Led by vocalist Jesse Shea, CONSTRUKT has shared the stage with the likes of HATEBREED, KORN & SILENT CIVILIAN, having released two impressive EP’s along the way and garnering tons of attention from underground metal fans all over. This is definitely a band to watch out for, offering furious thrash breakdowns and anti-establishment views!
CONSTRUKT’s upcoming debut album “D-Day” will be distributed via Open Grave Records.
The Metal Den’s Randy “Rocket” Cody has conducted
an EXCLUSIVE new interview with Jesse Shea for TMD’s
ever loyal following of DEN HEADZ all across the globe!
Rocket: What bands first drew you to heavy metal music?
Jesse: Well, me personally, I grew up with industrial music. Early kfmdm, Ministry, Pig, and Nine Inch Nails. Later on in my teens I started to develop more of an attraction to metal and the energy it really represents. I guess it clicked with my adolescent a.d.d. These bands that I more or less transitioned with are probably some you hear about quite often such as White Zombie, Slayer, Pantera, Eyehategod, The Melvins.
Rocket: When exactly did you first start singing in bands?
Jesse: In the beginning of Construkt in 1998, it was a 3 piece and at the time I sang and played a little guitar.
When the band started into an extremely focused direction a year or so later, I concentrated solely on singing… just wanting to make sure I could make the most out of singing.
Rocket: Who are some of your biggest singing influences of past and present?
Jesse: Wow, well I like some for different reasons: David Gilmour, Raymond Watts, Trent Reznor, Dave Gahan, Christopher Hall, and presently I would say Howard Jones, Randy Blythe, Jonny Santos, Mark Hunter, Anders Friden. I tend to lean more towards the vocalists whom you can understand lyrically more than others… and I blame that on my industrial music background.
Rocket: Briefly, can you tell me more about how CONSTRUKT formed as a band?
Jesse: It was a 3 piece early on, all from the same high school, then we came across our 1st bass player from the same school and had our fun, but as some of us started to take it more seriously than others we went though a few member changes..ironically enough our 3rd bass player also comes from the same high school of the 2 remaining original members. Now we are a cold, hard machine.
Rocket: You have a debut full-length album coming out entitled “D-Day”. What is the release date for it?
Jesse: Loosely stated, 1st quarter of ’09.
Rocket: You are newly signed to a distribution deal with Open Grave Records. How did that all come about?
Jesse: It was a clean case of “at the right place at the right time” they have been good to us so far, being very patient for this album.
Rocket: Who produced the album?
Jesse: Vince Burke of Beaten Back To Pure, he’s also done Hailhornet, Sourvein, Lunch and a load of other folks.
Rocket: How does this band write music? Does it start with a riff at band practice or does it begin with lyrics?
Jesse: Mostly with music, but it’s random, there have been times when a bass line has been the main formula of the song, it’s all about the groove and where it takes you.
Rocket: It’s been another great year for heavy metal in 2008. What are some of the new album releases this year that have impressed you the most?
Jesse: The new Soulfly is refreshing, the new Meshuggah and Death Angel without a doubt. I’m still waiting for the Bleeding Through record, and our buds from Antagonist have a debut on Prosthetic records coming out at the end of the month as well.
Rocket: I like to have fun with this next one. What is the funniest thing that’s ever happened to you while performing on stage?
Jesse: Sometimes I’ll have a stupid moment or be dizzy from constantly moving and trip over a monitor, lights or a bass guitar might knock me in the head. Not something I do often, but hell I can rememeber a show in Atlanta where the tuning keys on the bass ripped out a few ear rings of mine… that got my attention.
Rocket: Who are some of the other local “un-signed metal” acts on your scene that you think are worth mentioning right now?
Jesse: Actually, some of the up and coming bands in my area I enjoyed also met there demise the same year, but Stuck Backwards, Dreadline, Sinn, Under 1 Condition, Mindvent, In Cynthia’s Diary…and I’m sure I forgot someone..but the areas got talent.
Rocket: What are some of the upcoming shows for CONSTRUKT?
Jesse: Well, we just did a busy ass summer… looking back were most likely the busiest band in our area, this year alone we played with Hatebreed, God Forbid, Type O Negative, Death Angel, Soilent Green, Mensrea and a slew of others.. we’re about to enjoy a 10 year anniversary show do a few more out of towners and some local stuff and were enjoying the holidays with our families and gearing up for a cd release show in 1st quarter 09 followed by touring that summer.
Rocket: Thanks very much for taking time out to do this interview. Best of luck with it all. Go ahead and give a shout-out to your biggest supporters.
Jesse: Everyone who has been there from the beginning, my wife, my biggest supporter, my kids and our sponsor crakshot, the o.b.p.a., the people who keep coming to the shows, without them, there would be no Construkt.
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