Mark Pursino, Guitar/Vocalist, Electrocutioner
“Frozen File” is a harrowing narrative from the POV of a missing child. What compelled you to tackle such a heavy, real-world subject?
I used to work with at-risk adolescent girls at a residential treatment center, which is basically jail or therapeutic depending on how you see things. Girls would go missing all the time. Sometimes they’d return, sometimes you’d never hear from them again. As a whole, the entire album is basically about being in the end times, doomsday, religious armageddon and all that scary stuff, but honestly, is there anything more frightening to imagine than being the parent of a missing child?
Mark, you mentioned drawing from your work with at-risk youth. Were there specific cases or experiences that directly influenced the lyrics?
Too many to count. I think the majority of missing teens are runaways in crisis, usually who are escaping some type of abuse or dysfunctional homelife. Sometimes they return pretty quickly, but other times, they get wrapped up in a world they didn’t expect. I worked with girls, so the worst cases usually involved sexual exploitation. They’d run away, get taken in by some manipulative street guy, and then end up being forced to take drugs, sexually exploited in the form of forced prostitution, etc. There’s a lot of monsters out there.
Why did you choose thrash metal as the vehicle for this story? How does the aggression of the genre contrast with the song’s emotional core?
We only play thrash so that was the easy part haha! Early on we wrote songs featuring cliches like nuclear war and futuristic cyborgs, but as we put more music out, I really wanted to write about things that were just as deeply horrifying, but more serious and real. Overall, I think it’s just a really sad and disturbing song, because like I said, nothing is more equally heartbreaking and disturbing than a missing child.
The term “frozen file” evokes bureaucratic neglect. Do you see this song as a critique of how society handles missing persons cases?
I wouldn’t say it’s a direct critique really, but I do think missing persons cases should be prioritized more in our cultural consciousness.
Did you consult with advocates or survivors when crafting this narrative, or was it purely from an observational perspective?
I wrote it all based on my own personal experiences, however I did utilize informational resources for parents from the Missing Children’s Network and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in order to see it from a larger standpoint.
Musical & Lyrical Approach
How did you balance the raw brutality of thrash with the haunting vulnerability of the lyrics?Were there any specific vocal or instrumental choices made to amplify the song’s eerie, desperate tone?
Vocally, I tried to really put a lot of intensity into the performance. I wanted to purposefully crack or strain my voice to sound torturedWe usually play blistering fast and aggressive, but there’s a melancholic outro utilizing clean guitar to give it more depth, which is the first time we’ve ever used that in a song.
The track is described as “a plea for closure.” How did you translate that emotion into the music—melodies, pacing, or dynamics?
I think the dynamics really emphasize the “plea for closure” aspect. The song starts with an eerie and unsettling synth intro and the chaos of the track slowly overwhelms it as it fades in. Additionally, the verse riff is pretty simple which isn’t something we usually do, but I wanted the vocal melody to really stand out. The solo section is pretty uplifting too, but overall the song consistently has a haunting tone.
Thrash often deals with aggression, but this song leans into tragedy. Was it challenging to merge those elements?
I wouldn’t say it was challenging, but I was pretty cognisant of not going too “horror” with the lyrics and making it a bit more subtle. It’s a pretty serious subject matter so I didn’t want to make it like a slasher film.
Production & Band Evolution
How does “Frozen File” compare to your earlier work? Does it signal a shift in Electrocutioner’s sound?
For me, “Frozen File” is the best song I’ve ever written. I think it has the best riffs, best solo I’ve ever done, and I’m happy with my vocal performance. Musically, it’s probably the culmination of everything we’ve tried to do previously. As for signalling a shift, lyrically and content-wise, yes. Our first album “False Idols” and our upcoming album “Harbinger” really focuses on spirituality, judgement, and different religious beliefs on the end of the world and stuff like that. For the next album, I definitely want to get out of the spiritual realm and bring it back to earth with subject matter equally horrifying and impactful, but more relatable.
You’ve teased your sophomore album Harbinger—will it explore more dark, narrative-driven themes like this?
Yes actually most of the songs are narratives on this record. “Seven Seals of Koresh” and “Heaven’s Gate” are told from the POV of a Branch Davidian and Heaven’s Gate cult member, “Doomsday Device” is told through the eyes of a dictator, “Azazel” is told through the eyes of a demon from the Book of Enoch, “Lightning Sacrifice” is from the POV of a victim of child sacrifice. It goes on and on. I don’t really like to write songs about my personal life or beliefs, so I like to lean into more story-based stuff.
What was the collaboration like with CDN Records for this release? Did they influence the song’s direction?
CDN Records have been awesome partners so far. They actually signed us without hearing any of the songs we were working on for the new album. They let us do whatever we wanted, no questions asked.
After your recent tribute with Tommy Victor (Prong), how has working with legends shaped your approach to this new material?
Working with Tommy Victor was an awesome experience. Our drummer Tyler currently drums for Prong so the band has met him a handful of times and he’s always been a great guy. I was genuinely humbled that he would do it. It was amazing to see how professional he took things in the studio. Also, if I offered a suggestion about how to do something in the studio, he totally could have just shut me down because he’s a legend and done this successfully on so many different fronts, but he would genuinely consider it and collaborate. That Leeway cover was the last thing we did in the studio so it didn’t shape anything on this album.
Visuals & Live Performance
Are there plans for a music video or visualizer to accompany “Frozen File”? If so, what aesthetic are you aiming for?
Yep! We filmed an AMAZING music video for “Frozen File” which we aim to put out in the middle of July. We put a ton of sick practical FX in it, got Tyler’s niece and sister to be actresses in it, and it’s basically the story of a child being kidnapped or lost. It’s pretty trippy. Director Jim McEvoy and Director of Photography Anthony DeRose, our dudes from the “Heaven’s Gate” and “Asleep at the Wheel” video did this one too, and we are forever indebted to all of their work on it.
How do you envision performing this song live? Will it be staged differently due to its emotional weight?
That’s a good question and I haven’t thought about that actually. Maybe we should.
Thrash shows are usually high-energy—how do you expect crowds to react to such a visceral, somber theme mid-set?
Although the subject matter is somber, musically it should ignite a warzone in the crowd. I think it is going to be a staple for us going forward.
Social Commentary & Advocacy
Do you hope this song raises awareness for missing persons cases? Are there organizations you’d like to highlight?
When we write songs, we don’t think about any end goal besides completing the song. When we release it, I plan to share some resources. Originally, I was debating about sharing Missing Posters of different children in our area, but I don’t want it to be viewed in poor taste or unintentionally cause any more stress to families. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has a function on their website where you can search Missing Posters by your location, so you can always stay vigilant about people who need help in your area.
Metal has a history of confronting dark realities. Do you see “Frozen File” as part of that tradition (e.g., Metallica’s “One”)?
That’s definitely a cool way of looking at things, but Electrocutioner doesn’t really think like that. We really stay focused on bringing our own ideas to life without thought to what any other band has done or is currently doing.
Has the band faced any backlash or discomfort from tackling such a sensitive topic?
Nope.
What’s the most important message you want listeners to take from “Frozen File”?
My goal wasn’t to convey a message, it was just to convey pain. I’d like to hear what people get from it though.
Future of Electrocutioner
What can fans expect from Harbinger? Will it continue this blend of thrash and storytelling?
The goal was to create a modern classic of a thrash metal album in the vein of Whiplash’s Power and Pain and Exorcist’s Nightmare Theatre. Fans can expect a darker, faster, and better Electrocutioner. This will definitely continue the blend of thrash and storytelling in a more cohesive and streamlined way than our last record.
Are there other unconventional themes you’re eager to explore in future songs?
I keep trying to imagine the next Electrocutioner record and what I want to write about. I know I don’t want to write about spiritual matters and the end of the world anymore, but nothing has really jumped out to me. I think I’m just waiting for something to inspire me.
How does New York’s metal scene influence your sound compared to classic thrash scenes like the Bay Area?
Historically, the New York thrash scene can’t exist without the influence of hardcore punk. The overwhelming majority of NY Thrash bands incorporated hardcore or crossover in some way, where as the Bay Area in my opinion was a bit more polished and technical. We like to say we write “no-nonsense” thrash which is basically an extension of the NY sound. Fast, mean, no Yngwie Malmsteen bullshit, and don’t overstay your welcome.
If you could have any artist (dead or alive) feature on a track, who would it be and why?
Tony Portaro of Whiplash. He is my number one guitar influence and Whiplash is pretty much our biggest inspiration. I’ve gotten to meet him and play in front of him at NJ Metalfest last year and he was a great dude. Maybe I will reach out to him for the next record!
What’s next after the single drops? Tour plans, more collabs, or deep dive into album promo?
“Frozen File” drops, we are going to put out the video for it. Then we release our second single “Lightning Sacrifice” and a video for that. We’ve got our first few shows in the south this July and our album release show in Brooklyn in September. We don’t have the means for any full tours, so we are hoping this album gets heard enough by the right people where we can eventually be worthy of some opening slots on metal fests. Our other big goals is to get to LA and maybe the UK sooner rather than later.
These questions dig into the band’s creative process, social intent, and musical growth while respecting the gravity of the song’s subject matter. Let me know if you’d like adjustments for tone (e.g., more confrontational, introspective, or technical).
Bonus: For a really deep dive, you could ask:
“If ‘Frozen File’ had a soundtrack to its story beyond metal, what non-metal songs or scores would fit its mood?” “Runaway Train” by Soul Asylum, haha, it’s also about missing kids and has a haunting video.
“How do you reconcile the adrenaline of thrash with the responsibility of handling real trauma in your art?” The pizza thrashers have ruined thrash recently making it have a goofy Mickey Mouse image. We keep it serious so it fits well.