Stačí stisknout jedno tlačítko a zničíte celé město. Je to jen na vás. Vražedné zbraně bývají často v rukou šílenců. Situace je stále křehká a stačí jeden okamžik. Budete si muset nasadit plynové masky, pokud přežijete. Možná budete mít to štěstí a váš otisk zůstane na zdi. Nebudete trpět jako ostatní, kteří se udusí plynem, zemřou na radioaktivitu. Vyberte si, lidská hloupost je nekonečná. Letecký nálet, nejhorší lidský sen. Spálená země, apokalypsa začala.
Přemýšlím, co bude znít všude za hudbu, až začnou všichni umírat. Klidně by to mohla být prvotina polských SARMAT. Death black metalové skupiny, která mě zaujala již od prvních tónů. Jejich hudba má totiž nakažlivou, chladnou a temnou atmosféru. "RS-28" je albem, které stojí rozhodně za pozornost. Sežehne vás černým plamenem.
Pokud bychom měli zmínit kapely, které SARMAT inspirovaly, museli bychom jmenovat třeba takové VADER, BELPHEGOR, staré BEHEMOTH i norský a švédský black metal (MARDUK, MAYHEM, DARK FUNERAL). To vše zabalené v surové podobě, smíchané s temnotou a zlem. Poláci mají svůj vlastní výraz, nepřinášejí sice nic nového do království smrti, ale určitě je rozeznáte mezi ostatními. Líbí se mi, že pánové ctí i tradice své země - mají skvělý zvuk, zajímavý obal a hlavně spoustu morbidních nápadů, na jejich řemeslo se můžete spolehnout. Někdy bývám k lidskému druhu skeptický, stačí si přečíst zprávy. Historie se až nebezpečně často opakuje. Jedno vím ale jistě, až někdo zmáčkne tlačítko a rakety vyletí, tak album "RS-28" bude mezi těmi, které si rád a s chutí přehraji. Masivní kytary, jedovaté výpady, drtivé bicí. K tomu si připočtěte démonický vokál. Jako starý fanoušek death metalu a blacku jsem nadmíru spokojený. Dám hodně na atmosféru a tu dokáží SARMAT vytvořittemnou, záhadnou, magickou, démonickou. Cítím temné vibrace, užívám si surové nálady. Morbidní vize, apokalypsa je tady! Death black metal, po kterém zůstává spálená země!
Asphyx says:
Just press one button and you will destroy the whole city. It's up to you. Murder weapons are often in the hands of lunatics. The situation is still fragile and one moment is enough. You will have to put on gas masks if you survive. Maybe you'll be lucky and your imprint will stay on the wall. You will not suffer like others who suffocate with gas or radioactivity will kill them. Choose, human stupidity is endless. Air raid, the worst human dream. Scorched earth, the apocalypse has begun.
I wonder what music will sound everywhere when everyone starts to die. It could easily be the first album of Polish SARMATs. Death black metal band, which fascinated me from the first tones. Their music has a contagious, cold and dark atmosphere. "RS - 28" is an album that is definitely worth a look. It will burn you with a black flame.
If we should to mention the bands that inspired SARMAT, we would have to name such VADER, BELPHEGOR, old BEHEMOTH and Norwegian and Swedish black metal (MARDUK, MAYHEM, DARK FUNERAL). All wrapped in raw form, mixed with darkness and evil. Poles have their own expression, they do not bring anything new to the kingdom of death, but you will certainly recognize them among others. I like that those guys also honour the traditions of their country - they have a great sound, interesting cover and, most importantly, a lot of morbid ideas, you can rely on their craft. Sometimes I am sceptical of the human species, just read the news. History repeats itself dangerously often. But I know one thing for sure, when someone pushes a button and the rockets take off, the album "RS - 28" will be among those I like to play with pleasure. Massive guitars, poisonous exhales, crushing drums. Add to that demonic vocals. As an old fan of death and black metal, I am extremely satisfied. I care a lot about the atmosphere and SARMAT can create a dark, mysterious, magical, demonic one. I feel dark vibrations, I enjoy raw moods. Morbid vision, the apocalypse is here! Death black metal, after which the earth remains scorched!
A few questions - interview with black death metal band from Poland - SARMAT.
Answered Łukasz, thank you!
Ave, can you introduce your band to our readers? – When was it founded and what style of music do you play etc.?
Hello! The band was founded in 2018 by two co-founders (both of them are guitarists): Daniel Szymanowicz and Krzysztof Kopczeński. SARMAT music is a mixture of death metal (the main style) and black metal. It is not dedicated to the one genre only. It is too „hot“ (for pure black metal surely) to call it blackened death metal (if You know what I mean), but it has a little of the northern mood into it.
Where and under what conditions were you recording the new album? Who was in charge of sound, production and mastering?
Most of the parts were recorded in a separate way. Guitars, bass, VST instruments were recorded in home recording process. The drum parts were recorded by the session musician Krzysztof Klingbein in his own rehearsal & recording room. The vocal parts were recorded at Invent Sound Studio in Bydgoszcz, Poland with Szymon Grodzki as the recording engineer. After all of these processes mentioned the whole stuff was placed at Santa Studio in Warszawa, Poland, where the sound engenieer Arkadiusz „Malta“ Malczewski put all things together and made the final mix and mastering.
How many copies were released and which medium was used for this new edition (CD, digital, vinyl, cassette)?
The digital version of SARMAT „RS-28“ debut full length album was published on March 19th 2021 on Badcamp. On March 20th 2021 it arrived on our Bandcamp site (the previous one was on the label site – we have finished co-operation with them before it even started), but the 19th of March 2021 is the exact premiere date. The CD version is ordered in the number of 500 copies and it should be available by the end of May. Next the vinyls will be. Next week I am going to set details and order them. I don‘t know how many copies yet, but this format should be available in the middle of the summer. And we are not planning to release the cassette format for „RS-28“.
Who is the author of the lyrics and how were they created and about what do the lyrics deal with?
The colleague of ours. I am not able to name you his personals (due to his request – his daily work is connected with public position). I joined the band when the lyrics were ready and I am not suitable person for describing the creation process. But I know that the guy had the songs and was working with prepared music. When I‘ve started my part of work, I had to change some of them a little (for example split the „Blackout“, which was the one lyric in the beginning). The arrangements are mine. As for the lyrical themes, what are You expecting, the friend of mine? It‘s metal music, so they have to describe hell, devils, blood, guts and dead bodies. It‘s obvious :-).
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?
The logo is Arkadiusz Stasiak piece – that‘s the guy I may name for You :-). He is also responsible for band‘s name concept taken from the Russian ballistic missile RS-28 SARMAT, but the lyrics are not his work. Front cover graphic project has been created by Lord K. (the next one who wants to be anonymous more or less). The final layout for the CD format was created by Piotr Szafraniec. This man will prepare the graphic layout for the vinyl format too. As for the website, the band does not use one. We have a few band‘s profiles in social media (on Facebook and Instagram; we have band‘s channel on YouTube and the profile on SoundCloud). And we use Bandcamp site for the sale of our stuff and to help people to get to know what we really are. I think all these things are helpful, but it takes a lot of time to control them and to make them interesting for the people using them. And we don‘t use Twitter or the Russian Vk . Maybe we should… Anyway, after a few weeks of intense contacting with the world using this stuff I am simply tired.
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?
We chose the German Rising Nemesis Records and this choice was completely, definitely and absolutely wrong. It could be a suicide if we hadn‘t realized that there was nothing to wait for and we should do everything on our own. The label owner seemed to be a pleasant and helpful guy. We have negotiated the terms of co-operation and were happy to release our album by his label. But everything has changed quickly. There is nothing to talk about, because we have wasted too much time for him and his incompetence.
Which bands do you idolise and where do you get your inspiration?
I can‘t speak for the rest of guys. I am a death metal fan personally. I prefer the technical and brutal forms than the classic old school ones of the genre. I dont‘t have a favourite band or bands. I buy a lot of CDs and meet unique bands each month. As for the inspiration, I think that metal music is the biggest. It‘s not the best way to keep Yourself and Your creativity unique, but it is, as it is.
Did you send your record to some Labels - which are the labels? How was the response?
I don‘t want to name them specifically. I can tell You only that none of the Polish labels I have contacted with was interested in releasing our „RS-28“ debut album. We got two propositions from overseas labels, we picked one of them and you know the rest of the story.
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?
This is the question I like very much, because people are rather suprised, when I answer them that SARMAT band has never played live yet :-). Each of us has played in other bands before and we are use to perform live, but we have never did it with SARMAT. The line-up has evolved and got the present form during the pandemic time, when all live performances were suspended, so we were not able to do it. I haven‘t performed live on festivals to often, so I can‘t compare this two forms of gigs. For me the contact with the audience is the most important. If there it‘s not, the whole reminds playing the rehearsal rather.
What about your plans for the future? What do you want to achieve with the band?
The plans for the next month are:
- to get the CD format of „RS-28“ album and start the sale of it. It should be available by the end of May.
- to order the vinyl format of our debut album. We will try to make them available in the middle of the summer.
- to consider and finalise the subject of SARMAT presence on streaming platforms. I am working on it.
- increase our presence in world media connected with metal music with the use of suitable actions. We have the lyric video for the title track „RS-28“ ready. We are waiting only for the CDs to come to put the video on the web. And I am trying to get in touch with people running webzines, radio shows, web blogs and so on all the time.
As for plans for the far future, we are composing music for the next release. It will be a shorter form this time (EP or MCD/MLP). We are also preparing our merchandise to become more attractive. We want to improve it by offering T-shirts with different images on them.
The goal to achieve with the band is to get to the level where You don‘t have to do all this things mentioned above beside composing and recording music :-)!
How and where can your fans contact you? Can you provide some contact information?
All people who want to contact with SARMAT band may send messages to sarmatdeath@gmail.com or use our social media communicators (Messenger of Facebook and the other of Instagram). You may also use Bandcamp to send us messages. If You want to get in touch with me directly, send a note to mahlupuki@wp.pl, please.
Thanx for the interview.
I do thank You, Brother-in-Metal! It was a pleasure to answer Your questions. Each interview is something for a band such as SARMAT. Take care and stay healthy! And for The Reader of the words above - check our „RS-28“ debut album out. It should make a mess in Your head if You are into death/black metal.
Interview with death metal band from Finland - GHASTLY.
Answered Ian J. D’Waters, thank you!
Translated Duzl, thank you!
Ave GHASTLY! Greetings to the Finnish catacombs. I'm listening to your third album "Mercurial Passages" and I feel like I'm wandering through the swamps in the fog. The atmosphere of the album is amazing again. How did the album come about? Where did you want to move since last time? Personally, I find the recording darker, more mysterious.
- Hi Jakub, thank you for your words. The music in-fact became much more darker and ruthless compared to Death Velour. It was just a natural step for us, we didn’t think too much of changing our ways to do music, but for the lyrics we did had a different approach this time.
Every time I do an interview with bands from Finland, I have to ask. You can also feel melancholy, maybe sadness, from your music. I don't know if similar things can be learned, but the fact is that similar moods are really typical for groups in your country. How do you explain that? Is it an environment, a society? Paradoxically, when I met the Finns festival, they had a lot of fun with them with beer☺).
- When you hear bands from different countries, you quite easily can notice bits and pieces that gives you clues where the music is from. I think it’s built in your system where we have grown up and lived, it shapes us and stays with us the whole lifetime. I don’t intentionally try to do music that is melancholic or sad. If I’d try to do something that ain’t natural to me, it will go south and you can hear it from the music if it ain’t real. Can I learn to do music the way (for example) Pokolgép does? Maybe yes, but would I master it, would it be real? Not a chance.
We Finns do possess the introverted thing but that’s not all what life is about here. Festivals and beers go well together and so do Finns and beers.
But let's get to the news. When I received the review board, I immediately noticed it in that flood of daily agendas. The packaging is excellent in one word. It was painted by Riikka Pesonen, just like for the previous album. I haven't looked at the cover in a long time and said to myself that it shows exactly what is going on in the music. How is the cooperation going and how do you choose a new motif? Why were you interested in his work?
- Riikka was asked to paint our first LP “Carrion of Time” back in 2013 when I saw my friends band’s cover done by her. I just loved her style, so it was easy to ask her again to do “Death Velour” on which she executed the way I never could even dreamt of. She was interested on doing our cover again on “Mercurial Passages” which for us is a huge thing. I cannot think of any other artist to present our music in a visual way as Riikka does. Basic lines are such as we have different ideas in our songs and we give those ideas to her and give her artistic freedom after that. This time the layout was done by Chimère Noire, who did a very fine work that works so well with the cover.
You will probably agree with me that without good sound there would be no death metal. The album has a cold, dark sound that hurts. In addition, you have psychedelic moods in the songs. Which, in my opinion, makes the situation much more difficult, because everything must be legible at the same time. Where did you record, who is signed under the mix and mastering? As I wrote, the album seems darker to me, was that a purpose? Have you changed the recording procedure in any way?
- I recorded & mixed the album at Parasite Dune Studios and Magnus Lindberg did the mastering at Redmount Studios. I wanted the sound to be more darker and rawer than last time. I had better equipment to use and much more time (thanks to corona) to finalise the album. Recording albums is always a learning process for me, it’s time-consuming and pain in the ass sometimes but it still something I want to do. Ghastly has always had it’s own way to record albums and I think presenting our albums with Sunlight or Morrisound studios sound would take something off of the atmosphere. Don’t get me wrong, I love their sounds but it’s not for us at the moment. I adore bands that has their own signature there with the sounds, like Negative Plane or Obliteration for example.
I like when the band doesn't forget about the lyrics. I always see the album as a whole. But I am preparing the questions at a time when I do not yet have the original record in my hand. Please tell us what the lyrics to "Mercurial Passages" are about? Where did you get your inspiration for?
- You’re in for a mental ride this time. We didn’t want to take inspiration from the basic death metal textbook anymore, so we went to explore our minds and space this time. Andy Gordon who has always written our lyrics took our journey into surrealism, stream of consciousness, Mercury (planet & element), post apocalyptic sceneries and pressuring darkness.
I admit that I have loved your Finnish scene since the 1990s. In recent years, it seems to me that a wave of new bands has risen again. I liked WORTHLESS, LIE IN RUINS, WRATHRONE, DEATHGOAT, NERWE SAW, SPIRITUAL HOLOCAUST, DECAYING and more. I love old NECROPSY and of course a lot of other classics like PURTENANCE. Looks like you're really a metal country because of your population. Does it really live that much for you? What about clubs, fans, the scene as a whole?
- As usual, scenes are small but still strong here. We all could use good metal shows now that no one has been able to enjoy live music in months. I’d like to see more bands to emerge and make an album that has the old school foundation there but done in a innovative way that it won’t be a carbon copy of a classic.
Finland is smaller than the Czech Republic in terms of population, and when someone does an underground concert in our country, it's like on a swing. Sometimes 10 people come, sometimes a hundred. How is it with you? And how do GHASTLYs do with concerts? Do you like playing and do you play often? And what about a tour that doesn't attract you?
- It depends where the gig is organised, who organises it and what bands play for the crowd to come and support. Tough game. We do play shows but haven’t done in ages, hopefully could do some this year as the album is out. It’s awesome to play live and it makes you to try your best every time better and better. Oh, we do want to be on a tour but it hasn’t been anything we could’ve done yet.
When you started with music, who was your role model? When I say Finnish band, I imagine the film Heavy trip. It was similar to everyone, but when did you first decide to start playing? And how did GHASTLY get together? Would you reminisce for us.
- I haven’t seen that film and I bet it sucks as quite many films done here. I just cannot understand Finnish film industry how they do so much crap. Well, probably it is because people need to make money and art is secondary. Good movies done here are from the sixties & seventies. But the music, I think it was Dave Murray and James Hetfield that kind of were my first inspirations to want to have a guitar. It was around 5th grade but the band thing started at 7th grade by trying to play Impaled Nazarene’s easy riffs, talk about downgrade there. After that I started playing drums and bass guitar too, so it has been easy for me to record all instruments on our albums. I think the biggest bands that have influenced me from the start are Iron Maiden, King Diamond / Mercyful Fate, Morbid Angel and early Amorphis.
Ghastly was formed in 2011 with only me and Gassy Sam as we just bought ourselves a 4-track cassette recorder and we wanted to try it out. Gassy pushed me on finally doing few death metal songs ready so we could record a demo and that’s what happened. It went well and we decided to do more which has still been going on, almost ten years already.
Are you a musician, but you are also a collector, do you support other bands? Do you go to concerts, collect CDs, vinyls? Are there any bands that have fascinated you lately that you like and often listen to? I try to watch your scene in detail, but I definitely missed something. Can you recommend someone to us?
- Yeah, totally. We are collectors and concert fans. First cancelled concert by corona was Jethro Tull’s which is one of my favourite bands and I was looking forward to it. Last one were I was at was Amorphis’ 90’s show in Helsinki and that was in October. Lately I’ve been listening to Morbid Angel, Jefferson Airplane, Manowar (first 3 albums as other ones are crap), Fabio Frizzi, Manilla Road, psychedelic rock & also avantgarde stuff from the mid 1900’s. To be honest, I haven’t been checking the scene much lately or even bought many records during the last year, so I might’ve been missing out on bands.
How do you perceive death metal as a musical style? What does it mean to you, why did you choose, do you play this style? You can easily look at this question from a philosophical point of view.
- Death metal came to my knowledge straight after heavy metal and has stayed with me ever since. Death metal for me stands as the most powerful genre of metal, but I do not like all death metal and you can hear clearly in my music what bands have influenced me. Mid-tempo, melodies (not the Göteborg kind), progressive touch and weirdness have been something I’ve been familiar with and forming this band was the opportunity for me to combine all of these in a death metal form. Ghastly will be always a death metal band with huge amounts of influences from different sources, but we won’t start rocking and rolling or producing ambient albums for the sake of changing or growing up. If there won’t be any death metal riffs to come, then there won’t be any Ghastly albums to be released, simple as that. This is how much I love the genre that I won’t toss the death metal legacy to trash.
What are GHASTLY planning in the coming months and what can we look forward to with other fans?
- Our goal is to rehearse, rehearse and rehearse before we can do shows again. Really excited about the release as it has been in the making for quite a long time. Awesome to get it out and hope death metal freaks will give it a chance.
Thank you so much for the interview. When I came up with the questions, I replayed your new "Mercurial Passages" several times and made sure again that it was excellent. I wish you a good sale and that you have packed concerts. Good luck in your private lives!
- Thank you for this interview, Jakub. All the best to you and hopefully we’ll raise a glass at a festival or a gig in Czech sometime and you’ll see how introverted we are after few pints of pilsners.
Rozhovor s death metalovou skupinou z Finska - GHASTLY.
Odpovídal Ian J. D’Waters, děkujeme!
Přeložila Duzl, děkujeme!
Ave GHASTLY! Zdravím do finských katakomb. Zrovna poslouchám vaše třetí řadové album „Mercurial Passages“ a mám pocit, jako bych se toulal po močálech v mlze. Atmosféra desky je opět úžasná. Jak album vznikalo? Kam jste se chtěli posunout od minule? Mě osobně přijde nahrávka temnější, záhadnější.
Ahoj Jakube, díky za tvá slova. Máš pravdu, hudba je ve srovnání s “Death Velor” mnohem temnější a nemilosrdnější. Byl to pro nás přirozený krok, příliš jsme nepřemýšleli o tom, jak změnit způsob, jakým hudbu tvoříme, ale pro texty, které jsme napsali, jsme tentokrát zvolili jiný přístup.
Pokaždé, když dělám rozhovor s kapelami z Finska, tak se musím zeptat. I z vaší hudby je cítit melancholie, možná smutek. Nevím, jestli se podobné věci dají naučit, ale faktem je, že pro skupiny z vaší země jsou podobné nálady opravdu typické. Čím si to vysvětluješ? Je to prostředím, společností? Paradoxně, když jsem potkal na festivalu Finy, tak s nimi byla u piva velká legrace:).
Když posloucháš kapely z různých zemí, snadno si všimneš střípků, které ti poskytnou vodítko, odkud hudba pochází. Myslím, že je to zabudováno do našeho systému, kde jsme vyrostli a žili, formuje nás to a zůstává to s námi po celý život. Nesnažím se záměrně tvořit hudbu, která je melancholická nebo smutná. Pokud se pokusím udělat něco, co pro mě není přirozené, půjde to do kopru a můžete to slyšet z hudby, pokud to není opravdové. Mohu se naučit dělat hudbu tak, jak to dělá (například) Pokolgép? Možná ano, zvládl bych to, ale bylo by to skutečné? Bez šance. My Finové dědíme jistou introvertnost, ale to není vše, o čem tady život je. Festivaly a pivo k sobě dobře pasují, stejně jako Finové a pivo.
Pojďme ale k novince. Když mi přišla deska na recenzi, tak jsem si jí v té záplavě každodenní agendy ihned všiml. Obal je jedním slovem excelentní. Malovala jej Riikka Pesonen, stejně jako pro minulé album. Už dlouho jsem se nedíval na cover a neříkal si, že přesně zobrazuje to, co se odehrává v muzice. Jak probíhá spolupráce a jak nový motiv vybíráte? Proč vás zaujala právě jeho práce?
Riikku jsme požádali, aby namalovala naše první LP „Carrion of Time“ již v roce 2013, když jsem uviděl obal kapely mého kamaráda, který vytvořila. Prostě jsem miloval její styl, takže bylo snadné ji znovu požádat, aby nakreslila „Death Velour“, který zvládla tak, že bych si to ani ve snu nedokázal představit. Měla zájem znovu navrhnout náš obal na „Mercurial Passages“, což je pro nás obrovská věc. Nenapadá mě žádný jiný umělec, který by prezentoval naši hudbu vizuálně tak, jako to dělá Riikka. Základní linie jsou takové, že máme v našich skladbách různé nápady a my jí tyto nápady předáme a poté jí poskytneme uměleckou tvůrčí svobodu. Tentokrát booklet navrhl Chimère Noire, který odvedl velmi dobrou práci, která tak skvěle koreluje s obalem.
Asi se mnou budeš souhlasit, že bez dobrého zvuku by nebyl death metal. Album má studený, temný sound, který bolí. Navíc máte ve skladbách až psychedelické nálady. Což dle mého značně ztěžuje situaci, protože musí být vše zároveň čitelné. Kde jste nahrávali, kdo je podepsán pod mixem a masteringem? Jak už jsem psal, album mi přijde temnější, byl to účel? Změnili jste nějak postup při nahrávání?
Nahrál a mixoval jsem album v Parasite Dune Studio a Magnus Lindberg to masteroval v Redmount Studio. Chtěl jsem, aby byl zvuk temnější a drsnější než minule. Měl jsem k dispozici lepší vybavení a mnohem více času (díky Covidu) na dokončení alba. Nahrávání alb je pro mě vždy procesem učení, je to časově náročné a někdy je to osina v zadku, ale stále je to něco, co chci dělat. Ghastly vždy měli svůj vlastní způsob nahrávání alb a myslím, že prezentace našich alb zvukem studií Sunlight nebo Morrisound by něco z této atmosféry ubralo. Nechápejte mě špatně, miluji jejich zvuk, ale v tuto chvíli to není pro nás. Zbožňuji kapely, které mají svůj vlastní zvuk, například Negative Plane nebo Obliteration.
Mám rád, když kapela nezapomíná i na texty. Album vnímám vždy jako celek. Otázky ale připravuji ve chvíli, kdy ještě nemám originál desky v ruce. Prozraď nám prosím, o čem jsou texty na „Mercurial Passages“? Kde jste pro ně brali inspiraci?
Tentokrát vás čeká mentální jízda. Už jsme se nechtěli inspirovat základní učebnicí death metalu, a tak jsme se tentokrát jali prozkoumat naši mysl a prostor. Andy Gordon, který vždy píše naše texty, nás vzal na cestu do surrealismu, proudu vědomí, Merkuru (planeta a živel) a post apokalyptických scenérií s důrazem na temnotu.
Přiznám se, že mám vaši finskou scénu rád už od devadesátých let. Poslední roky mi připadá, že se opět zvedla vlna nových kapel. Oblíbil jsem si WORTHLESS, LIE IN RUINS, WRATHRONE, DEATHGOAT, NERWE SAW, SPIRITUAL HOLOCAUST, DECAYING a další. Miluju staré NECROPSY a samozřejmě spoustu ostatních klasik jako PURTENANCE. Vypadá to, že vzhledem k počtu obyvatel jste opravdu metalová země. Opravdu to u vás tolik žije? Co kluby, fanoušci, scéna celkově?
Jako obvykle, scény jsou malé, ale stále silné. Všichni si teď snad budeme moci vychutnat dobré metalové koncerty, když si nikdo nemohl měsíce užívat živou hudbu. Chtěl bych vidět více kapel, které se objeví a vytvoří album, které v sobě má základy staré školy, ale provedené inovativním způsobem, který nebude karbonovou kopií klasiky.
Finsko je, co se týká počtu obyvatel, menší než Česká republika a když u nás někdo udělá undergroundový koncert, je to jako na houpačce. Někdy přijde 10 lidí, někdy sto. Jak je tomu u vás? A jak to mají vůbec GHASTLY s koncerty? Hrajete rádi a často? A co nějaké turné, neláká vás?
Záleží na tom, kde je koncert organizován, kdo ho organizuje a jaké kapely hrají, aby to přitáhlo lidi, kteří dorazí a podpoří. Je to náročná hra. Koncertujeme, ale už jsme nehráli roky. Snad to vyjde a zahrajeme si letos, protože máme venku album. Je úžasné hrát naživo, nutí tě to předvést ze sebe to nejlepší. Jasně, chceme vyrazit na turné, ale zatím není nic, co bychom ohledně toho dělali.
Když si s hudbou začínal, kdo byl tvým vzorem? Já když se řekne finská kapela, tak si představím film Heavy trip. Ono to bylo asi u každého podobné, ale kdy si se poprvé rozhodl, že začneš hrát? A jak se dali GHASTLY dohromady? Zavzpomínej pro nás prosím.
Neviděl jsem ten film a vsadím se, že stojí za hovno, stejně jako spousta dalších filmů, co se tu natočila. Nerozumím finskému filmovému průmyslu, jak můžou točit tolik sraček. Pravděpodobně je to proto, že lidé potřebují vydělávat peníze a umění je druhořadé. Dobré filmy, které tady vznikly, jsou ze šedesátých a sedmdesátých let. Ale hudebně, myslím, že to byli Dave Murray a James Hetfield, ti byli moje první inspirace v tom chtít kytaru. Bylo to v době, kdy jsem byl v páté třídě, ale kapela vznikla v sedmé třídě, když jsme se pokoušeli hrát jednoduché riffy Impaled Nazarene. Poté jsem začal hrát také na bicí a basu, takže pro mě bylo snadné nahrát všechny nástroje na naše alba. Myslím, že největší kapely, které mě na začátku ovlivnily, jsou Iron Maiden, King Diamond / Mercyful Fate, Morbid Angel a počátky Amorphis. Ghastly vznikli v roce 2011, byl jsem to jen já a Gassy Sam. Koupili jsme si kazeťák a chtěli jsme vyzkoušet, jak to bude znít. Gassy mě tlačil k tomu, abych konečně napsal několik death metalových skladeb, abychom mohli nahrát demo a to se stalo. Šlo to dobře a rozhodli jsme se v tom pokračovat a už to trvá téměř deset let.
Jsi muzikant, ale jsi také sběratel, podporuješ ostatní kapely? Chodíš na koncerty, sbíráš CD, vinyly? Jsou nějaké skupiny, které tě poslední dobou zaujaly, které rád a často posloucháš? Snažím se vaši scénu sledovat podrobně, ale určitě mi něco uniklo. Můžeš nám někoho doporučit?
Rozhodně. Jsme sběratelé a příznivci koncertů. Prvním zrušeným koncertem kvůli covidu byli Jethro Tull, což je jedna z mých oblíbených kapel a těšil jsem se na ni. Poslední koncert, na kterém jsem byl, byl koncert Amorphis se setem z devadesátých let v Helsinkách a to bylo v říjnu. V poslední době jsem poslouchal Morbid Angel, Jefferson Airplane, Manowar (první 3 alba, protože ostatní jsou sračky), Fabio Frizzi, Manilla Road, psychedelický rock a také avantgardní věci z poloviny 20. let. Abych byl upřímný, v poslední době jsem scénu moc nesledoval, ani jsem si loni nekoupil mnoho desek, takže jsem možná o nějaké kapely přišel.
Jak vnímáš death metal jako hudební styl? Co pro tebe znamená, proč sis vybral, hraješ právě tento styl? Klidně se na tuhle otázku můžeš podívat i z filozofické stránky.
Death metal jsem objevil hned po heavy metalu a od té doby se mnou zůstal. Death metal pro mě představuje nejsilnější metalový žánr, ale nemám rád všechen death metal a v mé hudbě je jasně slyšet, jaké kapely mě ovlivnily. Střední tempo, melodie (ne Göteborský styl), trocha progresivity a podivnost byly něco, co jsem znal a vytvoření této kapely bylo pro mě příležitostí spojit to všechno v death metalové podobě. Ghastly budou vždy death metalová kapela s obrovským množstvím vlivů z různých směrů, ale nemáme v plánu vyrábět ambientní alba, abychom byli v hledáčku nebo vyrostli. Pokud už žádné deathmetalové riffy nepřijdou, pak už nebudou žádná alba Ghastly, která by měla vyjít, je to takhle jednoduché. Miluji tento žánr tak moc, že nechci zahodit death metalové dědictví do koše.
Co chystají GHASTLY v nejbližších měsících a na co se můžeme s ostatními fanoušky těšit?
Naším cílem je zkoušet, zkoušet a zkoušet, než budeme moci znovu hrát koncerty. Těšte se na nahrávku, protože nám to zabralo dost dlouhou dobu a je úžasné ji dostat ven a doufat, že death metaloví šílenci jí dají šanci.
Děkuji moc za rozhovor. Když jsem vymýšlel otázky, tak jsem si vaši novinku „Mercurial Passages“ několikrát přehrál a znovu se ujistil, že je vynikající. Přeji vám, aby se dobře prodávala a abyste měli narvané koncerty. Ať se vám daří i v soukromých životech!
Díky za rozhovor, Jakube. Měj se dobře a doufám, že si někdy dáme pivo na festivalu či koncertu v Čechách a po několika půllitrech Plzní poznáš, jak jsme introvertní.
Trepanace lebky, elektrické šoky. Pokusy na lidech, stále aktuální téma. Také vám někteří jedinci připadají jako stroje? Nikdy nejsou unavení, nikdy nespí. Možná za to může bílý prášek, ale spíše zásah do mozku. Bývalí vrazi a násilníci, sem tam někdo nevinný, svět je zkažený, to ví každý, kdo už má pár křížků za sebou. Při poslechu prvotiny italských BECERUS si připadám, jakoby mi někdo právě vrtal v hlavě.
Skupina je složena ze tří zkušených muzikantů - Giorgio (Assumption, Morbo, Undead Creep, Haemophagus), Mario (Balatonizer) a Paul Bicipitus, kteří se rozhodli, že se tentokrát vydají do teritoria, ve kterém se hraje death metal převážně americké školy.
BECERUS se vám nabourají do hlavy podobným způsobem jako CANNIBAL CORPSE, MONSTROSITY, BROKEN HOPE, BRUTALITY, BAPHOMET a další smečky, které kombinují ve své tvorbě maniakální rychlost, šílenství a temnotu. Kapela nenechala nic náhodě. Má dobrý zvuk, morbidní obal. To by ale v dnešní době nestačilo. Skladby jsou velmi dobře napsány, obsahují drive, pradávnou sílu. Není to ale jen dobře odvedené řemeslo. Pánové přidali spoustu temné energie. Při poslechu budete sedět v elektrickém křesle, riffy vás budou žhavit a pálit. Líbí se mi surovost a syrovost, které ze skladeb cítím. Odhodlání zabíjet hudbou. Italové připomínají dokonale seřízený stroj. Nezapomínají na všechna nepsaná pravidla dobrého death metalu a přidávají něco navíc - kus sebe samého. Najednou mi nevadí, že mám díru v hlavě, s chutí vstřebávám každý nový song. "Homo Homini Brutus" je prvotinou, která rozhodně stojí za pozornost. Zadřela se mi postupně pod kůži, rád jsme se k ní často a s chutí vracel. BECERUS vám propláchnou mozek kyselinou, pohřbí vás zaživa a vy za to budete ještě rádi. Death metalové monstrum se probudilo! Roztrhá vás na kusy! Totální masakr!
Asphyx says:
Skull trepanation, electric shocks. Experiments on people, still an actual topic. Do some individuals also seem like machines to you? They are never tired, they never sleep. Maybe it's a white powder, but it's more of an intervention in the brain. Former murderers and rapists, someone innocent here and there, the world is corrupt, everyone who already has a few crosses behind them knows that. Listening to the first Italian BECERUS, I feel as if someone is just drilling in my head.
The group consists of three experienced musicians - Giorgio (Assumption, Morbo, Undead Creep, Haemophagus), Mario (Balatonizer) and Paul Bicipitus, who have decided to go to the territory where death metal is played mostly in American school way.
BECERUS will break into your head in a similar way as CANNIBAL CORPSE, MONSTROSITY, BROKEN HOPE, BRUTALITY, BAPHOMET and other bands, which combine manic speed, madness and darkness in their work. The band left nothing to chance. It has a good sound, morbid cover. But that would not be enough nowadays. The songs are very well written, they contain drive, ancient power. But it's not just a well-done craft. The gentlemen added a lot of dark energy. As you listen, you will sit in an electric chair, the riffs will glow and burn you. I like the rawness which I feel from the songs. Determination to kill with music. The Italians resemble a perfectly tuned machine. They don't forget all the unwritten rules of good death metal and add something extra - a piece of themselves. Suddenly I don't mind having a hole in my head, I like to absorb every new song with gusto. "Homo Homini Brutus" is their first release and it is definitely worth attention. It gradually got stuck under my skin, I liked to come back to it often and with gusto. BECERUS will flush your brain with acid, bury you alive and you'll be happy for that. Death metal monster woke up! It will tear you to pieces! A total massacre!
A few questions - interview with death metal band from Italy - BECERUS.
Answered Giorgio, thank you!
Ave, can you introduce your band to our readers? – When was it founded and what style of music do you play etc.?
Sure! Mario (Balatonizer) and me started Becerus in early 2020. We play mortal death metal with a strong ignorant feel. By the way, „Becerus“ is fake latin for „vulgar“. That’s pretty much it man!
Where and under what conditions were you recording the new album? Who was in charge of sound, production and mastering?
Our first album „Homo Homini Brutus“ was recorded in two different settings, i.e. my own home studio in Veneto, northern Italy and Tone Deaf Studios in Palermo, Sicily, our hometown. Everything but the vocals was done in my studio, so I handled the mix myself. The record was then mastered by Carlo Altobelli at Toxic Basement Studio, Carate Brianza, Italy.
How many copies were released and which medium was used for this new edition (CD, digital, vinyl, cassette)?
A run of 1000 CDs has been printed while tapes are much more limited, only 100 available. It’s also out there on each digital platform if you’re into cyber fruition.
Who is the author of the lyrics and how were they created and about what do the lyrics deal with?
Becerus have absolutely no lyrics! When we started the project, Mario was totally adamant about that one thing. Bear in mind he’s been singing without lyrics since the second half of the 90’s as his first band, Balatonizer, were pretty much on the same path and thus paved the way for this lyrics-less choice. The violently obese creature on the front cover of our album is called the Becer. He‘s a long haired, primordially cretin and brutal monster whose only aim is to smash stuff and grunt all day long. At this point you can see Mario’s growls and screams as the original anti-language of the Becer!
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?
Our friend Sandro Di Girolamo drew the logo while the artwork was made by talented USA artist Dahmer. Both artists have pretty killer portfolios so make sure you check them out on the net. My girlfriend Sara/Devilsindetails takes care of layouts, extra promo graphics and all have you. Speaking of social networks, I don’t like them at all but they’re necessary evil and they surely make and underground band’s life much easier on many different levels, be it record scheduling or even tour planning and promoting and such.
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?
Our label Everlasting Spew Records is simply the most dedicated and supporting platform you can ever wish to be on in Italy. It’s run by people who are driven by a very strong passion and are 100% committed to the cause of death metal. They believed in our idiotic music right from the start and took care of each and every production detail painstakingly. On a sidenote, another band of mine (Assumption, doom death metal) is on Everlasting Spew too, so we’ve known each other for years. We couldn’t be happier at this point really.
Which bands do you idolise and where do you get your inspiration?
We listen to tons of varied music but Becerus for sure draws inspiration from Florida gods like Cannibal Corpse, Monstrosity, Brutality, Deicide and old USDM in general with people like Broken Hope, Baphomet, Morta Skuld and many many more.
Did you send your record to some Labels - which are the labels? How was the response?
We had a contact list when first trying to get a deal for the album but the very first one we wanted to get in touch with was Everlasting Spew in any case, and their response was very good right from the start. You know, we share a real passion for ignorance!
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?
We have never been able to play any gig as Becerus were born in the first year of the complete live music shutdown. We usually prefer old sweaty clubs where you can smell the piss, beer and shit of people raving together. I like open air concerts too but many situations would fit, even goat farms or rusty auto junkyards! We are most at home with surreal and grotesque situations.
What about your plans for the future? What do you want to achieve with the band?
Our only aim is to make more ignorant, brutal and crushing music and then unleash the rage of the Mighty Becer upon mankind, planning weird, insane artworks and thinking about the next idiotic brainwave. Brain? Which brain?
How and where can your fans contact you? Can you provide some contact information?
Fans and promoters can always get in touch via email, just drops us a line at becerusdeath@gmail.com. The Becer will be glad to reply by smashing the keyboard with his powerful primate hands!
Thanx for the interview.
Thanks a lot to you and to everyone patient enough to endure this flood of crap! GRUNT!!!
Ave SHADOWSPAWN! Greetings to Denmark. I hope everything is fine with you. I have your new album "The Biology of Disbelief" at home for review and I'm really looking forward to the original CD. The album was released 4 years after the equally good album "Hope Lies Dormant" (2017). How did the new album originate and how did its release affect the current situation with covid 19?
>Hi Jakub,
Thank you for reaching out to us, we are much obliged.
We are well thank you. We hope that you are well too.
I think the new album is the natural outcome of us waiting till the right tracks were in place and the time was right also. We have had some discrepancies with our line-up, so we had to set the right team also. It took some time but here we are, back again! ;)
Well, Covid-19….besides the obvious downsides to it, it didnt really affect the record in any way. We dont have any themed songs about it, or was disturbed in the recording as such.
Guess we got off easy on that part ;)
I'm an old fan of honest death and thrash and I have to say that I really like the sound of the new album. Where did you record and who is signed to the mix and production? How did you feel about going to the studio? Compared to the previous recording, do I find "The Biology of Disbelief" rawer, darker, colder, was that a purpose?
>Thank you. We really like the sound of the 90’s and early 00’s, so its good to hear that our addiction to the old school vibe is audible. We do like however, to experiment a bit, and add flavours into our sound and working it out the way we think it should be. It is that combination you hear on the record I think….and hope ;)
The drums were record with Tue Madsen at his Antfarm Studios. Everything else from guitars, bass, vocals and effects are recorded by ourselves at our own rehearsal/studio. I (Kelvin, Bass) have mixed it. And it was then mastered by Angioni Studios in Denmark.
Being able to record at our own, and do in our own pace, made the process better for us.
There's a skeleton on the cover, maybe death itself. I like to come back to it and watch this cover while I listen to your record. What exactly is it supposed to represent? And how is it related to "The Biology of Disbelief"? Does that mean you don't believe in the human race? Who is the author of the cover and how did you get together?
>Haha well, we do belive in the human race ;)....The cover is merely a mash up of ideas that we had and ended up like that. As the lyrical theme on the record is somewhat abstract but also pounding on some darker elements, the cover suits this quite good we think.
Each band has a different recipe for composing new songs. What is the one with SHADOWSPAWN? Do you have everything ready in advance when you go to the studio? Or are you improvising? Please describe the process of creating new songs.
>Very good question! For both “Hope…” and now “The Biology…”, Nicolai, Oliver and I, have each contributed to the tracklist with complete worked out songs. So we meet at our own (small) studio and record a temporary template or the whole shabam. Just the guitar tracks and then some simple computer drums. Then we listen and adjust this and that and in the end we have like 20-25 tracks like that. So when the whole band agree on 10-12 tracks that we think are awesome, then we record the for real. Drums done right at a studio and guitars, bass etc. done right. In the end, Bue and I create the vocal parts and Bue screams his head of! ;)
From there its mixing and mastering. We do improvise on solo’s and vocal parts. You know, sometimes a vocal part was just a rehearse or a test, but then it sounds great and added some new angle to the part.
Your music can be described as old honest death thrash metal. Are you faithful not only to the sound but also to the lyrics? What are you talking about on "The Biology of Disbelief" and who wrote them?
>Well, we never had the idea that we need to be live up to something, or fit into a certain box. We do what make us feel good, and what we think sounds good. Most of our lyrics are written by me (Kelvin), and are theatrical reflections on your everyday observations in the world. Trying to put the listener in focus and appeal to your inner personality....basically, be YOU, stand up for what YOU belive and dont let anyone control you.
In recent years, I have been a big fan of bands like UNDERGANG, DEIQUISITOR. The Danish death metal scene seems to be very strong. Is that really so? What about clubs, festivals there? And what about fans? Do they buy media, merch, support bands? Please let us take a look at your great scene.
>Oh yeah, the Danish metal scene is quite strong I believe! We get good media attention, and some of our biggest names these days like Artillery, BAEST, and many more gets played on national radio, TV etc. Further more metal in Denmark (like in most of Europe I think) is just plan strong! People are living it and showing up to concerts and festivals. Also, these last few years have seen the birth of many small metal festivals here in Denmark. Like 300-800 people or so, spanning a few days and getting one or two foreing band to headline, and then invite Danish bands to play along side. Most excellent and very nice to have some smaller venues to have fun at, drink some beer and bang your head ;)
Who influenced you in your beginnings? For example, I still literally adore ARTILLERY from Denmark. I've been listening to them for over thirty years. What was the main impulse for you to start playing, and found a band? And why death metal? Please guide us through the history of SHADOWSPAWN.
> Artillery is also old heroes of ours. In the book of old heroes, I think that I can speak for all of Shadowspawn when I mention Death, Morbid Angel, Carcass, Pestilence, Sepultura, Entombed...
Its hard to put words on how each band influenced us...cause we are just living our lives and living with these bands plus many more one the stereo, so when you are into a style of music, you are that music I think.
Do you remember the 1990s in metal? How was it in Denmark? Did you collect tapes? Under socialism, everything was just via black market here , I envied polish fans for example, because there everything was freer after all. How did you become a fan?
>Do I ever!! the 90’s where the cradle of my life in music! ;)
We shared tapes, we stared at my parents record player while “Altars of Madness” ran it, we stole beer from the shop and grew our hair. We sad with a ghettoblaster hearing “Benath the remains” for the first time...ow man! the 90’s...We didnt suffer socialism in Denmark the way you did. We had easy access to records and tapes. Sad to hear you didnt have the same access as we did back then, but maybe you then enjoyed it even more, or in another way when you then heard it? It must have meant something else to you, during that time I gather?
Everything is closed now, but what about SHADOWSPAWN and concerts? I've seen a couple of recorded gigs on youtube, but you know, it's not that. For example, I prefer a small club where I am in direct contact with the band. Are you planning a tour in the future? Or is it too costly for you? Where did you play the farthest? Do you have a dream where you would like to perform?
>Yes well, we have three concerts coming up in August til October. Minor festivals and a club gig. We haven't done any shows outside Denmark yet, but we would love to do so! A tour down Europe would certainly be one of our top most dreams!
How do you perceive death metal and thrash metal? Is it just music or a lifestyle for you? I would be interested in your opinion as a musician. How would you define these styles and what do they mean to you?
> Personally to me, it mainly a question on how the lyrics work. You can take any thrashy song and put growls to it, and it will sound way different. If you took a Shadowspawn track, and had a clean vocalist do some thrasy vocals on it, it would prolly sound like a thrash band. To us its about nerve and “darkness”...the tight nerve from a evil growl and the theatrics we can build around that.
What are SHADOWSPAWN planning in the upcoming months?
>We parted with Danni Jelsgaard who played the drums on “The Biology”. Long story short, Danni is a awesome drummer, but way to busy with other bands than we could cope with. So we are the process of getting a new drummer into place, and it looks like we have found the most awesome and excellent guy! Looking forward to play our new album live and get out there on the stages!
Thank you so much for the interview. You know what, I'm going to play your new album "The Biology of Disbelief" again! I still can't "get rid" of it. I'm really looking forward to the CD when it comes home to me. That's it. I wish you great CD sales, all the best in your personal lives and cheers…!
>Aw man! So glad to hear it and the pleasure is on our side! Hope you get that CD in your mail soon! :)
