Metal Israel correspondent Bela Nagy from Salatamagazin interviewed vocalist Marc Halverson of Portland, Oregon hardcore act Proven. The band stands on its own two feet in regard to quality and I am eagerly looking forward to sponging the new disc off of them. But if you need references, Proven is notably DFL and their debut EP was produced by Billy Graziadei of Biohazard/Suicide City.

MI: First of all, please introduce Proven to the readers of Metal Israel. When you started the band, how you hooked up, the band members etc.

MH: We are a five piece metal/hardcore band from Portland, Oregon. We came together under the name From Within back in the summer of 2005. Randy (guitars/vocals) and I were friends who shared a similar passion for metal and hardcore music and made a pact to start writing songs. We began writing songs in my room in August of 2005 and never turned back. In late August Randy started giving guitar lessons and along came Sam Boggess (guitars). Shortly after, John Gagne (drums) joined the fold and we recorded our first demo song “Ambush”. We played several shows around the Portland area and completed our first five songs which would become our debut EP. John left the From Within in late December due to the fact he is from the East Coast and wanted to be closer to his family and friends. The three of us pushed on and decided to change our name to Proven.

In February 2006, we made the cross country journey to South Amboy, New Jersey, to record our debut EP with Billy Graziadei (Biohazard, Suicide City). John met up with us and laid down the drums and we put out a solid and powerful five song EP. In March of 2006, Josh Dixon (drums) and Keith Fitzgerald (bass) joined forces and we have been moving forward ever since.

MI: You released a self-titled EP in 2006. Please share with the readers some of your thoughts about the EP if they haven’t heard it already…

MH: We recorded our first 5 song EP in February 2005 and we came out with the best product possible. Being able to work with Billy Graziadei and Mike Turner (Vulture) was a great experience and the wisdom and knowledge we gained from working with them is priceless! You can definitely hear our direct influences of Pantera, Biohazard, and In Flames, compounded with our own unique style of metal and hardcore. Each song is very different from the next but you can still hear the Proven sound in each one of them. We are very proud of our EP but we’re currently recording new material which is even heavier, more progressive and better!

MI: What kind of reactions mainly have you received?

MH: For no label support or distribution, we have managed to sell over 800 copies of our EP and we have fans all over the US, Europe, Asia and Australia. We have received countless compliments on the sound and production of our self titled EP. We give a lot of credit to Billy and Mike for helping us bring all of our elements into to one to create the powerful and unique sound of Proven.

MI: How did you become friends with Billy and what means to you the music of Biohazard?

MH: First off, Billy Graziadei is a class act and it is an honor to work with him. Randy and I are huge Biohazard fans to begin with. I have the tattoo on my back, so I am “DOWN FOR LIFE”!!! Biohazard is that one band that I have identified with personally over the years. Their lyrics are “REAL” and their message is powerful. I could go on for hours, but they are still the most original and underappreciated metal/hardcore band to date, period. Billy has 20+ years of experience in music and you cannot put a price on his wisdom and knowledge of the industry. When he asked us to begin working with Biologic Consulting in September 2006, we knew it was the right fit for us. Also, Mike Turner has an incredible ear for music and he did a phenomenal job mixing and producing our EP as well. We look forward to working with he and Billy in the near future on our next album!

MI: If I know well now you work with Billy also on the new album. Let us know about the working process…

MH: Our new songs are coming along very well. Unfortunately, we do not have the budget at this time to fly back to New Jersey and record again at Underground Sound Studios, but we are working something out to where Billy and Mike may come out here to Portland to record the new material. We definitely want to make sure it is done right and we know that by working with them, they will bring out the best in our sound and we will get the best product possible.

MI: Proven is from Portland, Oregon, but your sound is to me more familiar with the New York and East Coast sound. What do you think about that?

MH: We have been told that we definitely have an East Coast sound and influences. You can hear the hardcore elements of Biohazard and Hatebreed along with the straight ahead metal of Pantera (southern metal). The East Coast is the melting pot of some many legendary hardcore bands like Biohazard, Cro-Mags, Madball, Sick of it All, Bad Brains, etc. We cannot wait to get out and tour on the East Coast to say the least! Also, each one of us has our personal influences and that is what makes our music distinct and unique. My favorite bands are Pantera, Biohazard, Machine Head, Throwdown. Randy is really into Pantera, Biohazard, Heaven Shall Burn, Superjoint Ritual, and a variety of jazz. Sam digs In Flames, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Soilwork. Josh is really into Lamb of God, Pantera, Shadows Fall. Keith is really into Black Label Society, Pantera, Static-X.

MI: What is the Portland hardcore and metal scene like?

MH: There is not much of a hardcore and metal scene in Portland. But, 36 Crazy Fists and Falling Closer are bands that hail out of Oregon and have made a name for themselves. Portland generally caters to more alternative/nu-metal sound. Our neighbors up north in Seattle, have produced several notable bands such as Himsa, Aiden and Evergrey. We are prepared to get on the road and bring Proven to the masses.

MI: You already shared the stage with serious bands like Sworn Enemy, FullBlown Chaos or Scars Of Tomorrow. Let us know about your experiences. MH: It was a honor to share the stage with these bands. We are all fans of Sworn Enemy, Full Blown Chaos, and Scars of Tomorrow. We have opened for Sworn Enemy a couple of times and they always throw it down. They are the future of hardcore and the “Kings of Queens”! Full Blown Chaos literally brings the place down with their brute-force crushing riffage. Personally, I am a big fan of Scars of Tomorrow and frontman, Mike Milford, is a very cool and down to earth person. I wish them the best and look forward to playing more shows with them in the future.

MI: When I listen to your music I feel that you want to help to keep alive the true spirit of the old-school hardcore and metal bands with a fresh sound that is your own. How much do you agree with me?

MH: That is a very accurate assessment of Proven’s sound. We are huge fans of 90’s metal, which brought out some of the most original and best metal bands, period. Legends like, Pantera, Sepultura, Machine Head, Crowbar and Fear Factory put out incredible albums and really defined what metal is today in my mind. Personally, Pantera is the greatest thing since sliced bread! They define metal and are still the most powerful and incredible live band I have ever seen. I saw them live about 20 times and they were always on point. It is a shame we will not get to see them again, but I will always remember their shows and how their music impacted me. Old-school hardcore legends like Biohazard, Cro-Mags, Madball inspire our hardcore side and without bands like them to pave the way, we would not have such great hardcore bands today like Hatebreed, Throwdown, Terror and The Hoods.

MI: The trends come and go, nu-metal, metalcore etc. Among the new bands, how often do you find any original sound these days like it used to be back in the days of the ’80s and ’90s?

MH: Metal came back strong the last 4 years or so and I cannot ever recall hearing so many new metal and hardcore bands like I have recently. However, with some many bands in these genres a lot of it has become generic. But, you still have great bands like Hatebreed, Unearth, Heaven Shall Burn, Throwdown, In Flames and Lamb of God who have kept metal and hardcore alive! Bands like Pantera, Slayer, Sepultura, Metallica, Megadeth, Iron Maiden helped truly define 80’s and 90’s metal to pave the way for the future of metal today.

MI: I know that you are working on the next album. What different directions do you want to express in comparison with the EP?

MH: The new material has a more progressive edge but stays along the blueprint of the Proven sound. We had a lot more time to work on these new songs and we really spent time on expounding our sound and defining the direction Proven wants to go with our sound. We still have our straight ahead metal songs and are brutal hardcore songs which appeal to our current fans and hopefully open doors to a wider audience.

MI: What is the overall message of Proven to the listeners?

MH: Our overall message is, that Proven is a positive metal/hardcore band that is true to their music, fans, and themselves. We live and breathe music and everything we do and play comes from the heart. We do not pigeonhole ourselves to cater to one particular audience but at the same time, we stay true to our metal and hardcore roots.

MI: What are Proven’s next future plans?

MH: Our future plans are to finish recording our new songs by March of 2007 and then prepare to hit the road. We want to tour the US extensively and bring our sound to the masses. Also, we are seeking worldwide distribution to spread the word!

MI: Any last messages to the readers?

MH: No matter where you come from, never give up. Do not let anyone tell you what you can and what you cannot achieve in life. Stay positive and you can overcome any obstacle or challenge in life. Remain hardcore and we will see you soon.