ROX-TV recently got the chance to interview The Unforgiven. The Seattle duo is busy on the grind. Stick around while we rock it up.

I’d like to welcome back our readers to the ROX-TV website. Tonight we have an exclusive interview with members of “The Unforgiven”. That’s right, Nivek and Randum45 are here to talk about their music, a little taste of their background and formation, and lots of other dope items along the way. So pull up a chair with your favorite drink, spark a nail, or whatever you need to relax and enjoy the content blasting your way. We like to keep our ear to the ground, listening and waiting for music that moves us. So without further to do, lets dive in and see what’s cracking in the legendary town of Seattle with the homies Nivek and Randum45. Here we go…

Welcome to the ROX-TV website, we appreciate you taking time to introduce your group “The Unforgiven” to the readers. Before we get started, can you tell us where The Unforgiven are representing and from?

We are representing out of Seattle, Washington

I’m just getting turned onto your music and like other new readers and first-time listeners, I’d like to find out a little of the back story on the group. Can you tell the ROX-TV readers when The Unforgiven was established? How did the group first come together?

So at the end of February of 2020 we split a solo performance at a show backing each other up for hype words on each other’s songs. After we got off stage people came up and were asking if we were a group and at the time, we told them no, as it was just us doing solo sets. The next day I (Nivek) got a call from Randum45 asking me to collaborate, so I said, “ok sure why not”. Well, what we came up with for a song ended up being the first track for The Unforgiven called “Vexation”. After listening to how good the song came out and the feedback we got, Randum45 insisted we form a duo group, I was hesitant about it at first but after a week of serious thought I said “you know why not? We sound good together”. Then we decided to do another track called “Chemical- X” and it sounded like some unforgiven, in your face type of stuff and that’s when it clicked…The Unforgiven was born March of 2020.

You’ve been described as a rap metal duo, hailing from Seattle. Can you talk a little bit about your sound and what influenced you guys to meld rap/metal into your unique sound?

Nivek:

So my lyrics are very metal influenced, from thrash metal bands like Exodus, Slayer, Kreator just to name a few but my screams are heavily influenced by a band called Zao, more from the Hardcore scene of metal. I’m also influenced by Nu metal bands like Korn , Chaoseum, and Limp Bizkit but also hip hop influences like Necro, Ill Bill, Non Phixion, Jedi Mind Tricks, Snowgoons etc…. I started off back when I was 16 in metal bands, then crossed over to hip hop and started slowly converging the two genres together, which I used in my past group Deadly Poets. Now with the sound of The Unforgiven we wanted to give you a taste of everything while having it be aggressive and in your face… something to captivate the listener.

Randum45:

I’m a metal head and a hip hop head. I love it all. But Nivek, being my best friend for almost a decade, and having the same love for the two genres as I do, we wanted to create something unique and different. We want to connect through our music to both sides of the fields to show people hey, look, we can do both and have you relate to what we’re saying through music.

For both members of the group, at what point did music start to play a serious role in your lives? What was the first musical influences that got you excited about music, eventually bringing you to a place where you started to create your own?

Nivek:

Music really started to play a role for me when I was younger, and my dad (R.I.P.) got me into thrash metal as listed above. He showed me all sorts of bands and took me to concerts and just watching how musicians were on stage, I was like “one day I want to do that”. So in high school, at age 16, I joined my first band called “Memories Erased” as a vocalist and hitting the stage for the first time and feeling that adrenaline… it’s honestly the best feeling and escape. Music is its own language and its own entity. It’s an addicting experience man and I’m happy to be where I’m at with it.

Randum45:

My major influences as a kid were Slipknot, Godsmack, Linkin Park, Twiztid, Jamie Madrox, Tech N9ne, and Eminem. Honestly, the music took control and made me who I have become. I am Randum45 of “The Unforgiven” for a reason. I can feel it in my soul, that I am supposed to be an artist. If I didn’t make music, I would crumble. Bottom line.

For the newer readers who may be listening for the first time, can you talk about your releases from the beginning to present day?

We have songs from the beginning such as Vexation, Fuxk You Mean, Chemical-X, Nothing Left, and Wasteland which were intended as mixtape single introduction songs. Then you have songs such as Falsifier, Who’s Side Are You On, and Wings of The Locust… which are single releases that you can find on our album “33”. They are available on all major streaming platforms like Spotify , Apple Music , Pandora and more.

When I was checking out your stuff on YouTube, I came across the video for “Falsifier” which is a dope track. I see that it was directed by King Zabb and produced by Maezi666. Can you talk about how that video came together and perhaps a little bit about your relationship with the SCYTHEGANG666?

So Falsifier is for anyone who can’t stand a liar and that’s one thing we don’t like is a liar. Throughout the video you see a guy as a bootlegger lying about making the music. You will also see a mask for Bilial, which is the demon of lies followed by the cult followers which are wearing masks that have different names across the forehead meaning liar. In some places depending how severe the lie is you can be punished, tortured, or snatched up… hence the whole screen play of the video. Now our relationship with ScytheGang666 is just with Zabb, who is one hell of visual beast and a genius behind the camera… and Maezi is an amazing producer. We did meet Michael Vanson for a brief moment at a studio session, then again at a Scythe Gang video shoot. He’s pretty chill and then we met Skimask the Drumgod one time, but all in all, these guys are the most humble and down to earth people we’ve ever met and it’s been a pleasure to know them.

I also peeped “Who’s side are you on” which was produced/mixed/mastered by Maezi666. It’s another fire track. Can you talk about working with Maezi666 and how that opportunity came about?

So we met Maezi through King Zabb who brought her to our first music video shoot for the song “Wasteland”. She liked what she heard and offered us studio time. Maezi is a phenomenal producer hands down. She is all about getting down to business and doesn’t mess around. She is very professional when it comes to studio sessions. Our whole album “33” was recorded, mixed and mastered by her. She took our visions and ideas for our songs and brought them to life within the music. 

For those that do not live in the Seattle area, can you talk about the music scene there? Obviously, it has legendary roots, but what is the feel of the place today?

Oh most def… some of the legends from here include Alice in Chains, Jimi Hendrix, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Soundgarden just to name a few. But yeah, whether metal or hip hop the local scene out here is still going strong despite covid, it’s like for some of the genres during the shutdown time gave artist and musicians a time to perfect and tighten their skills and revamp themselves. It’s good to know there are hungry, driven, and passionate artists and musicians still out there… that still care about the music scene and want to keep it alive.

Where can readers learn more about the group and the music?

People can check us out on Facebook www.facebook.com/theunforgivenones or @3theunforgiven3 on Instagram, YouTube or any major streaming platform.

Is there any news that you would like to tease out to the readers at ROX-TV?

Oh we got some stuff in the works right now, leaning more so on the metal side of things. You’ll just have to wait and see…plus a couple collabs. Also our album “33” drops July 20th if you get a chance to get it listen all the way through there could be a little special something on it.

Any live shows or touring planned or upcoming for the group?

We have a few live shows coming up July 23rd w/ Twisted Insane in Spanaway WA, Aug.28th w/ Stevie Stone in Spanaway WA, Oct.20th w/ Twisted Insane in Post Falls ID, Dec. 4th TBA in Spanaway WA, (keep an eye on our Facebook for this one) and then a special festival in summer of 2022 that will be announced on a later date. We are working on more shows so keep up to date with us on our social media.

 Last but no least is the shout outs. Who is The Unforgiven shouting out tonight?

First, we would like to shout out our Producer Maezi666 and our videographer King Zabb, both who helped bring a vision to life which is The Unforgiven. These two have done an amazing job and we are forever grateful. Second, we would like to Shout Out our Street Team, these guys have been supporting and promoting us like no other behind the scenes. They get the word out every chance they get and we consider these guys like family! Third, we would like to shout out our graphics team Gruesome Graphics, who have made countless phenomenal designs for us, for logos, merch and our album. Fourth, we would like to shout out our behind the scenes camera guy Shaggy Mcpot, who has captured every epic moment we’ve done. And finally we would like to shout out our wives, family, and friends who have watched from day one… put in the work to make something into a titan that we call The Unforgiven. We thank everyone that has seen the process unfold on this music journey so thank you.

Well that’s about all the time we have for this one. I’d like to thank Nivek and Randum45 for stopping by the ROX-TV universe to rock it up for a bit. We enjoy giving independent artists (music, poetry, graffiti, film, growers, farmers) a place to be heard and seen. At ROX-TV we do this for the love of creation and vibrational force that drives the arts. Treat yourself good and be kind to strangers, you never know who you might be talking to. Until next time….

Signing Off,

Mike Shepard

ROX-TV Head Writer

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