1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Skaldir: We are a new old school death metal project from Sweden/Germany that formed in 2009. We released the demo tape "Death Incarnate" in 2010 and will release our first album "Grave Offerings" in February 2015.
Currently we have three members: Thomas (Vocals), Markus (Drums) and Skaldir (Guitars, Bass, Keys). We also have a guest lead guitar player called Niel that played most of the solos on "Grave Offerings".
2.You have a full length coming out in February, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the demo you had released in 2010?
Skaldir: We play death metal inspired by bands as Edge of Sanity, Entombed, At the Gates, early Death and Carcass. It's important to us to have riffs you can follow as a listener, and songs that you can remember, because they also have melodic elements. Still it should sound brutal. The biggest difference to the demo is probably that we now have a more technical drummer.
Thomas: I think we've sort of found our path. A three track cassette like Death Incarnate can't show the full range of a band's sound as well as an album. And Skaldir has worked a lot with the overall production so it all sounds great
3.This is the first release to be released in 5 years since the demo, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?
Thomas: We wrote most of the songs pretty quickly once we started working on the album. But for various reasons we ended up recording and re-recording them all a couple of times. And since we all have other bands, jobs and stuff outside of Abscession time went by, and once we were finished with the production we had to find a label that wanted to release the album. Eventually we decided to go with Final Gate Records and now we're just waiting for the albums to be pressed and shipped.
4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
Thomas: Well, it's death metal so we explore themes close to the heart of this style. I always try to weave short stories or imageries with my lyrics. I never liked lyrics that were just a bunch of ”cool” words mashed together. To many bands make shit like that, stuff that doesn't mean anything. I grew up listening to bands like Iron Maiden and for me the lyrics were a big part of the experience. So that's what I try to bring with me when I write lyrics.
The subjects on Grave Offerings range from the Lovecraft-inspired ”Where sleeping gods dwell” to the track ”Cabin 13” which lyrically draws heavily on slasher films from the 80's. In fact, I think many of the lyrics read like short horror stories. Hopefully the listeners will get some gruesome images in their minds when they read along to the tracks, haha.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Abscession'?
Skaldir: We wanted to have a one-word name for the band, like a lot of the old bands had. Since most of words are already taken it was not an easy task. The name also should have a classy feel. Brutal and concise. We all liked "Abscession".
6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Thomas: Since we all live far apart we're actually a studio band so far. But there may be live shows in the future, although none are planned at the moment.
7.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
None as of yet.
8.The new album is coming out on Final Gate Records, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
Skaldir: Marc of Suffer Production, who released our demo tape, actually gave us the tip with Final Gate Records. It's a german label and a sublabel from Rotten Roll Rex. What we liked was that they seem to make things not too complicated. Label owner Marco is a nice bloke who looks out for us. He even told me once that if we are ever unhappy about something we can visit him and beat him up. ;)
9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death metal?
Skaldir: The promotion of "Grave Offerings" just started, but so far it has been very positive. With our demo the reactions totally blew our minds. We didn't even really make promotion, but the word spread all by itself, and we even got "Demo of the year" on some blogs. It was pretty insane for having just started with the band.
10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
Thomas: For my part, I'm working with blackened death/thrash band Throne of Heresy to record and release a full length album during 2015. We've got all the songs written and are entering Endarker Studio (run by Marduk bassist Devo) in March. After that we'll likely go on to play as many gigs and shows as we can fit into our busy schedules!
Skaldir: I'm involved in a lot of projects with different musical styles. I played in the Pagan Metal Band Hel and I am also in Elane and Over The Hill.
11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Skaldir: We wanna continue with a more epic concept and break out of the 3 - 4 minute songs maybe. We have spoken about a lyrical concept and a lot of new music already has been written.
Thomas: Yeah, this ”epic” concept is something we all would like to explore and we will likely devote one album to it. Then I think we'll dive right back into making grisly death metal again, just to stir things up a bit. We like doing the stuff we like so I guess we'll see where it ends up though!
12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Thomas: Well, I find it intersting to mix things up a bit and I like lots of different music. My death metal influences are mainly from swedish style death like EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH etc but I also enjoy more progressive stuff like OPETH. I always like stuff that has hooks in it but which also grows on you with every listen. I think maybe that's where our death'n'roll-style influences come from, since I really like that kind of stuff when it's done in moderation. But then there's a whole range of bands outside the realm of death metal that influence me in different ways. Everything from classic IRON MAIDEN to FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM have had a huge impact on the way I write lyrics for example.
Skaldir: For me there are always some records that never get old. The first stuff I liked as a teenager, like DEATH, HELLOWEEN, EDGE OF SANITY. But I listen to a lot of different music from AOR, Progressive Rock to Death metal. And even if I have a lot of favs from the early 90s, there are gladly also some new albums that can excite me from time to time. Right now there is HAKEN - The Mountain in my CD player, I also enjoy DIRE STRAITS and classic heavy metal like IRON MAIDEN and MANOWAR.
13.What are some of your non musical interests?
Thomas: Haha, I've never been asked this in an interview before. Anyway, I do lots of stuff. Movies, gaming, reading, brewing beer, drinking beer... etc!
Skaldir: I like to do walks with my dog, and also like to watch TV series and movies. Mostly supernatural kind of stuff. I was never a big gamer in the past, but I found a game that I played a little bit too excessive and now found myself at rank 48 of all PS3 players in the world. :-P
Time to spend more time on playing guitar and becoming a world's top 50 death metal band rather...
14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Skaldir: The new year just started and we are very excited what the death metal fans will think of our new album. So far only the press got it, but next month hopefully the fans can also hear it. We wanna thank you for the interview and wish you and your zine all the best for 2015!
Skaldir: We are a new old school death metal project from Sweden/Germany that formed in 2009. We released the demo tape "Death Incarnate" in 2010 and will release our first album "Grave Offerings" in February 2015.
Currently we have three members: Thomas (Vocals), Markus (Drums) and Skaldir (Guitars, Bass, Keys). We also have a guest lead guitar player called Niel that played most of the solos on "Grave Offerings".
2.You have a full length coming out in February, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the demo you had released in 2010?
Skaldir: We play death metal inspired by bands as Edge of Sanity, Entombed, At the Gates, early Death and Carcass. It's important to us to have riffs you can follow as a listener, and songs that you can remember, because they also have melodic elements. Still it should sound brutal. The biggest difference to the demo is probably that we now have a more technical drummer.
Thomas: I think we've sort of found our path. A three track cassette like Death Incarnate can't show the full range of a band's sound as well as an album. And Skaldir has worked a lot with the overall production so it all sounds great
3.This is the first release to be released in 5 years since the demo, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?
Thomas: We wrote most of the songs pretty quickly once we started working on the album. But for various reasons we ended up recording and re-recording them all a couple of times. And since we all have other bands, jobs and stuff outside of Abscession time went by, and once we were finished with the production we had to find a label that wanted to release the album. Eventually we decided to go with Final Gate Records and now we're just waiting for the albums to be pressed and shipped.
4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
Thomas: Well, it's death metal so we explore themes close to the heart of this style. I always try to weave short stories or imageries with my lyrics. I never liked lyrics that were just a bunch of ”cool” words mashed together. To many bands make shit like that, stuff that doesn't mean anything. I grew up listening to bands like Iron Maiden and for me the lyrics were a big part of the experience. So that's what I try to bring with me when I write lyrics.
The subjects on Grave Offerings range from the Lovecraft-inspired ”Where sleeping gods dwell” to the track ”Cabin 13” which lyrically draws heavily on slasher films from the 80's. In fact, I think many of the lyrics read like short horror stories. Hopefully the listeners will get some gruesome images in their minds when they read along to the tracks, haha.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Abscession'?
Skaldir: We wanted to have a one-word name for the band, like a lot of the old bands had. Since most of words are already taken it was not an easy task. The name also should have a classy feel. Brutal and concise. We all liked "Abscession".
6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Thomas: Since we all live far apart we're actually a studio band so far. But there may be live shows in the future, although none are planned at the moment.
7.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
None as of yet.
8.The new album is coming out on Final Gate Records, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
Skaldir: Marc of Suffer Production, who released our demo tape, actually gave us the tip with Final Gate Records. It's a german label and a sublabel from Rotten Roll Rex. What we liked was that they seem to make things not too complicated. Label owner Marco is a nice bloke who looks out for us. He even told me once that if we are ever unhappy about something we can visit him and beat him up. ;)
9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death metal?
Skaldir: The promotion of "Grave Offerings" just started, but so far it has been very positive. With our demo the reactions totally blew our minds. We didn't even really make promotion, but the word spread all by itself, and we even got "Demo of the year" on some blogs. It was pretty insane for having just started with the band.
10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
Thomas: For my part, I'm working with blackened death/thrash band Throne of Heresy to record and release a full length album during 2015. We've got all the songs written and are entering Endarker Studio (run by Marduk bassist Devo) in March. After that we'll likely go on to play as many gigs and shows as we can fit into our busy schedules!
Skaldir: I'm involved in a lot of projects with different musical styles. I played in the Pagan Metal Band Hel and I am also in Elane and Over The Hill.
11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Skaldir: We wanna continue with a more epic concept and break out of the 3 - 4 minute songs maybe. We have spoken about a lyrical concept and a lot of new music already has been written.
Thomas: Yeah, this ”epic” concept is something we all would like to explore and we will likely devote one album to it. Then I think we'll dive right back into making grisly death metal again, just to stir things up a bit. We like doing the stuff we like so I guess we'll see where it ends up though!
12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Thomas: Well, I find it intersting to mix things up a bit and I like lots of different music. My death metal influences are mainly from swedish style death like EDGE OF SANITY, BLOODBATH etc but I also enjoy more progressive stuff like OPETH. I always like stuff that has hooks in it but which also grows on you with every listen. I think maybe that's where our death'n'roll-style influences come from, since I really like that kind of stuff when it's done in moderation. But then there's a whole range of bands outside the realm of death metal that influence me in different ways. Everything from classic IRON MAIDEN to FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM have had a huge impact on the way I write lyrics for example.
Skaldir: For me there are always some records that never get old. The first stuff I liked as a teenager, like DEATH, HELLOWEEN, EDGE OF SANITY. But I listen to a lot of different music from AOR, Progressive Rock to Death metal. And even if I have a lot of favs from the early 90s, there are gladly also some new albums that can excite me from time to time. Right now there is HAKEN - The Mountain in my CD player, I also enjoy DIRE STRAITS and classic heavy metal like IRON MAIDEN and MANOWAR.
13.What are some of your non musical interests?
Thomas: Haha, I've never been asked this in an interview before. Anyway, I do lots of stuff. Movies, gaming, reading, brewing beer, drinking beer... etc!
Skaldir: I like to do walks with my dog, and also like to watch TV series and movies. Mostly supernatural kind of stuff. I was never a big gamer in the past, but I found a game that I played a little bit too excessive and now found myself at rank 48 of all PS3 players in the world. :-P
Time to spend more time on playing guitar and becoming a world's top 50 death metal band rather...
14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Skaldir: The new year just started and we are very excited what the death metal fans will think of our new album. So far only the press got it, but next month hopefully the fans can also hear it. We wanna thank you for the interview and wish you and your zine all the best for 2015!
No comments:
Post a Comment