Interview by Ariz from - Alamdurjana Zine

27/7/2004 (Interview from the Phex Era)

PHEX is your nickname and you used it as your band moniker. Is it any special reason why did you use it?
Phex is a one-man band as you know, so I could have used my real name (Muhannad Bursheh) *, but I don’t like that, so I used my nickname which represents me in all the projects I do (i.e.: my other bands).

Who is your current line-up now? And did you play all instruments in “The Black Vision” demo? Why it never distribuited?
The line-up is only me, I do all instruments. And yes I played all instruments in the demo. It was never distributed because the 2 songs on it can be also found on the album “Spirits And Devils”. The songs are “Black Vision” and “The Insect War”.

In your 1st album (Spirits And Devils) the line-up are Omar and Saeed on guitar, and Basil on keyboards. Are you going to use different line-up for the next release
Oops, you got it wrong here, hehe. Also on Spirits and Devils the line-up was only I, but Omar, Saeed and Basil appeared as guest musicians. Omar played the guitar only on the song “Burgor”, and on the same song Saeed did the vocals along with me (he didn’t play guitar). Basil played the keyboards on the opener of the album “Chords Of Demise”. For the next release, there will be no changes, it will remain a one-man band.

How’s your 2nd album “Prisoner Of Darkness” going? You used 5 tracks from “Spirits And Devils” plus 2 new tracks. Are there any songs taken from the demo
That’s right, I’m going to re-produce 5 tracks from Spirits and Devils, and I’ll add 2 new tracks. There will be one song from the demo, which is “Black Vision”. But now I’m thinking of re-producing the whole Spirits and Devils album, though I’m still not sure. So I have 2 choices; either to re-produce 5 tracks and add 2 new, then I’ll name the new release “Prisoner of Darkness”, or re-produce all the Spirits album and keep it on its original name.

“Prisoner Of Darkness” is your 2nd album and you claimed it as your first official considerable album. Why? Is the old album is not a considerable release? Did you signed to any record labels? How’s the response from all your releases?
First of all “Prisoner of Darkness” is still not released, hehe. Anyways, no, the reason why I don’t want “Spirits and Devils” to be official is not because it’s not considerable. In fact I think it’s a very good album with very good songs, and I like it so much. But the reason is that it has a relatively bad sound quality. I didn’t produce it with a professional producer or so; I just produced it myself and I didn’t care so much for the quality because it was just for fun, I never thought it would become something serious. I call it a try out album, but it appeared to be a great try out, because now I know that I can do good music, I also gained a lot from it, so it’s a good experience. I didn’t sign with any label, and I’m not searching for a label for Phex in the present time. The responses from people are not bad; many people liked the album, and I’m having support from some people, thanks to them - The next album will be a killer I promise.

You has a musical background. Are you still a part of orchestra’s flutist? And is it gives you a good atmosphere in your songs by using this instrument? How about other Arabic instruments?
Yes I’m still in the Jordanian national orchestra and its great. Of course playing flute or any musical instrument that belongs to the classical music family can serve a lot in metal. You can get great atmosphere in the music you compose, and the most important thing is that it gives you wider ranges in composing. Actually I don’t like Arabian music, so I don’t play any Arabian instrument.

What bands influenced you? Since you’re playing doom/death metal with a touch of thrash and industrials, where do you think that PHEX influenced those bands, I mean is it from the lyrics or the songs?
Actually I’m mostly influenced by black metal. I listen to death metal a lot, also doom, but I’m mostly into melodic black - bands like; Old Man’s Child, Emperor, Kalmah and so… About death metal, I’m so in love with Bolt Thrower, hehe. I also like for example Morbid Angel, Death… and ya you know. About doom, I think it should be Orphaned Land that I’m mostly into. Well When I compose my music, I don’t make it as if “Well I want this riff to be like this band” or so! No, I just compose the thing that comes into my mind; it could be black, death, heavy or what ever. Also about the lyrics, it’s the same story; I don’t write lyrics with influences from bands, I just write what I’m thinking of.

Are you going to change your style in the future? Like TIAMAT for example, but still good to listen. And do you think it’s a good revolution for your band?
I don’t thick that bands which changed their style intended to do it or you know chose it, I hope you got what I mean, well I think the style just changes by itself, according to the interests of the band members, it’s very hard for a band to keep doing the same thing all the time. Talking about “Phex”, I’m not intending to change the style, I never intend to do that actually, but you never know what happens. To me variations happen in heaviness, it may always remain the same style, but the heaviness changes - I ALWAYS GO TO HEAVIER, NOT MELLOWER!!!

You also play in a band called AUGURY (previously called MORGOTH). Whish is the most priority for you? Any latest news from AUGURY?
Ya, Augury, a melodic black metal band, with classical an medieval influences. Actually you can call it “Atmospheric Black Metal”. Augury is more important to me of course, but that doesn’t mean that “Phex” is not important. Some news about Augury, well okay - 2 little things. First, We’re composing new material for our second release. Second, we might get a label contract.

When do you think that the metal scene started in Jordan? And how do you guys get the metal CD’s/tapes and T-shirts there? Can you get it easily?
I think it started in late 80’s or a little before. Yes we can get everything we want easily. Thanks to “Mute Records”, the metal shop in Amman.

Any recommended bands or fanzines from there? Or labels maybe?
Sadly there are no labels.

Not any important fanzines, but there is some kind of a group “Jordan Metal” www.jordanmetal.tk

Bands:

1. Augury (official website: www.augury.tk),

(Download our music: www.audiostreet.net/augury)

2. Esodic (good band, but no website)

3. Darkcide (Jordanian legends, unfortunately they broke up)

There are lots of bands but most of them have no links or releases.

Honestly, I don’t support bands from Israel. Do you has any contact from them? Maybe from SALEM or ORPHAND LAND or any other bands?
Ya, I know the guys from Orphaned Land. I met them in Turkey and they seemed to be really great people. Hail to the Orphaned Land guys “Kobi, Yossi, Matti, Uri, Avi and Eden”.

Final words before the storm hits the desert……………
Thanks for the interview… METAL RULES!!!

(Muhannad Bursheh) * - Not included in original interview