NEW INTERVIEW KNIFE

sobota, 29 kwietnia 2023 17:10 | Wpisany przez Oldchool Metal Maniac |

Teutonic metal is doing fine these days, no doubt. If you need proof, well, you go listen to KNIFE`s excellent, self-titled debut album…ok,

lads and ladies, this is KNIFE from the German town of Marburg:

Hello. Some time ago Florian sent me your debut, self-titled album from. This stuff kills, I must say, congratulations on awesome music!

Thanks a lot, glad you enjoy it. We put a lot of effort in the debut album and we’re happy that

people seem to dig it. It is time for real metal to reclaim the throne.

Well, as I can see you used up the COVID time really productively. I am sure you rehearsed a lot before recording and releasing your debut album, huh?

We mainly used the pandemic to write the songs and plan the release and basically did not have a lot of time to rehearse once the album was scheduled. Luckily, we all have more or less experience in recording so the songs and the recordings turned out great. But still we are

sure the next record will be even more METAL because we became tighter due to the shows

we have already played.

These days, there are fewer and fewer bands who rehearse together. Yes, I understand that some bands` members live very far away from each other but otherwise I think that`s weird.

There’s nothing better for a band than to get together to rehearse and create their music; jamming with each other. Otherwise, music somewhat lacks emotions…and I would say

while rehearsing a lot of great ideas can be found as well! What do you think about it?

I totally agree, even though we usually meet after Laz has already some ideas for the choruses and verses and I have already prepared parts of the lyrics. But of course the arrangements, the feeling and the energy only emerges when we play together and thus steadily improve.

Your music adds “fuel to the fire” of the archaic, metal tradition. So that this amazing genre shall never be forgotten. Was that your aim when you formed KNIFE?

You nailed it. It is quite simple: our aim is to deliver the energy of the first wave of Black Metal, the rawness of Punk and the power and melody of Heavy and Speed Metal. True Metal is supposed to be

played to crowds of maniacs with a passion for our music and this is what we want to do.

This album stands for a solid dose of old school metal, the way I love it! And man, I was so surprised to learn KNIFE formed just in 2019. How hard is it to play music like this, these days?

Thank you, mate. As mentioned before, we took a lot of time to prepare everything. For whatever reasons we were fortunate enough to release our music more or less directly after the first recordings.

I think that it always depends on what your band wants to achieve. Our main goal is to play fuckin’ fast a raw Speed Metal. If we sell records or not, or if we play in front of 5 or 500 people. It is the

music that drives us. So to us playing Metal is not hard, it’s just what we do.

Well, I am trying to figure out what bands are your main inspirations? Any names?

As our “Slasher” on the album cover shows, to of our main influences are VENOM and IRON MAIDEN and I think this summarizes it quite well. But of course bands such as MOTÖRHEAD, JUDAS PRIEST,

SLAYER, KREATOR, SODOM, BATHORY, GBH, RAMONES, ENTOMBED, AGENT STEEL, VAN HALEN, WHIPLASH, TURBONEGRO or W.A.S.P.. are among our influences. I guess that all bands we listen to leave their marks in the KNIFE sound.

Your full-length album was recorded at Fat Knob Studio. Can you please tell us some more about the recording session? How did it go? How much time did you spend recording these songs?

The recordings were done by our drummer Ferli in his Fat Knob Studio. After starting with the drums we added the rest of the instruments and Ferli and Laz spent a lot of time to find the right sound of the album. It was important to capture the energy. If you read the name KNIFE you know what to expect. And this is what we wanted to have.

Before the debut album was out, you guys released some eps including two tapes (“Black Leather Hounds” and “Locked In”). Tell us now, why you decided to release these on tape?

Don’t you think that tapes are old-school to the bone?

When we started the band we wanted to give the people a first glance of what to expect when the KNIFE is risen. I think playing in an old school band requires an old school recording medium.

We did not want to do an online release only. We wanted to give the underground a nice release, something to enjoy and collect. It did not make sense to release a CD or a 7 inch vinyl. So we wanted the first

releases to be something special. We’ll hopefully release the album on tape as well.

Well, apparently, a lot of people were interested in buying your tapes. Weird, right?I mean because tapes are just getting popular again, it wasn’t like this for a long time. What do you think about it? I can understand fans are into vinyls (quality of sound) but tapes, huh?

We were really surprised that the tapes sold quite well from the beginning. The second edition of the “Black Leather Hounds” was sold out within a few hours. Insane! Of course the best medium for our kind of music is the vinyl but I think that a tape is nice collectible but not really a serious medium for the perfect sound.

Your image is totally traditional and the way it used to be – that is, an integral part of music. This is sad that there are so many bands these days who forget about it. They usually create

good, interesting music but they look, at the same time, like a bunch of pussies. Why? Wasn’t like this in the past, that’s for sure!

think it is two-edged sword. Wearing denim and leather obviously is a kind of an image but this is just the way we think a Metal band should look like. Come on, it can’t be any better. Chains and Leather forever!

I do not really get why new bands do not care about their image. To us, Metal is a way of living and we want to convey this image to the people. But some even care TOO much and focus more on “looking 80s” than being authentic. A mustache and a mullet do not automatically make people Metal.To me, metal music has always been strictly associated with somewhat kitschy looking

layout/front covers. Well, paradoxically, that has always helped to make bands more recognizable.

Don’t you think that your front cover fits this pattern as well?

I hope so, hehe. The photos and artworks are very important. If you have a cover like ours people know what to expect: the grimness of steel! The artwork is obviously influenced by some of our 80s faves so we also wanted to pay homage to the old Gods of Iron.

Maybe you can identify the different artworks that had an impact on the “Knife” artwork. Last year, you released another tape cassette titled “Sounds of Sacrifice”. It features three

different songs titled “Sacrifice”. Two of these belong to VENOM and BATHORY and one is your own. That’s a good idea to compile all three songs together, tell me how did you get the idea of such a release?

I am not really sure how the idea emerged. I guess it came up while listening to these ancient gods. Our song “Sacrifice” was originally entitled “Sound of Sacrifice”. At some point we discussed the fact

that there are several songs with that title. So we decided to cover them and make a fine compilation.

By the way, the live video of the “Sounds of Sacrifice” session was shot on Cronos’ birthday. Nice coincidence. Originally we planned to include MOTÖRHEAD’s “Sacrifice” as well, but it did not fit the atmosphere.

And it is also not that easy to play, hehe.

For many fans, to be inspired by other bands aint a problem. For instance, Quorthon claimed he had not been inspired by VENOM which is not true since there are a lot of similarities between these two bands: VENOM and BATHORY, right?

On the flip side, Quorthon removed any “funny” elements from this genre, he indeed planted the seed of darkness in this sort of music and thus this genre`s level of extremism became much higher. Well, if you were to choose which one was better, BATHORY or VENOM what would be your choice?

You’re right. I never understood why Quorthon claimed that he was not influenced or at least inspired by Venom. But thinking about which band is better...puh, that is a tough choice. Well, as you said, BATHORY brought the true darkness into Metal but I really dig the “Fuck you”-attitude of VENOM’s irst three records. On the other hand we also have the epic BATHORY records...Holy hell...well, I think VENOM would be my choice, at least when just considering the impact (and their three first records and singles).You videoed the whole “Sounds of Sacrifice” session.

Can you please elaborate on this topic a little bit?

We were tired of all these bands doing these high quality “live in the studio” sessions. People in their everyday clothes playing music with “good” sound and so on. Our video is the antithesis to these

videos. It should just show four Metalheads in a nasty rehearsal space, sacrificing their souls to the Gods of Rock N Roll!

Do you have any other videos part from “Sounds of Sacrifice”?

After the lyric video for “Black Leather Hounds”, we shot the first video “Sword Loser” for the release of the “Black Leather Hounds” tape. We wanted to give the people who did not get a copy of the tape the chance to enjoy our music. There are also two videos to the songs “Chromium Prayer” and “K.N.I.F.E.” but they are rather visualizers. The second real video clip is “Inside the Electric Church” followed by “Behold the Horse of War”.Well, time is flying by so quick, right? I am sure you guy are working on some new songs.

Are you going to release any new stuff this year? How will these new songs compare to what we already know?

We were busy writing songs during the winter and they will be released later this year. They still follow the tradition of the first album. Fast, raw, aggressive Speed Metal Punk. In your face.

You guys are involved in other bands beside KNIFE, right? Can you please tell us some more about this topic a little bit?

Laz and I used to play together in an Action Rock band for more than 20 years. This band went on hiatus. Ferli is involved in several other bands such as CARNAL GHOUL and MILKING THE GOAT MACHINE. But currently we are all focusing on KNIFE

Well, after two years of no live shows, the situation seems to be improving! Plenty of summer fests are going to take place this year. So, you guys are playing at Wacken this year, huh? That’s really nice. Excited? Where else are you going to play live this year?

It is really weird to get the chance to play Wacken. I was there in 2000 and watching VENOM among other great bands. And now we will be there to play. Amazing. We are really excited. This is going to

be great. We will play some great festivals this summer like the Basinfest in Czech Republic, Pitfest in the Netherlands and Rock Hard Festival in Germany. At the end of this year we will play a 4 dates show with SODOM. Hell yeah!

Well, I am not sure if you know of the very wild, truly possessed fans here in Poland. So, when are you guys going to come over and play live in Poland?

We hope to come to Poland as soon as possible. We’ve already received some messages. Hopefully we will come to you maniacs this autumn. We’ll work on that.

I know you are now busy with your debut album recording session. How is this process going? Any issues?

Can you please elaborate a little on your new album?

We were busily recording new material the last winter and we can’t wait to unleash hell upon the headbanging hordes. Unfortunately I can not tell you more about it, but you can be sure that it will blow your speakers like the debut album did. Be prepared for an overdose of KNIFE Metal.

Like, you know, how many songs it will feature, the album`s title, what’s the name of the studio and who is the producer/sound engineer?

We decided to record the new album in the Fat Knob Studios again, with Ferli being the producer. The album title as well as the song titles and all the other important information will be published very

soon. There are still many things in progress. Stay tuned

When is it supposed to be released? Is Dying Victims going to be your label again?

The new album will be released via Napalm Records sometime this year. We still can’t give further information.

Can you please tell us more about the video clip you are making? Thanks.

The only thing I can tell you is that you can expect a tribute to the ancient Gods of Steel

Right, time to wrap up, I guess. Anything to add, any last words for our old school metal maniac mag readers?

Thanks, and take care.

First of all, thank you for the interview. And of course thanx to all the bangers you supported us. We hope to play Eastern Europe very soon. Until then, stay clean and do not forget to raise the fuckin’

KNIFE! Cheers.

Poprawiony (sobota, 29 kwietnia 2023 18:29)