Format: A5 digipack CD (includes digital download and Bandcamp streaming)
Release date: April 17, 2020
Over the last few days, FEED THEM DEATH got in contact with me. Apparently, there was new tuneage to digest. I have listened to this project before and enjoyed the music very much, so I happily obliged the offer for review. When I finally got around to listening to the full release, I sat at my desk, clicked play, and was instantly consumed but soundwaves of a dark and menacing variety.
When it comes to things being ''similar'' to FEED THEM DEATH's previous release, the heavy guitar work, tight drums, and demonic-sounding vocalizations that permeate this soundscape can be likened to FEED THEM DEATH's earlier material... but there is a slight atmospheric change and noise/ambiance that I cannot remember being a part of the previous offering.
There is a heavy focus on extreme metal, but the experimental side of FEED THEM DEATH's sophomore release is without question what stands out the most to me. This band in my humble opinion has surpassed the hordes of standard death and black metal and has formed its own unique sound, classification, and imagery.
Something else that is worth mentioning about this is that this is a solo project of ''Void.'' Without knowing any better I would have made the assumption that this was a complete band, furthering my notice of FEED THEM DEATH's extreme potential.
Although I don't know much on the topic, this album (as previously written in the bio provided by the band) is ''A concept album inspired by “Discipline and Punish” and “Madness and Civilization” by philosopher and social theorist Michel Foucault.'' Again, I am not up on these writings, but I figured this was worth mentioning.
Overall, I am glad that Void got in contact with me again. It is good to see FEED THEM DEATH's progress, breaking the mold of the mundane and the ordinary, quickly attaining the status of ''unique'' and ''memorable.''
Great stuff, Void. Keep the tunes coming!
Note: I didn't get to listen to ''Anti-Modernist Extradition.'' I don't know if it was a fault of the stream or my internet/computer, but I will play this with my next listen. –Devin Joseph Meaney
Orbyssmal is a raw and experimental blackened death solo project from Brisbane, Australia. “Impostomb” is their 2019 EP release. An unrelenting, brutal, blackened death approach is consistent throughout “Impostomb” and is to be expected of Orbyssmal. Brutal vocals add an extra chaotic element to a blackened death feel which instantly grabs your attention and leaves you waiting in anticipation for the next track. The raw and aggressive approach continues constantly throughout “Impostomb” with a constantly unrelenting and tight sound. A mournful and raw approach displays another musical aspect of Orbyssmal to be appreciated. Discordant and chaotic- “Impostomb” has a hard and fast approach and is a constant exercise in how much brutality one band can pack into one release. –Sarah McKellar
Lineup:
Orbyssmal: 8 string terror, 5 string pulse, drums of war, vocal dischords.
There is an extraterrestrial theme and an air of mystery permeating Reconvalescent’s new four song EP, bringing to mind classic and contemporary science fiction like “The Day The Earth Stood Still,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “The X-Files.” A comparison even closer to the mark would be the classic eras of “The Twilight Zone” and “The Outer Limits”, two TV programs that were minimalist but effective for their commentary and use of ambiance to make us think. The mystery comes from the driving force of this solo project, who refers to himself only as Vessel and arranged these tracks as if they comprised a detailed transmission from somewhere in the outer reaches. In character he claims to be from another galaxy light years from ours and seeks to educate humans on the inhabitants of his galaxy. There are no indications of who they are or what their purpose is. Thus humanity has no way of knowing if they’re beneficent or hostile. We don’t even know they came to communicate in our languages. All we know for certain is they are the last survivors of what was once a thriving culture and have apparently been watching humanity for a long time. As the first track “Vestigial” indicates, it’s possible they see human beings making the same mistakes their ancestors made many millennia ago, and wish for us to avert the disasters that can result from them. As a songwriter and lyricist he is leaving the answers to these questions open to the listener’s imagination, providing the opportunity for self-analysis and soul searching. The cold ambiance (representing the long journey to reach our galaxy), the electronic effects (representing the transmissions being sent to us) and the strident, atmospheric, industrial constituents of Vessel’s music (representing the messages themselves) accords us a blank canvas on which we can paint physical representations of what thoughts or ideas come to us. All this is arranged in a way that ignores traditional song and verse structure in favor of something progressive and primal, with a coarse sound and penetrating fry screaming to leave an indelible mark on the collective consciousness. This is an EP that requires you to be objectively responsive. –Dave Wolff
Last night I was scrolling Facebook and I came upon some new songs from within my local area. Trashbrain's debut single "The BLOB" from their upcoming debut album ''Hot as Luv.'' I did not get a chance to listen to it then and there, but I posted it to my wall so I could check it out the next morning through proper speakers... and that is exactly what I did!
Well... technically I finished listening to it at 2:37 pm, but hey... due to all this COVID-19 nonsense, that's morning right? Either way, this single was actually more entertaining than I was expecting. I mean, I knew it was going to be decent because the people involved have worked on other recordings and live performances in the past. And they were always top tier. But for some reason I really dig these humble yet enthralling rock offerings.
First and foremost the recording quality is great for a lower budget recording. This single was recorded by Andrew MacDonald of Get Real! at ''Manse. St.'' I have reviewed some of Andrew's previous works (which he recorded himself) and both the quality and production of the music was of high standard. When I first heard Andrew's recordings I assumed they were pro-studio quality. I mean, they ARE, but knowing more about the recording process he has, it is impressive to say the least.
Music-wise everything appears to be tight. from the drums all the way to the guitar work and the vocals. Nothing too over-the-top technical, but enough to keep you nodding your head... maybe in a restaurant basement like in Trashbrain's Bandcamp bio. The one thing I will mention is the genre specification. From what I can see this is all listed as ''rock,'' which is fitting. But one cannot help but notice the strong punk influences pulsing forth from these recordings. I don't mean like NOFX or Bad Religion, I am getting hints of The Clash and The Sex Pistols and earlier punk acts of the same sort.
All in all, this was a great little blast of music that I listened to more than once (AND I intend to do so again). I could go on further, but as this is only 2 songs, I will leave it here. Check these tracks out. And if you have the funds, buy em'. For fans of rock and early punk tunes, these should be a sure fit.
And to Ally Parsons. That is a bomb-ass cover! –Devin Joseph Meaney
Harry Potter. Love him or hate him... you probably heard of him. In my younger years I did enjoy the books. And then when the movies came out, that was for sure something. But by the time I reached my teens I had already kind of neglected the Harry Potter franchise for entertainment of a different variety. I never did read the very last book, at least, not until years later. But without question, even with my non-intentional removal from the series, it has impacted me greatly.
Due to boredom from the isolation I am going through because of COVID-19, I was led to the TV. Now, normally I don't watch much TV. Maybe a bit of Netflix, but cable? Rarely ever. Still, I forget what channel it was on, but there was a three day Harry Potter movie marathon. I had missed the first three movies (I came in on the second day), but I managed to catch every other movie from “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” and forward. I was originally only watching out of boredom, but I actually spent that day and the next day catching up on these wonderful movies. Maybe I am just a kid at heart, but anything to do with wizards and goblins and magic usually entices me more than most other forms of fantasy or sci-fi.
By the time I made it to the last movie, I had myself thinking. Why did I set this series aside? I cannot find the answer. Even nearing the age of thirty, I would encourage anyone who watched these movies in the past to give them a watch again. They provided me with two days’ worth of entertainment, and I'm sure you could at least get that much out of them again as well.
And for people who did not watch this series: Sure, maybe it’s not your thing. Either way, if you have a change of heart... I encourage you to check this out. The books are amazing (I have not caught up on them in many years) or at least they were to me when I read them. But if you don't have that kind of time or attention span... watch these movies. Do it!
I guess I am probably going to look up the first three movies again since I did not watch them in a long time. Hell, I might have a full blown ''every movie'' marathon in the near future. But first... I now need to re-watch “The Lord of the Rings”. *que music* –Devin Joseph Meaney
Since Metallica broke aboveground, Testament was one of the first bands to expand thrash metal as a viable musical statement, with longer songs, complex guitars and perceptive, even socially conscious, lyrics. With Anthrax, Pantera and Sepultura, they ensured the thrash genre would be taken seriously rather than considered an 80s adolescent novelty. Testament always retained the gasoline that fueled their first four albums (“The Legacy,” “The New Order,” “Practice What You Preach” and “Souls Of Black”), considered by many the classic run of their thirty-nine year career (including their time as Legacy).
Since its April 3 release, Testament’s latest full length “Titans of Creation” has received mixed fan responses, from phenomenal to average to disappointing. It was described as being titanic and triumphant to being mediocre and overlong. While reading fan reviews at Encyclopedia Metallum I took in what people had to say with a grain of salt and then I listened to “Titans” for myself to see if it spoke to me as much as past Testament classics. While it would be difficult to recreate “Over the Wall,” “Trial by Fire” or “Practice What You Preach,” in many ways “Titans” calls back the unremitting energy and precise songwriting that created a stir for them at the start.
The opening track “Children of the Next Level”, about the 1997 mass suicide of the Heaven’s Gate cult, establish Testament as still fully capable of delivering those qualities. “WWIII” is a wise choice to follow that song, featuring gratuitous thrashing and crunching to go with a dire warning of nuclear holocaust that would have worked for them in their heyday and is as relevant today as it was then. The appeal of those songs leans heavily on the guitar duo of Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson besides Chuck Billy who carries through as one of the most distinctive, commanding vocalists in thrash. Steve DiGiorgio and Gene Hoglan are likewise extremely strong backup.
From there on the band’s musicianship is veracious, driven and vigorous, though the reasons for the mixed fan responses I mentioned (at least partly) are incorporations of groove, death metal and black metal, besides production that was described as being too polished and riffing perceived as having been done. Whether those additions were good ideas will, as always, depend on the tastes of whoever is listening, and admittedly some riffs lean toward being repetitive. But overall these songs show how seasoned Testament is after many years of recording and touring together, and I personally got a sense that they put their all into this album and mean every single note.
Favorite songs were those I mentioned above, along with “Night of the Witch” (partly inspired by Robert Egger’s “The Witch: A New England Folktale”), “City of Angels” (about serial killer Richard Ramirez), “Ishtar’s Gate,” “False Prophet” and “Curse of Osiris.” –Dave Wolff
Michiko Takatani Responds To NYC Public Health Masturbation Advisory With Instructional Song and MV
Article by Tony Sokol
The New York City Department of Health wants us to stay home and jerk off. Michiko Takatani is doing her part to aid compliance. In response to New York's recent Public Service Announcement, Michiko is offering a pubic service alternative, Ma*Star*bation exploration.
The NYC Health Department's Sex and Coronavirus announcement declared: "You are your safest sex partner. Masturbation will not spread COVID-19, especially if you wash your hands (and any sex toys) with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after sex."
Michiko dug out a music video she produced in 2002, but never released, to offer tips to tantricize while New Yorkers are urged to "stay home and minimize contact with others to reduce the spread of COVID-19." The health department says if you "usually meet your sex partners online or make a living by having sex, consider taking a break from in-person dates. Video dates, sexting or chat rooms may be options."
Another option is let your fingers do the walking while watching. “All you need is the left hand of you and the right hand of you," Michiko sings. Explore "Ma *Star*bation" here:
Michiko started out blowing sax. She switched over to jazz piano and the Big Band sound when she moved to NYC and studied in the U.S. at Berklee College of Music. But the latest sound is more jizz than jazz. She joined a New York City funk band in the early 90s before forming her own band.
The video drips open with the pulsating pummeling of any blockages to the g-spot, while Michiko sensually breathes bliss straight into the listener. You can hear the big band influence in the runs over the deep rhythmic underlay in the song. Can it be a sin?
"The song has two messages," Michiko says, "one is to wipe guilt from masturbation, the second is subconsciously promoting Tantric orgasm which usually has Kundalini."
Kundalini is that electric energy running up and down your spine, which can culminates in Cosmic Sexuality. "Under these ecstasies no longer those dualities," she sings. It comes from deep inner knowledge. "Tantra can be stronger than atomic bombs, it says in the official YouTube description.” She thinks that might have triggered her to be a Tantric teacher since she was born in Hiroshima, Japan."
In the song Michiko sings "I don’t remember when I started" but the "little girl" who "found that by her own" also imparts it to others. She's worked in a Geisha Bar and been an exotic dancer in a mystical quest of balance toward traditional spiritual trainings such as 40 days liquid fast, silence retreat, daily Asanas, attaining Kundalini Yoga certification. Now she’s a renowned Tantra teacher in New York (https://neotantraorgasm.com) doing sessions which combine Kundalini Yoga and Neo Tantra.
It "feels too good to be judgmental" she sings and who wants to? Everything is categorized as a product of universe, "but this is your time.”
Weeks ago, on the eve of the social and bacteriological outbreak caused by the COVID 19 pandemic (It sounds like an industrial metal band moniker), I was commissioned to review the 2013 Sunbather album from Californians DEAFHEAVEN. But given all that paranoia spreading on the news, I've barely caught my breath to resume editorial activities. But what the heck, Let's see… DEAFHEAVEN? I had them lightly referenced thanks to a fragment that I saw on TV with their show at the Rock al Parque festival (Bogotá / Colombia) in 2016, and nothing else. People say that everything enters through the eyes, but it did not happen to me with DEAFHEAVEN, because they lacked the scenic standard that is customary to see in bands that play Black Metal: they did not wear corpsepaint, black leather clothes with spikes, inverted crucifixes hanging on their necks and they didn't spit fire dragons either (although this does not really matter much if you put the music over image). The truth was that these guys, more than blackers, were closer to looking like Calvin Klein underwear models or like the cool guys that would be a great match to go out with your younger sister. But, I have to admit that their music is a disturbing mix, food for the ears. Those dudes brought together two sides that were in principle opposite: Black Metal’s sharp readiness of sonic chaos, with passages of acoustic softer rock, loaded with inspiring pianos and guitar arpeggios, a perfect balance of emotions such as fury and melancholy.
So I manage to sit down and take some careful listening to "Sunbather" after all. Quickly I labeled it as Avant-garde Black Metal. And before qualifiers like Post-Black Metal or BlackGaze are thrown into my face (a little more about this shortly), I will tell you that throwing here and there traditional elements of Black Metal like shriek voices, blast beats, tremolo guitars riff along with less rabid or more melodious passages that run between halftones, with the complicity of melancholic keyboards or guitars full of effects like chorus or flanger; as well as the use of instrumental or acoustic themes, or experimentation with noise, voice samples, weird movie intros, all of that, has been done in the past. It is not something that only occurred to the bands sheltered under the cloak of Post-Black Metal, back in 2013. Who remembers some bands that were already swimming against the current of their scene in the ’90s? If we located over Norway, names like ULVER, FLEURETY, VED BUENS ENDE come to light, but also in Austria groups like KOROVA or even SABAOTH from Paraguay (check those sad acoustic parts), SIGH from Japan, were ahead of PBM for about 15 years. So when I inquired a bit more about DEAFHEAVEN and saw that they were regarded as strong pillars of Post-Black Metal genre. Believe it or not, I had serious trouble digesting that label. What's the effect of the word Post, when we add it to the soap opera of sub-genre of BM? At first glance, a post is what comes after something: modernism and postmodernism, I get it, but how can something be postmodern in artistic terms of practice, if there will be always newer things and therefore postmodern?
If you ask me it is not only silly but ineffective to label something Post-BM. Although I must admit I arrive plenty of late to this trend, so I was forced to do my homework and quickly other names like ALCEST or LIFELOVER start to arise. However, if we compare those two with DEAFHEAVEN, their sound differences are very substantial. That makes me question the effectiveness of this label. Another label that also sticks to these groups is Blackgaze, a term that in my opinion generates only a little less confusion and that would be generalized thanks to its recurrent use in the music portal “rateyourmusic.com”, or so I read. According to these masterminds, all those bands use (here we go again) elements typical of the BM and Shoegaze (also known as Dream Pop), a subgenre of Rock that is characterized because its cultists, do not look at the audience but at their shoes while they’re playing live (or make that impression) Therefore musically, guitars employ acoustic tones as well as melodic riffs with reverb, flanger and chorus guitar effects. Anyway, once the label is created or popularized; there is nothing that can be done. I’ll make straight that I’m not against musical labels; I feel they’re necessary and many times they are useful for us music lovers. However, I must also highlight that when it comes to Black Metal, the road can be not only strenuous but slippery. For example sub-genres such as Depressive Black metal or Suicidal Black metal are the same, or how about Unblack Metal, also known as White Metal or Christians playing Black. You all better get serious someday.
Finally, it is time for us to focus on Sunbather, an album that since it was released in 2013, the press went nuts to the point of considering it a milestone, a complete destroyer of molds, although, as I already said, there was not much as new. The Spotlight was more a case of hipsters that haven’t heard yet some of the bands I mentioned earlier, and how to blame them. I agree that the album is good; it has real emotional, exciting and crisp songs and passages. The same track that gives its name to the album "Sunbather" is one of the best. The lyrics do not dwell into the common topics of traditional BM, with themes like Satan this, Satan this other. It seems the source is a focus on experiences typical of everyday life (is this another reason to call it PBM?). On the other hand, Sunbather is currently discontinued, somewhat surprising because this record champed the polls and the charts of the year it came out. I don't know how they haven't re-edited it, but maybe, in these times of quarantine in which concerts seem extinct, it's not a bad idea if the group considers re-pressing it to compensate the lack of income and the hunger of those who still can afford it. By the way, the original version of the album has only seven cuts, while the Japanese version has an eighth track titled "Punk Rock / Cody", take note of that too. Last but not least, something that seems to inflate the balls of the most radical blackers, is that DEAFHEAVEN usually plays in festivals that are not properly metal, sometimes being the only act of the style in the entire cartel. Even portals like Stereogum came to classify Sunbather as "Metal for people who do not like Metal", what a nonsense.
Anyway, remember that I told you not everything enters through the eyes? Once again the idea came to mind when I saw the cover of this album. It’s not a big deal but was enough to crush the mold in regard to album covers considered Black Metal. Although there is a great variety of front-covers of the genre that make use of minimalist elements, using photos of desolate landscapes, or horned Luciferian figures, or the use of monochromatic colors, Sunbather’s front cover should be interpreted more as a provocation, since it does not only carry the logo of the band but the color pink, commonly relegated to girls, dominates the entire front, along with the inscription Sun - Bat - Her, written in three lines, which also helps to mislead the listener thinking that this is actually the name of the group. Beyond that, the title of the album can refer us to the idea that Black Metal has left the shadows to walk around on a sunny day, and the truth is not bad (at all). –Jorge A. Trejos
“The 6th Extinction” is a loose continuation of Graveyard’s last album “Opus V”, basically resuming the narrative where it left off. Where “Opus V” hinted at a coming global apocalypse, Graveyard’s latest recording presents an abhorrent picture of said apocalypse and the impact it will have on the world at large. “The 6th Extinction” plays like an independent film directed by a madman, presenting images much more horrific than Jörg Buttgereit or E. Elias Merhige could translate into film. There has yet to be a movie made about the social and governmental breakdown of the world, but if one was made this band should be involved to some extent. The symbolic cover artwork does more than what is needed to give you a hint of what you can expect. While I listened to this album I went back to revisit “Opus V”; while that album was an over-the-edge schizophrenic portraiture of governments, corporations and news programs and their relationships with the public, “The 6th Extinction” is a relentlessly pertinacious spectacle of how bleak things will become once societies start breaking down. What’s unique about this album is that it goes another step further speculating the severity of what could happen the moment the floodgates of forty years finally open. Most bands conceptualized tales to warn of what could come, but didn’t take it further since it was considered a difficult event to conceptualize. Graveyard takes that first look into this and makes the resulting devastation clear to the listener. Little by little it pieces together what man’s folly has finally created since human beings were too short-sighted to consider the long term effects of their hunger to control and dominate. It’s not meant to be a pretty picture as it captures the mass panic that would likely be shown on media (or perhaps not) and the bloodshed that will come about when martial law is imposed. Needless to say it’s unsettling to think about, especially when you consider the political, financial and environmental issues that will be affected by such a turn of events. Also check out the promotional movie the band made to coincide with the release of the album. –Dave Wolff
Since forming in 2012, Chugger is developing a sound influenced by Gothenburg metal and southern American metal, and building a fan base in Europe. How well are your European fans responding to you?
Our music is very well received in Europe, as is most Swedish metal. In my opinion, playing in Europe is a lot more fun than performing in Sweden mostly due to the (for lack of a better word) strong-silent-type culture we have here. A Swede can stand still for the entire show and come up afterward telling you it was the best show they've ever seen, buy a few t-shirts, etc. Eastern Europeans, however, really like to get their blood pumping, and rarely stand still during shows. Our fellow metalheads in Spain are absolutely insane any day of the week. But not everybody enjoys music in the same way. We're just happy they enjoy our music!
Sweden has spawned many bands who had a huge impact on underground music, such as Candlemass, Bathory, Entombed, Marduk. Meshuggah, Arch Enemy and Dark Funeral. What is it like for new bands to come from a country with that kind of a track record?
It's an ongoing legacy, that's for sure, and it does carry some weight when playing in Europe. Pretty much saying “metal band from Sweden” puts a seal of approval on your music right away. Don't get me wrong, there are exceptions to the rule, but I would say that the average underground Swedish band is setting the bar pretty damn high. I suspect that cultural support and government-funded music activities are partly the reason why Sweden has so many artists and musicians. Maybe there's something in the water here, or because bad weather keeps us indoors for half the year. I usually say that summer is the best day of the year, haha.
The band was founded in 2006 but didn’t start releasing material until 2013. What accounts for the long period of inactivity?
Chugger didn't exist as a band until 2012. Before then there was material being written in a “project form” while I was performing in other bands as a session musician. At a point, I started taking more and more responsibility and eventually handled most of the band’s business. So I said, “If I'm doing all this work, why not do it with my own music?” Said and done, my own project became a band and the old bands became former projects. Using past experience and my usual dedication, we were on tour promoting our first EP “Scars” seven months after the decision to form the band.
Are the bands you were a session musician for still active today? Can we hear any of the material you worked on with them?
I don't think any of them are active in any greater regard these days. They were local/amateur bands and I did a few tours and a couple of records with them, but there was too much of a “someone is going to knock on that door soon” mentality going on. I believe in making my own fortune or at least “reaping what you sow”, so to speak, and that became the catalyst of me moving on with my music. I haven't really looked back since.
Were the members of Chugger playing in other bands previously? How did you meet and how has the lineup managed to stay together after all this time?
Gothenburg is a musically dense city, so most members were found through musical connections; friends of friends and/or people simply hanging out in bars. But the problem with having a laser-focused vision and a go-get-it mindset is finding similar-minded people willing to invest their time and effort. We've had our share of members who, seemingly, only wanted to join in on the ride but wouldn't contribute. A band is a family and the machinery we run only functions smoothly when everyone does their part. So over the years, we've had some member swaps and some people we had to let go.
The current members were originally from a band we played a show with, and we more or less combined our experience in both bands and created Chugger 2.0. Our current line-up does indeed feel like a fresh start with everyone doing their thing, and doing it well!
How supportive are musicians and bands of one another in Gothenburg? Can the same be said for independent labels and fanzines?
There's a camaraderie among bands; at the same time, there's a lot of friendly competition in terms of stage time. Anyone who's played beyond Gothenburg knows ego and selfishness gets you nowhere. Unless, perhaps, you're Yngwie Malmsteen, but luckily those guys are few and far between and for the most part we're all great friends. That goes for most of the bands we've shared the stage with.
As for fanzines and labels: The scene and industry can be quite harsh, but there are a lot of enthusiastic people who dedicate their time and energy to making something great. Unfortunately, the established ”dragons” tend to win and the small labels run out of energy or lack the funding to compete for airtime and media coverage. There's also the plethora of so-called “great deals” an upcoming band is faced with, which often breaks the band either financially or spiritually due to being a cash cow kind of deal for the label’s larger bands. It's a jungle for sure, but these days I'm very glad we've found our home at a great Italian label named Wormholedeath. We really feel that we have a focus and commitment from the label that matches our own. Exciting times!
How much dedication does Wormholedeath Records have for helping smaller Swedish bands be heard by wider audiences?
I'm not sure how many Swedish bands they have worked with previously, but when it comes to Chugger they have been immaculate. Great social media skills and they are very agile in noticing new media articles or reviews etc. We worked out a solid release plan together and we're really looking forward to seeing what this album will bring to the table!
Can you describe the release plan the band worked out with Wormholedeath? How many of your releases have they handled? Did their promotion include magazine interviews and live shows?
'Of Man And Machine' is the first album we're releasing with Wormholedeath and they're doing a terrific job so far. We have a contract that pretty much spans all areas, but understandable focus at the moment is getting our music out there. We've had a few options for tours but due to COVID-19 we pretty much can't do a lot at the moment. As Carlo (Wormholedeath) said, he's putting his name on the line for us, which to me is the utmost form av respect. We trust him and Wormholedeath to do what's best for us and they trust us to deliver the best possible products and performance we can. This mutual trust really allows both parts to do what they do best. A one plus one equals three, kind of thing.
How many bands has Chugger performed within the many years they’ve been active?
On average we have two supporting acts per show and occasionally we're the supporting act. We've worked with a ton of great bands, all working tenaciously to get heard in the business. Earlier we used to hand pick our supporting acts, but these days we leave it to the venue/organizer/booker. Most of the time, they have insight into the local scene where we're playing and it makes no sense for us to micromanage that. When going on tour or performing multiple gigs with another band we usually check them out - and quite often - befriend the people in the band.
What is the focus of the band’s lyrical content, and why did you decide to steer your lyrics in that direction?
We tend to focus on the darker aspects of human behaviour, be it revenge, hatred or the macabre. There's a lot going on in the world that no one should be proud of, and music for me has always been an outlet to rid myself of stress and angst. But the intent was never about “hey, let's try to write an angry song!”; it just happened naturally with everything that was going on with the world while I was growing up, and is still going on.
As a teenager, when the curtain falls and the savage nature of mankind is revealed in all its glory, it's easy to lose track and embark on a self-destructive path. Without proper guidance, it can be quite difficult to pull yourself out of that dark place, but music helped me a lot with that. In a way writing music is a bit like journaling, or even self-care, only that our stories and experiences expressed aren't necessarily founded in self-experienced events.
We've had plenty of people coming up to us after shows with genuine happiness saying ”this was just what I needed, thank you so much!”. We've even had people simply hugging us without saying anything. And we're all tough angry-looking people, haha!
Cite some of the events that inspired the band’s lyrics from your debut EP onward. Are those songs also penned to inspire people to think about said events?
Interesting question. We're not a political band, and we seldom sit down to write about a specific topic. But it's not necessarily current events that inspire the lyrics, for instance; we have found a lot of inspiration (lyrically) from serial killers like Ed Gein, the Japanese Maruta experiments, animal and child abuse, Utøya and other terrorist attacks, kidnappings and general warfare and torture. All that good stuff. Showcasing the “better side” of humanity, and so on. But we've also written about unity and self-empowerment, rising up from the shit around you and growing stronger than your foes. A major recurring theme is revenge, so even if there's darkness there's also the promise that what goes around comes around. And I think that is what sticks with the listener. Dave Mustaine said it best: take no prisoners, take no shit.
Where does the inspiration to write songs about warfare come from?
Wars are usually started for the most stupid of things and are more than often disguised under the banner of freedom. And it's all about perspective too; The Vietnam War, for instance, is called the Resistance War Against America in Vietnam, or even The American War... There's rarely a good cause for war, and it brings out all kinds of nasty from the people who endure them. When it comes to our songwriting we tend to write more about the psychological effects and the “beast within” rather than armed forces and brigades. We'll leave that to Sabaton, haha.
What were the Maruta experiments and when did they take place in Japan? What made you want to write about them?
I can't recall exactly what triggered it, but I was talking to my brother about weird shit and he mentioned Maruta. The word means 'log' in Japanese and was basically a metaphor used by the Japanese people in their human experiments during World War II to describe prisoners/victims, i.e. “how many logs fell today?”
Some of their experiments included exposing people, mostly Chinese, to biological weapons, flamethrowers, completely freezing and thawing body parts to see the effect and removing and reattaching body parts in the wrong places. They infected and poisoned regular citizens to study the effects of it, and it didn't matter if it was infants or elderly - in fact, they encouraged a so-called 'broad selection'. Mothers died protecting the infants when subjected to poisonous gas, and they received intentional damage to their wombs while impregnated to see how much the body could endure before the child died. There were routine cases of rape and forcefully infecting with STD's. I remember one story told about guards who chose from a “buffet” of female prisoners, and one of the guards noticed that a prisoner had pus oozing from her sex organ due to rotting and sick tissue. He just went on to the next cell. Disturbing shit.
There was a real plan to release a plague in California, which would most likely cause millions and millions to die, but fortunately, they surrendered five weeks before the planned execution of the plague. Unfortunately, it took two nukes and a lot of innocent lives for the Japanese government to pull the plug. History shouldn't forget about the events, as they were almost silenced due to immunity gained by the people responsible in exchange for confessing. One of the lines in the lyrics goes “take this secret to your grave”, which was what every soldier, doctor, and scientist was instructed to do.
Now, the song didn't make it in time for the coming album “Of Man And Machine”, but it's a great song with powerful lyrics.
What about Ed Gein and his exploits did you want to capture in your song about him?
Being a fan of horror movies it was more or less inevitable to end up learning and reading about the man who inspired so many movies, such as Psycho, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Silence of the Lambs and many more. The guy is really in a league of his own when it comes to the macabre. I mean, even Hannibal Lector seems like a highly civilized and decent guy compared to Ed... We have several songs in the pipe as there's an absolute abundance of material surrounding this, proper, psycho. We are artists though, so there's usually a bit of artistic freedom when it comes to interpreting the events that happened. Basically, a song is a mini-movie or book that tells the experience of something, and where facts are missing we fill in the blanks, so to speak. So we're not writing facts, but fiction inspired by reality and real events.
Do you think there are fewer preconceptions about lyrics that reflect on the darker sides of human nature than there were when you became a metal fan? Or has the perception remained more or less the same?
I think the general awareness in the world is kind of breaking the rainbow facade down. Sure, the world isn't all bent to shit, but there's definitely a greater understanding that a large percentage of the world isn't wanting what's best for you. But it's all in cycles, I guess; mankind had a great depression, then came the super hits of the eighties, and now we're adjusting the doomsday clock pretty much every week. Pretty sure we'd either nuke ourselves to the Stone Age or get along in the end. Either way, we're providing the soundtrack for the apocalypse.
I think it's important to think for yourself and to know both sides of any given story. If you're sticking to one side of the coin/history/fable you’re pretty much doing yourself a disservice by letting others dictate what's true or not. Educate yourself. Learn and read what's happening. When you got the facts straight, form an opinion. For me, that's what a large percentage of the world is missing today; we got all the freedom in the world, but we're not using it.
Your next full length “Of Man and Machine” is scheduled to be released in April. In what ways is it an improvement for the band musically and lyrically?
It's an evolution of our sound and is better and bigger in every aspect, really. Nothing was left to chance on this album and every little piece has been polished and fits together perfectly. Everyone in the band has really outdone themselves and the return to Studio Fredman for our full-length album really turned out to be the perfect choice for us. I believe it can be heard on the album, as well.
Describe what the songs appearing on the new album were written about. How do you think your listeners will respond to the new material?
If you liked the old Chugger, you'll love the new material. If you didn't like us before you'll love us now, haha.
So far the reviews and opinions on the album have been pretty much all ten out of ten, and that's pretty cool. Really looking forward to getting the album into the public hands!
Do you plan to include your song about the Japanese Maruta experiences on a future album? Do you have similar ideas in mind for other new songs?
The song didn't reach the polish phase this time, but there are also a lot of songs that didn't this time around. So we're in a pretty good place for the follow-up record, whenever we may. It feels weird to talk about the next album before this one is released, but the mind never sleeps...
Do you hope to eventually become well known in the US underground market? How soon do you expect this to happen?
We would absolutely love to tour in the US, but there's such a huge startup cost in time and money to just get the bus rolling across “the pond”. But considering In Flames, Judas Priest, Queen and many more huge acts today took a lot of time to become famous in the US, we got a few years left to get our momentum going. Hopefully, it won't take that long for us though!
