Sunday 4 September 2011

Crucified Mortals interview


OK, time for another old interview that originally was meant to be published in Panzerfaust zine #6. This is another American thrash metal band from the new generation of these thrashing hordes that appeared in 2006/07. Crucified Mortals is this band and I must say they really crushed my head with the killer "Kill Upon Command" 7"EP. This single is definitely worth buying and so is also the first album "Converted by Decapitation". Read this interview with Seb, I know it's already old and totally outdated, but who cares... I like the band and I also like this interview, so I think it's worth reading.

Metal hailzzz Seb! It’s great to have an opportunity to talk to you. I’m sure it will be interesting conversation, since CRUCIFIED MORTALS in one of most promising acts of the thrash scene! Are you ready then? I’m listening to IRON ANGEL’s “Hellish Crossfire” album right now arrgghhh! Do you know them? I guess it’s one of most underestimated speed / thrash metal acts! What do you think of them?
Hey, I’m ready:) Yes, IRON ANGEL is alright although I was never a big fan nor did I pay a particular interest in them, I guess you can say they were a bit underestimated. It’s funny that you mentioned it, because I was just listening to that album yesterday at our guitarist’s - Zack’s house. Great record, not as good though as WHIPLASH’ “Power and Pain”! (Well, I’m not saying it’s the best album in the world, but I was just listening to it and noticed just few maniacs remember them or mention as one of the influences – P666).

It seems US thrash scene grows bigger every day! There are many cool bands nowadays, so it seems like there were 80’s again! I just interviewed MERCILESS DEATH, also know a lot and like SAKRIFICIER, AVENGER OF BLOOD, DEVASTATOR, WARBRINGER, TOXIC HOLOCAUST, etc… How’s your view on the thrash metal bands from US? Do you keep an eye also on the European or Asian acts, like BLOODTHIRST, HELLISH CROSSFIRE, VIOLATOR, etc? And what’s your impression on the legendary acts coming back from the abyss? I think some of them still thrash as hell, like EXODUS, ONSLAUGHT and even DESTRUCTION… We can see also more death metal bands reuniting, like POSSESSED, GOREFEST and now also CARCASS and AT THE GATES will play some gigs next year. What do you think of all this? Isn’t it kind of sick?? Personally I prefer to see these bands as a closed chapter and listen to those new bands, which deliver old school metal with a fresh ideas and blood! Who’s going to be next – RAZOR, MINOTAUR, WHIPLASH, PROTECTOR or maybe DEATHSTRIKE???? Any comment?
Well it seems thrash is getting more popular these days and it’s making a comeback. There are a few good new bands on the scene and also many bands that get labeled as thrash but have nothing to do with it… MERCILESS DEATH is OK, I have seen them live here in Cleveland. They are all young kids and play straight out pounding thrash with no mercy:) You might also want to check out a band from NY called RABID. TOXIC HOLOCAUST is good too, we have seen them a few times and also shared stage with them - its pretty much all Joel - one man band. AVENGER OF BLOOD was my favorite for awhile but I haven’t heard much about them lately. Their album is good but the recording quality is really bad for todays technology… We were also supposed to play a festival with them in it but something fell through and we ended up not going and therefore not playing there… I am also familiar with BLOODTHIRST and they are great. Blazej has sent me some of their recordings in the past, good stuff!!! I am not a big fan of old bands reuniting and re-recording their old material… 90% of the time the new material ends up worst than what everybody expects and is a disappointment. Craig will tell you the same thing hahaha, he hates old bands reforming. There are however a few releases that are old school sounding and still kick ass. The other day I went to see Cleveland’s DESTRUCTOR live and they still kick ass hard and their new material is old school and doesn’t sound much different than their old records. They are still a great band. As for who’s next - I’d like to see something new by WHIPLASH that sounds like their old material.

As a Pole, living in US, how did you hook up with Craig? Did you meet at a concert or somewhere else? Or maybe you live in the neighborhood and knew each other years before you joined CRUCIFIED MORTALS? Have you tried also to play in other bands there?
Craig has left a flier at a local record store looking for musicians to play with him and I responded. We were first just having fun and jamming together, than it got more serious with the addition of second guitarist Zack and as you know NOVY completed the recording line up for the “Converted By Decapitation” recording session. Craig lives about 20 minutes away from me (driving time of course). I haven’t played in any other bands here.

Are people surprised that a Pole plays in a thrash metal band in USA? Do you get a lot of mail from your home country actually and keep an eye on our UG scene?
I guess it’s not a very big surprise. Everybody here comes from somewhere, if it’s not direct, it’s their parents or grandparents. The only native Americans are native Indians… So people are not all that surprised although sometimes I get some cool comments like: “wow you’re really Polish!!!“ hahaha. It’s all nice and as you know I am not the only Pole out here amongst the metal scene:)

Yeah, Polish plague spreads around the world quickly… Just look at me ha, ha ☺! First of your recordings that I’ve heard was “Kill Upon Command” 7”EP. Really great piece of thrashing music. Did you know these two tracks would be released as an EP already while recording them? Or maybe you’ve got an offer to release it right after the recording session? Some maniacs hate EPs because it ends too quickly, but personally I love them! They’re like a short but hard kick in the face, with usually some exclusive songs. Do you personally collect EPs?
“Kill Upon Command” was an EP offer we got from a German label. We recorded these two songs especially for the EP. I am not a big fan of EPs myself and I don’t really collect them but we’ve never done it before, and it was an opportunity so we went for it. We were all pretty happy with the EP and it sold out within a week.

I also love the cover with the devil sucking out the brains of two priests. I guess the “religious brainwash” and fanaticism are one of the main ideas behind your lyrics, right? “Obscured Inquisitor” seems to be particularly interesting title and fitting to the EP title?! I’ve seen the layout for “Converted By Decapitation” LP version and man! Doesn’t it look fantastic?? Also, very original I dare to say. Definitely it’s an item I have to buy myself. But why did it take so long to get this vinyl ready? It’s already quite old material, so did you put also some extra tracks on the LP? I’ve noticed it has also been re-issued on CD by some labels??
Yes, that is pretty much the concept behind Craig’s idea. The “Converted By Decapitation” vinyl does look great, I was impressed myself when I first saw it!!! There were actually four different labels that put out that release out: REAPER METAL Records (Craig’s label), HIGH ROLLER Records, CRUSH UNTIL MADNESS Records and HELLS HEADBANGER’S. If you want to see some really nice kick ass vinyl releases check out HELLS HEADBANGER’S distro page. They are sick!!! The vinyl version of “Converted By Decapitation” is kept original with no extra tracks. The are however a few extra rehearsal recordings on the Japanese version of the “Converted By Decapitation” CD on WEIRD TRUTH Productions. It is the digi-pack version of “Converted By Decapitation”.


Tell me something about the “Rehearsal Hell” tape. What material does it contain and when have you recorded that shit? How’s the sound on it, I guess it must be rather very raw and obscure, am I right? Are you personally a fan of such primitive and horribly sounding tapes?
The rehearsal tape was released by some guy in Greece I think. Honestly, I think we were all surprised that somebody actually wanted to release it, hahaha. It is what it is - a rehearsal tape. The sound quality on it is actually not too bad and tolerable. It was recorded in my basement during one of our practice 2 years ago I think, haha maybe 3. It is quite funny and also has us talking shit on it, hahaha, pretty hilarious release.  Beware, it has a lot of ‘gangsta’ talk:) I am not a big fan of these obscure tapes these days, but in the past I grew up on it. It was all we had back in the days so it’s cool to have one release like that.

I just noticed that REAPER METAL is about to release MAGNUS’ cult albums, is that true? Well mate, I think it’s about time these fantastic recordings to be available again, since it’s truly of the Poland’s cult acts! What do you think of Rob Bandit’s band? And what about the release of DESULTORY’s brilliant early recordings? It was also your doing, right? Any copies left at all since I was late to buy it last year? How have maniacs react on this release? Did you contact the band about that as well? Oh, by the way, if there’s REAPER METAL now, what happened to STIGMATIZED Rec then?
MAGNUS is already out my friend !!! Yes, that’s right – “Scarlet Slaughterer”, with additional bonus tracks. They were one of the best thrash bands of the Polish scene and Craig really liked them when I gave him some of their recordings. Same with DESULTORY, hehe yes I guess I can take some credit for introducing Craig to that band as well. We actually did a cover “Into Eternity” that might come out some day in a vary horrendous version on one of our releases. DESULTORY always was and still is an amazing fucking band to me!!! (Have a beer mate!!! "Winter" rules! – P666) They are both kick ass cool CD releases and I have both for you. As for REAPER METAL Records - it’s Craig’s way of saying fuck you, I’m starting my own label, hahaha. Seriously, it’s the continuation of STIGMATIZED Records with Craig more on his own.

Reaper and now also Zack both play also with NUNSLAUGHTER, what surprised me a lot! What do you think of this band personally? Did you have a pleasure to see them in live action? How was it? Oh, tell me, do you know anybody, who owns all NUNSLAUGHTER releases ha? I don’t know much about SPAWN OF SATAN though, so maybe you could say few words also about this band?
NUNSLAUGHTER has been around for a long time and they have a lot of underground releases out worldwide. I’ve seen them live a few times, they put a good show. It is a great underground band. They also manage to put out a small international tour from time to time. I will try to talk them into coming and playing in Poland. As for NUNSLAUGHTER releases yes, there is shitload out there, these guys constantly put something out:) I’m sure there are many maniacs worldwide that own every one of their releases… Most of them are very cool looking and extremely rare, collectable vinyls. SPAWN OF SATAN is another project of NUNSLAUGHTER’s drummer - Jim Sadist. One of many bands he’s in. He was able to put out one SPAWN OF SATAN release split with SOULLESS before we decided to do the split with us, he hasn’t been able to get his shit together enough though to finish the material so I don’t know if that release will ever come out.

Looks like there are few highly attractive split records to be released soon. There’s one with DECEASED (!!), next with SPAWN OF SATAN and finally one with Faithxtractor (who ever they are ha, ha). I’ve heard also about a split with Japanese FASTKILL! That’s really a lot, but does any of these split releases contain some new, unreleased tracks or are they all just the old ones, maybe in different version only? And what about a full length, man? I’m sure you’ve got some new material ready! What could you say about it then? Which way is your thrash metal evolving?
The next release that you will see by us will be the FAITHXTRACTOR split which I’m happy to announce went into press already and should be out soon. FAITHXTRACTOR is a side project of ESTUARY guitarist Ash Thomas. Very well played death metal, I think you will like it (www.myspace.com/faithxtractor). The split with Japanese FASTKILL will probably come out next, all the songs on all split releases are new and unreleased. We don’t re-record old material and probably never will. I’d like to see some of the songs from the splits on our next full-length album, because some of them are really good I thought but I doubt that will ever happen. We have never re-recorded old material in the past and probably never will. As for the new material we are currently writing new songs for our next full length (long awaited) album. We already have 5 new songs written, which we will be recording a demo of actually this weekend. The new material is our best I think, more technical and melodic but yet still very old school thrash sounding. I think we are all much better musicians now than what we were on “Converted By Decapitation”. I’m sure you will not be disappointed and we are very happy with the sound of the new material so far.

Man, be sure there’s at least one maniac (ME!), who’s waiting for it!!! And just at the end, let me ask do you ever consider yourself to comeback to Poland and stay in here? Or maybe you already feel more as an American than a Pole and your future is where you’re at the moment? When have you been in Poland for the last time? I wonder how do you see the country after so many years, surely it has changed a lot in the past years!
Going back and staying there for good is always an option I think about and believe me, there’s not a day when I don’t think about it. I think some day it will happen, few years from now, maybe more… who knows, we’ll see. For now I live here and we gotta record to put out hahaha. Maybe we’ll get to tour Poland some day. It would be great. I just recently started visiting Poland this year, I was there 2 weeks in March and 2 weeks again just now in October. It was great time and I always enjoy it. The country has changed drastically and I’m happy to say for better. I was able to refresh a lot of old contacts with my friends. I still have a lot of family there. It is just an awesome time being there and when I only get two weeks or a month out of a year to be there it makes me really cherish and appreciate the time spent there. I might not live there now, but I was born there and my heart will always be in Wroclaw.

Do you go to watch gigs often? What were the last / best live shows you’ve witnessed in the last time? Is CRUCIFIED MORTALS is very close relationship with other bands, so you hang out together a lot and every time it ends with hangover the next morning ha?
Yes, of course. I go to see shows all the times. The last one I went to see was some local bands - SOULLESS and DESTRUCTOR.  Both bands are great and put out good shows. I run into a lot of other musicians from other bands mainly at shows, it’s a small scene, everybody knows each other and yes, there’s always drinking and partying involved. It ends with at least a hangover, sometimes more:)

OK. man. I think we’ll finish here. Thanks a lot for your answers and all the best with CRUCIFIED MORTALS. Metal till’ death.
Thanks for the interview, look out for our new releases coming out soon, our full length album should be coming out  sometime next year. We will then be playing more shows. Hails to all thrash maniacs in Poland and c ya on the road !!!


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