Jason, this new Album is a Masterful slab of Old School Brutality, how has the response been so far and what are coming plans for The Band despite Global situation?
The response so far has been pretty amazing. We have gotten a lot of really good reviews from print magazines, and online zines as well as a lot of positive direct messages from fans and other musicians of the genre.
So far we are just sitting back and enjoying the moment with the album being released. But there are talks behind the scenes at the moment about a European appearance late next year or early 2022.
After a short break we will probably start writing new material do you fill the downtime.
That’s great man, you guys really deserve it because this is a great Album. So you already have new ideas? How does that process generally work with everyone being spread apart?
Yeah, I have a few ideas already written and recorded. Some of which could have easily made it on the album but I wanted to keep them for the next release we do whether it be an album or an EP.
The process usually starts with me writing and arranging the songs. I use a drum program to help me flesh out and structure how I think the song should flow.
Once that’s complete I send Mike the guitar tracks along with the program drums and click track so he can come up with his parts and how he feel the songs should be executed on the drums.
After Mike sends me the drum tracks I create a rough mix for Adire.
He then takes the mix to his friends studio and he records the vocal lines. Once I have the vocals and drums I send everything to Tony so he can listen to it and get ideas for his bass lines. He records then sends them back and all that’s left is for Billy and I to record the final guitar parts at my home studio.
It’s a long process to get everyone’s parts in but it’s worth it when you hear the finished product.
That’s really cool and I wasn’t aware you had a Home Studio, Jason. Have you thought about Recording other bands yet or have you already?
It’s a very small space. It’s really only big enough to do guitars comfortably.
I wouldn’t be able to record drums in there. I hope one day to have a space for that.
Speaking of drums everyone is aware of Mike Smith and his work with Suffocation. How did you guys meet and what about the rest of the band members? How did you go about forming this band?
I got in contact with Mike through a mutual friend who had hired him to record drum tracks on his album.
I basically just shot him a message and asked him if he would like to hear some of the stuff I was doing and if he would consider playing drums on it.
Long story short he liked what I was doing and said he would love to be part of it.
I met Adrie many years ago through MySpace. He was a fan of my band at the time, Suture, as I was and still am a huge Sinister fan.
I mentioned to him about this project I was working on (still nameless) with Mike and asked if he would mind singing on the EP.
After he heard 2 tracks that we had recorded he instantly wanted in.
I met Tony through Mike. I asked Mike if he knew any bass players that might be down to play bass on the ep and he mentioned 2 people and 1 was Tony.
I sent Tony an email and never heard back from him. So that’s why my friend Lance wound up playing bass on the ep.
A few months later I get an email from Tony asking if I still needed a bass player for the ep. I told him the EP was already finished and released but I was working on a deal with massacre and if that went through I would get back to him.
The deal went through so I contacted Tony and we worked out an arrangement so that he could appear on the album.
As far as Billy is concerned, I have been knowing him since 1995. His band and my band at the time would open up for each other at local shows. We would always say to each other we needed to get together and write music. But unfortunately we were both always too busy doing other things. Fast forward 20 or so years later in the opportunity came up to bring him on board.
Amazing! So you said that you do a ruff drumming mix and send it to Mike for him to get a general idea of what you were going for. Does he generally have the same opinion and keep it close to the original idea or does he change things?
Usually, he will change things around and do what he feels necessary to bring the song to life. What I send him is basic drum beats and he expands on them. There is no way I could come up with anything close to those killer drums fills he does or the murderous blasting that only Mike can do.
Yes, Mike is Absolutely insane and will be remembered for his drumming for a long time. Let’s talk about Adrie and his Brutal Vocals. Does Aad write the lyrics then?
No, in fact I had asked him if he wanted to write the lyrics for the full-length album and he told me that he really liked the lyrics I came up with for the songs on the EP and that he would rather me write them. I definitely do not consider myself a lyricist. Far from it, Lol. I’d much rather just write music, that’s where my passion lies.
Let’s talk a moment about your past bands and are any of them such as Suture still active? I remember we had talk in a previous conversation about the old Wild Rags Records days also.
Suture broke up in 2007 after the release of our second album skeletal Vortex. We got back together in 2013 to re-record our first album carnivorous urge to kill that was released that same year through comatose records. We also did a reunion show at a local metal festival here in Louisiana. We often talk about getting back together and doing one more album but everyone is just so busy that we never seem to be able to find time for it. Yes, I remember the old days of wild rags.
How did the Signing come about with Massacre Records? Was that from a relentless Promotion campaign or an inside Deal? Also, who are handling The Labels Releases for the USA?
As far as the Massacre deal that was something that Adrie handled. He gave our EP to the head of massacre records.
At the same time I was talking to a few smaller underground labels about working with us and was shocked when I opened up my inbox one day and saw the contract from massacre waiting for me to go over.
In the US I know you can get the new album through Amazon. I’m not sure exactly who else is carrying it. I should now more on that soon.
I know US Release is Scheduled for September 18th, 2020 so we are all looking forward to that. How many Albums did you sign for? And is there an option for more?
Massacre has the option to pick up the next 2 albums.
So we will see how the new album does for them. So far they are very happy from what I can tell. They have been great to us so far.
Yes, they have a very great reputation. Obviously everyone and everything is completely fucked by the Global Operation and continued Psyop on Humanity, what is your opinion on this and The Future for The Human Race as a whole? Will we be enslaved and the planet Depopulated or will all be ok soon?
Lol, it’s really hard to tell what the hell is actually going on. One side says this and the other side says that So I really don’t know who to believe. I do know that I’m sick and tired of it and want metal shows back!!!!
Everyone can agree to that! What advice would you give to others just trying to keep a band Alive during these times and what would you do if you managed a new band?
The only advice I can give is never give up. That seems pretty cliché but it’s the truth. As long as you fight for them your dreams are still alive and can manifest into reality. If I managed a new band I would just tell them the same thing but I would also tell them to look around the band room and make sure they are doing it with people who put in 110%. Half Assing it ain’t gonna cut it.
Great Advice and so true! So in your opinion was this new Release a step up from the “…our Demise” EP? I must add I as much as I enjoyed the EP this is definitely even better for me.
Thank you!
I feel like it’s a step in just a little different direction. The songs on the EP were short and to the point excluding the track Oracle of repugnance.
I think tank tread from the new album follows the same formula as the songs on the EP. But the rest of the songs on the new album are a little more involved and have more to say in my opinion. As far as music goes.
Being also the Lyricist what sort of examples of topics interest you the most and what are some of your personal favorite lyrics you have written?
A few topics that interest me for lyrical content would be life experiences, world events, fighting oppression, whether it be through government-funded media propaganda or religious manipulation, and history.
I wrote a few lyrics for my old band suture that dealt with more gore style themes.
The song In Death is my favorite at the moment. It’s just a powerful song and the lyrics can be interpreted in many different ways depending on who’s reading it.
It’s always great to have different topics for sure. How do you like the resurgence of Thrash and more Traditional Metal and bands being Labeled as Old School DM?
I think it’s awesome! I much prefer the older, raw, untamed aggressiveness of 80’s thrash and death metal over the more modern overly produced bands these days.
Agreed! There’s very few I actually like and I’m very picky. So what would be some of your Favorites and main Influences? I know it’s a hard question.
Some of my main influences as far as death metal bands is concerned are: Death, Pestilence, Suffocation, Deicide, Morbid Angel, Malevolent Creation, Entombed and Disincarnate.
But as a guitar player I was heavily influenced by Ace Frehley at a young age, then I discovered George Lynch, Warren DiMartini, Dave Mustaine, Rocky George, and James Murphy.
That’s great! So what exactly are the plans for The band as soon as Restrictions are lifted? A Tour you said?
We are talking about it but all plans are geared towards Europe at the end of 2021 but more likely 2020. Everything is up in the air so to speak. Until then we plan to keep writing and hopefully release something next year, whether it be a full-length album at the end of the year or another EP.
Can’t wait to hear that! Ok, Jason, Thanks for The Interview and anything you would like to say and tell everyone how to find you guys if they don’t already know?
You can find us at https://www.facebook.com/voraciousscourge/
We are also on Instagram and Twitter.
I just want to convey my sincerest appreciation to everyone For showing VS Overwhelming love and support. We really appreciate it! Thank you for the wonderful interview!
If you really would like to support Antichrist, you can just Share our article.
You can also support Antichrist by sending a couple bucks to cover some webhosting expenses. =>> PayPal
