Interview with Theosis

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

I got into music very young, going to punk rock shows when I was around 10 years old. This led to playing guitar at around 12 and forming a band when I was 15 or 16. If I did not go into music, I would probably be in prison or worse if I had not gotten into music. (Dana)

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

We like to BBQ, fish. Play video games and drink beers when not playing music. None of this really affects our creativity, although sometimes some ideas arise after a few cold ones.

How long has your band been around?

The band has been around since the December 2012, although we were not active for around 4 years due to consistent lineup changes. For the last 3 years the lineup has been the same- John Haskin (vocals), Dana Roselli (guitar), Lee Burgos (guitar), Zac Herriot (bass/backing vocals), and Nick Mafi (drums).

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

We are based out of San Diego. Dana went to school at SDSU (San Diego State University) and started the band after school. Staying in San Diego, meant finding local musicians so that’s why we are based out of San Diego. That being said, Dana’s studies at SDSU have definitely been an influence in our music.

How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?

The name Theosis is derived from the Eastern Orthodox religion. Theo (god), and sis (metamorphosis). The term in the religious context refers to becoming so in tune with god, that you and god are essentially the same. We kind of took that term, and formed it into man becoming a god, (if that makes sense), which is a pretty rad concept, even if it’s skewed slightly

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

We have had plenty of memorable shows. We have played shows with Arsis, Nekrogoblikon, Soilwork, Carach Angren, Mors Principum Est, Wolfheart, just to name a few. In the last year we played sold out shows with Exmortus, Allegaeon, and Black Crown Initiate in San Diego. When we play with solid melodic death metal bands, or our local metal brethren, always seem to be the most memorable.

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

As far as playing a favorite venue, that has changed since COVID. Some our favorite venues are either not existent anymore, or have changed. We would love to play more venues and there are too many that we haven’t experienced yet!

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

If we could pick a lineup, it would probably be something like this- Inferi, Darkest Hour, Xebellian Triangle.

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

My advice would be- do it because you love it. Do it if you have an overwhelming urge to consistently play and make music. If you’re in this for fame, money, chicks, drugs, etc, this isn’t for you. You have to be dedicated and acceptable to putting your money and time into this because you love music. If I had advice for my younger self, it would be- practice more . (Dana)

If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?

Start your music training at a young age. I started late (early 20’s) on my scholastic musical endeavors. If I could go back, I would have started much earlier. (Dana)

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

Deadlights. That song is incredibly hard to play, despite being our slowest song. The meaning and lyrics behind it are also derived from the movie IT (which we are big fans of). The intro is probably the hardest riff to play on the record, and is inspired by the writing style of Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom). The song has punchy riffs, a lot of shred, and quite a few key signature changes, thus taking you on a musical journey.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

Favorite songs to play are Carrion Eyes, Deadlights and Overture of the Damned. Carrion Eyes and Overture of the Damned are our most requested at the moment.

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

I write most of the songs on guitar pro and send them out to the rest of the band. My creative process is basically tabbing out things I cannot play. The reason for that is so I can write music “outside” of my box (every player/composer has one). That forces me to learn playing styles that beforehand, were foreign, but in time become quite comfortable. As far as inspiration for our recently released record, bands like Children of Bodom, Darkest Hour, and Arch Enemy were huge. We are also influenced by bands like Ophidian I, Inferi, and Allegaeon, which you’ll hear on our next one! (Dana)

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

John writes all the vocals. He writes about everything from Stephen King novels, to alien supremacy, to Catholic priest’s misconduct. Nothing is off limits basically.

Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?

Although we have had many lineup changes, with the lineup we have now, disagreements don’t really show up.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

We have more music to record/perform in the future. In fact, our last show we showcased a new song. We have 5 new songs written, and we hope to have more and get a new release out in the next year. Although we do not have any other shows up at the moment, we are looking to tour next year.

How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?

Our fans can start by listening to our recently released record “Overture of the Damned,” available on all streaming platforms. Our merch store will be up soon, for fans that want physical copies, shirts, posters, etc. In the meantime, follow us on facebook and instagram.