Mary Zimmer: I don’t know. It’s hard to expect anything, because we are a new band. Some people have been following us for a while through our independent releases, but in reality we’re a new band. We are working really hard to let people know about it and who we are. The label’s working hard, too. Anything could happen.
You’re also hosting a podcast for Century Media.
That’s really fun. Century Media started doing artist podcasts, and I was the first one to do some. I have a background in radio. I used to work in commercial radio at a Celine Dion type station. I call it “From The Basement,” because I record it in a little room in my basement. I get to go through the Century Media catalog and pick what I want to play and talk about it. It’s always a lot of fun, because I have so many stories associated with these songs. I’ve been a huge fan of the Century Media catalog for years. I really enjoy it.
You’re also featured in Century Media’s 2009 calender.
Yes, that was a neat thing. I was really excited. I couldn’t believe they put me in first, as January. That was pretty sweet. It was a fun thing to do.
Does that type of marketing concern you?
I think it’s fine. If looking at a nice picture of me makes somebody want to check out my band and maybe they’ll like the music, then great. The more opportunities we have to get the name out there we have to take. That’s just how the record industry works. There’s no getting around it whether you like it or not. Century Media always asks. They would never make you do something if you didn’t want to. They were really cool and really respectful. They don’t want us to do anything ridiculously skanky, because that would ruin the integrity of the musician. There are ways to do it and be classy and maintain your integrity as a musician. But at the same time you don’t want to pass up opportunities.
How did you get started in music?
Sometime when I was around 10 I decided I wanted to play the piano. I did that for years, although I’m still a subpar piano player. But it was a good base. In high school I decided I wanted to be in the band, so I learned to play percussion instruments. I didn’t want to sing. When I got a little older I realized I was good at it, and started getting leads in musicals and things. Then I went to school for music and got whipped into shape. It’s a rude awakening to study classical music and classical singing. You get put through the ringer. But it was really great. I got to be a good musician.
At what point did you get into metal?
It was in college. I went to a Catholic high school and never had any exposure to metal. When I was about 18 and started college there were all these kids who were big prog and metal fans into Dream Theater and stuff. My first ever band approached me about doing a project like The Gathering. I didn’t know who they were. They gave me a box of CDs and metal magazines, and I was sold. It was like somebody opened a door. When you’re in the metal scene you know who all these bands are and what all the subgenres are. But it was like someone opened a whole new world to me. From then on there was no turning back. I went to every concert I could go to and became an avid metal fan. I’ve never stopped.
When did you start getting into the screaming style of singing?
The first time I ever played At The Gates and Carcass I was blown away. I didn’t know what to do, I was so overwhelmed. Tomas Lindberg’s vocals were so intense. I thought that I had to learn how to do that. It was the most intense expression of anything I’ve heard come out of someone’s mouth. I just started experimenting with it on my own and how to do it.
