Vegas Indie Artists July 2014 | Page 8

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Skarred Kage

Alex Zepeda is Skarred Kage

With an interesting mix of Electronica and Death Metal, Skarred Kage is a project of interest. Alex is a producer, guitarist, and extreme metal vocalist. He is the sole member of the project Skarred Kage. His project explores the many worlds of electronica that leans heavily toward metal as evidenced in a track he recorded in 2008 called “Social Deformity”.

Here’s what people have been saying about Skarred Kage:

"multiple eyes have emerged fall over the head like so many creative formations of the mind, perverted and asserted by unbridled ego. Artist Pablo Saborio presents a troubling portrait of evil's victory. Composer Skarred Kage offers narrative, layered atop a foreboding snare beat, desperate electronic elements fade in and out, like so many mad formations of thought in the mind of this monster with multiple eyes."

Dan Goldstein - Audio Sparks For Art

"Pulsing and surreal, Skarred Kage makes some f****d up soundscapes to trip balls to. I’m not going to try and attempt to organize the uncontainable, but let me say I feel his music to

be a depressive likeness to doom inspired noise with industrial. There is a lot of animated creativity, which is only achieved when in a state

of lunacy. But I also don’t believe art can be made by the sane."

Ru1ns Magazine NYC

VIA Magazine Interview:

VIA: One of the most common questions but I have to ask. When and why did you start playing?

Alex: I started playing guitar around the age of 14 after hearing South Of Heaven by Slayer and watching Kerry King shred on guitar.

VIA: Which instruments do you play?

Alex: Guitar is my main instrument but for Skarred Kage I also do some synths.

VIA: Most of us learn our favorite song first. What was the first tune(s) you learned?

Alex: South Of Heaven by Slayer was the first song I learned. I remember bringing the ‘South Of Heaven’ cassette tape to a guitar teacher in San Marcos Texas so he could teach me the song. He had had to take the tape home and teach me the next week because there was now tablature for the song at the time.

VIA: Why did you pick the genre of music that you play?

Alex: I picked electronica for Skarred Kage because I feel electronica allows the composer so much freedom for creativity and I picked Death Metal for Random Thoughts Of Violence for technicality and aggression.

VIA: Which famous musicians do you admire? Why?

Alex: I think I still admire Slayer the most for their aggression and classic songs. Cannibal Corpse would be second to them for aggression and their superior musicianship.

VIA: Who was your first teacher? Other teachers?

Alex: Daniel Sanchez out of San Marcos Texas was my first guitar teacher however I consider Dave Smith Of Today's music my first true ALL AROUND teacher. He was the person that taught me about not only guitar playing but also music theory and composition.

VIA: I see you have classical music education. What type of music did you study at UNLV?

Alex: I studied some classical guitar at UNLV under Bill Swick.

VIA: Describe your first instrument. Other instruments.

Alex: My first instrument was A B.C. Rich Iron bird. Man I had the thing for years before I bought a new guitar. Now that I think of it the only reason I bought a new guitar was because the guitar was damaged during traveling. I'm currently playing an 8 string ESP LTD and and Axiom Pro 61

VIA: How do you handle mistakes during a performance?

Alex: I have not performed live in a while but I am currently preparing for live performance. But in the past I would just pass off the mistake as if it didn't exist.

VIA: Great advice! Do you get nervous before a performance or a competition?

Alex: Skarred Kage has been in some "re mix" competitions and I can honestly say I have never gotten nervous.

VIA: What advice would you give to beginners who are nervous?

Alex: Know your material.

VIA: We all know how important practice is. How often and for how long do you practice?

Alex: I practice 5 days a week. Right now I am practicing (composing) about 3- 4 hours a day with Skarred Kage and about 1 hour a day on my guitar for Random Thoughts Of Violence. This schedule will most likely flip flop after the next few new Skarred Kage songs are complete

VIA: What do you practice - exercises, new tunes, hard tunes, etc.?

Alex: I mostly practice my own tunes and focus on my newest stuff.

VIA: Do you teach music?

Alex: I used to teach music but I am not currently teaching. But in the future this may be a possibility

VIA: How do you balance your music with other obligations - mate, children, job?

Alex: No children or mate MUSIC IS MY LIFE :D

VISIT SKARRED KAGE ON REVERBNATION