Answered Killy, thank you!
Translated by Petra, thank you!
Questions prepared Jakub Asphyx.
Recenze/review - MELANCHOLY PESSIMISM - Democracy War Crusade (2019):
1. Ave MELANCHOLY PESSIMISM! Greetings to Moravia. I hope you are doing well. It should. We can say you are back, you have a new great record out, you are performing live at the festivals and in the clubs again. How do you feel now after so many years?
Hello Kubo!!! Yes, everything is fine. As you said, the new album is out, we have a lot of concerts, what more we could wish? I really enjoy this time and I am happy for all performances and good reviews from the fans and zines.
2. I have to ask, why did you stop the activity for so many years? Were you exhausted or didn’t you have new ideas? Or was the reason money and work?
That break was caused by my leaving to England, where I lived for a few years. It wasn’t a first time for MELANCHOLY PESSIMISM what the band hibernated because of this reason. Earlier I had to manage some financial problems and the job abroad was the best possible solution. Before, I spend time also in USA, New Zealand, and England. Every time after my return I resurrected the band activity again, we have released a new album and played concerts as now.
3. Let’s talk about the new record. I think it represents the comeback in the huge style. You succeeded in the maintenance of the old spirit of MELANCHOLY PESSIMISM and additionally, you added a lot of new ideas. And mainly, you didn’t forget one very important thing. You always have some dominant motif in the song, which gradually continues. How do you perceive the new record in the context of the rest of your albums?
I feel it in a very similar way to you. Now it is the year 2019 and I dare to say that our new record has everything that death metal record in this time should include. The tracks are recognizable one from the others; you can find here slow and also ultra-fast parts, melodic and also grindcore parts, here is still something going on. I like a lot of bands but very often I have a problem to listen to the CD to the end and capture something memorable from it. During the first, second song I am excited, but after the sixth, it is like a big sterile mess. We were trying to avoid this and on the other hand, the new album to move further and I think we succeeded. When you listen to any of our songs it is a little bit different from the other, and you still hear the recognizable face of the MELANCHOLY PESSIMISM and that’s the point.
4. As a metal fan, I like when I receive the album, which also looks good. The cover art for “Democracy War Crusade“ impressed me so much that I had to have it on the t-shirt. Who is an author and what is the main idea of the cover art?
The basic motif designed Winya from Thailand. First, this motif was intended only for t-shirts, because it captured me a lot. Then, I decided to use this picture also as cover art for the album. The design is clear and straightforward and greatly fit this age. The picture was little bit customized according our requirements. Tom alias Massak took care of the whole graphical layout of the booklet.
I think it wouldn’t be a surprise that the main idea behind the album is a criticism of NATO and USA. Their war export of democracy to all countries on this planet is alarming and dangerous! This is very nice highlighted by the backside of the t-shirt, where is wrote: “Hello motherfuckers. Democracy is coming!“
5. To make from the record a real masterpiece, also the great sound is important. You recorded in Otyn’s studio and I think the sound is excellent. When I was thinking about the good adjective the first what came to my mind was the word “organic”. I don’t know how to explain it, but I like such raw but at the same time readable sound and I hate synthetic production, you know. Which feelings did you have before and after you entered the studio? Are you the band which is well prepared for recording or you prefer more punk style?
I understand you very well. To find a compromise between the raw organic sound and precise synthetic one can be difficult. We were exactly trying to achieve this with Otyn. I brought to the studio some records from the bands, whose sound I liked. But finally, after the listening, we decided to not use such sound, because it could kill our style of playing and it couldn’t fit the Melancholy pessimism basics. Then we were trying to find the right sound for us during the recording and from time to time we listened to these pre-produced songs to check if it is OK.
Concerning the preparation of ourselves for recording, I would say, it was like fifty-fifty. We were prepared but some songs we had to rewrite or better to say revise immediately before recording, so finally some changes were done also during the recording.
6. We are approaching the most important thing. To have a good sound is a matter of course, but the cover art is still underrated despite the cover sells. But the ideas and the chemistry in the band are the main and last but not least are emotions, which you are able to give to your fans. Could you reveal to our readers how the writing process of MP looks like? I am interested in how the new record was born.
Hahaha, you don't even want to know. We started to write the new songs one year before recording and we were still revising them. Sometimes, we were not satisfied with the parts of the song; many times we had a feeling that this passage was already invented by the other band, it was like the never-ending story! So I decided to book a date in April in the Davos studio to push ourselves to finish the material for the record. If I did not do this, we would probably rework and modify the material even today! Then, we had to work harder concerning the preparation of new music and don’t spend so much time by revising of every detail in the tracks, because we didn’t have time. A little bit of stress and deadline can be very positive for writing, for the band. Guys were a little bit nervous before we entered the studio, but finally, the result is great.
Concerning the writing and composing the music, we are a good team with Kocour. We sit down at home with a guitar and mostly we something create. Then we finish it together in the rehearsal room. Michal adjusts his guitars according to his consideration and adds his handwriting and technique. Then with the drummer Mára, we try different tempo of drums, changes, breaks and so on. Then we record everything live on Tascam, the sound recorder. One of us finally learned how to record music on PC in Cubase, which is now very helpful. Richard and Michal recorded the basics of guitars with a metronome and sent these pre-produced tracks to all of us. Everyone then struggled alone with own parts according to their best conscience. The final arrangements were completed in the studio. We made a deal with Otyn that he will work as co-producer, so he could comment on everything he didn't like or would like to do otherwise. Previously he played in MELANCHOLY PESSIMISM, we wrote and recorded two albums together, and I know that his opinion how Death Metal should look and sound is basically the same as mine. That's why I believed him and that's why we recorded this time in Davos.
7. Technology and science are going forward very quickly. You came back to the scene after some time, today the band without facebook, Instagram, twitter as if doesn’t exist, no one knows about such band. How do you perceive modern technologies and everything around us? Does it influence somehow the band? I think related to promo, presentation of bands, but on the other hand, it may have an impact also at the recording process, new guitars, electronics, transfer of sound etc.
Of course, we have FB profile, also the bandzone profile and that is all. Bizzare Leprous take care about the rest of the promo, like twitter and youtube. I think it is enough for the band, it is not necessary to cram into everywhere. We suppose, our new album gets there, where it should be and when we support this by the live concerts, I would say, everything is OK. We don’t have big ambitions to become a world-famous band. We play because we like it and for me personally, it is a little bit such a form of therapy. I am getting from myself an emotions also the negative energy, its something like the antidepressants or cure.
We have very classical musical instruments and sound devices, lamp amplifiers, no simulators.
I don't have reservations about anything. Today everyone has its own playing style and the idea about own music.
8. Today, when someone marks the death metal band by the characteristics like technical or progressive, everyone usually images such guitar supermen, who look like after they take testosterone injection. Something like free jazz but tossed into the death metal style. Many times I couldn’t understand this, because for me the song is important as a whole composition with some melody, I have to have a mood to listen to it again, it must contain a little rebellion and must attract me. You as a band are good at this. How do you perceive this trend in death metal music?
Here are plenty of bands with the ingenious musicians, a great sound, but I am not able to listen to their records till the end. Technically it is very good, however, after a few songs, it sounds very sterile. I get usually lost in the numerous riffs and changes and finally, I don’t have any enjoyment from such music. I like certain progress and technic, but it must include also drive and ferociousness to be sure that humans play that music and not robots. And also by performing live! At Brutal Assault I watched the MESHUGGAH performance. It was technically good, the stage looked wonderful but after a few songs, I had to take a rest from that music despite I liked it! Then I was in mosh pit at DISCHARGE concert and enjoyed that show like a lunatic. That was raw, dirty, no perfection, but brutal sound and liked it more than MESHUGGAH! To summarize this, metal should be about rebellion or on the other side it will still miss something even in the case if will be perfect.
9. When I listen to the new record "Democracy War Crusade", it seems to me that there is a certain lightness, perspective, such playfulness and joy for music as a whole. But was it really created in this way? How long did it take you to put it together? And was it such a nice meeting with friends or is there someone in the band as a "dictator" pushing everything forward?
It was not so. As I said a few lines above, the first 5 songs were formed during the year, and to write remaining 5 tracks took place only one month. Meetings used to be so pleasant that we almost quarreled a few times… .hahaha. During 27 years since MELANCHOLY PESSIMISM have existed, I am in the band from the beginning, I have an idea how our music should sound and look, I take care of concerts, merch for the band, interviews, lyrics, and I also participate in composing music, etc. I gave into this band the most energy, time and money and so one could assume that the dictator in the band will be me. I personally prefer the style of majority voting, and if the majority stand for an idea when it comes to composing, then the minority should conform. I'm probably an idealist, but I would like the band to be like a family, friends who hold together and help each other outside the music.
10. At the beginning of the record, there is something like an alarm, which evokes the analogy with today’s very popular serial Chernobyl. I must confess that even after each episode I had to turn on album again. What did influence you concerning the lyrics topic? Could you describe the background of the lyrics? I really like that you don’t underestimate this part of the writing process. Do the lyrics have a huge meaning for you?
To write lyrics is my job. Lyrics usually focus on different topics, which I try to study before writing. Previously, I spent a lot of time in libraries, but now the internet is very helpful.
The lyrics at the new record are about the war in Kosovo (this year it is 20th anniversary), disgusting scandals in the Church, manipulation and obtaining the new soldiers through the virtual games, formidable dry climate on the Earth, fire in Notre Dame, export of the American democracy into the whole world (by the war), further they are about the destroying of the humankind by the civilization of aliens, about how we are blindly motivated to voluntarily pursue a stuff which we don't need but everyone should have it and the last but not least topic represent by gender politic.
As you can see, these topics are very actual, they represent the global problems, in which I am very interested and which bother me. It is a little bit difficult, but to sing about the shit and horror movies is nothing for me despite these topics are very favorite. If you have your eyes open, you will see so much horror around you that there is no need to invent more.
11. Right now, when I am writing these questions, the huge storm is coming. And of course, I am listening „Democracy War Crusade“ very loudly, which is a very interesting association. I feel like the apocalypse is going to begin very early. What is your opinion on the question of the mankind direction? Do you think the nuclear disaster could be the real threat for us or we will possibly drown in the garbage? On the one side are the big corporations which literally suck off the planet and on the other side are the “eko terrorists”. How don’t go mad in this world? The solution is very simple; everyone has to start from himself, to keep the common sense and listen to your new album.
The world leaders still fight between each other for the power in the world. I think the threat of the nuclear disaster is reasonable, we can feel some tension everywhere. In the countries, which turned into the battlefields, the oil deposits are in the fire, thousands of explosions take place every day, it is also not good for our planet.
We produce so much trash and plastic that I really afraid if this isn’t going to our extinction. Of course, it is better when everyone realizes this situation and start from himself. Look at the amount of plastic garbage which one family throws up every week. It is a huge pile and when you realize the number of humans in the world, it is literally the mountain of the garbage.
Unfortunately, we are all constantly encouraged and fearful of recession, HDP growth, higher production, sales-buying. But why? It's like a vicious circle. The more we produce and shop, the more garbage remain after us. How much food is thrown away every day - unnecessary production and a burden on Mother Earth. Unless the world nobility and the factory owners and the gray eminence, which drive the world don't realize this, nothing will change.
12. I almost forgot a very important thing. According to my humble opinion, you belong to the best live playing bands in the Czech Republic (sorry, in Moravia). What the live performances mean to you, do you enjoy them? I always say this and it is one of the reasons why I love this music because behind hard music are these nice people. During the week everyone works hard for the piece of bread, for the family… and for me, the weekend underground concerts are like a spa. How do you perceive it?
Exactly the same! I have fun at the stage, talk to the fans and friends. I always enjoy it and at the same time, the music and the playing alive is like a personal catharsis and therapy for me. It calms me down and gives me energy simultaneously. I regularly visit festivals with Kocour, mostly Obscene Extreme and Brutal Assault, it is like a holiday for us. I like the atmosphere and everything around, to be part of the mosh pit in front of the stage at concerts of our favorite bands, to meet our friends or strangers from all around the world.
13. So, the CD almost finishes and despite I would have a lot of additional questions, I have to say goodbye. The interview could be very long and today the people don’t have so much patience. Thank you so much for the answers, for your music and the great concerts. I wish you a lot of inspiration; fans and what would the Mr. Zákopčaník say – the sun in your soul! It was my big pleasure!
Thank you for the interview and the possibility to answer the Deadly storm's questions. I really appreciate the people like you, Jakub. You are doing so much for the metal music and for the whole scene, not only this internet blog, but also the organization of concerts in Pilsen. Peace to you.
Killy
Recenze/review - MELANCHOLY PESSIMISM - Democracy War Crusade (2019):
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