Hi! Can you share a pivotal moment from “Lifeless Birth” that represents Necrot’s musical growth?
I would say the song “Cut the Cord” has a melodic chorus that we might not have been comfortable enough pulling a few years back. Also the lyrics of that song talk very directly about the present time while in the past our lyrics would be somewhat more abstract and not so actual. To me growth means experimenting new avenues without losing who you are so that would be my example of that.
How has Greg Wilkinson’s role evolved across Necrot’s albums, and what did he bring to “Lifeless Birth”?
Greg Wilkinson is able to capture our sound in a way that leaves us all satisfied. He’s also a great friend and we are lucky to have him around. He has been playing in Autopsy for a few years now which finally also gives him recognition as a bass player and not only as a recording engineer.
His role in recording our records has evolved through the years because he is constantly upgrading his studio and expanding his knowledge.
Could you delve into the story behind a song or lyric from “Lifeless Birth” that holds personal meaning?
I feel that all my lyrics have so much personal meaning to them. It’s because in the process of writing I am forced to face what needs to come out of my chest. I have almost always spoke about reality. It always feels that reality is way more terrifying than made up horror shit. The song “Superior” is very gratifying for me to sing. It’s a big fuck off to the people in power that all time try to put as down and divide us with their sense of superiority. The lyrics to “Superior” are a reminder to them of how their lives will also end and so their empires and all their power. Death wins above all and everything will be dust sooner or later.
Can you describe each band member’s creative input in crafting “Lifeless Birth”?
When we do a new album it all starts with me writing all the riffs, song structures and lyrics to all the songs. Chad Gailey brings the drum beats and his own personal style of drumming while Sonny Reinhardt brings all the guitar solos and harmonizations that complete the songs.
Did the success of “Mortal” influence your approach to “Lifeless Birth”?
I was not thinking about “Mortal” at all while writing “Lifeless Birth”.
So much happened in between this two albums that the influence to this new work was mostly coming from all the frustration of the previous 3 years and the drive to retake back what we have been forced to interrupt in 2020.
What’s the visual concept behind “Lifeless Birth,” and how does it enhance the album’s atmosphere?
The visual concept is people lives represented by a circle of suffering that ends with death. The circle continues because new lives are always added to the torment. If you’re looking at the cover you can see while the monster eats and kill one of the humans flying around it there is more being born. I think it enhance the album atmosphere quiet well. The artist behind it is Marald Van Haasteren.
Share a memorable experience from your global tours that impacted Necrot’s journey.
For me personally was the 2019 tour we did with Morbid Angel and Cannibal Corpse, later joined by Immolation for the last week in replacement of Cannibal Corpse. It was not our first big tour but it was the toughest one we ever did. It was a winter tour and the weather was just constantly brutal with snow storms that would transform an 8 hour drive into a 14 hour drive. At one point the temperature was down to -25 Celsius. I remember we didn’t sleep almost at all on that tour and we were playing in front of gigantic crowds every night. We were able to do the all run successfully and that marked the point where from then on we have gained the confidence that we can do anything. Every tour since that one now feels like a walk in the park.
How do you see Necrot’s contribution shaping metal’s future, and what message do you hope listeners take from “Lifeless Birth”?
It is not our position to say what our contribution is, but time will tell. We do want to live a mark and not just pass by unnoticed. That’s why we have been so dedicated to our band for the last 13 years. We have sacrificed a lot to it and to being able to continue playing Metal through the years. Our sound is Necrot and our message is within our music. We are not indifferent to our current achievements, but we are not done. I always have this feeling that the best part is still yet to come and we are going to work hard to get there.
How do you ensure your lyrics resonate authentically with listeners in “Lifeless Birth”?
Nothing is ensured but death. Sometimes people tells me that they really like my lyrics or that they reflect themselves in them. That is a very gratifying to hear, because I do try to write lyrics that are relatable and at the same type express personal points of view.
If you could collaborate outside metal, who would you choose and why?
I don’t think I’d like to bring someone outside the band into Necrot. We have a chemistry that we have built through the years and in my opinion it would be weird to have someone join in even just for a collaboration. I am lucky enough to play with incredible musicians like Sonny and Chad to be wishing to have someone else come play a solo or something like that in one of our songs. If it’s a collaboration outside of music I would love to collaborate with someone who can make us some badass Pizza.
How has metal music evolved since Necrot’s inception, and what’s its future?
I feel that lots of people have been getting more interested in Metal because of some kind or internet/social media hype and more people are taking some aspects of Metal to merge it with more trendy styles of music. My interest and knowledge of that is very limited. I know there is badass Extreme Metal bands that have been around for a while that are not getting the attention they deserve, but they keep doing an excellent work and releasing sick albums. Extreme Metal is not something new and it as survived the passing of many years and many styles. I think the future holds a wide variety of Metal bands, but there will always be bands that are more connected to the deeper essence of this style of music that made this genre immortal.
Any advice for emerging musicians based on Necrot’s experiences?
Play loud and don’t compromise your style to get some attention. Play from your heart and guts.
What are Necrot’s future plans? Thank you for your time!
Lots of live shows. We are coming to Europe for a month at the end of July, I hope to see lots of you there. Promoting our new album “Lifeless Birth” by touring a lot is pretty much what we’ll be up to. See ya!
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