By David DeRocco

Want to experience something truly menacing while celebrating Halloween? Then skip the thought of a 60-year-old Jamie Lee Curtis going blade to blade with a masked Michael Myers in the latest Halloween rehash. Instead, come out to Welland and experience some truly ominous death metal delivered with stabbing intensity by DECIPHERING THE PALE.

The Niagara-based metal heads known for macabre make-up and audio that assaults you with bump-stock ferocity has put together a night of Halloween hardcore October 27^th at The Hub – a show that includes Welland Wasted, Deathouse and Errunhrd. Lead singer Shane Pale took our GoBe Weekly 10 Question Challenge to give you some insight into the band, important death metal fashion accessories, and an existential question about pro-life death metal.

GoBe:    What is the “pale” that needs deciphering in the band’s title, and who’s responsibility is it to do the deciphering:  the band’s or the fans?

SHANE: The Pale you ask?  Why the Pale can be seen as many things!  It is the realm between life and death, the astral plane, the afterlife.  A place humanity has been trying to contact and prove since they existed.  We in DTP are denizens of the Pale.  As it’s jester herald, I love nothing more than to spread its’ word.   It is not so much a responsibility but more of a privilege and path that anyone can partake, should they be willing to hear the call!   All who hear the word will assuredly be enlightened and attain greater understanding of the Pale.

GoBe: What was the meeting like when the members of the band first suggested putting make up on? Was there consensus, and how did the first application go?  

SHANE: Haha, when I joined DTP, I suggested everyone do corpse paint.  Everyone thought I was joking, but I made it clear that at the very least I would do it.  Throughout the next year, it took a lot of convincing just to test it out, which was well received by fans, but still pushed against by members. There was actually a point where this caused quite the turmoil between myself and another member. You can see what the end result was though.

GoBe:  What is the most important fashion accessory a musician in a death metal band should always have

SHANE: That would of course be belts and buckles! This one is actually a little difficult due to the variety of clothing worn by the various types of death metal. Quite honestly, I would say death metal is probably the most free for all, clothing and accessory wise. Generally it’s an I don’t care attitude.

GoBe: Can a death-metal song ever include a pro-life message, or would that just be considered life metal?

SHANE: That’s a loaded question depending on whom you ask. Purists would say no and more modern fans may say yes.  Death metal generally concerns the style and sound of the music, while others will consider the lyrical content as well.  I personally would say yes, but then that changes the genre.  For example, there could be Christian death metal.  Really though in this day and age anything kind of goes.

GoBe: Who is the DTP song “Sellout” directed at?

SHANE: Sellout I directed at literally everybody and anybody..  The music industry, musicians, politicians, whomever.  As I tell people, everybody has a price. It may be high or it may be low, but eventually there is a point where every single person will bypass their morals.  How much would it take for you?  1 million? 50 million? Immortality? Power?  I actually meant the song as more of a celebration as well as a shot.  It encompasses multiple aspects and its more to state a fact of life and to embrace it.   Some may wonder now if I have a price and I would say without a second thought…damn right I do!

GoBe: If DTP were to ever do a cover tune, who would they cover?

SHANE: It will probably be a long time before we actually do a serious cover song.   We do play around with them from time to time however.  Right now the song we play around with the most would be “Gonna Make You Sweat” by C+C Music Factory.  I would say so far, it’s the closest we have ever come to deciding to do a legitimate cover.

GoBe: Do you ever get a headache when you sing?

SHANE: No, I don’t get headaches, but I do get head rushes and dizzy spells. Some notes I’ll hold for up to 20 or 30 seconds or sometimes I will get so into it that I forget to take a breath.  Regardless though, I actually love the feeling.  I know I’m giving everything I have at that point and it’s a big endorphin hit.

GoBe: The band left Sault Ste Marie and wound up in Welland. Which city is more inspiring to write about from a death metal perspective.

SHANE: To be correct actually, only I am from Sault Ste Marie. I moved to this area in 2014 and then joined the band October of that year.  It is actually almost funny how similar Welland and the Sault are.  Either way though, there is definitely no lack of inspiration to draw from in either town.

GoBe: What’s the definitive DTP song and why

SHANE: Our most definitive song right now is “Legion”, which is on our EP “Call of the Pale”.  Since its inception it has always been a fan favourite.  I think because of just how groovy it is combined with the heaviness.  The lyrics were inspired by the exorcist as well, so it altogether is easy to connect with and get wrapped up in.  It has a special place for me as well because it was the song I tried out for DTP with.  I was given the lyrics and instrumental track to do with what I wanted.  The end result, which isn’t too different from its current version, impressed the guys so much, I was hired on the spot.

GoBe:   Are there any off limit costumes at the Oct 27 party, or should people leave their PC sensibilities at the door?

SHANE: What are sensibilities? There are so many more important issues at hand in this realm and the Pale, that a costume hurting anyone’s feelings seems extremely silly.   Once you enter the Pale, you will see that so many things people care about right now are in fact trivial.

For more details visit:  

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/718515078496109/

Band website: http://www.decipheringthepale.com/biography/