Terminate Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?

John: We started out a couple years ago as just me and our drummer Jim working on a couple of songs in our spare time as a side project, and it took off from there to become our main band. We just wanted to play some ugly sounding death metal, and I think we're succeeding with that idea.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?

John: We're influenced by all the Swedes from the early 90s as well as bands like Autopsy, Cianide, Bolt Thrower and like. People have been saying we sound ugly, and I would tend to agree with that.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

John: General not-good things, such as murder, rape, torture, the horrors or war, and so forth.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

John: I wanted a strong one-word band name. Its blunt music, so a blunt band name was necessary, and I think "Terminate" is a fitting title.

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?

John: The two that stick out to me are Black September/Abysme/Coffinworm and Wolvhammer/Krieg/ Doomsday. We describe ourselves as chaotic.

6. Do you have any touring plans for the new album?

John: We are working on that right now. We're going to hit the western half of the US this spring, and then the East this fall. Everything we do is pretty DIY, so it is a slow-going process, but we'll be out on the road, for sure.

7. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death metal?

John: Feedback has been pretty much unanimously good, which is encouraging. We aren't trying to reinvent the wheel, but we definitely do our own thing, and people seem to be cool with it.

8. I know that all of the band members are veterans of the death metal scene, what is it that motivates you to keep going after all these years?

John: Speaking for myself, playing music is the only thing I'm good at besides being a retail peon, and who wants to be a retail peon? Honestly, I still just have the fire burning and the desire to play music all the time, so I'm going to do as much as I can.

9.What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

John: We've got a few songs already done for the next album, and to my ears, it sounds like we are maturing and finding more of our own style. I don't want to say the old cliche "the next album will be heavier", but I think it will be, or at least its trending that way right now. Who knows, we may end up with something even more Maiden-esque than the title track to Ascending. Its too early to tell.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

John: We all are huge thrash metal guys, and of course early death metal fans. Slayer, Iron Maiden and Sodom are probably my three most prominent influences personally. As for what I'm listening to now, Batillus, Killing Joke, Lord Mantis, Coffinworm, Horrendous, Emperor, OFF!, Indian, Ministry, and Shining(SWE) are getting frequent spins.

11. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

John: I'm a huge movie and TV guy, and I read from time to time. Tom is a huge car guy. He drives a 1968 Chey Chevelle and a 1965 Impala. Al and Jim are both pretty big video game nerds.

12. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

John: I'll go ahead and plug a Chicago band I've been digging recently called Welkin Dusk. They mix crust and black metal to some pretty cool results.

 

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