Viper’s Den // Interview with Rex Viperon

Interview by Jay Parker

Black Metal will always be Black Metal. It’s not fashionable, it’s not something that will come and go.

Hi Rex... For the first part of our series focusing on Black Metal Producers, ‘The Demons Behind The Darkness’, we’ll be talking to REX VIPERON, the man with his demonic claws on the controls at VIPER’s DEN STUDIOS, Bangkok, Thailand.... a breeding ground for demons and some of the hottest Asian Black Metal...

Hi Rex, thanks for talking to our readers, man :)

‘Hail! Thank you so much for this opportunity!

1) Tell us about the history behind Viper’s Den?

-Viper’s Den is the name of my home studio. It is my “mancave” and where I create my music. It’s a small home studio that I use to record guitars, bass, and vocals (sadly, it is too small for drum recording).

2) What bands have you worked with over the years?

-Mostly my own bands and some other projects. These include Dei Tetra, Awicha, Stratosfear, Evil Singing Pandas, Nebula’s Eye, Ihllus, and Plaguebringer.

3) Tell us about your experience working with different bands... what has been the best/ worst/ funniest/most rewarding?

-One of my most favorite time was when we were composing and recording a band called Stratosfear.

There were 4 members in this band (including me), and the best thing was that we never hesitated to contribute ideas and help each other shape the music that we played. There were tons of jokes, but we still got things done. It was one of the most inspiring moments for me. As for my worst experience, it wasn’t with a person, but it was with my studio equipment. There have been many times that my computer broke down during the recording sessions. Sometimes, it wiped out all the recorded materials, settings, templates, programs, etc. It was very frustrating, but it taught me to always backup whatever is on my studio computer. Now, I backup my materials in three different places.

4) Tell us about your work schedule? How many hours do you dedicate to music every week?

-When I was younger, I would spend days and nights in my studio. Now, sadly, I am unable to do long sessions, but I still keep it a daily routine of 4-5 hours (mostly at night, because of insomnia).

5) What inspired you to record/produce Black metal?

-Black Metal to me is special. It is a genre that isn’t just about music. It’s a place where you are able to truly express yourself and your art freely. We don’t have to spend too much time worrying about the sounds and the productions, because, personally, I believe that those shit ruin the rawness of the art that we want to portray. Most of time, I get most of my influences from different situations (past/present) that occur around me. It can be historical events, personal experience, or even from the news. I think this works well for me, because there is no restriction. Apart from that I enjoy playing Black Metal because it challenges me to create various types of sound and musical textures that help express my views and emotions.

6) Tell us about your plans for the future with Viper’s Den?

-In October, 2020, I have decided to take Viper’s Den to a higher ground. It is now called Viper’s Den Productions, acting not only as a place where I create my music, but a place where I can produce materials for both my bands and others’.

My goal is to contribute my part to help spread underground Black Metal as far as it can go. I firmly believe that there are countless Black Metal bands like mine that need attention and exposure.

7) Is there any band that you’d like to record?

-I would really love to work with new local bands that have the same goals and passion. Musicians who are dedicative, and most importantly hardworking.

8) Tell us about your equipment and all your demonic techno toys...

-I don’t really have any high end equipment. Most of them work well with me, and that’s the main reason why I use them. Let’s first talk about guitars. I fucking love BC Rich guitars. And at the moment, I own 9 of them. Some I only use for recording (mostly the Bich, Eagle, and Warlock models), and some for live shows (Jrvs). For bass, I’m using my own bass called “Torched Bass”, a 4 string burned alder body bass. I don’t use amps that much anymore. I can’t crank them up as loud as I want them to be (neighbors...). So, I have been using the Avid ElevenRack as my main amp ‘sim’ unit for both guitars and bass. I also use various type of distortion pedals to boost the already distorted amps. At the moment, I’m using the Boss Hm2, Hm3, Ds1, Arion Metal Master, Aria Adt1, Proco Rat, and TC Electronic Eyemaster. The recording interface I’m using is the Focusrite Scarlett 2i4. And I’m using 4 studio monitors. That’s about it I think.

9) Do you have any advice for young up-and ‘coming producers out there?

-I think the only thing I can say to them is to get out there and follow your passion or else you will regret it. Stay focused and keep pushing. You don’t have to have high end equipment or pay loads of money to hire anyone to make music. You can do it yourself. Don’t spend too much time editing every fucking thing, music today sounds too perfect, it’s not art anymore; it’s like a clone now. I don’t even fucking tune my guitars to 440....lol.

10) How do you see the future evolution of Black metal?

-Black Metal will always be Black Metal. It’s not fashionable, it’s not something that will come and go. We (both listeners and musicians) will keep on going. There will always be Black Metal bands emerging everywhere in this world, and there will always be people who understand and appreciate this art.

Thanks man :)

-Thank you very much brother!