Interview with death metal band from Germany - LIFELESS.
Answered Marc Niederhagemann.
Translated and questions prepared by Duzl, thank you!
Hi Marc!
I'm sure you will be pleased that your last record „The Occult Mastery" (2017) occupies my turntable since I saw you live in Hamburg. I have to say that your performance totally swept me, …great sound, great atmosphere, surreal energy ... for me, the absolute satisfaction! What about you, how did you enjoy that gig from your position as musician?
Glad to hear that. It was quite a blast for us too. Playing in Hamburg is always great. It was our third time at Bambi Galore and it has always been an awesome experience. The crowd and the crew totally rule!
LIFELESS was founded in Dortmund in 2006, is there an interesting story behind the beginning of the band? Why did you decide to play old school death metal from 90‘s? The name of the band "LIFELESS" blends through all the metal genres from thrash, doom, black to punk bands, but what is the meaning of word "Lifeless" in connection with death metal for you personally?
Well, I was playing in different unknown underground bands from 1995 to 2001, but due to personal reasons I quit being an active musician for about four years. Then - back in late 2004 - I rediscovered the passion of playing guitar and writing songs, so I decided to found an old school Death Metal band in the vein of my heroes from the 90´s. Bands like Entombed, Dismember, Unleashed, Grave etc. I talked to Andy - our former guitarist, who was replaced by Jan in the meantime - with whom I played in bands before. He was intersted so we teamed up once again to write new songs and get things started. But it took us almost two years to form a real band. When Daniel (dr.) joined us in 2006 Lifeless got going.
The name Lifeless was chosen due to it´s simplicity and relation to (physical) death. As it was in the old days with Bands like Entombed, Grave, Death etc...
In your discography is possible find three long-length albums and two split albums. Can you compare the band's evolution from first to last album? Is there any other direction where you would like to go?
In the beginning all was DIY. We did everything ouselves - recording, mixing, mastering etc. This changed on the second album when we started working with Martin at his studio (Anubis-Klangwerkstatt). Musically we developed in a quite natural way I think. We just play traditional Death Metal without too narrow limits. We are fokused on the whole 1990´s scene and not a special style, like the Stockholm sound for instance. So we use all the 90´s influences from Stockholm, to Götheborg, to US or British Death Metal. Also the swedish Death/Black style of bands like Dissection e.g.
Soundwise we will change a bit on the next album since there are too many bands using the Boss HM2 pedal nowadays. But in any case it will stay old school, haha...
If we will talk about your last album "The Occult Mastery" tell me who is the author of the music, who is the lyricist, …do you have split roles in a band or all of you participate on everything?
Although I write the most guitar riffs and all lyrics, all members are involved in the songwriting process. We work out all those loose ideas in our rehearsal room as a band. „Progenies of a cursed seed“ and „Throes of dawn“ were written by Jan.
How much time did you spend in the studio? Was actual recording proces somehow different from recording previous albums? Did you go to the studio completely ready or did you finish everything during the recording proces?
Since our producer Martin is a close friend of the band we made the mistake to stretch the recording process way too much. We started the recordings too early. Too many things just were´nt finally finished so it was a very slow process. For the next album everything will be better planned and more disciplined I hope, haha...
Surely, like every band you are trying to bring something new in music, what does your album "The Occult Mystery" bring new in your opinion?
Nothing! We just play traditional Death Metal. There is nothing new in our music and everything we do has been done before. Simple as that! We just compose and conduct it our way without directly copying another band or style or trying to please the expectations of others. First rank it has to please us. But we got lucky that our way of songwriting seems to please a lot of other people out there too, ha!
Can you take us through the concept of this album, and for those who did not read your lyrics to get a little closer about the themes you deal with?
It´s about the grand deception we all live in ever since. A deception that divides us on all possible levels of human existence to keep us spiritually enslaved in the material Matrix of the 3rd Dimension, briefly speaking...
Tell me something about your record deal you’ve got with F.D.A. Records?
It´s more like a loose agreement between friends than a real records deal as such, haha.
The album has a great Swedish sound, plenty of ideas that will instantly break down people, old school fiffs, melodies, great intro ... and what is aswell important - really amazing cover! I'll bet your merchandise is selling really well, because even I bought everything that you had in distro that day... hahaha! You are author of that ilustration, so tell me how this idea was inspired and how long did you work on it?
It took quite some time since it was developed parallel to the musical writing process. It grew alongside the songs and represents the lyrical concept visually, so to speak.
You've worked on covers for bands such as Asphyx, Entrails, Just Before Dawn, Master, Wolfshead and many more ... Is there any difference in making an album cover for the client or your own band? Do you remember what was the first cover you created and for whom?
The main and most difficult difference is that you have to deal with the ideas and expectations of the customer. Literally one has to make something visible that is in the head of another person. This can be quite challenging sometimes, haha. But most of the time these ideas are quite loose and one has enough artistic freedom to come up with something that pleases both sides.
Impossible to not notice your tattoos, I wonder if they are your own designs, or you leave to create it to someone else?
They were designed in close collaboration with the tattoo artist. I didn´t draw them myself. But I´m thinking about doing a fully self-drawn tattoo some day.
In your production is possible to hear the influence of ENTOMBED or DISMEMBER, how do you percive the importance of those bands in the development of death metal? Why and what do you like on Swedish old school scene?
In my opinion Entombed has been the most important band in Europe to get things going here. For me personally Entombed, Dismember and Unleashed were the main influences at that time. Besides US bands like Death and Obituary e.g.
What I personally love about the Swedish scene of these early years is the fact that it was literally just a gang of kids who tried to be more extreme than all others by doing their own stuff. They always sounded more dirty and authentic to me than the more technical orientated and better recorded US bands.
How do you see the future of „LIFELESS“? Are you already working on new material? Will the new album come back with a split album first? Any tour or concerts in the near or distant future?
We are working on new stuff and have a new booking ageny (Black Serpent Promotion). So let´s see what´s coming…
Thank you for your time and answers Marc!!! I really appreciate it! I wish you a lot of success on the metal scene at home and abroad, hope to see you soon somewhere on the stage and the last words are yours…!
Thanks for your support and all the best for you!
