Interview with legendary Spanish grindgore band Haemorrhage!

Infernal Dominion unleashes a gruelling Interview with Ana and Luisma, founding members of the gore drenched clinical disorder named as Haemorrhage. Enjoy! 
Conducted by-
Ankit Sinha





ID:Saludos gore amigos! How are you maniacs doing? I hope that your daily ration of rotten bile and spicy innards has been kept intact. Ana must not stop taking those to maintain her gore-geous looks isn't it?


Ana: Hi! We are ok, thanks...ready to all answer your questions. Yes, of course, all in Haemorrhage have a gory diet

ID: So, going back to the days when Haemorrhage was still evolving as a bastard child in your embryos and you were considering the best dispensaries to conceive, what was actually going through your minds? Was the idea behind it was just too random and horny and you thought that ''hey just hit the toilet and fuck'' or it was a menacingly planned disaster which happened just like how you guys wanted by doing a nice sleazy intercourse with your scalpels and putrid minds?

Luisma:  We never had a clear plan about Haemorrhage but some former ideas. We settled some basis to build the band from there, but many things in life don't turn out always as you planned. In our case we wanted to play Grind music with gore lyrics and a brutal image and more or less we are still into this ideas, so it mean things worked out well. The rest of the elements in this band are things that we took as the band was rolling on...

ID: I would love to know about the reaction of your fellow Spanish amigos when Haemorrhage started walking up from its foul cradle and began to shit upon the poseurs with its first bunch of pathological symphonies nicely minced and puked on the platter in form of ''Grotesque Embryopathology''. I am sure that the foul reek coming up from the first excremental ecstacy must have driven all of them nuts!

Luisma: The reaction to our first demo was really limited as the distribution of that demo was strictly limited to a few copies. In those times was usual that bands sells their demos through mail orders but the sound quality of our demo was really lousy so we decided just tape it to other amigos, spread it thru tape-trading and send it to some fanzines that asked for stuff of other bands we were playing for at that times. Anyway the few people that got our demo I think not more that 100 people was really shocked cause the style was really unusual in Spain, the filhty sound helped out to add more sickness to the demo

ID: Were you folk’s part of any previous surgical disasters before the miscarriage known as Haemorrhage happened?

Luisma: Yeah, we all were playing for other local bands at that time.Our former drummer Jose was playing with some friends in Deformed, I played in Avulsed and other shitty noise projects, our singer Lugubrious was playing in Lugubrious, our bass player and actual drummer played together in Greenfly and other bands, and Ana played in a Thrash bands named Mortal Housen. 

ID: Initially when the name Devourment was pronounced for your devious baby, then why did you re-christen it as Haemorrhage? Who came with the names?

Luisma: Our former drummer had the idea of the name and concept after Devorment. It was all about cannibalism as protest against meat consume, and his idea was recording a demo or album with all titles like a restaurant menu replacing animals by humans...you know boiled members, embryos instead eggs, brain burgers, etc...ha, ha...it was original but I was pretty more traditional and my idea was a band with pathological and medical influenced lyrics cause it was the most extreme thing in that time. It was hard to make him change his mind but I finally did it and we changed the lyrics style and subsequently the band name to Haemorrhage. I don't know what I told him but surely they were good reasons as he also got 100% into pathology like me.

ID: During 1994, when Haemorrhage was just around 4 years old and grew more faster than any other child in the scenario all due to great attention and care from its parents who ransacked each mortuary in town to spread the rabid infection around. It got its vital breakthrough when Morbid Records from Germany got too unnerved by the reeking odour oozing out of the 94-promo tape and decided to expose other dedicated morticians to its rancid taste. They fulfilled this objective by releasing the Obnoxious/Thy Horned God split with Christ Denied. That was apparently the first time that a Spanish horde irked a deal with an international label and it gave your obnoxious child quite some unwholesome exposure among the maniacal surgical fanatics. How did this breakthrough change the proceedings for you? Did you guys get a good chance to infest the zombies at Germany and other Euro countries that time also?

Luisma: Well to be honest everything that happened to Haemorrhage before was a child's play compared when those first months of 1994. We got a full line-up for first time and some members left their old bands and projects playing only for Haemorrhage. That make us practice more days and getting a bunch of good songs. We entered a studio and recorded a quite good demo and this demo brought us the contract with Morbid. All these thing happened in 5 months. And changed our thoughts about the band forever. The contract with Morbid atractted the atention of the European scene on us and we had the chance to play out of the Spanish bounds for first time

ID:  After the gruesome emanations off ''Emetic Cult'' and ''Grume'' plagued the living dead at Spain and other countries, Haemorrhage became a lovable child of the morgues and pathologies around in Spain and it gave rise to a menacing groove laden sound which was Haemorrhage's own and inspired many morticians who started dissecting the graves later on. How did your fellow Spaniards take this achievement as? Were they jealous of your then 7/8 year old child getting a good amount of (de)fame?

Luisma: Yes, after "Grume" album we took another big step in the band's career and we our name got bigger, but curiously we were the same shitty band in Spain. I mean some people didn't like we were the first spanish band to release and album in a foreign label and they got really pissed-off when they saw us growing up album that album. I'm not talking about fans I mean people of other bands, labels, etc...or to be explicit a person that had a band, magazine, label, and big power in the scene was so jealous and he tried to fuck us as much as he can, but he couldn't stop the rot'n'roll!

ID: Haemorrhage has progressed in each album with a new sickening flavour. Where Emetic Cult, Grume and Anatomical Inferno were oozing with raw and nauseous production, Morgue Sweet Home had a tad improved and chiseled production with plenty of groovy old school Death Metal riffs. How did you decide about the musical directions to be followed in each album? Did you always try to create something way out of Haemorrhage’s league or followed one basic formula all the time?

Ana:  Our only formula is making songs not putting riffs together. We are influenced by many styles: Grind, Punk, Death Metal, etc...sometimes we can show our Death Metal side in a song and sometimes our Punk side.

Luisma: We can't certainly plan our musical direction, cause we play what we feel. We know we are Haemorrhage and we know our style, but there's many aspects in our style. We always try to include more elements and influences and still sound like Haemorrhage. Thats a challenge in every album.

ID: Now lets again go back to the past *rewind, rewind, rewind* Ah! There we stop at when Haemorrhage was still brooding in your embryos, what were the gruesome ideas, which you lunatics were visualizing that such an offspring was born? Which horror/gore features or ominous hordes influenced you?

Luisma: Everything sick we watched influenced us, of course horror movies like all the classics: Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Day of the Dead, Zombie, etc...also all Gore: Braindead, Premutos...Troma movies, and shit like that. My biggest influence was a medical TV show called "In buenas manos" (in good hands) that featured surgical operations and al lot of medical stuff with a really crude and explicit videos...It was really amazing. Actually the intros of some tracks on Grume are taken from that TV show.

Ana: When we started we watched lots of gore /horror movies. Actually the Emetic Cult intro is from the movie Nekromatik, but our band style wasn't inspired in the movies.    

ID: Ok Luisma, now I want you be to very honest again and tell me didn't you actually recruit Ana to Haemorrhage's bandwagon because a gore-geous maiden like her would be more than enough to attract huge crowds? Then I wonder what would be the situation of the attendees of your live surgical operations when they'd be in a dilemma as to concentrate on the musick or Ana. What do both of you feel about it after having done tons of such operations over these 20 years?

Luisma: No, inluding Ana in the band was something "accidental". We had some shows with Anal Cunt in Spain and our bassist moved to other town to get a new job. So we had no bass player. Ana was my grilfriend (and now my wife) and sometimes she came to see our rehearsals and then we jammed together, so I knew she was an amazing guitar player. So I just asked her if she wa also interested in playing bass on a couple of shows. After those shows they were the others who want her in the band, but our bassist Ramon left their job and returned to our town so Ana stayed in the band as guitarist and Ramon took back on bass.

I think Ana has probed she's not only a exotic female element in the band. Shes a talented guitar player, and she's underrated cause in this style she can't show all that she can do.

Ana: When I joined the band it was a very small band, they just signed to Morbid but I never imagined everything has happened in those years. When I look back it seems incredible.

ID: Ana its pretty obvious that you are amongst one of the first females to play Extreme abominations in the underground scenario and are still going rock solid by supporting your child dutifully like an ideal parent. How did you get the influence to be a part of this rabid, purulent cult and when did you pick up your surgical instrument for the first time?

Ana: I used to listen to Metal  cause my older brothers always play Metal at home. I always liked guitar so when I was 14 I convinced my father to buy a guitar for me. I was in a guitar school for some years and I wanted to form my own band but I can't so I joined to other bands but as singer. Then I started to listen to Death Metal and Grind and I met Haemorrhage members cause we usually went to the same clubs and gigs. They want me in the band and here I am. 

ID: One of the biggest highlights of Haemorrhage's gore antics (apart from Ana of course) is Lugubrious - the malignant conveyor of Haemorrhage's insidious symphonies. I really like the cool personality, which he has. He actually makes me feel as if he is a rotting zombie who couldn't get enough of guts and brain tissues for which he carries them along with him during your live operations to be eaten at frequent intervals. How did he come up with such a look and does he actually use real blood to drain himself for his stage performances? Hey, wait! One important question! - does he ever take bath to wipe out the filth out of his body or that has become an integral accessory of his malign persona?

Luisma: I guess he always had that idea in his mind and he did it from the first show to the last. I remember he appeared covered by blood since the first pics. In the first shows he also wore a white doctor coat but his body and face were covered by blood.

He uses artificial blood, of course. The real blood stinks a lot after some hours out of the body!

He never had a bath he has the same blood over his body from the first gig!! ha, ha...Seriously the blood colour can't be removed easily, so it's still on his face for somedays after tours or gigs. So if someone that doesn't know he's a Grind singer ask about the colour of his face or hands he answers  "I've been painting my dog house in red"     

ID: The rest of you dress up as surgeons to enhance the vile embodiment of Haemorrhage and that really goes well with its image. Are you guys having this look from the very beginning or incorporated it later? How did the people react when they saw such a beautiful appearance for the first time?

Luisma: We play in medical apparels from our second gig, except in the first GOE tour when we decided don't wear our clothes by some reasons. We were openers so we want people focus on our music and not in our image, but it was a big mistake, cause we tought it was our first tour and nobody in Europe would know us, but people saw our pics and wanted us to play like we were on the pics. So when we played the tour for "Grume" we decided to dress up in scrubs again. People in the begging was shocked it wasn't usual to see bands playing like us.    

Ana: Nowadays we usually play with bands dressed like us. Its weird but it cool cause it seems we created a trend.

ID: I am really an appreciator of Luisma's comic book style gore artworks, which give an exquisitely eschatological look to Haemorrhage's grindgore conjurations. How many bands have you worked with as a graphic artist? Do you also work as a professional graphic artist for a living or the mortician's job gives you enough bile juice and guts to relish?

Luisma: I worked mainly for Haemorrhage but I did some stuff for others bands and zines, the most known are Impetigo, Cliteater, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Flesh Salad 'zine, etc...No I'm not a professional artist, or at least this is not my only job, but obviously my artwork has a price. If someone wants my artwork just contact me I can do cover artworks, layouts, animations, 3d-logos, banners etc...

ID: Ana have you ever imagined yourself as a ''normal'' ''ideal'' woman whom your equally sane boyfriend could introduce to his mum? How would you think a regular mommy would react if she sees her daughter in law, in a surgical suit, defiling the innards of her son's corpse and then making love with it? By the way, how did Luisma's mother reacted when you visited her for a lunch for the first time and asked for boiled intestines and brain juice instead of Croquetas and Spanish omlettes?

Ana: Luisma's house is like Texas Chainsaw Massacre house so they always eat things like that, and a cup of pus for dessert. Seriously, Luisma's mom wasn't surprised when see meet me after living many years with a freakish son like hers. And more after knowing the most of the friends he has in the past.By the way, what do you mean with a "normal" "ideal" woman?? Are you meaning am I a freak or something? If you are meaning this you are completely wrong. (Ana seems completely pissed by my comment here haha!)

Luisma: Man, if you taste my mom croquetas you won't eat intestines or festered bowels anymore!!!

ID: Why did you guys decided to part ways with your long time supporters Morbid Records who possibly did each and every full length of Haemorrhage and sign with Relapse Records? Did they lure you by offering mortuaries that are more lavish and more victims to be dissected?

Luisma: No, it was basically cause Morbid records was sold to other label called WAR (War-Anthem-records) we don't want to follow on with them and we looked for other label and Relapse was a good option. I think it fits quite good for a band like Haemorrhage.

ID: Why is the split with Mexigorge taking forever to release?

Luisma: That's a question for EMF records. We send over all our stuff and they seems to be in a hurry...e-mails everyday and so on...Now I don't have responses from Edgar from EMF and Disgorge guitarist. I don't know whats going on. I think we should look for another label, but thats hard cause we don't have the masters

ID: What does Haemorrhage have in store for the psychotic surgeons next?

Ana: We are preparing a bunch of new songs. We hope record in a few weeks, probably after OEF 2010

Luisma: Yes, we have the stuff for new album "Hospital Carnage" ready to be recorded!!

ID: How did you guys come up with your recent offspring, which is - The Emetic Club? Was it conceived to become an ideal sibling to Haemorrhage? Tell me more about this club and the various gigs you have conducted there.

Ana: We must clear that is not our club and it wasn't our idea. There were some guys that make a extreme music club and they were Haemorrhage fans. So they asked us for permission for using our name for the club and also some artworks for decorate their club, and flyers, etc...We were totally shocked with the single idea of having a club with our band's name. So we supported them. I recommend you go over there if you come to Spain.

Luisma: Yes, the club is actually 500 km from our hometown and we've never been there, but we hope we can play a "baptism" show there. A good point is we don't have to take out stage banner cause there is a big Haemorrhage logo behind the stage. Eveything that save work is welcome, you know, ha, ha...

ID: Now I am feeling quite depressed as I have come towards the end of this fantastic questionnaire and the pain of separating from your nekromantik charm makes me shed a tear or two. I would like you to puke out your goresoaked comments about the interview and your words of wisdom for the fellow ''Zombified Preachers of Gore''. The final space is all yours.

Ana: Thanks to you for supporting our band and Hi to all Indian fans.

Luisma: Thanks for the intie greetings from the morgue!!!

Official Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/haemorrhage

Morgue - http://www.haemorrhage.es/

Haemorrhage is -

Luisma - Lead Guitar, backing vox

Ramon - Bass

Lugubrious - Maligna vox

Ana - Rhythm Guitar

Rojas - Drums

Cemetery Urn - The Conquered are Burned

Full Length, Self Released

May 10th, 2010

Australia

Cemetery Urn, a quite recent addition to the cavernous dungeon of Aussie infernal glory are back with a tormenting compilation of bestial hymns for the appraisers of ancient Death Metal, (anti)christened as ''The Conquered are Burned''. Though this evil congregation was formed in 2007, their bandwagon isn't new to the Aussie extreme metal movement comprising with members from Corpse Molestation, Kutabre, Bestial Warlust, Abominator etc. These hordes have already created ghoulish impressions on the Australian as well as worldwide extreme metal front with their merciless hammering on the essence of weakened mortals and their appalling faiths. So by reading these above lines, people who are new to Cemetery Urn's brand of abominable deathvastions can get a bleak idea as to how they should build up their expectations from them.

Recorded at Three Phase Studio, Melbourne, between April - November 2009, the album comprises of 8 horrific symphonies reeking highly with the destructive sound reminiscent of a mixture of the old American and Swedish Death Metal of the early 90's. Death's Turbulent Fire starts off the proceedings of this brutal bludegoning and does it with elan. The opening riffs highly reminds you of Swedish undeground legends Necrony and the guitar tone is a tad similar to that exhibited on Pathological Performances. Now as your mouth starts watering already, you are exposed to the guttural rasps of Damon who enunciates the inception of raging war on the heavenly blaze and militaristic hammering on the drums enrapture you further.
Even before you could get some reprieve from the carnage forged on you by the first track, The Plague of Annihilation emerges out and destroys your cranial juices even more. With a frenzy of downtuned sludgy riffs, a catchy yet crushing chorus and mayhemic drums, you get the vibe of good old Incantation's first and sophomore albums specially towards the ending of the track where a subtle doomy passage rings a bell of some similar parts in Mortal Throne of Nazarene. More Incantation worship follows in the songs ahead - specially Wrath from The Grave, whose intro passages and riffs reminds of Decimate Christendom, a la Dying Divinity. The track begins with a catchy riff and then abruptly, you get a thud on your face by a frenzy of instrumental ecstasy which consists of quite a few tempo changes, from groovy double bass sections to grinding dissonance.
Possessed Terror and ...Of Spectral Dominance continue in a similar fashion and enamor one's auditory senses with more muddy riffs and hooking solos.

A Cemeterial Reaping kick-starts with a captivating melodic lead and converges onto a belligerent solo after which paves way for blastorocious maraudings, taking the track onto a newer level of lunacy. However, the track mostly comprises of fast paced sections, there are subtle mid paced grooves and hooking riffs which make it sound thoroughly enjoyable.After 33 minutes of indimidating sonic torturing on the conquered souls, its time to finally burn their naive embodiment and this gruelling work is perfectly ritualized by the concluding title track The Conquered are Burned. Its furious warlike hymn starts off with a mighty blaze in form of its compelling opening riff which clearly indicates the captured ones that their end is near.

The deterioration begins where Damon yells:
The Conquered are Burned -
smell the boiling blood
The Conquered are Burned -
see their feeble demise
These terminating enunciations continue until Andrew shoots out a final incantation out of his axe and the initial chaos returns back to finish off the proceedings.
Stench of the burning dead emanates from the speakers as Damon rejoices and yells out - They Fucking Burn!!  like an ancient demon lusting for blood.

Overall, Cemetery Urn have certainly made a notch with their second album which is a tad more focussed and well composed as compared to its pre-decessor. The production has also been improved on this one where it still maintains the sewer-flavour of the ultra low guitar despondencies but hasn't gone indistinguishable with the vocals and drums. This was a slight dilemma which had marred Urn of Blood where many parts became quite dissonant, making it little difficult to comprehend the instrumental intrications. Talking about the artwork, a simplistic yet impressive inlay and cover art by Daryl (Funebrarum, Disma etc) provides the perfect idea of the hauntings being unleashed by the album.
This album is going to make a mark on the Aussie underground and would place the band on the ranks of other recent bestial Death Metal hordes like Ignivomous and European acts like Cruciamentum and Dead Congregation. Even though the album is a fanatic worship of the gods of blasphemy - Incantation, it doesn't sound like a cheap and effortless rip-off which some bands come up with. Its indeed a dutiful ritualistic worship which is more often needed from upcoming bands to keep the reverence of the mighty archangels of death and destruction alive.

Buy it and support their diligent death-prayers now!

http://www.hellsheadbangers.com/cemeteryurn/

Official Webhell - http://cemeteryurn.com/
Myspace -  http://www.myspace.com/cemeteryurn

Final Rating - 7.8/10

Interview with Craig Pillard (Incantation, Disciples of Mockery, Methadrone, Womb etc)

                                                       

                                              

Interview with the Death Metal legend - Craig Pillard. An awe-inspiring personality who has been an highly influential personality to the entire DM underground since over two decades now. I was fortunate enough to have this interview with him, so scroll down to read what he has got to say about Death Metal and his various musical escapades. 

ID: Hello Craig! What have you been up to lately?

Craig: Busy with Disma and about to enter the studio to record a track for a split 7" with 'Winterwolf' on Doomentia records.. soon after we will be recording ore first full length CD for Profound Lore Records that we have just been signed to.... I am also busy at my day job, working for a sanitation company. 

ID: Your epochal musical journey embarked to a new horrendous endeavor when you joined arms with Disma in 2008 and the sheer thought of hearing the sonic devastations from the band fermented immense deliriousness within me and ‘‘The Vault of Membros’’ which was a lesson in true barbaric Ancient Death Metal dutifully consummated it. I was even more ecstatic with the fact that none other than you manned the guttural catastrophe and I got thoroughly enraptured by the sheer magnificence of the demo. How did you really get along with this band? Moreover, what do fans of Disma have in store for the coming future?

Craig: I have known the guys in Disma for years now and have been good friends of mine, they needed a singer so I volunteered my services on vocals...

ID: After creating tremors in the DM underground for over a year now, Disma finally irked a deal with Profound Lore Records - a label that has destructive bands like Portal, Hooded Menace, Impetuous Ritual etc on their roster. What is your opinion about this deal and how do you foresee Disma's future with them?

Craig: From what I've seen and heard they are a great prospect for Disma... I am happy and looking forward to working with Profound Lore....

ID: The majestic essence of true Death Metal can't be described without speaking of the role that Incantation played in solidifying the vile roots of this unfathomably enthralling horde such that it has defied all trends and plagiarizations over these years and still stands firm with pride. Its also quite apparent that the best years of Incantation were when you were spewing ghoulish conjurations out of the abysses of your throat and creating ominous scenarios with the pounding blasphemies and horrific rituals been executed on classics like ‘’Onward to Golgotha’’ and ‘’Mortal Throne of Nazarene’’. However, it was literally a heartbreak for die-hard when you parted ways with the band and went on to form Disciples of Mockery. What were the reasons responsible for your departure? In addition, is there any possibility of your comeback in the Incantation camp? 

Craig: The three of us (Ronnie, Jim and myself) had departed Incantation around the same time for obvious reasons, mostly due to lack of communication, which is probably the biggest factor why, bands split up. As far as re-joining is concerned, I don't see that happening ever... it would be like pedaling backwards... a reunion show here or there may be possible, but very rare, I can only speak for me of course....

ID: What is your opinion about the 2^nd innings of Incantation, an era that was devoid of your services and vocalists like Daniel and Mike before John himself took up the driver’s seat? Which is your personal favorite album by Incantation during the time of Diabolical Conquest – Primordial Domination?

Craig: No comment.... I have no opinion on any of those releases

ID: Speaking about Disciples of Mockery, how did the horde come into existence? The band consisted of three former Incantation members namely you, Joe and Ronnie and apparently all three of you left the Incantation camp almost during the same year. I would like you to throw some light on this phenomenon for our readers and myself. The only full length by DOM entitled as ‘’Prelude to Apocalypse’’ was a relentless assault of sludgy Death/Doom with a certain Black Metal flavor. Most fans say that it would have been the third Incantation album because of its gut wrenching sound reminiscent of your era Incantation, though your vocal passages were a tad more decipherable than the highly cryptic gutturals you had on OtG and MToN. What is your take on this? After getting rave acknowledgement for Prelude, the band never really took on the musical journey further with the last release being a split including the repressed tracks of the Demo by Womb, which was actually a pre-Disciple of Mockery band if I am right. What were the reasons, which made you call it a day for DOM?

Craig: As I mentioned before Ronny, Jim and I had all left Incantation around the same time for the same reasons, and we all were still good friends and wanted to play, so we created D.O.M.... After we recorded 'Prelude To Apocalypse' and did some shows I felt it was time to end that chapter and move on with Methadrone...

ID: Two years after the dissolution of Disciples of Mockery, you came up with yet another project called Methadrone, which is a heavier and atmospheric musical escapade than your earlier ones. However, you are the sole entity handling all the departments right from vocals to drums. Why didn’t you opt for a fully-fledged crew instead of being the band’s sole torchbearer? Though Randi Stokes and a few other session musicians have been a part of Methadrone’s creation, the band is totally your brainchild. Its quite interesting to note that Methadrone’s music was basically bass-driven and gave it a completely surreal and monstrously droning sound. What was the basic idea behind such an experimental approach? What were the influences that made you initiate such an uncanny project?

Craig: As you mentioned before We had done all bass doom band Womb, and I felt I wanted to experiment more with Bass and other effects so I guess you could say Womb was a pre-cursor to Methadrone... I do all the writing/recording here in my home studio and I complete control over everything with Methadrone, so I find it easier to keep it a solo project because of this...

ID: I always wish that if a time machine is ever created, I would love to board it and embark onto a colossal voyage into the abysm of the ancient past when there were no wiggers and pretentious wankery didn’t really exist in whole underground Death Metal scene. However, since the creation of this fantasy-driven gadget does not seem too near, it would be fantastic to get an appropriate glimpse of the Golden era of Death Metal from none other than yourself since you have been a pivotal contributor in the glorification of the radiant past. So tell me as to how the whole journey from the late 80’s till today has been for you. How was it like to be a Death Metal fan in those days when the genre was in its infant stages and many bands were emerging all over the world playing brutal and uncompromising Death Metal? The whole NYDM movement was getting intense support from fans and it emerged as an insalubrious style of Death Metal, which was extremely brutal and relentless.  How was it like to be a part of this legion of death? What were your earliest beginnings into this music and what were the first projects, which you started with?

Craig: I had been into extreme music since I was a kid and always wanted to play so at 16 I picked up the guitar and started with my musical journey. Before Incantation,  I had played in a few bands like  Putrifact, Desecrator, Nocturnal Crypt briefly and released their demons which were horrible! But it fed my hunger to play at that time, and I just kept progressing into what I do now... back then I listed to all the Combat Records, New Renissance Records, Metal Blade releases....

ID: Which were the ‘scenes’ you were fond of during those days apart from the American one? Why did you think that the Death Metal movement lost its grip in the mid 90’s and many great bands had to dissolve after releasing a few demos and single full lengths?

Craig:  I enjoyed all the death doom metal from the 80's from various countries, Bathory, Sodom, Possessed, Death, Sacrifice, Slaughter etc.I think a lot of bands only did demo's and one-off albums because there is only so much you can do originally, then it becomes redundant and moot... so it is better to die fast than to fade as a weak sheep...

ID: What is your opinion about the unholy revival of Ancient Death Metal these days where many young as well as old and experienced musicians are trying their hand in re-creating the glory of the old days? Labels like Razorback have been putting up records by the Neo Old School Death Metal bands on a regular basis and supporting this movement dutifully. But many of those bands end up being rip-offs of the old Swedish, American or Finnish bands; most of them emerge as Incantation imitators though many of them still have certain level of originality and they put their best foot forward in furthering the cause of Death Metal. Which bands out of this new era fascinate you the most and what would be your words of wisdom for those?

Craig: I really couln't tell you because I dont listen to any new extreme metal bands... If I want my fix, I will dig through my old vinyl and get it that way... mostly nowadays I listen to other forms of extreme music, like militant, neo-folk, ambient, experimental.... and even some classic rock, Pink Floyd would be my favorite in that category.

ID: Did you visit this year’s Maryland Deathfest? It must be fantastic to watch some of the most legendary bands, which featured in the fest this year, including Asphyx, Gorguts and Autopsy, who re-united and gave the newer breed of Death Metal fanatics a great chance to witness their monumental essence.

Craig: I don't know, I did not go to the Maryland fest this year

ID: I expressed my fantasies and desires about rewinding the time and being in the 90’s to witness the whole gruesome Death Metal scenario and now its time to reveal some of your fantasies. Do not worry, I am not asking you to reveal any of your sexual fantasies but it would quite interesting to know if you desire to play with any specific bands. Which bands would you really like to stare stage with/tour?

Craig: Anyone that is cool, down to earth and not full of themselves...

ID: Thanks a ton for spending your precious time to answer this questionnaire Craig! You rule and I wish you all the very best for Disma! I hope that 2010 comes to be a great year for you and the band alike. This final space is all yours! Feel free to post your last words, praises etc and your opinion about this interview (and the interviewer too). Remember that I love being flattered ha-ha!

Craig: Thanks Ankit... I apreciate the interview, and wish you the best... and thanks to all that support Disma, and all my other endeavors... take it easy...

Utarm - Minus the Divine

Demo, Turgid Animal Records
2009

I have been on the lookout for the most fucked up music recently. Been constantly listening to a lot of sludge, drone and noise. This search finally led me to Utarm; a band from Norway, who label their style as ‘experimental black metal’. But I assure you, this is nothing like the other experimental bands that you have heard.

A lot of amazing things are happening in the underground black metal scene at the moment. Many amazing bands are being spawned with alarming regularity. Lot of brilliant releases which are destined to remain underground and unheard. And none more extreme than this release by Utarm. Minus The Divine is a follow-up to the brilliant full-length release, Mutilation Epoch

The album starts off with the amazing opener, ‘The Greatest Lie’. It gives you an idea of what to expect in the rest of the album. It starts off with a slight buzz with some ambience thrown in complimented by some whispered vocals creating an unsettling atmosphere. Just when you begin to settle in, the buzz grows louder and before you know it, you are suffocated by a wall of noise. This never lets up throughout the album and with every passing moment, you can feel yourself drifting deeper and deeper into a dark abyss. As unexpectedly as it began, the noise subsides and gives way to the next track ‘Knives, Veins and the God of Nothingness’. It’s a three minute long track with some screams over a disturbing, troubling piece of ambience. The third track is the title track. Definitely one of the best I have ever heard in this genre. Simple in its execution, it is evil and depressing. Some of the darkest music I have ever heard. The song is raw and never lets up. Pure emotional annihilation. The next track, ‘Flesh and Flames’ follows the same path. A fucked up mixture of drone, black metal and noise that threatens to destroy your senses.

This is not an easy release to listen to. It is not easy to grasp. My review probably doesn’t do enough justice to it. It has a nice raw and primitive sound, but packed with so much of emotion and energy. It reeks of desperation, despondency, hopelessness, anger and sadness. Every passing moment, you are pulled deeper and deeper into this abyss, this abyss from where it is virtually impossible to get out of. It is akin to drowning underwater with somebody holding your head down. It is an intense experience and will destroy every fabric of happiness and joy in your life.

This is not meant to be a casual listen. Listen to it with all of your attention and listen to the album as a whole. Only then will you be able to appreciate it. This is one experience you don’t want to miss.

Defeated Sanity - Chapers of Repugnance (2010)

Full Length, Willowtip Records
2010

My quest and thirst for brutal death metal was reaching its climax somewhere in 2006. Upon suggestion of a close friend, I was given a few burnt CD’s to check out. Mithras, Spawn of Possession, Psychofagist just to name a few…and “Prelude to the Tragedy”. Immediately after listening to the foot stomping riffs and grooves of Horrid Decomposition, I knew this band would be one to keep my eye on for sure. At the time, not many of my peers knew of this unknown German death metal band and just like many bands of this underground death metal genre I was not expecting another full length effort and for the band to disappear because of the lack of enthusiasm towards Defeated Sanity.

Fast forward to early 2007. I kept my ears glued to the ground for a new offering by Defeated Sanity, and was enamored to hear that they would be releasing a new second full length titled “Psalms of the Moribund”. From the decaying bodies on the cover, to the disgusting sounding inhale guttural onslaught brought by Jens Staschel, to the mind blowing assault of technicality of Christian and highlighted by the blasting brilliance of Lille Gruber, I was hooked. Shortly following the release of “Psalms” came a small but very crucial tour with NY’s Copremesis in where I had the pleasure of standing behind Lille’s drum set in a crowded New York City basement while Defeated Sanity ripped through Psalms of the Moribund in full. My respect and love for these Germans grew immensely after their performance. Watching Lille shred through songs like “Stoned then Defiled” and “Engorged With Humilation” in person was captivating and inspiring. The band did not move much from casual head banging and staring at their instruments but the intensity was felt. It is rare when you find a band such as this who can replicate the same feeling as is on their CD’s but they did and they gave the small yet diligent New York crowd something to remember. Unfortunately, touring appeared to be a lot for second guitarist Wolfgang Teske and came to the decision to step down from second guitar duties after their U.S tour and shortly after Defeated Sanity parts ways with Jens. My suspicions from 2006 were coming true and I was disappointed in the decision, but I witnessed them already so I had no real need to feel let down. I eagerly hoped for Defeated Sanity to return because Psalms was too strong of a record to part with.

Suddenly…rumors and hyped circled Defeated Sanity after the 2007 promo was released including rehearsal videos without vocals and many wondered who could step in after the incredible performance by Jens. It seemed like only a dream amongst fellow Defeated Sanity fans but the idea of getting A.J Magana or Matti Way was heavily discussed. Finally, it was announced that A.J Magana of Disgorge fame would be doing vocals on the new Defeated Sanity record and all of the fans’ prayers were answered. Defeated Sanity released the first single from the CD titled “Carnal Deliverance” and it was swallowed whole by the underground. They later released another single titled “Salacious Affinity” from the 07 promo, but amongst listening to :30 sec of the track, I had to stop. I knew something special was on the horizon. However, I was somewhat skeptical of A.J doing the vocals because his performance on the Deprecated and Disgorge records were very different than the Defeated Sanity approach used by Jens but after hearing the first track “Consumed by Repugnance” and viewing the live videos from Mountains of Death, the verdict is in: A.J Magana is back and he’s the absolute perfect fit for Defeated Sanity.

Chapters of Repugnance is the third effort by this trio featuring Magana and this record is crushing. Chapters clocks in at a little over a half hour, but trust me, you will need more than an hour to absorb the intracacies of Defeated Sanity’s music. The album begins in silence with “Introuis” and then fades in, very slowly I might add (I will assume this was done on purpose to make the listener turn up their speakers and then pound the listener to dust), with heavy-as-fuck grooves and the trademark Defeated Sanity technicality remnants of Prelude to the Tragedy. This instrumental track is a prelude (no pun intended) to the rest of the album and its relentless.

“Consumed by Repugnance” starts off with an amazing gravity blast accentuation by Lille on the beginning riff while A.J introduces the mayhem of his vocal chords. The song wastes no time, 15 seconds in the slams are in full effect and A.J puts the dreams of the fans to full fruition. I consider this the best track on the album. In the midst of the breakdown riffs, Lille shows off his jazz influence to the max on this record and mixes it up with the trademark blast beats and blistering tempo changes. Most notably the jazz influence is apparent in the small but very tastefully fitting bass and drum solo around 2:48. The guitars then make their way into the groove in Meshuggah fashion but not before heading the listener back in the dirt and leading into Carnal Deliverance.

“Carnal Deliverance” the single track from the record intertwines the technicality of Prelude and the straightforward slamming style on Psalms. A.J’s vocal patterns are unrelenting, and he has not missed a beat at all. If I was blindfolded and someone told me there was an 8 year difference between Magana’s performance on “Consume the Forsaken” and “Chapters”, I wouldn’t believe you. Whereas I feel Jens fit the band solely based on his vocal tone, A.J surpasses him in vocal delivery and speed. This song mimics the approach on Prelude but the slams still break your face. The highlight of this song would be around the 2:15 min mark until the end. The beginning riff is repeated but slightly different this time, Lille shows off his percussion skills as he follows the bass line and moves to the next single, “Salacious Affinity”. Salacious may be my second favorite track on the CD as the riffs never stop your neck from moving. The song proceeds to blast away, with Lille hitting everything humanly possible behind his drum set. The bass lines on this song are key, and this song seems to be the most technical so far. Pay attention to the small little riff section :45 secs in, as it will repeat at the end. It is by far the best closing riff I’ve heard in quite some time. A.J’s vocal patterns on this song are slightly catchier than on Carnal Deliverance but they are hand in glove perfection. Another favorite riff on this album of mine comes around the 2 min mark, definitely proving they have not abandoned their trademark sound. 3:10 brings another massive break down with technical riff reminiscent of Malignancy and the aforementioned riff that first appears 45 seconds in.

“Engulfed in Excrutiation” brings back memories of “Fatal Self Inflicted Disfigurement” in terms of accessibility. Lille doesn’t cease his gravity blasting powers, and the song grooves into another slam section, it stops and at around :45 seconds in another favorite riff of mine shows itself. Shades of Prelude are once again shown and the highlight of the song is the neck breaker riff at 3 mins. A.J’s vocals shine brightly on this song once more and “Coerced Into Idolatry” begins. Coerced is very reminiscent of Salacious in terms of bass and drum interplay. The slams continue in the same fashion, but on this track Defeated Sanity decide to bring back the jazz influence as was on Consumed around 1:45. From here on out, this song is pure unadulterated chaos. I cannot fathom how Christian could write such twisted technical riffs but it is emphasized the most of this track. A small and very quiet guitar solo is displayed at 3 min mark but not before punishing you and the sounds of humanity dying on “Blissfully Exsanguinated”. This song is the shortest on the album but by far the most unpredictable. Lille’s gravity blast accentuations are genius at the :57 sec mark and proceeds to tear through his kit once again, switching from hi-hat to ride cymbal like cigarette to coffee. I must add that the production is ten times better on this offering than on Psalms. The guitars are significantly clearer but at the same time maintaining the muddiness that was on Psalms. A lot of these riffs under the previous production would have been lost, and I commend Defeated Sanity for realizing that this was the problem with the last record. The reverb on A.J’s vocals and the occasional double tracking gives the riffs such a menacing atmosphere that Jens did not bring. I also feel Jens’ vocals were a tad louder in the mix than A.J’s and at some points Jens’ vocals would overwhelm the riffs. The drums are mixed very well, I feel that the cymbals may be somewhat loud in certain spots but that is not a complaint as they are very needed to hear all the accentuations that Lille does.

“Calculated Barbarity” begins with a fast thrash beat held by Lille, not before blasting away into oblivion. This song is also on the accessible side as Engulfed was containing riffs that would catch the ear of your average brutal death connessieur. This song is the one with the most originality, as I feel the other songs still bear a influence and feeling of the previous records. The break down riffs are plenty with pinch harmonics. The highlight arrangement of this song comes at 1:30, I won’t say what goes on but the riff that Christian plays is very interesting to say the least. “Lurid Assimilation” is the final track of the album and my least favorite. This song from what I believe was written by Wolfgang and was on the 2007 promo. Another guitar solo is introduced at the 1:30 mark, this one being a little longer and better than the solo on Coerced. It is more of the same and the album fades out the way it started, almost the same way Psalms did and as it fades the listener is treated to some superb drum fills by Gruber. Whew!

Before putting Chapters in my CD player, my favorite slam record this year was “Post Abortion Slut Fuck” from Vulvectomy. This album destroys it and everything in its path. For fans who may not be into this technical style, I suggest you listen to this for an example of how playing technical riffs and break downs mesh perfectly. My problem with the record may just be that there are not enough of those technical moments that are on "Blissfully Exsanguinated" or "Calculated Infinity" to go around and a little too many break downs and that's why it is not a perfect ten but do not misinterpret that. I may even say this record with A.J may be better than Consume the Forsaken. For fans of Malignancy, Disgorge (US) and Deeds of Flesh, check this beauty out. I am glad that this band is still putting forth quality brutal death metal and getting the recognition they deserve because this is far from what I expected when I was introduced. This album should be renamed Chapters of Resurgence because it has revitalized my love for underground brutal death metal. If there’s any album to get, get this one. This is a candidate for album of the year if not close. Your neck may never be the same again. You’ve been warned. An encore United States tour is mandatory.

9/10

Wormed - Quasineutrality (2010)

Single, 2010

Pathologically Explicit Records

Ladies and gentlemen, sit back and be prepared for the sonic apocalypse which has incarnated in the form of Quasineutrality - the latest venture by Spanish brutal death metal band Wormed.
Hear it? Yes its W-O-R-M-E-D.

I know that the idea itself sounds as ecstatic as getting a blowjob from Monica Belluci would and one wouldn't just let the sensation cease away easily. The band had kept their loyal fans waiting and gasping for more since 7 long years and most of us had lost any hopes of hearing anything new from them BUT then came 2010 and a miraculous surprise for all of us! Quasineutrality starts off with where Planisphaerium had ended. Taking the trademark Wormed flavour forward, the two new tracks reek highly of a bludgeoning sound which leaves the listener with pure eargasmic satisfaction.

The recruitment of Migueloud was a crucial step for the band's career and his armory provided a new dimension to Wormed's audial devastation. The duo of Miguel/J. Oliver created a spectacular frenzy of off time signature riffs and cosmic acoustic shreds (Uncoloured Plasma Orifices Transported). Miguel's incredible form since Human Mincer's epochal release Degradation Paradox is also clearly evident in the riff structures since the razor sharp tonality and hypnotic transitions are pretty much what were audible in that album. Added to that, there are some occasional slams too which spice up the intensity manifolds.

The mighty Phlegeton has been phenomenal on the vocal job yet again, spewing forth the deep croaked gutturals from the pits of his worm infested esophagus. Its interesting to note that he also took over the percussive duties after the removal of Andy from the line-up and he executed a flavagasting display of his unfathomed talent with extravagant flamboyance. For people who aren't aware of his multi-faceted musical prowess, Phlegeton handles drum duties for bands like Banished from Inferno, Unsane Crisis etc along with doing artwork, mastering and lyrical conceptualization too. This man is really an epitome for true brutal talent!

A ravishing green-oriented color scheme for the album art provides a required feel for the musical theme which surrounds a phenomenal (Physics/Chemistry) called as Plasma ( a gas in which a certain portion of the particles are ionized. The presence of a non-negligible number of charge carriers makes the plasma electrically conductive so that it responds strongly to electromagnetic fields. Getting quite nerdy eh? Nevermind! Hit Wikipedia for more info on this.)
Another noteworthy thing is that amongst  the heavy barrage of riffs and blasts, the sudden inception of those 'robotic' spoken verses and the alien-istic ambiance gives a chilling sci-fi feel to the music. Fans of Star Trek and Death Metal have really a reason to cherish now since they can enjoy both their favorite entities together in a gratifying mixture. So pick up your popcorn and nachos, sit back and get ready for a really enrapturing astral voyage to the depths of the luminous space.

Check out the band at - http://www.myspace.com/wormed


Final Verdict:
9.5/10

Hooded Menace - Never Cross the Dead (2010)

Full Length, Profound Lore Records
2010


With the sudden upsurge of bands playing the old school style of death metal over the years, it's practically difficult to come across bands who really are something worth listening to. Bands whom you can call as fairly genuine and not just another imitation of the older hordes. The mighty Razorback Records has been a sort of hub for most of these neo-old school death bands with constant releases from the abysses of US, Sweden and Finland. The label has given a lot of cherishing audial devastations to the staunch aficianados of the ancient death reign and Hooded Menace is no exception.

The band is no stranger in the death metal underground since their frontman Lasse  has been a formidable part of the Finnish death wagon from the past 2 decades or so. He started off with the underrated death/thrash band Phlegeton in 88 and released a few demos and a compilation album till date. But his fetish for the macabre didn't seem to cease as he has associated himself in a number of old school death metal projects namely Acid Witch, Claws, Vacant Coffin, Shrouded, Hooded Menace etc. He roared back into the scene with élan through the debut CD of Hooded Menace entitled as ''Fulfill the Curse'' which was a gargantuan lesson in true horrific death metal typically fashioned in the 90
s and cult horror sounds-capes influenced by the Blind Dead and other classic horror series. But the recent release ''Never Cross the Dead'' which saw a change in label to Profound Lore Records, is even a step ahead than the first edition in terms of the compositional prowess which the trio unleashes upon the listeners.

Clocking around almost 51 minutes, the album oozes with a sludgy and extravagantly doomy slab of death metal reminiscent of the epochal American and Finnish doom/death sound sauced up with a fairly modern production which actually provides an ominous shrill to the delicious down tuned riffage. Lasse's vocals are something which I find pretty unique and interesting among most of the death metal vocalists. I remember reading a recent interview where he stated that growling isn't really something which he cherishes doing and hence went for a more ''lazy'' and creepier sounding growling tone. But this reluctant laze has certainly been a blessing in disguise for the overall music of the band since the dense growling patterns lay a bizarre and ''zombified'' impact on the listener which can be perfectly related to the style of music they play.

The riffs are pretty lush and crushingly heavy with the grooves reminding of Cianide's A Descent into Hell juxtaposed with subtle melodic leads in vein of more traditional acts like Sabbath and Cathedral. Tracks like ''Never Cross the Dead'', ''Terror Castle'' and ''The House of Hammer'' are dripping with solid Iommi style leads which enhance the heavy demeanor to a great extent.

Pekka's drumming has been pretty minimal and straight forward as per the musical needs and it has just been a necessary support to the musical onslaught. Their obsession with the horrific realms have been again displayed to a good extent with their version of ''Theme from Return of the Evil Dead'' which manages to sound spooky and grotesque enough pretty much like what the original them but with a death metal tinge. A fantastic cover art by Putrid and great lyrics from the Razorback honcho Billy and Lucio provide an added dimension to the tenebrus atmosphere of Never Cross the Dead and makes it a perfect sountrack to listen to on a funeral night by the old cemetary and invoke the embalmed entities infested beneath earth's abyss.

Check out their tunes here - http://www.myspace.com/hoodedmenace




Final Verdict : 8.7/10