Jedna rakev vedle druhé. Voněly čerstvým dřevem. Přemýšlím, která bude jednou pro mě. Pomíjivost života i smrti, zůstává jediná jistota. Death metal. Pamatuji si na to dobře. Byl jsem malý kluk a rakve vyráběly hned vedle naší školy. Dělali také hudební nástroje. Možná jsem už tenkrát tušil, že budu navěky proklet. Mám tuhle hudbu v krvi, zakódovanou v genech. Prosévám mezi prsty prach a poslouchám novou desku německých maniaků CASKET.
Masivní, hutný zvuk. Ostré riffy, chladná a temná atmosféra. Opravdovost, nadšení, uvěřitelná, hmatatelná smrt. Takové je pro mě i nové album "Urn". Pět ostrých záhrobních skladeb a tři živé záznamy. Která rakev na mě čeká?
"Urn" je syrovou výpovědí kapely, která už dávno nemusí nikomu nic dokazovat. Jde si svou cestou a kolem praskají kosti. Melodie se mi zadírají pod kůži, mozek vaří ve vlastní šťávě. Dnes se tomu říká old school death metal, ale CASKET datují (stejně jako já) svoje hudební základy do devadesátých let, tenhle styl je pro ně přirozeností, jako pro šelmu lov. Jsme stejného druhu, pamatujeme prašivou a chladnou atmosféru pohřbů do země. Líbí se mi drive, síla, která ze songů cáká na všechny strany, jako krev z proříznuté tepny. Kosti praskají, Herr Schorsch má stále morbidnější vokál a já jsem velmi spokojen. Rakev jsem si dávno vybral, je z poctivého dřeva, vyrobená ručně, postaru, jako ta na parádním obalu. CASKET mi vysekali svým novým albem díru do hlavy. Deska je nasáklá prašivinou. Hnijeme zaživa, postupně přecházíme na onen svět. "Urn" je přesně tím druhem chorobami mokvajícího death metalu, který vás pohřbí zaživa. Starý německý buldozer se drží svého řemesla. A dělá to s elegancí a zručností mistrů v oboru. Valí se kupředu a zanechává po sobě jenom spálenou zemi. Jedna rakev vedle druhé. Voní čerstvým dřevem. Přemýšlím, která bude jednou pro mě. Pomíjivost života i smrti, zůstává jediná jistota. CASKET! Masakr v márnici!
Asphyx says:
One coffin next to another. They smelled of fresh wood. I wonder which one will be for me one day. The transience of life and death remains the only certainty. Death metal. I remember that well. I was a little boy and coffins were made right next to our school. They also made musical instruments. Maybe I already knew then that I would be cursed forever. I have this gene in my blood, encoded in my genes. I sift the dust between my fingers and listen to the new record of German CASKET maniacs.
Massive, dense sound. Sharp riffs, cool and dark atmosphere. Truthfulness, enthusiasm, believable, tangible death. Such is the new album "Urn" for me. Five sharp grave songs and three live records. Which casket is waiting for me?
"Urn" is a raw statement of the band, which no longer has to prove anything to anyone. He goes his way and the bones crack around. The melodies get under my skin, the brain boils in its juice. Today it's called old school death metal, but CASKET dates (like me) its musical foundations to the 1990s, this style is as natural to them as a beast hunting. We are of the same kind, we remember the dusty and cold atmosphere of burials in the ground. I like to drive, the power that splashes from the songs in all directions, like blood from a severed artery. The bones are cracking, Herr Schorsch has more and more morbid vocals and I'm very happy. I chose the casket a long time ago, it is made of honest wood, made by hand, old, like the one on a great package. CASKET cut a hole in my head with their new album. The board is soaked with dust. We rot alive, we gradually move to the other world. "Urn" is exactly the kind of disease-soaked death metal that will bury you alive. An old German bulldozer sticks to his craft. And he does it with the elegance and skill of masters in the field. It rolls forward, leaving only scorched earth. One coffin next to another. It smells of fresh wood. I wonder which one will be for me one day. The transience of life and death remains the only certainty. CASKET! Morgue massacre!
o CASKET na DEADLY STORM ZINE/ about CASKET on DEADLY STORM ZINE:
Nemrtví zase lezou z děr. Připraveni na pořádnou pařbu, se vydávají do márnice. Jsme ve střehu. Máme pití, krásné zombie i hudbu, která rozhýbe naše staré prašivé kosti. Máme rádi pravý, ryzí death metal, ve kterém se cituje z Knihy mrtvých. Líbí se nám, když řeže a pálí, když je kusem rozžhaveného železa, nožem, zabodnutým do břicha. Odpadávají kusy masa od kostí, usmívají se. V téhle společnosti je mi moc dobře, staří hrobníci mi určitě potvrdí.
INCARCERATION mi letos připadají temnější než na minulých deskách. Jakoby se do jejich prašivé hudby otiskla situace ve světě. Chlad, beznaděj, smrt a temnota. Nekonečná tma, která nás obklopuje. Tak na mě EP "Empiricism" působí asi nejvíce.
Lebky praskají tlakem, užívám si absolutně mrtvolnou atmosféru, která je postavená na stejných základech jako GRAVE, NIHILIST, DEATH, MALEVOLENT CREATION, REPUGNANT, DECEASED, POSSESSED. Je tajným, pradávným rituálem, který se pořádal vždy o půlnoci na hřbitově za městem. Líbí se mi neurvalost, touha ničit, vášeň, plesnivý zvuk, odhodlání a opravdovost. Tohle všechno jsou ingredience, které dělají z novinky velmi dobrý pokrm. Bude se podávat na víku od rakve. Tahle hudba je z nejhlubšího undergroundu, posvěcená samotným Satanem. Ostrá, syrová, divoká. INCARCERATION mě zavřeli do opuštěné márnice. Dnes je tady plno. Večer začíná. Místností se vznáší puch zahnívajícího masa, riffy nás drtí, tančíme nekonečný tanec smrti. "Empiricism" se mi opět zadřelo pod kůži, do morku kostí. Je jasnou a zřetelnou odpovědí na ozvěny ze záhrobí. Průvodcem na onom světa, ale hlavně hudbou, která i mě koluje v žilách. Smrt je zase jednou mezi námi, podává nám svoji kostnatou ruku a směje se pod kápí. INCARCERATION vás spálí na popel! Old school death metal, který probudí i dávno mrtvé! Skvěle!
Asphyx says:
The undead are coming out of the holes again. Ready for a good party, they head to the morgue. We're careful. We have drinks, beautiful zombies and music that will move our old dusty bones. We like real, pure death metal, in which it is quoted from the Book of the Dead. We like it when it cuts and burns when it's a piece of red-hot iron, a knife stabbed in the abdomen. Pieces of meat fall off the bones, they smile. I feel very good in this company, the old gravediggers will certainly confirm me.
INCARCERATION seems darker to me this year than on previous records. It was as if the situation in the world was imprinted on their dusty music. Cold, hopelessness, death and darkness. The endless darkness that surrounds us. So the EP "Empiricism" probably affects me the most.
Skulls crack under pressure, I enjoy an absolutely dead atmosphere, which is built on the same foundations as GRAVE, NIHILIST, DEATH, MALEVOLENT CREATION, REPUGNANT, DECEASED, POSSESSED. It is a secret, ancient ritual, which was always held at midnight in the cemetery outside the city. I like coarseness, the desire to destroy, passion, moldy sound, determination and authenticity. These are all ingredients that make the novelty a very good dish. It will be served on the lid of the coffin. This music is from the deepest underground, sanctified by Satan himself. Sharp, raw, wild. INCARCERATION locked me in an abandoned morgue. It's full here today. The evening begins. The smell of rotting flesh floats in the room, riffs crush us, we dance the endless dance of death. "Empiricism" stuck under my skin again, to the marrow of my bones. It is a clear and distinct response to echoes from the grave. A guide in the afterlife, but mainly with music that circulates in my veins. Death is once again among us, he gives us his bony hand and laughs under the hood. INCARCERATION will burn you to ashes! Old school death metal that will wake up even the long dead! Great!
Bydlíme vysoko nad městem a občas se stává, že přijde divná bouřka. Mraky jsou nízko a ve vzduchu je cítit elektřina. Otevřu okno a mám pocit, že každým okamžikem vyšlehne z nebes blesk a spálí mě na popel. Hřmí a já počítám, jak daleko je epicentrum. Na chvilku se ochladí a zvířata jsou neklidná. Domy přede mnou jsou najednou jako z oceli. Žhavé a temné zároveň. První bouře se nesla tentokrát ve znamení kanadských INTONATE. Progresivní death metalové kapely, jejíž tvorba připomíná opravdu bouřku.
Jedná se o druhé album kapely, která tentokrát přešla do stáje Willowtip Records. To už je samo sobě úspěch a záruka kvality. Z nebe zase jednou prší krev a brány do temného vesmíru jsou otevřeny. Pouštím desku stále dokola a mám pocit, že mi někdo drhne obličej brusným papírem.
"Severed Within" je přesně tím druhem neklidného alba, které vás zpočátku možná trošku odradí. Čtyřicet minut přemýšlivé smrti je tak akorát, aby nestihla nudit. A samozřejmě ocení nejvíce fanoušci progresivního technického death metalu. Pokud máte rádi smečky jako GORGUTS, CYNIC, ATHEIST, ULCERATE, BEYOND CREATION, GOJIRA, tak si budete spokojeně pomlaskávat. Když vám k tomu ještě bude dělat kulisu poctivá jarní bouřka, určitě se vám, jako mě, všechno spojí v jedno a na zážitek nikdy nezapomenete. Kanaďané totiž umí napsat skvělé skladby, řežou přímo do živého, nebojí se přitlačit, ani zvolnit, žhnou a pálí, ale zároveň umí i zpomalit a pohrávat si s chladnými náladami, jako šelma se svojí obětí. Osobně se mi asi nejvíc líbí takové to těžko popsatelné chvění, nenudím se ani chvilku, plně se soustředím, což je pro mě u podobné hudby opravdu těžké. Nevím, jak to INTONATE dělají, ale zamotali mě do svých sítí, přidusili a seslali na mě ty nejvíc nabité blesky. "Severed Within" jeprogresivní, propracovanou, inteligentní technickou a progresivní death metalovou bouří! Velmi dobře!
sumarizace:
Kanadská, progresivní technická death metalová kapela INTONATE, je skupinou, ze které doslova tryská talent na všechny strany. Jejich album "Severed Within" je po okraj narvané nápady, energií a tlakem. Pokud rádi u hudby přemýšlíte a ochutnáváte z pestré palety bohatého talíře extrémního metalu, bude vám určitě chutnat. Fascinuje mě lehkost a samozřejmost, s jakou je CD nahrané. Poslech je srovnatelný s pohledem do kaleidoskopu. Pestré riffy, zajímavé bicí a všemu nasazuje korunu vokál, vytažený až odněkud ze samého nitra. Songy působí velmi vyrovnaně, chutně, naléhavě a přesto jsou až uklidňující. Album se tak pro mě stává jakousi meditací. Progresivní technický death metal, který připomíná průlet vesmírem. Vynikající záležitost. Noblesní! Velmi doporučuji!
Asphyx says:
Talent gushing right and left, this is the Canada, progressive technical death metal band INTONATE. Their album "Severed Within" is to the brim full of ideas, energy and pressure. If you like thinking by listening and tasting from a variet range of rich menu of extreme metal, you will definitely like it. I am fascinated by the lightness and obviousness the CD is recorded. Listening is comparable with the view into a kaleidoscope. Colourful riffs, interesting drums and vocals, pulled up from somewhere inside. All songs are tasty, urgently, however, relaxing. The single is for me a kind of meditation. Progressive technical death metal, resembling the flight through the universe. Excellent stuff! I recommend very much!
Zombie lezou z děr. Odpadává jim maso od kostí, slintají a jejich dech smrdí hnilobou. Jsou obrazem nás samých, takhle dopadneme, když se budeme rouhat. Touží po čerstvých mozcích, po vašich nechutných myšlenkách, po zvrácených pudech. Vždycky jsem si představoval, že zemřu ve spánku, ale místo toho jsem se ocitl v hororovém snu, který se stal ošklivou realitou. Podobná atmosféra patří k death metalu, jako k mrtvému zimník.
DEVIL IN YOU jsou old school death metaloví psi ze Španělska, kteří loni vydali své již třetí album. Je po okraj narvané temnotou, surovostí a chladem. Představte si podzemní kobku, ve které je uloženo několik rakví. Nejdříve se ozve typický šramot, potom nářek, který vám trhá uši. Probudila se první zombie, začala hrát první skladba. Podobná hudba je přesně i mojí krevní skupinou.
Krypta byla znovu otevřena ve stylu death metalových kapel z devadesátých let. CIANIDE, MASTER, OBITUARY, MASSACRE, PESTILENCE, BOLT THROWER, CARCASS, AUTOPSY, INCANTATION, SHED THE SKIN, MORBID ANGEL, DEATH a spousta dalších skupin stála zajisté předlohou i této smečce. Již od prvních tónů je slyšet, že se jedná o klasiku, zahranou od srdce, opravdově. Pánové v čele se zpěvačkou Martou Grimaldi vás pohřbí zaživa. Skladby jsou propracované, mají hororovou atmosféru, spoustu zajímavých momentů. Sází se na melodie i tlak, temnou energii. Zkušeným fanouškům nemusím asi vysvětlovat, o co tady jde. Ano, tradiční death metal starého střihu. Se spoustou melodií, zvratů, změn rytmu. To vše zabalené v parádním plesnivém zvuku. Vokál jest náležitě chorobný, zvuk celkově patří k odvrácené straně světa. Pokud jste někdy na přelomu osmdesátých a devadesátých let sledovali často hororové snímky a pak si pouštěli kazety svých oblíbených smrtonošů, tak asi budete přesně vědět, o čem zde píšu. Málokdo asi ví, že všem zombie vládne pán temnot. Satan sedí na svém trůnu a živí se naší bolestí. I on ale potřebuje k svému přežití hudbu. "Come to Us" je přesně tím druhem desky, kterou si bude pouštět stále dokola i on. Obsahuje v sobě totiž všechny potřebné ingredience pro starodávný death metalový rituál! DEVIL IN YOU probudili bestie! Chorobný smrtící kov, který vám poláme všechny kosti v těle!
Asphyx says:
My path is long and heavy. Whispering with my won conscience, I pull a coffin. I dragged it from the reverse cross, put it together with rusty nails pulled out of Christ´s feet. The ropes are cutting my shoulders. I am on the edge of my strength. The last exit is waiting for me. I should find a peace above the city. They are waiting for me, my friends the undead. I lie down in the fresh grave and get covered with black clay. Finally, I am among my own.
In music, just as in anything else, I believe in myself and my instincts. They have been moving in the underground for years, and I really appreciate the realness of the bands. DEVIL IN YOU are exactly the messengers of the death metal evil from the old days, which will always be worshiped by me. "Come to Us" is a clear and loud response to classic death. Dust, rot, old cracked coffins. You can find all this on the new album. Welcome to the beyond world!
I suck the sick atmosphere, I look through the pile of old bones. DEVIL IN YOU play in the style of the 90s (CIANIDE, MASTER, OBITUARY, MASSACRE, PESTILENCE, BOLT THROWER, CARCASS), they add a good portion of the AUTOPSY, INCANTATION, SHED THE SKIN, MORBID ANGEL, DEATH and an unbelievable portion of bad blood. A mouldy sound, a vocal from the beyond world, everywhere is death and darkness. These are all strange things which make from good albums the excellent ones. I enjoyed my time with "Come to Us" and I gladly spend long hours in my grave with it. I sifted the album between my fingers, ripping it into my head and letting it into my veins. It has become a part of me because its music is the one I love the most. Raw, genuine, real, deadly. DEVIL IN YOU has recorded an album full of savage melodies, dripping dirt, hate, evil and rot. We have once fallen in Hell and similar albums are like a duty for us. Excellent death metal answer to echoes from the beyond world! Catacombs have released another testimony! Death!
A few questions - interview with old school death metal band from Spain - DEVIL IN YOU.
Ave, can you introduce your band to our readers? – When was it founded and what style of music do you play etc.?
-The band was born in 2010 with different musicians from the Sevillian scene, after some change, the band settled with the arrival of Marta Grimaldi confirming an Old School style with Death Metal tendencies.
Where and under what conditions were you recording the new album? Who was in charge of sound, production and mastering?
-The recording takes place in Yellow Farm Almensilla, with production, editing and mastering according to the band ideas.
How many copies were released and which medium was used for this new edition (CD, digital, vinyl, cassette)?
-We released the album on 12/31/20 in digital format and now in April, May, we will have 200 copies on cd, waiting to offer copies on vinyl.
Who is the author of the lyrics and how were they created and about what do the lyrics deal with?
-The concept of the album is idea of the band, however, is Marta who gives shapes to the lyrics.
Who created the logo of the band, and who took care of the graphics and the website? What about you and social networks? Do you consider these things important?
- The logo is a protection symbol created by the members of the band.
We all make decisions about the marketing of the band, but who is in charge of distribution, advertising and social networks is Marta.
Which label did you choose for releasing your album and why this label? Are you satisfied by how your label represents you and takes care about you?
-With all the above it is clear that we have no relationship with any label.
Which bands do you idolise and where do you get your inspiration?
-The influences of the band are very different, without idolizing anyone, are all from the metal that we have been listening for years.
Did you send your record to some Labels - which are the labels? How was the response?
-We haven’t sent our work to Labels... We have only tried to expose our contribution to this style that we like so much individually.
How many gigs have you played? Which type of gigs do you prefer, whether it's (clubs or festivals) and which of your performances would you consider as the best?
- A tour by album, we like more festivals, it allows us to interact with different musicians.
What about your plans for the future? What do you want to achieve with the band?
-For future plans, are the same as the past, is just having fun and enjoying music together
How and where can your fans contact you? Can you provide some contact information?
Ráno se probudíš jako vždycky, smutný, že musíš vstávat. Dnes ti ale všichni připadají divní, zachmuření, naštvaní a zlí. Obrazovky v rukou se jim třesou víc než obvykle. Jakoby je někdo ovládal na dálku. Jdi a zabij! Dostali rozkaz. Vždycky jsem si myslel, že nás zničí nějaká nemoc nebo jaderný výbuch, ale nakonec jsme to my sami, kdo si podřežeme žíly. Nikdy jsme se neměli tak dobře, přesto toužíme po krvi.
Ráno se probudíš a z rozhlasu hraje na ulicích nová deska německých death metalistů TERMINAL CARNAGE. Potkáváš jen samé lidi s mrtvolným pohledem. Už dávno máš pocit, že apokalypsa začala. Zdravý rozum byl před lety pohřbený hluboko pod zem. Ještě, že nám zůstala stará, prašivá hudba. Poslední pozůstatek doby, kdy byl svět ještě v pořádku.
"The Sickening Rebirth" je velmi temným, nehumánním albem, které jsem poslouchal s velkou chutí. Pohřbilo mě zaživa ve stylu dávných nahrávek od AUTOPSY, NECROPGAGIA, CIANIDE, OBITUARY, VITAL REMAINS, MORGOTH, BOLT THROWER. Skladby mají neskutečně chladnou, nebál bych se napsat až melancholickou náladu a v některých momentech mi lehce připomínají finské death metalové legendy. TERMINAL CARNAGE přinášejí do podzemí zachmuřený smrtící kov, který sice vychází ze známých kořenů, ale také obsahuje kus sebe samého, vlastních nápadů. Němci mají svůj rukopis i výraz, což se v současnosti cení víc, než cokoliv jiného. Songy jsou plné zvláštního, ledového chvění, zvuk náležitě pálí a drásá a obal? Ten je krásnou ukázkou toho, co bude následovat, pokud se lidé budou chovat jako doposud. Už dnes večer vím, co si dám zítra do sluchátek, až vstanu do studeného, temného dne. Až pojedu tramvají a kolem mě budou zářit obrazovky plné zla. Hudba německých maniaků se mi otiskla do mozku, vytvořila v něm šílený obraz apokalypsy, která nás pravděpodobně čeká a nemine. Stačí se rozhlédnout kolem sebe. Ryzí death metal, který zmrazí vaše prokleté duše!
Asphyx says:
You wake up in the morning as always, sad that you have to get up. Today, however, they all seem strange, gloomy, angry and evil. The screens in their hands shake more than usual. It was as if someone was controlling them remotely. Go and kill! They got an order. I always thought we would be destroyed by some disease or a nuclear explosion, but in the end it is we who cut our veins. We've never been so good, yet we crave blood.
You wake up in the morning and a new record of German death metallers TERMINAL CARNAGE plays on the streets from the radio. You only meet people with a dead look. You have long felt that the apocalypse has begun. Common sense was buried deep underground years ago. Also, we have old, dusty music left. The last remnant of a time when the world was still in order.
"The Sickening Rebirth" is a very dark, inhuman album that I listened to with great gusto. I was buried alive in the style of ancient recordings from AUTOPSY, NECROPGAGIA, CIANIDE, OBITUARY, VITAL REMAINS, MORGOTH, BOLT THROWER. The songs are incredibly cold, I wouldn't be afraid to write a melancholic mood and in some moments they remind me slightly of Finnish death metal legends. TERMINAL CARNAGE brings gloomy death metal underground, which comes from well-known roots, but also contains a piece of itself, its own ideas. The Germans have their own signature and expression, which is currently valued more than anything else. The songs are full of strange, icy vibrations, the sound burns and scratches properly and the cover? This is a beautiful example of what will follow if people behave as before. I already know tonight what I'll put on my headphones tomorrow when I get up on a cold, dark day. When I take the tram and the screens full of evil shine around me. The music of the German maniacs imprinted to my brain, creating in it a crazy image of the apocalypse that is probably waiting for us and will not pass. Just look around. Pure death metal that will freeze your cursed souls!
A few questions - interview with death metal band from Germany - TERMINAL CARNAGE.
Answered Stefan Walter, thank you!
Ave, can you introduce your band to our readers? – When was it founded and what style of music do you play etc.?
The project TERMINAL CARNAGE was started in winter 2019/2020 by myself - Stefan Walter (guitars, bass and vocals). The TERMINAL CARNAGE headquarters are in Wiesenttal, a small community in Upper Franconia, Germany.
The idea to start the project TERMINAL CARNAGE came up approximately one year after the split-up of ADORING HUMAN FLESH (AHF) the former band where I played guitar.
I had my own musical vision apart from AHF so I started to work on this by myself. At this point I was not able to convince a former band member during the song writing process, so I decided to compose and record the songs just by myself. Regarding style there were no limits as I have musical influences all across the metal genre prefering more extreme styles such as Death Metal. After having finished a bunch of songs I presented the recordings to Markus (former Drummer of AHF). Markus liked the song material and agreed to join TERMINAL CARNAGE. Our Death Metal-duo was now ready to take the next steps…
Where and under what conditions were you recording the new album? Who was in charge of sound, production and mastering?
Guitars, bass and vocals I recorded in my homestudio (WARHEAD PRODUCTIONS, Wiesenttal/Germany) as mentioned before. The recordings and the mix was finished in spring 2020 just a few days before the first Corona-lockdown happened. The drums were played by Markus in the basement of his house while I was doing the recording job sitting in the corner of the room hitting the record button and drinking beer 😊
The whole drum recording took place in various sessions and was finished end of summer 2020. After that Markus and me worked on final arrangements and at one point reached the state of mutual satisfaction regarding the mix. Now a mastering engineer was needed to give THE SICKENING REBIRTH the required, final polish. The choice for the mastering job fell on Simon Hammer (REBOUND STUDIO, Nuremberg) after having received a great sounding test track from Simon. All the recorded tracks were shared virtually with the mastering studio due to Corona and the shit involved, such as dusk-to-dawn curfew, etc.
Did you send your record to some Labels - which are the labels? How was the response?
Which label did you choose for releasing your album and why this label? Are you satisfied by how your label represents you and takés care about you?
How many copies were released and which medium was used for this new edition (CD, digital, vinyl, cassette)?
Yes, TERMINAL CARNAGE definitely needed a label to release THE SICKENING REBIRTH as we are not a band in the common sense. Having various mastered test tracks of the album available those were sent to various labels. Actually we were surprised about the positive feedback from the labels. Nevertheless, the choice to release THE SICKENING REBIRTH fell on GREAT DANE RECORDS in France. Raphael, the guy from GREAT DANE RECORDS who is in charge for us, is a companionable partner, music fan and death metal maniac as we are. In a first step GREAT DANE RECORDS offered us to release the album as digipak CD and digital download. The digipak CD is limited to 500 copies, but we are confident that there is more to come…
GREAT DANE does a really good job, takes care of the promotion and all the other issues. We are happy with our partnership and would like to send a big ‘THANK YOU’ to Raphael and GREAT DANE RECORDS.
Who is the author of the lyrics and how were they created and about what do the lyrics deal with?
I wrote the lyrics after the guitar tracks were finished. Peace by peace and word by word - writing the lyrics for me is an important and time consuming job. A lot of passion, personal thoughts and opinions fill my lyrics... the world surrounding us delivers enough material for death metal lyrics.
Supernatural, spiritual or religious subjects are not the core issues here. Some lyrics are serious, some you can see with a wink of the eye but always with a certain, true or at least conceivable background.
Here a brief summary of the songs and the lyrical content. But it’s always best if you read the lyrics (printed inside the booklet) and make yourself your own picture...
The Sickening Rebirth:
Is actually a song about nationalism gaining ground worldwide and that humanity failed to learn from history in this regard.
Dead Mass:
In this song our society is described as braindead mass living to consume, kneel before the establishment and as long as the "dead mass" is fed they do not revolt.
Bereaved Cry:
This song desribes a war scenery, soldiers that die and the bereaved suffering at home while warmongers lough. It is an anti-war song.
Chaos The New World Order:
As the title of the song says, we live in a world where politicians spread lies, rules are broken, facts are denied and so on...
The individual is powerless and has to accept the nuisance while the world is sinking in total chaos.
Involuntary Organ Donor:
Is a song about a person who sold his own soul and organs for cash. It is a song about illegal organ trade.
Least Evil:
In this song warfare in times of digitalisation is picked as central theme. Digitalization controls life and we became totally dependendent on internet and the digital world.
So what will happen if this environment is switched off ?
Years Of Demise:
This song is actually a hold out slogan. Hard times are desribed, the struggle for survival and a light at the end of the tunnel. So after hard times, better times will follow.
Obituary After Death:
This song is about people who try to gain as much might and money as possible, maybe thinking they are immortal. But life is finite and all that remains will be the obituary...
Who created the logo of the band, and who took care of the graphics and the website? What about you and social networks? Do you consider these things important?
The graphics including logo I created by myself. I think these things are important for a metal and especially a death metal band and should somehow reflect the musical character of a band.
I tried my best and my intention was/is that everything, so the whole album, looks and feels as it would be from the same mould. Of course I would love to just concentrate on the musical part of TERMINAL CARNAGE but somehow it is also fun to work on the look...
Social networks and the internet itself eliminated the age of tape trading and print paper magazines regarding music publications beside other... well, to speak for myself – I am ‚old-school‘, so quess what I prefer... I like to have something in my hands!
On the other hand it’s fascinating how people interact nowadays. The speed news and publications are spread all around the globe is amazing. Fact is, in this Corona-crisis a publication such as THE SICKENING REBIRTH would not have been possible without the internet and the possibilities therein...
Which bands do you idolise and where do you get your inspiration?
‚Idolise‘ is maybe the wrong word. To speak for myself, my influences are so widely diversified that I have to smile if my music is compared to one or two specific bands. Of course there are bands out there who influenced the way I play guitar but on the other hand I never really played cover songs or was nailed to a certain style of playing... so in a way, it’s my way!
But of course it’s important to have a comparison to describe music to somebody who never heard it before. In case of TERMINAL CARNAGE I would say and also support people who have the opinion we sound like a mixture of BOLT THROWER, OBITUARY and ASPHYX. Due to some melodies also PARADISE LOST I would like to mention... AUTOPSY, NECROPHAGIA, MONSTROSITY, MORBID ANGEL and CELTIC FROST are also influencing our music if I quote people desribing our style. Somebody recently said we sound like the TYPE O NEGATIVE of Death Metal which I think is funny...
How many gigs have you played? Which type of gigs do you prefer, whether it's (clubs or festivals) and which of your performances would you consider as the best?
Gigs under the banner TERMINAL CARNAGE have never been played as we are acting as a duo at the moment. This won’t change as long as there is no way to come together as a band and clubs are closed anyway due to Corona. Let’s see if we come up with a live line-up at one point.
Of course Markus and me played in various bands before and always enjoyed playing live. I prefer playing festivals as this is always something special but of course a good club show sometimes kicks ass even more...
What about your plans for the future? What do you want to achieve with the band?
Never change a running system – first of all, we will continue like this. I write the songs, torture the strings and my throat and Markus beats the hell out of his drums.
Our plan is to release our 2nd album beginning 2022. Most songs are written and we are in the middle of the recording phase. The album title is fixed and the artwork in preparation... if you like THE SICKENING REBIRTH prepare for a whole lot more!
How and where can your fans contact you? Can you provide some contact information?
Of course we are on Facebook, Bandcamp, YouTube and Instagram as well... choose your channel and get in touch with us!
Thanx for the interview.
Thank you Jakub for your interest in TERMINAL CARNAGE and feel free to stop by for a beer if there is the chance. Cheers to the Czech/Upper Franconian neighborhood.
Ave MORTAL TERROR! Greetings to the German underground. I hope you are doing well in these difficult times. Do you also miss playing in clubs? Or are they open at your place? It does not look very promising in the Czech Republic. Last year you released the album "Bite of the Underdog". How do you feel about it and how did its release affect the COVID 19 pandemic?
Hey Jakub, thank you very much for your support and doing this Interview with us. Yes, times are really strange but all in all we’re fine and hope (just like everybody else) things will get better in the near future. We have nearly no concerts in Germany since March 2020 except some single events in summer under special Covid safety precautions. We’ve played our last show in December 2019 with M.O.D. in our hometown Kassel. The Clubs and Venues in our home area are also closed since March. The recording sessions for our new album took place in 2019 (before the pandemic) and when it all started we were in the Mixing Process. Of course it’s (especially for an underground band like us) difficult to release a new album without the chance to play a single show to support it, but when all was done and it became quite clear that no ending of the pandemic was in sight, we just thought “fuck it” - we’ve done a really good record, let’s just release it and see what happens.
I first heard "Bite of the Underdog" somewhere on the Internet and at first I thought it is some record from the eighties. I looked more closely and I say, look, MORTAL TERROR have a new record. The sound is really mouldy and dusty like an old coffin. Where and how did you record the album and who is behind the great sound? How did you achieve it? Analogously?
We’ve done it all by ourselves. Our bass player Gerret, who has always been interested in recording techniques and learned a lot by himself had a little studio called “Krachgarten” some years ago, where he did a lot of recordings for regional bands. Although he did not had the time to continue with the studio at some point and had to close it, he still continues to do our own recordings and he is (so to say) our producer. We did our last 4 albums that way and I think the experiences of the former recordings helped a lot because we had a very clear picture how the record should sound and what we wanted to improve this time. All in all we wanted a powerful sound which should on the other hand differ from the clean and lifeless “plastic”-sound many records have nowadays. Let’s say we wanted to capture the energy of our live performances as good as possible. We used digital recording techniques but avoided triggers, amp simulators, copying and pasting and all that shit to capture as good and natural as possible how we really sound as a band.
But it's not just about the sound, I really like the "old motif" on the cover. Who is its author and why such a horror theme? I admit that at first sight I also thought it was a reissue from the eighties:)). Really amazing!
I’ve had written a new song and when thinking about the lyrics somehow the title “Bite of the Underdog” came to my mind. Having this in mind I thought it might as well be a cool title for our new album and also had within seconds a rough idea for the possible cover scene.
My girlfriend has played Roller Derby for some years (if you don’t know it, I absolutely recommend it - its a really tough and awesome action sport originated in the USA first as an all female sport). One of her team mates, Hell D., is a student in arts and she did all the flyers, logos and merch designs for the Roller Derby Team and we always loved what she created. So we asked her, if she would like to do our cover artwork and she agreed. We then talked about the Ideas we had so far and the atmosphere we had in mind for the artwork and what can I say? She’s such a cool guy and it was so much fun working with her. We really love the results and think she did an outstanding job.
I'm an old metal dog that used to start with thrash metal in the nineties, I still have it in my blood, even though I'm more of death metal today, but I still think that both of these styles must be played from the heart, musicians must have in into them. Can you tell us how MORTAL TERROR creates new songs? Has the way you composed changed somehow, over the long time you are playing?
The main pattern didn’t change that much over the years. I’m the main song writer in Mortal Terror and our songs are mostly based on my guitar riffs. When I have some riffs that I have the feeling could result in a good song I work it out step by step until I have a nearly finished picture of the song – this can process can take hours our months from case to case. At that point I’ll take the song-idea to the rehearsal room and work it out with the other guys so they can add their ideas and we’ll have a finished song at the end of that process. What may have changed over the years is of course that the song-writing got more skilled and focussed and we have simply improved and know better how the achieve what we want. And what we want is plain and simple songs that work in a live situation, giving the listener passion and energy, songs that smell of sweat and make you want to raise your fist and bang your head ;-)
How new, modern technologies have influenced you? Today, the studios are completely different, also the recording processes, we also have the Internet, various programs. Did it affect your approach to music? Today, everyone has your record on their mobile phone two days before the release, they listen to it, but it's all so fast, fleeting. Did you have to adapt in any way?
I think the good aspect of all the digital possibilities is that it supports the idea of an independent non-commercial music scene. You don’t depend that much on a record company or the music industry to record your music and make it heard. The bad aspect is for sure that the music itself loses its worth because everything is available everywhere and anytime. Another bad aspect is that the digital recording techniques lead to many productions that sound the same and in our to opinion too perfect, too clean and absolutely boring and lifeless. Listen for example to the classic thrash albums from the 80’s. They sound all very different but everyone has its own character and atmosphere. This is something we miss lot in many of the present day releases – even from those bands who created that magic albums back in the days.
So – as I mentioned above – we use digital recording technology because it enables us to make good recordings on our own but the recording process itself doesn’t differ in most relevant aspects from the recording process 30 years ago. You hear real drums, real guitars, real amps and a real band playing it’s songs.
I really like on new album, that it has such an ancient drive, feeling. In short and simply, it kicks, cuts, you probably know what I mean. In my opinion, only few bands can do this, where the chemistry between the musicians works. MORTAL TERROR seems to me like a bunch of cheerful guys who like to go out for beer together? If I am right, you've changed the line-up since the last record. Can you tell us something about the changes?
Oh, you can bet we like to go out for a beer together – best after a sweaty and electrifying show! I´m probably a happy guy that I can call everyone who has been in this band over the years a friend.
Matthias Keyser was in Mortal Terror for about 16 years and was an important part of Mortal Terror. Over the last years he became more and more overloaded with his job and his family life and was simply no longer able to give the band the time and energy it would have needed. This situation developed step by step and first of all because we are friends it took us all some time to face this reality and talk about it. But when we did it became quite clear that it would be better for everyone involved to part ways at that point. For the rest of us it was also quite clear, that we would continue with the band. So we did the recordings for the new album as a four-piece and also played one show in that constellation. After that show Mattias van Geldern (the new Matthias!) came up and asked if we were looking for a new guitar player. We knew him already a bit from the old days of the regional scene, where he has been active in several bands. He’s about our age, has the same musical roots, is a great guitar player and has always liked and supported Mortal Terror. So we got back to full strength!
In the Czech Republic, we perceive the German metal scene as something great. But how does it really work in the underground? Do bands support each other? What about fans, clubs? You are already witnesses, you can compare even with the old days. Tell me something about current thrash metal scene in Germany..
Of course there some idiots or people you don’t want to connect with just like everywhere else. But all in all we experience the scene as very supportive and full of very enthusiastic and true people and bands, who simply do what they do because they love it and we simply like to focus more on them than on the idiots.
First of all in our regional metal scene fans, bands, clubs and organizers/promoters are mostly well connected and support each other. There are really lots of great people and we are really thankful for being a part of that scene.
What about you and the concerts, tours? I still believe (and I've tried it on myself) that real fans will go to a concert, they'll also buy a T-shirt, vinyl, talk. Do you play often? And are you planning a tour to support the new record?
We really like to play live – at least this is the essence of it all. But to be honest we don’t play as often as we would like. We’re all really old guys (around or over 50) and have our jobs and families and simply don’t have the time to organize lots of gigs or go on larger tours.
So we mostly play single shows or festivals we are asked for from organizers or befriended bands but with the (so far) really very good reactions on the new album, we will surely try to get a lot more active on that subject and play more shows as soon as the Covid-Situation may allow it. Especially over the last years we were often really happy with the reactions. We often had really enthusiastic crowds, people buying our records and merch and coming for a beer and a talk after show. This is at least why we are still going on and still enjoy what we do so much.
How would you define thrash metal? What does it mean to you? Is it just music or even a lifestyle? How do you see its development and which bands get your attention with their records lately?
First of all it may be a matter of age. We grew up and started Mortal Terror in the 80s, when suddenly all this new music came up which was faster, rougher and wilder than classic Hard Rock and Heavy Metal and simply made us go nuts. Not all but many of that bands can be looking back defined as Speed or Thrash Metal and that’s simply our musical DNA.
Another thing we like about Thrash Metal is that is has (for most of the relevant bands) some kind of an honest and authentic (maybe a little bit Punk influenced) feeling. It’s more coming of the streets and having this certain “Fuck Off Attitude” which may fit to us as persons and as a band as well. I think the present scene still offers a lot of great bands and music and we are personally far from only listening to thrash metal. In the last years I personally was for example very impressed with bands that manage to create this certain “ancient” energy and authenticity like for example Midnight, Bewitcher, Enforcer, Ranger to name a few.
What can we expect from the MORTAL TERROR in the coming months?
We’ll see – of course we hope the new album will open some possibilities for us and so far we’re really happy with the reactions. Many people really seem to like it very much and really seem to understand what the album and the band is about, which feels really good and exciting for us. We hope things will continue to go that direction and may give us the opportunity to do – fist of all – more shows and maybe find a good label to support and promote us. As you know “Bite of the Underdog” is self-released and therefore only available as a limited Vinyl-Edition so far.
I would like to continue in interview, but I have a terrible desire to listen your new "Bite of the Underdog" record again. I have to do it now. Thank you very much for the interview, I really appreciate it. I wish MORTAL TERROR only crazy fans, a lot of sold media and full halls at concerts. Good luck to you in personal lives!
Thank you very much, we really appreciate your support! All the best for you and the Deadly Storm Zine!
Recenze/review - MORTAL TERROR - Bite of the Underdog (2020):
