Interview with death metal band from Germany - CASKET.
Answered Schorsch.
Translated by Markéta, thank you!
Ave CASKET! I have been listening to your new album „Unearthed“ for a while now and I still find new pieces of darkness in it. I have to say that I knew that you will do a good job with your new album but you absolutely killed me with this one. The album is great. How are fans´ reactions?
Na zdraví and thank you very much for the compliments on our latest release! Until now, reactions from fans and friends have been very good, too!
Have you already played the new songs live? How do the songs work with fans? Do you have any potential hit already? For me, it would be the second song “Kill the Red Lamb”.
Yes, two or three of the songs we already had in our set before the release of “Unearthed” - and I think we played them all live in the meantime. Kill The Red Lamb has received good critics I think and is really one of my personal favorites. Although - and I don’t want to be picky on that - the second track on the new album must be “Onwards To Destruction” - we also did a video on that one.
How did you compose the material for “Unearthed”? How do CASKET compose?
That differs from song to song. Some songs have been completely made up together in one rehearsal, others came in riff by riff in several sessions. Sometimes there's only a simple midi drum with the riffing as basis that evolves. The “Unearthed” title track for example has been written by Marinko (drums) and I put on the complete riffing and vocals afterwards.
Who is the author of your lyrics and what are they about? Where do you find inspiration?
I write all lyrics and most of the time they just get scribbled down while sitting in the train or killing time and observing things in other occasions. The lyrics don't “mean” a certain thing - but that's to be judged by anyone who cares - which is why we decided to print that blabla on a lyrics-sheet this time.
Who is the author of the cover for “Unearthed”? I really like this work. How did you chose the motive for this cover?
His name is Danilo Trbojevic and he’s the vocalist of mighty Serbian Thrash act NadimaC. We toured together in Serbia early 2016 and I think he offered to make some artwork based on our upcoming album title. Although we broke tradition with our house and farm artist & layouter Sardsch El Large, we finally liked the artwork so much and had to take it for our new album cover.
The sound of the whole album is great. It is dark, cold and sharp at the same time. In what studio did you record? Were you able to have any comments about the final mastering and sound?
We are really really fond of the result, too! That even more because we recorded everything on our own in our rehearsal room. We then asked Roman Schönsee if he would like to mix and master the whole chaos for us - and he really practiced some sound wizardry at his Foundsound Studio in the Netherlands. And it’s therefore not only that we know Roman from already having recorded our 2nd, 3rd and 4th demo (from 1993 to 1996) - he also knows this stuff and his passion for metal really helped Unearth sound like it sounds.
You have been playing since 1990. That is a long time for a band. One might say that you are a legend. What about your beginnings? How did your band become a thing, what was the first impulse to find a death metal band?
I really don't see any legends here, ha! No, the 90’s just spawned some cool bands and projects which we (that time at 9th or 10th grade in school) also wanted to sound like. So from a mix of the basic metal mainstream (Motörhead, Maiden, Metallica, Slayer) we were of course inspired by that real underground legends (Death, Morbid Angel, Entombed, Grave, Asphyx, Kreator, Sodom etc.) which played cool underground gigs that “good old days” which we visited with our friends back then.
In 2015 you have your 25th year anniversary in the underground. You are like veterans now. Try to compare you beginnings and today, has the time changed? I mean the attitude of fans, labels, promoters, and so on. I often hear people to say: “ It is not the same as it used to be”. How do you feel about this?
Of course things changed the last 27 years, everything else would be abnormal. Starting from the fact that often visitors on gigs haven't even been born when we started as a band to - but their attitude is not worse or better today. Same for labels and promoters - they do what they need to do … that didn’t change.
I tried to find any information about who did CASKET´s logo. I looked through many interviews, even the ones in magazines.
If I recall correctly, in about 1991 I’ve been sitting in school with my fellow Schenk who came up with the basic idea and sketches drawn with a pencil on squared paper … later in 95 or 96 our before mentioned Sardsch created the geometrical version which is our official logo since then.
Last year you played in the Czech Republic on Metal Madness in Sušice. Did you enjoy the concert? What do you think about Czech fans and how did you feel about this festival? I have to say that your death metal absolutely killed me.
Yes, I think Susice was a great festival at a very cool location with totally smart organizers and a insanely good trinking crowd - so in the end I only recall that much and that Mortifila really kicked ass! But we've been playing in Czechia I think twice before and we always liked the fans and the people there in general!
In the Czech Republic I often hear people saying that there is not enough people on concerts. I would like to know how it is in Germany. For us, you are a big country with a lot of bands and promoters. You have a lot of famous bands coming to Germany to play and those bands just pass your country. Do people go on death metal concerts? Do you prefer smaller clubs or bigger festivals?
We really enjoy going to death metal concerts or concerts in general - and a medium small club is most pleasant I think. But on the one hand there are many many more underground concerts nowadays - at least in some parts of Germany, whereas in other parts you have to drive long distances to get to see anything. If you live in Hamburg oder Munich, you get the best acts flying directly in front of your door - whereas in other areas there is not one metal concert the whole year.
Nowadays, most people download music online and they only use its digital form. How do you as a musician feel about this issue?
Traveling a lot I really appreciate digital formats because I don’t have to carry my vinyls or CDs around. The best release from my point of view is a vinyl release including the download code for the album - or like what Bandcamp offers. Otherwise I don’t follow or preach any religion here - everyone knows what’s best for him or her.
Are there any albums which have caught your attention recently?
Man - that’s a hard question because that list would be a long one. But I think it’s an old farts disease that I am more and more into new albums of - well: the veterans! That way I started again listening to old Sodom or Kreator which long time haven’t been that much on my screen. And of course there is this ton of new fantastic and astonishing new bands and evergreen combos you all know ;-)
Do you know or listen any Czech bands?
That list is not that long, to be honest. Of course I know KRABATHOR from “back then” and we played with bands like SIXTH DIMENSION or the before mentioned MORTIFILIA. And of course 2/3rd of MASTER comes from Czech Republic if I am not mistaken … but I think they count as an US-band nevertheless.
What are CASKET´s plans for the next few months?
I am glad you are asking me - because I think we are playing at least one show in your country in 2018 - maybe some more, just check the schedule on our F*ckbook page if you’re interrested!!!
CASKET - 17. 3. 2018 will play on concert DEADLY STORM 12 in Pilsen
CASKET - 17. 3. 2018 will play on concert DEADLY STORM 12 in Pilsen
Besides that we hope to craft some new tunes of course!
Thank you so much for the interview and I wish you many sold albums, hundreds of crazy fans and tons of good ideas.
It was a pleasure doing an interview with DEADLY STORM - be sure of our thanks and keep the metal sword swinging!!!!
