KAM LEE INTERVIEW March 2012

Death Metal vocals were invented way back in 1983 in a band called Mantas, by a young drummer/vocalist with the name of Kam Lee. He is now considered the 'godfather' of Death Metal and has done vocals for many different bands of the genre. I spoke to him about his career to date...

Hi Kam, you don't really need too much of an introduction, but for our younger readers and those newer to Death Metal can you give us a brief introduction to who you are and what you do?

I'm just an old guy that started Death Metal vocals (growling) when no one else did it. I was in one of the very first Death Metal bands ever in the U.S, that band being Mantas/Death in 1983 through 1985, was in the band Massacre in 1985 through 1993 then took a 7 year break from doing it. I came back in the 2000's with a bunch of different projects but got most recognition from the band Denial Fiend which was between 2004 through 2008. I reformed Massacre for a tour in 2007 and 2008, then left that band to form Bone Gnawer. Later in 2009, I formed another band The Grotesquery (which is more or less my main band at the moment) and have done some others such as Broken Gravestones, Cryptidz, Grave Wax and The Skeletal. 

I'm hated by most 'trendy metallers'... you know the type - the ones who follow instead of lead themselves... and I'm 100% UNDERGROUND. 

However,  I'm NOT an elitist and I don't follow cliques or inner circles - I don't follow the rules... I don't kiss ass... and thus I'm an outcast even in the scene. 

I'm proud, and I have my integrity... and that is more important to me then being a comodity sell out opportunist or a "rock star". I hate pretentious ego-manical narcissistic types and sell out opportunist... and I feel that 80% of the current scene is over run with thee types. 

I can be very cynical at times, and have been known to be a bit of misogonist, but rather think of myself as a hedionist. I'm an athiest and an anarchist. Although, I consider myself a pretty easy going and a down to earth guy that treats everyone equally... no matter who... fans and friends alike... until someone stabs me in the back... then I'm the worst enemy you could have, because I DO NOT forgive easy. I can be rather frank and upfront... but I DO NOT bullshit, and I won't pretend to like something or someone just to appease others. I'm a 100% horror-nerd, game-geek, old school Death Metal fan, and a comic book-worm. I smoke a lot of cigarettes (which I know is bad for me... but that it's the only vice I have) and I like to eat sushi and drink Becks beer. That about sums it up I think. 

Over the years you have been in many bands starting with Mantas right up to your most recent efforts with The Skeletal and The Grotesquery. What have been your favourite moments in your career so far and why? 

It's hard to pin point a favorite moment. But I still have found memories of back in 1983 and 1984 playing in Mantas and Death, before all the bullshit... when it was just us three guys making and creating a new metal genre called death metal.

In the early 90's Death Metal exploded as a genre, especially with the Tampa scene but it quickly became saturated with countless copycat bands and many thought that Death Metal would die out but it kept on going. Today the genre is more saturated than ever but what do you think it is that has kept it going since 1983?

Too many bands today run trends and are just some corperate created comodity and they do flood and overflow the scene today. But the ones that do it for the 'passion' and not the 'fashion'... I say it is because it is music that is rooted in pure agressive nature. It's an outlet and a means for people to express themselves in a way that is primal that no other music can. It's not about the rythum of the heart beat... like that of dance music... you know 120 b.p.r.s, but rather it's an augmented sense of an adrenaline rush - and an endorphine rush. Sure it also has it's droning deeper heavy moments... like in Doom Metal. But death metal has a way to express feelings of dread, as well as frustration... anger, rage, excitment and fear. Lyrically it's a freedom to explore the darker side of humanity... the horror - the forbidden and the unknown. It's rooted in the most primal of all creatures existence, and that is in death itself. Only death is real.

Your lyrics are very horror based, and I know you are a huge horror movie fan. How did you get into the genre of horror, and what was the first horror movie you watched?

I always consider myself a horror fan first... a Death Metal vocalist second. I could give up the death metal thing, but never give up the horror! My first, introduction into horror was at age 6 - when I watched the original Dracula with Bela Logosi. 

I've been into horror - as long as I can remember... Halloween is my all time favourite day of the year... and I love reading all the classic horror novels. Esp. Lovecraft and Poe.

This is probably an impossible question to answer, but which Death Metal album has the most longevity for you and do you never tire of hearing?

Hellhammer - 'Apocalyptic Raids' - and nope... never tire of hearing it.

You are not only the godfather of the Death Metal style vocal, but you are also a talented artist. How long have you been into creating your own art for now?

I've done art on and off for more years then I've done music. I just never took it too serious levels. As for one reason... when I was younger... I never liked to stay still for too long. I always was active, and never wanted to be couped up someplace for too long. Now as I'm older... I don't want to be out amoungst people... so I find myself able to stay put long enough to do art.

The new album from The Grotesquery 'The Facts And Terrifying Testament Of Mason Hamilton; Tsathiggua Tales' is soon to be unleashed, what can we expect from you this time round? 

OLD SCHOOL DEATH METAL MADNESS!!

When you first started singing, there was no other vocalist in Metal that was doing anything on the same level as you, and many people consider you to be the true inventor of the Death Metal growl. How did you come to start doing your vocals in that signature style?

I just felt that what guys like Tom G. Warrior, Cronos, and even Quorthon where doing at the time... could be done even more extreme... more deeper... more primal. Like an animal growl - more or less. Back then... it was more common for 'screamers, and screetchy high pitch type vocals... the way Chuck and even Jeff Becara and Killjoy were doing. I wanted to be different then that. So I went deeper and more growling. 

I know today there are guys much deeper and much more gutteral then me... but back then... NO ONE was doing it. I was made fun of - laughed at... for doing it... even by fellow band members at the time... who would insist I not be so deep. 

But look at it now... it's "the norm" in Death Metal style vocals. So I think I knew what I was doing, and that it was the right way to go. 

But also now a days... it's common to be deep growling and incoherent. 

As you know... with me - I try to stay coherent... I enunciate. I think that is what makes me differ from most of the rest. 

I mean... I see no reason to 'show off' - but a lot of these vocalist do just that. They just try and be as deep and brutal as they can - for the sake of being 'gutteral'. And what is truelly sad... is they try and 'out do' one another... it's become a fucking pissing contest with their vocals... it's just competative jock mentality bullshit! 

Alot of them do it too with no sense of dimension to their voice... it's like one long elephant fart thru out the song... with no dynamics. And the pig squelling thing... fucking rubbish!

You have a radio show called 'From The Crypt' on Brutal Existence Radio every Saturday, can you tell us a bit about it and how it came about?

Fowler at B.E.R. had contacted me before about doing something. I've always been interested in doing some sort of radio show... you know for support of new demo bands, and just for fun in general. It took about a year to finally get organized, but once I started... I really enjoyed it. And still do.

I know you're a fan of Bolt Thrower, but what other UK bands are you into?

Carcass & Gorerotted are still two of my all time favs... but others like Benediction, early Napalm Death, early Cathedral, Anathema, My Dying Bride, and early Paradise Lost are some of my old school favorites as well.

I know this may be a touchy subject but what are your thoughts on Massacre reforming? I know you have had disagreements with certain members but I wondered how you feel about the band,their recent gigs and rumors of a new album? 

Let me sum it up in one word... BOLLOCKS!

In the photos of you in the 'From Beyond' Inlay (above), you are wearing a crucifix and in the credits you thank Jesus Christ. Were you once a Christian?

Actually it was NOT a crucifix... it was a celtic cross. Sorry, but no little Jesus was hanging from my neck. It was a celtic knotted cross... with a rose in the center... given to by me fiancee at the time. No it's Billy and Rick who are the big Christian believing - bible thumping - Jesus freaks. Even to this day I wager. Hell... Billy so much so that he thinks the world is coming to a Jesus rapture end and moved to Japan - and I guess he follows one of those idiot T.V. evangelist assholes or something. Rick is seventh day advetist... he's so proud of licking the sweat off of Jesus' balls he even posts it on his FB page... but a fucking hypocrite Christain at that he is... like all of them. Just a bunch of two-faced bastards that fuck over anyone... and everyone, but think because they bend their knee and pray to an invisible man in the sky - they got a place in heaven. FUCK THAT! If heaven does exist, and it has ass wipes like him in it... count me out!

Me... I don't believe in any god. Simple thing - I'm athiest now... BUT during that time in Massacre, I was more or less agnostic. One just doesn't become athiest over night... unless you're brought up that way. 

During the recording of 'From Beyond' I was engaged to marry but my fiancee at the time insisted that I convert to her belief system as she was Catholic. And well, if you know those damn Catholics, they get pretty insistent on the whole 'belief' thing, haha! 

Well I never did get married, and I NEVER did become a Christian.

As a matter of fact, that was a turning point in my own system of beliefs, as I began to do my own research into many different aspects of religion and theology.

I understand the reasons behind religion, why it was formed, its principle philosphy and its roots in basic morality. I most likely understand this aspect behind its creation more so then most believers do, but I don't follow any sort of belief system. 

My faith is in science, my philosphy is in proper ethics, and my belief in the simple fact that life is a complex combination of cells, and there is nothing after death.

You have worked with a lot of respected musicians over the years. The most recent as far as I know would be Rogga Johansson who you have worked with on Bone Gnawer and The Grotesquery. What has it been like working with him?

THE BEST! Honestly - Rogga has been the best musician I've had the pleasure of working with in years. I can not even recall the last time I was as excited to work with an individual on music. Although, working with Mark Riddick in Grave Wax is just as exciting. But truelly... Rogga is one of the best, and just a pure great death metal musician. We share alot of the same interest... within music as well as outside of music, and that helps a lot with understanding and respecting one another. Something I never got in Massacre.

You started a project called My Black Omen, and did a cover of 'Dawn Of Eternity' . Is the band now put to rest or will it continue in the future? 

Not sure what is happening with My Black Omen... That was something that guitarist Rossferatu organised. It's been through delays and changes but I'm still up for doing it - if it ever comes together.

What was the first Metal album you heard, and can you remember how old you were at the time? 

Haha! This is a funny one... because I HATED Metal at first, I was NOT into it at all until Rick started getting me to listen to it. I was a Punk... a skater... and my favorite bands were The Misfits, Samhain, The Plasmatics, and 45 Grave.

The first Metal I heard was Judas Priest and Ozzy... and I thought it was pure shit! I'm still NOT at all a fan of their stuff... I can respect it, but I don't like it. I do like older Iron Maiden, even older Black Sabbath and some Motorhead, but most older Metal didn't do it for me. Not until the early Death-Thrash bands out of Germany... like when Destruction, Sodom and Kreator came about... but it was really Hellhammer and Venom that changed all that. That was when I was more open to like Metal.

Are you pleased with the reception that the debut Grotesquery LP got, and what made you decide on the concept for that album?

Yes... the reviews for the most part were really great. Even better than that of Bone Gnawer. I think with Bone Gnawer most people didn't get the 'camp humor' behind the band, as well as the simplicity of the song writting. It was meant to be catchy and repeatative on purpose. It's the punker coming out of me I guess... but The Grotesquery seemed to be more on a serious level. Although it's all based on fiction and my love of Lovecraft and Poe... it seemed to get more a positive response because of the material. The music was written with a more serious and darker tone - and the lyrics just formed around the concept and storyline. 

The concept was based on a story I had been working on for a few years... but I decided it would work best for the band... to be able to build an entire album around a concept. For the album to be more then just music, I wanted to tell a horror story, and make it feel like a book or horror film.

Merchandise such as t shirts for most of your bands seems to be fairly few and far between. Is this a specific choice of yours or are there other reasons?

Mainly finacial reasons, that and when we did do shirts no one bought them  (such as Bone Gnawer)  and many were given away or traded instead of purchased. I lost money and went into the hole. 

Shirts are good for a band that tours because honestly, merchandise on the road is a bands 'bread and butter' on the road,  but for recording projects such as I've been doing these past few years it's really not something economical smart to invest into. You end up sitting on more shirts then you actually sell  as most places ask you to order large sums of them. Otherwise it costs more to do a low run. It's just not cost efficient these days to do merch.

You recently appeared in a horror movie called 'Deep Seeded'. Can you tell us how this happened, and what the film is about?

Ok - it's a horror film, but more like a torture porn flick... basically I play a serial killer who takes revenge on some girls whose mothers sliced the face of my character when he was a teenager. I follow them around, capture them, and torture them. Pretty basic plot... nothing mind blowing... it's just a basic 'grindhouse' type 1970's style sleaze fest, nothing more. 

I got the role... when I auditioned for the part really. The fx people that did the gore effects... I knew, and they set me up with the director. the director had seen my Horror Punk band Cryptidz play a few times... so he knew me from there, but didn't know if I could act. I did the audition and got the part. 

What can we expect from you musically over the next couple of years?

I want to finish up The Grotesquery with maybe two more full albums, to finish up the concept story line pretty much. I have the band Grave Wax which I'm currently working on a new full length album now. I would like to do another Bone Gnawer - to do it for fun. Broken Gravestones would be great to do a full length, but who knows if it'll happen... that up to Noel really. 

The Skeletal is done. Nothing more with that band, and to tell you the honest truth that was the entire line up for The Grotesquery that did that album so in a sense you could call that an album of The Grotesquery by a differnt name. My Black Omen... who knows? I'm really not behind it enough to push forward with it,  if it happens it happens. If not, meh...it's cool. 

I did want to start my own Funeral Doom band Akatharta, but I'm going to wait until the rest of this stuff comes to completion. Who knows, maybe I'll do Akatharta when I'm 50 - to finally close the book. Once I'm five ohh I plan to retire from this Death Metal thing anyways. 

Any last words?

Thanks for the support!

Kam thanks for the nice long, detailed interview. Make sure you check out all of Kam Lee's current projects and show him some well-deserved support; The Grotesquery, Bone Gnawer, The Skeletal, My Black Omen,  Cryptidz, and Grave Wax. 

MIKE BROWNING INTERVIEW March 2012

Mike Browning is one of the pioneers of the Death Metal scene, having been in bands such as Morbid Angel, Acheron, Incubus, Nocturnus and now his latest venture After Death. I managed to catch up with him to speak about the past, present and future and here is the result...

Hi Mike, how are you and what have you been up to lately?

I am doing pretty good, things have really started picking up for us lately, so I have been staying busy trying to even keep up with it all. Our Split CD has just been released last week and we are waiting for our copies to get here as we haven't seen them in person yet, just the pics of the CD's and layouts and the packaging is awesome. It's also a limited edition release of only 500 so it won't last long. We have also been playing a lot locally, it's only March and we have done three shows already this year, hopefully we can do something in another country too this year. And I have a ton of side projects going on as well.

How are things going with After Death? You recently released a split with Unaussprechlichen Kulten, how did this come about?

The band, besides doing shows, is working on a few new songs right now. We have three finished and a few others in the works, so I have a lot of lyrics to write!

As far as the split, it was Proselytism Records that contacted us and the label owner sent me some samples of his releases and they do these special Giant Digi-pacs with mini posters and awesome packaging, so I thought that this would be something cool and limited for people to buy, you can download the music for free, but packaging like this makes the difference for people who will really want a real copy and collect stuff. So we said sure we could do a split or something and he mentioned UK doing the split with us because they were also a Lovecraft Occult type of band and as it all started coming together all these coincidences started popping up everywhere! Not only were the bands similar in lyrical content, but even the titles we similar to ours being 'Dwellers of The Deep' and theirs being called 'Madness From The Sea'. Then we made plans to play in Chile where the label is from and we did all 3 shows with UK and were able to get a great picture with everyone from both bands in the same picture, which made it into the packaging too. It's gonna be something really cool for 2012!

 Do you have fond memories of the early days with Morbid Angel and Nocturnus?

Yes of course, being around for as long as I have I have done and seen a lot, so of course there are a lot of memories. I was lucky enough to be a part of helping start the reputation that Florida has for Death Metal and to this day still continuing that. I think the best memories about all of this is how people really felt about the music itself back then as compared to now where it seems everyone just wants to be in a band and compete with everyone else, it's just not the same anymore, but at least I have the memories of the fact that it was like that at one time.

You have been in the Death Metal scene for a long time now. How do you feel it's progressed over the last 27 odd years or so? Did you ever think that the small scene from Tampa would spread into this worldwide movement?

And it feels like a long time, although I can still remember almost all of the things that have happened to me since the beginning in music, just like it was yesterday. I have seen a lot of things change over the years and mostly for the worse unfortunately. The musicianship of the kids these days is unbelievable, but there is something missing that is just not there anymore in the music and that is why I still feel the need to be making music to show people that is just not all about being technical and fast, I like that a lot too don't get me wrong, but that old feeling that was in the music just doesn't seem to be very prevalent anymore.

I think when we were all here in the Tampa area, we were all just doing our own thing and there was so much room for ideas at that time that everyone had a different sounding band and everyone supported each other, but as the crowds grew, so did the competition and it took away from the originality, because if someone is trying to be more technical or faster or more brutal than the other bands they are listening to then that means they will have to copy that thing and improve on it, which means they are just copying something and not creating it.

Of the bands you have played in over the years, what has been the defining moment for you so far and why?

Well probably of course just all the crazy stuff we did in Morbid Angel, at that time we were a real occult band and what we did was for real, it was never about money or how big we could become, it was about creating something that would bring forth the forces that we were working with at the time. It all starts at the beginning with that and just sort of played itself out to where I am today. It's funny but back in 1987 and 1988 when I was writing all those Nocturnus lyrics I never thought it would become almost prophetic in that I was talking a lot about After Death in my lyrics, it's all over 'The Key's lyrics, especially like in 'B.C. /A.D' and 'Visions From Beyond The Grave' and I had no idea at the time that I would end up almost singing about my own future in my songs!

 In 1990 you released 'The Key' with Nocturnus. For many this was the start of a new fresh face of Death Metal. I remember being a kid of 12 years old, first hearing it was something special. What was it that inspired you to use keyboards and the sci-fi theme?

For me since I grew up in the 1970's I was always hearing bands with keyboards, from Led Zeppelin's Kashmir song to Rush and Emerson, Lake and Palmer and Deep Purple and I always liked the extra sound keyboards gave a band, no matter what type of music it was the keyboards always gave it that atmosphere of you being more involved in the song and I wanted my music to have that too. The sci-fi theme was actually more of Mike Davis' idea than mine, but also being a fan of sci-fi and horror I was totally open to adding those elements into the mix.

 Who are the bands that you're listening to most these days?

I still find myself listening to the old stuff like Mercyful Fate, Slayer, Angelwitch and even a lot older stuff from the 70's. I really like to find old bootlegs of bands playing live that would play the same songs differently every night in front of stadiums of people and do like 15-20 minute versions of 4 minute radio songs, for a band to be able to do that live night after night, to me that is really awesome. Just lately though I have been listening to that new Blotted Science CD if you mean something brand new!

I understand you are a collector of weapons? Is this something you have always been interested in?

I collect a lot of things, as far as weapons though I only have a couple of guns, it's mostly swords, spears and axes and stuff like that that I have a large collection of. There have been some real cool weapons made in the early days, so pretty much I have always been interested in them.

What UK bands are do you admire and why?

That list would go back to the first days of course with Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Angelwitch because to me they started it all with that NWOBHM stuff. And still today you have bands like Napalm Death, Bolt Thrower and others like them that are still doing it and still coming out with some great stuff after all this time.

Are you guys writing new material, and what can we expect from this new material?

Yes as I had mentioned earlier, we have probably close to half of a new albums worth of material we are working on already.

Most of your lyrics have always been fairly occult-based. Is the occult something that has always interested you or is this subject just something that you feel fits your music well?

It's pretty well known that I have been into the occult stuff for even longer than I have been playing in bands, so for me I think it was more that I use the music for my occult work than that it fits with the music, the music is more of an avenue for expressing my occult work.

 What UK bands are you into?

One band in particular besides from all the ones I had already mentioned that is from the UK was called Biomechanical, they put out an album a few years back called Cannibalised that just blew me away and I heard they were working on a new one a couple of years ago but still haven't seen anything new come out by them since, too bad to because that was a very promising and original band I thought.

How did you come up with your band names, Nocturnus and After Death? Would I be right in saying that After Death was loosely taken from the Nocturnus song BC/AD?

I came up with the Nocturnus name from Slayer's 'Hell Awaits' album where he says Nocturnal specters hiding from the light, that line was so cool that I started looking into the word Nocturnal and saw that the original Latin word for it was Nocturnus and that just had a certain ring to it almost like the word Atlantis and it gave me the vision of this black island of evil rising from the sea, so I wrote a song about it and used it for the band name too.

Back in 1999 I wanted to put the original Nocturnus together again to show people where the band actually came from in 1987, so with Gino Marino, Richard Bateman and myself, who were three of the four original Nocturnus members, we started jamming again and were just going to call it Nocturnus. I then got a cease and desist letter from a lawyer through Lou Panzer and Sean McNenney that I could not use the name Nocturnus because they owned it and were also back together playing again and were using the name that they stole from me in the first place, so in spite I was going to call the band Nocturnus AD and got another letter saying I couldn't use the "Nocturnus" word at all in my new bands name, so I dropped the Nocturnus and just called it After Death and that's how it came to be.

Would you ever consider doing Nocturnus again or is that laid to rest for good?

I was actually offered a couple times about how much money could be made and how the people wanted it and would pay to see it, but I am not in this for the money and to help others that stabbed me in the back get rich on my expenses, so with me the real Nocturnus began and so shall it end!!!

 What can we expect from you next with After Death?

At this point some new songs, hopefully some small tours around the world and of course a label that could really get behind us and give us that push, and management that could really take us to the next level in being a band. We take things day by day and just work from there nowadays.

Any last words?

As always I just want to say THANKS for all the support from people like you and everyone who supports what I have done over the years and yes there are some big surprises coming up real soon that will be unfolding this year in 2012, just wait and see!!!

Thanks Mike for such an in depth interview. Don't forget to check out Mike's current band After Death at their official website, on Myspace  and on Facebook.

ABWEHRSCHLACHT INTERVIEW March 2012

Abwehrschclacht rose from the ashes of UK Black Metal bands Xaztur and Immanis. I caught up with frontman Alex Sotheran AKA Erich VonFalkenhyne...

Hi Alex, how's it going?

Hails Matt, it’s going well thanks. I’m pretty busy with work and a university course on the First World War, which is remaining enjoyable!

You have been involved in the UK Black Metal scene for a long time now, can you tell the readers about your history in the scene?

Yeah, my history in the BM scene goes way back to the early nineties, when I was involved with tape trading and was a member of a couple of bands. The first of these was Xaztur, with two other members, Necrentus on Guitar and Sibbanac on drums. I played bass and handled the vocal duties under the name Azazel. We released a rehearsal tape and then a proper demo ‘Pagan Rites’. We actually only ever recorded four full songs but were working on new stuff when I left the band. I was in the position of handling everything in the band, doing promotion, distributing the demo tapes (buying the blanks and dubbing them myself) and even writing new material and lyrics. It felt as though I was carrying the band and getting little back for it. That’s when I decided that time for me to leave had come and I set up my own project; Immanis. This and consisted of myself on bass, vocals and keys and Ludendorf on guitars, although he was not called this then! We used a drum machine for Immanis and I released a promo tape of two songs and intro/outro. After this came an incredibly poorly recorded/played rehearsal tape with three semi-songs on! It was at this point that I decided to lay Immanis to rest. My interests lay elsewhere during this time. The only other recording under the Immanis moniker was a short rehearsal track I recorded when it was mooted that I joined another local band called Demogorgon. This came to naught though and although I continued to listen to BM I gave up playing in 1995. Fast forward to 2007 and after spending a bit of time recording a joke Ninja Metal band, Sudoku, I began writing more BM influenced music. I was working with the guitarist of Immanis, now called Ludendorf, when I decided to create BM in the old style under the new name of Abwehrschlacht. Over a few sessions, we recorded a reasonable amount of material (more than both the Immanis and Xaztur output put together!) and decided to release it on old school tape.

How does the UK scene today compare to the days when you and me were both starting out in the early '90's?

I’ll be completely honest here and tell you I know very little about the current UK scene! There are some great bands out there, Witchclan and Deadman’s Blood (of course!), Demonic Cremator, Old Corpse Road, etc, but beyond a handful of bands I know little about what is going on. This is down to me and my lack of time to keep up with everything happening at the moment! But from what I see the main difference is the level of professionalism that is around these days. I guess this is more obvious in the cost of producing CDs or even dubbed tapes compared to twenty years ago. The cost of everything has come down and made it easier to release professional looking products. From what I hear a lot of people seem to be going back to roots, exploring the old sounds of the early nineties, which to me is bliss anyway!

How did the 'Kaiser Schalcht' demo tape sell?

We have shifted a large amount of the original 150 copies, but there are still a few available. I guess this is down to my lack of promotion just through lack of time! I have traded quite a lot with other bands and labels, which has increased my collection quite well. But it is still available for £4 (including P&P), contact me for a copy!

The style of Black Metal you play today is very different to the days of Xaztur and Immanis, was this a natural progression for you?

I think the natural progression comes from actually being able to eventually play an instrument! I’m kidding, but I think I have also gained a better understanding of how songs are constructed and also I learned to play quite a few BM songs, which I guess must have had an influence as well. I prefer to think that my approach is more mature these days and the construction of songs hopefully reflects that.

Are there plans for something new in the near future, and if so what might it be?

Well, besides the material on the demo we have about four other tracks recorded, with a couple awaiting mixing. We are toying with the idea of some form of release, but being the lazy twats that we are it may be a little while longer before they see the light of day. Having said that, I have literally just been approached by Darkness Shade Records for a split release (alongside your good self) and it looks like we may see an outlet for some of that material after all! The difficulty at the moment is that I have moved cities a year ago so Abwehrschlacht has taken a back seat at the moment, especially since Ludendorf is busy with his other band Goat Leaf. But I hope we will be able to record something in the future.

You once said to me that you might like to re-record some of the old Xaztur material, is this still the case?

It is a possibility, we recorded an Abwehrschlacht ‘cover version’ of Frozen Winter by Xaztur which was pencilled for a release with Witchclan (lack of funds has shelved this at the moment though…). I also did a demo recording of the Immanis track ‘Tears of the Trees’, but this is also in my personal vaults. It was an experiment to see if I could do it. Again, the biggest problem with recording anything is the distance between the band members and a lack of time on my part.

Which bands are your biggest influences in Abwehrschlacht?

As the songwriter I am very much influenced by the old school BM bands (now called first or second wave Black Metal, whatever the fuck that means!) and by that I mean, Bathory, Venom, Burzum, Mayhem, Emperor on their Demo, Von, Hellhammer and Celtic Frost. I don’t know how much like these bands my music sounds, but I have this stuff in mind when writing. I’m also influenced by some of the newer BM bands like Wolves in the Throne Room and I think that may come through in some of the newer material that we wrote.

Do you think that over the last 20 odd years that Black Metal has lost some of the danger and extremity that it once used to have?

Yes, absolutely. When I first got into BM it was because of the appeal of a music scene that was kicking against the pricks of conformity and the safe metal scene that existed then. It was this mystical entity where we didn’t even know the names of people in the bands, everyone wore corpse paint to hide their identities; the ultimate anti-personality scene. The rumours coming from Norway of church burnings just added to this excitement and interest. Here was a movement that was dynamic and not scared to hide behind their words, they were taking action. It felt like the storm clouds were gathering in the north. It was a dangerous music scene, as the disproportionate amount of deaths has attested, but nowadays it’s dominated by safe radio friendly shit, like Dimmu Borgir. I know there is an underground scene that is in existence now, but the problem is, this already happened. The vast majority of bands nowadays are poor copies of the originals (when I say originals, I mean the ‘second wave’ of bands, because to me, before that scene, Black Metal existed but not as a tight scene like the rise in the early nineties.).

Where did you get the idea from for your band name?

The name Abwehrschlacht is from a 1918 German military doctrine. It roughly translates as ‘Attack through Defence’. It was a way of drawing the enemy forces into over-stretching their supply lines and drawing them closer to heavy defences. It’s a First World War term and as I was specific about the lyrics in Abwehrschlacht being Great War influenced it fitted pretty well, it also helps that I feel German is a pretty martial language!

Have you had much interest from any labels?

No, in a word. Nothing. We have had a song on a compilation CD and the split tape I mentioned before through Darkness Shade, but beyond that nothing. It would be nice if we were to be picked up by a label, but to be honest, it is not why I am doing this. We are happy to record small amounts and put out limited releases, but wouldn’t refuse any interest.

What's next on the cards for you and the band?

I may have mentioned that in the last year my life has become rather busy, with one thing or another, so at the moment, Abwehrschlacht has been put on the back burner. It doesn’t mean we will not be recording again anytime soon, but we are keeping our heads below the parapets at the moment!

Any last words?

Thanks for the great interview Matt, it’s great to see the ‘zine has resurfaced after all this time! Hail to the ancient days! For anyone interested in purchasing a tape, you can get them through my eBay account: http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/alex_sotheran. Also check us out on Myspace.

Thanks Alex. Remember to check Abwehrschlacht out on Myspace at www.myspace.com/abwehrschlacht and on Reverbnation at www.reverbnation.com/abwehrschlacht and finally Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Abwehrschlacht - Support the UKBMM!

ASPHYXIATOR interview March 2012

Black Metal is thriving in the UK, and Asphyxiator is at the forefront of it all with his bands Mystiabllus, Demonic Cremator and Unholy Deathcunt. I interviewed him and this is what he had to say...

Hi Trev, how are you? What have you been up to lately?

Hi Matt, well the past few months have been very busy in terms of writing and recording Mystiabllus material, promoting, and trying to get some fucking holidays booked. I am also in the middle of updating my studio equipment, it never ends.

You seem to have your fingers in a lot of different pies. Can you tell me a bit about your different projects?

Ok no problem, Demonic Cremator is me and my partner Necrotica playing out our influences really of total mid '80’s black metal, new plans are in action. Unholy Deathcunt is myself and Filthgrinder handling all vocals now, VERY intense band, about as manic as my mind can tolerate, a very anxiety mooded band, new EP in the works, and Mystiabllus, total and utter Black Metal, think early Emperor, Burzum. New split tape out and EP soon.

Mystiabllus is your latest venture. What was it that inspired you to start this up?

I really started this as Spiritus, but something never felt completely right for some weird reason. So I put that to rest, months later returned with a greater concept of the whole idea, and so I wear my influenced entirely on my sleeve, I wanted corpse paint, Satanism, hatred, harsh cold sound, The imagery is as important as the sound, which might sound a bit shit, but it’s true. This is the bleakest part of my soul,

and most introverted and selfish band. Mystiabllus is of course inspired by the early ‘90’s Black Metal bands, Norwegian also French. This my goal to keep this FEEL and GRIMNESS alive in our black hearts, this I suppose where Spiritus left and died, there is no more. New split cassette with Corrupt Humanity is out now on Sacrificial Tapes.

Your project Unholy Deathcunt is the most chaotic and darkest of your 4 bands, is it intentional to make this one so nasty sounding?

The intention is to fuck things beyond hell in terms of nasty, angry and total mayhem. Pure Blackened /Death Warmetal!!! Drink it down and destroy with chainsaw, now I have been joined by the mentalist that is FILTHGRINDER on vocals this is taking things even more extreme and new satanic ideas are brewing. The FUCK YOU demo was released to 300 copies in 2011 and was received greatly, now this new 8 track will be along this year and is sounding CHAOS! 

You are in Demonic Cremator with your partner Necrotica, she is obviously a big part in your life but how well do you work together on music?

We work together perfectly as Demonic Cremator because we have the same musical influences, mostly, I mean mostly I will show her a new riff or something then the next minute we are jamming and getting songs together, making more plans and getting excited about it, there is something coming very soon by the way!

How well did the Spititus demo sell? Is there something new planned?

The Spiritus releases sold not too bad considering there was no real label or anything to get behind it, but as I Said earlier it is really a DEAD project, I still have some copies around.

You covered a Mayhem song on the 'Fuck You' demo, how did this come about and is it something you had always planned for the demo?

I fuckin’ love this song, as I do the entire ‘De Mysteriis…’ album, I just wanted to have a bit of fun with it.

How do you view the UK Black Metal scene?

You know I think from what I see lately there is a lot of great stuff coming from all over the country now, real quality stuff with the right fuckin’ attitude and lots of passion. And to be honest I am fuckin’ proud to be involved in this.

Which bands inspire you most in Mystiabllus?

Vlad Tepes, Mutiilation, Early Behemoth, Early Empereor, and of course the mighty Burzum.

All your bands are quite different in sound and style, do you find it easy to keep such a diverse style for each of your projects?

Sure, these bands sound different and have different feels to them, I have to say it is very easy as these are all different moods and influences. Very schizophrenic but it works, it also takes some time as I work within the mood I am in at the time, but this works out fine.

What can we expect next from you?

Split cassette from Mystiabllus/ Corupt Humanity limited to 50, titled 'FACE OF DESTRUCTION'. 

Mystiabllus 6 track CD titled ‘THE CEREMONY’ out next month.

New Unholy Deathcunt EP being recorded as we speak, this is gonna KILL!!

Do you think the internet is a hinderance or aid to the Metal Underground?

To me it is a vital way of getting heard, and hearing music myself that would be almost impossible without. There is divided opinion of course, but overall this is a blessing.

Any last words?

Matt, I just wanna say thanks for the interview and getting the chance to explain things about myself, and these bands. British Black/Death Metal is thriving!!

Thanks to you too Trev. Remember to check out all Asphyxiator's projects; Mystiabllus, Demonic Cremator, Spiritus, and Unholy Deathcunt. Support UK Black Metal!

BURIAL interview March 2012

Formed in 1991 and hailing from The Netherlands, old school Death Metallers Burial have had their ups and downs but the band are now stronger than ever so I spoke to guitarist Steven Vrieswijk about various topics...

Hi Steven, how are you and how are things going with the band?

Pretty good, actually. We started rehearsing again last October, after being without a rehearsal room for over a year, and currently  getting our new vocalist worked in.

I hear that 'Relinquished Souls' will soon be rereleased, when will this be happening?

This month, it will be re-released through Memento Mori records .

'Relinquished Souls' is now considered an underground Death Metal classic. When you recorded it, did you have any idea that it would ever reach this kind of status?

No, not really. The other guys, who were in the band that time didn't either.

Although the 85 points in Aardschok magazine should be a little hint though.

Apart from Burial, you were also a member of Polluted Inheritance, can you tell me a bit about your time with the band?

I was asked to join them on bass in the late 2000, if I'm not mistaken,

just after the recording of the last album. I didn't record anything with them,  but did some shows. In 2008 after our last show with Testament, we called it quits. Since we all had families and jobs, it was really hard to free up the time needed for the complex music that we made. Ronald (vocals&guitars) plays guitar with Master of Waha (with a.o. Xavier Carrion, ex-Channel Zero), Friso (drums) is a professional musician in the jazz circuit and writes all sorts of classical stuff. Erwin, the other guitarist isn't musically active at the moment.

Real shame Polluted quit...

Did your 2006 demo 'Resurrection' sell well, and how was it received?

No not really, still got some left. We haven't seen a review either since we didn't send it around. We know it is a terrible product. The song themselves are okay, but it has been played and recorded poorly.

Are there any plans for a new Burial album any time soon?

Well we want to, but first we need to write more material. The sabbatical we had caused a real delay in writing.

In the early days you were very much influenced by Massacre and Death, is this still the case?

Absolutely, although there are some Obituary and Meshugah things happening as well along with some Slayer and Morbid Angel like stuff.

Of your three releases with Burial, which one is your favourite and why?

Definitely the album.  I have listened to the thing over and over again, so it has some childhood memories for me! And the four demo tracks are on there as well.

On the re-release , the entire 'Frigid Cold' demo is added as bonus tracks.

 What bands are you listening to most these days?

Death, Massacre, Bone Gnawer, Slayer, Necrophagist, and the Dutch band IChaos, they're awesome!

I recently re-discovered Gorguts and Disincarnate... really love that old stuff.

What first got you interested in Metal and what prompted you to become a member of Burial?

It all started out with KISS, I guess. Later I thankfully got into the Thrash wave in the '80's with Metallica and Slayer, until I heard Death... that was quite an eye-opener!

As far as Burial is concerned, I've known the original members for years, as I was always hanging out in the rehearsal room they had at the time. Stefan (the original guitarist/vocalist) is my cousin, and got me into playing as well. After the split up in '94  it wasn't until 2000 that I called some of the guys to see if there was a possibility to jump start Burial. Stefan didn't want to sing anymore, so we got a new vocalist called Sebastian whom I've known since we where ten years old. Peter (guitars on the album) started drumming, and I became the second guitarist.  In the course of years, Stefan left and was replaced by Frank Schobben (ex-Mordancy). And last year Sebastian left, since he didn't see an end to the sabbatical and got bored, basically.

He's been replaced by Angelo de Bruijn (also ex-Mordancy).

Will there be some new Burial merchandise soon?

Well Memento Mori will print some album design shirts, and we still have logo shirts in stock (black with red logo).

What does the future hold for Burial?

Who knows?  First we need to get back on stage asap, and write more material.

Any last words?

 Keep Death Metal old school, and like us on Facebook, add us on MySpace and fan us on Reverbnation. Horns up!

Thanks Steven.  Remember to check out the re-released version of 'Relinquished Souls' out on Memento Mori.