Thanks for taking some time to be interviewed for Trap Metal Arsenal Magazine. Can you please introduce yourself to our new readers and tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do?
Yeah sure! My name is Dallas Casper. I’m a producer, performer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist from Pennsylvania. I am the artist behind the trap metal project XBloodBathX and co-founder of the Ekathorik collective, which was a collaboration between myself and Blackmage’s Horus Blak.
Multi instrumentalist…were you in bands or did you have other projects before this got started? What instruments are you most proficient at?
Yes, I maintained an alternative indie rock band called Apparitions of Myself for over a decade before I became XBloodBathX. Prior to that, I actually gained my earliest stage experience as a teenager singing in school choir and playing in worship bands, though I wouldn’t set foot in a church today! I started playing guitar at age 12, about 16 years ago now, so that’s my most proficient instrument. I also learned keys at a young age, and have dabbled with several other instruments over the years: synthesizer, bass guitar, drums, cello, MIDI controllers, whatever I can get my hands on. Synthesizer is my favorite instrument right now, especially modular synths. I normally play them for my own enjoyment, but they occasionally make their way onto my arrangements. The screeching intro of the opening Ekathorik track “Desolation” was made with one of my semi-modular synthesizers, for example.
Who gets bragging rights for helping push you and getting you to where you are now?
Chronologically speaking, my mother was my first musical influence. She played piano and sang when I was a kid, and I was making up little melodies on her piano as far back as I can remember. Next, I have to credit every music instructor I’ve had, whether that was in public school or private instrument lessons. There are too many of those to name, but each was essential to my growth in some way. Last and most recently, I collaborated with two musicians who’ve toured in international acts. Having people on that level believe in me helped me to believe in myself and push my music to the level I wanted it to be at. The first was Adam Stehr, who’s part of Gramatik and goes by Stehreo. He was my producer for Apparitions of Myself, encouraged me to start doing my own production, and was my first mentor as I learned how. I wouldn’t be where I am today and my mixes wouldn’t sound the way they do without him investing his time to help me grow. The second was Horus Blak, my collaborator on Ekathorik. Horus really pushed me lyrically because we had a kind of friendly competitiveness to our songwriting approach, each of us going all-out trying to outdo the other. On top of that, working with an artist who’s toured with acts like Ghostemane, Ho99o9, and 3Teeth put a fire in me to make sure the Ekathorik album holds its own against names like that, and I think we succeeded.
What can we expect from you later this year and what albums or eps should we highlight and mention here that are already out?
As far as what’s next for XBloodBathX, that’s unclear. I’m waiting for inspiration or opportunity to strike again, and I need a break to rest after a brutal two year grind to release back-to-back records. The first of those records was the debut XBloodBathX album, Death of a God, which came out in November. The second was my collaboration with Horus Blak, Ekathorik, released in February. Between the albums two there are fifteen songs. I made the beats, performed vocals, and mixed them, and I’m super OCD about all of that so it was a ton of work and a ridiculous number of hours. Thanks to those hours, Death of a God and Ekathorik are masterpieces and I feel more satisfied with my catalog than ever. So after putting those albums out and playing our release show, I began a hiatus from making music on a professional level to go back to playing for fun. I do have a few remaining music goals involving touring and playing bigger shows, so if an artist or agency reading this interview wants to take me on tour that’s definitely something I’m open to. But unless that happens, I’ll likely take it easy this year, maybe make a few singles and play some scattered shows at the most. I’m trying not to put too much pressure on myself now that the massive undertaking that ended with the Ekathorik release is finally finished.
With an interest in who your influences are. If you could go on tour with anyone in the world. Who would be on the bill with you?
I honestly don’t listen to many other trap metal artists, but if I could some of my influences from alternative, metal, and hip-hop on the tour of my dreams I’d probably pick Bring Me The Horizon, Like Moths To Flames, Distant, The Acacia Strain, Kenrick Lamar, Vince Staples, Freddie Gibbs or Denzel Curry. I was actually fortunate enough to feature the vocalist of Distant, Alan Grnja, on the opening track of the XBloodBathX EP Bloodbirth, which was amazing since Distant has been my favorite deathcore band for the last few years. I may have a ways to go with respect to audience building before I’m touring with acts as big as the ones I mentioned, but anything can happen! If a touring metal band ends up in need of a vocalist and is interested in me that could definitely spark my return to professional music. Fronting a successful metal band has been a dream of mine since I was a teenager.
What trials and tribulations have you had to endure on your journey that contributed to who you are now?
Sure, I can trauma dump a little! I grew up in a Christian cult in rural Pennsylvania, essentially a rogue independent church with no denominational oversight, bizarre rituals, and twisted power dynamics. I was there from the time I was born until I was a teenager and it definitely affected my psyche in weird ways. I also suffered from consistent abuse and neglect by adults in my early life, which left me with depleted self-confidence and an aching loneliness that I could feel throughout my body. By the time I was an adolescent, I was trying to numb the pain with love, sex, drugs, and reckless behavior. I hit rock-bottom about 5 years ago while in an abusive relationship with an ex and was involuntarily hospitalized for suicidal ideation. My favorite memory from the psych ward was playing piano and making up songs for the other patients. One of them said that listening to me play helped her fall asleep for the first time in days. Music became my reason to live, and I have made so much progress both as a musician and in my own personal healing since then. I’m in a much better place emotionally, and not as hungry for external validation as I used to be. That’s part of why making music for fun feels like a good option until I figure out my next move. I’ve become more content with myself as a human being without the flashy musical act out in front of me.
What advice would you give other artists still trying to cope with their traumas? These themes seem prevalent in the industry.
Ooo. This question is super pertinent right now since I personally know artists who, in my opinion, aren’t coping with their trauma very well and I wish I could help them. My first and most obvious advice is to go to therapy regularly, even when life is going smoothly. Invest in your emotional well-being. I’ll admit this was hard for me because as artists, we tend to romanticize our struggles, so much so that it can be hard to let go of them. The demons we fight are also muses that fuel our creativity. Thus as I’ve been healing and becoming happier, part of the battle has been letting go of the romanticization of my own suffering. I’ve had to find other muses to be inspired by, or at least learn how to compartmentalize the dark creative energy to prevent it from taking over and becoming part of my identity. Another thing I want to highlight is that people with trauma often repeat the same behaviors they’ve suffered from or develop defense mechanisms that hurt more people. Your suffering likely doesn’t only affect you, so take accountability for toxic behaviors you’ve exhibited while unhealed and areas where you still need to grow. Take feedback from people you love seriously and not defensively; it can be painful but it is a gift. If you have patterns of behavior that are hurting people around you, you have a responsibility to pay attention, because it means you need to grow and heal in those areas. Own that responsibility. Take it seriously. It can be hard in today’s cancel culture society to admit that you’ve fucked up, to admit that you’ve been toxic and hurt people, because there’s this idea that we shouldn’t be allowed redemption. But we’ve all been toxic, and we all deserve a path to redemption. That starts with taking your healing seriously. You will be happier after you face your demons, and people will be happier to be around you, too.
What’s your music scene like? What are the pros? What are the cons? Where do you see room for improvement?
I actually just stepped into a new scene! I moved back to my home state of Pennsylvania from North Carolina at the end of November. I’m in Central/Southeastern PA: the Harrisburg, Lancaster, Philadelphia tour circuit. I’ve yet to perform since moving back, but from what I can tell there’s more of an appetite for metal here than there was in NC, so that’s promising! I just bought a DJ controller to replace the one I was using live before, and I’m picking up my stage banners from NC soon, so I’ll be ready to rock once I do get back to booking shows. I can’t really speak to this area’s scene yet, but hopefully I’ll be able to soon!
What is the best platform for people to check out your music and get to know you?
You can listen to the entire XBloodBathX catalog including the Ekathorik record on any major streaming service! As far as where to get to know me, I stay active on my personal Instagram and Facebook profiles. Those are @dallastheghost and Dallas Casper, respectively.
As we wrap this is up. Is there anything else you would like to add? And thank you for your time!
Thank you, Brett! Thank you to the trap metal community, fans, and other artists. I’m excited to see what’s next for me as a musician and what’s next for this genre. Book me in your city. Peace, love, stay brutal!