ION INDIE MAGAZINE August 2016 Volume 27 | Page 99

Yami Mage – Vocals
David Malave – Drums
Eric Williams – Guitar
Bobcat Rourke – Guitar
Lowell, MA-based band THURKILLS VISION has been tearing up the stage since the early 2000’s. This Alternative
Metal band has been ripping it up alongside many of the national artists that come through the New England area.
I finally had the opportunity to interview front man YAMI MAGE--with drummer DAVID MALAVE also present to lend
moral support. We all met at the popular spot LOWELL BEER WORKS, and after a few locally made pints, I was given
a deeper view into the well. For those of you who enjoy “Dante’s Inferno”, you will be able to appreciate where the
name of the band comes from.
Thurkills Vision’s newest EP “The Light” catches your eye
with an original art painting of angler fish, and holds your
attention with heavy hitting tracks like “Deny Me” and
“Seasons”. The song “Deny Me” is inspired by a connection
that Dave and Yami have in common growing up and what
they had to prove to get attention. Something that many of
“us” can relate to. Yami went on to say, “I’m happy to explain
the exact meaning, but would rather have the audience draw
their own conclusions for the song. We have been playing the
song for a while and it was easy for the audience to grasp
and sing. I always like to hear what the song means to the
fans before I tell them what it means to me.”
As far as the cover artwork, Yami explained, “I was going
through some darker times and I had to get through them, to
overcome them. Visually it didn’t hit us yet. Then it hit me-the angler fish isn’t seen a lot in the art world, and you really
can’t find them anywhere unless you are very deep in the
ocean where there is no light. Also, the female is the one that has that light on top. As a species, the angler fish had
to evolve. It created its own light. That concept stuck with us. It is a simple concept--don’t give up no matter what.
Find your own light to overcome what you were dealt with. It was also visually cool.”
Yami continued, “The name of our game is content. Our plan is to space out our recordings. We have plenty of
material. We want to release pieces of Thurkills instead of jamming 20 songs down your throat.”
If you have seen Yami off stage or preparing for a show, you would most likely describe him as soft spoken and
sticking to himself. For the most part, this might be true--unless you had the opportunity to interview him. When
curtain falls--that’s when his “monsters” come out; that’s when he gets to unleash the beast. It’s all about working
with that energy. For those paying attention you can see it.
“Everyone contributes and adds to our vault. We are a well oiled machine. We are lucky to have a group of people
aligned with the music and the business and we have divided up the duties to where our strengths reside personnel
wise. What guides us is pure magic and good vibes. We know our craft.”
Thurkills Vision is certainly a band that holds the magic and doesn’t take it for granted. Yami explained, “We’re never
done. We always want to take it to the next level. How much we work will dictate what we get in return from our fans.”
With the light guiding them, we can’t wait to see what they come up with next.