Interview: Mahavatar
by Rei Nishimoto
Mahavatar. A name as exotic as the founding members. Jamaican guitartist Karla Williams forged a bond with Israeli Lizza Hayson and honed their musical vision. That was 1999 with the following year seeing the release of a hundred copy run of their first single “The Time Has Come”. One more demo run that was sent out to radio stations and magazines saw an immediate response to their blend of heavy metal idealism and gothic alternative voicings. A few bumps along the way with some lineup changes (the trails of any true band) didn’t deter the core unit from raging forward and securing a record deal with Italian label Cruz del Sur. That venture produced the bands first full length “Go with the NO!”. A unique thrash power metal heaviness blended with the haunting gothic harshed out female presence on the vocals. It’s large and stomping and not what most would expect from the formula.
Guitarist Karla Williams sheds some insight into the creation known as Mahavatar.
Your bio states the band started in New York City.
Karla Williams: Mahavatar was formed in 1999 when guitarist Karla Williams joined forces with Lizza Hayson, Polish drummer Peter Lobodzinski and Frenchman Benjamin Serf on bass. We’ve had a few line-up changes since then, but as was the case in the beginning such is the case now. We all come from different cultural backgrounds and enjoy different genres of music. Personally, when listening to music, I like to travel and take different paths that all lead to that ultimate blissful feeling. So, if it moves me, I’m into it. Currently we are rehearsing with new members: Szymon Maria Rapacz (bass) from Poland, Shahar Mintz (rhythm guitar) from Israel, and Roi Star (drums) from Israel for some upcoming shows this summer. I believe there was only one previous band member who was born in the USA. All current Mahavatar members live in New York City.
Your vocalist Lizza has a unique sounding style. Where did you find her?
A mutual German friend by the name of En Esch from the band KMFDM introduced us. I was playing in another band. Lizza was looking for a guitar player. En Esch recommended me. The rest is history.
Is Lizza influenced by spirituality within her lyrics? There is quite a bit of mention of ‘open your mind’ in the lyrics.
Yes, we all have strong spiritual beliefs, which are manifested within the lyrics and our shared desire for creative freedom through sound. Here, space and time don’t exist.
There is a mention of the line “Go With The No” on your bio. Could you explain what that is about.
One night Lizza and I were sitting in some bar and the subject of naming the album came up. It was Lizza who coined the phrase, “Go with the NO!”. For us, it’s about not being afraid of the other side. We are all socialized to believe that saying, “NO!” is a negative thing. We believe it can be very positive. “Go with the NO!” from beginning to end is, our message, a call to arms, to rise up, open your eyes, the power lies within you. Look at the destruction of the past, present… where are we headed? You have a choice. We believe there is more and we are confident in this. No! We are not afraid anymore. We will not give in. Without fear, we are open now and so it begins. Confront and embrace your demons. Follow your own destiny. Then you’ll see. While tapping into the earth’s energy. The light from the darkness appears, giving birth to a new way of seeing, thinking, feeling. Into the forever. You see the lies, but don’t hide from the anger of this reality. Take this newfound energy and use it to start a revolution towards positive, progressive action. The time has come. The time is now. Go with the NO!
Um… Ok. So where do you draw inspirations for your music? I hear a lot of variations of tribal sounds and dark grooving melodies as well.
Mahavatar take inspiration from everything around us. Personally, some of the people that inspire me are… Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Journey, Kitaro, Arcturus, Philip Glass, Boston, Emperor, Beethoven, In The Woods…, Amorphis, Mozart, Cynic, At the Gates, Anathema, My Dying Bride, Primordial, Ulver, Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice, Borknagar, J. S. Bach, Opeth, Last Crack, Los Incas, Wagner, Jeff Buckley, Mary J. Blige, Paco de Lucia, Mahler, Randy Rhodes, Slash, Ritchie Blackmore, Paganini, Michael Shencker, Steve Morse, Zack Wylde, Rachmaninov, Dimmu Borgir, Chopin, Ottmar Leibert, Marty Friedman, Barber, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Sabbath, Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, Crimson Glory, Helmut, Fear Factory, Queen, Savatage, Dream Theater, Rush, Tool, ABBA, Grieg, Giorgio Moroder…
You worked with Bobby Hambel, formerly of Biohazard. How did he get involved and what did he do to help develop your sound early on?
Bobby is a friend of the band. He helped us with some technical things in the studio, like getting good guitar & drum sounds, and was very supportive throughout the initial tracking stages of our first demo in 1999. The Mahavatar sound has a life of it’s own.
Being in New York, you received some exposure through radio station WSOU. How much do you think that helped with your following?
During our demo days, it was nice to hear our music being played on WSOU. For a while we were put into regular rotation (not normal for unsigned bands). It did help get our name out more, and we received a lot of positive feedback and support, which helped us increase our fan base and attendance at shows because the DJ’s would announce our gigs. We look forward to gaining more exposure through radio stations like WSOU.
You worked with Michael Barile, who previously worked with Candiria and 40 Below Summer. What did he offer to your sound, he typically doesn’t work with bands with a sound like Mahavatar.
Yes, we recorded “Go with the NO!” with Michael Barile at Purple Light Studios in Brooklyn, NY. This was the first time Mahavatar worked with an engineer who had the knowledge and experience in recording heavy music, so it was great knowing that Michael was there. It made for a more relaxing experience which made us feel less worried about things like whether or not we were going get good sounds to tape. He was very supportive, offered us a lot of freedom and shared his own creative ideas, some of which we were able to use to help uplift the music even more.
Will Mahavatar hit the road anytime soon? Are there any immediate touring plans? What is to come in the immediate future? Any updates on the band?
Our immediate plan is to play live, so we are in rehearsals in preparation for some upcoming local shows and then we hope to hook up with some festivals or tours. It has begun.
mahavatar.net
2005 “Go with the NO!” (Cruz del Sur)
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