RED DEAD - Forest of Chaos CD 2020, Great Dane Records for english please scroll down
Bolí mě na prsou, pomalu mi dochází vzduch. Hluboko pod zemí, červi se začínají hýbat. Křičím a prosím, ale nikdo mě neslyší. Poslední nadechnutí, poslední výdech. Procesy rozkladu mého těla mohou začít. Pro to, abyste pochopili reálný death metal, musíte několikrát zemřít. Obestírá mě temnota a strach. Pohřbili mě zase jednou zaživa. Několik metrů pod zem. Chlad a beznaděj. Kdy budeš na řadě ty?
Dnes bych vás rád pozval na jeden starý opuštěný hřbitov ve Francii. Hrobníky zde dělá death metalová kapela s názvem RED DEAD. Již od prvních tónů je znát, že pánové jsou zkušenými hrobníky, kteří přesně vědí, o čem je pravá smrt. Vítejte v záhrobí!
"Forest of Chaos" je krvavě brutálním albem, na kterém se odkazuje na smečky jako OBITUARY, BENDICTION, GRAVE. Jedná se o umně a zkušeně nakombinovaný mix švédského death metalu a americké temné školy. Na tom by nebylo zase tolik zajímavého, ale RED DEAD dokáží svými songy vytvořit opravdu mrtvolnou atmosféru. Chvílemi mám pocit, že nemá kapela v rukou hudební nástroje, ale lopaty a krumpáče. Čeká je dlouhá noc. Zmrzlá zem a hluboký hrob. Jasně, spousta nápadů je exhumovaná z devadesátých let minulého století a základů stylu zvaného death metal, ale osobně mi to nijak nevadí. Hlavní jsou pro mě černo černé nálady, mrazivý odér, který je cítit ze všech skladeb. Pochválit musím i zvuk, který krásně řeže. Jsem najednou lovnou zvěří, které jde po krku smečka rozzuřených šelem. Tady se totiž hraje syrový, prašivý a temný death metal, u kterého vám popraskají všechny kosti v těle! Budete pohřbeni zaživa! Smrt!
Asphyx says:
My chest hurts, the air is slowly running out. Deep in the underground, worms are beginning to move. I scream and beg, but nobody can hear me. Last inhale, last exhale. My body's decomposition processes can begin. To understand the real death metal, you have to die several times. Darkness and fear surround me. They buried me once again alive. I am a few meters below the ground. Cold and despair. When you will be next?
Today I would like to invite you to an old abandoned cemetery in France. Gravestones are made by a death metal band called RED DEAD. From the very first tones it is obvious that gentlemen are experienced gravediggers who exactly know true death. Welcome to the other world!
"Forest of Chaos" is a bloody brutal album that refers to bands like OBITUARY, BENDICTION, GRAVE. It is a skillfully and expertly combined mix of Swedish death metal and American dark school. It wouldn't be that interesting, but RED DEAD can create a really deadly atmosphere with their songs. Sometimes I feel that the band does not have musical instruments in their hands, but shovels and pickaxes. It will be a long night. The ground is frozen and graves are deep. Surely, a lot of ideas are exhumed from the 1990s and from the basics of a style called death metal, but personally, I don't mind. The main things for me are black moods, frosty odors that can be felt from all songs. I also admire the sound that cuts beautifully. Here is played the raw, scabby and dark death metal which causes the cracking of your bones! You will be buried alive! Death!
Tracklist: 01. Funeral Path 02. Forest Of Flesh 03. The Gatekeeper 04. Butcher's Pray 05. Black Valley 06. Red Eyes Children 07. Old Skull Road 08. Antidote Trap 09. Servant Of The Death (feat. Kevin) 10. Epidemic Fangs 11. Wind Of Chaos 12. Into The Void
for english please scroll down Našel jsem jednou u cesty kostru. Již dle prvního ohledání vypadala, že musela zemřít krutou a ošklivou smrtí. Marně jsme přemýšleli, která šelma by něco takového mohla udělat. Na člověka to také nevypadalo. Myšlenka, že to byla nějaká zlá bytost z vesmíru, se nám pomalu začala vkrádat do hlavy. Navíc jsem zrovna poslouchal novou desku amerických progresivců HEMOTOXIN. Ta také působí jako sci-fi film z přelomu osmdesátých a devadesátých let. Je stejně syrová, temná a odtažitá. Připomíná útok z hvězd. Pokud u hudby rádi přemýšlíte a milujete v ní různé výlety, odbočky, ekvilibristiku, záhady a tajemství, tak by neměla novinka "Restructure the Molded Mind" rozhodně chybět ve vaší sbírce. Protože až vás jednou vezme pod krkem ocelová ruka stroje určeného k zabíjení, tak budete připraveni. Ano, HEMOTOXIN přilétli z jiné planety, kde se hraje jen ten nejvybranější death metal.
Přiznám se, že zpočátku pro mě byly některé skladby možná až příliš nepřehledné a dlouhé. Odtažité a chladné. Jsem rád, že jsem vydržel a poslouchal dál. Po nějakém čase jsem totiž byl odměněn hudbou, která pronikla hluboko do mé mysli. HEMOTOXIN pokračují tam, kde kdysi skončil s DEATH Chuck Schuldiner, nechali se ovlivnit CONTROL DENIED, CYNIC, ale i technickým thrash metalem, který provozovali a provozují kapely typu XENTRIX, ANNIHILATOR. K poslechu je potřeba přistupovat jako k nějaké morbidní symfonii. Potom si desku užijete jako já. Chce to otevřenou mysl, nechat všemu volný průchod. V těchto chvílích jsou HEMOTOXIN vynikající. Představte si starou opuštěnou halu, v které spí dlouhá léta rezavé stroje. Z tlampačů začne hrát album "Restructure the Molded Mind" a stroje se probudí. Další vývoj je jen na vás a vaší fantazii. Jsem si skoro jistý, že tohle album bude hrát všude po světě, až začne apokalypsa. Obsahuje v sobě totiž vše potřebné k ukončení naší civilizace - sílu, energii, techniku, temnotu. Propracovaný, inteligentní death thrash metal, který se vám zahryzne hluboko do mozku jako kovový čip!
Asphyx says:
I found a skeleton once by the road. From first examination, seemed she had to die a cruel and nasty death. We vainly wondered which beast could do that. It didn't look human either. The thought of being an evil being from space slowly began to creep into our heads. On top, I was just listening to a new album of American progressives HEMOTOXIN. It also acts as a sci-fi film from the turn of the 1980s and 1990s. It is just raw, dark and distant. It resembles an attack from stars.
If you like to think about music and love various trips, branches, equilibristics, mysteries and secrets, the new "Restructure the Molded Mind" should definitely not be missing in your collection. Because once the steel hand of the killing machine takes you under your throat, you will be ready. Yes, HEMOTOXIN has arrived from another planet where only the finest death metal is played.
I admit that from the beginning some songs were maybe too confusing and long for me. Detached and cool. I'm glad I stood and listened on. After some time I was rewarded by music that penetrated deep into my mind. HEMOTOXIN continues where DEATH Chuck Schuldiner once ended up being influenced by CONTROL DENIED, CYNIC, but also by the technical thrash metal as XENTRIX, ANNIHILATOR bands have been playing. Listening is to be treated as a morbid symphony. Then enjoy the record like me. It need an open mind, leaving everything free. At this point, HEMOTOXIN is excellent. Imagine an old abandoned hall where rusty machines have been sleeping for many years. From the loudspeakers he starts playing the album "Restructure the Molded Mind" and the machines wake up. The next development is up to you and your imagination. I'm pretty sure this album will play all over the world when the apocalypse begins. It contains everything needed to end our civilization - strength, energy, technology, darkness. Sophisticated, intelligent death thrash metal that bites deep into your brain like a metal chip!
tracklist: 1. Nihilistic Principle 2. Acrimony 3. Legion of Alienation 4. Unreality 5. Execution 6. Corrupted Flesh 7. Automation 8. Restructure the Molded Mind HEMOTOXIN is: Michael Chavez-Guitar/Vocals Shane Hunt-Dussé - Bass Brandon Wilcox-Drums
A few questions - interview with brutal death metal band from USA - CORDYCEPS.
Ave, can you introduce your band to our readers? – When was it founded and what style of music do you play , etc.?
Cordyceps was refounded in 2018 we released our e.p june 27, 2017
We play a mix of death metal black metal and anything that inspires us but it must be evil sounding and angry. and aggressive.
Where and under what conditions were you recording the new album? Who was in charge of sound, production and mastering?
Kirk Moll captured all audio guitars and drums, and Troy Mccosker Mixed and Mastered the record they are both absolute geniuses when it comes to getting what you are looking for in a record and just the art of it.
As far as producing, I wrote and produced a majority of the music, Mike Kneely helped write a few riffs and jammed songs as I wrote drums to them and Robert Jarman recorded bass. I recorded verything else you hear on the album drums vocals and guitars.
How many copies were released and which medium was used for this new edition (CD, digital, vinyl, cassette)?
Not sure how many copies are released hopefully a bunch of records are sold as we put our blood we sweat and tears into the record. Unique Leader will be releasing the record and we couldnt be more pleased to be on the label.
Who is the author of the lyrics and how were they created and about what do the lyrics deal with?
Rafael Gonzalez wrote all of the lyrics.
The lyrics dealt with the struggles I had endured after the previous members left the band, I cannot go into great detail but a lot of lying and cruel things were said and done during my time with them, I almost lost everything as a result of taking on the album.
There were times when I didnt know how I would afford to pay my Bill's as I had taken over some band related costs by myself and the record really is about the struggle and anger that this time had brought out of me and a reference to John Dee and his occult magick with a story on my take of his betrayal by the entities he was communicating with and also the hate that I felt towards the people that I felt really betrayed me.
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?
Miguel Goregrinder revamped our logo and the artwork was done by Triple Seis Design an amazingly talented artist who has worked with some of the biggest bands in metal for a reason, they are extremely gifted with art and design and very easy to work with.
I consider social media a way to talk with people and to listen to new music. I only consider social media important for communication purposesto and sharing music, I miss the days of Myspace looking up bands in random places and feel this was more suitable for most of us in the band.
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?
I would say that there was only really one choice for us Unique Leader Records.
Erik Lindmark had been in talks with us before black blood butchery and it felt natural to me when we began talking with him again.
We are very satisfied with Unique Leader and Erik Lindmark and the label gave a new band a chance with the odds stacked against us.
One day I was writing an email to Erik saying I had been kicked out of Cordyceps the next day I was writing an email telling him I was now aking over the band.
He never lost faith in me he had a lot of courage to take us on and said just try to keep it around the same style, it was a huge gift because he was making a dream come true.
Jamie Grahan, Matti Way and daniel defonse are also so amazing to work with, they are constantly going out of there way to help myself and the band and we are always in communication which is so important and I just want to thank them for the support, so yes the label is amazing and we are satisfied.
Which bands do you idolise and where do you get your inspiration?
II think we really look up to Suffocation the amount of goof stuff they have put out is amazing, I also would have to say Deicide is one of the innovators of death metal and dont get as much credit as I think they should.
as far as the record a lot of different bands inspired me, wormed, abominable putridity, cerebral incubation, deeds of flesh, dying fetus, morbid angel, anaal nakrath, and so many others.
Did you send your record to some Labels - which are the labels? How was the response?
The album was written after the signing with Unique Leader so we did not shop anywhere.
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?
It would be hard to count how many but I can say the best moments always come from the crowds energy.
You can play to a big room with a bunch of people but a small bar show could be better if the people are going crazy moshing and beating the crap out of eachother to your music, which ultimately we live for mosh pits.
I would have to say our show in Pennsylvania that our friend Jake Munson Nelson of Post Mortal Possesiom booked on our tour with Abnormal Inhumane and Epichardectomy, the venue was small and crowded and people just lost their shit.
What about your plans for the future? What do you want to achieve with the band?
The plans are to get heavier. With the addition of Delorean Nero and Marcus Baker I feel this record will have some unique perspectives to add to my writing process which should breathe some new life into the music.
The next album we want to add some more of the dark feelings through some black metal but ultimately we are looking to write a much more angry sounding record.
Ultimately I would love to see our band with pyrotechnics and stage estetics as I feel like death metal misses out on opportunity to have a bit of a show, maybe it is considered that only black metal may do such things but I feel that with a less over the top approach death metal could also entertain in the same realm with some of the bigger bands like behemoth.
How and where can your fans contact you? Can you provide some contact information?
Our fans can contact us on Instagram or on facebook, we make a point to respond to anyone that writes us although it may take a day as we dont go on everyday.
Thanx for the interview.
Thank you for the time and support of the band without fans we would play to empty rooms so thank you.
INHUMAN - Unseen Dead CD 2020, GrimmDistribution for english please scroll down
Jednou jsem viděl dokument o muži, který celý život převážel mrtvá těla. Někde daleko od civilizace byl starý malý hřbitov, na kterém už nebylo místo. Musel skládat mrtvoly na hromadu za hřbitovní zdí a když jich bylo hodně, tak je polil benzínem a zapálil. Bylo na něm vidět s jakou chutí nasává vůni rozkládajících se tkání. Vypadal jako nějaký vyslanec z vesmíru, který se rozhodl zničit vše živé na Zemi. Se zaujetím vyprávěl o tom, jak kdo kdy zemřel. Neustále si zpíval a usmíval se. Rozmlouval s nemrtvými a usnadňoval jim přechod na druhou stranu.
Vzpomněl jsem si na něj, když jsem poslouchal novou desku technických death metalistů z Costa Ricy - INHUMAN. Působili na mě podobně. Také byli nehumánní, odlidštění, šílení a zběsilí. Také mi vyprávěli o vraždách a nečistých činech. Také si mě dokázali svoji hudbou podmanit.
Stejně jako u každé technicky znějící kapely i zde platí, že ji nesmíte poslouchat povrchně. Rozhodně nestačí, když projedete skladby dnes zcela běžným způsobem někde na internetu a ihned zavrhnete. "Unseen Dead" je v mnohém složitým a nepřístupným albem. Občas nepřehledným a náročným. Pro mě osobně má ale jednu obrovskou výhodu. Na rozdíl od jiných z tohoto stylu mě baví poslouchat. Progresivní prvky jsou totiž dávkovány s rozmyslem, zachována je temnota a songy neztrácejí drive a energii. Hudebně se potom jedná o hromadu mrtvol s nápisy na tělech jako SUFFOCATION, CANNIBAL CORPSE, DEICIDE, NAPALM DEATH, DYING FETUS, MALEVOLENT CREATION, VITAL REMIANS - to vše polité kyselinou a následně zapálené (nezapomeňte zasypat vápnem!). Novinka je neskutečně heavy, skladby mají tlak a sílu. Syrový, surový zvuk a nihilistický obal vše jen perfektně umocňuje. Po celou dobu si připadám, jako bych se pohyboval několik metrů pod zemí, procházel se temnými chodbami a nekonečným labyrintem. "Unseen Dead" se mi zařezává do uší i do celého těla. Mozek mi vyskočí každou chvíli z hlavy. I já budu brzy tělem na hromadě za hřbitovní zdí. Temný, ostrý a nekompromisní technický death metal, který vám urve hlavu i s páteří!
Asphyx says:
I once saw a documentary about a man who had transported dead bodies all his life. Somewhere far from civilization, there was an old little cemetery where there was no more space. He had to put the corpses into a pile behind the graveyard wall, and when there were too many, he poured them on petrol and set them on fire. It showed the taste of the decaying tissues. He looked like an ambassador from space who decided to destroy everything living on Earth. He spoke with interest about how anyone had ever died. He was always singing and smiling. He talked to the undead and made it easier for them to move to the other side.
I remembered him listening to a new album of technical death metallers from Costa Rica - INHUMAN. They were inhumane, dehumanized, mad and furious. They also told me about murders and unclean acts. They also managed to subdue me with their music.
Technically sounding band, you can't listen to just superficially. Certainly is not enough if you go through the songs today in a quite normal way somewhere on the Internet and you immediately reject it. "Unseen Dead" is complex and inaccessible album. Sometimes confusing and demanding. For me personally, it has one huge advantage. Unlike others of this style, I enjoy listening. The progressive elements are dosed with care, the darkness is preserved and the songs do not lose drive and energy. Musically, it is a pile of corpses with inscriptions on the bodies such as SUFFOCATION, CANNIBAL CORPSE, DEICIDE, NAPALM DEATH, DYING FETUS, MALEVOLENT CREATION, VITAL REMIANS - all poured acid and then lit (don't forget to pour in lime!). The new album is incredibly heavy, the songs have pressure and strength. Raw sound and nihilistic cover art make everything perfect. All the time I feel like I am moving a few meters underground, walking through dark corridors and endless labyrinth. "Unseen Dead" cuts into my ears and my whole body. My brain pops out of my head soon. I will be soon a body in a pile behind the cemetery wall. Dark, sharp and uncompromising technical death metal that will pluck your head with your spine!
TRACKLIST 01. Lords of Beasts (2:11) 02. The Day You Die (4:58) 03. The Poisoned (3:42) 04. Careful What Your Fear (4:50) 05. The Last Prophet (5:14) 06. A Death Through the Mirror (5:41) 07. Unseen Dead (5:30) 08. Devil's Deeds (6:24 band: Vocal: Gabriel Martinez Bass: Kevin Moran Guitar: Jonathan Sanchez Drums: Juriel Barquero
Čaute chalani, ako sa Vám darí v týchto zvláštnych časoch? Taktiež ste v dobrovoľnej karanténe a trávite väčšinu času doma? Aká je situácia vo vašom okolí? Máte vôbec teraz nejakú možnosť stretnúť sa s kapelou na skúšobni?
DON: Ocitli sme sa vo vskutku zvláštnom období. V celom našom štáte je zákaz vychádzania; žiadne zhromaždenia akéhokoľvek druhu, žiadne zbytočné cestovanie, s výnimkou cesty do práce (ak teda stále pracujete) alebo návštevy obchodu s potravinami, čo v konečnom dôsledku znamená, že v súčasnosti spoločné skúšky s kapelou neprichádzajú do úvahy. Momentálne vypĺňam dni strávené doma tvorbou muziky v mojom domácom štúdiu, varením a občas vychádzam von, keď je dôvod.
Tak poďme teda hovoriť o pozitívnejších veciach. Iba pred pár dňami (27.3.2020) vám vyšiel nový dlhohrajúci album “The World That Was”. Povedzte mi, aké ste mali pocity po nahratí, zmixovaní, masteringu, keď ste úplne prvý raz počuli už výsledný materiál? Naplnili sa vaše očakávania? A čo prvé recenzie, sú pozitívne?
ALEX: Počúvanie nášho vlastného albumu po jeho dokončení je pre každého z nás úplne iný zážitok. Je niekedy ťažké „byť hotový“ čo sa týka nahrávky. Vždy existuje niečo, čo by sa ešte mohlo vyladiť. Ale v určitom okamihu musíte „zavrieť dvere“ a ísť ďalej. Pri nahrávaní našich albumov vždy vynakladáme veľké úsilie a tentoraz to nebola žiadna výnimka. Chvíľu nám trvá dať všetko dokopy, keďže spolupracujeme s ľuďmi zodpovednými za prvky na syntetizátore, a preto mixovanie prebieha na diaľku. Existuje teda množstvo e-mailov a plniacich sa online schránok hore-dolu. Ja som osobne musel nahrávku v celom procese medzi nahrávaním a výsledným masteringom počuť asi miliónkrát, takže v konečnom dôsledku finálny výsledok pre mňa nebol žiadnym „veľkým odhalením“. Je to len otázka nových vylepšení, ktoré sa zakaždým pridávajú. Myslím ale, že od prvého dňa sme všetci vedeli, že naše tóny boli na tomto albume presnejšie nastavené a že to zvukovo bude znieť najlepšie. Skutočný svetlý moment je, keď začujete všetky syntetizátory perfektne zapadnúť do nahrávky a keď sú zmixované na správnej úrovni. Pridáva to takú neuveriteľnú úroveň hĺbky. To mi skutočne vyčarilo úsmev na tvári. A skutočne to rezonuje s našimi fanúšikmi. Recenzie boli kurva pozitívne. Je to ohromujúce. Ľudia si stále vážia predošlý album „Lords of Death“, zdá sa však, že všetci sa zhodujú v tom, že sme ho albumom „The World That Was“ ešte presiahli.
Mne sa album naozaj páči. Aj keď musím sa priznať, chvíľu mi trvalo dostať sa do nahrávky hlbšie, nejde o album „na prvé počutie“, ale po nejakom čase som si ho zamilovala. Najradšej mám však poslednú a titulnú skladbu. Zahŕňa nespočetne veľa pocitov, má skvelú atmosféru a také staré vibrácie hard rocku v niektorých častiach. Ktorá skladba je vaša obľúbená?
ALEX: To je ťažká otázka. Je to buď tiež titulná skladba, ktorá sa páči aj tebe alebo skladba „Leave the Light Behind“. Myslím, že to bude predsa tá tvoja najobľúbenejšia. Pieseň „The World That Was“ obsahuje akoby tri rôzne smerovania, je to niečo ako prehrať si celý album za 10 minút. Emócie a cesta. Je naozaj obohacujúce hrať túto skladbu. Napísať ju však bolo trochu ako napísať elaborát! Ale čím viac toho dáš do skladanie, tým viac toho dostaneš von.
MIKE: Naozaj neviem, či mám vôbec jedného favorita. Z pohľadu textového obsahu je každá jedna skladba pre mňa dôležitá. Všetky majú svoj vlastný a silný styčný bod. Album bol celkovo zložený a usporiadaný so zámerom aby plynul súdržne, takže všetky skladby sú pomyselne prepojené a vzájomne na seba nadväzujú.
Zo začiatku som bola veľmi prekvapená, keď som počula synťák v niektorých skladbách. Na vašich predchádzajúcich nahrávkach som tento element nezachytila. Čo bolo hlavným impulzom zahrnúť tieto prvky do vašej muziky? Evokujú vo mne také vesmírne/sci-fi obrazy, obzvlášť skladba „Leave The Light Behind“. Kto vlastne stojí za týmito prvkami?
ALEX: Syntetizátor sme vlastne použili na všetkých našich albumoch. Len v tomto prípade sme tieto prvky trošku viac vytiahli do popredia. Vráťte sa k starším nahrávkam, počúvajte ich pozornejšie a uvidíte, o čom hovorím. Jednoducho sme nikdy nechceli, aby boli „hviezdou show“. Je to všetko o zvukovom dizajne a atmosfére. A v podstate skutočnosť, že si si tie prvky predtým nevšimla alebo teda nepamätala, že sú tam, je vlastne skvelá. Presne tak to bolo zamýšľané. Malo to byť konzistentné. Čo sa týka syntetizátora, môj priateľ Omar Jon Ajluni si zahral na všetkých troch albumoch. A na nový album sme pridali ďalšiu posilu, jednu moju známu Meredith Davidson. Navyše v skladbe „Leave the Light Behind“ som sa o tieto prvky postaral ja. Najväčší rozdiel v tomto ohľade na novej doske je v tom, že synth prvky sú použité v piatich skladbách zo šiestich, a snažili sme sa ich počas mixovania vytiahnuť viac do popredia v porovnaní s predchádzajúcimi doskami. Myslím, že sme skutočne docielili skvelú rovnováhu. O malú štipku viac a bolo by toho príliš veľa.
Ostaňme ešte pri skladbe „Leave the Light Behind“. Okrem iného ste tu použili aj melodický vokál. Plánujete ho začleniť vo väčšom množstve na ďalších nahrávkach? Myslím, že niektorým ortodoxným fanúšikom by sa to nemuselo páčiť... ale mimochodom táto skladba je vskutku melodická a veľmi chytľavá.
DON: Už na predchádzajúcom albume v skladbe „Graven Desires“ Mike pridal nejaké čisté vokály. V tejto skladbe však majú taký nádych tradičného heavy metalu; tentoraz bol prístup trochu iný. Určite nemám víziu, že by TEMPLE OF VOID pokračovali s čisto melodickými vokálmi, ale ak by ich pieseň z nejakého dôvodu vyžadovala, tak sa ešte určite môžu objaviť na našej tvorivej ceste.
MIKE: Použitie čistého vokálu je zložité. Až do tohto bodu som bol veľmi vyberavý v tomto smere. Ale aby som bol úprimný, vlastne dávam prednosť čistému spevu. Ale TEMPLE OF VOID je vo svojej podstate death doomová formácia, takže ich naozaj využívam len vtedy, keď mám pocit, že skladbe skutočne dajú nejakú pridanú hodnotu. Na konci skladby „Graven Desires“ som ich použil, pretože sa mi to zdalo správne. Tematicky sa tam hodili, dokázal som nimi vytvoriť silnú melodickú líniu a cítil som, že by mohli trochu zatriasť vecami a vytvoriť dobrú tému rozhovoru. Chcel som niečo prekvapujúce, niečo, čo by potenciálne mohlo otvoriť dvere k novým vokálnym možnostiam bez toho, aby sme poslucháčov mučili nejakým úplne novým smerovaním. V niekoľkých rozhovoroch som sa dočítal, že ľudia si želali viac takého spevu na tomto albume, a ja som to síce zvážil, ale vedome som sa rozhodol obmedziť ich len na skladbu „Leave the Light Behind“, pretože všetky ostatné piesne sú oveľa melodickejšie a niesli tentoraz veľa vonkajších vplyvov. Cítil som, že moje normálne vokály bolo potrebné ponechať stále pevne zakorenené v death metale, takže som veľmi selektoval.
Podobne ako na predchádzajúcom albume, nová nahrávka obsahuje jednu čisto gitarovú skladbu, o ktorú sa postaral Mike. Stáva sa to poznávacím znakom vašich albumov. Aká je dôležitosť tejto inštrumentálnej skladby na albume a ako pre ňu vyberáte správne umiestnenie na zázname?
DON: Myslím, že konkrétne na tomto albume umiestnenie skladby „A single Obolus“ slúži ako most z prvej do druhej polovice albumu; nájdete tam rozdiely v odtieňoch a náladách pretrvávajúcich v skladbách pred inštrumentálnou medzihrou a tými, ktoré nasledujú po nej a uzatvárajú celú nahrávku.
MIKE: Aj keď som sa vždy považoval za gitaristu, stále akceptujem svoju pozíciu frontmana, pretože zatiaľ čo sme už nejakú dobu kapelou, TEMPLE OF VOID je pri výbere koncertov veľmi selektívna. Veľmi si užívam hranie na akustickej gitare, rovnako ako hranie heavy muziky s elektrickou gitarou, takže toto bol spôsob, ako prispieť do kapely niečím hudobným bez toho, aby som vstupoval do tvorivého procesu Dona a Alexa.
Čo sa týka obalu albumu, pri predchádzajúcej doske ste spolupracovali so známym umelcom Paolom Girardim. Tentoraz ste si vybrali pre obal albumu ďalšieho skvelého maliara, Adama Burka. Musím sa priznať, že milujem jeho štýl. Ktorá jeho práca vás oslovila natoľko, že ste sa rozhodli práve pre neho? Ako prebiehala táto spolupráca?
DON: Obal, ktorý Adam urobil pre rovnomenný album kapely TCHORNOBOG ma totálne odrovnal a jeho artwork pre náš album „The World that Was“ prekročil všetky naše očakávania. Jeho pozornosť k detailom je pozoruhodná; urobil naozaj skvelú prácu, ktorá obrazovo priviedla naše myšlienky k životu.
Máte aj nejakú svoju skúšobňu, kde sa čas od času stretnete, zacvičíte si, dáte si pivo a tvoríte novú muziku? Alebo skôr nasledujete moderný spôsob písania muziky každý oddelene doma, potom si posielate nápady atd? Ako vlastne vyzerá proces skladania novej TEMPLE OF VOID muziky?
DON: Samozrejme, v skúšobni sa stretávame pravidelne, aj keď teraz je to trochu pozastavené kvôli súčasnej situácií. Nápady na skladbu zvyčajne začínajú nejakými riffmi od Alexa alebo od mňa; od tej chvíle pracujeme na všetkom spoločne ako kapela. Skúšame rôzne nápady, tempá, umiestnenia atď. a potom hodnotíme, čo funguje a čo nie.
Považujete sa viac za doom metalovú kapelu s vplyvmi death metalu alebo naopak? Je pre vás dôležité udržať rovnováhu medzi doom a death metalovými prvkami, alebo proste len tvoríte muziku tak ako to v danom momente cítite a nad nejakou rovnováhou sa nezamýšľate?
ALEX: Asi by som povedal, že obe možnosti sú správne a vysvetlím prečo... Sme death/doom metalovou kapelou a pokiaľ máme vo svojom zvuku death či doom, potom sa považujeme za TEMPLE OF VOID. Takže jeden album sa môže viac prikláňať k death metalu s doom prvkami a ďalší naopak. A myslím, že je to tak v poriadku. Niektoré skladby sú oveľa viac ladené do death metalu, iné zas do doom metalu. To je súčasť nášho prístupu ... miešať tieto dva žánre. Nakoniec, píšeme hudbu, ktorú chceme písať. Pokiaľ na našich albumoch bude death a doom, môžeme pridať akékoľvek ďalšie prvky, ktoré považujeme za potrebné alebo ktoré nás v súčasnosti inšpirujú. Na novej nahrávke sú napríklad prvky heavy metalu, nejaký grunge, či shoegaze, proste všelijaké sračky, ale vždy sú spevnené chrbtovou kosťou death metalu a doom metalu. A dúfame, že náš album je majstrovsky zostrojený, takže by nemal znieť ubíjajúcu, ale naopak mali by ste mať pocit, že všetko je tak ako to aj bolo mienené. Poslucháčovi by mal album znieť s ľahkosťou.
Nedávno som si pozrela dokument „Slave to the Grind“, kde legendárna kapela REPULSION hovorí o tom ako ich rodné mesto Flint známe pre obrovský automobilový priemysel ovplyvnilo ich zvuk, haha. Vy ste z Detroitu, ďalšieho mesta „automobilov“. Tiež vidíte nejaký vplyv tohto aspektu vo vašej muzike?
ALEX: Myslím, že Detroit ovplyvňuje našu pracovnú etiku viac ako náš zvuk. Hovorí sa tu: „Detroit tvrdo pracuje“, a myslím si, že je to veľmi výstižné. Historická nepriazeň Detroitu prináša inovácie a vytrvalosť. Myslím, že toho ducha je cítiť aj v TEMPLE OF VOID.
MIKE: Sme štátom na Stredozápade a teda aj súčasťou priemyselného hrdzavého pásu. Väčšina z nás tu pochádzala z robotníckych rodín pracujúcich pre automobilový priemysel. Logisticky toto mesto nie je veľmi prístupné pre turné, takže sme museli odignorovať veľa koncertov. Presne tieto nepriaznivé okolnosti vytvárajú nutnosť DIY prístupu a práve tu sa rodia niektoré z najlepších a najunikátnejších nápadov.
A čo by ste nám teda povedali o metalovej scéne v Detroite či jeho okolí? Myslím, že veľa ľudí v Európe označuje kapely z USA bez špecifikácie štátu, či mesta odkiaľ pochádzajú. Poznáme akurát tak floridskú scénu, či scénu Kalifornie. Má aj štát Michigan nejakú metalovú históriu?
MIKE: Michigan bol vždy historicky obrovským hudobným motorom práve z dôvodov uvedených v poslednej odpovedi vyššie. Existuje veľa nových myšlienok, ktoré vedú k niektorým skutočne podstatným hudobným posunom. Metal nie je výnimkou. REPULSION pomohlo priekopníkom extrémneho metalu. Oblasť Jackson / Lansing vychovala niektoré z prvých USBM kapiel v čase, keď svet sotva vedel, čo je to Black Metal. Vždy tu existovalo silné jadro undergroundových kapiel, ktoré skutočne tvrdo pracujú na tom, aby udržali plameň stále nažive a nezaujímajú sa o to, či je ich vízia podporená kvôli uznaniu, vďaka čomu tu vzniká skutočne jedinečná a vynikajúca hudba.
Okej, viem, že v súčasnej situácií je táto otázka možno irelevantná, ale čo koncerty? Máte víziu zorganizovať v budúcnosti európske turné? Ktoré kapely by ste si vzali na spoločné turné a ktoré skladby z novej dosky plánujete zahrnúť do setlistu?
ALEX: Áno, s európskymi kapelami už diskutujeme o turné. Vynakladáme veľkú snahu aby sa to raz podarilo. Naozaj nechcem v nikom vyvolávať falošné nádeje, ale priatelíme sa s kapelami SOLOTHUS, HOODED MENACE, SADISTIK FOREST, a REVEL IN FLESH. A boli by sme nesmierne šťastní, keby sme si mohli zahrať práve s niektorou z týchto kapiel. Uvidíme, čo sa bude dať robiť!
MIKE: Ak nám budú priať hviezdy, musí sa nám raz podariť Európske turné. Rád by som zdielal spoločné pódium s kapelami SOLOTHUS, REVEL IN FLESH či FERUM.
Fajn, veľmi pekne ďakujem, že ste si našli čas odpovedať na moje otázky a gratulujem k novej doske. Dúfam, že tento rozhovor nebol príliš vyčerpávajúci. Dúfam, že vás čoskoro uvidím aj naživo niekde poblíž. Vaše posledné slová?
ALEX: Dúfam, že nabudúce sa budeme môcť porozprávať tvárou v tvár na nejakom festivale, či koncerte. Pivo bude na nás. Zostaňte v bezpečí v týchto šialených časoch.
Cheers,
Alex & Temple of Void
about TEMPLE OF VOID on DEADLY STORM ZINE / o TEMPLE OF VOID na DEADLY STORM ZINE:
Recenze/review - TEMPLE OF VOID - The World That Was (2020):
Interview with death doom metal band from USA - TEMPLE OF VOID. Answered Don, Alex, Mike, thank you! Questions prepared and translated Petra, thank you!
Recenze/review - TEMPLE OF VOID - The World That Was (2020):
Hello guys! How are you doing in this strange time? Are you also in self-quarantine, spending most of the day home? What is the situation in your district? Do you have a possibility to meet in the rehearsal room?
DON: We are definitely in a strange time right now. Our entire state is under a stay-at-home order; no gatherings of any kind, no unnecessary travel, with the exception of going to work(if you’re still working) or going to the grocery store which ultimately means no rehearsals for the time being; I fill up my days now working on music in my home studio, cooking, and getting outside when I can.
Let’s talk about more positive things. Your new record “The World That Was” has been released only a few days back. Tell me about the first feelings after recording, mixing, mastering, when you first time heard your resulting material. Were your expectations fulfilled? What about the first reviews? Are they positive?
ALEX: Listening to your album for the first time once it’s all done is a very different experience for each one of us. It’s hard to “be done” sometimes. There’s always something you could tweak. But at a certain point you just have to close the hatch and move on. We put a lot of effort into recording our albums and this was no exception. It takes us a while because we collaborate with people for synths and we do the mixing remotely. So there’s a lot of emails and dropboxes back and forth. I got to hear it a million times all through the mixing process so there isn’t really a “grand reveal” when it’s all done for me. It’s just a matter of new tweaks being added each time.
I think we all knew from day one that our tones were more dialed-in on this album and that it was going to sound the best. The real illuminating moment is when you hear all the synths dropped in and mixed at the right level. It just adds such an incredible level of depth. That really brought a smile to my face. And it’s really resonating with our fans. The reviews have been fucking ridiculously positive. It’s overwhelming. People hold Lords of Death in really high esteem but it seems like the consensus is that we topped it with The World that Was.
I really like it. It took time to get deeper into the record, it is not an album "for the first listening", but after a while, I started to love it. The most I like the closing track. It includes so many feelings, great atmosphere and such old hard rock vibes in one part. Which track is your favorite?
ALEX: That’s a hard question. It’s either your favorite or Leave the Light Behind. I think it’s your favorite. The song is in three movements and it’s like playing a full album in 10 minutes. The emotions and the journey. It’s just really rewarding to play. It was a labor to write, though! But the more you put into shit, the more you get out.
MIKE: I don’t know if I really have a favorite. They all represent something important to me lyrically. They all have their own strong points. The album was written and arranged with the intention of flowing together cohesively, so each song is kind of integral to each other.
At first, I was very surprised by hearing synth parts in your music. I didn’t notice such elements at your previous record(s). What was the main impulse to include such features in your music? They evoke some space/sci-fi images in my head, especially in the song “Leave the Light Behind”. Who is responsible for the synth parts?
ALEX: We’ve actually had synths on all the albums. We just got more out of them on this one. Go back and listen for them and you’ll see what I’m talking about. We’ve just never wanted them to be the star of the show. It’s all about sound-design and atmosphere. The fact that you didn’t even remember we had them is cool. It’s meant to be textural. My friend, Omar Jon Ajluni has played on all three albums. And we added another friend of mine, Meredith Davidson, to the new album. Plus, I did one track (Leave the Light Behind). The biggest difference on this record is that they’re on five of the six tracks, and we made an effort to bring them up in the mix a bit more than previously. I think we really nailed the balance. Any more and it would have been too much.
In the mentioned track you also used the clean melodic vocals. Are you planning to implement them in more abundance at the future albums? I think some orthodox fans wouldn’t like it… But that song is quite melodic and really catchy, by the way.
DON: Mike did some clean vocals on Graven Desires from the previous album Lords of Death. On that track they had more of a traditional heavy metal feel to them; this time around the approach was a little bit different. I don’t see Temple of Void ever going with all clean vocals, but they might make another appearance down the road if a song calls for them.
MIKE: The use of clean vocals is tricky. I’ve been very selective in using them up until this point. To be honest, I actually prefer clean singing, but ToV in essence is a death doom band, so I really only utilize them when I feel they truly add something to the song. I put them at the end of the Graven Desires because it felt right. They fit thematically, I could make up a strong melodic line, and I felt it would shake things up and make a good talking point. I wanted something surprising that could potentially open a door to new vocal possibilities without bludgeoning the listener with a whole new direction. I’ve read in a few interviews people actually wanted more singing on this album, and I both expected that and considered it, but I consciously chose to limit them to only Leave the Light Behind because all the songs were a lot more melodic and carried so much outside influence this time around. I felt my normal vocals were what was needed to keep it still firmly rooted in death Metal overall, so I was very selective.
Similar to your previous album, the new record includes one purely guitar/percussion interlude played by Mike. It is becoming a special sign of your albums. What is its importance on the album and how do you choose the right place for an instrumental song on the record?
DON: I think specifically for this album, the placement of “A Single Obolus” serves as a bridge to the second half of the album; there’s a difference in the shades and mood of the songs before it and the ones that come after it and close out the album.
MIKE: Since I’ve always considered myself a guitarist, I’m still kind of accepting my position as a frontman because while we have been a band for a while now, ToV is very selective about playing shows. I really enjoy playing acoustic just as much as I do playing heavy music with the electric, so it’s been my way to contribute something musical to the band without stepping on Don and Alex’s creative process.
Concerning the cover art, for a previous record, you collaborated with famous artist Paolo Girardi. Now you picked another great artist for new album cover art – Adam Burke. I have to admit I love his style. Which his work impressed you so much you decided for him? How was going this collaboration?
DON: The cover art that Adam did for Tchornobog’s self titled album blew me away and his artwork for The World That Was exceeded all expectations. His attention to detail is remarkable; he did such a great job bringing our ideas to life on this one.
Do you have your rehearsal room, where you meet time-to-time, rehearse, have a beer and create new music? Or you follow modern approach to write music everyone separately at home and send it to others? How does the writing process of TEMPLE OF VOID look?
DON: We get together regularly to rehearse, though that’s on hold for the time being given the current state of things. The song ideas usually begin with some riffs from Alex or myself; from there we work on everything together as a band. We try different ideas, tempos, placements, etc and see what works and what doesn’t.
Do you perceive yourself more than doom metal band with death influences or reversely? It is important for you to maintain the balance between the death and doom metal elements, or you simply write music as you feel it at a specific moment?
ALEX: I’m going to actually say, “both,” and I’ll explain… We’re a death/doom band and as long as we have death and doom in our sound then we’re Temple of Void. So one album may swing more death with doom, and another album may swing more doom with death. And that’s fine. Some songs are far more death oriented and some far more doom. That’s part of our approach...mixing it up. At the end of the day we write music that we want to write. As long as there’s death and doom on our albums then we can bring in whatever other elements we think are necessary or that are currently inspiring us. There’s some heavy metal, some grunge, some shoegaze, all kinds of shit on this record, but it’s always tempered with a backbone of death metal and doom metal. And hopefully it’s masterfully crafted so it’s never jarring and it always feels like it was meant to be there. It should sound effortless to the listener.
Recently I watched the documentary “Slave to the Grind” where the legendary REPULSION band was talking about how their born town Flint with huge automotive industry influenced their sound, haha. You are from Detroit, another “motor” city. Do you see also some impact of this in your music?
ALEX: I think Detroit influences our work ethic more than our sound. There’s a saying here, “Detroit Hustles Harder,” and I think that’s very apt. Detroit’s historical adversity breeds innovation and perseverance. I think you can feel that spirit in Temple of Void.
MIKE: We’re a Midwest state and part of the industrialized rust belt. Most of us out here came from blue-collar families working for the automotive industry. We’re not a logistically easy place to play on tour, so we get passed over for a lot of shows. Those kind of elements breed a do-it-yourself attitude, and that’s where some of the best and most novel ideas are born.
What about the metal scene in Detroit or its vicinity? I think that most people in Europe mark the bands from USA without the specification of the state or city. Yes, the most famous scenes are in Florida (Tampa) or California (San Francisco). Has also Michigan its own metal history?
MIKE: Michigan has always historically been a huge musical powerhouse for the very reasons mentioned in the last question. There’s a lot of novel thinking which lead to some really substantial musical movements. Metal is no exception. Repulsion helped pioneer extreme metal. The Jackson/Lansing area bred some of the first USBM bands during a time when the world barely knew what Black Metal was. There’s always a strong core of underground bands around here who really work hard to keep the flame alive and really don’t care about pandering or compromising their visions for the sake of recognition, which makes for some truly unique and exceptional music.
I know that this question is not relevant in these days, but what about concerts? Do you have ambitions to go and organize a European tour in the future? Which bands would you like to take with you on tour and which tracks from the new record would you include in the setlist?
ALEX: We talk with European bands about touring. We’re trying to make it happen. I don’t really want to get anyone’s hopes up but we’re friends with Solothus, Hooded Menace, Sadistik Forest, and Revel in Flesh. And we’d be really excited to play with any of them. We’ll see what we can do!
MIKE: Europe will happen if we can get all the stars to align. I’d like to do some gigs with Solothus, Revel in Flesh, and Ferum.
Alright, thanks a lot for taking the time to answer these questions and congratulations to your new record. I hope this interview wasn’t very exhausting. I hope, I will see your show somewhere near soon! Any closing words?
ALEX: I hope next time we speak it’s face-to-face in Europe at a fest or a show. The beer is on us. Stay safe in these crazy times.
Cheers,
Alex & Temple of Void
about TEMPLE OF VOID on DEADLY STORM ZINE / o TEMPLE OF VOID na DEADLY STORM ZINE:
Recenze/review - TEMPLE OF VOID - The World That Was (2020):
