ASPHYX - True Death Metal You Bastards

Bands like Bolt Thrower, Entombed, Grave and Asphyx have written some of the most memorable albums in the history of European death metal. What would the world of extreme be without such timeless old school classics as "Realm of Chaos", "Left Hand Path", "Into the Grave" and "The Rack" by the Dutch masters of brutality who returned in 2007 after some years on hiatus? Reuniting with the original vocalist Martin van Drunen, also now the front man of super group Hail of Bullets, they were able to produce two astonishing records - "Death... the Brutal Way" in 2009 and the latest strike of "Deathhammer", which was released by Century Media in February 2012. Martin talked to We Wither about the newest Asphyx offering but commented on the past too.

After twenty years and eight albums Asphyx is still exactly the same band. Is it hard not to stray from the path for such a long time?
I'm 25 years in this business and my enthusiasm and passion is still the same as in the beginning. I'm a musician but I'm very much a fan, a metal-head too. I started  early and never changed. It's like a dream come true to become a recording and touring artist. I sometimes realize that on stage. I can't believe I made it and am actually doing it. Being surrounded by great people who are my family and friends gives me a lot of  joy from what I do. Death metal is fun but hard work too. People usually don't recognize it but I practise, I write lyrics and some music too, I tour and do interviews. It's not only a hobby on the side. I feel a need to do this and it makes me happy but it's not just as easy as people might think.

Was the success of Hail of Bullets sort of a kick to revive Asphyx from its hiatus?
Stephan Gebedi of Thanatos approached me years ago when I was playing with a smaller band Death by Dawn and asked if I was interested in doing something old school together. It took a while but eventually we started Hail of Bullets. I was in contact with Bob Bagchus, who is the only original Asphyx member and I knew lots of people were asking him to do some festival shows but we didn't want to do it without Eric Daniels because his guitar sound was irreplaceable in our opinion. Later on a drinking night with the Hail of Bullets boys Asphyx was mentioned and our guitarist Paul Baayens, who also plays with Thanatos, had a couple of beers too many and boldly said that he is up for filling the position in Asphyx. The next day he was a bit shocked when he realized what he'd said but I spoke to Bob and he agreed to check how it would sound. When he plugged in and we rehearsed we just knew he suits the slot perfectly. That's how it happened!

You called the “Deathhammer” album “a manual to death metal”. Do you think metal should always stick to its roots and if you want to evolve a lot it’s better to change the band’s name?
More or less I have to agree. I remember being disappointed so many times in the past when the bands I loved recorded some awful albums. For example I'm still not able to get over Celtic Frost's "Cold Lake", which is just an utter piece of shit. I never forgave them. I'm not even going to see Triptykon because I'd need to speak to Tom about how the hell it happened that he wrote such a thing. It's very hard to accept the situation when the band you love so much change drastically. The same happened to me with Kiss. I was a big fan of theirs but once they came up with that crappy disco style I just felt like my heroes had died. I don't listen to death metal every single day but I'd never dare to change the style of Asphyx.

“Deathhammer” is such a straightforward record. Did you write this album as if it were your one last manifesto of brutality?
Interesting that you mention that because it's actually something I was thinking about. After we finished in the studio and the material was ready and when we listened to it I experienced something I never felt before in a similar situation. It was a strange feeling in my gut. I spoke to Bob asking if he felt the same and for some reason he felt weird as well. I never had that before. Maybe it meant this is a record you only do once in a lifetime. On the other hand it was the most relaxed recording session I ever took part in. I was just having fun doing my vocals and I was singing so loud that our producer Harry Wijering told me there was feedback on the headphones and I have to take it easy.

After my first glance at the “Deathhammer” cover art my reaction was that it’s the book of the dead from the “Army of Darkness” movie. How wrong am I?
Fucking hell. That's a good one. I guess you are right. Nobody thought about it before. It was not our intention but it works. I will need to speak to guys about it. They will like it.

Would you ever be able to continue playing such extreme music for so long if not for the pure and loyal love for death metal?
To do this death metal has to be in your bones and your blood. If one day I no longer enjoy being on stage I'm going to quit as soon as possible but at the moment it's out of the question. We have the best atmosphere in the band now and if one of us leaves I think we would just stop doing Asphyx unless that member expresses clearly that he wants to be replaced.

When I listen to your vocals I can almost feel how you tear your throat. Do you often practise? How does it feel after a full live set?
Yes I do practise a lot and take care of my throat. I keep discipline in order to be in good shape on tour. It's like sport. You have to practise to look and perform good. Of course it can be sometimes hard on the stage but usually I'm well-prepared. If we do an extensive club show with a really long set and the gig is about two-hours-long I feel exhausted but when you play festivals the set is most of the time about an hour-long, which is rather easy.

You started Pestilence in 1987 when you were actually still a kid. Now you’re a mature man but your music hasn’t changed much. How do you sustain your interest in death metal?
I like to say that metal keeps you young and I believe in it. Every now and then I feel a little old but it's a natural process. Once in a while I'm more tired than I used to be 15-20 years ago but that's okay. I don't care if my hair goes white. I don't need to dye it. I'm not Type O Negative or Morbid Angel to care about things like that. I still have the strong ambition to do what I do. I always return to the same old records I was listening to as a teenager and I still love them. That's something that simply doesn't change.

Did you ever have a moment when you thought I’ve had enough of recording, touring, playing etc?
There was a moment like that. After I left Bolt Thrower about 1997 I just felt disappointed with everything around me and I didn't want to be in a band anymore. I wasn't musically active for almost five years. I went back to school for some education and found a job. Only later did I regain the eagerness to return to the metal business.

How do you remember your spell with Bolt Thrower. Was playing live with them different that with Asphyx?
Bolt Thrower is an institution. Everyone in England speaks of them very highly so it was a very exciting and rewarding experience. It was a pleasure to meet these people and to become friends with them. I was immediately accepted as a member. Before we performed together for the first time I practised on my own for two months and then before the tour I flew to England and rehearsed for five days. They were astonished with my attitude and abilities. I don't think there is much difference playing with them or Asphyx.

Hail of Bullets drummer Ed Warby said your passion about World War II history is very close to an obsession. Where did it come from? Do you like to visit old battle scenes in Europe?
It all started with a book by Theodor Plievier entitled "Stalingrad" that I read when I was about 18 years-old. Later on I discovered he'd written a war trilogy with "Moscow" and "Berlin" as the other two books. It didn't grab my attention straight away and at the time I was naturally much more into horror novels by Lovecraft and Poe. The history of World War II became more interesting to me when I started meeting members of my German ex-wife's family and some of them remembered the war pretty well. I had a great opportunity to hear about their experiences and memories, which taught me a lot. Wherever I travel I love to visit places connected to the history of the war but I rarely have any spare time when we are touring. Personally I'm much more interested in places such as Berlin or the eastern front than the usual Normandy.

Times are hard, gas and accommodation is expensive. Did you ever consider a European tour consisting of Asphyx, Hail of Bullets and Thanatos? Paul would definitely kill you but maybe it’s worth it!
Hahahaha. It would be too exhausting for me and I would most probably die. So would Paul for sure with three sets every night.

KRISIUN – Combusting Execution

Brotherhood of blood, metal and an uncompromising attitude is what defines Brazilian extremists Krisiun. The Sao Paulo-based trio, which has continued its crusade of brutality and terror for over twenty years, has just produced its eighth full-length "The Great Execution" for Century Media. After two straight up death metal records, "AssassiNation" (2006) and "Southern Storm" (2008), the band delivered much more diverse material with mid-tempos, loads of groovy riffing and developed arrangements. Krisiun's drummer Max Kolesne talked to We Wither about the course of its creation, his home country and first steps behind the drum kit.

What is the difference between "The Great Execution" and the previous album, 2008's "Southern Storm"?
We wanted to do something different on the new album and didn't want to repeat the same old formula once again. We added some variations to our style. Playing fast songs is in our blood and it's still present on "The Great Execution", but this time we tried some new tempos and rhythms. I think you can hear the influence of Black Sabbath, Judas Priest or Mercyful Fate.

The new album is your most progressive record to date with no track clocking under five minutes. Did you plan to do such a complex record or did it simply come out that way in the process?
It's definitely our best recording session to date. We naturally wrote really long songs but we didn't plan it, they just came out like that. We jammed and shared the ideas for the new material and for some reason we wrote longer tracks than before. They are catchier than our old stuff but Krisiun remains the same death metal band.

Was the new album fun to write?
Very much! We have the right chemistry in the band. We understand each other very well. I'm sure this is the best time for us so far. We feel really comfortable with what we do at the moment. Writing and recording "The Great Execution" was a lot of fun. It was a natural process. With no compromise. We used a bunch of analog equipment in the studio, that's why it sounds natural. The important thing for us is that we didn't overproduce this material.

You often emphasize your dedication to the underground. You’ve been active for more than twenty years and stayed there for the whole time. Do you feel comfortable with where you are?
Our music is underground and we are a 100% death metal band with underground roots, so definitely yes. That doesn't mean we don't change our style a bit from time to time. I hope what we do can attract more and more people to the underground scene. Every time we tour we meet new fans and that means the underground is the place for us.

What does working with Andy Classen give you? Is he the kind of producer who is almost a band member or rather an advisor?
First I have to say we're a very easy band to work with. When we enter the studio the material is heavily rehearsed and prepared. We don't fuck around and don't waste time. We actually produce the music ourselves but we need a guy like Andy who gets the best possible performance from us. He pushes us to the limits and always delivers the sound we’re looking for. We don't spend ages in the studio. With "The Great Execution" it took us four weeks with a break for a short European tour.

Everybody knows Sepultura and Sarcofago, lots of people have heard of Krisiun, Rebaelliun and Mental Horror but there are not many bands from Brazil that are popular globally. Is the metal scene in Brazil strong at the moment? Do a lot of people come to metal shows?
The Brazilian metal scene is very strong and huge. There are tons of people at shows. It seems that Brazilian people love metal a lot. I think there aren't that many well-known bands from Brazil because it's really hard for local bands to break through. I'd say it's easier for bands in the US or Europe. Apart from the bands you mentioned I'd also add Torture Squad and Claustrofobia. Both bands are around for about twenty years and they are worth of checking out if you don't know them yet.

Rio Grande do Sul, the province of Brazil you come from, is the southernmost region of your country. Is the south of Brazil an easy place to grow up and live?
Actually it's a very good place to grow up. I had a happy and decent childhood, I totally enjoyed it. The good thing about growing up in the provinces is that you're close to nature. We used to spend time at the river or playing football most of the days. In big cities like Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro the pollution is horrific, there's a lot of crime and it has to be tough for kids to grow up in such circumstances.

The stereotype is that music and football are the only options to make a career and a good living in Brazil. Would you say there is a bit of truth in it?
Not at all, it's not true. You can be whoever or do whatever you want in Brazil. It's only up to you and how determined you are. If you're a professional and have certain skills you can be as successful here as anywhere in the world.

Brazil is the fifth most populated and the fifth biggest country in the world. What are the advantages and the disadvantages of living there?
Sao Paulo where we live at the moment is a huge city and the great thing about it is it gives you a lot of opportunities to do whatever you like at anytime you want. There are always shops and clubs open. A lot of things happen in Sao Paulo so it's a good place to hang around. There is a great cultural diversity and the food is awesome. The worst thing about living here is the terrible traffic. You literally waste hours of your time to just travel within the city. There are far too many cars here.

 

I remember your gig at Metalmania 2004 in Poland, when you recorded your DVD "Live Armageddon", as one of the most crushing shows ever. When you started the band was your goal to become the most brutal and punishing band in the world?
We were young, really pissed off and full of hate. We wanted to play radical music full of brutality pushed to the limits. On our first EP "Unmerciful Order" and the debut album "Black Force Domain" in 94-95 we simply wanted to just destroy everything with our music not as much to compete with other bands. That DVD is absolutely a good representation of what Krisiun and our live shows are. We always play intense and straight in your face gigs.

Drummers have always been my favourite metal musicians. How did you start?
Alex who is the oldest among of us used to be in a band before Krisiun and before he started singing and playing bass guitar he was a drummer. I never thought I could be a drummer one day but I really loved the rhythms of AC/DC songs etc. Moyses, who now plays guitar for Krisiun, told Alex to show me some simple techniques and that's how I started. I didn't have a drum kit so I practiced on the furniture or pieces of wood. I was about 13-years-old. I was only able to repeat some basic easy beats. There was no chance I could even try to play Iron Maiden. I was asking older guys for advice how to play. And then when I listened to early Metallica and heard the double-kick it just completely changed my drumming style. I went crazy for that intensity.

fot. Łukasz Popławski

What is your favourite metal record drumming-wise?
It's easier for me to point to three records that are a perfect representation of what my influences are. They’re "South of Heaven" by Slayer, "Covenant" by Morbid Angel and "Darkness Descends" by Dark Angel.

Krisiun is a true band of brothers. Would you ever consider continuing to play if one of you left the band?
It's hard to say what will happen in the future. It depends on the situation. Probably if we fought against each other we would rather kill the band than continue with somebody else. If one of us preferred to slow down a bit and retire from Krisiun we would probably give it a thought to recruit a new member. But that's only one of many possibilities. On the other hand I can't imagine how Morbid Angel could record an album without Pete Sandoval. His style is an undisputed part of the band's sound and without him it's not the same.

VALLENFYRE - Cryptic Vibe

The new project of Paradise Lost main composer and guitarist Greg Mackintosh may come to some people as a great shock. The man witnessed the loss of his father and turned the devastating experience into fuel for his grim obscure death metal monster Vallenfyre. Greg recruited some notable musicians such as drummer Adrian Erlandsson of At the Gates and Paradise Lost, guitarist Hamish Glencross of My Dying Bride, bass renegade Scoot of crust punks Doom and guitarist Mully, Greg's close friend. Released at the end of October 2011 Vallenfyre's debut "A Fragile King" offers a tribute to the old school sound of harsh and raw uncompromising beating. Songs such as "All Will Suffer", "Ravenous Whore" and "Humanity Wept" are just what death metal was originally all about. Greg talked to We Wither about how the record came to life.

If not for the death of your father, would you ever have started Vallenfyre?
Probably not. Death of my father was the thing that made me do this record. It's been therapeutic to me in that sense. It gave the spark to creation of the music. About seventy percents of the lyrics are about my father's death and my grief. For last three or four years I have been listening to my favourite old death metal again and the idea was somewhere there but it wasn't channelled.

As far as I’m aware, it’s the first time a Paradise Lost member has teamed up with a My Dying Bride member. Both bands have been compared on numerous occasions in the past. How much did Hamish influence the shape of the band?
He didn't much but it's only because he joined the band when about seventy five percents of the record were already written. He definitely added his touch in the studio, he brought in some ideas for production and his playing style was important to the fact how the album sounds.

You have written all the music for “A Fragile King” but what did other guys bring in to the band?
The whole idea for Vallenfyre was to bring back and recreate that old school vibe that we have in a band because we are all been in the scene long enough and we come from the same background musically. Adrian is Swedish but he's been living in London for a decade now. That vibe and understanding are more important to us than anything else. We have this feel for how death metal should be and it's quite an opposite to how modern death metal bands sound, often overproduced.

Could you tell me more about the writing process? How long did it take you, what did you experience during that time?
It was happening in a couple of stages. The first one was just after my dad died. I started writing down my thoughts and feelings. These ideas turned to music later on. When you stay alone with such emotions they might become pretty self-destructive. I didn't really have anybody to talk about it. That's why I spoke to Hamish and the guys to join me in a band. I had a bad thing turned to a good positive thing at the end. I spent almost the whole 2010 writing the material and then we were in a studio between December 2010 and April 2011 with a few breaks for our other bands. I noticed one thing. When death metal bands speak about ripping people to pieces it's just fine but when you come up with the real experience of death suddenly people get frightened and don't know what to do with it.

It's quite easy to guess which old school death metal bands are your favourites but do you check out younger bands? Did anything released in the last decade get your attention?
I do listen to modern bands but not really to a lot of death metal. I prefer other forms of extreme metal, things between hardcore/punk and metal like Tyrant, Black Breath, Nails, Trap Them or Coffins. I somehow lost interest in death metal since nowadays it's usually too technical, too clean in production and actually with no soul.

Could any of the Vallenfyre songs fit on the early Paradise Lost records?
Possibly but only rather more doomy songs like "Seeds" or "The Grim Irony" since the majority of the album would be too aggressive.

You have written all the lyrics for Vallenfyre, while in Paradise Lost it's Nick Holmes who writes the most of them. Was writing these lyrics easy for you?
It was bit difficult I guess. I wanted to write them in an interesting way for the listener. I was looking for the cryptic feel and atmosphere. I had lots of inspiration and experiences of sadness and mourning and put them into words. Probably the first few lyrics that I wrote, which were "Desecration", "Seeds" and "The Divine Have Fled" became a fundament to what I wrote later on.

What are the chances for another Vallenfyre record?
It's too early to talk about it. I don't have such plans at the moment. I'm not looking so far into the future. It may happen later but I don't know. For the moment we some shows scheduled for next year. We as well released a video clip to "Cathedrals of Dread", which is a song about religion and how people are told what to do and are brought up in sheep mentality of the followers. It's got some aggressive feeling, it's dark and edgy.

Will what you do with Vallenfyre influence the next Paradise Lost record?
Not at all. Quite the opposite actually. I draw a fine line between what I'm doing with both bands. The new record, which we will be recording very soon is more melodic than our last album "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us". It's going to be a blend between classic metal and gothic style with a lot of lead guitars but no keyboards. We are going for sort of retro production. We are working with Jens Bogren again and the record should be out around March 2012.

You have been playing heavy music for more that twenty years now. Did this lifestyle turn out to be the thing you always wanted and wished it to be?
Yes and no. When we started the band we didn't even expect to do a proper record or tour etc. What I like is that we always kept the things the way we wanted. Of course we witnessed some shitty music business stuff but overall I enjoy this lifestyle much more now than in the past. I keep myself busy all the time. I write music at home when we're off tour. Then we record and go on the road. It all happens in 2-3-years circles.

fot. by Daniel Gray

Where is Paradise Lost at the moment? After twelve albums and some ups and downs what is ahead of you?
I'm quite sure than our new record is as good as anything we released in the past. It's relevant to what's happening in the scene today and we still have a lot of fun writing and playing music. We feel creative and are eager to stay around for some time. At the moment we have a very good relation with our label Century Media. Those people understand where we come from and it works just great.