Loudside.com recently managed to get in touch with former Burn In Silence guitarist and current Summon The Insects mastermind Mike Casavant to get the low down on this new band (which also happens to feature some other well known names in modern extreme metal), as well as to see exactly what Mike has had up his sleeve as of late......some of which we didn't really need to know. Here's what Mike had to say about Summon The Insects, the state of the music industry and illegal downloads, and why he has decided to "Get Gross"......

Loudside.com: Tell me a little bit about the whole departure from Burn In Silence leading up to the formation of Summon The Insects. You were out of the 'scene' for a little while before any news of Summon The Insects came about. What were you doing during the time inbetween?

Mike: "Well as far as BIS is concerned, without dredging up the past, we just were not the right people to be in a band together. I formed the band as a "business" rather then looking more into the people we were playing with. Max Lavelle who played bass in BIS, and now with me in STI, is my best friend on the planet. So anything that I do musically he will be right there playing and writing with me. We've got a bond and a chemistry that is truly one of a kind, and it just works when we get together and rage out.
As far as the other dudes from BIS. Me, Max, Alan Glassman, and Darren Cesca, HATED our singer, and HATED our keyboardist. We just couldn't deal with them on the road at all, from their constant nagging, to constant negativity, it brought the whole vibe down, and when I was supposed to be having the time of my life on the road, I was just bummed out and depressed. Dealing with all that, on top of our managers and old label that truly were just not doing there jobs, the band got burnt out and everyone went there separate ways. Alan joined Despised Icon, Darren joined Arsis, Chris & Ben who gives a fuck, haha, and Max and I are doing what we do.
The time in between me leaving the band and starting STI, well a lot actually happened. I needed a break from Massachusetts so I packed my things and moved down to Austin, Texas for a few months to clear my head, and have a "vacation" of sorts. During this time I started writing some songs for a band that I started called If Midnight Comes. It's far different from STI, and really anything heavy. It's more rock/pop/electronic type music, and it's something that Max and I are actually submitting for soundtracks, and video games, cause I truly believe in the songs we have, and know that it would be an added bonus to go see a movie with a song I wrote in it haha. After my stay in Austin I moved back up to Boston and from writing so many simple "gay" haha, songs for IMC, I called Max oneday this past October and was like LETS' FUCKIN START SOMETHING FUCKED MAN. So I wrote 2 songs right off the bat for STI, which have since been thrown in the trash, and got together with Tony Sannicandro to start writing some other songs, and bada bing bada boom, 2 months later were recording with Nate Johnson in Tony's living room haha!!"

Loudside.com: Now, for a run of the mill question.......the name Summon The Insects. Where did the idea or influence for it come from?

Mike: "Well first and foremost I think this name is great, and truly sums up the band. I mean its' a weird name, I think we are all weird dudes, and the music is not so much weird, but once y'all here the new jams your gonna spin your head around all exorcist style!! But Summon The Insects was actually a song title from Max's first band Compost Pile. Tony had called me one day and was like 'HEY WHAT ABOUT SUMMON THE INSECTS'. For some reason I just was not feeling it. Then a week later I am driving Max home and he goes 'MIKE, WHAT ABOUT SUMMON THE INSECTS'. All of a sudden it felt like the greatest thing I've heard all my life, and the rest is history."

Loudside.com: In regards to the line up, you've also got another former member of Burn In Silence, Mike Lavelle, on board, who also happens to be a current member of the band Goratory. Is his obligation to another band going to be an issue for the progression of STI?

Mike: "Well we all have 'other' bands. Like I stated earlier, Max and I have If Midnight Comes, and also a Straight Edge Hardcore band that were starting for fun. Nate is also singing with Since The Flood, and is gonna be way busy with them. But I know once we get the wheels in motion for STI things will start coming together, and we will hit the road no problem. I look at STI as something like Kingdom Of Sorrow or DOWN. Where each one in the band has "other" things going on, but were all taking this band and it's music VERY serious, and obviously want to get signed, and tour, and put out the album.
It's gonna take time, but I truly can't wait to hit the road with these idiots, cause this time around theres no bull shit. It's just a couple of guys that genuinly like each other, and are all about just having a good time. We were all in "serious" bands before and its' just fucking lame. Like I said we take the music serious, but your never gonna see a "serious" picture or a "serious" video from us, cause were all about having a party and want kids to come to our shows and beat the piss out of each other, with birthday hats on!!"

Loudside.com: As you've mentioned, you've managed to bring well known screamer Nate Johnson into the fold. Nate recently left Through The Eyes Of The Dead and has since become a full time member of Since The Flood. Nate has stated that he left TTEOTD because he realized that he didn't want to be in a Death Metal band anymore. Being that STI leans more toward the extreme side of things, coupled with his full time commitment to another band, how is that going to work in terms of Nate's overall involvement and future live performances?

Mike: "Nate's doing his thing with Since The Flood, and I am so damn happy he joined that band, cause there all super good friends, and there gonna sound A MILLION times more brutal with him on the mic. But we are going to play out, and tour, it's just gonna be worked around everyone's schedules so that NOTHINGS conflicting, and everyones happy etc. Nate left TTEOTD for a lot of different reasons, but he's the type of person that if he's not into it, he's gone. So the funny thing is when Max and I first started writing songs for this band I jokingly was like 'DUDE ALL WE NEED IS NATE JOHNSON AND WERE SET'. Well flash forward two months later and here we are.
Originally I started talking to Nate about trying out for TTEOTD when they lost their guitar player. But things didn't pan out due to the record label mishaps from when I left BIS, and I never got a chance. Nate and I stayed in good contact with each other, and then we ended up hanging out at The Acacia Strain / Despised Icon show in December. Bought him a couple of beers and got him "in the mood" then massaged his shoulders and was like 'SO NATE, YOU GONNA SING FOR ME AND MAX'S NEW BAND OR WHAT?' In a drunken slur he goes 'OH HELL YEAH'."

Loudside.com: Speaking of musical direction, it's common for any band to not want to fall into a specific category or to be pigeonholed into a certain scene/sub-genre. What is the overall vision for STI, in terms of the sound and style that you're trying to achieve?

Mike: "Just fucking heavy man. I am one of the most idiotic musicians you will come across. By that I mean I listen to EVERYTHING. From Decapitated to Paramore to HIM to Genesis to Pantera  to Meshuggah to Jewel . I am all over the map and just LOVE writing good songs. But for Summon I truly feel that we could be a very important band, and put out a record that stands the test of time. Theres to many NOW bands, and I don't EVER want to fall into that category.
When I hear some of these new bands I laugh cause I am just so not into 85% of the shit thats played for me. I am more into the old bands man, Black Sabbath is still to me the heaviest band on the planet. What they did changed the face of music, and I've always wanted to be in a band, or write an album that really stands out and gives someone like me a feeling of hope that metal can still have that impact minus all the bullshit. I am in no way saying Summon is that caliber of a band, but I just want people to know that we are truly trying to write a very important album, and I just hope people dig it!"

Loudside.com: Now this little tag line you have going on....."Let's Get Gross". Where exactly did that come from, and what is it in relation to?

Mike: "It just goes back to the whole fact that we do not take ourselves to seriously. 'Let's Get Gross' is something Max and I have said for awhile, and it just made sense to use that for a t-shirt and eventually name the album that. 'Lets Get Gross' is mainly like saying LETS HAVE A FUCKING RAGE FEST, or LETS FUCKING PARTY. So if your not Gross your just not fucking cool man!!"

Loudside.com: Back to the line up, what's the status of the drummer, or lack thereof? Were you holding auditions, or simply contacting people that you knew personally for the position? And if you were holding auditions, was there anyone that is already established within the underground/extreme metal scene that tried out or that was/is being considered?

Mike: "Yes well we've got a few options that we have been looking at, and have some serious interest from one kid that I think is one of the sweetest drummers in the scene. So I can't say names just yet but trust me, once we record with this dude shits gonna get wild!!"

Loudside.com: Having had experience in the industry, are you considering utilizing the internet and social networking sites to maybe make this more of a DIY type of project, at least initially, and then shopping to a label, or do you even want to deal with a label at all? And on the same note, if you are interested in being signed to a label, are there any in particular that you are interested in working with?

Mike: "It's funny that you said that, cause as horrible as the industry is now, it's like I don't even know if I want to be signed to a label again. I am looking into some alternative ideas that are gonna go against the grain a bit and push for a new way to make a living off of being a shitty musician, so we will see what comes of that. But right now its' all DIY. I am making our 3 song demo available for free because I don't care about making money off of it. I just want people to hear the band, and check us out on myspace.
It's crazy how much times have changed where bands are getting signed off of how many friends you have and how many plays you get, but this is the music world and you either adapt or get fucked. But as far as labels are concerned I've always been a big fan of Metal Blade because I think that Brian Slagel is a genius, and really knows how to market his bands. I think Century Media is another label that pushes there bands, and does what they are supposed to do. So if we could get picked up by one of them, I'd be way stoked!!"

Loudside.com: With the power of the internet and technology consistently being one step ahead of record labels, which has lead to albums being leaked weeks or months in advance of actual release dates, and cd sales in a major decline, how do you feel that affects things for you in regards to trying to get a new band off the ground? Do you think it's a positive thing for a young band to get their name out, or do you think it's a negative all the way around?

Mike: "Lets face it, were musicians and you're just NOT gonna make money. Especially in Metal and extreme music, it's a lot harder for bands to make a living, but we go out and fucking do it, cause we love the music period. Like I said I don't care about making money off of this demo, I just want kids to learn about Summon The Insects, and to burn the songs, and spread it like aids. When we actually put out an album, that's in stores and shit, of course Id want kids to buy the records, and if it gets leaked it gets leaked. It's going to happen one way or another, and honestly I don't give a fuck. Thats' why I am working on pop/rock songs for soundtracks cause my ultimate goal is to have a heavy as fuck band, and tour constantly with that, and on the side write gay ass songs for soundtracks so I can pay my fucking bills! Haha!"

Loudside.com: (Laughing) Over the past several years numerous members of numerous metal and hardcore bands have stated that the decline in cd sales doesn't really affect them, (because they never really made any real money off of cd sales to begin with). Based on your personal experience, do you think that merch and ticket sales at shows would really offest the cost of touring and allowing your music to be downloaded for free? (Especially for a more underground band?)

Mike: "Of course man. I mean we were signed to Prosthetic Records and I got a check from ASCAP for $25.00 dollars! Haha. After a year of touring, that's what I got for our album sales. So merchandise sales are so important for the continuance of extreme bands. If you go to a show and like what you hear, just buy a damn t-shirt! You may not think it at the time, but your $10.00 bucks goes to getting that band to the next stop on their tour!"

Loudside.com: How is the recording for your current demo going? Are Nate's vocals being laid down in the same studio you're recording at, or is it done via email? How is it all coming together?

Mike: "The recording is coming along fucking killer. Were almost done with all the songs for the full length, so I am very excited to get the wheels in motion to recording this monster. Once Max gets back from Europe, we are gonna be tracking drums, bass, and vocals for the new songs. Then were gonna choose 3 for the demo, make it totally available for free on myspace, and just started burning the shit out of them, passing them out at shows, and doing it all DIY style.
Nate's vocals will be tracked in the same "studio" yes. We use Tony our guitar players living room, and for a "vocal booth" we use my little pony blankets. Haha. No lie, it's great though, and gets the job done. Be patient and you will soon hear the newest installments of Summon The Insects, and I assure you the wait will be very much worth it!!"

Loudside.com: In a general sense, what are things looking like for STI in 2008 and what are you hoping to achieve with STI by year's end?

Mike: "To put the demo out. And REALLY build the buzz about the band. I've got a lot of kids already passing out flyer's at their high schools about STI, and everyone seems very much on board to help push this band to a solid level. I am actually less concerned with playing out as I am building up a buzz. So were gonna hustle our asses off and make some power moves, touch some dicks, punch some nuns and see what happens. Hahaha!!

Loudside.com: (Laughing) When you start lining up live shows, will you make sure to book an appearance for at least one gay pride festival......per year? (More laughter)

Mike: YESSSSSSSSSSS!! Mike Casavant = GayFest08, YA HEARD IT HEAR FIRST!