overwhelming sense that something we could have done would have prevented this from happening. This sense of guilt can consume every thought and drive people into a horrible state. Also it points out that we often believe what we want to believe, especially where love is involved. The main character is struggling with these emotions and seeking an answer to the guilt that is destroying him inside.

Oblivion – This is the trial of the main character. By this point he has realized that he is assumed to be guilty even though he keeps providing evidence to the contrary. He is calling the mass media and his peers fools who walk into oblivion simply because they want to seem like everyone else. On the outside it’s a song about conformity and not thinking for yourself. There are large groups of people who are so desperate to be part of something bigger they are literally “searching for something to believe in”. It is not meant to attack any specific group of people but to question why we do what we do. Are our actions being done because we truly desire them or are they forced by society?

Epilogue – This song is a tribute to one of my favorite song writers. The lyrics should give this away so I won’t say who. This is the conclusion of the story. The protagonist and antagonist meet, both knowing the truth and seek resolution. A decision needs to be made and the gunshot concludes the story. This song came from frustration about people who refuse to commit to anything. If you believe in something, whatever it is you should pursue it with all of your passion and heart. “Drowning in the Rubicon” refers directly to what happens if you don’t commit to your actions. It also points out that there are always consequences to those actions and we must live with them forever.

Rocket: How does the songwriting work with this band?

JJ: I write everything. Then I record a demo version of the song where I play all the instruments and use a drum machine for the drums. After this I send the demo to Roman who then creates his solos in whatever key the song is. When we recorded the EP he then refined the playing, because he is a far better guitarist then I am. The drums work pretty much the same way. I meticulously program the drums so the basic beats and changes are in there, then the drummer takes that and refines it to give it a human feel. The keys are done by me so those don’t usually change from the demo version. The once we have all the final music recorded the final vocals are tracked.

Rocket: Awesome. Are you going to release a music video soon or will you wait for the full-length to do that?

JJ: We are waiting for the full-length. Since the band is concept based I feel we need a video to support the story rather than a generic performance video. We already have a director and an amazing concept but it needs to wait for the full length. I promise once the video is released you will understand why.




Rocket: You guys also have enough material ready to go for the debut full-length, correct? What can fans expect?

JJ: Yes, the entire album is written. Eleven tracks in total running about 72 minutes. There are faster songs, slower songs, and we have one songs with 5 guitar solos. The entire story moves along with the music and I feel fans will be extremely happy with the final product which will have artwork to accompany each song in the booklet. I know some of the band members favorite songs are not on the EP. We also have a very unique cover song that will be on the full length as a bonus.

Rocket: Roman Guryev on lead guitar is fantastic. So he will play a lot more lead solos on the LP, correct?

JJ: Welcome is the only song without a proper lead. As mentioned we have one song where he gets 5 solos and goes absolutely crazy! The EP is just a taster of what is to come.

Rocket: Do you have a warm up routine that you do before you sing in the studio or in front of a crowd?

JJ: Yes. Drink a lot. Haha Seriously, I have a standard warm up routine then I sing once through Oblivion.

Rocket: Who are some of the record labels you think would be a perfect fit for your band?

JJ: Nuclear Blast, Century Media or Roadrunner all have rosters that I can see us fitting in nicely with. I certainly don’t want to sound exclusionary either, as there are many more labels who have artists I personally love on them. But off the top of my head those three come to mind.

Rocket: Where do you see SHATTERED DESTINY band – in terms of success – ten years from now?

JJ: Touring for album 5 with stage show to match the concept story! Oh and longer hair. Ha!

Rocket: Rock on, brother. Thanks for rocking this out with me. Best of luck with your music. Go ahead and
give thanks out to your biggest supporters.

JJ: I am going to reiterate the thanks from the CD because these people deserve another thanks!

A big thanks to Joacim Cans, Roman Guryev, Andrea and Martin Brändström, Niklas Sundin, Pontus Norgren, Mikael Stanne, John Bonham, David Morley, Elena Hendrix, Collin Smith, James Arechederra, Steven Doeschot, Susan Crecelius, Johan Aremyr and Jen Magas.

http://www.shattereddestiny.net/