Hybrid metal and rap from Quebec
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR US WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH YOU AND YOUR MUSIC AND TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
FS: My name is Steve Tobin and I am the front man/founding member of Fatal Switch, a Rap Metal Rock band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. We recorded our debut album with Kevin Jardine (guitarist of Slaves on Dope) and have just released our debut album Doctors & Demons August 7th 2020.
Our songs consist of rap stories that we drop over the traditional song structures of heavy metal and rock which we feel leads to a unique approach to this hybrid genre. We’ve released a couple of singles since November 2018 and recently released our third single and album. We’ve have had all three of music videos air on national TV thanks to Stingray Loud and our manager Pedro Barbosa. Even though we are in awkward times with COVID-19 spread around the world, we still look forward to finding new ways of connecting with those who love the Rap Metal sound and dig our heartfelt lyrics.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR NEW ALBUM OR SINGLE?
FS: Our latest single and debut album both titled Doctors & Demons recently launched and we couldn’t be more excited to see where the journey will take us. The music video was directed by JD Leblanc of Heymakers video production and features original suicide girl model Stiletto Thunder Kiss. The band and I absolutely love how it turned out and you can give it watch on YouTube when you get a chance (trust me you don’t want to miss this one).
While you’re at it give the album a listen as well! You’ll hear songs about demons, time travel, robots, cyborgs, aliens, child soldiers, domestic abuse and homicide. If your looking for music that plays out like a movie sit back, relax and let us introduce you to some Doctors & Demons.
WHAT INSPIRED THE ALBUM OR SINGLE?
FS: Like any good album it was a collection of many songs that we assembled with our producer that were made over time, so in a way it comes from years of different forms of inspiration. I guess I can say it’s a culmination of my life’s struggles mixed with my growth and rebirth as an individual that influenced the different range in our song’s topics. I took all my life experience and built it a around a female character called Sian. A young woman who runs away from home after living a life of domestic abuse. On journey in a strange new land she encounters various doctors and demons that surround her and her alter ego named Hyde. The character Sian that I made has and continues to inspire a lot of the stories I tend to rap about drawing inspiration off her story.
CAN YOU SUM UP THE ALBUM IN A FEW WORDS?
FS: Dark, heavy, groovy and emotional.
WHAT RECORD CHANGED YOUR LIFE AND WHY?
FS: That’s a tough one… It’s a real close call between the Slim Shady LP by Eminem and Splinter by Sneaker Pimps. But I’m going to have to go with the Slim Shady LP because that’s made me enter into the game of a rap artist whereas Splinter inspired some of my best songs in the beginning of my songwriting.
I remember being at a house party when I was in my early teens chilling with friends. I had just taken some hits off a joint and sat on the couch to crack open a 40 when one of the homies puts on the song My Name Is (this was before Eminem blew up btw). From the very second I heard the Dj scratches kick in something started to physically change in my body (not gonna lie could have been the drugs) and the room started to buzz with energy. Then I heard the famous words “Hi my names is” and I was instantly mesmerized. Then the verse kicks in and I am dying of laughter all the while the host of the house is screaming and crying because some dudes thought it would be a good idea to graffiti the walls of her moms house and everyone is freaking out and panicking I’m think Sh*** a fights about to break out but I couldn’t move. Line after line I was in complete wonder and hysterics over these lyrics dropping one after another, my mind just sinking into the punch lines, each one more refreshing than a cold watermelon on a hot summer day. I couldn’t get enough. From that day on I started my journey into the world of hip hop and temporarily set aside my Nirvana and Green Day CD’s. And then when I found he was white and I was damn… this dude is about to change the face of hip hop forever.
Once the Slim Shady LP was officially out, I was the first in line to buy it and I studied every beat, every song every syllable. Songs like Guilty Conscience (and on his second album) Stan were the first revelations to the style of hip hop I wanted to be known for I’ve been perfecting it ever since.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE MUSIC VIDEO FILMED BY YOUR BAND OR ANOTHER ARTIST?
FS: Drop by The Pharcyde is pure genius directed by Spike Jonze. That would be my pick for another band. If you haven’t seen it yet I highly recommend checking it out.
As for our music video I think the latest one Doctors & Demons really highlights the band and tells the story perfectly. The concept was spot on and executed beautifully by everyone involved.
WHAT WOULD WE FIND YOU DOING WHEN YOU'RE NOT MAKING MUSIC?
FS: Raising my precious daughter and spending time with my beautiful wife. Also practicing martial arts and seeing shows with friends. But let’s be honest when am I not doing something music related lol. Even when I play with my daughter, I tend to make songs from the sounds her toys make. Lol. Bless my wife’s soul.
DO YOU GET NERVOUS PERFORMING LIVE, IF SO HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?
FS: Theirs always a bit of nerves before preforming live in my opinion. You never really know what can go wrong or how the sound will come across. I tried to just keep calm, have fun with the guys, get to the venue really early and just chill out as we get ready to go on. Its like jumping in cold water. That first song always feels a bit tense but once your 30 seconds into it your completely acclimated to the environment. I just keep that in mind and everything else works itself out.
HOW DID YOU FORM THE BAND?
FS: I found my Drummer Ralph A Samah on a music ad platform, Ryann Paqueo thorough a Kijiji ad and Bassist David Vigliotti on a Facebook music group. Our other guitarist Max Rope was brought in by Ryann.
HOW DO YOU WRITE? - DO YOU HAVE A KEY SONGWRITER, OR DO YOU ALL WORK TOGETHER?
FS: Ya it’s a great process actually. We all write together and build on whatever someone presents. We always have unique perspectives because we all have different backgrounds. We have guys like myself who know hip hop better than metal and other guys who know metal better than hip hop but we all listen to both genres. So, the mix of influences is really starting to cut through as we write material for our second album.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
FS: Anything interesting really. Could be politics, fantasy, spirituality, science, pseudo-science, technology. As long as there is a message that makes me think I can follow that thread and weave it into any song. Listening to established bands and the masterpieces they have created before us also really helps us with inspiration.
WHAT IS NEXT?
FS: Promoting our debut album while getting ready to go back in studio has our hands pretty full at the moment. When life goes back to normal, we can’t wait to hit the stage again and start playing festivals. We are a bit sad that our live momentum came to a stop but we are determined to find different ways to continue connecting with our fans.
PLEASE TELL US ANY SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS SO WE CAN SHARE.
FS: Thank you so much for having this interview with us. We truly cherish the time you and readers took to get to knows a bit better.
We would love to keep the conversation going so feel free to find us on our socials over here:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fatalswitch/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fatal.switch/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/FatalSwitch
And the link to our album over here > https://fatalswitch.fanlink.to/doctors-and-demons
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