Written By Chris Norris
Some bands follow the rulebook. Art of Shock seem to have misplaced theirs somewhere between a crushing guitar riff and a wildly ambitious musical idea. And frankly, they’re doing just fine without it.
In this Art of Shock interview, Metal Lair catches up with frontman Art to explore the creative freedom, relentless determination, and adventurous spirit driving the Los Angeles metal outfit forward.
Rooted in thrash but never confined by it, Art of Shock have carved out an identity that embraces experimentation without sacrificing intensity. Their latest single, “You Are The Plague,” confronts misinformation and willful ignorance, while the upcoming “Antichrists,” arriving November 3, promises another fearless step into territory where musical boundaries are more suggestions than rules.
But there’s more to this band than aggression and bold artistic choices. Behind the music are musicians who genuinely enjoy challenging themselves, finding humor in life’s absurdities, and refusing to let adversity dictate their future.
We talked with Art about survival, creative independence, the songs closest to his heart, and why making music on their own terms remains nonnegotiable.
The result is a conversation with a musician who’s thoughtful, refreshingly candid, and clearly having a hell of a time doing things his own way.
Inside the Art of Shock Interview: Music Without Boundaries
Metal Lair: Art of Shock has faced and overcome numerous challenges throughout its history. Looking back, which of those experiences do you feel ultimately made the band stronger?
Art: It’s true that we’ve encountered a few obstacles along the road, some of them public, some of them private. I think every experience possibly contains a lesson, and sometimes they just don’t. I’d say that it’s been the sum of everything that has made us into what we are now. I wouldn’t change a thing!
Metal Lair: “You Are The Plague” addresses misinformation, anti-scientific thinking, and the manipulation of belief. Were you responding to particular events or individuals when writing the song, or was your message aimed at something broader?
Art: I think we’re going through a very particular time in history. It is painfully obvious who owns the machine. They’re shameless at this point, constantly saying the quiet part out loud. Some people are proudly anti-science, they proudly support the very people that want to oppress them, and some people are aware of this and keep rooting for the enemy just to get other people hurt. There’s way too many of those nowadays. It’s a fucking plague.
Metal Lair: You’ve announced “Antichrists” for November 3, following “You Are The Plague.” How do these two songs connect musically and thematically, and what does the new single reveal about the direction you’re taking?
Art: They’re Art of Shock songs. It’d be terrible to have to write a full album of thrash standards. That’s why we started AOMFS, we reject anything that attempts to be imposed on us. As far as the theme, yeah, it’s gonna ruffle a few feathers. We don’t care. If somebody out there thinks it’s about them, it probably is!
Metal Lair: As you experiment with new musical elements, how do you decide which directions to explore while maintaining Art of Shock’s recognizable identity?
Art: We’re one of those bands that no matter what we do, we can only sound like Art of Shock, and we love it. That gives us a lot of freedom and space to experiment. We also write a lot. It’s boring for us to try to recreate the same set of songs over and over. It works amazingly for some, we just don’t think it works for us collectively.
Metal Lair: Without giving away any surprises, what can listeners expect to discover on the upcoming album that they haven’t heard from Art of Shock before?
Art: We certainly added a few interesting things to our vocabulary with this one, and I think it’s well balanced. I can say that our extreme side got a bit more extreme, and we found some unexplored textures on the melodic side of things.
Metal Lair: For Metal Lair readers discovering Art of Shock for the first time, which albums or songs would you recommend from your body of work?
Art: I like a lot of our songs! Right off the tip of my tongue I’d recommend “I Cast a Shadow“, “The Defeated“, and “Death Stays Silent“. I also love “Execution Song” and “The Spark“!
Metal Lair: There’s something special about discovering a band through a song that immediately grabs you. Is there a particular Art of Shock track you’re especially proud of, whether because of the songwriting, the musicianship, or something you managed to capture in the recording, that you wish more people would hear?
Art: I will oddly go with the “ballad”, “Drag Me to Hell“. We really expanded our horizons with that one. We worked really hard on it and I think it’s a great song. It also has a superb video directed by our friend Carlos Toro. It’s an important moment for the band right there.
Metal Lair: Your biography describes Art of Shock as having “mastered the brutal sound of survival.” What does the brutal sound of survival actually sound like to you, and what do you hope listeners take away from it?
Art: Life is brutal, man. If you don’t think so, you probably just haven’t noticed. Every time we manage to get together and make noise again, we’re beating the odds over and over again. We learned how to make music like this. Survival is all we know!
Metal Lair: Thank you again for your time. We’re excited to introduce more listeners to Art of Shock!
Art: Cheers!
Art of Shock Interview: Fearless Music, Unwritten Rules and What Comes Next
If there’s one thing this Art of Shock interview makes abundantly clear, it’s that these musicians have absolutely no interest in being predictable. And thank goodness for that. Heavy metal would be a painfully boring place if everyone followed the same blueprint.
There’s something refreshing about a band that embraces experimentation with genuine enthusiasm, refuses to take the easy creative route, and still manages to find humor in the chaos. Art’s answers reveal a musician who’s thoughtful, candid, occasionally hilarious, and genuinely excited about exploring everything his band is capable of becoming.
With “You Are The Plague” already out in the world and “Antichrists” arriving November 3, there’s no telling exactly where their creative instincts will take them next. Judging by this conversation, that’s precisely how they like it.
So if Art of Shock haven’t found their way into your playlist yet, consider this your invitation. Explore the songs Art personally recommended, check out their latest music, and discover a band that understands one of heavy metal’s greatest freedoms: the right to make music on your own terms.
Metal Lair thanks Art and the entire band for sharing their music, their perspectives, and a little of their wonderfully unpredictable personalities with our readers. Now turn it up and let the music do the rest.
Lineup:
Art Geezar – Guitars, Vocals
Adrian Geezar – Drums
Brice Snyder – Bass
ART OF SHOCK ONLINE
About the Author
Chris Norris is the voice behind Metal Lair’s global metal coverage, World Metal Weekly. From funeral doom in the north to thrash born in the streets. Known for spotlighting bands before algorithms notice them and for writing with the precision of a scalpel… or a well-sharpened guitar pick. Vinyl collector. Night-shift journalist. Believes heavy music has no borders.
Read More From This Author:
The Konsent Interview: Ales Campanelli on Control, Conformity and the End of the System
GÅTE Sigil Interview: Folklore, Magic, Eurovision and a New Chapter
Stoned Jesus Songs to Moon Interview: Igor Sydorenko on Darkness, Descent and the Trilogy
Rotting Christ Interview: Sakis Tolis on 35 Years of Greek Metal, History and Legacy
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