Hi guys! It has been 8 years since the release of Ascending Hate. How has the band evolved since then, and what can fans expect from “Killing Innocence”?
Corona has caused delays, of course. Since we live in different states, it was not possible for us to meet for a long time.
Everyone has changed differently. We have grown older and have different priorities in life. But the love of music has remained for all of us.
The songs writing process moved from the rehearsal room to the computer. But that is not bad at all – you don’t have so many options in the rehearsal room.
We took the time we needed for a good album. The early version of the new songs sounded very much like our ASCENDING HATE.
I find many bands record the same album several times because there is not enough time to change mentally. People can be sure that we have put all our heart and soul into these songs.
And with Lawrence Mackrory, we got the Swedish sound that captures our live shows much better than on our other albums.
The album features a blend of thrash, gothic, and death metal. How did you approach combining these genres, and what inspired you to create this unique sound?
Over time, you realise what makes fun to play live, what you really want to try to, and last but not least the music taste also changes. I’ve been listening to this kind of music for a long time, but I can remember the early days: There was a lot of Crematory, Blind Guardian and Paradise Lost in our Sound. I loved the melodies in combination with the Death Metal voice.
The single releases “Dead Words” and “Escorting The Soul” have already been well-received by fans. Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind these tracks and how they fit into the overall concept of the album?
DEAD WORDS:
The oldest song from the new album. I already wrote the first version in 2017. At that time I put it on hold because it sounds too similar to ASCENDING HATE. The similarity cannot be discussed away even in the final version. The acoustic part and the two-voiced lead guitars provided variety with the time, but DEAD WORDS only became a highlight with the blast beat at the end.
From then on, I knew: it has to be part of every Graveworm live show.
ESCORTING THE SOUL:
The song lives from the mood of the first riff. He conjures up evil in a way that immediately convinced everyone. But it was difficult to make a complete song out of it. However, this was well done with the break. The chorus sounds very much like Graveworm. All in all, a neck breaker that climbed its first place on the new album relatively quickly.
The intro was added shortly before the studio. It is inspired by cinema trailers that work a lot with Impacts and Whoosh.
Graveworm has been performing with Moe Harringer on drums for some time now. How has he fit into the band’s dynamic, and what has he brought to the table in terms of his drumming style and musical input?
He is a nice guy and also a very talented drummer. Our biggest problem was that he doesn’t live just around the corner and takes a 5-hour drive for a rehearsal. But somehow it was always possible.
I think he brought a lot of speed into the songs. He impressed me very much with his blast parts. As I told you, Black Metal is a part of our sound.
Actually, he made contacts in the scene very quickly and now he works independently as a promoter, booker, etc.
Graveworm has been around since 1992, and over the years, the band has gained a loyal following. How has the band’s sound and style evolved over the years, and what have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a band?
Yes, and we do this all for this fanbase. It’s great to meet people, chat with them about the songs and also find out what this music gives them. When you go on tour with your bandmates and discover new countries, you never want to do anything else again.
You’ve toured extensively throughout Europe and shared the stage with bands like Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth. What have been some of your favorite experiences on tour, and how have these experiences influenced your music?
The most beautiful experiences on tour are certainly traveling to countries where you have never been. And when a lot of people come to the show and sing along to the songs, then the world is fine and all problems are forgotten. The live shows in general change the music, of course. People should have something to join in.
“Killing Innocence” is a tribute to the band’s roots, yet produced in a contemporary and fresh way. Can you tell us more about how you balanced these two elements and what your creative process was like for this album?
I understand that many people say that we have changed too much over the time. But we have done that over the course of decades. I also left the band in the meantime and joined again in 2011. So in the time in between, the songwriter has changed. If something now reminds you of the old music, it’s because the same person wrote it. It’s a tightrope walk. There will always be people who find your first demo tape better than your tenth full-length Album. But I have developed just as much as these listeners themselves. Changes are important.
The mix was very important to us. The keyboard is into the background, but without neglecting the melody. I think we did it well.
The album is characterized by dark atmospheres, powerful riffs, and driving drums. How did you approach crafting these elements, and what kind of techniques did you use to create the unique sound of “Killing Innocence”?
During the years I tried to find the perfect mix of Hate and Sadness. Death Metal stands for Hate, Power and Aggression and Black Metal for Sadness and Despair. I love these opposites, which combine wonderfully with melodies. And we want to envelop those feelings with all instruments. Drums, Guitar and voice.
Graveworm’s music often explores themes of darkness and death. Can you tell us more about the lyrical themes of the new album and how they relate to the band’s overall philosophy?
The lyrics are basically influenced from the things that happen in our world. We have a war behind the corner there are a lot of natural disasters happening every day. It’s a really bad time for the whole planet. Killing innocence is just the fact that we as humanity are on the best way to killing the whole planet. The lyrics are dealing with war themes and other dark happenings…
The band has been around for over three decades now. How has the metal scene changed over the years, and how has Graveworm adapted to these changes?
I think the most important change was the illegal downloads and now the streaming platforms. The money doesn’t reach the bands. This is also the reason why it is not worthwhile for a young band to go to the studio to record an album. How did we react to this? Well, we looked for a regular job to pay our bills. Then it just takes 8 years because we can’t rehearse every day. I am not a friend of these platforms. The algorithm dominates and influences us all. That can’t go well. The big bands get bigger and the small ones stay small. And that’s not only the case in music…
I agree with what you said about digital downloads! Finally, what are your plans for the future, both in terms of new music and touring? Are there any particular goals that you have set for the band moving forward? Thank you for your time!
First of all, we want to play some festivals, this summer. We have a couple of new songs and after that who knows….? We had to cancel our 25th anniversary due to Corona. Maybe we should catch up?
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