I admit that the recent actions of Sodom, the first full-length of the Thai Nuclear Warfare and just the debut album Ancestor, are three reasons why I have been watching the Thrash scene much more carefully, one I have neglected so far. And Ancestor is at the forefront here! This young team from China plays as if we wanted many veterans of the scene to play. They take handfuls of Teutonic Thrash under the sign of Destruction, Kreator or Sodom, adding to it something from the old American scene, like Death Angel and Dark Angel influences. I invite you to read the conversation I had last year with Li Meng - guitarist and leader of the band

1. Hi there Li Meng! What's new in Ancestor's camp? As far as I know there is a new album coming next year, right?

Hi buddy, I’m very excited to be interviewed by Oldschool Metal Maniac. We performed a massive tour in Asia in February for our last album, Lords of Destiny. After that, we have hardly scheduled a concert. As you said, we are currently working on our next album, but before we release that we will have a new song included on a compilation of Asian thrash metal.

2. I guess it's your very first interview for the Polish Metal press. Do you have a chance to reach European scene already? Johannes Chan from Destruktion Records is Ancestor's great supporter and I remember reading interview with you in his Bestial Desecration fanzine.

Yes, this is my first interview with Polish metal press. Previously, we were invited to perform in the Czech Republic, but during that time we were on tour in Asia. Johannes is a great guy; he’s really obsessed with the music of ANCESTOR. The interview that you mention was actually done by another guy named Jero. He owns a label called Eerie Hint Productions. The tape versions of the first ANCESTOR album and the EP were both released by him. Both Johannes and Jero are real underground metal maniacs! I'm very honored to have their support and help.

3. Let's get back to the beginnings of the band to introduce you a bit to the Polish maniacs. How you guys met and what inspired you then to start making your own music?

Hail, Polish maniacs, we are ANCESTOR, an underground thrash metal band from Beijing, China.

The band was formed in 2004 by our drummer and myself. There was only two of us at first. I recall, back in the summer of 2007, we got an opportunity to perform, so we found a temporary guitarist and a bass player to join us to complete the group for the show. After the show, a maniac fan came to us and insisted to join the band, so the duo became a trio! That was how we found our first official bass player. During this time in 2007, a true barbarian carrying a Jackson showed up and he became our guitarist. Finally, in 2009, for the first time, ANCESTOR got a complete line-up.

4. Your Thrash Metal art seems to be highly influenced by the old European bands, especially the ones from Germany, like Kreator, Sodom and Destruction. Do you have any memories when you listen to these for the first time? Why you have decided on such style instead of more popular US Thrash? Does your band name means that correspondence with the European Thrash godfathers?

Yes, our music is influenced by a large number of European metal bands. I am fascinated by the solemn, dark artistic atmosphere that they create. I also like US Thrash, such as the great MEGADETH, but when I heard KREATOR’s Pleasure to Kill, I knew this was the style of music I really wanted to play! Underground, brutal and aggressive! In fact, our name comes from a Chinese band called OVERLOAD. They have a famous single called The Shades of Ancestors. They were the very first Chinese Thrash Metal band.

5. Heard, that from the very beginning the band suffered from frequent line-up changes and because of that 10 years needed to pass to officially release your first material - "Age of Overload" EP. Could your recall that period and why it took so much time to stabilize the band?

From the beginning, only the drummer and I have been constant members. In 2008, we moved from our hometown to Beijing in order to see how far ANCESTOR could go. We’ve had a number of lineups - musicians came and left. In the past, this has made the band’s future unclear. The most crucial issue that we’ve collided with in the past is finding genuine, underground metal musicians. This is really difficult! When it comes to musicians in Beijing, some of them can be exceptional, skilled in technique, but they know nothing about metal music, leaving underground metal behind. As far as I’m concerned, without the underground spirit, a musician is only soulless and machine-like. The songs on Age of Overload were written and ready for recording in 2010, but at that time we went through the first major lineup change, so recording the album had to be postponed. 7 years later, in 2017, we successfully released Age of Overload on the band’s 10th anniversary.

6. So far you have one EP and a debut album, what was the response on both materials in China and other countries you've managed to reach? For me, and to be honest, such bands like your are the hope of Thrash scene.

Thanks for your kind words! Here in China metal fans are more familiar with US Thrash, Retro Thrash and Modern Thrash. So many of them don’t really understand what we are doing. We didn’t get much following after the release of the album. So, we were very surprised to be featured in several international metal music magazines and websites. Lords of Destiny was even included in some of their 2018 top 5 or top 10 lists. As a Chinese thrash metal band, this has made us feel more confident with the release and we consider this a huge accomplishment. Our achievements have encouraged us to forge ahead and put out even more heavyweight thrash metal assaults in the future.

7. Do you have any special memories connected with the recording of "Lords of Destiny" and concerts you gave to promote the album?

We started recording Lords of Destiny in May of 2018 with our former bass player, Zhang Jinliang. Age of Overload was also recorded by him and he did an excellent job with both albums.

The most memorable thing about recording Lords of Destiny is that Inner Struggle was written the day before we recorded it. We didn’t have any time to rehearse it. We just recorded it. On August 18, 2018, we took part in a gig called Thrashing Madness Attack, which was the official release date for the album. Then we started a large-scale Asian tour which lasted until February this year. The last stop was True Thrash Fest in Japan. There were about 50 gigs on this touring circuit, which here in China is considered unprecedented for an extreme metal band.

8. Could you tell me how the extreme Metal scene in China looks like? Could you recommend any bands, releases for us to check?

I don't think the way that China’s Extreme Metal is developing is proper. Many of the older bands don’t desire to continue, while the newer bands are lured by profit. These people lack an essential element of metal music—the true underground spirit. China also lacks excellent and fair metal music media. Fans no longer focused on music as before, they prefer to buy T-shirts, patches, anything that looks good and makes them seem metal. Even though I still find the Extreme Metal environment in promising. There are still some good bands I'd like to recommend, such as Dugu, Skeletal Augury, Holokastrial, Rupture, The Metaphor, Deathpact, Hellfire, Hellward, and Chaotic Aeon.

9.When talking about influences and stuff you listen to, I bet you do not limit yourself to Thrash only. What other genres are among your favourites, bands, maybe records if you like to mention a few? Are you going to add some Black/Death elements to your Ancestor's music on the upcoming record?

Besides Thrash Metal, I listen to a lot of Black Metal and Death Metal... I think the classic albums of the '80s and '90s influences every new band and will continue to do so until the day when there is no underground metal music on earth. I think the following bands are the ones that every metalhead must listen to, such as: KREATOR, BATHORY, SODOM, DESTRUCTION, PROTECTOR, POISON, AGRESSOR, DESASTER, MERCILESS, DEATH, POSSESSED, EGZEKUTHOR, TORMENTOR , SACRIFICE, DESTROYER 666, INCUBUS, DEAD HEAD, MESSIAH, MASSACRA, PESTILENCE, SADUS, SEPULTURA, NIFELHEIM, IMMORTAL, AURA NOIR and NECROMANTIA. There are too many great bands and they all have affected what music I create and the path that my life is all about. If I had to mention only one album, it has to be Pleasure To Kill. As far as I’m concerned, it's the best Thrash album ever and will never be surpassed. ANCESTOR’s next album will be more aggressive and will have a touch of Black/Death elements.

10.When mentioning an upcoming release there is a matter of tour as well, are there any plans for a Europe gigs, visiting Poland maybe?

A European tour is and has been our dream all along. If all goes well, maybe next year.

Currently, we are looking for a booking agency. Hopefully, we could take our new killer album to the underground metal scene in Europe! See you in Poland, man!

11. You are also a men behind Awakening Records, am I correct? You have already released the Ancestor's debut under this label, but also the reissue of "Gloomy Night Stories" by Inferno Requiem and Nightbound self-titled EP. Both bands are completely different, on one hand there is a Hard Rock stuff, and on the other raw Black Metal. I guess you are not limiting yourself to only extreme art. Please tell me how you got started with releasing stuff and what inspired you to do so?

Yes, you are right! I started Awakening Records with two friends in 2017. Both of them are 666 % pure metalheads. Personally, I prefer extreme metal of the '80s and '90s，their tastes are a lot more across-the-board than mine. So, AR’s releases are not limited to just Black, Death and Thrash.

No matter what, we all share the same viewpoint: to pursue high-quality metal music and produce high-quality records. I believe every diehard dreams of owning their own label to distribute records of the bands that they love. I had this dream 20 years ago when I was just an uninformed kid. Now I am finally realizing this dream, though there is still a lot of things I need to learn. Because of this, I would like to share my appreciation to all the underground metal music labels!

12.Now something different but still connected with the label. What is your opinion on downloading music, its digital version and the situation of the physical stuff? I think you are strongly defending the vinyl, cd, tape format and its quality.

Thank you for your kind words about Awakening Records. Yes, times are changing, science and technology are growing strong. Every new step produces both good and bad influences. When I started to listen to extreme metal, many of the older underground bands did not have their albums reprinted yet, and express delivery was not as convenient as it is today. So, it was difficult to get what you wanted. Because of this, I initially downloaded a lot of MP3s and in recent years and have been able to start purchasing these wonderful albums because they have been reprinted on a large scale.

I don’t look down upon any digital format. It’s more practical, especially when you’re on the road touring. I mean, no one wants to be lugging around tons of CDs.

I think that most people are like me. We still buy CDs, vinyl, and tapes but we also enjoy the convenience of digital format.

13.I know you are familiar with Polish metal scene, both old and new, are there any bands you like most? Do they have any influence on you when writing music for Ancestor?

Yes, I'm familiar withsome metal bands from Poland. In fact, I first became aware of Polish metal thanks to Thrashing Madness Productions. I’m impressed with EGZEKUTHOR, MERCILESS DEATH, HELLIAS, MORTAL SLAUGHTER, LASTWAR, and GHOST. The underground metal spirit and feeling of all these great bands have had some influence on my music. In general, all the TMP releases are worth collecting. In 2014, the Polish band Wolf Spider came to China. ANCESTOR had the honour to open the gig.

14.Ok, that's will be the end for now. Thanks for all the answers and your time. It was a damn pleasure to have you here and the possibility to introduce Ancestor to OMM readers. If you have anything to add, or any message to Polish Metal maniacs now it's the time. Metal regards and hope to see you soon in Poland!

It was great be interviewed by OMM. This will be a very important addition to ANCESTOR's experiences! Hail to all OMM readers! A killer show will soon be held for the Polish Metal maniacs! It's time to Rise by Sin!

  Przemysław Bukowski

Apocalypticists, the brand-new album by KSM was out on October 21, 2018. In my view, tis` a good reason to inquire M about some details in connection with this very recording. I also allowed myself to ask about MGLA who are going to provide us with their new album quite soon. Ok, no need to waste our time. Lads and ladies, please read on.

Hello M. It’s been nine years since we spoke. A lot has happened during those years. I think that the premiere of KRIEGSMASCHINE`s latest album as well as MGLA`s forthcoming recording are good reasons enough to talk about your music. Can we start?

1. Exercises in Futility was released four years ago. Same for Enemy of Man. So much and so little time has passed, indeed. I am sure that you`ve been quite busy over the last four years, am I correct?

As for MGLA, we played live during that time. We did almost 100 shows in three continents over the span of two years. Of course, 100 wouldn’t be a shocking amount if we were a proper, incessantly touring band but for an independent BM group this number seems quite impressive. In December 2017, we suspended playing live. We`ll resume in March 2019. In the meantime, we stealthily recorded and released KRIEGSMASCHINE`s new album and are currently working on MGLA, too. As previously, we`re dealing with all the components ourselves, I mean we compose, record, release and distribute our music on our own; so, we`re quite busy but can’t complain, really.

2. Apocalypticists by KRIEGSMASCHINE was released in late October 2018. This album is much slower than your previous recordings. I would say this stuff is more atmospheric and one can clearly notice how much KSM have progressed over the last four years. As artists, you still have a lot to say. What Apocalypticists features is hardly comparable to what other bands can come up with these days. How difficult is it to write/compose original music presently?

To make a pure black metal album was one of our goals, however, using a different foundation by contrast with standard BM recordings. Due to this unorthodox approach, blended with this very overwhelming atmosphere of the whole recording, repetitive arrangements and so on, I, in result, expected Apocalypticists would be given a much worse reception than it actually did. I was “pleasantly” disappointed, so to say.

3. To say the least, the way Apocalypticists` has been recorded and sounds is, by all means, stunning. All the elements, all the minute details have been meticulously elaborated and worked on. I am curious to know how much time you guys spend on rehearsing/working on music before a proper recording session takes place? How often do you rehearse, in general? Do you work on music at home alone and bring rough versions of songs to your rehearsals or does the music get done while jamming and rehearsing together?

Thank you for your kind words. The first phase of working on a new album begins when we start gathering up ideas the moment the previous recording is complete. It takes, usually, a couple of years; after which we take a look at the basic, raw material we`ve brought forth, select what we need, work on further arrangements and keep writing and adding new parts. This phase takes some months. While working on Apocalypticists we didn’t rehearse at all. It all was pre-produced, so to say; I mean we worked on rough versions on a computer, those versions featured previously recorded parts, and when we had the song structures ready, we started the proper recording of tracks. KRIEGSMASCHINE is nowadays a purely studio band and its music is created “in layers”, I mean after we had recorded drums and lead guitar tracks, we composed and recorded additional parts of guitar and bass lines, then worked on vocals and so on. It went quite smoothly; in total, from the very first recording day to final mastering it took us three months in total.

4. I am wondering why so vital people like you guys certainly are, are able to create such gloomy and dark music. What inspires you to play such sinister sounds?

We create music which mirrors our inner self, which is based on and shaped into forms that interact with ourselves. These very specific parts of our inner selves aren’t manifested by musical activates exclusively. We strive not to, at least.

5. The KSM`s new album was composed by you and another guy, without Destroyer. Does it imply Konrad ain`t part of KSM any longer?

That’s correct.

6. I can still remember the time when KRIEGSMASCHINE used to play live a lot. MGLA, on the flip side, was a studio project. Now, it’s the other way around. Does it mean we`ll not get a chance to see KSM play live again in the future? I would say to play the whole Apocalypticists album live may arduous a task indeed.

Well, if this happens it will take place in remote future. First off, to do so, we`d have to regularly rehearse the album songs for a couple of months and ought to expand our line-up, too. It won’t happen in the next months, for sure, maybe even years.

7. While working on Apocalypticalists you guys were also busy with MGLA`s new album. Can you please spill the beans and tell us some more about band’s forthcoming stuff? Is it going to be in the vein of your latest album or should we expect something new and revolutionary?

We`ve elaborated a particular black metal style of ours and this style hasn’t completely dried up yet. We don’t expect any drastic volte-face to take place.

8. When MGLA`s new album is out, you will embark on a European tour together with REVENGE/DOOMBRINGER/DEUS MORTEM. Can you please tell us some more about this tour? Where are you going to show up? When exactly are you starting off?

The tour starts on April 27 in Berlin and will feature 19 gigs in Central-Western Europe, mostly in Germany, France as well as four live shows in Poland. All the participants have known and respected each other for years. The enterprise itself is a bottom-up project, including Steve who was responsible for our previous European tour with AOSOTH, as well as Mintaj of Left Hand Sounds, who`s been helping us out with organizational issues since the beginning of this year. We prefer to get our hands dirty but to stay independent with no heavily breathing tour agency supervising us; an agency run by a bunch of dynamic yuppies, skillfully adapting to trending requirements imposed by contemporary music industry. In other words, by sneaky rats.

9. You`ve already played live in Europe, USA as well as Australia. Are you going to show up in other Asian countries, like Japan, for instance, too? Are you going to partake in other events apart from the above-mentioned tour with REVENGE?

So far, we`ve got nearly 40 live shows confirmed. This year, it`ll be Europe only. In 2020, we`ll focus on other continents. Japan is planned on our way to Australia. South and North America will follow, that’s for sure.

10. Apart from KRIEGSMASCHINE/MGŁA you also are busy with recording other bands` music. Tell us about your recent doings, please?

My studio work is restricted to working on bands that belong to my friends. I am so busy with my own shit I have no time to run a full-time studio. In 2018, I cooperated with OWLS WOODS GRAVES, DEATH LIKE MASS, LVCIFYRE. The DEUS MORTEM`s new album is almost done and fully mixed. Also, there is something going on with MEDICO PESTE`s new stuff,

11. While chatting some time ago, you mentioned you had quite a number of ambient ideas you would like to record. Is it going to be another chapter of ARCA FUNEBRIS or something new?

I have recorded a lot of ideas but I have no time, motivation or interest to work on these, finalize these and release. In the recent years, I finally managed to enter the world of modular synthesizers, with the focal point on DIY and if time allows, I am going to realize a couple of ideas connected to generative music, which stands for self-generating where my role will be located somewhere between being an engineer and conductor. Stylistically, it can be considered dark ambient or some heavier forms of death industrial/power electronics; or somewhere in between – it all depends on my mood or what part of a day it is.

12. Let’s get back to Apocalypticists for a moment, shall we. I would say this album is very drumming – oriented. Was it your initial idea to expose this instrument that much or did it just happen on its own?

Yes, that’s correct. I would say that since Enemy of Man was out, KSM has become more and more rhythm oriented. The main idea wasn’t to make the drums sound as loud as possible but to base the structure of an album on other types of rhythms – different from blast beats and double pedal. In other words, to create a black metal album devoid of what I call a fundamental, rhythmic BM structure. MGLA is more conservative in this context. Riffs and vocals are of utmost importance, the aim of the percussion section is to provide a proper pulse.

13. A lot of great music to show up in 2018, for sure. Any favourite, stunning albums you can recommend to us? Is it black metal only or some other types of music, too?

Frankly, I don’t follow what’s new too much. I did enjoy CLANDESTINE BLAZE`s new album though. I also got to like FUNERAL MIST – did take me some time, I must say. As for BM I used to listen to KATHARSIS` World without End and BURZUM`s Hvis Lyset Tar Oss alternately and those two were enough for me. Plus, industrial, experimental and modern music. I tried to catch up with a number of older items too. To relax I listened to a lot of Obituary of the Americas by GENOCIDE ORGAN.

14. These days, we witness a number of spectacular reunions. TORMENTOR is back, Tom Warrior reanacts HELLHAMMER`s songs live. What is your view on this matter?

I have no view, whatsoever. It is because my perception of music is based on the 90s music. I have no sentiment about earlier stuff I mean it aint strong enough to get me interested again in it. Well, if Vikernes feels like reactivating his band in 5-10 years, I will surely have more to say.

15. Many ardent black metal fans claim black metal must correspond to Devil himself. What do you think about such an approach? Your lyrics don’t deal with Satan too much, I would say. If ever, indeed.

Indirectly yes, not mentioning the very Name. Because it, indeed, narrows down the issue, automatically. In my view black metal must be based on an emotional foundation as well as conceptual or ideological one. If these aren’t present, well, this sort of music becomes popular music which is beyond what I am interested in. Both as receiver and creator.

16. Over the years, black metal has evolved a lot. Frankly speaking, it doesn’t resemble the music it was in the beginning. Is it good or bad that this genre has changed so drastically.

First off, due to better distribution and increased availability, BM has ceased to be a niche kind of music. And thus, at least for an average listener, it`s become just another music genre. In result, many elements of black metal have penetrated pop culture, be it through inspirations other artists operating in other fields draw from BM; like aesthetics or symbolism, music arrangements and so on, then placed in totally different context. This is the tip of the iceberg, so to say. I mean these artists have learned about the most popular bands only; which doesn’t imply these bands are most important. For a person who originates from black metal underground, his natural reaction is somewhere between doubt and revulsion. Yet, statically speaking, we are a minority group. As for BM`s stylistic evolution, well, this is metal`s only subgenre where, I would say, new, interesting and inspiring things appear, constantly. Bearing in mind that black metal was supposed (all along) to be an anti-mainstream type of music, different from anything around there might be, well, I prefer looking for new ideas than listening to tribute bands.

17. Time to wrap up, I guess. If you want to add anything for our Old School Metal Maniac Magazine readers, feel free to do so. Thanks for your answers. Take care.

Thank you.

By NecronosferatuS

DEKAPITED is another interesting  band which represents mighty Chilean  metal scene. And since Defense Rec released their new EP this year, I considered it to be a reason enough to find out what’s new in Chileans’ camp. Enjoy your reading.

1. Hello and how are you? Well, long time no see! How you’ve been since we talked last?

Long time brother! I've been fine, always making music. Also on tours and working on my bands and projects, DEKAPITED and INVOCATION SPELLS.

2.Well, the reason we`re chatting right now is your new EP which I happened to get from your Polish distributor. This CD features a bunch of live tracks plus four brand new studio cuts with this ‘Evil Dead’ movie cult intro. This is a really stunning stuff, but not long enough! Please tell me why you guys haven’t opted for a full length instead, hey?

The way in which we create is based on EP-LP-EP-LP order. We opted like this, because in that way we are able to put out our material constantly. To make an EP requires half less work and costs than an LP, and since 2 years ago we changed formation. We wanted to shape some record and now we are working on the next LP!!!

3. ‘Sin Misericordia’ was originally released through Suicide Records in 2017 and re-released through Defense Records with extra live tracks from your gig with SLAYER. Can you please tell us some more about it? Thank you.

Yes, there are also the editions from El Salvador, China, and soon Mexico! The only version that brings the live tracks played in SLAYER’s gig is under Defense Records. And the truth is that we are very happy that Defense can launch and distribute our new EP in Europe, as well as our previous album "Nacidos del odio".

4. How did it feel to be able to share the stage with such a cult outfit which SLAYER surely is? What other bands have you played with? Which gig has been best so far?

The year 2017 was incredible for us!!! We could play with SLAYER-TESTAMENT-VENOM-EXUMER-VIOLATOR-NERVOSA. It would be a dream year for any band!!! In previous years we also played with TOXIC HOLOCAUST, TOXIK, RATOS DE PORAO and WARBRINGER, but without a doubt SLAYER for us is of the most relevant bands to play with!!!
The best part was the way we got there! Since people chose us as a Chilean support band for SLAYER! There were no tricky things like are usual to happen in South America... So very happy for the support of the people that was also reflected in our show!

5. ‘Nacidos Del Odio’ was out three years ago. Are you going to record any new stuff this year? A full length perhaps?

I was thinking that during this year I should dedicate myself to the creation of the LP album, to be able to record in 2019 and to do some tour around Europe soon!

6. Here in Poland there`ve always been plenty of people who`ve always been into the Chilean scene. Me too, man, I have always revered the bands from your side of the world. Just the sheer amount of bands is strikingly huge, how’s it possible there are so many good bands in there? I think it is a safe assumption to say, that if you`re from Chile you must be either a football player or a metal music musician. Is it really so?

Ahahaha,  yes, I also feel that here in Chile we have the best metal bands currently! And the issue of quantity is also given because many musicians usually have 2 or 3 bands. The truth is that the potential in Chile is very good, too many good bands! Here is the essence, here are the roots, here is the hatred!!!

7. What is so awesome is 99 per cent of your bands hail the old school metal approach – in result, all the stuff coming from your country is characterized by the lack of over-polished sound. That’s amazing man, and pretty hard to achieve these days. How easy/difficult is it to get such filthy, putrid sound?

Yes! many bands look and prefer the old sound!!! This is where the essence and the magic of metal is! We do not like the bands that have modern sound or riffs; here, metal is aggressiveness, rage, hate! We are defined in 100% by a rustic sound! We look for that and we like to be and sound like that! Many members of bands also have home studios where they make their records. Others prefer more complete recording studios, but are also looking for the old sound! Using old equipment too! Drums of 90s, amps of 90 era.. etc.!

8. Talking about your latest EP, well it features a really nice front cover. Who`s responsible for this infernal fire?

The designer is Elias Tormentor (elias art) from Chile, fifth region of Valparaíso. Also responsible for the art of our first EP ‘Contra iglesia y estado’. It is as simple as the man devastates with pencils! he understands very well the concepts/ideas and what the band is looking for! He knows how to take the paper! A great artist!

9. Your music is undeniably defined as thrash metal. Yet, one can sense how devilish it also is! Do you believe in the existence of this horned deity?

We do not believe in any being, neither good nor bad. We believe in the badness and the capacity of the people! Let's say that it moves us more the earthly world, the rotten things of the current life! How they consume us... The goal of this living death societies! Believe only in yourself!

10. Every part of the world is characterized by their own myths and legends, with local gods, deities and demons of course, too. I am talking about the pre-Christian times certainly. Most of the Chile’s population is Roman Catholic so tell me some more about your local devils, demons or evil spirits, please.

In Chile, the whole mythological part is located in the south of the country, specifically in the island of Chiloe, where there are many characters such as pincoya, cai-cai-vilu, invunche, caleuche, trauko, fiura, carbunco, etc. An example is the story of the trauco, which are known for seducing women with their eyes, throwing their breath into their dreams and seducing them to leave them pregnant.

11. I am pretty sure you listen to a lot of music, don’t you? Any bands from Poland you know/like?

Yes! I know TERRORDOME with whom we have a split CD! I also know ACID DRINKERS, DECAPITATED, VADER, BEHEMOTH!!! Fucking killer bands!!!

12. What do you want me to wish DEKAPITED this year, huh?

Play live! Compose and make the next LP in silence! And always be aware and receiving new offers! New tours, dates, etc.! We are available!!! Just contact us!

13. Thank you very much and please feel free to add anything you like!

Cheers from Chile Leszek!!! Thanks for the killer support for DEKAPITED! I see you in Europe hell soon!!! We stand in fight!!! Support bands, support shows, support scene!!! Buy stuff of your favorite bands and keep in touch!!!

Best regards bangers!!! Aggressive and cursed thrash metal!!!

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The Chilean scene never ceases to amaze me. Since I can remember, their underground has always had a lot to say. And most importantly, it had its own unique character, combining extraordinary layers of energy with incredible passion, determination and unlimited devotion. That is why I am so eager to reach for the achievements of Chilean bands, because it is a guarantee of real emotions; here there is no falsehood, pursuit of fashion, just 100% real and heartfelt playing. The hero of our today's interview is the extremely gifted FORCE OF DARKNESS, more and more recognizable in the world! Ladies and gentlemen, I give you this amazing interview with FORCE OF DARKNESS!

• Hello and how are you? What’s the weather like in Santiago/Chile?

Hells! I am just fine, nowadays it is hot as hell!! We have summer now here.

• Well, I will tell you I have always been interested in this very particular fact. Some countries has had a long tradition when it comes to their underground metal scene whereas others have not. Just take a look at former West Germany for instance – where, at a particular time and place, there formed a bunch of great Teutonic thrash bands (MINOTAUR, DESTRUCTION, POISON and so on); by contrast, in neighboring Luxembourg or Belgium there were, indeed, very few! Another example would be Norway and Sweden with plenty of amazing bands whereas Denmark or Iceland has always had relatively a very small number of bands. And so, I want to ask you what is so special about Chile (and its people) that your scene has always been able to "spit out" evil bands of highest caliber and neighboring Argentina or Uruguay ain’t… at least from the European point of view.

Very interesting question, I think there are several factors that influence this kind of musical expression_. First, this kind of music started in places where normally there was repression and/or urban centers where a new identity could be generated in order to differentiate oneself from the rest of the population, as a way of escape and expression_ associated to a rebel feeling and the need of a new identity.

In the case of other countries (I mean the ones which are not the style originators, like South America), factors like access and music distribution of those originating countries have an influence, as well as the search for a new identity representing rebelliousness and response to the oppression, either religious, political or social, ruling the environment. I mean that if you live in a society that is constantly oppressing you, you have to react to this “attack” in some way, and there are too many ways to react. I think that the Chilean society has some kind of “psychological claustrophobia”, just for the fact that we are very far from the rest of the world and we got strong natural frontiers (Dessert, Ocean and the Andes Mountains).

When the metal movement was on its peak,  Chile was under a military regime but at the same time there was a strong influence from the USA regarding fashion and trends. In that context, the propagation of a style like metal turns faster, compared to what happened maybe in Argentina, where the war conflict with England affected the influence of British bands and English-speaking bands in general, which to my understanding caused its propagation to be slower and stayed more into “rock” influences.

• How did your perception of metal music form? When did you switch from being just a mere passive listener to an active musician? Was it, well, a natural process, I mean you had listened to and soaked with music, so to say, that you realized you needed to express yourself and add something personal to the genre or was it a purely spontaneous decision which, with time, resulted in a number of bands and recordings?

I think it became a natural and spontaneous process, I mean obviously first you liked the music and followed it many years to the point you dare try to play an instrument. Later becoming a sort of “musician” takes much more time because of the practice  that it requires to achieve a decent composition and proper songs.

At the end I believe in a constant motivation to create your own songs and sound, this is why there are always new bands spawning metal year after year.

• How is Santiago as for its metal scene? Bearing in mind how many bands there are, every second citizen of this city seems to be involved in some metal music-related project. Ha-ha. But hey, seriously speaking, is the scene tight and healthy, I mean it all involves committed people who support the scene on a daily basis? How is it compared to what it was before? Is it better or worse now? How is Santiago as for playing live and rehearsing?

Santiago is a big city (at least for us), and yes, there are a lot of people involved in metal, but as you may imagine also a lot of posers, false people and wannabes trying to create an image based on social media and cyber shit like that.

For metal sake I think is better now than 20 years ago in a lot of ways. I mean today you can find several metal record stores with quality and quantity. 20 years ago most of records stores only got the mainstream bands and basically from big labels.

We got a very healthy scene in terms of gigs, and mainly a lot of bands that are playing in the most diverse kind of metal; from death, heavy, speed, black, and everything in between and some of those are very good and serious acts. As for playing live,  actually we don’t play very often, only 3 to 4 gigs a year, and most of them not in Santiago.

• How is the rest of the country compared to Santiago as for the metal music (gigs, promotion, labels etc.)? Is it the city of Santiago which is the most important area?

Yes, actually in Santiago lives almost half the population of the whole country, but when it comes to Metal there are several important places, at least, regarding underground metal. It is a long country and in general most of band are in the concentrate in the center and south of the country, some other important cities are Valparaiso, Iquique, Temuco, Valdivia, among many others.

• What’s the main difference between metal in Chile and the rest of South America, for instance from Brazil? And from Europe in this context? Is there any point in trying to compare all these scenes to each other?

This is no expert opinion or anything like that, but nowadays I see in Chile we have a great variety of metal genres (from heavy metal to furious black metal) whereas in other countries you only get to see a particular specific genre highlighting from the rest…

I think there is no point to compare, only to enjoy the differences. I mean the German metal v/s Czech metal or v/s Greek Metal, etc.. They are all different and all are great, every country incorporates its own vision, passion, sound and particular atmosphere.

• Is Chile a good place for a metal band? How about moving to Europe for instance? Would it help as for promotion, playing live or just the opposite? Would it kill all that spontaneity the Chile’s bands have?

In Chile there are great underground bands but we also have a lot of poser shitty commercial bands nowhere related to the real underground (like in all countries I think), but the reason for living in metal may vary a lot from person to another, since not only it depends on your musical likes, but it also, and most importantly, depends on how you manage to combine and to strengthen your musical likes with your own ideology and take it to the next level… 

Lately Chile has become a very strong country when it comes to metal music. I think because in the past, there were awesome and strong bands as well that help forge a healthy scene, probably because of being at the end of the world and somehow, being away from most of the trends of the open world forge our sound and vision… so in a way, that contributes to a very particular style applied to metal.

Moving to Europe would definitely help the band it terms of promotion, exposure, playing live, etc. somehow, living in a different country would obviously affect a band, since it changes the environment of people, so that may influence other aspects as well but is not all written, I mean always depends on the bands members and the ideology behind the bands.

• Is it cheap and easy to travel over/through South America? How difficult is it, logistically and financially speaking, to fly/drive over from Chile to Brazil for instance, you know, to see some bands play live? The reason I want to know is here in Europe it is relatively easy and inexpensive to travel from one side to the other thanks to no-frills airlines and short distances. Also, it is a tradition here to go to other countries for so called summer festivals.

It’s a lot more expensive and difficult, actually I have only traveled (by air) once to see a live act to another country (Brazil actually), and it is not as easy as it is in Europe because of the distance and the offer is a lot worse. As I stated before, in Chile we are very much away from other countries and to travel by car is at least 3 days driving (almost non-stop driving).

• In Europe, "cult" would be bands like BATHORY, SODOM, SARCOFAGO and so on. Is it the same in Chile or what?

Yeah, it’s kind of the same bands are the godfathers of the underground metal movement. I think it’s something going beyond borders and timeless classics that will remain forever as the originators…

• Here in Poland, what we call "cult" bands are such crews as IMPERATOR, KAT, BETRAYER, old VADER or old PANDEMONIUM. How about Chile in this very context? Which Chilean bands are deemed cult among young metal UG maniacs over there, huh?

Yes, those Polish bands are bloody great and certainly come of them “cult” bands, as well others great bands as Exorcist, Magnus, Merciless Death, Mortal Slaughter, Scarecrow, Turbo, Xantotol, Armagedon, Egzekuthor, (Early) Hazael, among many others. Here we got our cults and classics too; acts like Pentagram, Atomic Aggressor, old Sadism, Totten Korps, Rust, old Torturer, old Death Yell, Darkness, Dominus, Inverted Cross, among many others…

• And beside the above mentioned bands, any other you know from Poland? Any old zines too? How about other East Euro bands – ROOT, TORMENTOR, MASTER`S HAMMER, CRUX?

Of course those East Euro bands are great inspiration for us. I personally really like many bands form East Europe. The ones you mentioned are my favorite ones along with Tôrr, Aria, (early) Korrozia Metalla, Kryptor, Kruiz, Pokolgep, Amon Goeth, Assessor, Evil Blood, Tudor, Antichrist (hun) etc.. Also great band from other “exotic” places like Abhorer, Impiety, Nuctemeron. Pentagram (Tur), Heller, Annathema (ser), etc.

• What is worth mentioning is FoD was formed back in 2001 but have released just two full length albums plus some demos, compilations etc. Personally, I do like such an approach, I mean it shows you`re focused on quality not quantity and are not trying to catch up with NUN SLAUGHTER, ha-ha. Isn’t it the right approach, to produce a small amount of well-executed and well-worked on stuff, what you think? Don’t get me wrong, NS is a good band, but flooding the scene with plenty of recordings of questionable quality seems flimsy. I would say one could compile maybe 2-3 full length album worth of all they`ve released.

Every band has its own way of composing. For instance, even though FoD has not released many LP albums during its lifecycle, all the songs created since the demos and ep’s and the albums are all different, so it’s been a reflection of arduous work as well. Also we believe that every song has its own aura an magick, thus recording again the same song corrupt it and changes it primal feeling.

I think that it all has to do and depends on inspiration, energies and other aspects…

By the way, nowadays we are recording our 3th album, so beware of this new revelation.                                                                   

• FORCE OF DARKNESS have, so far, cooperated with a number of labels. Your current label is NUCLEAR WAR NOW from the USA. Tell us some more about this cooperation, I mean, are you guys happy with it and does it look the way it was supposed to. Inform us a bit on the previous labels of yours, DEATH DIVISION RITUALS or PROSELYTISM. Why did you split your ways? Were those contracts "one-night stands" (ha-ha) so to say, or you weren’t too happy with promotion etc.?

Actually, NWN is Wrathprayer’s current label, and since we produced “The Wrath of Darkness” split with them, we decided to work with their label, based on the edition we all had in mind… it doesn’t mean we are signed to that label. We have been currently working with Iron Pegasus from Germany, and also Hells Headbangers from the US in our latest releases.

Regarding the old labels we worked with, we will always show our gratitude for the importance they had at that particular time, and for their support given to the band.

• I have always wondered why people participate in many different bands at the same time. For instance, does it mean, in your case, that FoD is not fully what you expect a band to be as for fulfillment of your ideas which, in turn, you utilize in other bands, like HADES ARCHER for instance? Please tell us some more about your other bands and projects you’re part of. How similar or different are these when compared to FoD (musically, lyrically etc.)?

Force of Darkness has its own and strong ideology and music genre, which means that even though many elements can be combined for our music creation, there are some boundaries within its identity, and as individuals, if one wants to innovate or simply try other elements in music, parallel bands is a valid option for us.

Similarities or differences? I think it is better to form your own opinion by listening to it.

• Your music radiates with a huge dose of dark energy; one can surely feel how strongly the band is dedicated to music and how sincere they are. It is not just the stage-related image but an everyday element in your lives too, right?

Well, what we can comment here is that the band is committed to its ideology and its music, and we are evolving along with it with every step we take. Individually, each one has its own ideology, which is later merged collectively. The composition sometimes takes too much time because we need to be inspired to do so, is not just playing…

• How do you cope with your everyday existence as this existence is of primarily Roman Catholic character? Your ideas and behaviour seem a bit different from these peculiar to the religion of the cross, right?

In South America the Spanish conquistadores brought the Christian faith, with all the shitty dogmas and belief moral systems, but that crap happened in more places around the globe, but to summarize, our culture is a mixture of internal and external traditions, which have been developed and embedded to the future generations.

Nowadays, being against Christianity and its lying system, it’s always complicated to cope with Christian morals in everyday life in a country ruled by Christian religions, and the new tolerant currents that invades us.

Since they’re embedded in our surroundings, government, etc. and they always try, directly or indirectly, governing people’s lives,  normally the best is just to ignore it and live our lives based on our ideology, and practicing our own values, irrespective of what other people may think. We don’t care about them as long as they don’t get in our way…

• To me, the Chilean scene seems to be adored by devil, no doubt about it! Plenty of devil-inspired bands over there! FoD is the name that perfectly reflects what your music is all about! It reeks sulphur and hell itself like fuck! How do you get inspired? What inspires you?

We are very far from everywhere in terms of distance, which is probably one reason why the music sounds more ‘classic’, and as you say, it’s also to do with our mentality.

The left hand path is much present in extreme metal in our country, not only the devil but also occult forces, evil, witchcraft and other relevant subjects. We get inspired by the darkness as a whole and all its aspects, which encloses many fields within the left hand path… That is later mixed with our personal and collective ideology and then put into dark hymns.

• Do you believe in any unnatural forces? If so, how do you think The Horned Lord looks like?

There are always forces and entities surrounding our lives and sometimes influencing us directly, so of course we acknowledge their existence… I don’t see the Devil (even though depicted) as the typical image with red skin, big horns and an arrow tale, but the icon itself may take many forms as we are all energy and a powerful entity can always become something else.

• Well, some form of Gnosticism perceives Lucifer as a positive deity who is on friendly terms with man. Yahve was, contrarily, an evil and sly demiurge, the tormentor of the human race; quite the opposite of what the church claims. What do you think?

What I see generally is that most of these terms  (good/evil  or positive/negative) are used for one’s own convenience, and it is basically driven by one’s point of view – what is good for you may be evil for others and vice versa. For me, it’s all about the energy being transformed into different states; of course, since somehow we got the ability of thought we usually question everything, where we are coming from, what was or is our purpose in this life and so on, but most of the time we forget that our existence resulted from energy being transformed from another state, and we are just evolving from it and after our life cycle is over until we transcend.

Nowadays there are different views regarding Lucifer, “positive” and “negative”, depending on who is behind the relation of the subject. According to religions in general, mankind was meant to serve and obey the god(s), so on this point Lucifer represents an interesting concept of rebellion and questioning and disobedience that may inspire individuals to break their imposed chains of faith and free from their ways of ignorance and subduing…

• Maybe it is not Lucifer, Satan or any other infernal creature that is responsible for all the evil there is? What power is it then? Or maybe it is man himself who is? It is always the easiest way to blame others instead of yourself, right? How do you see it?

We wrote some lyrics related to this matter several years ago and we have unearthed them for our forthcoming release. The song is called “Genesis of Evil”, and basically it reflects that evil is in our essence, and through the ages we blamed to the “gods” or “devils” for our disgraces, with different names along the years and cultures. I think there is something very real behind all this, and we have been masked it with different stories, names and archetypes in order to avoid our true devilish savage nature.

• Your mythology is very colorful when it comes to presentation of gods. I was looking for some analogy to Lucifer, the one who brings light (or Satan, the ruler of Hell), but these myths doesn’t feature any of these. All I found was Pillan, the god of war who is able to unleash any cataclysm one can think of, and who rules over evil spirits. Does your culture not feature any hell- or demon-related deities? I am asking since even in the Mayan mythology there are demons like Ahpuh for instance.

Well, most of the pre-Hispanic traditions where banished and disappeared in the colonization process. So very few traditions, legends, poems, and script_ures resist the pass of time.  We certainly have more, but mostly are from the southern regions of Chile, I recommend to check some creatures like Cai-Cai Vilu, Trauco, Invunche, Pincoya, fuira, among many others.

• What does the moment of death mean to you? The end of our existence or maybe the start of the journey to another world?

Well, death is obviously an important topic for us since it represents the end of an energetic cycle, and at the same time, the starting of another process, which is the rotting phase behind it… Spiritual death is even more interesting basically for its dark relationship with the soul annihilation and the chaos force pulling all the pieces together, taking back everything which belongs to it…

At the end death is something which sooner or later we will embrace, and, of course, the end of our conscious existence… Beyond life is a veil we can only speculate, but I think there is a plain beyond our carnal jail.

• Have you ever heard the expression_ than hell itself is where we’re now in. How do you see it?

Yes, we’ve heard that expression_ many times. I believe it depends on how you view the world you live in. Nowadays some people are convinced the current world is hell or a test and depending on how you live it, you will have a reward in the afterlife. That, in turn, becomes a massive control system through fear so that the flock is not carried away… Personally, I don’t care about it, I’d rather seize my life as much as I can based on my ideals and my path…

• Blood has always been a very important element used in religious ceremonies as well as occult practices. It is sort of a "spiritual currency" one can use to contact with spiritual forces; to strengthen the bond between man and deity or for other purposes too. I am not talking about human sacrifices or torturing animals but conscious bloodletting one can do in the case of certain rituals. How important is blood in your religious rituals?

Blood is always important, but there are other ways as well to connect with the spiritual world… I guess it will all depend on what kind of ritual is being performed and it respective purpose.  More reasons on this would be personal, but sometimes bleeding allows you to have an insight to the bearer of life (blood) and to take heed to how easily it can vanish if freed significantly. Basically blood is the fluid that gives us both, our life…and death…

• What is your view on the following issue: replacing ritual blood with ritual art when making sacrifices? What I mean is to use your energy, time and effort to project it on a particular issue so you can achieve the same aim? Blood has always been a strong link between our world and the spiritual one – the bloody symbols were the light the ghosts use to navigate through up to our world. How do you see it?

On this I have nothing to comment rather than the acknowledgement of projection and suggestion based on symbols, which may assist the magician in achieving his or her goals. Blood can be an instrument, but is not the most important.

• Ok, let’s get back to music, shall we? NUCLEAR WAR NOW did, last year, release a split with your country mates WRATHPRAYER. Can you please tell us some more about this recording?

Hell yeah!!! That split is one aspect we wanted to materialize when we reviewed the possibility to release it with our comrades from Wrathprayer since it combined two elements which were part of both the band’s names, and we saw that we could create something unique when it comes to an energetic manifestation… the result is The Wrath of Darkness!!!

This release I see not as  a “split”. For me it is a collaborated work within two entities in league with the dark.

• The band is almost 18 years old. A long time, indeed. How do you perceive all those years? Are you happy with where you are now? How can you assess the contribution to the underground you`ve done, thanks to your music?
   
  

We are really satisfied and proud with what has been done and accomplished with Force of Darkness, and also with the evolution of the band and its energy beyond. As far as the band’s contribution to the underground is concerned, we only have a small idea based on personal experience and from all the support from the bangers in different places we have visited, but a third party involved in media may have a different view… What we can say is that the music style and energy of Force of Darkness has developed an unique match, so its materialization is an interesting contribution to the underground.

• What does playing live mean to you? Is it a sort of ritual? I am not talking about the physical act of playing live, stage decorations etc. but its spiritual, hidden meaning?

For us playing live is a necessary ritual the band has to have, but we don’t identify ourselves as a band that plays much. We believe it is important to play live though, to keep the band’s spirit running and to share our energy beyond, through our metal music…

• Your music is strongly influenced by hell itself as well as the old German scene (mid 80s). I can only suspect old KREATOR, SODOM, POISON or RUNNING WILD are still very important to you guys, am I correct?

You are correct on those bands as influences, but because we feel that in that time metal was made in a different way and passion. But there are many more influences for sure!!! Mostly heavy metal, black metal, death metal, thrash metal are part of our musical influences, and we could name a lot of bands we normally listen to, but the range varies a lot (among the ones not named above… Mayhem, Dissection, Satan, Angel Witch, Bathory, Sabbat (jap), Living Death, Slayer, Absu, Mortuary Drape, Tormentor (Hun), Infernal Majesty, Sacrifice, Order from Chaos and many, many others…)

• If you could travel in time, where would you like to go and why? What would you change (in the world’s history) if you could?

If that would be the case, I would change nothing, but would like to witness the ancient events occurred in Sumer, Egypt, Mesopotamia and other civilizations… it’d be interesting to see how they lived and how their spirituality was and what sort of contact they had with the deities they worshipped… I’d like to see where ancient history was lost and the big lie was established…

• Ok, that’s it, I think. All the best and thanks a lot for your amazing answers. Hails to the FORCE OF DARKNESS horde. Anything to add for our readers? Feel free, the floor is all yours.

Well, first of all, thank you very much for the support to the band. We are currently recording our third album and a new ep, both to be released this year (you will hear from us very soon…). We’d love to visit Europe sometime, so if there is any interest to make it possible, any interested tour related entity may contact us to our band email ( Adres poczty elektronicznej jest chroniony przed robotami spamującymi. W przeglądarce musi być włączona obsługa JavaScript, żeby go zobaczyć. ) or snail mail (P.O. BOX 17, Santiago 58 (Sucursal Grecia), Santiago, Chile, South America) and we will see what happens!!!

SICVT ERAT IN PRINCIPIO, ET IN SAECVLA SAECVLORVM…. DARKNESS SHALL PREVAIL!!

HAIL TO THE DARKNESS!!!

Paweł Wojtowicz & Leszek Wojnicz-Sianożęcki 

Nekromantheon is one of those young bands in which I see great potential. Their work, strongly inspired by the oldschool scene of the eighties, captivated me with its power of expression. Necromantheon carries the fire of old glory of the Metal gods with extraordinary fondness, passion and devotion. For this reason I decided to bring you this unique band from Norway. Ladies and gentlemen, before you NEKROMANTHEON.

1. Hello and how’re you. Well, NEKROMANTHEON formed 13 years ago. A long time ago, eh? How do you see all these years now? Are you happy with what you`ve achieved so far?

Hello! Things are good here, right now I’m on my way to Portugal and the SWR Barroselas Metal Fest. 13 years, huh? Time flies, it doesn't seem that long. I guess I'm pretty happy with what we've done so far, but the best is yet to come.

2. Rise, Vulcan, Spectre was out six years ago. It’s been a long time since then, don’t you agree? I am pretty sure you guys have been busy with OBLITERATION, is this a correct assumption? How easy/difficult is it to deal with both them bands? And those aren’t the only ones you are involved in, huh?

Yeah, there's a constant, yet subtle battle for priority between the bands, as the members can obviously fully focus on only one band at the time. But we do have a good understanding and agreement in regards to rehearsal time, material etc, and we're not in a hurry. After “Rise…”, OBLITERATION released their “Black Death Horizon” album, and have just finished recording yet another album. I've recorded a new album for FLIGHT, and perhaps one for AUDIOPAIN too, we’ll see. We've also been touring a bit, both with NEKROMANTHEON and OBLITERATION, and I've done a bunch of tours with DEATHHAMMER. At the most I played in four different bands, now it's down to one and a half/two. Between jobs, families and life in general, it's hard to find more time to play music, even though we’d like to.

3. I do hope your silence is the proverbial "calm before the storm" and you`ll attack with your new recording soon, eh? Are you actively working on any new stuff, hey? Your lyrics have always dealt with mythology, how about this time?

Have no fear! We have about six songs ready for the new album at the moment, so we only need a few more before we can start recording. The lyrics aren't all done, but so far they are primarily concerning the esoteric, the subconscious, religion and decay. I try to maintain the concept with Greek and Roman mythology where possible, but sometimes it's better to just write whatever comes to mind.

4. Has you band name got anything to do with the (ruins) of the city of Parga in Greece which (located by the Ionian Sea)? This was the place when one was able to call forth ghosts, really! Have you been there yourselves? How does it look like? How did you like it? What kind of experience was it?

Yes, we took our name from that temple. We even went on an excursion there in 2009, to gather inspiration and impressions. The band photo on our “Divinity of Death” album is taken in the main chamber of the temple, if you wanna see how it looks. It was a great experience to wander in the river Styx towards the temple of the dead, definitely something we’ll remember forever.

5. Do you believe in after-life? What happens to a human soul after a human body dies?

There's really no such thing as a soul, and the mere idea of an afterlife is absurd for me.

6. And why the Greek mythology not the Nordic one?

Well, first of all, the Norse mytholoy has been the primary concept for waaay too many bands already, especially folk/black metal bands. We didn't want to be just another band who sings about ragnarok, and I was very interested in Greek mythology early on. They myths are timeless, deep, and often contain a profound wisdom. I want to express my thoughts about current topics using the timeless language of mythology, and the Greek myths are perfect for that.

7. Metal and devil combined together seem like a perfect blend to me. And this blend always result in something (sonically) good, for sure! What do you think?

Hell yes. Rock and roll is the devil’s music, for sure. You can't make good christian metal. But that doesn't mean that all you have to do to make good music is to sing about Satan - the music needs to have the devil’s power in it.

8. Your both albums are out through High Roller. Is We`re Rotting ep 2007 going to be re-released in the vinyl format? I am pretty sure plenty of maniacs would love to have it on 12``ep in their collection…

Yeah, it's actually been released on vinyl a few years ago, but sold out pretty fast. Duplicate Records is re-releasing it very soon, though. With bonus tracks!

9. How do you like vinyl releases? Do you listen to music in the vinyl format? What is your view on this current craze, I mean, the fact people have "re-discovered" vinyl as medium?

We all prefer listening to vinyl, and always make our albums for the LP format, considering which songs goes on what side, etc. I like the fact that vinyl is coming back, because it forces the listener to pay more attention to the music, and listen to the whole album instead of just skipping songs with the remote.

10. So, between your debut album and Rise Vulcan there were some "non-standard" split releases out. Can you please tell us some more about those recordings?

We were contacted by Relapse Records for a 7” series they made called “Speed ‘n' Spikes”, so we recorded two short tracks which turned out to be some of our favourite live songs. After that, we did a split with fellow norwegian thrashers AUDIOPAIN (that was before I joined the band). Lastly, we did a song for what was supposed to be “the new überthrash", a double 7” split called “Nekrothrash”. All the split songs are being released as bonustracks on the aforementioned “We're Rotting" re-release.

11. Back then, you guys played live a lot (with AURA NOIR, MAYHEM and so on). Such a pity you didn’t make it to Poland! Well, tell me whether there weren’t anyone here in Poland to invite you to come over and play live? At least one single gig, for fuck`s sake? I am sure you are aware there are plenty of ardent, diehard head-bangers willing to see youse live here in Poland.

I've never even been to Poland, and would very much like to come. I hear the headbangers over there are some die hard sons of Satan, but noone ever asked us to come. Please tell your promoter to contact us, so we can make it happen!

12. Your music is, in a word, a homage paid to old school thrash/death metal; fast and expressive music in the old-school vein. Damn, it is effin awesome, your stuff, so people oughtn’t to be surprised to hear strong POSSESSED, DARK ANGEL, SLAYER or KREATOR influences in it. How did it all go off? How did you get to start playing this kind of music, hey? And why and how did you go beyond just being a mere listener, I mean you started to create this kind of stuff? Please tell us some more, thanks.

Thanks for dropping those names, that's exactly the bands we want you to think about when you hear NEKROMANTHEON. We actually started playing black metal influnced by DARKTHONE, but as we started to discover more and more of the classic thrash albums we kinda shifted direction because we were inspired by the aggression in their music. At the same time, we wanted to keep the grim and evil feeling from the black metal sound. We just started jamming, and here we are now.

13. Please list the five most important albums that have shaped your music taste?

Ugh, difficult question. There are so many important candidates, but if I had a gun to my head, I would probably have to say:

SLAYER - Hell Awaits

DARKTHRONE - A Blaze in the Northern Sky

AUTOPSY - Mental Funeral

AURA NOIR - The Merciless (maybe not their best album, but very important for me)

KREATOR - Pleasure to Kill

14. Well, yeah. Norway stands for black metal, no doubt, but for some other genres too. In a word, a plethora of interesting crews who seem to be thriving in a broad spectrum of different music styles. You know, like your own projects, as well as GOUGE, DEATHHAMMER, CONDOR; and AURA NOIR of course, who’ve been active for the last 30 years. Why is it so? Why have there always been so many good bands in Norway? Seems like every second guy over there is involved in a band of some kind.

I wish I knew the answer to that question, but I'm afraid I have no idea. It might be that the music scene is so small, so that everybody who's involved will get influenced by everyone else, and likeminded people have no difficulty finding each other. Growing up so close to inspirational figures such as Fenriz and Apollyon was very motivating for us, as we could see that even a normal guy from the small town of Kolbotn could make this wild music.

15. When listening to your music, it stuns me how energetic your stuff is. Damn it, I am sure when played live your music blows fans` heads off. It`s pure head banging, this music of yours. I am sure you play music but also like to go and see bands play live too? Any good concerts you been to lately?

There's a new black metal band from Oslo called NACHASH, who did a really great show together with HENRIK PALM from Sweden. Check them both out if you have the chance! Also, NATUR from New York and ANTICHRIST from Sweden always deliver the goods.

16. I am pretty sure you guys "waste" a lot of time listening to metal music in a really maniacal way. What do you prefer? New underground bands which are aplenty or some sort of metal excavations, I mean digging in the past and discovering old, forgotten bands which, pretty often, recorded just one or two materials and disappeared? Anything you`re obsessed with these days? An album or a band….

I like both equally, but after digging for many years, I feel the most precious gems have already been found. How often do you stuble across bands like PARABELLUM, POISON or NECROVORE, you know? Nowadays I have a major kick on newer bands like MALOKARPATAN and VORUM.

17. Do you know of any other bands from Poland beside VADER and BEHEMOTH?

TURBO is great! And isn't KAT from Poland? What other bands do you recommend for us?

The VADER demos are insane, by the way. They still blow my mind every time I hear them.

18. Have you listened to JUDAS PRIEST`s new album – Firepower? If so, how do you like it?

I listened to a few songs, but I have trouble finding it interesting. They don't sound very inspired anymore, I’m sad to say. The feeling from the old albums (I prefer 70’s PRIEST) are gone.

19. As for JUDAS PRIEST; IRON MAIDEN, ACCEPT or SAXON aren’t these the very few old crews who are still fighting? Well, alas, these days, many "metal tycoons" have slowly been leaving us. The first lineup of MOTORHEAD (with Lemmy of course) is all gone, Ronnie James Dio is gone too. ACDC`s lineup is crumbling down as well. Time is merciless, isn’t it? Still, their music heritage is undeniable. These metal gods are immortal. But is the music created (by young bands) these days going to be immortal too? What do you think?

You're right, these guys will be eternal gods of metal, regardless of what they are doing now. I find it hard to believe that the bands of today will make as much impact, because we're all inspired by MAIDEN and MOTORHEAD in some way, and they have already made such a huge mark on the way we listen to and think about music. Maybe some bands will stand the test of time, but it's hard to tell which.

20. Well, we`re living in quite disturbing times, don’t you agree. The Islamic expansion is getting more and more palpable, in Scandinavia too, I presume. Is it a serious problem over there, huh? I would say what is going on in Norway now is similar to the Christianisation of Norway in the ninth century. Is it dangerous? How does it look like? How do you deal with this issue?

Despite recent immigration from muslim countries, atheism is on the rise in Norway, and for the first time the non-religious outnumber the religious people. I don't fear muslims any more than I do christians, but of course all organized religion is a serious threat to a functioning society. The best way to deal with it seems to be to encourage critical thinking and secularism.

21. Ok, that’s it, I think. All the best and thanks a lot for your amazing answers. Hails to the NEKROMANTHEON horde. Anything to add for our readers? Feel free to add anything you feel like, the floor is all yours.

Follow the white rabbit.

NecronosferatuS

Holocausto is certainly one of those bands no one who is into the old school stuff could ignore, for sure! Since their participation in the historical Warfare Noise compilation and their debut, the excellent and controversial “Campo de Extermínio”, they are godfathers of War Metal and one of the oldest extreme bands from South America. After some experiences with different musicalities in the 90’s, they stopped for some years and came back in full force in 2004, with the basic “De Volta ao Front”, but it took more 12 years for them to find their ideal sound again. Now, after the release of “War Metal Massacre” by NWN in 2017 and with their original line-up alive and kicking again, they are ready to conquer the world with their tank of destruction. So, it’s surely worth stopping what you are doing now to read what they have to tell about their past, present and future. With, the mighty Holocausto!

1. Hello, Rodrigo! It is an honor to be able to interview one of the members of a seminal band like Holocausto, whose history surpasses the 30 years and is intermingled with the genesis of the extreme metal in Latin America! Are you all right?

Rodrigo: It's a pleasure and an honor to give this interview to OLDSCHOOL METAL MANIAC, comrade Cristiano! We stand firm in this increasingly obscure third world country and in this increasingly intolerant and belligerent world! We are in war!!!

1. Well, how is it for you to be here after so much time still answering interviews to talk about something you've created as a teenager? I think it's kind of a personal victory to realize that your creation from that era still makes a big noise in the extreme music scene, right?

Rodrigo: It is a motive for a huge pride to know that a work that we have created continues to be revered to this day and above all in a still relevant way. It has been 30 years since the beginning of Holocausto and the world has not changed much at this time, terrorism is still present, wars continue, as well as killings and genocide. It is almost incredible how we evolve in technology, science and other fields, but in the field of understanding between nations we do not move on!

1. By the way, how old were you when you started Holocausto in 1984? What about the other members of the band? Back then, did any of you imagine the band would have such an impressive longevity?

Rodrigo: We were between 14 and 16 years old, and we honestly did not know if we would be alive the next year. We were young people from the outskirts of Belo Horizonte and all social problems affected us. We had nothing. It was hard times when there was a kind of curfew in the city. There were no people on the streets after a certain time of the day. There were the lack of jobs, the police violence, and so we gave a kind of FUCK OFF to all of this! Without hope ... without fear !!!

1. At that time, having a band was a kind of youthful dream, even though we thought it would last forever. However, this has become a reality for bands such as Holocausto, which have been able to continue fighting, although with a huge effort, in the underground. How do you see this situation?

Rodrigo: As I said earlier, we were young people marginalized by the extremely religious society of our state, we were invisible and oppressed by the government and music provided us with an opportunity to shout loudly in protest of this daily oppression. At that moment, music was our life!

1. By the way, what are the differences between that Rodrigo in his teens and the Rodrigo of today?

Rodrigo: There are many differences, my friend, the accounts of the abuses are beginning to arrive, the occupations and consequent responsibilities are greater, but I still try to keep intact the cultural and musical resistance.

1. Talking about the past, I find that only a few people know about the origins of Holocausto with a group called Asmodeu. Can you tell us about the beginning, who were the members of the band, if recorded something etc.? How and when did this band turn into the Holocausto we all know?

Rodrigo: Asmodeu lasted very shortly, just a few rehearsals and we never recorded anything. Basically it was me, Valerio Exterminator trying to play something like Hellhammer, Venom, Bathory with some guys ... I remember all sorts of crazy guys coming up for the band's tests, including an ex-guitarist and a drummer who had just left from the madhouse!

1. The Minas Gerais scene at the time was very prolific (even today, in fact), as far as the São Paulo scene. However, it seems to me that the MG scene was more brutal, more influenced by hardcore. Do you agree with that? What other elements would have contributed to this difference?

Rodrigo: I totally agree with you. The references of the punk bands from Finland like Rattus, TervetKadet, Riistetyt, also Discharge and Sacrilege from England and even the punk of the periphery of São Paulo, like OlhoSeco,Brigada do Ódio, Ratos de Porão were very present. We were also too fucked up, we had nothing, the future seemed a very distant thing and I think that contributed to this sonorous brutality.

1. Which bands did you hang out with at the time? In addition to the "big" ones (Sepultura, Sarcófago, Mutilator, Chakal, Witchammer etc.), there were many other smaller, but equally powerful groups like Anarchus, Sepulchral Voice, Placenta, Insulter, Megathrash ... What led BH to have so many bands like that?

Rodrigo: We got along well with everyone but it's also worth mentioning Aamonhammer, Freax, Attack Epiléptico, Prepúcio, RIV, Impurity, Offensor and Exterminator among others. In my view, it was a rebellion of the youth against the establishment of an ultra conservative and religious city.

1. Well, Warfare Noise compilation was a major landmark in the history of the international extreme metal scene and certainly it was very important to Holocausto. How did the invitation to participate happen and how do you evaluate this importance for the band?

Rodrigo: At the time, we shared the rehearsal place with Chakal in a rotten garage in the Alípio de Melo neighborhood on the outskirts of BH and Korg (Chakal’s vocalist) worked at Cogumelo Records. He introduced us to João and Patty and from there came the invitation to make a demo tape. We recorded the song “Massacre”, that is one of the last compositions of Marco Antônio, our bass player who died drowned in a camp on carnival. The result was devastating and so we were called to record Warfare Noise.

1. At that moment, you chose to sing in Portuguese, something you also maintained on the first album, the legendary "Campo de Extermínio". Why did you prefer to use your language instead of singing in English, something that was already common among the bands of the time? Likewise, why did you decide to switch to English on the next album?

Rodrigo: It was very natural to sing in Portuguese, because I could not speak English. From the beginning it sounded very good in the rehearsals and we decided to keep it. In the next album, it was another aesthetic, another project in which we wanted to show that we were not nazis, so we chose to sing in English.

1. The debut album was very influential for most of the scene, including for me, both in the musical and visual aspect. I even wanted to have those hairs that you had on the back cover, hehehehe! I guess you did not even think that this album would have such a big impact and probably you didn’t even bother about it. Am I right or did the band already have a professional ambition at the time?

Anderson: You are quite right, the band never imagined that this album would be so successful and become a classic. There were no ambitions to grow professionally, but only to enjoy the moment and create the extreme songs, to present chaotic shows and to show the brutality of this work alive.

1. What I think that is cool about that moment is that, although the Minas Gerais bands were walking similar paths, each one had its own sound. To what do you attribute this uniqueness to each group?

Anderson: Yes, at that time each band had its influences and its way of seeing and living the world. Maybe our social conditions influenced a lot, because not everyone had the same conditions as having good instruments and so the songs were created with what was available at the moment.

1. What did you hear at the time of the first album? In other words, how did you come up with such a peculiar musical formula? Was it the product of these same influences or that famous lack of experience, which often contributes greatly to originality?

Anderson: We listened a lot to Slayer, Sodom, Discharge, Destruction, DRI, Black Sabbath, Motorhead and so many other bands of the time.

Rodrigo: I believe that not being able to play was a very important factor for the development of that unique sonority.

1. Certainly, you must be already tired of talking about the Nazi polemics that involved the band because of swastikas and lyrics of the past. Anyway, could you tell us a little bit about this? What did the use of swastikas mean to you? Currently, do you think it would make sense to keep this symbol associated with the kind of metal you make?

Anderson: We used that look only to mirror the theme of the “Campo de Extermínio” album and also as a way of protesting against everything and everyone in the world and it is also worth mentioning that at that time it was not prohibited as today in Brazil. The prohibition only happened in the new Brazilian Constitution, signed in 1988. Today there is no sense in using swastikas, because we are also talking about war in its more general sense, the horrors of wars.

1. Did you ever have problems because of this gratuitous association with Nazism? Are there people who today believe that Holocausto has something to do with this stupid political vision?

Armando: Although we accepted an invitation to play in Germany, despite the fact that they feel ashamed for the old Nazism, they managed to understand that we do not make any apology of Nazism, but rather we just report old events of World War II.

Anderson: In Brazil, even today some people think that Holocausto is a Nazi band and some shows were canceled because of this kind of rumor.

1. Another polemic that is, in a certain way, associated with the theme of wars is that of who created the so-called War Metal. In my opinion, the first band to speak openly about the subject in the extreme scene was Holocausto, with no shadow of a doubt, but not everyone agrees. What do you think? After all, when did the term "war metal" start to be used?

Anderson: Well, Holocausto,since its original formation, always talked about wars and, because of that, Mark, Chaka’sl guitarist, gave name to our style like War Metal and this term persistsso far.

Rodrigo: It is worth mentioning that we were very influenced by Sodom's “In The Sign of Evil” and also by “Antes do Fim”, by DorsalAtlântica, that already used war themes in their songs.

1. The next album, "Blocked Minds", featured a more thrash metal sound and many people understood (including me, I confess) that there was an attempt there to achieve the same success achieved by Sepultura. Today, decades after that, I see this issue in a very different way. So, I would really like to know what motivated this change and how you see that issue nowadays.

Anderson: The departure of Valério would be one of the reasons, because the new guitar players entered with new proposals to make a different sound and from there we changed even the way of singing. Today the type of music proposed by “Blocked Minds” has become more up-to-date in terms of sonority.

1. Why did not "Blocked Minds" achieve the same success as the "Campo de Extermínio"? Likewise, the subsequent albums also did not have the same popularity. Was the public not yet prepared to absorb the musical proposal of Holocausto?

Anderson: We believe that people did not like to change much and the music has changed so much that it seemed like another band.

1. There was even a clear aesthetic change in these later releases, right? To what do you attribute these changes?

Anderson: It was nothing more than new experiences only to see what could happen.

1. In 1993, after the release of "Tozago as Deismo", the band decided to quit its activities. What happened at that time that tookHolocausto to an end?

Rodrigo: Actually we ended up in 1994, when we completed 10 years of band and basically it was a feeling of frustration and impotence, because there were many disagreements with the record company.

1. Well, despite the end of Holocausto, you did not quit the music, right? Can you tell a bit of this experience of playing in bands like pexbaA and others in the meantime? Do you think this musical diversification has contributed to your personal and musical growth?

Rodrigo: At that moment, I decided to set up a collective of anti-music called EscolaMineira de Disfunção (EMD) and to continue searching for new ways to play.pexbaA is one of EMD's projects and it also lasted 10 years and recorded 3 albums.

1. After more than a decade without playing, what led you to resume activities with the Holocaust in the 2000s?

Anderson: It was a very casual encounter and the idea to play again just came up or at least try to play. From that point on, we were gradually recovering the sonority of the 80's.

1. It seems that, after experimenting with a series of different sonorities, you wanted to go back to basics with "De voltaao Front", a rather objective album, so to speak. Why?

Anderson: We were trying to rescue the point where the original formation had stopped. “De voltaaoFront” was the beginning. Nowadays, with “War Metal Massacre” we hit the point of origin.

1. Speaking of other projects, I know that you also play in the hardcore band CertoPorcos, which makes an amazing music! Could you tell us a bit about this band for the readers who have not heard of it yet?

Rodrigo: CertoPorcos is a band I formed with my childhood friends. We always met and played some punk bands like RDP, Cólera, OlhoSeco, Spermbirds, Flipper. So we started to compose our own songs with a metalpunk sound. We released our first album “Hate 666” by Cogumelo Records and just released a split with Agathocles.

1. For you, has hardcore always been there, side by side with metal, among your preferences? In fact, does it make sense to separate these two genres, considering that both seem to have influenced the extreme scene equally?

Rodrigo: Yes, these references are of equal value to me. In fact, I am an aficionado for music, be it blues, rock, heavy metal, industrial, as well as erudite music, jazz and avant-garde.

1. Well, last year, "Campo de Extermínio" turned 30 years old! It's quite a landmark, right? What do you feel when you realize this and all the relevance of this record?

Armando: “Campo de Extermínio” portrays the gathering of efforts of musicians of the classic musical line-up of Holocausto. This musical essence continues today in Holocausto, because currently we are with the same line-up, Rodrigo F., Valério Exterminator, Anderson Guerrilheiro and Armando Nuclear Soldier, and always in a continuous process of improvement in all aspects of the band. Holocaustoconcerts today recapture the energy of the 80's, the look of the 80's and the musical brutality of that time in the present day. In other words, when we look back, we observe a time when the most extreme bands of extreme metal emerged, we decided to continue with the same sound and the War Metal theme.

1. And how did the invitation to record "War Metal Massacre" happen, which another masterful record in the career of Holocausto? Why the decision to go back to the band's musical roots? Did the return of the original formation contribute to this decision?

Rodrigo: First, there was an invitation from Nuclear War Now to participate in an edition of the NWN Fest in Berlin. Hence, came the idea of releasing new material from the band. As a result of fate, we were able to join the initial line-up that recorded the compilation Warfare Noise and so we decided to re-record the 3 songs recorded by this line-up in 1986, which are Destruição Nuclear e Escarro Napalm, from Warfare Noise, and Massacre, the first official Holocausto’s composition of the demo-tape, and we recorded 3 new songs with the same line-up in 2016.

1. I imagine that the old fans enjoyed this comeback, but I also see that there are many new fans celebrating the music of Holocausto. Isn’t it crazy to see people that were born years after your first records to be here today enjoying the band, including these old releases?

Anderson: A lot of the audience is formed by people of our time that go to the shows to go back to the time, but the interesting thing is that there are a lot of kids that are appearing at the shows and enjoying it a lot.

1. After so many years involved with the underground, how do you see all the changes we have been through since the old days? What is worse now and what has improved?

Anderson: What really improved was the better access to musical instruments, which was more difficult at the time. What got worseis the segmentation of the scene and so the total audience has fallen a lot in terms of numbers.

1. You've been doing some live concerts in Brazil, right? Are there any plans to go to Europe either? Is there any chance of playing in Poland? I'm sure the Polish would love to see Holocausto live, hehe!

Anderson: We are preparing a new album and, of course, some gigs have happened. Europe, whenever we can go, for sure we will be there! As for Poland, we still hope to play over there, it would be great!!!

1. I read in another interview that you are also recording a new album. How is this process? Will the music follow the aesthetics of "War Metal Massacre"?

Anderson: We are preparing the songs and it will really be in War Metal style, but the intention is to do better.

Rodrigo: The new album will be called“Diário de Guerra”. Some song titles, such as OcupaçãoHostil, Prisioneiro de Guerra and Pelotão da Morte, reaffirm our purpose in making an extreme War Metal album! It is practically composed and being arranged to enter the studio in the second half of this year.

1. Why do you think it is still worth continuing in this underground life to this day, considering all the difficulties of maintaining an extreme metal band? After all, do you think it was worth facing all the adversities?

Rodrigo: Personally, for me music is as essential as breathing. It is my addiction, my “alcohol” and it keeps my sanity. It has always been difficult and it still is in the present. I do not regret anything on this path and I would go through it all a thousand times.

1. Finally, I would like to repeat a question I have asked most of the bands I interviewed, especially the bands that already have a legacy. How would you like the Holocaust to be remembered in the future?

Rodrigo: As one of the most extreme bands in South America!

1. Well, thank you so much for your attention, my brother! I leave this final question open for your last words or for something that you find important to add and that I did not ask.

Rodrigo: We thank you a lot, Cristiano, maniac of the fucking Necrobutcher and Antichrist Hooligans! Thanks to OLDSCHOOL METAL MANIAC and all the metalheads of Poland! The war tank marches again on the war front! The victory will be ours!!!

Cristiano Passos

I am pretty sure our older maniacs can and will recollect the band called BLOODLUST from the city of Nowa Ruda. Despite the very fact the band was responsible for two releases only, yet their name has been firmly carved into the history of our metal music underground; as an interesting and extreme metal outfit yeah! As Holocaust/Hideous recordings will be re-released shortly I thought it`d be a good idea to refresh your memories about this amazing band. It is beyond me why they weren’t too successful. With so much potential they had. BLOODLUST were aptly able to compete with such "tycoons" of our scene as ARMAGEDON, BETRAYER, LASTWAR or MORTAL SLAUGHTER. For some reason it didn’t work out and after the Hideous album was out, the group disbanded in 1995. And me, after all those years, I still can’t comprehend fully how powerful and good those recordings are. Killer for sure. Ok, no need to waste our time, let’s read what BLOODLUST`s front man, Dariusz Kulpinski had to share with us…

1. Hello Darek. Next year will be the 30^th anniversary of BLOODLUST. How do you see the band from a historical perspective; how do you perceive BLOODLUST in the context of our metal music scene?

Hi. Well, hadn’t you told me it`ll have been thirty years next year, I would have never guessed it myself! I am the kind of guy who never looks back. Time flies, we experience this and that and on we go. Well, BLOODLUST was, back then, a part of our lives, music ambitions, hopes and plans. We managed to write some amount of music, record it and play a bunch live shows here and there. It was fun times but also stood for hard work and various commitments. I should say the band name "bloodlust" was recognizable in the contemporary metal underground; that meant a lot to us. Yup, those were our first steps in (to) the metal world and, as it is clearly seen, those steps are still palpable as we`re talking about BLOODLUST right now.

2. Since we`re talking about the re-release of your both (and only) recordings, let me ask about the very beginning of BLOODLUST, ok? Officially, the band formed back in 1989. Can you still remember how you guys started BLOODLUST off? How did you folks meet up and who came forth with this "bloodlust" by the way?

Well, one can experience a number of different life scenarios, so BLOODLUST experienced their own ones too. Me, as a youngster deeply in love with harsh tunes, used to jam and rehearse with a bunch of local metal music bands/guys here and there. One day, I learned that Jan Kowalczyk, the contemporary OPEN FIRE`s guitarist was after starting his new, own project and by some miracle, me and him got together and began rehearsing. After a couple of weeks, we relocated to Nowa Ruda to hook up with the best local drummer (he was able to use two pedals which was quite a novelty back then). I need to mention that we were provided with a rehearsal room at a local community center so it all was going well. After some time, Jan gave up rehearsing due to some unspecified reasons but I got to know the locals as well as OPEN FIRE`s manager quite well so we decided to get it going on our own. And this is how it all started off.

3. Candidly, your band name seems to be strongly connected with one of mighty VENOM`s tracks. Is it where this came from, huh?

It was Krzysztof Brankowski who came up with the band`s name. We were supposed to play live at some gig and he was the guy responsible for that gig`s organizational side. We weren’t too sure how to name our band, no serious ideas at all so Kris, as the guy who paid close heed to what and how we were doing, did what he had to do and baptised us BLOODLUST.

4. How did you get into metal? Can you still remember your first metal band?

Of course, I can! TSA! They even made it to my hometown of Strzegom for two live shows, in 1982 or 1983 if my mind serves me well. Me and other people into metal/hard rock were really pleasantly surprised to see them. I was at primary school back then so I was too young to go see bands play live in other cities – but there you go! They came to my town. I managed to see the first gig as well as the second. I was broke and not able to buy a ticket; their both concerts had already been sold out, people were plain crazy about TSA. Thanks to some immensely nice female attendant I managed to hide in one of the venue`s washrooms; with plenty of other people, by the way, who were hiding in there too! I was just stunned with all what was going on! Long hair, extreme music and mayhem on stage! So impressive! When I got older I also managed to see SAXON, IRON MAIDEN and ACCEPT at Hala Ludowa in Wroclaw. That was how I got, so to say, "infected". And you know, all those albums from METALLICA, SLAYER, SEPULTURA or MORBID ANGEL made me eager to play music even more!

5. Was BLOODLUST your first band whatsoever or had you been involved in other projects/bands before it?

As I mentioned previously I had tried different "options" too; learning the ropes, so to speak. Played live shows too. Same for other guys. But I would say that was BLOODLUST where I did really pick up how to make/write/compose music seriously.  

6. So Holocaust was your first recording, spawned three years after the band had formed. The cassette was out through Master Sound Records. Can you please tell us some more about that stuff? Can you still remember how many copies were sold?

To be precise, Holocaust had been released before the Master Sound edition saw the light of day. No idea how many copies were sold but we were happy that people got to know about that tape and our music, which was of utmost importance.

7. I am really curious to know how the recording session looked like. Please provide us with a bunch of details. How long was the session itself? Where did the recording take place?

The session took place in the city of Rumia at a local studio. Different times and different technical conditions. And the very first lesson how to play music professionally. Because all of us had to play every song flawlessly in its entirety – we weren’t able to correct/alter anything afterward. Not possible. We were aware of that condition and readied ourselves really well. As far as I can remember, we did really OK and it all wasn’t that expensive, that session after all.

8. How do you rate this stuff now?

Man, I can’t even remember what this stuff actually features, I am not too sentimental a guy to think about it anymore. It is our past. Past years. This music is what we were and stood for back then. Not a big deal. Some people helped us out to get it recorded. I would say this recording depicts quite well what we were back then, what we listened to and how we were looking for our own music identity. Yeah.

9. BLOODLUST`s performance at Shark Attack Fest in Biala Podlaska (July 28, 1991) went very smoothly. Certainly, that wasn’t the only gig at which you promoted your demo Holocaust, eh? Please tell us some more about your live performances at the time? By the way, how do you recollect that Shark Attack Fest now?

Some time ago, a friend of mine sent me the You Tube link over to that gig. VADER and MAGNUS played at that festival too. Awesome fests, all those surely were; one could meet up with plenty of people involved in the UG scene. It was always nice to participate. Plus, you know, we always had fun afterwards (after parties).

10. The late 80s is the time period when radio stations heavily influenced our metal maniacs here in Poland. Thanks to people like Kris Brankowski we were able to listen to what was new out there in the West as well as in our local scene. Can you still remember how you guys began your cooperation? And Kris was your first manager, is this correct?

Krzysiek Brankowski took care of a number of bands back then. He also hosted a radio show (Muzyka Mlodych) with his unique Metal Top 20. I can still remember when he used to come over to see us rehearse, we would go out for a beer and stuff. We got to know each other better and better so, in result, we were invited for two live shows in Moscow/Russia (with SLASHING DEATH and VADER). I will never forget it.

11. Thirst for music, no music stores and difficult access to albums which, back then, would cost an average fan a small fortune. And very, very few live shows of Western bands. That was Poland in the past, all over. But still, our underground scene was pretty strong, don’t you agree?

Plenty of young people aren’t, these days, able or willing to realize how difficult life was back then. Some sort of abstraction really. To watch some brutal metal music videos I had to travel for two hours in order to get to another city. No nothing at stores. No merchandise, no groceries. Each and every store was empty. All was grey, dirty and shabby. Streets full of potholes, ruined buildings. Well, despite our enormous willingness (since we didn’t know the right people to help us) it was very hard to get by, so to speak. All we heard was – no way, we don’t have anything like this, we won’t help you. And that was the time when I just started to play music. We dubbed tapes (using a Grundig cassette player or similar), adding some sort of "unlicensed" covers. We were always struggling to get strings, cords, drum skins and so on. In general, we need just everything, every single bolt and piece of wire. We used to buy heat-press shirts to put our favourite bands on those. We had to barter with all we had to get some band poster in return, not even thinking about Western music – too difficult to get. We had to struggle for ever cm of our hair so that they didn’t tell us to get our hair clipped short. We always looked forward to the Muzyka Mlodych radio show. We used to rehearse in some obscure basements or garages, working on our first tracks which weren’t exactly what we wanted as we had to utilize Eltron 30W coupled with three guitars which was a way too many for it. It all didn’t, in result, sound like the western groups we wanted to mime whatsoever. Imagine that our lyrics got always censored before live shows; if we hadn’t corrected those the way they wanted us to, the band wouldn’t have been allowed to perform at all. Our lyrical message was incomprehensibly interpreted and understood as politically suspicions. We literally had to struggle to get anything. We had nothing - not like it is these days. Hard times, but we were full of passion. Today, the young generation has all their need. But neither will nor passion to use it properly. When I started off with BLOODLUST the situation actually started to improve step by step. Yet, still the beginnings were hard. Well, now I can just smile and laugh at the past.

12. Can you still remember your first gig? What bands did you share the stage with? By the way, tell us about your most liked live performance of BLOODLUST?

I must confess our gig situation was very good. Thanks to Krzysztof Brankowski who did a lot in that field. We opened Metal Madness in Wroclaw (on the Slodowa Island) for TURBO, ACID DRINKERS, and VADER and so on. As well as Metal War in Nowa Ruda with PASCAL, IMPERATOR, and ARMAGEDON. Plus that cyclical Thrash-Kai Festival (in Strzegom).We also went to Bydgoszcz and some other live shows you`ve already mentioned. As well as two huge festivals in Moscow, Russia. The first one featured was us and SLASHING DEATH. A huge ice skating hall, like 5000 people, man that was a real gig! The second one was together with VADER and Mariusz Kmiolek. The audience thirsty of brutal sounds. It all was awesome, went very well; we spent almost a week at some ship-like kind of hotel (Walerij Briusow). We had our own cabins, there was a bar and a restaurant. Sightseeing during the day and partying at night. Plenty of funny stories. All right. We also performed at Jarocin and Metalmania.

13. When I listen to your stuff, I just can’t fathom why BLOODLUST weren’t successful back then? Holocaust was a way above the average – even taking into account the stuff considered "excellent" back then. What were the reasons, hey? Since there were plenty of bad, average or excellent bands at the time. All one needed was some good luck. What did BLOODLUST lack success-wise?

Good luck? No, not at all. The problem was the band itself. We were more or less sure what kind of music we wanted to make, the lineup was rather solid. Heter, the guy with plenty of ideas, was already firmly established in our band but something was, indeed, going wrong. Kerry was an excellent guitarist (back then) but the issue was he kept coming to our rehearsals totally unprepared. Lack of time or lack of interest? Or was it both? Well, we could notice that "deterioration" every time we played live. It affected the band itself. Plus everyday issues played their role too. Our drummer Lech became involved in a number of different bands at the same time. Five, if my mind serves me well now. Not surprisingly, he started to get really confused, too many bands and too many songs to play and remember. And you know, too many gigs and rehearsals to attend them all. So one day he called me up to say he would quit. So we were done with going to Nowa Ruda to rehearse. But I and Heter decided not to give up. But start off with a new band. This was how DISSENTER was born. All well that ends well.

14. A year after Holocaust was out, your second recording Hideous saw the light of day. It is, stylistically speaking, quite different…

Our guitarist Ludwig left and was replaced by a young fellow, Heter. A truly talented guy, young but with plenty of good, fresh ideas. And after a couple of rehearsals we realized he was a true volcano of riffs, ideas etc. which he skillfully transferred into guitar lines. All we had to do was to sort those out, polish them up a bit and voila, a new song ready and good to go. Hideous featured two tracks composed by Heter. He got more and more involved and started to bring forth more and more good quality music every time we rehearsed. You know, to want to play music is one thing. To be able to play music well is another. That guy matured and "produced" a lot of good stuff.

15. Did it ever cross up your mind to reactivate BLOODLUST? The time is right for this kind of rebirths these days.

To be frank, I will tell you it did not. The present seems to fly by faster and faster. BLOODLUST is just a piece of history you`ve excavated. Since BLOODLUST there have happened thousands of other things, more or less interesting I think. Or maybe we`ve been forced to make decisions based on other issues? Too many different things in life to cope with, how can one find time to deal with all these I want to ask?

16. A year after bloodlust disbanded you guys spawned another death metal beast – DISSENTER (with a much more abundant discography). Anything about that band to add, thank you?

DISSENTER is a totally different band, much closer to my heart I would say. The music that opened a totally different chapters in our lives. The lineup was initially different; including me, Stoker, Robo, Młody, Heter, as well as Sivy and Maniac (our initial recording only). A new band but we were all well-seasoned veterans. With plenty of faith in what we wanted to do/achieve.

17. Time to wrap up I guess. Thank you very much for your answers. Anything to add for BLOODLUST worshippers? Go ahead, the floor is all yours.

Thanks a lot, man. Hello to all the fan (both diehard and not that diehard ones) of extreme sounds. All the best to you all. What doesn’t kill us will make us stronger. 

Leszek Wojnicz-Sianożęcki

"Heck, I hate live interviews, really. I actually hate interviews in general. People asking about this and that piss me off. All I want to say one can actually find in my music. 45 minutes ort to be enough to explain what I want, hey?" This is what KK told me before I started recording the interview itself…So, in order to respect his attitude, I decided to ask him not about music per se, but all the rest which goes along with it. Did it work out well? All right, you be the judge, my dear readers.

1. First off, how did you like this Metalmania gig?

Hi there! Well, it was awesome, man! An amazing gig and a really good line-up! Ok, we had some technical issues, like with my guitar, so it felt like playing an acoustic one, to tell you the truth. That pissed me off like fuck but the audience seemed to be doing awesome so I decided to go on with it. Man, I love to play live in Poland, the response here has always been amazing! Yeah, despite this above mentioned problem, it was still a very good concert!

2. So tell us why you and KAT swapped the running order?

Well, yes, I would say it was due to some logistic and technical issues, apparently. And you know, I did want to see KAT live. I fucking love them! Ok, it was a bit different from what I`d expected but heck! To be able to listen to Roman`s vocals live! Amazing and awesome! A great gig, indeed.

3. Well, for the life of me, it is hard to fathom roman and his crew has achieved so much!

I love KAT. A lot. I got hooked years ago. Their sound is so classic, so old-school. Years back, I went to one of music stores in Australia. A huge one with all possible media you can imagine. There were like what, 50.000 items and I managed to check out maybe half of it, no kidding! In the end, I went through the discounted items bin. And you know what I found there? Metal and Hell, fuck yeah! The first press, no joke! Paid like two AUD for that! I didn’t know what to expect but I got hooked and still love KAT!

4. A quick question about Filipe. This guy comes from down under, used to play different music and now he`s joined D666. How did it happen?

Filipe is a cool dude, all right. Alan Averill from PRIMORDIAL recommended that buster to us at some gig. Well, initially Felipe was to play with us only once (instead of some other guy) but eventually he turned out to be getting along quite well with us so he joined. I am really happy about this fact. Hey! Check this out. Once we played at some gig in Norway. It wasn’t allowed to smoke backstage and so on. And that goddamn fire alarm went off out of the blue! The water sprinklers were activated too. My first thought was, fucking hell, it must be Filipe. Ha-ha, I was right of course.

5. It was interesting to read on your website about the tour cancellation and an open conflict with that bullshit Flaming Arts Agency. What exactly happened?

Well, a lot. So fucked up, hard to believe mate. But one thing was just really bad. We didn’t like the way they used to set up our drum kit, I mean they used to place it in front of the main drum kit. Therefore, it was hard for us to play properly and comfortably, we didn’t have enough space to move around freely. There was like 0.5 m free room for us to move around and just by some miracle I didn’t happen to stumble over those fucking drums. I want to stress this again. That was just one of the reasons. There were more, of course. So we decided to give that shit up. Fuck them. I decided not to talk to those guys any more, not to argue with them or play their fucked up games at all. We simply had enough. We lost a lot of money and it took its toll on our nerves too. When we quit, we were around 6.000 euro light. You know, our flights, all expenses, merchandise and so on. Still, we thought that was better to walk away rather than stay in that fucking crap with no dignity.

6. Peter Hobbs has said that Australia is a very difficult place when it comes to growing a music career. How do you see it?

Yeah, it’s true. It’s a very remote and isolated place. So far away from other parts of the world. In our early years, we used to play live solely within Australia, as it wasn’t possible for us to go abroad. You know, flying is fucking expensive. In result, there are a plethora of big, cult bands which, very few if any in Europe, know of. In my case, I had a GF and pretty good life at the time, but I had to make a decision to move to Europe. I love Australia but when you want to play music, well, there are better places.

7. You and INQUISITION are on the same label. What is your view on what is going on with this band these days?

Well, what can I say? Should I say to be a pedophile is a bad thing? Fuck, it goes without saying it fucking is. Shame. But you know what? What the Metalsucks pressmen did wasn’t nice, not at all. They dug into INQUISITION`s past, I mean what took place 4-5 years ago and looked for anything to get them screwed. And they did find some shit eventually. It is true this shit is bad, but hell, it’s trespassing on one`s privacy too. Well, what problem is it to find some shit to smear it over virtually anyone, right? Jimi Hendrix used to rough up his wife. Did it make him a worse musician? No. A worse person? Definitely. What I am driving at is this kind of invigilation and trespassing are vile too. And you know what? What goes around, comes around. I am pretty sure Metalsucks will suffer too, because of it all. Just right before this interview gets published. As to INQUISITION, well there is no justification for pedophilia, end of it.

8. Hell, with every year there are more and more fans of D666 here in Poland. After Wildfire was out, well, it`s been a real craze here! Is it palpable? I mean, can you see this madness at your live shows? D666 is getting stronger in this country, no doubt, hey?

Well, never thought about it like that. I don’t like all this labelling – big bands and small bands, whatever. I don’t do this for fame, money or crowds. I play music because I love to play music. It gives me pleasure. It pisses me off when I ask other musicians about their live shows. What they answer me is well, there were such and such turnout. It does bother me, man. What I am asking about is the gig itself, not the amount of people. I don’t care if there have been 40, 400 or 4.000 people at my show. My brain still enjoys the very process of playing live. Festivals are like this. There are like 10.000 people yet there come just 2.000 – at most. The rest don’t give a flying fuck. Shag them, let them go and have a drink. I want to play for those who care. What I mean is this special bond between the audience and the band. Not like being a lame ass to tick off another band one`s seen live. Poland? Hell, as I said I love Poland, man. We have plenty of fans here, who respond to our music in a perfect way. And this fiery mayhem in front of the stage! Like this gig this evening!

9. Ok, the last one. Which you prefer? Polish vodka or beer?

Vodka, of course!

Wojciech Michalak