DEATHRONATION interview

And now something really fuckin great!

Deathronation is old school death metal band from Germany, which I fuckin loved when I got their debut demo 2006 titled "A Soil Forsaken..." few years ago. This really was one of the best demo releases at that time, especially that there weren't that many bands, which wanted to play like Asphyx at that time. Unlike today he, he... I did this interview with Deathronation, but as you may already know, that sixth issue of Panzerfaust hasn't been finished and so this interview is totally unreleased. There are two reasons I decided to remind it at the moment. One is that Deathronation is really fuckin great band and they may interest all those old school death metal maniacs, as Deathronation isn't worse than these new bands, that appear every month. The interview is really cool, I agree with many things S.Old says in it, so it would be a shame to bin it. Another reason is the fact that Deathronation just released their second demo, titled "Exorchrism". Two songs that I've listened to on band's myspace are fuckin' shredders! I totally love them, so I hope to have a chance to listen to the demo in its entirety one day... Meanwhile, check this old interview out.

DEATHRONATION has started as EYESORE, as far as I know, in 2004. Tell me how was that time in the band, did you play similar music to what DEATHRONATION plays? Also, did you play in other bands before EYESORE? How deep do your underground roots go in the past?

Well yes, we started under the name EYESORE in early 2004. But before that it were also the same three sickos (Eyehate: drums, Basti: guitars / bass / vox, and me S.Old: guitar and vox.) who started in 2003 rumbling on the ruins of a former band-project of Eyehate and Basti. The time back than was a great one, as we found out, that each other is highly motivated to play that stuff! The music we did under the name EYESORE was exactly the same as we do now. As all songs we play now (except for two) have been written in this time. The difference was, that we have been much lousier in handling our instruments. After the first gig and a never released demo (which contains the songs of “A Soil Forsaken” and two of the upcoming “Exorchrism” demo) Basti unfortunately had to quit because of a lack of time (but he is still helping us sometimes at the session guitar). Back in this time I took over the main vocals and asked old friend to play the bass. So S. Muerte joined for doing the bass guitar and some vokills and screams. He also brought another friend of him, Randy Rots into the band. In this time we rehearsed a lot and did some gigs which turned out to be very successful.

Our roots go deep into the underground scene. I can’t write for the other members, but personally I have been involved into the international metal scene since 1995 (in this time mainly black metal). I played in DARKNESS IS MY PRIDE, which was a promising black metal band in Germany in the mid 90ies. We just released one demo which was spread all over the world. But fate stopped us. After that I played in a couple of other bands and had also some years break in being active in the scene. This just because the black metal scene ( to which I belonged mostly in that time) became too ridiculous. From 1998 to 2002 I played in a psychedelic doom metal band called THE MIRROR WATERS. Today people would say this was “depressive or suicide doom”… but fuck that! We didn’t know about that name for genres of music. We just played total fucked slow motion stuff under the influence of UNHOLY and shitloads of weed. We never released anything official, but fortunately I still have a lot of rehearsals from that time banned on old tapes. In 2000 I became a member of EMBODIED GRIEF, which was a local death metal band. We released one demo in 2001. Unfortunately we also split up. But this made the way free to start up with the other guys. And here we are now. Ah by the way, S.Muerte is also playing in TOTAL HATE which released its new CD some weeks ago on the label of your countrymates AGONIA Records.

DEATHRONATION has unleashed just one demo so far, but I’ve heard that the second attack is about to be unleashed very soon. So, tell me something about your plans with this new recording. What are the songs on it like and would you compare them to the debut?

Well yes, our first demo “A Soil Forsaken” was released in 2006. Now the work for the new one “Exorchrism” is in progress. It should be released in about two months I guess. It contains two more songs from the EYESORE times and two new ones. The song “Beg for your God” which will be on it as originally from the before mentioned EMBODIED GRIEF. But we tuned it a little bit. The difference to the first demo will be, that it’s more tight played, less mistakes in playing and a little bit better sound. We still record this in our rehearsal room. We have been very slow on doing that. This depended due to different reasons. Be it personal ones or official. The solos will not be as brilliant as on “A Soil…” , as I play them this time haha. But it will be much more tight, as now it’s just me on the rhythm guitar.

Speaking of “A Soil Forsaken”, this is truly killer underground, raw old school death metal. What would you say about comparing this music to such legends as ASPHYX, DEATH (old), PENTACLE, AUTOPSY, POSSESSED, SADISTIC INTENT? Would you say these bands influenced your songwriting in any way?

It’s a big compliment to be compared to these bands. And we surly like them. But they had no direct influence on our songwriting. Maybe an indirect one. Our songs just turned out as our feeling told us to do. These mentioned bands sound evil. Well that’s what we try to do also… these bands are rough… we are too… but we play faster hehe. We dislike the emotionless clean sounding of nowadays productions. We try to develop in our sound and with our skills… but be sure, we will never sound like this numberless bands from the retort.

Things I liked most on your demo are: raw, dirty sound, sick vokills and these slow riffs, which are really great in between the faster fragments. Also, memorable, head-bangers friendly riffs!!! Well, it’s hard to believe it’s a demo, not a classic album from decades ago ha, ha? Your opinion?

Hehe thank you very much again for the compliment! These classic albums and demos you are telling about are the ones, which guided my youth in metal. These were intense and higher moments. The sound was as it was because the bands didn’t have much money for studio and not as much technical possibilities. Well, we have better technical possibilities but also no money haha. But I think it’s a mistake to try to sound like someone or some special time. Then you loose integrity. And metal should be honest. We sound as we do, because we are not able to do it better haha. .

You’ve used an intro for “A Soil Forsaken” from the “Stigmata” movie. I remember this film was very controversial when it was in cinemas. Here in Poland people wanted to ban it. Tell me, do you think it is fair to ban something, just because one calls it “controversial”? Should there be a limit for art? And in a case of “Stigmata”, do you think this movie says at least a little bit of truth about the foundations of the church?

Well to be honest, I haven’t seen the movie yet. I just read about it. Our bassplayer is the right man to discuss the movies. But to say it short… I’m very into mysticism… the band is also an instrument to live that need for it... our world is full of cold logical structures… no place for that inner needs… so a movie like that can give an impulse to people. Even when it’s a christian mysticism. We should never forget, that the mysticism is the anarchist part of every religion (of course mysticism doesn’t necessarily need a religion to be). By the way I read a book about that topic in the moment. It’s called “Mysticism and Resistance”. And it deals with the topics about the people who find a relation to god (or whatever) through their practice. This means, that they don’t need the official church to get salvation for their souls. And this is of course dangerous for the church itself. But it’s hard to fight these thoughts, as they have always been a part of the church and the believe. You can see, that the catholic liturgy contains a lot of these mystical acts. For the last question, well we all know that the church is based on a pile of lies. It’s obvious, that the church is driven by a will for power. It’s an institution for repressing people. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t judge anyone for his belief – everyone is free to believe whatever he is into. But I can’t accept soul hunting methods and forcing believes on kids through education and repression… And the fact that they try to get influence on politics. And so it’s no wonder, that the church tries to forbid whatever…. Church has no right to ban anything. But they try – as everyone would, who has to loose something. Question is if they achieve success or not… Art is principally free… provoking art is important for keeping the peoples’ senses awake. It should be honest… art from the heart. Then its existence is legitimated.

 

Tell me, what does a death metal song need to be really killer in your opinion? Nowadays bands try to complex their songwriting as much as they could, but to me it isn’t the best option. The music becomes unmemorable, without dark atmosphere, etc. So, I barely can listen to it. What are your favourite death metal songs then? Do you like such anthems as “Evil Dead”, “Wasteland of Terror”, “Dreaming In Red”, “Into the Grave”, “Burnt Identity”, “Troops of Doom”, “Death Metal” etc???

“Into the Grave” yezzz I love that… The song ”Leprosy” is most impressively for me. It has all… simple but effective song structure, great voice, lyrics which fit to the music, great riffing… only thing is, that the drum sound is not exactly my taste. But nevertheless good. But there are many more songs for sure. I can just mention most songs of the “Cursed” album. Or also most of the old MERCYLESS (France) stuff, MORBID ANGEL’s “Immortal Rites”, DEICIDE’s “Dead by Dawn” and many more. But that’s what I like, the others have maybe other stuff in mind…

There were always three main schools of death metal: the US one (CANNIBAL CORPSE, SUFFOCATION), Swedish (ENTOMBED, DISMEMBER) and European one (MORGOTH, SINISTER, ASPHYX). Which do you like most? And tell me, do you know what happened to MORGOTH guys? Did you like “Odium”, very experimental LP? Would like to see them reuniting, just like some bands just did (GOREFEST, ASPHYX, PESTILENCE etc)??? Is there any point in resurrecting these long dead corpses? Personally I have to say I hate it!!! What about POSSESSED playing gigs? Isn’t it ridiculous a bit??

Well, I was mostly into bands which played a style which was a mixture out of the two sounds which you described as “Swedish” and “European” sound. TIAMAT, DISMEMBER, MORGOTH etc... But also the American bands had an important influence. DEICIDE, MORBID ANGEL, MALEVOLENT CREATION, MASSACRE, DEATH, DARTH VADERS CHURCH, SUFFOCATION, MONSTROSITY, DEMOLITION HAMMER, EXHORDER, HEXX… and many more kicked ass. About the MORGOTH guys… I just know, that the vocalist worked at Century Media. But I have no idea if he still does. Also for the other members I have no information. I didn’t like “Odium” back then when it was released. The cover was shit… (”Cursed” is one of the best death metal cover artworks. It’s a proof that it‘s really worth to own the vinyl version because of the big cover and the innersleeve). And the music wasn’t what I wanted to listen to. But everyone is free to do what he wants…s o it was their decision to do that like this. Maybe I would understand the music now better…many years after… For reunions I don’t care… sometimes it’s cool sometimes not. The people should know that a reunion is a dangerous thing. You can win or lose a lot. So it’s better if you do it, because of the music… not for some fast bucks. POSSESSED is not the band I had lost my heart to… so I didn’t care. On the one hand it’s cool for some bands (like them) to get the attention which they didn’t get in the time when they started. On the other hand it can turn out ridiculous. But this depends on it, how they do it.

And what nowadays death metal bands do you like most? I think that REPUGNANT is just KILLER!!!! Also, THRONEUM, DEAD CONGREGATION and NECROS CHRISTOS! Any new German bands to recommend?

Well yes, I like the REPUGNANT and NECROS CHRISTOS a lot. I don’t know THRONEUM so far. There are also DROWNED and ERODED (btw. there is ERODED from Italy too. They are also okay) which I like.  They aren’t new at all. In the opposite... DROWNED… they are pretty old. Oh, and not to forget our mates of DEAD. They are famous for their sick humour… handled as a porn-grind band… but what the fuck - it’s one of Germany’s oldest death metal acts which is still active! Nuremberg’s answer to PUNGENT STENCH haha !

I would like to ask you about one past member of DEATHRONATION. Why did Randy Rots left the band? I’ve heard he plays now in TOXIC HOLOCAUST live lineup, is it true?

Well Randy had to leave the bands because of personal differences. As far as I know He used to be a live member of TOXIC HOLOCAUST during their European tour activities. Now after a long search for a new guitar we finally found Megan. She just moved from US to Germany. We play our first gig together next week.

And you play live in WORHIP. What is this band like?

WORSHIP is an old two-piece doom band from Germany. Some people call them a “cult band” due to their history which was marked by pain, self-destruction and death. Nowadays the band still continues with the one original member who is still alive. I was just involved as a session-member at three live dates in 2005. Well, the music is still high quality, but the band changes to something else… the “cult” is dying…

I had an opportunity to see some live clips from your gigs. You also shred on stage, I’m glad to say. Tell me something more about the gigs you played so far, like what bands did you share the stage with, how were the parties after the show, etc!

Well, we try our best on stage! So far we played with bands like PENTACLE, NECROS CHRISTOS, SUFFERAGE, NOCTURNAL BREED, WOLFTHORN our mates of DEAD and more. Yes after show ends with hard drinking… and we work hard on ourselves not to start the boozing before playing haha  We play next week with GOLEM and maybe we play a gig in Nuremberg  in March with DEAD CONGREGATION from Greece… This will turn out great I guess!

OK. man, that was my last question. Thanx for your answers. Ehhh, by the way - you wrote me you visit Poland quite often. Tell me just for the end, what do you think of my country and our beer!!!! And will Poland kick German asses on Euro 2008?? See ya some time!

Well yes, last time I was in Poland was New Years Eve 2007/2008. We have been at Wroclaw. I was there several times. It was a hard boozing action! I prefer Zywiec, that  rules! Warka and Tatra are okay. Piaste sucks! It was the first time I saw beer with juice in Poland. Is that some Polish delicacy? It’s interesting taste but not good for the stomach haha. Your country…well I see that it changes a lot! I was there first time in 2001. In that time I saw metalheads everywhere. They were hanging around in the citycenter and boozing. Now they seem to disappear! Your country is on the way to become a money and business orientated land as ours is. That’s a pity. No place left for anti-social metalheads… On Euro 2008…huh I have no idea who wins…? Our players are busy with being stupid. So maybe someone else will make it. I have no idea!!!