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    • Interview: Abhorrent

    Guitarist Marlon Friday of demo band Abhorrent was kind enough to lend us his ears and voice for a brief interview on the state of death metal, and the direction this new act -- which is challenging the stagnation of a genre too molded by its interpretation of fan expectations to be anything but stagnant -- takes as it tackles the question of 21st century death metal.
    Questions by interrogator.
    Answers by Abhorrent.
    abhorrent at practice
    1. when did you form abhorrent, what were your previous projects, what's the state of the band and who's in it, and what is your status now?
    Abhorrent was formed mid-2007 after some of our previous projects either didn't go anywhere, or weren't taken seriously. Previous projects were Erzebet and Misogyny, the latter, not taken too seriously, obviously. Abhorrent is Marlon Friday on guitar(s) and Lyle Cooper on Drums. We are currently looking for new members to fill in the vacant duties of the band. Also, we are looking to finish mixing and mastering our 3 song promo, and hoping to send it out to certain interested labels.
    2. what are your goals in forming abhorrent? are there extra-musical goals (chicks, ideology, tour the world) as well as musical goals?
    Music consumes both of our lives, and without it, we wouldn't be who we are today. Abhorrent is an outlet of both emotion and ideology, which will be more present in the lyrical matter.
    Add to the reckoning all whom thou hast known, one after another. One man after burying another has been laid out dead, and another buries him: and all this in a short time. To conclude, always observe how ephemeral and worthless human things are, and what was yesterday a little mucus to-morrow will be a mummy or ashes. Pass then through this little space of time conformably to nature, and end thy journey in content, just as an olive falls off when it is ripe, blessing nature who produced it, and thanking the tree on which it grew. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
    3. do you think a genre of unpopular "popular music" like death metal and/or black metal can be a form of art?
    Of course, absolutely. It not only can be a form of art, but, in my mind it is and will always be an artistic expression.
    4. what distinguishes art from entertainment, and if they overlap, is there a difference in goals between the two?
    Well, in the context of music, I believe their is a certain overlapping of the two. Creating the music is the art form, while playing it live is the entertainment side... similar to art galleries, having people show up and look at the selection of art pieces in the exhibit is a form of entertainment.
    5. do you think heavy metal has a distinctive worldview different from that of "normal" people? is worldview a grounding to an ideology, and can art have either? do you think the worldviews and or ideologies of artists shape the kind of music they produce?
    Yes, I do believe that heavy metal retains a certain world view that differs from the main populace. The worldview is a foundation for ideology and I believe wholeheartedly that can have both. Ideologies can shape the music in the creative process, and I believe it does a lot to define the type of sound the artist is going for. Be it abrasive or easy on the ears, or what have you.
    6. do you think death metal musicians converge on the genre because it sounds like thoughts or worldviews, and if so, does this produce any compatibility between views?
    I think death metal musicians share, to an extent, certain views and feelings and that is a big reason that the "scene" started and evolved into what it is or isn't today. There is definitely a compatibility between views, but that isn't always the case.
    7. if sound is like paint, and we use different techniques and portray different things in our paintings, what does it say when a genre sounds similar and has similar topic matter and imagery? can the genre be said to have a philosophy or culture of its own?
    Varying genres of music can definitely have a unified ideology/philosophy, which helps bring artists and listeners alike to a more unified ground.
    8. rumor has it that abhorrent is considering being the first all-instrumental death metal band. what are the additional burdens on songwriters of writing songs without vocals?
    Not sure if we would be the first, but, yes, this is a possibility. To have an all instrumental band, the music has to have an extra quality to it, a certain appeal that will be able to grab the audience and keep them listening. Since there would be no lyrics, it would be up to us to create an atmosphere and keep from diverting the listeners attention.
    9. how do you conceive of a song: do you start with a riff, an abstract idea, an emotion, or a structure?
    It all depends on the time and place. I might have a riff in my head, or a drumbeat or just be in a certain mood.
    abhorrent logo
    10. what are your influences, and are these shared among band members, and if not wholly, what other influences do they have?
    When writing the music we don't try and think ... "Okay, these 3 bands influenced this song so let's write something like it." We just let the music flow and morph it as we go along. Although, you could probably tell some of my favourite bands (Gorguts) have leaked a bit into the riffs that I write.
    11. of the last ten years of metal, what are the standouts to you? what about other genres -- what were the most influential and best works?
    Gorguts - Obscura and From Wisdom To Hate
    Adramelech - Pure Blood Doom
    Immolation - Close To A World Below
    Spawn of Possession - Cabinet and Noctambulant (to a lesser extent)
    Martyr - Feeding The Abscess
    Augury - Concealed
    Anata - Under A Stone With No Inscription
    Psycroptic - The Scepter Of The Ancients
    Defeated Sanity - Prelude To The Tragedy, Psalms of The Moribund

    Deathspell Omega - Fas, Ite Maledicti In Ignem Aeternum, Si Monvmentvm Reqvires Circvmspicere, and Kenose are all beyond words as well.
    Drudkh - Most of their work.
    Negura Bunget - Omwww
    Agalloch - All of their material.
    Emperor - Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk, IX Equilibrium, Prometheus

    Among tons of others.
    12. some have said that death metal and black metal use "narrative" composition, where a series of riffs are motifs that evolve toward a passage between states of mind for the listener. is this true, and if so, how is it reflected in your songwriting?
    It can be said about a lot of bands, but when I write material for Abhorrent, there is no set formula, it just evolves and evolves from there.
    Do not look around thee to discover other men's ruling principles, but look straight to this, to what nature leads thee, both the universal nature through the things which happen to thee, and thy own nature through the acts which must be done by thee. But every being ought to do that which is according to its constitution; and all other things have been constituted for the sake of rational beings, just as among irrational things the inferior for the sake of the superior, but therational for the sake of one another. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
    13. what brands/models of guitars/amplifiers do you use, and what equipment/software do you use to record?
    For the promo we recently recorded, I used: Jackson DKMG
    Engl Fireball head
    Mesa Dual Rectifier Over-sized Cab
    and a Bugera head for the other guitar track.

    Lyle (drums) used:

    Mapex 5 piece
    Sabian and Zildjian Cymbals
    DW 9000 pedals

    To record we used a motu 12 pre for the drums, with an assortment of different mics, with Cubase. Guitars were recorded DI and reamped with the ENGL and Bugera.
    14. we've gone through another period, like that of the late 1970s, where metal has lost direction and started to be absorbed by rock music. is a change in style needed, or is change in direction expressed in another direction? what do you think the metal of next decade will look like?
    There are so many different variations of "metal" that incorporate completely different types of music, some of them lose base with the "traditional" style, but others don't stray too far from a defined line. In the next decade I can't even imagine what new types of metal music there will be. Here's to hoping the quality of music increases exponentially.
    15. what is the best way for fans to contact you and hear your music?
    You can email email abhorrent to contact the band, and the best place to listen to our music, as of now, is at www.myspace.com/abhorrentdm.
    16. some people prefer a scene, others a community, still others like to strike out on their own. how effective are scenes and communities in concentrating listeners who can appreciate similar approaches to music, and how much do they simply raise the expectation of clone music and drag the community down to a lowest common denominator?
    A "scene" can be both beneficial and detrimental to the quality of music that is produced. It does give an outlet to a group of unified individuals who have similar tastes in music, but also, on the downside... some bands may think they have to keep releasing the same type of albums over and over because "that's what the scene expects", thus, never evolving, and never doing anything new.

    Then, I said, the business of us who are the founders of the State will be to compel the best minds to attain that knowledge which we have already shown to be the greatest of all—they must continue to ascend until they arrive at the good; but when they have ascended and seen enough we must not allow them to do as they do now.

    What do you mean?

    I mean that they remain in the upper world: but this must not be allowed; they must be made to descend again among the prisoners in the den, and partake of their labors and honors, whether they are worth having or not. - Plato, Republic

    return to death/black metal interviews section Return to Metal Interviews
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    The Metal Basement

    30 07 12 - 14:32

    New radio program DJ'd in part by one of our users:

    The Metal Basement with Maniacal Michael & the Basement Bunch.

    It airs every Tuesday night from 10-12 PM PST.

     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal |

    Metal Rising Worldwide

    30 06 12 - 08:34

     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | 359 comments

    Beherit - "Celebrate the Dead"

    18 06 12 - 19:34

    Black metal + dubstep



    Numen - intention = essence
     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | 134 comments

    Why this blog has been silent

    31 03 12 - 05:58

    We've moved it.

     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | 573 comments

    Impiety - Ravage and Conquer

    03 03 12 - 06:07

    Impiety - Ravage and Conquer



    This album is thoroughly enjoyable energetic and simple death metal which incorporates enough hints of melody and harmony to give the songs memorability. However, on the whole it belongs to that category of bands which are guilty pleasure bands by design. They do not aim for profundity, but rather intensity. We might list Vader and Angelcorpse as well, or maybe early Grave, because they have a similar low-tech approach. There is not much that is musical about this release. It is pure rhythm, with the aforementioned musical elements tacked on to keep your interest. But as rhythm, it has the intensity of later Angelcorpse and the raging power of broad basic statements that propelled early Grave. Its songs are not as memorably constructed as those on Exterminate or Into the Grave, have more the intensity of mid-period Vader, but in a time of feeble self-pitying rock bands trying to be hipster "metal," it's gratifying to find something with heart. You will tap your feet to these energetic, propulsive tunes and appreciate the sheer violence out of which they are created. Unlike many recent albums which drag you along for the ride, Ravage and Conquer drops you into the middle of it and makes you fight your way out.

     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | 262 comments

    Imprecation - Angel of Salvation's Doom (2012)

    29 02 12 - 19:08



    From their new blasphemous album. Sounds good, with a few nods to 1980s mainstream technical metal, pissing all over 2010s technical metal.
     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | 21 comments

    DEAD CAN DANCE tour dates announced

    29 02 12 - 05:21

    SEPTEMBER

    19th - HCTAT, Istanbul, Turkey
    21st - Earth Theatre, Thessaloniki, Greece
    23rd - Lycabetus Theatre, Athens, Greece
    25th - MCV, Utrecht, Holland
    27th - Grand Rex, Paris, France
    29th - Cirque Royal, Brussels, Belgium

    OCTOBER

    1st - Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany
    3rd - Tempodrom, Berlin, Germany
    5th - CCH, Hamburg, Germany
    7th - Philharmonie, Munich, Germany
    8th - Philharmonie, Cologne, Germany
    10th - KCP, Prague, Czech Republic
    12th - Bkz Oktyabrsky, St. Petersburg, Russia
    13th - Crocus City Hall, Moscow, Russia
    15th - Sala Kongresowa, Warsaw, Poland
    17th - Papp Laszlo Arena, Budapest, Hungary
    19th - Teatro Degli Arcimboldi, Milan, Italy
    20th - Batiment Des Forces Motrices, Geneva, Switzerland
    22nd - Auditori, Barcelona, Spain
    24th - Casa Da Musica, Porto, Portugal
    26th - Royal Albert Hall, London, England
    28th - Grand Canal Theatre, Dublin, Ireland

    Dates for the North American, South American and Asian legs of the tour will be announced shortly, along with ticket sales information

    www.deadcandance.com
     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | Five comments

    IMPRECATION update

    22 02 12 - 17:48

    New Imprecation tracks will be unleashed next week, the release should be ready by the end of March. The songs to come are entitled "Hosanna Ex Inferis" and "Angel of Salvation's Doom". - David Herrera
     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | 22 comments

    SUMMONING working on new materail

    19 02 12 - 19:00


    19.02.2012
    After a longer winter-sleep summoning is back again and ow works constantly for a new release. We promise that in the near future we will regularly update the homepage again, so it will we worth the costs to check the page in regular intervals.

    The present situation of Summoning:

    In the past years we have worked on new material just very rarely because of different reasons (partly personal, partly being not motivated enough) but since the last months ,we intensified the work for new material and realised, that the old spirit is back again and we are very motivated for a cool new release and we are very committed in every terms of composing.

    Meanwhile there are two songs which are fix starters for the album. 4 or 5 songs are in a more advance state and we composed riffs for at least 10 or 15 songs in a very early state. Btw. we still have one finished song from the last oath bound session which also will be in one or another way. so probably this time we are in the luck situation that we have more songs left, so maybe there will be some special limited fan releases beside the normal release, but this is of course just a wish right now.

    We hope that until the end of this year most of the material for the new album can be finished. In the moment we have no concrete conception about the lyrical concept. All we can say right now is, that Summoning is still alive and middle earth will awake again. - SUMMONING official web presence


    This is encouraging.

    It does not sound like it will be soon, but so long as quality is high, it will be massively anticipated.
     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | Eleven comments

    THRASH is not SPEED METAL

    18 02 12 - 16:52



    Mix together the early CIRCLE JERKS, early BLACK FLAG, MDC, MINOR THREAT, SSD, TERVEET K�DET, and GANG GREEN, and you have something approximating these DIRTY ROTTEN IMBECILES (so-called by their parents). What can I say--this is manic, intense, tight thrash with great lyrics, and I can't wait till these Houston boys unleash themselves upon the rest of us deprived people. 22 songs.
    -Tim Yohannan (from Maximum Rocknroll #5, March/April 1983)

     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | 31 comments

    PROFANATICA - Sickened By Holy Host / The Grand Masters Session

    18 02 12 - 16:51



    This oddity features an all new 39 minute mini-album plus the "The Grand Masters Session" Box Set on CD for the very first time. Nearly 80 minutes of true blasphemy & perversion.

    PART #1 features 5 new songs plus 2 old classics written and recorded by Ledney with a session member. The performance on this work is much like their primitive NECROVORE-ous atrocities committed in the early '90s and allows for safe assumption of what could have been heard on their long-lost album, "The Raping of the Virgin Mary."

    Meanwhile, PART #2 features the same titles but written and recorded by Gelso alongside the same drums & vocals performed on part #1. The execution of this session continues in the more musical direction showcased on their first 2 albums and incorporates soundscapes sonically compiled by the late Aragon Amori. The end result is nothing short of devastating, and the vast contrast between these two sessions takes on the form of an album in itself that is sure to appeal to both old & new devotees of the black cult.

    Finally, "The Grand Masters Session" previously available as a vinyl-only 8" Box Set, is a raging 2008 "live in the studio" recording showcasing many of the classics, a few newer hits and an exclusive medley (a conglomerate of 5 songs).

     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | Ten comments

    SUPURATION retrospective CD release

    17 02 12 - 10:10



    Yes, the mighty french legend SUPURATION (aka SUP) are back from the crematory in form of a retrospective collection CD which includes all the earliest and most brutal stuff of the band from '89 /'90 when they were in their most Death Metal shape right before they started to experiment with clean vocals and more varied sounds.

    "Back from the Crematory" is the generic title of this cult release which is planned for an imminent release on September 16th. The CD includes the awesome band's debut self-financed mini CD "Sultry Obsession" ('90), their only demo "Official Rehearsal" ('90) as well as the impossible-to-find demo of the band's very 1st studio recording "Haunted" under their previous monicker ETSICROXE as well as a 9-song live show, both from '89.

    This masterpiece comes with remastered sound and packed in a total old-fashioned layout in contrat to their latter weird & sophisticated designs. Includes killer 12-pages booklet featuring an exclusive retro-interview, liner notes, cover and tons of old photos & flyers. This definitely a must-have release not only for every SUPURATION fan, but for every lover of the good old Death Metal from late 80's and early 90's!!

    http://www.xtreemmusic.com/
     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | Six comments

    Lord Wind - Ales Stenar

    12 02 12 - 07:36

    New Lord Wind: not metal per se, but metal in spirit, and it will be hard to beat this impressive CD that I'm already calling as "album of the year."



    Note new URL.
     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | Sixteen comments

    New SAMMATH

    11 02 12 - 12:07

     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | Two comments

    YADENU (Yet Another DEMONCY "Enthroned is the Night" Update)

    11 02 12 - 12:06

    Demoncy (CD) jackets are in production and on their way to completion. No release date has been given yet but we are expecting them roughly around the 22nd of February. - Forever Plagued Records

    Can't fucking wait!
     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | No comments

    BLASPHERIAN update

    09 02 12 - 17:24

    BLASPHERIAN UPDATE:
    NEW SONG FOR SPLIT 7" WITH IMPRECATION......FINISHED
    2 NEW SONGS,REWORKED VERSION OF 'TO WALK THE PATH...'.... FINISHED
    AND NOW WE BEGIN WRITING FOR THE UPCOMING SPLIT WITH CRUCIFIER 'THE POISONERS OF YAHWASTE'...
    AND THEN WE RECORD THIS UNHOLY MADNESS....HOPEFULLY SOMETIME IN MARCH/APRIL 2012 ANNO SATANAS...
     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | Ten comments

    New footage of Quorthon

    09 02 12 - 16:42

    Part 1:



    Part 2:



    Part 3:


    See also our interview with Quorthon, one of the smartest men in metal.
     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | Two comments

    VARG VIKERNES converting to Christianity?

    06 02 12 - 20:09

    A textual comparison:

    A Burzum Story: Part VIII - On Overgrown Paths

    'Enter ye in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat.

    Bible

    How narrow is the gate, and strait is the way that leadeth to life: and few there are that find it!' Matthew 7: 13-14

    All I can say is... oy gevalt. Ripped shamelessly from Faceplant
     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | Four comments

    Another DEMONCY update

    06 02 12 - 19:55

    Okay FPR confirmed the updated jacket design. I'm waiting to hear back that everything is accepted and in production. Remember everything is done but the jacket so once the jacket is done everything gets packaged and sent to us. I'll confirm once the jacket is in production and then I'll confirm once they give us an exact shipping date. I'll feel so much better once these are in the hands of all who preordered as I know we are at fault for accepting these pre's so damn early, considering the time its taking to get this finished.- FPR
     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | No comments

    Typical Gojira Fan

    03 02 12 - 01:34



    This from fans of the band who penned this lyrical turd:


    I hold my inner child within
    And tell him not to cry
    "don't fear the living"
    One day you will stand as a king
    And no fear can erase
    This light below us
    Each one of us is now engaged
    This secret we all have
    This truth is growing
    And as a warrior I have to fight
    I can already feel
    The love I'll discover


    Is it fair to point out that anyone who thinks this is "poetry" or "profound" is of the level of stupidity found mainly in Twilight fans?
     

    przk | ¶ | underground metal | Seven comments

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