Indie Spotlight

Indie Profile: PROX

Prox

It's always nice to talk to nice, interesting people. And I know that when I was a child AMaliEN would have struck me as something other than that. Not too tall, with brown hued skin, electric blue (contact-lensed) eyes, a row of barbell piercings lining one eyebrow and clothes that cry rock musician, AMaliEN probably would have scared me. But AMaliEN is a really nice and interesting guy: a sound engineer and multi-instrumentalist with vocal power to be envied.

PROX is his baby. A post-NuMetal, darkling child born from his psyche and thousands of hours writing songs, practicing, playing shows and recording in his own studio in White Rock, B.C.

Their music will appeal to fans of melodic alt-rock and metal, bands like Korn, Linkin Park, and Disturbed. Of course, listening to PROX it is no surprise that Michael Patton of Faith No More is AMaliEN's hero.

PROX finished their first album at the end of 2007 and early 2008, and it will be available for purchase digitally in January, 2010 and in CD other form in March. It's a shame that you cannot hear more full songs on their Myspace, especially given the amount of songs they've completed. In this day and age, many fans do not like being teased by samples. However, PROX does have two low-budget videos to watch that are intentionally simple, dark and full of mystique. PROX understand how to be catchy and yet dark…with style.

There is a noticeable sonic difference between PROX's first unreleased album and their second. As AMaliEN says, the first album was mostly written by him with vocals, bass and guitar tracked (recorded at first) by himself. The second album shows that AMaliEN is the kind of musician to let others in; to let their talent and creativity elevate what one man alone can do. And you can hear the difference.

Listen below to AMaliEN of PROX talks about THE FIVE STAGES OF THE UNIVERSE, songwriting, hatred, true love, Roman Catholicism, spirituality and life on other planets!

Tell me about PROX, how it began and what PROX means.

How did PROX start?

Bands can have a hard time starting up and you said you had an interesting story!

On your MySpace under “Influences” your band says in big block letters capitalized THE FIVE AGES OF THE UNIVERSE… please enlighten us all.

You mention “ousting” people from the band, tell me more. Would you say you’re a hard guy to work with?

Tell me about the recent departure of your drummer and two albums you’ve already recorded, and why has neither yet been released.

Listening to your second album, especially back to back with the first was a treat to me. Now, what changed between the two in the writing & recording?

Would you say you are influenced much by ‘90’s NuMetal?

Let’s talk about your single. So you think it’s fair to say “Hello Unhappy” is at once of your most catchy songs but also most experimental.

I really like Kaleidoscope. It and both your videos are dark, shadowy with traces of light. Do you see music as art and if so, is it colourful or black and white? How does colour, music perception and distortion influence you as an artist?

WOW, great stuff. You have some real stories, as well traveled and have a unique insight into other people. Tell me more, you’re obviously a philosophical guy right?

You came from a Roman Catholic upbringing and your doing a full time playing music that in decades past was called Satan's music, and you speak as a person of honour who believes in true love speak and sort-of chivalrous and believe in those values.

Let’s talk about your new drummer, bands you’d like to open for, producers you want to work with and some of your experiences in the “Industry” as an independent band.

I think fans are going to appreciate your ability to integrate catchy, emotional lyrics and sailing vocals with the intense double kick work of your drummer and the rough thrashing of your guitars. What do you think fans are most drawn to in PROX?

Amailen, you have a voice many singers would envy. When did you first start to sing? Do you remember the first song you ever sang, and how has your life as a vocalist grown and evolved?

Despite your heavier side you do have that very pop mainstream appeal. I can easily imagine a song like “Day by Day” being played next to Paramore’s “Decode” on a twilight soundtrack, you do have that sound that is popular in the mainstream and so, How are you going to push that next besides touring and playing, what are you doing to get that out there?

Your MySpace says your mix pop, metal & hardcore and that you are poetically CORRECT. What does it mean to be poetically correct?

PROX will be playing January 15th, 2010 at the Shark Club in Vancouver, 8pm.

Band Members
Al X - Drums
MarQ - Guitar
Loops - Bass
Neo - Guitar
AMaliEN - Vocals

PROX Music:

Kaleidoscope

The Idiot