Holycide’s Vicente J. Payá discusses the aggressive sound of “Towards Idiocracy”

Spain’s thrash metal veterans, Holycide, have released their third full-length album, Towards Idiocracy, a blend of speed, technical skill, and raw aggression. In this interview, bassist Vicente J. Payá discusses the gear, techniques, and creative processes that helped shape the band’s latest release.

Vicente J. Payá utilises the Solar AB2.4BOP SK – Black Open Pore Matte bass, a choice driven by its robust and aggressive sound. This four-string bass features a 34″ scale length with a bolt-on 5-piece maple/jatoba neck and an ebony fingerboard with 24 super jumbo frets. The sungkai body and black open pore finish provide a sleek look. It includes two Solar Tesla Soapbar pickups with volume, balance, bass, and treble controls. Additional specs include a C-shape neck profile, Solar 17:1 tuners, a PPS nut, and nickel fretwire.

Payá explains, “I think they are a generation of exclusive basses made only for these harder styles. I decided on it for the sound and its neck, which is so thin and comfortable to play. In recording, it ensures that your bass line is not lost between the guitars and the drums, maintaining a solid presence in the final mix. In addition, this Solar bass combines well with distortion pedals, compressors, and other effects, expanding your creative possibilities.”

Payá’s setup includes the Darkglass Alpha Omega Ultra V2 pedal, which plays a crucial role in shaping his signature tone. “This pedal adds an aggressive character and controlled saturation without losing the definition of the notes. I use an aggressive picking technique with a hard spike for a more pronounced attack and clear definition. At all times, I look for a low sound to differentiate myself from the guitars, which in this album are very high-pitched, and so I give the contrast to the songs. When tuning in E, it is very important to look for the calibre of the strings and balance the sound so that it sounds recorded, since it is a tuning that tends to be very high-pitched.”

Thrash metal’s demanding nature requires precision and power, and Payá’s approach reflects this. “Playing the bass in a band like Holycide is very demanding, both for the speed and for the technique,” he says. His background as a guitarist in other bands has influenced his bass playing, leading him to complement the guitars rather than merely accompany them. “Apart from playing the bass, I play the guitar in other bands (Golgotha, Unbounded Terror, Sons of Cult, Bis·nte), and much of the guitarist’s fingering may have influenced my way of playing the bass. I’m more about complementing guitars than accompanying them. I like that the bottom is at that level. For example, in Bis·nte, I play the bass in a lower tuning, and the songs are slow, requiring a lot of accompaniment to a single guitar. I like dense, repetitive rhythms that accompany the guitar, and in this particular band, it can be done. In Holycide, it’s impossible! Everything is fast and technical. They are two different ways to enjoy playing.”

Reflecting on his contributions to Towards Idiocracy, Payá highlights the evolution of his approach since joining Holycide. “I recorded the previous EP and this new album; I wasn’t in the band before that. When I joined the band, I totally changed the way of playing from the previous bassist,” he explains. “There are parts in which I have let the bass be present and others that set the rhythm with the drums. My progression from the previous EP is in the speed and in complementing the guitars more. I did not want the bass to be an instrument that was left behind in the songs, so I made it very present. The truth is that I have worked a lot on this album and I have looked for notes that were different but, at the same time, would accompany the guitar.”

Holycide’s latest album, Towards Idiocracy, is available for purchase through Xtreem Music.