Graphic Artist Interview: ADAM LEWIS by Dave Wolff

Interview with graphic artist ADAM LEWIS

Discuss your meeting and collaboration with poet Steven Michael Pape.

This project is aimed at connecting artwork to re-edited pieces of dark poetry for Steven’s book Awakening Soul which he had published previously. The artwork is directed by the poetry and what came into my head once I’d read them. Steven and I are cousins. I was working on artwork for comic cons I attend in which I do paintings, and a4 and a5 size traditional art. I invited Steven to my Facebook page; he saw my style of work and thought it could be used to re-edit this book initially with a view to do more in the future. I was more than happy to work on these poems and thought it would be a good way to express myself.

What did Pape like about your artwork on Facebook?

The originality and grit of the art, as if the attitude of the piece was connecting with him. When he saw the work he was impressed and had the idea of getting me to do some pieces for him.

Is this your first collaboration project? What gave you the idea of crossing over into poetry?

For me it is a first. I am not sure if poets normally use the comic style to project their poems, I was just happy to be given the chance to work on his poems. The idea was a mix of 'what have I got to lose' and 'this could be something fantastic'. It was purely opportunist as Steven was doing his latest book launch and I provided an art piece to be raffled for charity at his event. The discussion began then and of course I would have been mad to turn it down. In fact, it was a direct 'I'll do it' when he asked.

Were you familiar with Pape’s work previously? What attracts you to his writings?

I had known about some of his latest work but didn't realize he had a back catalogue of published poems. His past work gets my mind thinking of dark places, taking me into a gothic and sinister mindset depending on the direction. I read the poem several times for an image to form in my mind but it’s mostly my first image that is illustrated as a rough base before I work in more detail.

Which of Pape’s poems spoke to you? What mental pictures do they evoke?

The title “Awakening Soul” drew me in straight away, Reading the poem took me away from the first instinctive image. I wanted to develop an image from the other side of the living. The dead in a rotting shell until fed would awaken the soul: that is what I imagined after reading Pape's edited version. “The Witches in the Forest of Pendle” took me to the hanging scene straight away. The image of death and the curse it would bring to all involved. The poems give me an image of a scene, trailing directly onto the characters and the design. The pieces I have completed are dark, gothic. His poetry reads so well I generate ideas quickly from line to line.

What are the lines and images in Awakening Soul and The Witches in the Forest of Pendle that awakened your imagination?

There are a couple in Awakening Soul. These are not in order as I don't want to spoil it:

“Born into this tasting despair, Praying for the moon to rise, so the people are not there,

We are the ghouls, the freaks, the lost generation, scream frustration.

Confused and frightened, with no recollection.”

The picture I got was a zombified person that had a full mind once fed, and the despair of not wanting to hurt the living but having no choice to survive. It was the character rising from the grass after feeding on a human, quite aged and worn out showing the pain and relief of the act.

Honestly, the first thing that went through my mind with The Witches was a movie I watched with my kids a few years ago. Paranorman was about an outcast kid that can see ghosts and he has to battle the curse put over the village by a little girl who was murdered for witchcraft. The scene was of her imitating a larger being above the trees; there I got the first vision from for the piece. I then searched Google for historic events and Youtube for witchcraft documentaries; by then I'd had my image I wanted.

How often do you browse Google for new ideas?

I used it once for The Witches poem so I could research the stories that reflect that time and get a closer relationship with the piece I was designing. I will be working on a poem about Ted Bundy. As I only have basic knowledge at the moment I will be looking at images and the background so I can make it the best way I can. This one is a bit weird as you can imagine. Pape has put together a fantastic poem about the evil of Ted Bundy and the pure prowess of his murderous mind, almost animal-like. I read the poem once but the first image is him dragging a female behind him by her the hair in the woods. The second image was a comic strip of him stalking, converting, capturing and finally murdering the victim.

Do you think you and Pape will collaborate again in the future? Do you have a feeling your current collaboration will be special?

I would like to do a full series of themed poems in whichever direction he decides to go in. It’s quite exciting to be a part of something like this and hopefully it will be a success regrading how people relate to the work. I wasn't sure my work would match up to his poetry to give a complete package, but after the first piece of art I did for him you could see the direction complimented it well. I checked in with him to see if he had a different idea of what he wanted to achieve, but my ideas were on the mark.

How long have you been designing art? Were you inspired by any TV shows or movies?

It is only recently I have been designing art to sell. When I was younger I would draw my favorite characters from memory, put them in action poses and give them menacing features. I was about five years old when I brought my first comic. It was a Transformers comic by Marvel Comics in 1987; I still have it to this day! I loved the Transformers movie; the animation captivated me and I wanted to draw those characters. Other shows I was in awe of were The X-Men, Thundercats and He-Man. Drawing at a young age helped me develop shapes and perspective images quicker without realizing it would lead me here.

Are you a self-taught painter or did you take art classes in high school or college?

I’m self-taught. School was good as we had a great art teacher that allowed you to express yourself, but painting was never something we did a great deal of. I can remember drawing what we wanted after learning the basic face shape. I went on to college to study graphic design and technical illustration but I was never as good as I am now. Comic art tuned me on to my art style after years of trying to find what it was. After collecting comics you'd think it was smacking me in the face all those years.

While your interest in comic art grew did you admire any painters?

Comic art is full of great colourists who mostly focus on Photoshop. I use traditional methods but they have the same end. At school we studied the arts of Di Vinci and Michelangelo who had an impact on me as their detail was phenomenal. At school you learn the basics of primary and secondary colours and the effects of mixing them. It is good to have that base info but it’s what you do with it next that matters, how to get the right style and effect. As with everything, practice makes you comfortable and repetition gives you flair.

Which paintings of Da Vinci and Michelangelo did you study at school?

When studying there were only a few I liked such as The Last Supper by Da Vinci and The Last Judgement by Michelangelo. This was because when you studied these things there was a basic curriculum to follow. It gave me a good base to work from and enabled me to try ideas and formulate a style. These painters have been a perfect reference point for anatomy painting; most have contorting body poses that would be difficult to achieve without practice.

How did you develop your approach to using colors after completing your classes?

I just messed around with colours. Most comic art is bold. I try and add the detail as if drawing on paper. I had years of exile from art so it was nice to remind myself of the basics and begin the process again.

Do you regularly collect comics? If so, what else is in your possession?

I collected the Transformers comics from 1987 to 1990. I had a few Hulk, Dandy and Beano issues but stopped collecting as the small local paper shop couldn't get the comics I wanted. At the time I stopped collecting I was about nine or ten years old. The collector in me is still there as I have a collection of Funko Pop figures, and for a few years I have been collecting graphic novels. Mainly Batman but I also have the Saga series. I have a first edition Spawn from the 90's and I have a one edition of the DC Rebirth series and their variants. I was pleased when DC announced Rebirth as it puts things back on track as the 52, for me, just wasn't right.

Where do you look for the comics you are collecting? Do you visit collectible stores or look on the internet?

I generally shop online and I have a few connections from other traders at the cons. It helps getting the best deals.

How long have you been going to comic conventions? Does the UK host noteworthy conventions?

I have been attending the cons in the UK for two years now. The early cons I was talked into doing art for by my partner who sold gothic items at the events. Now it’s turned into an artist table with all my original art on sale. I have yet to go to the London Cons and I am hoping to get in the MCM cons starting with Birmingham. The biggest event I have done is YCC (Yorkshire Cosplay Con), a full weekend event that has guests such as the former Power Rangers and various English actors from Star Wars, Doctor Who and a host of other sci-fi actors. This event gets a huge fan base which gives me the opportunity to get my artwork out there.

How many times have you attended YCC as a dealer? Who usually purchases your work?

I have been a dealer three times. The con has lots of different visitors including couples, families, teens and adults. Items are purchased by all kinds of people. The younger ones buy the work I do on Batman and Daredevil, but you can't really call the rest as the sales are so diverse. The big sell from me is I don't make prints so they buy original work. I always draw characters I can relate to whose story I know

Are there U.S. conventions you’ve heard of that you’d like to visit?

I'd love to visit New York Comic Con; that would be my first choice. I'd like to attend cons in San Diego and Washington. It is way bigger in the U.S. We do have some great guests and traders and the cosplayers are always awesome but the U.S cons always have more of an edge.

Where on the internet have you looked for information about U.S. conventions?

I use Facebook to look for events. I check out Youtube videos of past conventions and check out the reviews. I enjoy watching as some of the costumes are out of this world. I especially like the handmade ones, it shows the wearers’ craft. There is one called I-CON which seems really good and its looks to have a real buzz. From what I understand it’s a nonprofit con run by volunteers which is nice to hear. I'm a firm believer in giving people what they want without costing the earth or ripping people off. Comic Cons should be for the fans and families to have a great time and anything with that as its primary objective is a winner in my eyes.

I have been to I-CON and can say from firsthand experience a lot of work goes into their shows. What are the advantages of appearing at fan run conventions?

There seems to be more care and dedication taken in planning and delivering what fans would want to see at the events. The communication level seems to be higher with fan run events as they want to make sure that you as a trader are prepared. Fan run conventions are great as the knowledge they have clearly shows on the guest and event booking.

Do you think more fan run conventions will appear now that the mainstream is giving the culture more exposure?

I certainly hope so. As comic cons have shifted in the volume of people it attracts, it’s only natural and beneficial to have more variation in its following. I would like to think these events give the next generation something to adore and give inspiration. When I was growing up there was nothing like social media feeding your geek side. I'd love to be able to come and showcase my work someday. I'll have to save up to make the journey.

Do you have any method of redeveloping Batman and Daredevil while drawing them?

I start the process with a few different sketches, which are just basic outlines on a page to set the scene for where I want the various elements of the picture to be (if you ask any artist THIS is the most important thing to do; if the base is wrong the picture won't look cool). This is the rough I use to add predominant shapes and landscape. When I'm happy the detail and layering is added. It sounds simple but from the beginning to the end it can get frustrating and I'm a nightmare for adding more when it seems to be done! Allowing myself to design characters I want by inspiration is perfect, you have a real sense of ownership on what has been produced. Even when I do existing characters the poses are always the first people comment on and are very much my own. I hear from different people that I have a cross between Frank Miller, Jim Lee and Simon Bisley; to be compared to any of those is amazing. I do however doubt that my comic art is of THAT level but it’s a nice compliment either way. I am a stickler for moody and brooding poses in my characters, I love drawing 'baddies' too. I find it easier to connect with those characters.

How many sketches do you try before you find one you’re satisfied with?

I'd normally do two to six, depending on the difficulty of the character and the position I want them in. I have been known to come away from the work for a day if I'm drawing blanks mentally then return with a fresh head and a more determined mindset.

Who are Frank Miller, Jim Lee and Simon Bisley and how often is your work compared to theirs?

Frank Miller is a god of comics who worked on many things, he is best known for his work on Daredevil: The Man Without Fear, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300. His structure is what most artists still use as the benchmark. Jim Lee is the best artist I've ever seen work on Batman. His career was originally at Marvel working on the bestselling X-Men series and he was one of several that broke away to create Image Comics. The care and detail he puts into his art is immense, the lines and rendering are where I took my inspiration from. Simon Bisley is a fellow UK artist that worked for 2000 AD on Dredd and other titles but I prefer his work on Slaine. The art and storytelling he uses are just mind blowing. You get a real sense that fantasy art is what he was born to do.

Do you have any thoughts on the film versions of Batman, Daredevil and Dredd?

One of my favorite things to talk about! I really enjoyed Tim Burton's Batman movies; they were extraordinary. I only wish his Batman was more of a trained fighter as he was in the Dark Knight trilogy. Keaton was being knocked all over the place by basic henchmen. The dark gothic feel of Burton's films were perfect. When he didn't make the third it was a tragedy; we were robbed as fans! Christian Bale was a good Batman but never really felt right as Bruce Wayne. Now Affleck is perfect for both. He can just look arrogant as Wayne bringing a real presence and ownership to Batman. I am a massive fan of Frank Miller’s Batman from the comics so to see the rough interpretation of the character on film is a dream. I just hope they can keep hold of the actor as he in my opinion is the best yet.

Daredevil was a good benchmark of what not to do to beloved characters. This project was hugely underestimated and could have been so much more, I don't think Affleck was the problem and more the direction of the movie.

Stallone’s Dredd was another 'we made a mistake' movie. The latest one with Karl Urban was what we needed. To me Dredd is violent and action packed, with the helmet on more than off. Although there is a clear advantage now with advanced CGI effects which can sometimes be overused.

Do you have any thoughts about the Batman TV series with Adam West, or the older Batman series from 1943?

I loved it when I was growing up’ they were reruns on early Saturday morning in the 80's. The series had so much character and showed the rogues gallery well. The Batman 60's series is iconic in bringing that generation of comics to the screen. Adam West is really the original Batman; anything prior was not done as well in my opinion.

What do you think cinema is doing for classic superheroes (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman et cetera)?

Depending on who gets hold of it director-wise and how much influence the studio has. There seems to be too much control over movies from the studios. If they hire the director that they feel is right to take any franchise forward and given that the director should be a fan of what they are trying to represent, they should let them lead. I'm a fan of comic book movies; I feel that there are too many being made and some characters are getting stand alone movies based on the franchise following. They will all blend into one soon! Guardians #2 looks awesome though; James Gunn has got the mix right there.

If you saw the recent Batman vs Superman movie, how did the actors and director handle those characters? If you were involved in a movie like it, how differently would you present them?

I think the actors were right; it’s just the storyline that was lacking and there was too much editing which showed they just wanted the film out with a mixed script with too much going on. Lex Luthor was a poor choice; I may be proven wrong the next time I see him. The movie showed no evidence of Batman as he should be. Too much build up; the fight was good until the Martha crap. I’d have less Lois Lane, more Wonder Woman and a better Doomsday. The storyline has to be bang on, otherwise it’s a non movie for me.

The Blade movies with Wesley Snipes had an atmosphere similar to Batman and Sin City. What impressions did you get from those in terms of the settings and/or storyline?

I prefer those settings, sinister and dark. It makes a better movie when the odds are stacked against the hero more. Along with those you could add The Crow; such a good movie. All these movies influence my artwork. The first two Blade movies were awesome, Wesley Snipes was the Daywalker! I am not sure if he would suit it if they did some more but who else could? They give me reference points to work, it could be a fight scene or a background setting. It’s hard not be inspired when you see movies like that.

Have you considered writing vampire fiction? How about a comic series of your own?

I would be interested in being involved with those projects as long as it matches my style. Lots of black silhouettes and white flashes of detail to make the pages pop. I plan to do a comic and I am currently brainstorming and designing characters, I have a model of a storyline but it needs more time to get it where I want it. It’s exciting to create but it’s hard to stay away from the characters already out there.

How did you think of working on your own series? Was it a sudden inspiration or an idea long on the back burner?

I was looking into getting my art to publishers and saw on the Image Comics site about a creator’s own series and the benefits it holds. I'd like to have a completed project that is mine so I can look back and improve where needed. I was happy doing characters already existing, but as I got better and needed less reference points it was a natural thought progression.

How much brainstorming have you done to devise your comic series?

There is a lot that goes into it, I learned that the hard way as when I first had the thought to design I underestimated the design process completely. I have to leave it and revisit it at the moment as it’s just not right. The list to brainstorm is storyline, character backgrounds, character design, clothing, team development, how they link together, villains, where it’s set. There is more chopping and changing than I expected there would be but I'd rather spend the time and do it the best I can.

How much time do you spend tailoring your series? What are the ideas you have thought up so far?

It’s been on and off for a while as I work full time and I have the event stock to top up. It’s when I get around to it. It’s always in the back of my mind and I need to devote some more attention to it. A team of misfits draw together for a common cause, with a twist, I don't want to give away too much but it’s not Suicide Squad! The ideas are deviating from the devised stories, or at least I am trying to push it to make it individual and not linked to other media.

What have you thought of from the list you mentioned above? How unique are you expecting your completed concept and storyline to be?

I’m keeping it to myself for now. It’s very much WIP. I am hoping to be offset but as with most things there could be certain similarities to existing comics when it’s finished.

Will you publish your series independently or seek distribution through a local company? Are you considering releasing it in ebook format or on Issuu?

I would like to do it independently to see it received by the people under its own merit. The only one I'd entertain would be Image. Those guys are awesome. I’ve never worked with them so it would be the first time if it happened. I'd look into those and get it out there on Amazon and such. I would need a bit of guidance so I will probably ask Pape as he has done this before.

How soon do you think the first issue will come out? How much publishing guidance can Pape offer you?

The art is finished for the first book and it’s a case of editing into the pages, Pape is working on that at the moment. The art for the second book is in progress and there is talk of putting them together in one larger book. Pape can help me with the set up all the way to the sale stage if needed, I've never put media out there for mass sale before so it would be a great guide.

How extensively will you be promoting the comic series once it’s in circulation?

I'll do my best to use social media and local stores to promote. Hopefully the selling sites will help too. Not to forget promoting at cons. I plan to sell the poetry books at the cons to see if it gets some interest directly.

How would you want most to be remembered for your contributions to art and comicdom?

I'd like to be remembered for expressing my style for producing art that is still relevant and looked upon in years to come, the same way I do when I admire the work my favorite comic artists.

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-Dave Wolff

EP Review: NOX CULT Fucking Live by Dave Wolff

NOX CULT

Fucking Live

Independent

Having formed a year and a half before this live EP was released, Nox Cult personify the crossing over of hardcore, punk, grunge and industrial as viewed through the eyes of a mentally disturbed nuthouse escapee. As suggested by the title of this EP, the band recorded it live for a first impression rather than recording in a studio. A risky move for a new band but it displays the dissonant, manic rawness not unlike Nausea and Sonic Youth meeting in an abandoned nuclear waste facility. The atmosphere of the songs and the live setting where they were taped (the Brooklyn club Black Bear in December 2015) are toxic and disturbed as the band differentiate little between animal abusers, serial killers and high school bullies. To Nox Cult, they have the same mental defects and are equally viable targets. The first track entitled Elephant conveys what the band imagine is going through the mind of an elephant performing for the circus. A relevant piece for the times since it’s been in the news that the people at Ringling Brothers/Barnum and Bailey were under fire from animal rights activists for their treatment of elephants, and are out of show business since they stopped featuring elephants and ticket sales went down. The next track Maniacs spotlights Charles Manson who bands have consistently referred to for many years. If I can say anything about this song it reflects the shock and panic society felt about the Manson murders, and the endless book and media coverage about those horrific events. Unpopular Kids shows the angst felt by young people at being repeatedly told they’re unwelcome by the “cool” high school kids. This is also relevant considering some people who were “cool” carry their antics into adulthood. Things seem to cut off rather abruptly after this song, but in NOX CULT Message the band announce they are working on a new release. The new release in question has yet to come out but in the meantime you can check out releases by other bands fronted by frontman Soda at NOX CULT's Bandcamp profile. -Dave Wolff

Track list:

1. Elephant

2. Maniacs

3. Unpopular Kids

4. NOX CULT Message

EP Review: FIRESTICK Four song EP

FIRESTICK

Four song EP

Independent

When interviewing vocalist Monty “Gypsy Nation” Lindsay we spoke at length about Martha Dumptruck, a band he fronted when our paths crossed in 1996. This band personified the grimy streets and seedy atmosphere of Manhattan’s East Village playing the club circuit (Pyramid, CBGB) and releasing one full length that received a healthy amount of press attention. The band was short lived but channeled the collective rage of the punk scene in an insurmountable wave. We went on to discuss his move from the city and eventual formation of Firestick in 2016. Though they hadn’t released an EP, it has recently been uploaded to their community page on Facebook for free streaming. With Firestick I realize while times have changed the spirit Martha Dumptruck personified has refused to fade into nothingness, as they are a similar focal point for Seattle and Los Angeles. The bass guitar opening the first track from their EP eschews glamor, glitz and glitter, instead symbolizing the darker sides of those cities, from where Black Flag and Nirvana came before larger companies made grunge something to be mass marketed. If you are responsive while listening you’ll start to perceive something more vibrant and vital starting to emerge. The band don’t limit themselves to any single genre, but they don’t fake eclecticism either. Their musicianship sounds fresh and hungry, as if they were in their early twenties and just starting out. No lyrics are provided at Facebook but Lindsay’s diction makes the lyrics easy to discern. That first track I hinted at, Manifest, starts the EP with a Black Sabbath-esque stoner rock/doom metal vibe, only more uplifting than usual. It reminded me of going to see local bands like Borgo Pass around 1992-93, the energy is the same. After some consideration I’d say this is a favorite, though the following songs have something different to offer. Full Circle has more stoner rock with some funk added. If you didn’t think this was possible the band achieve it nicely. Listening to this a few times I think this one is another favorite of mine. DTPA features tribal percussion and atmospheric guitars to accompany crunching riffs and a chorus resonating of early grunge. The Source finally takes a turn toward Rage Against The Machine with synths and some hip hop. The organic elements in those songs are fueled significantly by the vitality behind them. The band has maintained that vitality in four songs, what’s next for them is demonstrating how well they do so on a full album. -Dave Wolff

Track list:

1. Manifest

2. Full Circle

3. DTPA

4. The Source

Interview with Michel Regueiro of THE EVIL DEAD by Dave Wolff

Interview with Michel Regueiro of THE EVIL DEAD

Since 2006 The Evil Dead has incorporated rock, the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and black metal.

It was extremely simple and natural from the get go, just our influences coming out by themselves through the music.

How does the term “Electric Evil Metal” relate to the band and their music?

People are always trying to place us in subgenres and categories that don’t really hit the mark. While we don’t really care about labeling our music we understand the need to describe it, especially for audiences that haven’t heard of us. Electric Evil Metal sums us up pretty well musically and theme-wise. Explosive, dangerous and fun. It conjures our sound and themes rather than putting a million tags on it.

Is there an oversaturation of labels in extreme metal today? How often do bands have to describe their music in new ways?

Definitely. Sometimes you check out a label and you realize it’s only a Bandcamp page that does no physical releases. What the fuck is that? What’s the point? I wouldn’t know about inventing new methods but if you are unknown you sure have to make those promo packs attractive enough to stand out from all the shit they receive daily. Sending tons of promo packs around the world doesn’t come cheap and nowadays bands don’t really have money to throw away.

Do Bandcamp, Soundcloud and  social media sites help bands with limited funds promote?

What I think is a great tool for bands nowadays are lyric videos. They draw you in much more and sometimes they are better than regular music videos.

What lyric videos would you recommend checking out? Does reading lyrics in lyric videos give you more of a feel of what the song is about?

The first that grabbed my attention was In Solitude’s "Serpents Are Rising," but by today’s standards it’s simple. I thought Hyperion’s "Novus Ordo Seclorum" was really good. Slash & The Conspirators’ "World On Fire" is fucking out of this world. It makes you understand more about the song at first glance. I’m not the biggest lyric video watcher out there though’ I barely listen to new music.

The Evil Dead is based in Argentina. What new is happening in the scene there, in terms of print fanzines and webzines? How about the club scene?

It’s a pretty shitty scene that dwells on nostalgia of original bands but nowadays more new bands try to make things change and that is a good thing. I don’t really keep an eye open on the scene anymore. There are lots but I don’t really follow them. Few clubs are up to decent standards for the bands and the crowd. Any day of the week you have bands playing and on the weekends things explode. There is an oversaturation of shows and bands and that reflects badly on the crowds as there are too many to choose from. Bands suffer shitty conditions and pay-to-play deals from so called "promoters" and clubs offer bad facilities and ridiculous prices for drinks which makes the crowd drink outside the venue only to get in to see the band they like the most and then go back outside.

Is there more support or backstabbing among bands in Argentina?

It’s 50/50. There is a lot of backstabbing going on in the scene but not all bands are like that. In fact many of them go out of their way to help others. The biggest backstabbers are most promoters and labels who only care about their own pockets. Thus we all are left to deal with this "dog eat dog" scene where if you don’t watch your back you get fucked.

Pay to play has long been an issue for bands in the U.S. How much has this affected the scene in Argentina?

As far as I know this started in the 90’s here. It has been terrible for the scene because it forces bands to whore themselves to sell tickets at any cost instead of focusing on providing a good live show with original material.

How long have the band been musicians? Were any of you in other bands previously?

I started playing guitar in 1999 and had a black metal band called Satanic Death. I didn’t turn “pro” on the instrument til I started to focus on The Evil Dead as a player and songwriter. The others pretty much started on their instruments around the time of the formation of the band around 2006 and matured fast as you can tell by our discography.

How much youthful enthusiasm have you retained to this day?

When everything sounds right and the band is on fire, be it in the rehearsal room or live, it always sparks that youth like enthusiasm. When working on new songs it happens too; one comes with new riffs and the rest of the band "get it" and jump in. It can feel like playing the Budokan.

Was Satanic Death your first band? Did this band give you the feel of being a musician?

I had a couple of bands in high school that went nowhere, but the first band I recorded with was Nocturnal Evil. We did a rehearsal demo and appeared on the Beherit tribute compilation “Beyond the Gate of Nanna”. Satanic Death started after that. There was no big thinking behind it; it was more like "one band done let’s continue with another". We were all teenagers and eager to go out and do our thing.

Do you remember the songs on Nocturnal Evil’s rehearsal demo? Can we still acquire copies or is it sold out? How did you hear the people involved in the Beherit tribute were seeking bands?

Must have been two or three at the max. Sadistic Ritual must have been one of them. I don’t really remember as it has been so long, back in 2001. I don’t think we made more than ten copies. I didn’t make the deal for the compilation; the other guy took care of that. I was just happy playing drums. It was a limited release and we only got a copy each. We covered Satanic Chaos from Beherit’s Messe Des Morts EP.

How long was Satanic Death around, did they release anything and why did they disband? How soon after the breakup did The Evil Dead start?

There was one rehearsal demo and one studio demo released by a Swedish label. We were gonna do a mini album for a Japanese label, but everybody lost interest in the project and we wanted to start playing different music so it gradually dissolved. The band was around for two and a half years. It must have taken a year and a half before I could assemble a lineup and start playing again. It was all done for fun in the beginning.

Was The Evil Dead inspired name-wise by the Sam Raimi-directed movie featuring Bruce Campbell?

It was inspired by the movie and we chose it pretty much at the first rehearsal. Looking back it wasn’t a very inspired choice but we stuck by it. In those days we took a lot of stuff from horror movies, but since then our horizons have broadened quite a bit. We are all horror movie fans, especially the Golden classics from the 70s and 80s. The last “new” movie to blow my mind was “The Witch”. I don’t care much for gore or torture porn; atmosphere is my thing.

What was The Witch about and how does it compare to the Golden era?

It’s about a family of English colonists that, after being cast away from the settlement because of the father´s vanity, move to the woods where an evil presence haunts them and they are tormented by their sins. Incredible acting and an atmosphere full of dread make it comparable in my book. The ending is superb.

Did horror movies have more atmosphere in the 70s and 80s? While gore was common during that time, when did it become overdone to the point of gore porn?

The old movies were what it was all about. Few movies have "it” nowadays so we mostly turned to sci fi unless there was something coming on. I think Eli Roth and all those gore and torture porn directors took things to an extreme which made it fucking boring, at least to me. I´d rather watch a chick flick than torture porn. Same thing they did with zombies; they flooded the market and took all the fun and quality out of it.

Besides The Evil Dead, what movies from the 70s and 80s were personal favorites? What about the atmosphere, acting and storylines spoke to you?

We like all kinds of movies, be it Sci-Fi, horror, mystery, comedy or whatever, as long as they’re good. Some personal favourites are all the old John Carpenter movies (Halloween), The Omen, The Amityville Horror, Suspiria and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Atmosphere, acting and storyline are super important. I like a story that can get under my skin and frighten, excite or marvel me.

The atmosphere of those movies were darker than usual and showed an effort to break the mold of moviemaking. Does this account for their remaining in popularity? Do today’s horror movies have storylines as good as those?

The public craves quality material that will evoke a sense of dread and danger akin to childhood fears and not just loud noises, shitty gore and cheap scares. Movies today seem to come from an assembly line. That’s why stuff like Stranger Things had such an incredible success. People will wallow in nostalgia that will bring them good memories from movies and shows they loved as children than the mediocre crap that comes out nowadays.

Do you prefer the original release of The Omen or the 2006 remake?

The original is a stone cold classic. That soundtrack, eerie feelings all around, Gregory fucking Peck. The remake is dog shit even if Julia Stiles is always a pretty face to watch.

I’ve noticed how many horror and gore movies are now circulating on the internet. How difficult is it to find a worthwhile movie among them?

For me it’s impossible. I never download torrents or start checking stuff on their own to see if it measures up. I just listen to what my friends recommend and then I´ll check out a movie or a show.

You released your debut full length Pronounced The Evil Dead in 2012, following the 2008 EP Ex Nun On The Run. How did it represent the band musically and lyrically?

We started the band as something to fool around with and our music and lyrics weren’t very serious. While there was always a darker touch the first songs had a lot of humour in them. In "Pronounced" we toned down the humour and got more serious but there was still a vein of black humour and fun (as the title suggests).

Discuss examples of the black humor of Ex Nun On The Run and Pronounced The Evil Dead.

The title of Ex Nun On The Run is a pun on words. Songs like "Double Trouble" talk of us pretty much getting kicked out of every bar in the neighbourhood. Pronounced (The Evil) Dead has a Skynyrd reference. Perfect Day In Planet Hells is pure black humour and steampunk.

Many bands from the thrash era base lyrics on horror movies. Has The Evil Dead done so?

On Earth Inferno there is a song called "They Live!" but I don’t know if that movie counts as horror. On our first album there is a track entitled "The Blood Monster" about David Berkowitz aka "The Son of Sam". We are much into books . For example the music (not lyrics) on "Forlorn" was inspired by the book "Faerie Tale" by Raymund E. Feist and on our first demo there is a track called "The Burning Of Cairo" inspired by "The Name of the Beast" by Daniel Eastermann.

They Live might be considered sci fi/horror with social commentary. What of that movie did you capture in your song?

I wrote the music around 2010 but we didn’t want to include it on the first album. I´m a big fan of the movie and all of John Carpenter’s scores but I thought I can’t and shouldn’t copy any of his notes for this, and just do my own take. When the day came to write the lyrics I told my brother Alejandro (who hadn’t seen the movie) the basic plot and he said ‘fuck it I´ll come up with something’ and it came out great. The ending mirrors the ending of the movie ~well in my opinion.

Did you have societal observations in mind when writing “They Live!” or was it intended as science fiction?

We wrote in a way that it could be the aliens from the movie or the usual power elite that rule our societies, even though they are same thing at heart. It’s up to the listener to decide.

The movie They Live was based on Ray Nelson’s short story Eight O'Clock In The Morning. Have you read it?

I wasn’t aware of that and will check it out. I’m interested in reading "Who Goes There?" the novel that inspired The Thing but reading in PDF is a bitch so if anyone wants to send me that book, feel more than welcome to.

How did you hear about Who Goes There? Why do you prefer reading books to PDF files?

From the movie trivia of course. I’m not a big technology fan. In fact I don’t even own a cell phone. No matter how convenient a Kindle is, it will never beat the smell of a good book.

The Thing is part of Carpenter’s Apocalypse Trilogy that continued with Prince Of Darkness and In The Mouth Of Madness. Did you see either of those movies?

I saw all three of them. Prince Of Darkness doesn’t come close to the other two in my opinion.

What has always spoken to you about John Carpenter’s method of directing movies?

He just has a special aura about him. He is a rock´n´roll director with a darker edge.

What other movies by John Carpenter would you consider basing a song on?

At one time I had this idea about doing a song about Halloween (1978) which is my favourite movie of all time and name it "The Night He Came Home" but I felt a lot of pressure and dropped it altogether. Perhaps it will resurface in the future but there are no plans for movie songs at the moment.

Was research into David Berkowitz’s serial killings involved in writing The Blood Monster? Did the song center on his killings or his mental state?

We were big into crime library, murderpedia and serial killer documentaries. I can’t recall why we specifically picked Berkowitz instead of Dahmer, Ramirez or Albert Fish but it fit perfectly. The demonic associations, references to blood and overall paranoid delusions made for a good set of lyrics. The song consists of three parts, all inside his head. It features his killing spree, capture and eventually his bullshit "redemption". The whole song is how his story plays in his head, his multiple personalities and the validations for his actions.

Do you watch documentaries about serial killers? What do you look for in a documentary?

This was years ago and it was always on TV. I´m not a serial killer nut that writes to killers in solitary lockdown or something. Sure I find it interesting but not more than that. If the documentary is good then that’s good enough for me, be it about nature, history, world wars, sharks, Nazis, the Illuminati, the Titanic, space exploration, supernovas, music, movies, food, travelling. The last documentary I watched was about Twisted Sister and it was good!

What Twisted Sister documentary did you see? How much insight did it give you into the band’s history?

We Are Twisted Fucking Sister. It is thorough and detailed and it’s amazing how much effort and work was put into that band. They deserved every inch of their success.

How did Raymund E. Feist’s “Faerie Tale” inspire “Forlorn”? In what ways do the lyrics differ?

It blew my mind when I read it as a teenager. It has everything: Celtic and Germanic mythology, terror, fantasy and sexuality. To sum it up as I wouldn’t wanna spoil it for others, a family moves into a rural community in New York and begin a quiet, peaceful life. Soon enough strange things start to happen and there are evil things lurking in the surrounding woods. Much of the story is told by the kid’s point of view as kids are always the first to sense the supernatural. When one of the kids is abducted and replaced by a perverted doppelgänger it is up to his twin brother to venture into the lair of the Faerie kingdom and rescue him before the stroke of midnight when the whole Faerie court (good and bad) will depart forever. This latter part is tense and epic as fuck. It’s what gives the song its pace and feel but we couldn’t find a way to write lyrics that worked for it. So the lyrics turned into a tale of a spirit forever trapped in a state of limbo inspired by the lore of Dark Souls video games. This combination of urgency and despair makes the song unique.

What is Daniel Eastermann’s The Name Of The Beast about? What did you seek to capture in The Burning Of Cairo?

It is a novel in the vein of Clancy or Grisham, set up in the Middle East. Islamic fundamentalists are ravaging Europe and transforming their own territories by their old religions, led by their leader Al Qurtubi who may or not be the Antichrist. It has been so long I don’t really remember much. It was written back in 2006 but we might re-record it in the future.

What other books would you recommend? Did basing song lyrics on obscure authors set the band apart?

I would suggest they read The Darksword trilogy by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman. Killer books for fans of fantasy. We were always outcasts in the scene be it by the way we sound, think, dress. We never were a very sociable band in that aspect and the scene never really warmed up to us. Most bands just sing about social problems, politics and the usual thrash bullshit.

Talk about the split album you appeared on with Infermal Maniak and Thrashmaniacs, which was released in 2011.

That’s a bootleg and we have nothing to do with it. Fuck those guys. We tried to reason with them but they didn’t even send us a copy.

What subject matter would you write about to stand out from the usual thrash l fare?

Our subject matter is broad and diverse. We will make songs about anything that we like so we don’t limit ourselves to the standard "fuck the cops"/"all politicians are corrupt"/"cops are corrupt"/"the state doesn’t like me"/"this land belongs to the natives"/"people don’t take us seriously because we look like metal heads boohoo"/"let’s drink cheap wine"/"pollution is bad mmkay?" most of the bands here sing about.

How has Witches Brew Records handled Earth Inferno since it was released this year? How is it an improvement from Pronounced The Evil Dead?

They have worked pretty hard on the album and that’s good. There is not a whole lot of money to push the record but what little there is has been invested well. We trust them and they gave us a fair deal which is hard to find nowadays. Hails to them. Production wise-it’s a huge improvement. We really worked hard on the recording and mixing and the songwriting is not that different but we´ve became more experienced.

What are the social or societal topics you are considering for future songs? How many are you currently working on?

None at the moment. We don’t usually do social commentary and we are not thinking of lyrics. The third album is in an early stage. Actually some of these tunes/riffs I tried out with the drummer back in 2013/2014 when we were rehearsing to record Earth Inferno and then I developed them on my own.

Do you have titles in mind for the next full length? Where do you plan to record and are you considering any studios?

We have an album title and working song titles but we are keeping things close to us now; no point in spoiling things beforehand. For the moment I came up with all this stuff; we´ll see if the rest brings something more to the table. It’s early to even think about it but we worked really well on the last studio. Perhaps we could record and mix there again, or somewhere in Europe.

If the band did have a chance to record in Europe, in what studio would you want to record and with who producing?

We would love to work with Flemming Rasmussen (whom we met in Copenhagen some years ago), Olof Wikstrand who is a marvelous sound engineer and gets amazing sounds and last but not least the legendary Tico Tico studio in Finland! Any of those would be fantastic for us.

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-Dave Wolff

Video Review: CUT UP Behead The Dead (Official video) by Dave Wolff

CUT UP

Behead The Dead (Official video)

From the 2017 album Wherever They May Rot

Metal Blade Records

What we have here is another benchmark of Swedish melodic death metal. With all the bands circulating on social media and signed to independent labels with elaborate names and elaborate logos, these musicians from Karlstad, Värmland choose the simple, succinct moniker of Cut Up to hook listeners. This phrase can call different images to mind, each one progressively graphic, gory and likely to nauseate those unprepared for the sonic assailment waiting for them. Cut Up formed following the disbanding of Vomitory who were active in the Swedish scene from 1992 to 2011. The bassist/vocalist and drummer were with that band the whole time which explains the early D/M feel Cut Up’s track is rife with. Recorded for the band’s second full length Wherever They May Rot (following 2015’s Forensic Nightmares), Behead The Dead builds from the basics of the genre, multiplying the intensity conceived by Entombed, Hypocrisy and Amon Amarth. This is the kind of song that catches you unprepared as it starts without any preliminaries, aiming straight for your brain cells, slicing them up for fun and leaving the remnants to rot and fester inside your skull. It comes close to Deranged on Rated-X and bands from other countries like Vader (Poland) on De Produndis. Both those albums were released in 1995 when brutal, straightforward death metal bands that condensed its energy into three to five minute songs were making headlines and getting rave reviews in the underground press. Cut Up takes notice of those days though I’m not entirely certain what Metal Blade meant by describing their “modern approach” unless it’s refers to the insurmountable wall of sound production and the sophistication of Andreas Bjornson and Anders Bertilsson’s lead harmonies. The “high musicianship” description I got since Cut Up has the precision needed to make the blast beats and slower parts work. As a lead vocalist Bjornson summons his guttural voice from deep in his guts and is able to maintain that depth through the violent intensity behind him. Bassist Erik Rundqvist backs him more than adequately as second vocalist and drummer Tobias "Tobben" Gustafsson fulfills his duties of pushing the song onward. The production of the video was an intriguing touch as it plays like an old VHS tape, complete with grainy shots and tracking issues. Wherever They May Rot is available now and you can see Metal Blade’s site for album, video and tour information. -Dave Wolff