Imagine being dragged off against your will to a place of incalculable darkness.
A place of depravity, hatred, depression, a place where evil lives unchallenged, unhindered.
A place of unspeakable acts of violence and torture.
A place engulfed by madness and nightmares!!!
That place is The Werkshed.
Once you are here you will never return.
Negura Bunget Interview: By E. for The Werkshed, Interview with Negru
Q: First allow me to say that this is an honor for me to interview Negura Bunget. Virstele pamintului is an absolutely amazing record and seems like a genuine progression from the brilliance of Om. For those who have not heard it yet, how would you describe it to someone unfamiliar to what you do? And how would you describe it to someone who is completely familiar to your previous works?
Negru: For the ones familiar with our work, I would say Virstele pamintului is as much of a natural evolution as it is a new beginning.
Q: Virstele pamintului (much like many of your previous works) is a very cohesive album, each part is just as important as the last and they all come together to create a unified piece of art. This album seems very much like a concept album of sorts. Do you see it this way? If yes, what is the underlying concept behind this album?
Negru: Yes, I’d sat this is truly conceptual album. Vîrstele pămîntului (Ages of the land) is as the title suggests an album about ages, about places of the earth and places of the spirit, about bounds transcending worlds. It’s an album that tries to shape a personal vision on the essences that made us who we are now. We look back so that we can understand use, the present and our future. Symbolically the album is based on the principle of 9. 9 is the triad of the triads, symbol of fulfillment of the creative effect. It symbolizes the return of the multiplicity to unity (like the snake biting his tail). 9 is the number of patience, of meditation and harmony. The earth is where we came from and where go back into, the one from above and beyond us. Understanding and respecting it means to understand yourself, your purpose and destiny. Vîrstele pămîntului is an album about embracing your destiny, about choosing and consciously assuming a way of life.
Q: You have also released Maiestrit this year, what is your opinion on the differences between the original and re-recorded version? Are there any plans to re-record any of your other older material in the future? Why did you pick this album from all the ones in your catalog to re-record?
Negru: There are a lot of differences between the two versions. Maybe not major ones, but if you look into details, a lot is changed, modified, re-shaped… so that in the end we rather see Maiestrit as a new material than a simple re-recording. We don’t have any plans to re-record other materials. That’s why we saw Maiestrit as a symbolical and of an era. The past is entirely behind us now, we are solely focused on the future. We were never satisfied with the original outcome of the album. We felt there was a lot more that we didn’t managed to capture, both in terms of production and performance. So our mind set was to make it right this time, do every little aspect as it should be. Was not easy, and we ended up working on this material maybe more than on a new album, but it was worth in the end.
Q: Despite the tumultuous line-up disintegration of the old guard, NB has managed to compose new material that is very much akin to its elder works and does not regress in anyway. How is the working relationship with the new members so far and have you come to any kind of closure/resolve with the old members?
Negru: We’ve been quite fortunate to find the right people for this endeavor, so things are working out pretty well. We are of course just at the beginning, there’s a lot more to be developed, and a long journey is ahead of us. But we are aware of this, and we are really keep do put all the hard work to make things happen the way we know they should. I have a clean closure with the old members since the very beginning. I don’t hold any grudges or regrets about the course of action I took. I can’t say it’s a similar feeling from their side, but I can always speak only for myself.
Q: Negura Bunget, since its inception, has seemed like a band dedicated to blazing its own path. Was this something that was intentional since the birthing of the project or was it more of a natural progression that continued to evolve more over time?
Negru: I was just the natural way we progressed… Of course in time you became aware of such matters, and you can take care even better of all the different aspects involved, which is exactly what we did.
Q: You are currently embarked on a tour in support of your new material. How has the crowd reaction been to the new material so far? Are there any plans to come to the United States in the future?
Negru: So far the reactions towards the new album have been amazing, both at the concerts, and in the media. It’s even more than we could have expected. We have tried to arrange a US tour for quite a while already. It’s not easy to plan such a thing for a band like us, but I’m sure we will make it happen soon.
Q: Negura Bunget has always been a very spiritual band both musically and lyrically. How does your spiritual ideology effect the music and even more so, your daily lives? How would you categorize your spiritual ideologies?
Negru: Everything we do is a consequence of who we are as persons. Spiritually shapes you character, so in a way or other is directly involved is every aspect of our lives. That doesn’t mean of course we endorse that over-spiritual approach where every gesture has a meaning. We are normal people, and our interests are just private so I would say our spiritual ideologies are of a personal nature. We do not embrace any official systems and certainly do not preach to other our beliefs.
Q: One of the things that has been noteworthy of your band is the use of film/video that completely compliments the music. Are there any plans for more videos/film work in the future?
Negru: We do have some plans on this matter. For once we just finished the first clip for a track of new album – Dacia Hiperboreana. It’s a 9 minutes long rather unusual visual exploration… We also have a live DVD almost completed. It’s our biggest project s far, as we set up an entire gig in order to film it right and offer a full live experience to the watchers. It should be released on Prophecy before the end of the year. Other that this we have some much ampler plans, but unfortunately I can’t say much for the moment about them.
Q: Over the past few years you have essentially taken on all aspects of the creative process, from writing to recording. What is the major factor that led you to record your music yourselves? Do you find it difficult to create and produce your art?
Negru: I think we just wanted to take care directly of all the aspects. It’s not like there are many peoples around here on which we could depend on doing a better job… so we were also somehow forced to take this approach. But the more we get into such aspects, the more natural we feel we can take things even higher, so it’s not at all like a burden.
Q: Negura Bunget has always had a very abstract take on album artwork. Very much different from the typical black metal fare, but manages to compliment the music perfectly. Many bands fail to use artwork to its full capacity, in regards to creating art that is whole, complete and represents the musical side of what they do. What is your opinion regarding the visual side of your art and how important is it to you?
Negru: I think every aspects of a new material count. From production, layouts, packaging… they all offer us different means of expression. We also enjoy taking new paths with everything, make something of our own. For the artwork side we’ve also been fortunate to have some close friends which help us a lot…
Q: You had been doing the Negura music web/magazine, but it seems to have been on hold for a while now. Are there any plans to move forward with it or is it pretty much obsolete at this point?
Negru: I haven’t put this project entirely behind. In fact I still feel time will come to make yet another issue of the magazine, and I mean of course the printed version. I already have the material for an entire issue, but it’s just getting a bit too old now, so maybe I’ll have to start it again from scratch. And as printed magazines are getting rare these days, my determination is just getting stronger.
Q: It seems you are working with other bands in your recording studio as of recent (Wodensthrone to be one of them). Are you planning to do more outside recording work in the studio or is it more for friends/acquaintances and such?
Negru: We don’t have too much time to take outside recordings… But we did quite a few meanwhile, especially local bands that we pretty much knew one way or the other.
Q: Well that is about all I have for this interview. I would like to thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. If you have any last words to put out there, please feel free to do so. The Werkshed and myself would like to wish you and the band all the best in your future endeavors.
Negru: Thank you too for the support! I hope we will make it soon to US, and people will have the chance to experience directly what Negura Bunget is all about. Meanwhile we have a lot of projects coming out this year, so keep an eye on everything.
The Werkshed's own Mike Abominator and Bastard Son Of God have quite a few interviews featured in the latest issue. So show your support to a true old school zine and go here and get it for yourself!!!!!
Dennis Dread has been blowing all of us away with his sick art the last decade or so! I became such a fan of his art, that I had to bug the shit out of him until he agreed to do some Gravehill art, and then I had to hit him up for a talk as well. Dennis is a very cool guy and it was awesome picking his brain. Check out his killer website as well: www.dennisdread.com
Interview By : Mike Abominator
1. Hails Dennis, thank you for your time, how are things going for you these days? Tell about what you are currently working on.
Hey, Mike! Things are going great these days. The new Abscess CD Dawn Of Inhumanity just came out and the new Darkthrone record will be released this month in a special limited vinyl edition so my art is out in the world once again. We're experiencing some unseasonably warm weather here in Portland this weekend so right now I'm sitting on my front porch with The Flesh Eaters blasting through the speakers. My neighbors don't seem pleased.
2. So let's go back to the start of your artwork. When did you start drawing seriously and what inspired you to get serious about it? Did you have any influences from other artists? And what made you decide to go with "ball point pen" art?
I've been drawing for as long as I can remember but I don't know how seriously I take it. I'm not a commercial artist and I only move my pens when the spirit to create moves me. I've met a lot of career artists who have devoted their best years to slouching over a desk in silence. Many of them are miserable. That's not me. I've had countless ever-evolving influences and inspirations over the years. Too many to name. A few of my favorite artists whose influences might not be so readily apparent are the Australian witch Rosaleen Norton, the Teutonic visionary Fidus and the atavistic conjurer Austin Osman Spare. I love the Symbolists too! My favorite artists are those who possess an eclectic personal vision and unique technical abilities. I would emphasize the word "unique" as opposed to, say, "talented." In fact, the ability to actually draw or paint well does not necessarily have much bearing on whether or not a work of art will ultimately engage the eye. I like art that seems charged with passion and immediacy and is imbued with something of the creator's essential nature. My relationship with music is very similar. You know that feeling you get when you hear a great Celtic Frost or Black Sabbath riff? It may not be the most complex or technical playing but you somehow feel immediately affected and connected to the musician. Art is much the same way for me. I initially gravitated to ballpoint pen because that's what was available when I was younger and I've remained true to this humble medium long after most artists discover brushes and paint because I still resonate with those heavily shaded nuances. I like to call it Horror Noir. Why waste time perfecting fancy new styles when I'm perfectly content with my cheap little pens? Like the old Sore Throat song, I'm UNHINDERED BY TALENT!
3. You have done quite a bit of art for bands and record labels over the years. How did you get into working within the underground music scene?
That's a good question. I've been lurking in the underground for so many years that it's hard to pinpoint exactly how or when I first got into this. It probably started way back in the 80's when I was buying zines and records and constantly looking for heavier and more obscure music and art. Later I started working for an underground t-shirt company called Mutilation Graphics and that experience provided me with exposure to a lot of different stuff that continues to influence my work. I started working for Mutilation Graphics in 1990 just a couple weeks after I graduated from high school. I was working on my own artwork while silk-screening shirts and by the time I left to travel the country I was well entrenched in the underground. My first significant metal projects were with Engorged a few years later. The Engorged guys were some of the first friends I made when I landed in Portland more than a decade ago and they remain some of my closest friends to this day. They believed in my art from the day we met and that's sometimes all it takes to propel an artist forward. If it weren't for Engorged I would still be sitting in some moldy basement drawing zombies in total obscurity. Oh wait. I still am. Well, at least I've satisfied my quota of mentioning Engorged at least four times per interview.
4. What are a few of your favorite projects that you have done?
I'm really proud of my trinity of drawings for Darkthrone, beginning with F.O.A.D. and coming to fruition recently with the new album Circle The Wagons. Hail to DARKTHRONE!
5. Tell me about the Destroying Angels art zine that you have been doing for a while now?
I started Destroying Angels the year my daughter was born as a way to remain creative and disciplined since I realized that my time would become a very precious commodity as a father. If I remember correctly, the first issue came out in May 1998 and I kept a fairly consistent annual schedule until issue #9 which came out two years ago. I've actually been busy working on the new issue recently and will return with issue #10 in 2010! Print media is pretty much on its deathbed but I forge ahead with my humble xerox publication despite all odds. ONLY STAPLES AND PAPER CUTS ARE REAL!!!! The new issue will feature 3D cover art and come with 3D glasses! I don't really keep deadlines but it should be ready by the spring and will be available through my website.
6. You also do Public Art Exhibitions in the Portland, Oregon area as well as across the nation and overseas, tell me about these.
Yeah, I initially started showing my drawings in local galleries just to see what would happen and eventually I started receiving invitations to exhibit in other cities. Public exhibits are a great way to get critical feedback and further develop as an artist. It's interesting to see how strangers will react to your work. I also realized that galleries don't have to be boring and can serve as an excellent way to expose work to a broader audience. In 2007 I organized my first annual group exhibit called ENTARTETE KUNTS, which is a play on the title of the old "degenerate art" exhibits in Nazi Germany. The basic premise is that this is a new era of Underground/Outsider art. The fine art world would like to effectively exile and exterminate this defiant breed of fantastic representational art. But we will continue to thrive in the shadows! The KUNTS shows have have been challenging to organize but immensely satisfying and modestly successful considering most metalheads don't have disposable income for art. I'm currently compiling a beautiful hard bound book that celebrates the first three years of the ENTARTETE KUNTS shows. It will be released early next year through Ajna Bound, the new publishing division of the highly acclaimed underground label Ajna Offensive. I'm also organizing a book tour and traveling art exhibit to commemorate the book's release. The KUNTS will be invading YOUR town soon!
7. So you did a "Heavy Metal Vomit Party" on the radio recently. What did you play on there? And can we expect more of this madness?
Yeah, some friends invited me down to Portland's local radio station to spin records with them and we had a great time! We blasted classics like Autopsy, Pungent Stench, Cryptic Slaughter,No Mercy, Pentagram, Sodom, Razor, Broken Bones and more recent favorites like Ghoul and The Devil's Blood. They've asked me to come back so it looks like I'll be doing it again very soon! When I was very young I got exposed to tons of great bands through the radio stations around New York so getting to play records on the radio is very special. I hope some lonely misfit kid in the suburbs accidentally tunes in and becomes infected with the curse of the headbanger!
8. Tell me about the Lucifer Rising project. And who is Bobby BeauSoleil?
It's a long story so I'm gonna be lame and suggest everyone stop reading now and go buy The Lucifer Rising Suite box set from the Ajna Offensive. The liner notes are very extensive and explain the whole story from several unique perspectives. The first pressing sold out much quicker than we imagined but the re-press is available now. It's an amazing 4 LP collection and one of my proudest accomplishments as an artist. I actually just visited Bobby in prison last week and he's doing well, staying healthy and strong despite the soul-crushing environment in which he has lived for the past 41 years. His next parole hearing is coming up in December 2010 so we'll see what happens. I'm of the personal opinion that Bobby has paid his debt to society and should be released to enjoy his elder years in the company of his wife and friends. Of course when you murder someone, all bets are off. Only time will tell.
9. What bands and albums have you been blowing the speakers out with and pissing off the neighbors with lately?
I've been blasting the second Flesh Eaters LP, A Minute To Pray, A Second To Die (1981), all afternoon. Great slice of early L.A. death punk! Probably too jagged and weird for most metalheads but the diehards might recognize their song from the Return Of The Living Dead soundtrack. What else have I been blasting lately? I've practically worn out my Weapon LP! Ten years from now Drakonian Paradigm will be as revered as Storm Of The Lights Bane or some other violent but melodic classic. It's a special record. I really like the new Saturnalia Temple. Also been blasting Cloven Hoof a lot lately. "The House of God has been violated!!!!"
10. What are some of the best live bands that you have seen in your life of going to shows?
The strange thing about live shows is that they have everything to do with ephemeral environmental factors that are largely out of the control of the participants. You can see your favorite band perform but if the club is lame or the crowd has no energy or the sound is bad it can be very disappointing. One of the most memorable live shows I ever witnessed was actually a free Death In June performance at this little record shop here in Portland in 2005. There were like 15 people present and when Douglas Pierce asked for requests my daughter, who was 7 years old at the time, surprised us all by yelling out "Black Angel!" He was standing right in front of us and immediately launched into the most stirring acoustic version of that song that I'll ever hear. It nearly brought me to tears. That's what a live performance is all about. Historically, it was very cool to see Anthrax and Anvil Bitch at L'amour in Brooklyn on the Among The Living tour. I saw the Cro Mags around the same time at The Ritz in New York City and it was a very hostile and exhilarating event. Oddly enough, Watain is a band that engages the senses in a similarly violent manner. Watain is a live experience not to be missed. Eyehategod at the Dixie bar in New Orleans on Fat Tuesday in 1995 was very memorable despite the vast amounts of alcohol consumed. Bolt Thrower at Party San Fest 2008 in Germany was definitely an experience I will never forget. They played at night under an expanse of stars with fog machines casting smoke throughout the crowd and at one point a sheet of light rain fell and transformed the otherwise modest cow pasture into some sort of primeval battlefield! I had the good fortune of witnessing Iron Maiden at Wacken Fest that same summer and managed to secure a place directly front row with some very good people from all around the world. We were literally against the barrier with 70,000 rabid headbangers pressing at our backs. That experience alone made up for missing Maiden during the 80's! Amebix in Seattle on their first reunion tour in January 2009 was absolutely epic in every way imaginable. Roky Erickson a few years ago was another event that left me speechless. The best shows are probably still to come!
11. Do you remember the first heavy metal album that you bought?
I have to admit that the first record I ever bought with my own money was the Heavy Metal soundtrack. I wish I could say it was Sad Wings Of Destiny or something but, no, it was that very mediocre cartoon soundtrack that still haunts me in the discount bins at record stores. At least it had Black Sabbath 'Mob Rules' on it. That was actually my first exposure to Dio so I suppose I shouldn't complain.
12. OK Dennis, keep up the killer work. Can't wait for the Gravehill / Dennis Dread Collaboration! haha. Any last words?
Thanks for the great interview and for taking an interest in my artwork, Mike. I look forward to a bloody Dread/Gravehill collaboration in the future! We've talked about it long enough. See you in Hell! March 4th, 2010
My friend Bobby here has been a fixture here in the Southern California Heavy Metal scene for almost 25 years. I decided to track him down for a talk. He has actually been in some of my favorite local bands. And now plays Bass in the legendary Agent Steel.
Hails to you Bobby. Good to get a talk with you. Let's start with your early memories of getting into heavy metal. Was it friends or family that got you into it, or did you discover it on your own? Tell me what were your favorite bands in those early days?
- My brother Woody was also a big influence in what I was listening to. At the age of 10, I was introduced to KISS ALIVE 2. I do remembering I was a big Gene Simmons fan and didn’t even know he was playing a bass. Metal for me in 1981 came in the form of Iron Maiden. I did listen to a lot of Black Sabbath before that but “The Number Of The Beast” was the one that made Metal for me. It was also the first concert as a kid in 1982, which was the Summer Strut @ Anaheim Stadium, Scorpions, Iron Maiden, Loverboy and Foreigner. As for Favorites in the early 80’s, I would say Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Ozzy, Rush. I don’t think much has changed from then and now. Those bands are still kicking ass and still my Favorites!!
Let's now talk about what made you pick up the Bass. Or was it another instrument that you started with?
- Playing bass also was my brother Woody’s idea. He knew a friend that taught bass and that’s when my mother brought my first bass, a Hondo Destroyer (Red). I was 16. That was one of the best things my mom ever got me, ever! I have to say that getting that bass saved my life and kept me out of a lot of fucked up shit as a kid. Music was the only thing I ever wanted to do, then and even now.
So you started off playing music with Immortal (Los Angeles) and then went on to Nocturnal Fear. There were some crazy backyard gigs back then. And 2 legendary venues Fenders Ballroom and The Country Club were slowly having bigger shows and major metal tours coming through. Tell me about those early days for you.
- No, Actually I knew the guys from Nocturnal Fear from Jr. High School and Joined in late 1988 after they lost their bassist Ceaser (Nokturne). It was with Marcelino Castro (Ex-Coffin Texts/Demolition), Adolph and Memo Mora (Ex-Infamy). After that dis-banded in 1990 I joined Entety from 1990 to 1994. Immortal was just a project I was helping my good friend Miguel with. Never played Fenders but heard a lot about it. I did play a couple of shows at the Country Club in Reseda, CA. 1 was with Morbid Angel (Alters Of Madness tour) and 1 that Autopsy was supposed to play but pulled out.
Then came the legendary Entety. How did this crazy band get formed? Do you think it could have really taken off? I think Entety was even sicker and heavier than like likes of Exhumed, Impaled and other Carcass inspired Gore/Death/Grind bands.
- Well, the first time I saw Entety was in 1989 in a back yard with my guitarist from Nocturnal Fear Adolph. One of the sickest pits I had ever seen. I was a 4-piece band. Jack was doing vocals. Never heard anything like his vocals. It sounded inhuman. Yea, I did think it was gonna take off but I think that we just didn’t had what it took to get to that level. We eventually broke up in 94 and that lead to the beginnings of Coffin Texts and Infamy.
Next came one of my favorites, Engrave! Much more old school and different than Entety, yet just as deadly in the metal way. How were those gigs and recordings? When is a reunion of Engrave going to happen?
- Engrave was Jagger from Infamy’s prior band called Brainstorm. Jagger left the band 94 about the same time Demolition and Entety broke up that’s when I ended up at Adrian’s house and we just clicked. That band had many opportunities to get to the next level but it never happened. Again, just didn’t have what it takes. Not saying the musicians weren’t up to par; it was more on a personal level that the band could not function. Great band and I do miss playing those songs and Mario (RIP) very much. As for a reunion, Not sure, sometimes things are meant to stay in the past. I tried reviving Entety and ended up with nothing, so I realize now that it’s better to just leave it behind and move forward as a musician.
Another favorite of mine is the next band, Coffin Texts. How did this monster come about? Nuclear Winter records released "Gods Of Creation, Death, And Afterlife" which is killer. And Blood Harvest is doing the next album "Tomb Of Infinite Ritual" still right? What else can we expect from Coffin Texts in 2010?
- Coffin Texts was born late 1994 after Entety and recorded the “Gods of Creation, death and Afterlife in 1995 with Jim Barnes (produced Mindrot and Morgion) on 2 inch reel. All Analog which just it sound so much fatter. Nuclear Winter release it in ’08 and is actually doing really good. It was also release in 2000 by Dwell Records (U.S) on Digi-pack and then again in 2005 by Brutalized records (Columbia) which got it distributed in Europe. As for “Tomb of Infinite Ritual”, we are still working on getting it out hopefully by mid-2010. This album has been a total nightmare due to the fact that we were supposed to have had this out 5 years ago and lost our drummer which pushed us back and then we ran into recording it with a tweeker that lost all our files 2 times and then recorded it a 3rd time all fucked up. Which pushed us back again and we are in 2010. People say it’s cursed but I’m gonna prove them wrong by have it out this year. It will see the light ov day.
You also do Saprophagous, another death/grind band here in L.A. Tell me about this band and what are you guys up to?a European tour back in 2003 correct?
- Saprophagous are great friends ov mine that I have known since 2004. It totally BRUTAL FUCKEN GRIND! I play in this band cause I’m a fan and the bassist that they had before ripped them off so I took over to help get to the next level. We did some shows up north with Truculence which was a blast and Phoenix with Bulldog Productions and that also was a good trip. Were working on the second release after “Dimensions of Diverse Brutality” Release from 2009 which will be called “Anatomy”. Not sure what label it will be out on. Europe in 2003 was with Diabolic.
I also remember you playing with Florida maniacs Diabolic on a European tour back in 2003 correct? And a few years ago, you had mentioned moving to England to play in a band with members of Destroyer 666. What came about with that?
- Yea, the Diabolic tour was killer. We did something like 23 shows all over Europe with Behemoth and Destroyer 666. One of the best times I had ever had in my life. Something I will never forget. Great People. As for moving to U.K, It just didn’t happen. I think that it was meant for me to stay and then get offer to play in Agent Steel.
Fuck you are a busy guy! haha. And you are also jamming with the legendary Agent Steel now! How did this come about? How is it playing those classic songs from "Skeptics Apocalypse" and "Unstoppable Force"?
- Gotta keep on my toes. Been playing to long not to keep up the momentum. It started with working at World War 3 records with Juan Garcia from 2001 to 2006. He a very good friend and in 2007 he came to my house when I was living in Silverlake near Hollywood and offer me the Anienigma European tour for 2007 2 months prior to the tour. By the time we got to Amsterdam I was a member of Agent Steel. Playing all the classics are incredible BUT I do have to say that the later A.S material is very good. I’m a true fan of all the release this band has offer the metal world. Playing in this band made all the persistence worth the wait.
When you are not playing in 5,000 bands what do you do for fun? You are a metal father now as well! Does your son love metal too?
- I’m a graphic artist by trade and I also do silk screening with a good friend. Yea, Had my boy when I was 19. Robert Aaron Cardenas. He is a metal fan but also love different types of music. He’s likes playing piano and loves movie soundtracks. Best thing that ever happened to me was to have my son.
Were my vocals on the "Hell Awaits" cover at the D-Club show with your Japanese friends, Emilio and Yourself the worst bad drunk Slayer vocals ever?
- not sure. Couldn’t hear you (LOL)
You have robbed a bank, and the cops have the house surrounded. There is a secret exit that can get you out and on a plane to the Cayman Islands in no time. BUT, You can only fit 10 albums in your suitcase, what 10 albums would you choose?
– King Crimson/Live in Argentina
– Morbid Angel/Alters of Madness
– Metallica/Master of Puppets
– Judas Priest/Screaming For Vengeance
– Iron Maiden/Number of the Beast
– Slayer/Hell Awaits
– Death/The Sound of Perseverance
– Black Sabbath/Born Again
– Bolt Thrower/Realms of Chaos – Agent Steel/Omega Conspiracy
You have traveled all over the place. What are some of the best metal shows that you have ever seen?
- Athens, Greece with Agent Steel 2007
- Paris, France with Diabolic 2003
- Milwaukee Metal fest with Coffin Texts 2000
- Bogot·, Columbia @ Rock al Parque festival with Agent Steel 2007
- Ohio Deathfest with Coffin Texts 2000
- Monterey Mexico with Entety 1993
What ever happened to that KILLER Rickenbacker, black with green alien vein looking design Bass that you had back in the day? Do you still play Ricks? You have also played BC Rich Basses. What is your favorite brand?
- I use it in Agent Steel for the songs tuned to a drop c. I’m endorsed by Fernandez guitars for Agent Steel and Mammoth Guitars for Coffin Texts. So I use a Black Fernandez Tremor bass with a Kahler bass tremolo for normal tuning songs and the Rickenbaker for the drop C with Agent Steel. For Coffin Texts I use a Black Mammoth custom made V with a Kahler bass tremolo. I use a BC Rich Warlock for Saprophagous.
OK man, I want to thank you for your time. I will see you soon. Any last words to everyone out there?
I want to thank you Abominator Mike for the interview into my life as a musician and to all the fans of all the bands that I have been in. Cheers from Bong Beach, California
-Robert “Bobby” Cardenas
First off i wanted to thank both of you for taking the time to do this interview.I truly appreciate it.
1.I guess i would like to start off by asking you when or how you both became involved with music.Was there a certain album or musical piece that just grabbed you and made you think"I WANT TO DO THIS"?
silenius. first of all i have to state that i had musical lessons since my childhood. i was playing flute and piano. later when i was a teenager i started to play bass; in that time i already was a big fan of metal music of all kinds and i jammed in a band called shadowvale. but all this was not very serious. i think the breaking point when i really wanted to make music seriously was in the time when the second wave of Norwegian black metal started and this type of music really fascinated me. i that time names like burzum or emperor where not famous at all, but this new black metal scene really captured me. in those days i moved from the countryside to Vienna because of having a job here and in that time i got in contact with other metal fans and young musicians who have the same idealistic goals and where hungry to make music. and so everything started slowly.
protector: with about 13 i started to learn drums in a public music school, and later played in a stupid school band playing some boring cover songs of non metal bands. my first metal band was called malignom and played some kind of progressive thrash-death metal style. after that i was a bit sick of doing rehearsals all the time and focused more on making music with synthesizers and more on creating songs than on practicing them over and over again. so finally i got to know silenius and we realized that we both where interested in making music in the black metal style, so summoning was born.
2.What was your introduction into metal? Was it something you were interested in from a musicians standpoint?
silenius: i got in contact with metal music very early; it was on the days of primary school when there where two bands which have been very popular, even to us children, namely abba and kiss. first i was an abba fan but shortly after i was a kiss fanatic and from that point on i was looking for other similar bands like alice cooper, later i was interested in harder stuff like king diamond and so on. in the end of the 80ties i was a fan of death metal which was a big thing in that time and even i still was familiar to older black metal bands like bathory, venom or celtic frost this new type of black metal in the early 90ties just caught all my attention immediately and this was of course the breaking point in my musical life.
protector: its weird in my case. it was a cousin of mine who is actually organ player in a church who presented me an iron maiden CD as christmas present. from that time one i searched more and more in the metal scene for new bands and following that scene i sooner came over thrash metal, to death metal and finally black metal.
3.What were some of the bands that got you both interested in playing metal?Was there any particular band that inspired the creation of summoning or was black metal always the proper vehicle to express your ideas?
silenius: during the 80ties i was a natural follower of different types of metal from melodic to thrash, from doom to death. i spent all my money i had for buying lp after lp and so i was inspired by a lot of different types of metal music. just to mention a few bands like candlemass sacrilege, cirith ungol and of course bathory. i think the epic records like hammerheart of twilight of the gods have been a big influence to the musical direction of summoning.
4.I know that both of you are also involved in several other projects,mostly in the darkwave and ambient genres.What is it about electronic music that you like so much and have you always been into it?
silenius: during the 80ties and untill the midst of the 90ties i was just a pure metal fan and did not like any other types of music beside this genre, but after having experienced all the extremities in this type of music it was getting of course a bit boring in the end of the 90ties just to listen to the same type and so i was searching for more extreme sides of music on the one side, and on the other side i was simply interested in new types of musical expression. and so i found it within the dark ambient power noise or dark folk scene just to mention a few of those different musical styles.
protector: i got to know dark electronic band such as leatherstrip at the same time when i got to know black metal; and at the same time i started to make music in that direction. before i did not like anything electronic at all, and considered anything done with synthesizer as pop music; only during the time i understood that its not that matter what instrument a person uses, its the matter what that person does with the instrument.
5.With so many other projects,are you always feeling the need to create?Does this help or hurt summoning in any way?Do you ever run out of ideas for material?
protector: the different projects are really important for us to keep our creativity and to prevent summoning to get a boring routine. it keeps your minds flexible and each time after finishing one project and starting the next one i have this feeling of starting something really new, not continuing an old way over and over again. its also essential because this is the only way to full fill all our musical desires and not to abuse summoning for any ideas we have that would not suit to the atmosphere of summoning. its also the best way not to split up if each of the members has it own project where he can do whatever he wants, so no need for band quarrels.
6.Lets talk about the bands development for a second.There aren't many bands if any at all that sound the way you guys do.Obviously the first release LUGBERZ is not considered your debut album,but rather a collection of demo material.MINUS MORGUL saw the beginnings of what would be considered "The Summoning Sound".Was the progression known to you since the bands inception or does your love of ambient and darkwave find it's way into summoning?
protector: there was nor real plan how summoning should sound after the debut. the main thing that changed the sound was the departure of our drummer and the use of our keyboard drums as replacement. i still remember the time when we heard those might drums coming out of the bass speakers, instead of those hectic metal beats that our former drummer created and i still remember this power we felt, and this feeling that something totally new has been born. anything else came automatically; but it would not have come with the lineup we had on the debut.
7.Would you say the more "Raw" sound of your earliest works projected what you had intended?Was the progression in sound do to having better resources or in your mind a better expression of the tales within your lyrics?
silenius: i think the release of the first cd lugburz was the result of our lets say teenager time of starting music. i think its the same thing like many other bands started. that means there was not a big plan behind everything, we just could not do it better in that times, and more or less lugburz was an outburst of teenage musical aggression. it is natural that the more we get skilled on our instruments and the more we get skilled in the way of composing the more we had a plan of how the result should sound in the end, but of course this progress took many years and does not come from one day to another.
8.The band was pretty consistent in releasing albums in the '90's but it was almost 6 years between"LET MORTAL HERO'S SING YOUR FAME" and "OATHBOUND".What was the reasoning behind this long break?
protector: at the beginning i was a student with far more time than now, so its natural that the albums occurred in faster intervals. later i dealt with programming, which is now my job, and other essential things that took away the time i needed for making music. i also had huge problems with my darkwave project "die verbannten kinder evas" and finding female singers for it, what delayed the complete music for 2 years. also silenius got problems and so the time passed. we did not think for a second about ending summoning, we just knew that it was a hard time that will pass and that new albums will follow.
9.I guess for my own personnel interest,"LET MORTAL HEROS SING YOUR FAME" is the only record to not have mountains and such on the cover.Which dragon from tolikien lore is depicted on the cover?
silenius: originally the cover painting was not related to tolkiens world, but was the cover of a book of michael moorcock and his eldric saga, but i liked this cover a lot and so napalm records arranged a deal between the painter to use it for the summoning cover. it could be glaurung or any other dragon in tolkiens universe. that is not so important for us; in general the cover layout always shall stimulate the listener to get deep into tolkiens world and has its own personal mind adventures.
10.A lot of your later material is very orchestra like,specifically on stronghold(in my opinion).How big of an influence does classical music play in summoning?Do you listen to that type of music in your own time?
protector: its funny, because of us stronghold is the most rock styled of all because of the reduction of polyphonic structures. anyway for me the music of summoning has just some similarities to classical music on the surface but not on the inside. the keyboard sounds we use are samples of real orchestral instruments, but that's does not make our music classical for us. classical music is not done in that repetitive riff style as we do, and classical music is also not done is that strophe refrain way. there are really far more differences between summoning and classical music than similarities, and whenever you play the music of summoning to any conservative classical music fan you will surely just get elitist snobbish comments about our music;-)
11.Now getting into the concepts of the band.You used PK from abigor to write the lyrics for DOL GULDUR.What was the reasoning behind this?Who usually writes the lyrics for summoning?
silenius: i can not remember for which reason pk was writing lyrics for us for dol guldur, but in the end it turned out that most of the lyrics he wrote also where taken directly from the tolkien poems and so this was no big deal. usually not one of us writes lyrics on our own at all; all of the lyrics we used are taken from tolkien poems or other authors which we consider to fit to the tolkien universe.
12. In the beginning you had another member involved in the band.Why is he no longer involved and do you feel that things run smoother as a duo?
protector: definitely! the less members in a band the more smooth the bands cooperation is. but apart from that we our ex drummer was simply a handicap for our band and we never regretted his departure:-)
13. STRONGHOLD was the first album to be almost entirely not about tolikien related subjects.Why is that?I know that it is one long, giant story.Care to share what it is about?
silenius: after we have taken so many lyrics from the tolkien universe it was obvious that sooner or later we run out of lyrical inspiration from tolkiens books and so we started to use lyrics from unknown english authors and other famous fantasy authors like michael moorcock to intertwine their poems to the summoning universe to have more variety and we definitely will continue to do this that way; but it is not true that stronghold is a pure concept album. neither like any other album of us.
14.How does composition go about within the band?Do you actually get together and rehearse before recording or while writing an album?Is it a total "band effort"?
protector: no there is nothing like a classical rehearsal, the main melodies come from the keyboards and the guitars and vocals are sung at the very end. our musical meetings are more like composers meetings, where we come and play a melody in order to store in on the hard drive. the only thing thats more close to a classical "rock jam" is my improvisation over the melodies silenius plays. normally he comes with a finished idea, records it so that i later play something suiting spontaneous over it. once this is done we start with the next song, but due to our use of music technique there is no need to play the old songs over and over again.
15.What determines who sings what parts of the song?Is it determined by whoever wrote the lyrics?
protector: as all the lyrics are taken from poets like tolkien, this can not be a criterion for us. in most cases we already know who will sing the finished song before we have chose which lyrics to use. the normal case is that we always have different favorite songs and just take the ones we like best. of course there are sometimes songs that we both like most, but in this case we just decide who did most for that song. it was never a problem at all to get such decisions.
16.Richard i know that you are a drummer by trade?Why use sampled drums?Is it just part of the sound(which i think is great by the way).Would summoning not sound as epic with real drums?What would you say is your best instrument?
protector: i think real drums are best to create real authentic rock music, but for my taste not so good to make rather unreal sounding epic music. i even dont use the typical rock drum sounds to much. instead of the rock crash cymbals i use those orchestral cymbals played with two arms, instead of hi hats i use rather handcuff sounds. i also dont care about the limitation of the 2 hands and 2 feet a human drummer has; this means if there is a tom tom roll the cymbals and handcuffs keep on playing what would not be possible with a rock drum set. i rather think about a percussion group when i make the summoning rhythms, but never about a single drummer doing all those drum lines at the same time. i like the combination of military drums, kettle drums, hand cuffs, but also those tom toms and bass drums, but i always feel each of those drums a single drum lines added together to a kind of drum orchestra instead of having that single man feeling.
17.Silenius,you sing the song MIRDAUTAS VRAS,which is written in the black tongue of mordor. How difficult was it to get the phrasing right?Did you also write the lyrics.What did you use for reference?
silenius: the lyrics of mirdautas vras have been written by stefan huber from the band greifenstein exclusive for this summoning song. in the beginning it was very difficult for me to get the lyrics into a rhythmic form of singing. i tried different types of vocal styles from whispering to grunting and screaming. in the end i decided not to make to much experiments but to sing the vocals straight ahead just with a little word stretching up and then.
18.Let's talk tolkien for second.I know his writings are a big part of what summoning is,probably more then any other band.When did both of you get into his works?
silenius: although i was a big fan of fantasy literature since my time as i was a teenager i get into the world of tolkien a bit late. i think the reason was because i still knew the content of the book from a friend who tried to praise the book. but as he told me the whole story i was not interested in it anymore but later i watched the tolkien cartoon which i liked a lot; and so i gave it a try to start to read the book the lord of the rings and from this time on i was captured by this unbelievable detailed fantasy creation and so i read everything from and about tolkien during the next years.
19. What is your favorite books by him? Do you still read fantasy novels? What do you think of writers like r.a. salvatore?
silenius: maybe i like silmarillion the most because of its very unique style of shaping a whole world from the beginning to the end but in general the works of tolkien should be seen as a union. and so it is not fair to pick out this or that story out and put it over the rest. of course i know many books of salvatore but in contrary to tolkien this is of course just fast food.
20. Is tolikiens family aware of you guys? What do they think of the band?
silenius: i dont know if they are aware of us, but honestly i dont think so.
21.Could you envision a summoning album done entirely based on something else?
silenius: there was a time when we thought to make a different concept; for example we had the idea to make a musical translation of the nibelungenlied but we gave up this idea and from this point on we never talked again about changing the concept. summoning is connected with tokleien; thats the point.
22.What in your minds is the best album you have done..the one which is the perfect representation of your vision. Do you each have a favorite album?
protector: i know i am boring if i say that, but its always the last one for me;-) but i think this is simply obvious, because as i am able to realize any idea i have in my head, the newest album is naturally most close to my musical taste and therefore my favorite ones that does not mean of course that all people in the world have to consider always the newer as the best one, nor that each album is better than the last, its just more up to date to my musical preferences. with oath bound i realized that this rhythmical guitar style i started with stronghold already bored me, and i was longing for a more opened floating style again, thats why i change the guitars on oathbound, and thats why i like the guitars on oathbound more than any other guitars of summoning. this is just one of many example how i adapt the albums each time to my preferences.
23.I have to ask about the logo. It is very unique and instantly recognizable. But being as that summoning isn't a satanic band,why the pentagram?Is it because of the style of music in which the band started,or does it hold a more personal meaning?
protector: actually non of us ever followed any satanic believes, but we can not deny that our roots are black metal and we also will not pretend anything else. on our demos we just wanted to shock and actually full fill any black metal klische that was possible; including satanic blasphemous lyrics etc. in this time we wanted to have a logo that showed clearly what kind of music summoning stands for, and now that our music changed that concept totally we still think that summoning has black metal elements inside (vocal and guitar sound) and that we would not sound as we do now without those influences. apart from that we dont like the idea of changing the logo. a logo is a symbol for a band and shall cause strong associations between the shape and the music. changing it would be contra productive.
24.How do both of you feel about black metal today?Any bands that you really enjoy or have you completely separated yourselves altogether?Would you even still call summoning a "black metal band"?
silenius: to be honest i have separated from the nowadays black metal scene and metal scene in general, simply because my musical taste changed of the years. and after having been a pure metal follower from the early 80ties to the mids of the 90ties it is natural to be open minded against other musical types when you get older. so i dont know most of the bands nowadays. but in contrary i still like to read metal magazines and stories and interviews with bands i am not familiar with. that is a kind of strange passion of mine.
25. Ok last question,and i'm sure you knew this was coming,Is there ever going to be a new summoning album?Are you still bound to napalm records.When if there is going to be an album can we expect it?
protector: yes there is already a lot of work done for summoning. but its rather done by me than by silenius because he was busy with kreuweg ost all the time. so i made a lot of solo summoning songs, waiting for silenius to complete them. but as i did quite a lot of those fragments i dont think he will be able to complete all of them, so maybe after dol guldur there will be again some pure protector songs. one result of tha6t is that after dol guldur there will be again this typical medieval sounding melodies that we did not do since that album.
26.Well i want to thank the both of you for this opportunity.Any final words and or thoughts for our readers?
protector: everything important already said thanks for the interview.
I did this interview a bit different this time. I tracked down my pals in Cardiac Arrest and did the interview with the whole band. This might be a long fucker, but just read it and see what these death metal lunatics are up to. Look for a review of "Haven For The Insane" soon as well, I have it and it's a fucking instant classic album!
Interview By: Mike Abominator
1. HAILS, HAILS AND FUCKING HAILS FUCKERS! Well, where shall we start? Tell me the early forms of this beast of a band and when you guys all joined.
ADAM: The idea of the band really started in 1997, me and an old friend jamming in my basement and wanting to get a band started. Some name ideas came up but Cardiac Arrest is what really stuck out to us. Hence the name remained. We steam rolled through the adversaries of the tribulations and somehow I live to tell about it!!!
TOM: Adam can talk about all the early stuff…I joined in early 06 as the band was recording
Morgue Mutilations. I was ready to record with them, and I begged and pleaded to do so, but Adam and Jim just spit in my face and David kicked me in the nuts. I stuck around anyway. Honestly, they asked, and I was somewhat ready, but I didn’t want to be the new John Hand in case things didn’t work out…and if I have to explain that, you probably should not be reading this.
DAVID: I had been working with Jim on a project that sort of overlapped his admission into CA, and then fell apart shortly after that. I wasn't doing anything when Jim called me up, asked if I could play bass for a few shows they had coming up. Their guy had some kinda medical issue and couldn't commit. I could. I went into it only seriously enough to learn the songs, and play the shows. We finished up, and I expressed an interest in staying, and working with them. The other guy didn't. So I got the gig. We played out some more, finished writing Morgue Mutilations, and about that time we had Tom come in for second guitar. Everything just clicked after that.
JIM: I first heard of CA in 2003, as I met Adam and then-member Johnny Dove, while they were in a separate band, through a mutual friend. Fast forward to late 2004: I had just moved to Chicago, and I saw the “Beast Among Many” CA lineup live. When I heard that there were some problems with the drummer, I immediately called Adam. He opted to try to work things out with Ed, and I respected that. But, by late June/early July of 2005, I joined, and haven’t looked back.
2. The Chicago area scene seems pretty fucking brutal. How often do you guys play out and how is the response usually to your live massacres? It seems that you guys do play with quite a few of the major tours that come through there as well?
ADAM: We have our good shows in Chicago, but over all the scene is very saturated. Shows happening when other events are happening, it can really divide a crowd. We really just choose our battles so to speak on this ordeal.
TOM: Chicago to someone who is not from here always seems cool. However, it is pretty lame. We have a lot of great bands that are cool, but we also have a lot of bands that don’t get it. There are too many shows, too many promoters that step all over everyone, too many bands that will cater to said promoters, and too many cliques. We do alright live, but it seems like every time we set up a show, which we plan months in advance, 10 other shows will pop up for the same day. We have gotten a lot more picky about shows we play around here now. We have been lucky enough to be asked to open for some major tours that land here, and these were cool promoters that got it. In other words, none of that pay to play shit. We absolutely refuse to do that. We have not really been asked for awhile for anything major…It’s all about who you know and who you blow…and we don’t do that.
DAVID: The Chicago scene has always been strong. Sadly overlooked compared to New York, Florida, or the coasts in general. Early 90's and you had a couple clubs, and maybe 10 to 20 active bands. Now you have clubs and bands popping up like mushrooms. Promoters too. The bands are always good though. No one sounds like anyone else, and their are some gems out here that need to be discovered. Weve played with some big names, some up n' comers, and played before a band who geared their sound, and look, to get radio play. we have been fortunate enough to be given some opportunities, and we always try to capitalize. Most promoters are smart enough to not book the same band twice in a six month cycle as well, so we don't get overexposed. It's always fun. Always a learning experience.
JIM: Chicago is a weird scene. There are SO many bands… We’ve actually made it a point to play here as little as possible to ensure good turnouts. We do play a fair amount of larger shows, but by no means is it any sort of majority. We have a couple promoters we’re comfortable working with, and we like it that way. To put it simply, “Never pay to play!”
3. The ROTTING DEATH MASS MINI TOUR with Cardiac Arrest and Gravehill was quite a success. When the fuck are we doing that again over there? Or maybe a West Coast version next time?
ADAM: It was honestly some of the most fun I remember. Singing along to Manowar and Loudness was and is always a blast. All the dates just laying waste each night is what it's about. Good times and good friends!!! Max Ice til Death!!!!!
TOM: Yeah, those shows were a blast. Better than most shows we do around here. Anytime you guys want to come back, for sure…Summer time will be perfect since you guys will be in the area. Plan some extra days this time so we can actually go do some stuff. We would love to do a West Coast thing with you guys. Problem is, we are so beyond poor, it ain’t even funny…
DAVID: I thought we were supposed to do something awhile ago, but I don't know why. I want to get out that way sooner rather than later. I would love to play the northwest, and the southwest. I will play california for Gravehill or Phobia. Hollywood was just as gay in real life, as it is portrayed on the tele.Talk to the suits.
JIM: That was a fun, fun time that I will never forget. My favorite memories of that weekend was Bob buying that porn mag in Wisconsin – “No ma’am, just this cheese and porn, thank you.” (DROPPIN MASSIVE LOADS!), and singing Skid Row with him until 10AM. Although we have some timing restrictions with work, we’re game pretty much whenever, and, as for coming out to the west coast, it’s really a matter of money (isn’t everything?).
4. OK you guys have an album coming out! The new song sounds fucking great! What is this monster called? And who is putting it out?
ADAM: Thanks man!!! The new album is going to be entitled "Haven For The Insane", songs so heavy and so catchy it'll probably make you all go insane!!!! Who's putting it out? Well we have something lined up and secured but I can't say anything yet because it's not official. But in due time my friend!!!!! You'll see!!!!
TOM: Thanks! Glad you like what you heard so far. New album is called Haven for the Insane. Can’t say who’s putting it out yet…everything has to be official…
DAVID: Can we talk about the 4th album instead? We already have ten songs written for it, and it may be out by the time some people read this. heheh. HFTI was recorded over a year ago, and we have been antsy to get the thing out, but it seems the wait will have been worth it. The songs are probably faster, but we still slow it down on occasion. I just think were getting better as musicians, better as song writers. We have had excellent chemistry almost since day one. Things just clicked. Thank you for the kind words as well. I'm glad people dig what were doing.
JIM: Haven For the Insane should be out spring-ish. We’ve negotiated a deal with a larger label that you may be familiar with, but, since nothing is on paper, we aren’t able to say yet.
5. You all seem to be quite busy within the metal scene with other bands and dist companies etc... Tell me about these other projects.
ADAM: Well, I run an underground operation called Death Dealer Distro, I carry many great Death, Black, Thrash, Grind titles from many different bands from all over, and I also carry Vinyl releases, and Patches. Maybe getting the latest WHAM! Re-Issues too!!! HAHAHA!!!
TOM: My other band is called Severed. I’ve been doing that since 1995, after my first band dissolved in 93. We have had a few issues over the last couple of years, but all is great right now and are getting pretty productive and busy. If not for Severed, I would never have been in Cardiac. I am able to split duties pretty easily and the styles are pretty different. Severed is kind of like a grindy Abscess…that punked out death style…I also do a couple of other projects when time allows.
DAVID: Currently I only do CA full time. I would love to do some kinda Godflesh/Jesu flirts with Ahab, but makes love to Buddy Guy kinda thing. Bluesy, doom. Heavy like that 500 pound woman who couldn't escape the flood in New Orleans. Something like that. It would have to be the opposite of what I get out of CA creatively.
JIM: Aside from my brief stint in Anal Blast, the only other full-time band I have been involved with during my tenure with CA is Sallah. Sallah is a blackened, thrashy death metal outfit that pays homage to the movies that inspired metal nerds the world over. The first CD, “Fortune and Glory”, was a concept record about Indiana Jones. The next opus is shaping up to be an album that branches out into other movies, thematically based in hunting. Fun stuff. I also spend time producing at Polymorph Media Studios, where CA recorded both Cadaverous Presence and Haven for the Insane, with Kai Kaufmann.
6. Michigan Death Fest 2010! Gravehill is excited to play and to also have Cardiac Fucking Arrest on there! You guys have played before. How was it and what are your expectations for this years installment?
ADAM: I am very much looking forward to this year's Michigan Death Fest, we had a very good time last year, the people out there were very supportive. Metal Mom does a killer job with it. I'm expecting this year to be Michigan's most excellent show this year!!!
TOM: Michigan was cool last year for the most part. Metal Mom rules!!! A lot of the bands that played were awesome and we made a lot of friends. I think this year will steamroll over last year. It is in Detroit this year, so I think that may appeal to more people as it is a busier area. Great lineup too!!
DAVID: It should be a good time. We have a lot of old friends that are playing there so I look forward to it. I guess it's closer to Detroit this time. I think a death metal fest in a third world economy can only BE a good thing, right?
JIM: MDF was a lot of fun last year, but it was a test of endurance, to be sure. A long, long day, but it paid off. I think that this year’s show has even more potential to do well – this lineup is all killer, with no filler, as they say! Can’t wait to share the stage with you guys again!
7. Tell me about the HEART STOPPING DEATH ROT concept.
A: Uh, you die. Well other than the name of the demo from 2004, it surely goes well with the name....and you're dead!
Tom: That’s Adam’s territory…
DAVID: Your heart stops, you die, you disintegrate. That is the sound of our music.
JIM: Your heart stops, you die, you disintegrate. That is the sound of our music.
(Mike A.: Are you guys fucking robots? Adam has you guys brainwashed ey? hahaha).
8. You guys are all old timer/metal veterans. What are some of the best live bands and live shows that you have ever seen?
ADAM: Well, every time I've seen them Deceased have always crushed. Unleashed to me are one of the best Death Metal bands live. I'm totally with Jim on Extreme Noise Terror.
TOM: I’m showing my age here…Metallica and Ozzy in 86…Death and Dark Angel back in 88. Sepultura their first time here in 89…The first time Morbid Angel toured was memorable too…I’ve been to so many shows, it is hard for me to recall any details…
DAVID: My first concert was 1990. Gwar on Halloween in Chicago. Blew me mind. No particular show stands out, but more like moments. A band's set that moved me in a particular way. A new years eve in someones basement with Corpse Vomit and a band I can't remember. Seeing Rellik do a song with the old vocalist. Warhorse at the Double Door. Seeing Ozzy embarrass himself at a couple Ozzfests. Seeing Marylyn Manson get humiliated at another. Dysphoria at the Thirsty Whale. Bodybag in the mid nineties...I could think of more for another hour, and I am almost high enough to do it.
9. OK here is a shot out of a cannon: Oprah, Rosie Odonnel, and Bea Arthur, you gotta fuck one, marry one, kill one, GO!
ADAM: Meh....Bea Arthur shall be spared. Rosie O'Donnell and Oprah should just fucking DIE!!!! ARGH!!!!
TOM: Well first, I would open up a can of tuna and stuff it down my pants to attract Rosie O’Donnell…as she is sniffing around down there, and I am jiggling her fat rolls, I would bash her head in repeatedly with another can of tuna. Bea Arthur…Outstanding! Wish she was alive because her whisky soaked and too much cigarette smoking sounding voice is kind of sexy…I guess I can just settle on acting out Nekromantik with her. I’d marry Oprah because the bitch got money. Call me a mercenary.
DAVID: Ahhh this is easy. I would fuck Rosie cause she's younger, and white. I would not enjoy it though, and she wouldn't either. Bea Arthur would be the easy mercy killing. She's lived a rich, and viable life, but now she's punchline for shitty comics. Ahhh Oprah. Sweet Oprah. Oprah I thee wed your billions, embezzle millions, and buy an island with a well stocked fortress and watch the apocalypse on satelite teeve.
JIM: I’d marry Oprah for the money, kill Bea Arthur (even though she died in 2009, I can’t risk a Golden Girls zombie), and fuck Rosie O’Donnell (she’s the youngest, and I like lesbians, what can I say?)
10. It was kind of creepy, yet fucking funny, the timing of those Cardiac Arrest Michael Jackson shirts. I think I even saw the bulletin for them the night before he died? Or am I wrong? hahaha
ADAM: Well, we thought about this after the plastic pop-star passed away. So heance we had the limited edition T-Shirt. An extra 15 minutes of fame eh???
TOM: Wrong!! (Mike A.: OOOPS!) We thought about it after he died…We were at practice the day it was announced. And when we got home, people were commenting on My Space and Facebook saying thanks for killing that pedophile…So we thought we’d exploit it. We only did a limited run of those shirts. We have a few left so once they are gone, they are gone. We also were asked if we were going to do Brittany Murphy shirts. No dice…If you are a celeb and are despicable and do bad things, then die of cardiac arrest, we may do a shirt. But, I think it was a one time thing.
DAVID: I think we should have a whole line of hollywood celebrities dead of cardiac arrest. Is wrestling still popular? We could have dozens designs for all the dead pro wrestlers. MJ isn't going away anytime soon. I wanna do another design for that pedoweirdophile. I'll cash in on that freak, and I'm not even related to him. I don't know which makes me lower on the morality scale.
JIM: The thing is, that came about because of people flooding us on Farcebook and GheySpace when the initial reports came out. The fans spoke, and we listened.
11. What are all of your top metal albums of all time? Let's say top 10 you would take to hell with you?
ADAM: I'd go with these....
1. Dismember - Like an Everflowing Stream, 2. Manowar - Louder Than Hell, 3. Grave - You'll Never See, 4. Iron Maiden - Powerslave, 5. Sinister - Diabolical Summoning, 6. Unleashed - Shadows in the Deep, 7. Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness, 8. Death - SBG, 9. Motorhead - Orgasmatron, 10. Metalucifer - Heavy Metal Chainsaw
TOM: Sorry…I don’t do lists…10 is too much…I’ll give you four though…Death-Scream Bloody Gore, Autopsy-Severed Survival, Morbid Angel-Altars of Madness, Celtic Frost-Morbid Tales
DAVID: Napalm Death, Godflesh, Acid Bath, Aborym, Morgion, Ahab, Phobia, Early Carcass, Exhumed, General Surgery, Iron Maiden, early Strapping Young Lad, early Gwar. I don't like harps anyway.
JIM: Disrupt - Unrest, Napalm Death – Noise For Music’s Sake, Death – Leprosy, Sinister – Hate, Life of Agony – River Runs Red, Life of Agony – Ugly, Bloodbath – Resurrection Through Carnage, Morbid Angel – Covenant, Anthrax – We’ve Come for You All, Crowbar – Odd Fellow’s Rest.
12. You guys are all quite ripping musicians! Do you have any endorsements from companies? And how much free shit do you guys get from these organizations?
ADAM: I have an endorsement w/ Vader Cabinets and they fucking smoke!!! Free merch I do get, as well as the discount as an endorsee. Also got a guitar from a new Custom Guitar company called TM Custom Guitars. This V they made is HUGE!!!!
TOM: I don’t…unless of course Marshall, Gibson and Dunlop want to bother with me. I like what I use and I am not going to change the equipment I have for the sake of an endorsement. Besides, playing metal is not about endorsements.
DAVID: Well thanks, I think your a ripping interviewer!! I don't get anything free, and that makes me melancholy. I got a deal with Vader Cabinets, but I really need some kind of string endorsement. I beat mine senseless, and I'm spending a fortune on the .145 gauge alone. Having Ampeg give me a big, fat tube head would be better than my big, fat solid state I have now.
JIM: Thanks! I’m currently endorsed by Axis Percussion and Scorpion Sticks. I used to have a deal with Grindstix, until they stopped making them. I get well-taken care of by Scorpion and Axis, but I do a lot of promotional work for them, so it’s not like I sit on my ass and collect.
13. Name one song that you sit there and go " FUCK I WISH I WROTE THAT AND CARDIAC PLAYED IT!" I'm talking death metal, not gay shit like Elton John. Well, OK whatever song ya want!
ADAM: Pretty happy with what we play, but I know the thing you're talking about. I do get that question popping up from time to time when I listen to some killer DM releases. So kinda of a tough question to answer.
TOM: Eh, I’m happy playing our own stuff…
DAVID: Common People- Pulp I am stoned.
JIM: Anything by Disrupt, really, but if I had to choose one, it’d be “Religion is a Fraud”. Also, “Pleasure of Molestation” by Hypocrisy would be pretty cool (incidentally, that’s the first song Adam and I EVER jammed).
14. OK, your at the bar, you have have any combo of beer and hard stuff, what are you drinking?
ADAM: Don't drink so no comment.
TOM: Busch Light, Old Style, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and Jim Beam!!
DAVID: Sam Adams otherwise I pout. Or just sneak my own in. Rum n' coke, Red Headed Slut for a shot, or Jaeger, and cocaine in the bathroom (hahaha)
JIM: Stella Artois on tap, and smart bombs all around. Sorry, no Maxx Ice.
15. What are the plans for Cardiac Arrest in 2010 as far as touring and other possible releases? The goddamn Relapse split 7 inch with Gravehill/ Cardiac Arrest should be out eh?
ADAM: We're always open for the whole split thing. Hopefully some release ideas will come about. Sure the tour thing is tough, we can only do so much. But open to what prospecting ideas come along.
TOM: My plans are to just keep playing and getting drunk. We discuss all that kind of stuff as a group and as it comes up. There are always plans to do splits, but they always seem to fall through. Maybe I should just start my own damn label and just to splits only…As far as touring, we’ll see…It is not very easy for us to do, but if the right thing comes along, we’ll find a way.
DAVID: Things are only in the talking-we'll-see-what-happens phase. I think things are gonna get busy. As of Feb. it's too early know. I can't believe that split isn't out yet. I want the shirts out too. Putrid's art for the Fleshed Together shirt was nicely done. Hopefully they get all that out before 2012.
JIM: Aside from HFTI and the Relapse split, we have no definitive plans for any releases. If ENT or Phobia stepped up and asked, we have some songs we’d give up, I’m sure, for a split, though! As for tours, no plans, although there are some rumblings of a larger tour with some bands we’ve toured with in the past…
16. I love the horror movie tributes with your titles and lyrics. Obviously you maniacs are horror fans! Who writes the lyrics? What are your favorite horror movies? How did that Fangoria Magazine thing come about?
ADAM: I usually write lyrics based around some creepy horror movie cenarios, however I try not to pigeonwhole myself to a certain idea or whatever. As of lately I've been watching alot of late 70's italian sickos like City of the Living Dead and Cannibal Ferox. I alos just saw White Zombie for the first time too. Sometimes you just can't go wrong with the old Black and White classics!!!
TOM: As far as favorite movies goes, I am a big fan of the Euro films from the 70’s and 80’s. Namely the Italian stuff. Hard to make a list because my tastes change. The Fangoria thing was kind of cool. I have gotten to know James, who runs Fangoria Online. James is also local. Anyway, I went to the Fango con and like everytime I go out, I always bring CDs with me. So James and I got to talking and I gave him a disc. I told him he did not have to review it, I was just giving him one because he was cool. Low and behold, he reviewed it! Can’t hurt, huh?
DAVID: Growing up I watched the slasher flicks of the 70's and 80's. I loved them then. Not so much now. I like zombie flicks. Prefer slow moving, but the Dawn of the Dead remake was cool. I love sci fi and fantasy and like what they do with CGI for those types of films, but I don't like that in my horror flicks. Vampires are offically in the realm of gay little mental midgets. Sorry kids. They don't sparkle in the sun. They melt, explode, implode anything but fucking sparkle. And they don't go to high school. They should be monstrous,and Inhuman. Like 30 Days of Night. Most of the shit they churn out barely keeps me forgetting that I hate my day job.
JIM: Adam writes the majority of the stuff, and e do discuss concepts as a group. Usually, though, it falls to Adam. Tom writes a fairly large share of stuff, too. I wrote one set of lyrics, for “Make Them Dies Slowly”, which is my take on Cannibal Ferox and Cannibal Holocaust, from the cannibals’ perspective. My favorite horror flicks are Nightmare on Elm Street, the original Dawn of the Dead, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and then a tie between Last House on the Left and Cannibal Holocaust for shock value.
17. OK my Brothers! It has been brutal talking with you as you know I'm one of your biggest fans! I will see you soon and you fuckers rule and I hope all is infernal for you this year! Much love to you madmen!
ADAM: Thanks for the interview Mike!!! You and the Gravehill guys fucking rule and thanks to your zine for the opportunity!!! We look forward to terrorizing the general public in 2010!!!
TOM: Cheers and a million beers to ya bro!!
DAVID: Hope all goes well with you and yours. May you find shade, water, and plenty of fat bitches. Cheers!
JIM: Fuck you, Mike. Fuck you right in the ear. I’m sick as hell, and you have me doing this fucking interview, you bald fuck. Oh, yeah, love you and all that. Fucker.
Support my boys! And go hunt down "Haven For The Insane"! I'm telling you! The best album of 2010 so far!
