Stench From The Grave: LECTERN

Who are you and what do you do in your band?

Fabio “I am vocals and bass in Lectern”.

Marco “I am Marco and I’m the drummer”.

When was your band formed?

Fabio “ Lectern was born in 1999 but with a different line up. We count fifteen different members, in seventeen years of life”.

Why did you choose to play death metal?

Fabio “Because it’s my lifestyle! Death metal is catchy! You become slave of it in any form! I lived the first years of this music, in the early 90’s when all the bands tried to play faster than the thrash outfits. Now many of them, got lost to follow useless technical skills. I hate all those bands, like djent combos, which believe that technique is everything and the first and only thing! I grew up with early Iron Maiden ya know what I mean! But to tell you all the truth, I appreciate every kind of music. From the pop of the Eighties like Inxs or Spandau Ballet, hard rock dinosaurs as Whitesnake, classical and orchestras. Or industrial, electronic and particular stuff like the first album from Enigma that unites Gregorian chants to atmosphere, I also love rock myths like Pink Floyd or Queen as you can see, my tastes are so various. I think that for an artist, it’s quiet important to know everything about the music that sorrounds him”.

Marco “I think this is the best way to express anger in music, even if I belong to other genres”.

How do you compose your music? Does only one guy do everything or does everyone contribute?

Fabio “The guitarists come with riffs, and whole songs almost complete. Together, we manage the best structures and final arrangements, guitar solos, bass and the lyrics. We try to enrich everything, until it satisfies us”.

Marco “We all contribute in some way, to the creation of a song. I usually take care of

the structures and of course, of the drums parts”.

Tell us about your lyrics, writing, inspiration.

Fabio “The main and only topic is Satan. The rejection of Catholicism and of all its symbols through the oppressive haze this religion represents unto the masses. Being blasphemous yes, being childish not! Every word is studied, every title thought until it becomes definitive. Read my lyrics, and you will understand”.

Is there an ideology behind your band?

Fabio “The Devil himself!”.

How do you see the state of death metal music these days in your country and in general?

Fabio “Tough! After the setback and all the crunchy years of the middle Nineties, many bands remained coherent to their language of the very beginnings and new acts such as Nile or early Hate Eternal helped the scene to become alive. Malevolent Creation and many other stayed afloat and other important monsters went adrift, also think about Morbid Angel and to some disputable records they made instead of breaking up, they grasped. Suffocation or Immolation cut off their careers for so much time, Incantation became anonymous under microscopic labels, Autopsy and Sadus disappeared, Sepultura and Obituary totally changed sound and approach, Death went into progressive creating a new wave of death metal with Pestilence, Cynic, Atheist and all their followers. In my opinion we affected about Slayer absence between 1990 and 1992 with another album between “Seasons In The Abyss” and “Divine Intervention”. They much worried about hardcore than extreme. We suffered that Metallica became shit, and that nu metal was approaching. Look at the situation now, for example in thrash. Exodus kicks ass with the new record “Blood In Blood Out” and Gary Holt plays with Slayer in exchange of Jeff Hanneman who passed away. But they understood that they were made to thrash and not to be alternative! So, which kind of sense could have a new Megadeth record with the line-up of Rust In peace if it won’t sound… like Rust In Peace? The scene was saved by new realities like Devourment and others, that believed and played in the old school vein. Many people is now talking about a sort of an Italian death metal scene. Well, we ever had one, but in 2015 it seems to be important and heavier than before!”.

Marco” Not very good in my opinion. There are too many, and only a few are really worthy. Too much bands in Italy are still in the depths of the underground with not so many chances to do

something”.

What are your long term plans as a band? What do you want to achieve?

Fabio “New songs, tons of riffs and rehearsals, gigs, festivals and tours. We recorded our new album quickly, in less than twenty days last October at The Outer Sound Studios, but we are all focused on new stuff. The promotion is started, we have our label Sliptrick Records by our side, but we are those who go on stage to play what we wrote, and that’s the first need we must achieve. We need also other forms of support like merchandise, you know! The spreading of the new record must pass in many forms, through advertisements, banners, interviews and reviews. We are also thinking about a videoclip for the next future”.

Marco “Live stage shows as much as we can. A tour with some very awesome bands and

composing new material for our second album”.

Name a death metal band from your country that everyone should hear.

Fabio “The band is Electrocution and the album is called “Inside The Unreal” find it! It’s terrific for the times it was issued in 1993! Incredible production, and low tuned killer guitars”.

Marco “Ade, Stormlord, Screaming Banshee, The Archetype and Plugs Of Apocalypse”.

Free word.

Fabio “The lecternfixion is going to nail Christ once again!”.