AMPUTORY

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

We are Amputory consisting of 5 members, which are: Jarno-Vocals, Saku-Lead guitar, Antti-Rhythm guitar, Pekka-Bass, Jaakko-Drums

When/where was your band formed? 

The band was formed 2009 in Kerava, Finland by Saku and Pekka, former members of Pestigore. Other members joined in soon after, and after that the line-up has been more or less consistent.

Why did you choose to play Death Metal?

We choose to play Death Metal because there is enough cross-over (black/death,death/doom etc.) metal going on at the moment. We just stick to Death Metal, and leave all other influences out. We are not re-inventing the wheel here, just delivering the goods.

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

The songs are usually formed as a group during band rehearsals, but the bulk of the riffs are from Saku´s fingers.

Tell us about your lyrics, writing, inspiration etc.

The very darkest side of humanity. Clive Barker etc. have inspired the lyrics but mostly it's about real life horror such as famine, war, serial killers and genocide.

Is there an ideology behind your band?

Our ideology is just to spread the putrid stench of death all around the metal community. Only death is real.

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

.Death Metal has really risen up it´s ugly head again after years of mediocre bullshit. There´s a lot of great, new, inspiring Death Metal bands all around the world in 2015, also here in Finland. Just getting stronger by the day....

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

We don't have any grand, long term plans as such...we just want to deliver crushing Death Metal as much, and as long as we can.

Name an other Death Metal band from your country that everyone should hear.

.Well...theres too many to mention really, but if someone reading this hasn´t heard Hooded Menace, Swallowed or Corpsessed, yet , check them out!

Free word

Keep the scene alive, Kill all posers! Fuck it, VENOM!  Ostakaa meidän levyjä!!!!

NASHORN

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

Hello! I'm Toni and I play drums & do backing vocals. I also write some of  our lyrics

When/where was your band formed? 

Nashorn was formed in 2010 in Loimaa, Finland by me, Pekka (guitarist) and Samu (Bass). In 2012 band got more serious as Marko (vocals) and Eero (guitar) joined.

Why did you choose to play Death Metal?

When we started to create music with Nashorn we did'n choose to play Death Metal. We just wanted to play heavy and crushing music with epic atmosphere. For me personally Death Metal is the most inspirational metal with raw and powerful sound and the genre isn't so narrow as many other metal styles. It gives me more free hands to experiment with the music.

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

We have kind of two ways to create our songs. First is that Pekka compose some riffs and melodies at home and then we finish them at our rehearsal place. Or me and Pekka go just jam and songs come out that way. Of course in both ways songs gets finished in to the final form by whole band.

Tell us about your lyrics, writing, inspiration etc.

Most lyrics are written about war. Imo its a good subject for Death Metal. Its about brutality and madness of human race. Our lyrics are mostly fiction and not based on some actual events in history.

Is there an ideology behind your band?

We don't have any special ideologies in the band. We just create and play music that gives us something that we cant get anywhere else.

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

In nowadays i rarely find new interesting band that blows my mind and  keeps me listening to it again and again. But it does not mean that there is not great Death Metal being made, I just have to look harder to find it.

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

Our intention is to keep on making new songs, play live and possibly record a full-lenght album at some point.

Name an other Death Metal band from your country that everyone should hear

Solothus, Sepulchral Curse, Early Amorphis, Sotajumala, Mörbid vomit and Decaying just to name a few.

Free word

Our new Ep ”Echoes of War” will be released in summer this year.

Opening track is on youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltOMQLyq_5Q

Check it out! And like us on facebook

 Photo by Juha Kurri

VIRCOLAC

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

Its N.H here, I am the drummer for Vircolac.

When/where was your band formed? 

We formed in the dying embers of 2013 in Dublin Ireland, 

Why did you choose to play Death Metal?

JG had been working on some music on his own initially and he mentioned it to Laoghaire and began discussing this and the idea was born. They had been in contact for many years stretching back to the old 90s tape trading days. They then asked myself and K to come on board. We all had connections through previous musical projects over the years also and a common bond and relationship to the music we strive to create. We began rehearsing and it became very apparent early on that there was a good connection between each member and a growing energy in what we were looking to achieve and create. Death metal was something that had been a part of our lives for many many years and it felt right for us to choose to play this style and to craft our own take one it. Personally I felt that a lot of the dark atmosphere of this type of music from the late 80’s/early 90s had become almost a lost art and we felt it was time to try and create that feeling again through our music and for Us Old Dogs to teach some new tricks so to speak.

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

JG is the main writer/composer in the band, He writes most of the riffs and then we work together to structure them and create songs. K and myself contribute to this aspect with structure, Timings and idea’s for extra instrumentation etc to create the atmosphere we are looking for and we will work through different pieces and ideas until we have finished songs. Laoghaire writes the lyrics and arranges the vocal patterns.

Tell us about your lyrics, writing, inspiration etc.

Lyrics are generally from a different place than the music despite the flow and feel of the music having an all round effect on how they are pieced together and connect with the feel and atmosphere of the song. There are many different influences for the lyrics be they history, life, existential horror, fear, terror and the arcane, There is no one thing that influences how the lyrics are written. 

Inspiration is found in many forms for us. Be it music, Written Word, Art, Movies, Historical places and people, Landscapes of importance to us and our surrounding environment on this Dark, Dank beautiful Island.

Musically we are influenced by many styles of music certainly not limited to death metal. We all like quite different types of music but have found much common ground usually rooted in the classics and many types of Dark and atmospheric music, from Swans to Autopsy, Samhain to Morbid Angel, Misfits to Tiamat, Discharge to Masters Hammer or Twin Peaks meets Nocturnus or Voivod. The List is endless. If we had existed in 92 a label like Peaceville/Deaf for instance would probably have been a perfect fit for us.

Is there an ideology behind your band?

The band name is Romanian for werewolf and was found by guitarist JG in a book called The White Devil: the Werewolf in European History. Given our penchant for gothic horror, the arcane as well as the symbolic concept of transformation through the channel of music, figuratively speaking Vircolac was perfect. The ability for music to transform Man into Beast so to speak and the primal connection that lays dormant in us all waiting to be awoken and the music acting as a Host for this.

The title for the demo Codex Perfida is a Latin title meaning Book of the Faithless which is a concept we all as individuals and collectively can relate to.

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

I think Death Metal is going through a resurgence again over the past few years which is great to see, There are a lot of killer newer bands all over Europe and further afield working on some very interesting takes on this style and putting their own mark on it and bringing back the feeling and atmosphere again rather than continuing down the stagnant path of technicality and speed of so called brutal death metal and the same is happening here also, 

Death to Digital Death Metal…..

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

The cd version of Codex will be released in the coming months by Dark Descent Records and we have some shows lined up at home and abroad including our first festival appearance at this year’s Chaos Descends Festival in Germany. We hope to have a vinyl version of Codex released also in the future. We have begun working on some new tracks and hope to record again possibly later in the year and see where we can take this next.

Name an other Death Metal band from your country that everyone should hear.

Of the current crop I would advise you to check out Malthusian and Zom. Both completely different and excellent takes on Irish Death Metal. There are rumblings of some other interesting new projects on the horizon so keep your eyes peeled. Ireland is producing some incredible music in the realms of Doom and Black Metal also amongst other forms at the moment. Search them out.

Free word

Thanks for the Interview and Support, Please feel free to check out our bandcamp page for info on releases and merch. Keep an eye out for the CD release of Codex Perfida in Mid Summer of 2015 and more to come. As wolves we have wandered…………..

CONCRETE

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

 My name is Kalin Kolev and I play lead guitar and do the vocals for Concrete.

When/where was your band formed? 

The band was formed in August, 2011, in my hometown Shumen, Bulgaria. Concrete is still located there.

Why did you choose to play Death Metal?

Ever since I heard death metal for the very first time I decided that if I was ever to play in a band, this would be it. I just loved the aggression and heaviness of the style. I was completely blown away.

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

Well, the way songs in this band are composed is pretty old school too. Sometimes I'll have an idea for an entire track, sit down put it all together and send it to the rest of the guys. Other time, I'll have a few ideas that would fit nicely with some of the riffs Peter (Dimitrov, the second guitarist) has. There were also times when a song basically wrote itself during casual jams. Whatever works out, stays.

Tell us about your lyrics, writing, inspiration etc.

Some of the main lyrical themes of Concrete include death, gore, the undead. The basic things you'll find in a death metal song, actually. As a lyricist I've been writing a lot about the afterlife recently. There's so much to explore, since it's the land of no return. You can write anything you want, basically, since it's a super imagination-inducing topic. Usually I'll get inspired by a really cool horror movie, a story or whatnot. I do like the retro horror movies, since the new ones are kinda cheesy story-wise.

Is there an ideology behind your band?

 I wouldn't exactly call it an ideology, but we do praise the classic late 80's early 90's death metal scene. I guess those times are the golden ages for death metal, you know, the strongest period the genre ever thrived in. Things are somewhat different now.

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

Death metal is here to stay. Sure it may not be as popular as back in the day, cause there are more modern genres kids listen to nowadays, but the bands that are really into the classical stuff still do their thing. The same goes for the scene in Bulgaria. There are so much potent bands that play crushing stuff, it's unbelievable. So I guess that there always will be bands that will keep things going, no matter what trend is the current "thing", you know?

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

 Basically keep playing what we play, man. I don't think we'll ever change styles or whatever, cause that's what we love to play and hear. I guess we'll continue along the beaten path, keep doing gigs and record stuff and see where it all goes. Persistence is key. 

Name an other Death Metal band from your country that everyone should hear.

You should definitely check out Varna's CLOT, ABADDON, DAY OF EXECUTION. COPROSTASIS, MASS GRAVE, ENTHRALLMENT. There are a ton of good bands that are worth having a listen.

Free word

 Do what you do, but support us smaller bands along with the big ones. We often have to give a lot just to play what we play and your support is always appreciated! Keeping the scene alive and going is a mutual job for us bands and you fans, so it's up to us to preserve it and keep it fresh and healthy! Stay brutal. Cheers!

SUICIDAL CAUSTICITY

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

I'm Gorgo and I am the vocalist of Suicidal Causticity

When/where was your band formed? 

SC officially borned in 2011 in Florence, from the ashes of a previous project named Orodreth, by the vicious mind of Dario Lastrucci (bass) including Riccardo Tortoli (guitar), Fabrizio Maddaluni (guitar) and Thomas Passanisi (drums). After the release in 2013 of our fist LP "The Spiritual Decline" (under Ghastly Music), chance and necessity forced us, during the 2014,  to change our formation, bringing up to dephts of hell our current guitarists Leonardo Galteri and Elia Murgia.

Why did you choose to play Death Metal?

Jeez, the classic one million dollar question! 

Joking aside, Italy has a lot of troubles as everyone knows and maybe is this very environment that inspired us and pushed to play one of the darkest, extreme and deepest music genre, like death metal.

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

Our main composer is Dario, especially for the first album.

Within sight of the next album, by the way, me and Dario decided to join forces and work together in the development of the tracks. Of course, during the arrangement, everyone of us has the freedom and the right to revise the riffs and to suggest something new if is worth of it.

 

Tell us about your lyrics, writing, inspiration etc.

Since the writing of "The Spiritual Decline" my purpose, as responsible for the lyrics and concepts, was to not follow the commonplace of gore visions and splattering scenes without putting in something controversialist and psychological. Except for that, my main inspirations are all the darkest sides of humanity, from perversions and fears to somatizations and multicultural spiritual diseases.

Is there an ideology behind your band?

We don't have any political or social message to deliver.

Our ideology is our goal: to prove the infinite shades that a genre like death metal could have.

Most of the people described us like a BDM band, but I think that it's a little unspecified: our mission is to write songs that draw from a large cauldron of variations and (sometimes) experimentations, as much as is the number of songs needed by the concept.

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

Many people in Europe (and not only) consider Italy as one the most fertile producers of good death metal and we are honoured to follow the steps of bands like Hour Of Penance and Fleshgod Apocalypse as well. 

Fortunately, even in a stubborn country like Italy, during the last years something is changing and ever more people are opening their eyes and supporting the death metal scene.

But honestly I have to admit that there's still a lot of work to do about it.

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

The upcoming goal is to finalize our second LP, then, immediately working on the third!!! Then, we really hope to play our music much as possible travelling across Italy and Europe.

Name an other Death Metal band from your country that everyone should hear.

In addition to the bands I mention before, I add Ade, Hideous Divinity, Antropofagus, Natron, Septycal Gorge.... but really, I can write it a thousand more...

Free word

Thanks for the occasion!

If anyone want to listen to our first album we put it entire on youtube at the following link!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC2XRkwWlGE

And don't forget, when you're not occupied in jerking off, to watch our page on FB for news, gigs and more!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Suicidal-Causticity/42775397282

HEAVING EARTH

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

Hi there. My name is Tomas and I´m musician and songwriter, who happens to handle guitar duties in death metal band Heaving Earth. We have recently released our 2nd album Denouncing the Holy Throne, so everyone into some real dark death metal stuff should check it.  I also play guitar in other very swedish OSDM inspired band Brutally Deceased and bass guitar in surprisingly other death metal band Feeble Minded.

When/where was your band formed? 

Heaving Earth came to life in fall of 2007/2008. We used to play in other death metal bands before and mostly knew each other, but I guess guitarist Patrick was the one, who brought us together. We have released 2 full lenght albums since, toured Europe with Immolation/Marduk in 2012 and did some other stuff. So thats about history of our band. Of course lot of line-up changes happened during those years, but who wants to read this?

Why did you choose to play Death Metal?

I would not say that I choose to play something. I was more asked to join in by the music itself. Death metal is all about freedom of expression with lot of space for creativity, living language you learn to speak with. That is the main reason, why it still attracts me after so many years of listening to it and being on scene.

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

I am the one who brings in ideas and builds song structures upon them. We used to develop ideas together with former guitarist Patrick, but since he left after our debut album it is my job to take care about songs. I guess I´m doing pretty good.

Tell us about your lyrics, writing, inspiration etc.

Hard question. There is a lot of music and sounds that have impact on my perception of music context, phrasing, sound scales etc. It could be some classic death metal, but modern classical music as well, ambient, jazz, whatever brings some new experience and sounds reasonable to me. The final outcome should be some sinister dark death metal of course, but that doesn´t mean there shouldn´t be any contrast. Lyrics pretty much follow the line of our sound, with, speaking in general, some anti-religious (anti-christian) themes. It´s hard to believe how many people still live their lives based on some bronze age myth and it´s only getting worse with all these stupid fascist religion-based violent acts, that you can read about everyday, assaulting basic civil rights.

Is there an ideology behind your band?

Death metal is the only law. No politics, no ideologies, just pure love for death metal.

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

Czech death metal scene is somewhat stagnating I must regretfuly say. We have some few scene veterans that hold it together for some decades already, but not much of a new blood. Other extreme styles of music are much more popular, especially grind core scene is much stronger. In general it seems better for death metal with other countries producing quality death metal bands, but what I know about concert attendances in general, we are pretty much stuck at the bottom of a giant lake. Good thing is, that it can´t be any worse, only better.

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

We want to produce some killer death metal as long as we have a fun and good support from fans. That means there has to be some progression in our music, otherwise it don´t make sense for us. If I´ll find out I´m empty of new ideas resulting in writing stereotypical thousand times heard riffs, I´ll know it´s time to call it quits.

Name an other Death Metal band from your country that everyone should hear.

Check out our label mates Destroying Divinty. Some blaspemous death metal darkness. If you are into this swedish OSDM you should check Brutally Deceased. To throw some other names you may check these bands: Dissolution, Mortifilia, Feeble Minded, Keep on Rotting, Martyrium Christi, Hypnos, Perfect Citizen.

Free word.

Thanks for opportunity to introduce Heaving Earth to your readers. We are very serious about death metal, so everyone may take a notice, because there is much left to be told from our side. We will stay around on scene for great deal of time disturbing still waters.  

SHRAPNEL STORM

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

Ville "Ykä" Yrjölä, I do the main vocals and write most of the lyrics

When/where was your band formed? 

Shrapnel Storm was formed in 2007 at Tampere, Finland by Our drummer Mikko and an ex-member Matti. They started by jamming together and after a while that evolved into a band.

Why did you choose to play Death Metal?

I think we didn't choose Death Metal. Death Metal chose us, haha! We've been playing it from the start and we haven't questioned that should we change our style. DM is the best form of metal, at least that's what all of us think.

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

Typically our guitarist Aki composes the structures of our songs with few riffs, and brings a demo to rehearsals. The rest of us join the process of making after that. Normally the structure goes somehow upside down, and some riffs are modified. Sometimes it is a difficult equation because we have quite democratic atmosphere in our band, so the creative process can take a while...

Tell us about your lyrics, writing, inspiration etc.

The lyrics consist of stories and narration about all aspects of war, the glory and the cruelty of it. We don't admire or idealize war, we just tell stories about it and its consequences.

Is there an ideology behind your band?

Nope. We're just five guys making this for fun and passion for music. Some time ago somebody asked that does your band abbreviation (SS) and lyrics lead to some kind of ideology? Well what to say? We just laughed.

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

It's not quite what it used to be back in the 80's and 90's. Since then most of the bands that claim themselves as a death metal band are usually something between metalcore and nu-metal. Sure there are still a lot of good death metal bands out there, but the old school style that we prefer, is more and more uncommon, at least the way we do it. Maybe it will do a comeback someday and we will be proud being a part of that.

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

The number 1 goal about a year ago was to release a debut album and possibly with a label, to get professional promotion, some marketing and financial help etc. That is becoming reality in May 2015, we're releasing our debut titled "Mother War" via Witches Brew records. After that we don't have any long term plans, but of course it would be cool if somebody liked the album and we'd get some recognition in the Death Metal scene.

I believe that I speak for us all, when I say that we want to continue composing, releasing and performing death metal. Also, drink together some Jaloviina beside that!

Name an other Death Metal band from your country that everyone should hear.

 We've done some amazing shows with amazing UG names like Purtenance and Torture Pulse, just to mention. Besides these I'd like to lift up my other band called "Kruor". Check it out if you're not done it yet!

Free word.

Stay tuned for our debut album "Mother War" that hits the shells late May 2015! Also check out Shrapnel Storm on Facebook. See you on frontline trenches!

www.facebook.com/shrapnelstormband

www.shrapnel-storm.com