Interview - TORTURED CORPSE (Poland)

TORTURED CORPSE (Poland) was formed in 2022 and on February 18, 2023 they launched their debut EP entitled “Rites Of Putridity and Death” which is really outstanding and killer! The EP contains 6 tracks of obscure and oldschool Death Metal terror, highly recommended for fans of early Cannibal Corpse, Rottevore or Nunslaughter. Death to False Metal!!!

Questions by The Unblessed.

Answered by Necroinspector

Replied on July 1, 2023, 10:35 AM

Hail! Please give a little introduction about TORTURED CORPSE - brief history, band members, etc.

Tortured Corpse was founded in 2022 by Necroinspector (Drums) and Greg (Guitars). The two of us started working on the first compositions. In the meantime, Agressor (vocals) came to us, whom we accidentally met during training at the gym… When we saw a long-haired guy in an “Eaten Back To Life” T-shirt, we immediately knew that he was our friend haha… In January this year Artur (Bass) joined and in April Fucker joined for the second guitar. This line-up is still active today and we worship old school Death Metal from the 80s/90s.

How do you interpret that the release of “Rites Of Putridity and Death” channels a wide opportunity for Tortured Corpse to continue to grow?

Our goal is to remind people among this mass of shitty new wave pseudo Death Metal bands how Death Metal was played a few decades ago. Nothing else interests us. “Rites Of Putridity and Death” receives excellent reviews all over the world among old geeks, and that was our goal. I’ve been in the worship of metal for over 30 years and this is the closest thing to my heart, all the rest doesn’t matter.

Does Tortured Corpse have a more detailed explanation of the Death Metal that you all perform?

No doubt it’s old school Death Metal as I mentioned. Immortal classics such as Rottrevore, Cianide, Nunslaugter, old Cannibal Corpse or Massacre one, Bolt Thrower…

I am convinced that old maniacs will find something for themselves here. I think our debut kicks the ass well and explains what real obscure old school Death Metal should look like.

Do you hate and against the modern Death Metal sound? Why does it have to stay oldschool and obscure?

It’s not that I’m against it. The only sad thing is that in this new wave of Death Metal you listen to ten bands and it’s like you listen to one. Most bands these days are soulless, without something to grab your attention. There’s a lot of shit everywhere. There are a few raisins, of course they happen but in a lot of muck, but you really have to look hard. Most of them are mediocre, not even suitable for a single audition.

Death Metal we worship is dirty, obscure and basement. And it will always be like this, we are not interested in sterile, polished sound or pedal melodies. Listen to Cianide or Nunslaughter. It’s fucking underground and dingy Death Metal. And so it will be as long as I keep my hand and play Tortured Corpse.

Have you received any negative reviews for the “Rites Of Putridity and Death” EP? What do you want to change in the future?

I haven’t come across negative reviews of “Rites Of Putridity and Death”. The material was liked by maniacs in Poland and around the world. The cassettes were released in China or Costa Rica. There will also be a three - panel digipack in the US this year. CD is available in several countries such as USA, Sweden, France, Holland, Germany, Spain… We are constantly working to make our bastard reach as many people as possible. I don’t want to change anything in the future. It will still be OSDM, we will follow the path marked out on “Rites…”.

Let’s share some experiences you got from live shows and tours?

We’re not Morbid Angel to tour haha… We’ve already played some fantastic shows and the party was always hot. We also don’t want to push our snout everywhere, so I am very careful about who we will share stage boards with. We won’t play with everyone, we respect each other and you won’t see us with shit on one stage. Tomorrow we’re playing the last show at Day Of Darkness with I Refuse and Grave and we’re taking a break until the fall. And you need to rest a bit too haha…

A few hints about your next recordings/releases and some last words from Tortured Corpse?

Currently we have two new songs, it’s still OSDM but we can hear a lot of progress. It’s brutal, dirty and obscure. At the end of summer we plan to record 3 new songs plus one cover. It will be a short shot straight in the mouth.

I won’t say anything about the label yet, I’m in talks with two labels and we’ll see what comes of it.

Thanks for the interview and time spent in your magazine! Worship the true OSDM!

Hail Death Metal To The Death.

http://torturedcorpse1.bandcamp.com

Interview - VICTIMARUM (Finland)

VICTIMARUM (Finland) is a relatively new band but has its own quality and high potential. Based in Turku, this band consists of Vorgoth (guitars), Angeldestroyer (guitars), Taakka (bass/vocals) and R. Charon (drums) and they released Demo 2023 on June 15th, containing 4 tracks of Fierce Satanic Black Metal that are infernally majestic, formidable and blazing!!!

Questions by The Unblessed

Answered by Victimarum (as a band)

Replied on June 27, 2023, 10:06 PM

Hail! Please provide a little introduction about VICTIMARUM - brief history, band members, etc.

Victimarum started as a project between Vorgoth and Angeldestroyer in 2020, but due to playing together elsewhere, the band had its first member Taakka join the ranks in Fall of 2022, and R. Charon joined the band in winter of 2023.

Fierce Satanic Black Metal. Is it possible that you have a deeper explanation about your musical direction, in terms of songwriting, compositions and arrangements, soundwise, lyrical concept, images, etc?

No truer explanation other than the everburning kindle of satanic terror!

Who and/or what entirely inspired and influenced Victimarum? Are you going to stay with these referrals or otherwise in the future?

As the project started between the two of us (Vorgoth and Angeldestroyer), it can be heard on the demo that we have listened to a lot of Horna, Sargeist and Goats of Doom. The future as all things is uncertain, even for this project, but it will sound even more grandiose and epic but still keep up the raw energy that the Finnish underground is known for.

Victimarum has produced an amazing quality through Demo 2023. All four tracks are really excellent. Did you really plan to reach this standard, or is it a natural capability of the bands that are in the Scandinavian region?

It’s all about the place and timing. We only set out to bring forth something that feels true to us and the few that still keep up the flame of true black metal. Finland is just a country like that, brimming with dark forces and an even darker environment.

Through Demo 2023, has Victimarum caught recognition from any record/production labels? What are the criteria of a label you want to deal with?

We have had contacts from some labels, but not much. As what comes to certain requirements regarding labels; no swindling, transparency and a burning passion for promoting true black metal.

I think you guys are currently active in gigs and live events. Share a little about your shows?

We haven’t had any shows yet, but it will be total and utter satanic madness! First live show will be played in 6 weeks from answering these questions. 

A few hints about your next recordings/releases & some last words from Victimarum? Thanks!

After our first live rituals we’ll begin preparing our first full-length assault. Also, a split with a band we’re not ready to announce has been in the talks. Last words? “Haista vittu! Never stop the mädness!”

http://victimarum.bandcamp.com

Interview - BIO-CANCER (Greece)

BIO-CANCER (Greece) is an extreme thrash metal band based in Athens, formed in 2010, and was one of the leading acts in the emerging thrash scene of the early ‘10s in the country. Since then, two albums have been released; “Ear Piercing Thrash” (2012, Athens Thrash Attack Records) and “Tormenting The Innocent” (2015, Candlelight Records). Currently signed under Dutch label - Hammerheart Records, Bio-Cancer (will be) back with their third full-length entitled “Revengeance”, (scheduled to be) unleashed on September 8, 2023.

Questions by The Unblessed

Answered by Thanasis Andreou

Replied on June 20, 2023, 6:41 PM

Hail! Please provide a little introduction about BIO-CANCER - brief history, band members, etc.

Hey man, thanks for having us! The band was formed in 2010 and two years later our first album “Ear Piercing Thrash” was released. After a few line-up changes and a few -mostly local- shows, in 2015 we released “Tormenting the Innocent”. After that, we played many shows abroad and have toured throughout Europe a few times as well as China. The line-up has been the same since 2014.

The Greek scene is very well-known with its distinctive sound in Black Metal, bands such as Rotting Christ, Varathron, Kawir, etc. What about Thrash Metal? How would you elaborate the music style and influences in Bio-Cancer?

That’s true, the Greek metal scene is very strong with legendary bands like the ones you mentioned and countless more in the underground scene. The thrash scene in particular saw a re-emergence in Greece around the early 2010’s and is going strong ever since! I would call our music extreme thrash for the most part. Up until now there were influences from bands like Kreator, Exodus, Dark Angel with more extreme elements incorporated into the music, for example the vocals. With our new album this has changed.

Explain more about your third full-length “Revengeance” especially in terms of songwriting and recordings? And also, how would you describe that this brand new one is different from the previous two albums?

As I said, with “Revengeance” we have taken a slightly different approach and tried to experiment more. The songwriting was a struggle at first between trying to find a style we were happy with and not sounding like a completely different band. This is part of the reason why this new record took so long to make. Eventually we ended up with music that we are very happy with and brings something fresh for the fans of the band. As it should be after 8 years! For this new one, expect everything to be more extreme with more influences from death and black metal!

Do you still want to say anything about “Ear Piercing Thrash” (2012) and “Tormenting The Innocent” (2015)?

“Ear Piercing Thrash” is essentially the album that put us on the map as a thrash metal band. It resonated with many people across the world which is something we didn’t expect at the time. For this reason it holds a very special place in our hearts. “Tormenting the Innocent” expanded on that and made it possible for us to to play across many stages worldwide. But now it’s time for something new!

Why did Bio-Cancer collaborate with Hammerheart Records this time and not stay with the previous labels?

We see our collaboration with Hammerheart as a new opportunity to work with a label that shares our vision and aspirations for this new era of the band. While we appreciate our past experiences with previous labels, we see this as a way to reach a broader audience and benefit from the expertise Hammerheart brings to the table. Ultimately, we see this as the natural step forward.

Can you report a little bit about the Thrash Metal movement in Athens especially, and also about Bio-Cancer in gigs and tours event?

The thrash scene in Athens emerged in the early 10’s as I said previously and we were part of it. Many of the bands from back then have managed to gain recognition at an international level which shows how hard they have worked and they truly deserve it. This of course extends to other metal genres as well which are probably more popular right now. Also some of the bands, including ourselves, have incorporated other elements to their music thus breaking away from the strict limits of thrash. Overall the thrash scene in Athens has evolved and still goes strong after 10+ years!

Tell them out there why they need to immediately get/listen to the “Revengeance” album, and some last words from Bio-Cancer? Thanks!

If you are a fan of extreme metal in general, you must give “Revengeance” a listen. Even if you are not a fan of our previous albums, this one might do it for you as it has something different to offer. We really are proud of the outcome of this record and you can have a first taste with our first single “Citizen... Down!” which is out now! Thanks a lot for this interview. Cheers!

http://bio-cancer.bandcamp.com

Interview - NUCLEAR THREAT (USA)

NUCLEAR THREAT (USA) is a Thrash Metal duo from Springfield, Massachusetts that has arisen to take on the world!!! Determined to bring back the atmosphere, energy and brutality of the old school Thrash scene to a new generation of fans! Nuclear Threat released six-song debut self-titled EP back on May 5, 2023. Watch out!…there’s a new threat in town!

Questions by The Unblessed

Answered by Mike Silva

Replied on June 16, 2023, 7:11 AM

Hail! Please give a little introduction about NUCLEAR THREAT - brief history, band members, etc.

Hi I am Mike Silva of Nuclear Threat, thank you for your consideration and support!

Nuclear Threat is a Thrash Metal project I started on my own and have my extremely talented son taking over on drums. We put out a self removed six song EP on a very low budget which is why the production is a little ruff. We will be recruiting additional band members in the near future to turn this project into a full band and be able to play shows. We are currently writing new material and are stepping it up a notch since we got some pretty good reviews.

What inspired you during the songwriting and recordings of the debut EP? How would you describe your music and sound?

Our inspirations for our debut EP are the classic 80s USA/Teutonic/Brazilian Thrash of that time (Kreator, Sodom, Slayer, Dark Angel, Sepultura…)

What has Nuclear Threat achieved and disaccomplished through the 6-track EP?

We were trying to find our own sound and style which is why the songs are each uniquely different from one another on the debut EP.

Do you also face harsh criticism considering that Nuclear Threat is a new band?

We actually got a lot more good feedback than bad which motivates us to push forward.

Tell us about your lyrical contents and how important are the messages in each song?

Our lyrical content is mostly about you know, good stuff… war, annihilation of mankind, destruction… stuff like that.

Give your opinions about the present Thrash Metal movement? What do you like and dislike in the current scene?

As an older Metal head I am excited and pleased to see newer generations still keeping the Thrash genre alive and well. I have heard some very great bands emerge and still emerging from this genre. Thrash will never die!! 

A few hints about your next recordings/releases and some last words from Nuclear Threat?

Our newer stuff is already sounding ten times better with alot more time dedicated to writing and production… we will keep everyone updated as it progresses… thanks again! And especially the fans!! We are Nuclear Threat, coming at you FULL FORCE!!!

http://nuclearthreat.bandcamp.com

Interview - CELESTIAL BURIAL (Australia)

CELESTIAL BURIAL (Australia) is a two-man Death Metal band consisting of its founder Matt Ford (Guitars / Bass / Drums) and his close friend Aaron Mangano (Vocals). At the time this interview was done, the duo had already produced 4 singles; Towards the Void (December 23, 2022), Genocidal Extinction (January 20, 2023), Mind Defect (February 17, 2023) and Global Exit (May 4, 2023). The singles are part of the tracks included in their debut album “Genocidal Extinction”, released through Grindhead Records on June 9, 2023.

Questions by The Unblessed

Answered by Matt Ford

Replied on June 14, 2023, 1:57 PM

Hail! Please give a little introduction about CELESTIAL BURIAL - brief history, band members, etc.

Matt: Hello! thanks for having us here. Celestial Burial was originally going to be a solo project that I started back about 6 years ago. However, I was busy pursuing other musical ventures and Celestial Burial got put on the back burner. 

That was until 2022, when I contacted a mate of mine Aaron Mangano and asked if he would be interested in doing vocals in the band and from there, we started working on the music. 

How do you define your music and lyrics? Does Celestial Burial have any attempt to deliver untypical & distinctive Death Metal sound?

Matt: I’d say with this new album “Genocidal Extinction” there is definitely more of a Deathcore influence. It has its fast parts, but also some Brutal breakdowns. We try not to stick to anyone style either, if it sounds heavy and we like it, that’s what matters and hopefully you guys like it as well! 

Lyrically, this new album is based around a lot of different topics. But the main focus is the darkness within mankind and ourselves. 

Please share your conclusions about all the singles that have been unleashed?

Matt: So the four singles we released before the album had some really positive feedback, people seemed to like it. So hopefully they enjoy the album also. 

What can you promise and/or can we expect from your debut full-length “Genocidal Extinction”? Are you completely satisfied with the quality of the production?

Matt: Well, you can expect a non stop heavy album. It’s quite relentless lol.

Sound wise, we did the best we could with what we had and taking that into consideration, I think it turned out quite well. 

Please provide any essential information & facts about the album? Why did Celestial Burial sign to Grindhead Records?

Matt: We contacted Grindhead Records because both Aaron and I were familiar with the label and their love for releasing heavy music. 

So we thought we would send them some tracks, and they liked what they heard. So from there we worked with them to release our full length. They are a great label and very professional, we are happy to be apart of the Grindhead roster! 

What is Death Metal from your perspective?

Matt: Death Metal from my perspective.. hmm, well it’s definitely heavy lol like any music though it has to come from the soul when your playing / writing it and Death Metal is no exception. 

How do you predict the future of the band? Thanks! Any last words from Celestial Burial?

Matt: Hopefully releasing more music, but for now we will let the dust settle on “Genocidal Extinction” and let people get acquainted with that first. 

Thanks to everyone for the support!

http://celestialburial.bandcamp.com

Interview - NOCTURNAL CALL (Mexico)

NOCTURNAL CALL (Mexico City, Mexico) has just released a new full-length album entitled “For Death I Shall Be Forever Alive”, the third from this obscure Doom/Death Metal act after “The Infinite Mirrored in the Infinite” (2018) and “A Blaze of Inner Black” (2020). The new CD in Digipak format has been produced & distributed by the prestigious label, American Line Productions officially on April 8, 2023. Nocturnal Call currently consists of the band founder Héctor Montero (drummer and keyboardist), accompanied by César Caro (vocalist and guitarist) and Kåre André Sletteberg (bassist).

Questions by The Unblessed

Answered by Héctor Montero

Replied on May 19, 2023, 1:42 AM

Hail! Please give a little introduction about NOCTURNAL CALL - brief history, band members, etc.

NC was founded it in 2016 as a personal project, it was meant to be only 4 songs, later on, I invited César Caro to record voices, he gave impetus to complete the idea to form it as a band, and better jump direct to a debut album, ever since the connection has been there and the music is just flowing.

Currently the band is made up of Héctor Montero on drums and keyboards ex-April Morning (Mex) and is currently part of the KAS (Nor), César Caro on vocals and guitars is currently part of The Zephyr (Mex), and Kåre André Sletteberg on bass also a member of the band In the Woods… (Nor) and KAS (Nor).

The band has recently returned with third release, “For Death I Shall Be Forever Alive”. In your opinion, what does the release of this new album mean to the entire career and chronology of the existence of Nocturnal Call during this time?

Without a doubt, it is the best album of the band, we have done a great job both in the composition and in the production of the album, this album transports you to a place where reflection and melancholy take you to another place where your senses meet the darkness and also expresses the chemistry that we have strengthened among the members of NC, the lyrics here are just awesome, a very strong history that makes you think.

Unlike the two previous works, “For Death…” only features one long track, lasting 29:22 minutes. What was the idea? Does Nocturnal Call still maintain the same spirit and strength, or do you want to take this band to another dimension?

The idea arose taking as influence the albums “Light of Day, Day of Darkness” by Green Carnation and “Crimson” by Edge of Sanity and also that the song never ends so that you reflect and feelings do not interfere between several songs, that start and never end.

Do you still have any thoughts on “The Infinite Mirrored in the Infinite” (2018) and “A Blaze of Inner Black” (2020)?

Of course, our past records also have a great feeling, “The Infinite Mirrored…” is a dark piece of a more classic Doom Metal full of melancholy and darkness, “A Blaze of…” is a step forward to progressive rock, without a doubt these are records that make you travel to introspection, and inner strength through sadness.

The band has been working with American Line Productions since the beginning. Everyone knows that it is a long-running and cult label. How close is your relationship with Joel Morales Castro? Doesn’t Nocturnal Call want to extend the deal with any label from Europe or Asia?

We have known Joel for many years, the album he produced first is from The Zephyr back in 98, that’s how they start their friendship, that’s why César make the approach with AL since the beginning, right now we are happy and satisfied with the great work and support that Joel has given to Nocturnal Call he is a great person, but answering to your question, yes we are interested in expanding the deal with another label to take Nocturnal Call to more ears in the world and why not present our proposal in another country live.

In a precise and profound sense, how is Nocturnal Call best described? What exactly has inspired you?

Many times we have bad emotional streaks, we turn those emotions into music, describe melancholy, darkness and reflection. 

Last question: why should we listen to Nocturnal Call? Thanks.

Like I mentioned before, in NC you can find that strength that we need to endure life itself through sadness, darkness and sorrow, in our music you can find that inspiration that make you bring out that Black shine to last till our friend Death takes us to another astral plane.

http://nocturnalcall.bandcamp.com

http://alprods.bandcamp.com

Interview - PROTRUSION (USA)

PROTRUSION (US) is based in Lafayette, Indiana. The four-piece recently unleashed a 3-track Demo on April 14, 2023 which is really excellent. A band like this, perhaps on the basis of the experiences they have gone through in addition to their skills and deep knowledge of what they do, is indeed capable of producing something of high quality even if it is the first release.

Questions by The Unblessed

Answered by Colin Foster

Replied on May 17, 2023, 6:37 AM

Hail! Please give a little introduction about PROTRUSION - brief history, band members, etc.

Colin: I played drums in a lot of death metal bands up until around 2019 but was never entirely satisfied with my experiences. Something was always missing that I craved. I wanted something simply heavy and dark but also raw and honest in its composition. I decided I wanted something new and playing guitar in a real band was something I hadn’t done before. Sometime in 2021 was when I first sought out Kevin Baum to play drums and we started writing. Shortly after that, John Elston (Bass) and Kyle Christman (guitar) were brought into the mix, and since then we’ve all been working hard at making Protrusion the best it can be.

The “Protrusion” Demo sounds killer, ultimately! Have these experiences been a big part of the strength in this band?

Colin: Between the four of us, we each have a lot of experience from playing in other bands including some that were much more intense and demanding. The difference musically is that Protrusion gives us more time to breath and focus on expressing the atmosphere of death metal at its roots. Our strength comes in our primitive and crude simplicity.

On the other hand, what exactly inspired you all during the making of the 3-track demo - in terms of songwriting, music arrangements, recordings & the sound preference?

Colin: We were inspired by the morbid and dark sounds of 90s death metal. Our goal was to make music that could have existed at that time including the riffing and production styles found in that period of time. We recorded and produced everything on our own. Of course the recording equipment from the 90s is hard to come by so we had to adapt modern recording equipment to replicate those 90s analog sounds.

Tell us some information about the production and distribution of the demo - the self-released tapes, the CD version on Sevared Records. How was the response look like? Also reported that the EU editions available through Unholy Domain Records, please tell us more details?

Colin: When we finished recording the demo we didn’t really have a set plan on how to release it. At first we shared it digitally through YouTube, and started getting tapes prepared to distribute ourselves. We made our own j-cards and dubbed the demo to as many tapes as we had. We put the first 30 tapes on Bandcamp for sale. The response was overwhelmingly positive. We started receiving all kinds of requests from labels to produce their own versions of the tape. Unholy Domain Records was among the first labels we made arrangements with. We were also getting a lot of requests for a CD version so we partnered with Sevared Records to get that done. There are a handful of other tapes coming out around the globe but those haven’t been officially announced yet.

Old-school Death Metal is always the best and has become a cult. Are you against the presence of modern death metal? What is Death Metal according to your perspective?

Colin: I personally lost interest in “modern” metal long ago. To me death metal should be authentic regardless of style. These days most people believe that bands need to have “top-notch” production quality. The concensus is you have to buy lots of fancy equipment or digital tools so your band sounds unreal. To me that attitude is very disappointing and has become harmful to the very qualities that death metal originated with. Raw, aggressive, unhindered death… that is what is important.

Tell us some gigs and tours that has been done by Protrusion? What have you learned from each shows?

Colin: So far we have only played two shows. The first one was actually a benefit show after the passing of a friend of the band, Ryan King. The proceeds from the show went to his family and it ended up being an awesome event. Our very first hometown show is this Friday so we are looking forward to playing for all our close friends. We have a few more scheduled later this year that we will announce when the time comes.

A few hints about your next recordings/releases and some last words from Protrusion? Thanks!

Colin: We are wrapping up the writing portion of our full length album and we plan to focus on that for the second portion of this year. I’d like to thank everyone that has shown us their support this year by picking up a tape, a shirt, or a CD. That is very meaningful to us. Cheers.

http://protrusion.bandcamp.com

Interview - DALISAY (Philippines)

DALISAY (Philippines) has launched their debut full-length, “Ang Trahedya ng Dalisay at Ketungin” on September 15, 2021. This is sort of an impressive album, containing 7 tracks of old-school Death/Thrash aggression. The CD version was released by Surrogate Records (Ukraine) while the cassette edition was available through Screaming Skull Records (Norway).

Questions by The Unblessed

Answered by Jorel Torres

Replied on May 16, 2023, 1:30 AM

Hail! Please give a little introduction about DALISAY - brief history, band members, etc.

We are an Old School Death/Thrash from the Philippines that spews out subjects relating to socio-political issues. Founded in Cavite around 2006 by me (Jorel Torres), Gio Herrera, Jeffrey Batoctoy, and Jet Bartolome. Now, I’m the only remaining founding member.

The band suffered from a lot of line up changes, even after the release of the debut album. Currently, the line up consists of me on guitars and vocals, Mark Saguibo on bass, Khristian Virtudazo on guitars, and Toots Book on drums.

Explain more about your recent album “Ang Trahedya ng Dalisay at Ketungin”. The musics are extremely kills and the band is more comfortable with lyrics in the native language. Please further comments.

Our debut album, “Ang Trahedya ng Dalisay at Ketungin” is a 7-track concept album. All songs are sung in our native tongue, and tied together by character narratives, touching on familiar social issues in our country. It can also be seen as a cautionary tale of how poverty, famine, desperation, and dark past can lead someone into a downward spiral path to corruption.

Since all songs are reflections of our country’s social ills, in my opinion, there is none more potent way of delivering it other than using the local tongue, in terms of sincerity, authenticity, and impact. I think that applies to all countries and their respective local tongues.

What hugely influenced you all during the making of the album, especially in terms of songwriting, recordings and the entire sound preferences?

Lyrically, the inspiration behind is what I see not only on the news, but what I personally see on the streets, and on the neighborhood. 

Music-wise, we wanted to have same vibe and grit as those  bands that we look up to like Death, Obituary, Slayer, Sepultura, etc. but without being just a watered-down clone of said bands.

Everything was done DIY. We recorded and mixed almost all songs except “Sa Bunganga ng Pagkabaliw” on our own. Same applies to the album cover, which I painted on my own too. I wanted to give the album a highly striking image to represent visually the message it conveys, most especially to the local audience. Given that Philippines is a catholic country, the image of the Madonna and Child is a very familiar and sacred image to almost everyone in the country, and to which the album cover was inspired. I thought it was perfect to picture the leprous Lazaro in the same composition as both the Mother and the Child. Lazaro, who was left alone by her mother at a young age and acted out as the mother to himself on his path to desperation, corruption, and insanity.

Do you dislike and even completely reject modern Death/Thrash Metal?

No. Let’s just say we prefer the grittier and way more sinister appeal of old death/thrash sound. 

What about the responses you received for the album? How do you see the cooperation from the labels towards Dalisay?

We are very happy with the how it was received by extreme music fans, it inspires us to do more. Of course, we are also very grateful to Screaming Skull Records, Surrogate Rec., and Harrowing Industries in helping us release this debut to a wider audience, as well as to the zines and critics who wrote about and supported our debut, that includes you, RAISE THE DEAD! Cheers! If only we could ask more, we hope to have it release in vinyl too! Haha.

Does Dalisay play gigs and do tours? Tell us about it.

When we released the debut, our drummer at that time is based on USA, so gig was not possible. Though recently, since Jux had to leave, our new drummer, Toots, as well as our new axeman, Khristian, are both local based so we plan to return to playing in gigs soon.

A few hints about your next recordings/releases and some last words from Dalisay?

The follow up album is already on the works! It’s more subject-specific and fact-based. I had consumed documentaries and history books regarding the topics on this album. Haha. As much as I wanted it to be relentless in delivering my interpretation of the truth, I wanted to be more cautious on the veracity of the messages that we will be delivering to the audience. Though we sounded evil to your ears, we aim to do good for the society and not make things worse than they already are.

Soundwise, it’s faster, more aggressive, and melodies are more infectious than what was served on our debut. I promise you that!

http://dalisaypinoydeath.bandcamp.com