A few questions - interview with death metal band from Slovenia - ENSANGUINATE.
Ave, can you introduce your band to our readers? – When was it founded and what style of music do you play etc.?
Ensanguinate was founded in 2020 and we perform the ancient metal of death. Our goal is to perform dark, energetic death metal that draws on the bands we love that upheld (or still uphold) that devilish spark in their sound. We don’t try to sound obscure or convoluted to fit into a niche, to us extreme metal is more about capturing the spirit of Possessed or Bathory in our own way.
Where and under what conditions were you recording the new album? Who was in charge of sound, production and mastering?
Assuming you mean the demo, it was recorded at Negligence Studios in Ljubljana, Slovenia. I took care of tracking, mixing and mastering. We did the drums just before the epidemic so that wasn’t a big issue, the rest took longer because we had to wait for everything to subside just enough so we could meet and record the remaining instruments. Apart from the wait I approached it a lot like the other bands I’ve recorded. One slight difference might be that we consciously tried not to go overboard with any kind of studio magic, the idea was to capture real performances and leave the human aspect there more than you’d normally hear in a metal recording these days.
How many copies were released and which medium was used for this new edition (CD, digital, vinyl, cassette)?
We printed up a decent number of CDs. Seeing how there haven’t been any shows, they’re still available from our Bandcamp page. Additionally, our label, Emanzipation Productions, is putting out Entranced by Decay on all the streaming platforms so it’ll be available as a digital release very soon.
Who is the author of the lyrics and how were they created and about what do the lyrics deal with?
I write all the lyrics. It makes sense for me to write the lyrics and the vocal parts around the way I play guitar, it feels natural that way. It feels just as natural to convey my own ideas through the lyrics instead of someone else’s. We play death metal, so the lyrics deal with death, plain and simple. The way I approach the topic of death is through occultism, mythology or bits of folklore and literature. Slovenian culture has always had a morbid streak, you don’t need to look much further than classic literature to find an abundance of death, misery and decrepitude and it’s that kind of creative and spiritual current that we seek to embody in our music and lyrics.
Who created the logo of the band, and who took care of the graphics and the website? What about you and social networks? Do you consider these things important?
Daniel Corcuera did our logo, props to him for doing an amazing job. A friend of ours, Tina Karanović, did the demo art and the Bandcamp website is run by the band. Same goes for our social networks – Facebook and Instagram. They’re important and I think they aren’t too egregious as long as metal bands approach them like they would approach traditional media. Giving fans who are into that kind of thing some additional insight into the creative/musical side of things is fine. As a young fan, I always enjoyed when I got to catch a glimpse inside the inner workings of a band, be it a clip from rehearsal, a close up shot of an instrument or whatever. As soon as it devolves into people airing out their personal stuff, reality TV-style, I lose all interest. I do not care what my favorite bands eat, where they live or how they lead their lives.
Which label did you choose for releasing your album and why this label? Are you satisfied by how your label represents you and takés care about you?
Emanzipation Productions from Denmark will be handling our debut label. They focus on the type of music we play, they’re dedicated and their machinery’s already greased, so to speak, so it definitely feels like a good match.
Which bands do you idolise and where do you get your inspiration?
Idolize is a strong word. We stand by names such as Possessed, Death, Bathory, Dissection, Grotesque, Nihilist and Entombed but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I suppose we get compared with those bands the most but in reality we’re just as influenced by the catchiness of Mercyful Fate and Metallica or the occult atmosphere of classic Mayhem. We’re definitely rooted in '80s death and black metal but we pay attention to bands that came after that as well. It would be hypocritical to say that names like Watain, Dead Congregation or Repugnant haven’t left a mark on us and that’s just the tip of the iceberg once again.
Did you send your record to some Labels - which are the labels? How was the response?
See above, we clicked with Emanzipation – they made the most sense so we went with them.
How many gigs have you played? Which type of gigs do you prefer, whether it's (clubs or festivals) and which of your performances would you consider as the best?
A grand total of two. We had quite a few more in the works but everything got axed before we could even announce it. We’ve been cutting our teeth in various bands for over a decade though so we’ve all got experience playing on smaller stages and larger ones, indoors and outdoors. As long as the band and the crowd are on the same level, the show is guaranteed to be great. A lot of musicians will say they prefer clubs over festivals because the atmosphere is more intimate and that’s definitely true, however the feeling of freedom, meeting up with like-minded individuals and just general reckless abandon that come with festivals have all made for a couple of really great experiences in the past.
What about your plans for the future? What do you want to achieve with the band?
Our plans our to record and release our debut as soon as conditions are favorable. After that, we’d like to hit the road and play out as much as possible. This kind of music belongs on stage!
How and where can your fans contact you? Can you provide some contact information?
Anyone can contact us through Facebook or Instagram or via ensanguinatemetal@gmail.com
Thanx for the interview.
Thank you for the interest, support the ancient metal of death!
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