Hate Eternal

Erik Rutan, A man known for His extensive death metal habits of writing and producing some of the metal scenes most brutal albums ,Not only of his own band Hate Eternal, but of many great bands known throughout the planet, This is a guy who’s talent has exploded in the face of metal and will continue to blood soak the scene for years to come!

Angelgrave- The new album “fury and flames” is your 4th album want to tell me about it?

Erik- febuary 2008 first album on metal blade,

Angelgrave- I was reading another interview you referenced Mozart’s requiem about your album?

Erik- With Jared passing away, I wanted to create an album that was a sentiment of how I was feeling at the time which was pretty crappy, I had been talking to Jared coming back to the band, ever since he had left he had left cause he had to take care of something’s of his life he was doing well it was a real shocker that he passed away, so when he died I took some time to reflect on everything and decided If I was going to continue honestly after consoling with his family and friends I decided this is everything, Hate Eternal is everything to me, same with producing there the two things I love so I just focused on making “Fury and Flames” really a requiemess album dedicated to Jared I felt what couldn’t be better way to honor someone one of my best friends a great part of the bands history then to write an album for him,
It also made it the hardest album I’ve ever done cause I had an heavy heart during the album, it was a pretty intense ting I was working a lot I had produced 9 albums in a row leading up to “Fury and Flames”
By the time I did “Fury and Flames” I was burnt emotionally and physically I put everything I had into it.

Angelgrave- Why was your set so short tonight?

Erik- That’s the allotment we get, that’s what we do , I am humble guy I am just happy to be on tour with cannibal corpse and hate breed 25 minutes of Hate Eternal still gets the point across.

Angelgrave- You’ve had a lot of hurdles to overcome like a chipped vertebrae in your neck?

Erik- Randy my old bass player was driving in the snow, I was sleeping in the back of the van.
I woke up hearing “oh shit oh shit” then I woke up in the front of the van, we had gone into a ditch and the trailer had swung around and hit the window where I was sleeping and hit my whole body .I ended up in the front of the van, I had glass and snow in my face and I chipped my 6th vertebrae ! I was down and out for about 4 months trying to recover, I couldn’t really feel my fingers because all my nerves were out of wack ,so I had to get my act together, Hence the van without the trailer[points to the van we were leaning on] I spent 60 grand on this thing because after that I got nervous about the trailer, we got 5 bunks in there so we can sleep everybody and you can stand in there, its funny it looks big ,my girlfriend drives it all the time it drives like champ, So I saved up some money and bought this,[ points at the oddly shaped van again] the sprinter is like a Mercedes Bens everyone tours with these in Europe.

Angelgrave- So including the accident you had even more hurdles, Lineup change, after line up change, then getting Shaun back into the band?

Erik- yeah, Shaun ,he’s been a friend of mine for along time, he’s never toured and I wanted to give him an opportunity to get a taste of it, With “Fury and Flames” he wrote one song and came in last minute, he’s friend of mine he wasn’t doing so well, so I wanted to give him a chance to see the world and tour, I kinda told him when he got in the band ,he was like the reason he never joined the band before was because he said he wasn’t sure he was going to like touring, and wasn’t sure if he was cut out for this shit. I said listen if it doesn’t work out, it don’t work out, and well it didn’t work out. Touring is hard, its not easy, I hate to say it ,Shaun is a great friend of mine and a great guitar player, but I feel most comfortable as a 3 piece ,I’m so use to being on that right side, its super tight as a 3 piece it always has been through all the incarnations of the band, I think it will stay that way, I have no regrets about Shaun. He got to go to Europe ,otherwise he wouldn’t have gotten to tour, just trying to help out a friend in a bind, he was in ripping corpse with me. Some people take to touring and some don’t, not that he didn’t enjoy himself. Touring is grueling ,its a lot of work, its not one big party when your driving 500 miles. Last night we drove 500 miles here, tonight we have to drive another 400 to Jacksonville, its grueling stuff, we got a show in new Orleans, then Houston, then next thing you know were in California, no regrets when it comes to the band there’s not many regrets I have.
I’ve had a lot of people in the band over the 12 years, just people don’t realize how much work it takes to do a band, The funny thing is, I do most of the work, I produce the albums I do the biz, haha, I like to think when people join the band they don’t have to worry about a lot of shit besides playing and feeling good, I try to take as much as possible on my shoulders.
The good thing about hate eternal is we, at the best place’s we’ve been as a line up as being on metal blade its an amazing label and the Hg group which is one of the best fucking agents period, our traveling arrangements have improved.

Angelgrave- Tell us about your studio?

Erik- the studio is another branch of who I am I guess, working with Cannibal Corpse obviously producing the last to records was great, working with Vital Remains and I’ve been working with a lot of great bands for along time. Its something that comes natural to me, I went to school for engineering along time ago before I joined Morbid Angel and its something I’ve always wanted to do, own my own studio. I feel like a 6th member of the band when I am in there, I understand the music, I understand all the elements, I’ve played with the best drummers the best anybody -I’ve never played with an average anybody, so I’ve been very lucky and spoiled to play with such incredible musicians during my tenure.

Angelgrave- You Don’t have that attitude, as far as your success goes its not going to your head

Erik- No I don’t, I like to think I am one of the more humble guys considering the amount of stuff I’ve done in my career the more I do the humble I am, were some guys the more they do the more rockstar asshole they become but, I never looked at it because your successful you should become an asshole,
I try to take time to talk to the fans every night I am just one of those guys I grew up listening to slayer I am like everybody else I really try to associate with the people who listen to my music if it wasn’t for them, the minute people stop caring I loose my inspiration it’s a two way street here, I never understood the rock star mentality.


Angelgrave- what do you think about the internet and music?, Do you think its killer music?

Erik- Yeah its tough, for musicians and bands starting out now good luck, they need it I see it across the board I play in a band and own a studio, so record sales are slumping hence record budgets are smaller hence I got bands coming to me with much smaller budgets then a few years ago
To sell records now you have to do non-stop touring and get out there and really work your ass off, there are some positives as people get to hear music and may go out and buy the record, but when a kid can download a whole album for free he’s not going to ask mom for 12 bucks, when you can just go on lime wire and whatnot and download it its hurting the musicians, the musicians like us its really hard the whole music industry is changing. For me my whole life is music between the studio and the band so aim having to be more thrifty about succeeding on a finical level with the studio, its a huge I got an a and abs room, its gigantic It’s a really nice place, my partner actually spent along time building it just you gotta be really thrifty, iam already a thrifty guy but iam realizing I have to be more thrifty more entrepreneurially
Trying to capitalize on my business market yourself better, Iam one person so its kinda hard.

Angelgrave- you still chill with the guys from Morbid Angel?

Erik- oh yeah I still talk to those guys, I talked to David about a week ago, they’ve not played in the states in a long time its been years, I did shows with them back in 2006 at wacken and stuff the guy tony who replaced me , I don’t know what happen to them, they called me and I always told them if you need help with anything I am down, there like family to me, I’ll do anything to help out Morbid Angel
It was fun to come back after all these years I’ve not played with David in ten years, so it was a lot of fun.


Angelgrave- So whats the legacy Erik Rutan wants to leave behind when he’s done?

Erik- A big long one, you look at my rap sheet and it says Holy shit, I hope some day I will be acknowledged as the guy who was a really huge part of death metal, I feel I want to be a bigger part than I am, I try to give back to the scene by creating quality death metal and producing quality death metal records, death metal is dying breed right now, pure death metal is in a dormant state, newer bands coming out aren’t death metal.

Angelgrave- The definition of the genre is changing ,all these newer generation coming into the age of metal are calling themselves death metal , but there doing it a little different adding new elements and its changing the genre do you see this?

Erik- I think a lot of the bands nowadays calling themselves death metal, I don’t really feel they are, In my opinion I am not saying its right or wrong, its more hybrid death metal you know? death metal like: Cannibal corpse, Morbid angel, Suffocation, Deicide, Nile, Krisiun, Immolation, Origin are the first bands that come to mind for me when you say death metal, The newer bands ,not that there not great for what the do, just they are a hybrid of death metal, breakdowns ,argeppigos and all this crazy shit, I kind feel its not really death metal it’s a hybrid form of death metal in my opinion .They have blast beats and death vocals I am not saying its right or wrong, but for me I’m always going to play death metal and when I’m done its going to be death metal the last record I will do will be death metal.
I want a legacy of death metal, when someone goes to wikipedia and it says death metal somewhere my name will be tossed in there, Decibel did a top 20 guitarist of death metal and I was number 10, I was really happy a bout that, cool, I’ll take ten I’m fine with it. I don’t need to be at the top of the list as long as I’m on the list, its like producers there’s a lot of great producers out there a lot of bands who contact me are like we’re talking to: Collin Richards, Andy Sneap, Zeus a lot of guys out there if there even mentioning me at the bottom of the list with those names I’m happy to be there.


Angelgrave- What music do you listen to when your relaxing?

Erik- I love classical music a lot .I listen to a lot of it when in the frame of mind and Iranian music and middle eastern music, when were driving I’m listening to Nile or all sort of demos, its good driving music, I love Iron Maiden, and Nevermore is a band I really like, I like all kinds of music there’s only some kinds I don’t like I can appreciate all kinds of music, with death metal kinda changing becoming a hybrid of music most of the bands coming out I can appreciate the talent and skill level of the music I just happen to be a purist of death metal, so I am staying where I am with my sound, I’ve been doing this for 20 years I don’t see it changing anytime soon, I write angry, evil pissed ,off death metal
that’s just who I am, its therapeutic that why iam a happy person.




Angelgrave- What do you tune to?

Erik- C sharp standard


Angelgrave- Lets go through your rig real quick

Erik- Sure, right now I am playing through a La Boga , mister hector and a Engel power ball
Though some marshall jcm 800,900 and vintage 30 cabinets, I try to get a blend with a tube screamer
A noise suppressor ,a delay reverb pedal with a eq mid range boost for my solos and a morely bad horsy wah to accentuate the harmonics, if its good enough for Steve its good enough for me, That’s pretty much my rig, I change it up from time to time I have a plethora of amps at my studio, I am a marshall guy at heart, I tend to leave them at home there getting older and I value them and I got these endorsements from la boga and Engel and I love playing them they sound great.

Angelgrave- Thank you, you gave me an awesome interview

Erik- Thank you, its not my first interview on the road haha.

Bobby Blitz(OVERKILL)
Angelgrave



Keeper: so you have been around since 1980?

Bobby Blitz: We were signed in 84 released in 85
its always been steady constant committed to principals and alot of tenacity and hard work but its what we love doing, these are not complaints just observations.


Keeper: Your new release is called IronBound and it will not be released till next year?

Bobby: Yes, E1 is going to release it the first week of February.


Keeper: Your going on tour in Europe to support the album?

Bobby: That’s correct ,the European release is about 10 days to 2 weeks
Prior ,due to the strength of the Euro, they do not want to be
flooded with American imports(laughter), so its just a business move. We start our Euro tour in the Netherlands on the 6th of February, from there it takes us through the majority of western Europe
for a month then south America is in March ,then our U.S. tour starts in April on the first. Some U.S. dates are Philadelphia, Massachusetts, Connecticut , California dates, also some Canadian dates,denver, Seattle, Portland, new York.

Keeper: On the last couple tours have you guys been seeing alot of new faces in the crowd like new fans?

Bobby: One thing that I think is unique to this music is its transcendence of generation, with regards to it appreciate and regards to those who create it, there’s alot of young thrash fans out there which is pretty neat to see after 25 years when it really started that there is new found interest in this. If I am to be honest its probably due to some of the similar social political situations this started under, you know that kind of scream in the dark, or that fire in the night approach to the scene and I see that now with newer bands which is pretty interesting and quite cool to see a flag being passed to newer creativity.

Keeper: So, who do you credit for the longevity of Overkill?

Bobby: Viagra(laughs),I think its about the principals remaining the same, it was done for the love and that’s a strong emotion when you love something you protect it. It doesn’t seem to go hand and hand with what the scene is about ,but there is a big love a big sense of community, those who support and those who create it. But I think over time when I look back what really kept it was living in the day, if we could live day to day at the highest level we can to promote this band ,and we take that attitude into the next day. Days turn into years and that’s the key principal to keeping it around.

Keeper: I heard you stroked out during one of your sets onstage?

Bobby: I’ve never heard it put that way(Laughs), What happen was no painful experience, this was, I had dabbled in drugs in the early days and experienced many different highs that were self induced this was
somewhere between tequila and Quaaludes, this was not an awful experience, I remember the lights going out and then the lights came up, everything in slow motion then the sound going away, it was a quick shut down with regards to neurons. I am predisposed to it due to family, through genetics there was nothing I could do to avoid it. I never saw it coming, it hit me out of the blue, it was a moment
in time. What went through my mind was “what the fuck just happen”? And the second thing that went through my mind was someone told me I just had a stroke and iam getting married in two weeks, I hope my little bobby is still working.(laughs) Which shows were our priorities are
as men. It was never an issue for me, I was taken to place were there are people in much worse shape then me, and I realized my situation on a scale of one to ten even being damaged was a nine and a half, I wasn't damaged I was in good shape. I lived through it and I think its also one of the principals we have its not about the problem everyone has those, its about getting through those problems and coming out the other side, and really learning from it. If it taught me anything, it was really live more in the day, have
more of that type of an attitude, you never know when you will get hit by a bus or whatever. I tell my wife when I leave the house its a joke we have "Honey I am leaving yeah I know if I get hit by a bus put on your grave stone it was a great ride" I think that’s a good way to live in the present., You know it was weird, we got married over in Europe and when I got back first thing I did was I hopped on my bike and she had said to me: "what are you doing?" and I said to her "Well I gotta know" and she goes "well I guess your you" so I hopped on it and I could only make left turns so it took about 4 hours to make it home, the idea is yes it was life was normal after that it wasn’t a matter of readjusting anything or changing my life I never knew it was coming and It may never come
again.



Keeper: Do you think OverKill is a thrash legend?

Bobby: I don't know about that. Again if you think of yourself in the day you don't think with regards to that word the definition does not fit. Ironbound is very contemporary offering legendary to me means
traditional we've reinvented our past over the years we've been able to stay in contact with what we started with regards to ourselves and reinvent that from year to year. Ironbound for instance is the most contemporary offering we have to date with regard to timing its a big mix, its pedal to the metal
its a thrash and bash beat'em up. It also has a contemporary guitar wove through the whole thing it lends itself to progressive side of music its an unique offering for us.
Legendary is something that I don’t tread there so Iam not doing this if I had my choice I would do it for as long as I can. Legendary I do not think in those terms.


Keeper: What is the biggest industry change you've witnessed over the years, as far as how the industry runs everything?


Bobby: Obvious instantious information, when I started promotion was done via telephone, flyers on the windows of cars that’s how you got your name out in the early days pre signing being signed it was magazine articles and print ad. Where now its the information is instantious
and I think you have to stay with that, its been the downfall of the industry and also been a feather in its cap. Cause whats fresh is fresh and metal is metal and its an overcrowded scene right now with regards to the amount of bands that are in it. I think when people can get the information right away whether to know when a band is touring or when a band is releasing or to be able to download that song it becomes a positive aspect to whats going on as current as today, it still has to be done in balance, I think with regard to the biggest change its the internet and the downloads.


Keeper: Do you think it helps or hurts the industry?


Bobby: Well that’s also in balance, because some people take advantage of it obviously and lent the record companies to eaten themselves they cast blame to in many cases to the downloader but also they have made it available for this. For years they put themselves in situations especially the big majors the profits were so out of control they needed some type or balance or mediation to make it more level. People shouldn’t have to pay, you can’t support every metal band its not possible or feasible to do finically so the
point is you have to know what you want to support so a download is necessary to some degree. Does it hurt yeah sure it hurts the record companies and we'd like to see a balance struck between the hurt and the positive end of profit.


Keeper: You've have had a lot of line up changes over the years a lot, do you
think you've gained some talent or lost some talent because of
this?

Bobby: Well you know we talked early about a personal situation I went through and its how I perceived the situation that gives me the opportunity to come out the other side. So when a lineup change
happens you can say "Oh man we're really losing someone that’s awful” or you can say "he had to go because he wanted to go and if he doesn’t want to be here maybe its best we have someone who does"
and if you have someone who does want to be there for instance of the situation of a lineup change it gives you the opportunity to have new energy instilled into something that already exist
its changes the chemistry its really a positive thing. Its how you perceive it to be, I don’t think we're not the kind of people who perceive it necessarily negative, Its really about saying we have to go ahead with this under all circumstances so if something like a lineup change is necessary or someone leaves
we say whats next?, where do we look?, I think having that attitude
gives up the opportunity to make the most of every situation.


Keeper: Whats your most funniest tour memory?

Bobby: I was a big MotorHead fan, I still am a big MotorHead fan, I toured with them in 1988 and also toured with them in 2007,there the same people its a great testimony to the boys in that band doing what the love to do, there the kinda guys who are the most fun and also at the same time most gentlemanly on the road, its a combination of fun and manners, I think its a unique situation to be that way. To have met them in 88 and also have relived it in 2007, so that was the coolest thing ever the two motorhead tours I did.


Keeper: You guys ever have any jokes or antics while one tour?

Bobby: We were coming on stage at place called sellbrook in Germany, its was really hot. There was a bunch of openers that proceeded us we ,went on right before motorhead. There was this big kind of foyer where there were couches and iall the dressing rooms where off that big room. Our dressing room was to the right, Motorhead's were to the left, and everybody from the opening acts and Motorhead were out
there and my guys were standing outside the room as if it was locked, so we were just off stage sweating. I said whats going on? My partner D.D. says: "Motorhead turned the heat up in the room its 120 degrees in there, you can’t go in there you'll die" I think "Fuck Motorhead" and I open the door and there's Phil Campbell from Motorhead he's sitting in an little old mans hat and he’s stark naked in the middle of the room with a porno having his way with himself and I am thinking to myself, only the English would do this, SO I guess the joke was on me.



Keeper: Can you pinpoint some musical influences‘?

Bobby: We were born of I always like to think of it as a combination of the new wave of British heavy metal and the American punk rock scene in the late 70's the early 80's, I mean we were kids growing up during this time and we are a combination of the two not to say this is a punk band but we have always have a punk perspective and punk energy and I think that is quite unique with regard to what gives us an original type vibe to this.


Keeper: How old were you when you knew you wanted to be in a band?


Bobby: Me, I was playing air guitar in front of the mirror at 13, I think had my first bass guitar 6 months later!


Keeper: Did you family support you on that?


Bobby: My family supported me, my mother had cut a few records when she was younger, so it was kind of a family situation never a problem in regards to my family it was always a matter of support.



Keeper: Your trademark vocals every time anyone puts on an Overkill album
blinded to see who it is, out come your vocals and they know who it is. Anything to say about that?


Bobby: Its a god given thing, I mean I know how to use them they've always worked for me never failed with regard to what I have tried to do. Its just really the natural approach I don’t worry about it at all
Its real simple for me, use it when necessary and don’t worry about it and don’t over do it.


Keeper: on Ironbound, do you stay with the same vocal style?

Bobby: I think so, I am never afraid to learning new things I think that’s huge with this. Once you stop learning you stop the growth. Its necessary that learning happens, there’s some new approaches but
its identifiably me. The reason that's so is I’ve been writing with D.D. for 25 years and I know what to expect from him he knows what to expect from me and I think its has minimal but some
experimentation in between its what I want that’s important.


Keeper: Any final words?

Bobby: We look forward to 2010 and look for Ironbound you'll be surprised.

Belphegor


Being able to sit down Helmuth from Austria’s Belphegor was an experience ill never forget!
I half expected him to be chomping on some raw meat and dabbing blood off his mouth with a parchment made of female flesh . But my imagination escapes me as he humbly walked over for an interview and introduced himself…

AngelGrave- So, how many languages do you speak ?

Helmuth-Uhh German and English a little bit of Latin. Austrian is a little bit different then German.

Angelgrave- So Austria has two things? Arnold Schwarzenegger
and Belphegor? !


Helmuth- We also have Mozart and Adolph hitler ya know! ( hahaha)

AngelGrave- Hitler !yeah , we all know about that guy !
So , you are half way through your U.S tour , how’s it going for you guys so far?

Helmuth- yeah! Its cool you know .. Every one show’s up ! We are doing good every thing is effective, people like our shit you know, we are different then all the bands , we play a different style of music,

AngelGrave- You are definitely on a tour with bands that are different what Belphegor is Heathen fest is mostly all folk metal and pirate metal bands where as Belphegor is well . Not ! ( haha What do you think about that?

Helmuth-Yeah , he said lets do it cus its different , its like a challenge to us, new experience you know?

AngelGrave- So are you used to seeing guys dressed in kilts at a Belphegor concert in Austria?

Helmuth- No! No fucking way! That’s what I like about the U.S.A , because people are more open mined when it comes to music, because in Europe people would say fuck off you know?!

AngelGrave - So is this your 5th time in the unite states?
 
Helmuth- this is our 6th time! I like it every time! its always been my dream to be able to tour in the U.S.A
 
AngelGrave - What would be your dream tour if you could put together any bands past or present, who would you pick?

Helmuth- First I would pick Black Sabbath with Tony Iommie, Of course Ozzy Ozbourne ,I also respect Dio for his role in black Sabbath, Slayer and Mozart! Maybe some fucking Maiden!

AngelGrave-When Belphegor was starting out as a band in Austria , did you ever face any discriminations or censorships because of your music?

Helmuth- Well yeah, people in Austria are very closed minded you know , with all the problems with the church, restrictions here and there, but we like it ,its not a problem, we piss on there face and say fuck You! We do what we want !

AngelGrave- So you have a second Guitar player on tour with you , is this a permanent thing or just for the tour?

Helmuth- its like a permanent thing.. In the end its me and the bass player for Belphegor its not just business we drink together , we party, sometimes share a woman you know haha.



Angelgrave- whats the difference between Walpurgis rites hexxenwahan and your last one which was
Bondage goat zombie?

Helmuth- I don’t know when it comes to concept it’s totally different, the last album was about B.D.S.M and masochistic stuff the new one is about witches and witchcraft, music wise its typical belphegor was always try to develop our sound get better as musicians more advanced, get better sound, you know always first place.

Angelgrave- Lets talk about your debauchery and your B.D.S.M thing, how big is that a part of your life?

Helmuth- Its all about the sluts some like it some don’t I like the B.D.S.M stuff.


Angelgrave- Do you consider yourself to be black metal?

Helmuth- I don’t label my sound its about extreme metal extremity if I had to label it
I would call it death metal.

Angelgrave- How many videos do you have out?

Helmuth- for the new album we just did one for “German name” the whole song is in the German language its a cool song we spend three days its about excess and everything its cool.

Angelgrave- The goat head has become your mascot?

Helmut- its a great mascot we can’t really do it at home, it’s a real goat died of cancer or whatnot.

Angelgrave- what do you do on your downtime?

Helmut- I don’t know we spend a lot of time on shows its all about the band its our life, a lot of
Energy is put into it, its important to us to be authentic when I come home to my family I am the same,
You know its important to practice what you preach don’t say ok we are so evil, then be different.
Be authentic.

Angelgrave- Got any advice for bands who want to go out there and spread blasphemy and be like belphegor

Helmut- yeah sure, music, Satan, art, go for it.

By AngelGrave

COATHANGER ABORTION
BY Sebastian LeQuire

Keeper: how did the band begin?

Jay and Scott: Me and Scott met at a haunted house we we're both working
he was doing the torture room and I was doing the Christine scene
where the front of the 57 Chevy is coming at you I had to yank it back all night that’s how we met. He was working with friend sof mine and one of them was a bass player I was jamming with and he was a drummer so it worked out.

Keeper: How many Line up changes have you had?

Jay and Scott: That wasn't even anything that band played one show and we were probly that was called execration at the time after that band broke up it was just me and him and that how’s coathanger abortion started it wasn’t called that at the time , that was about 1991
then we played just me and jay for a while a few others buy mainly just me and him then I stopped playing for 2 years got another set
then in 2001 we started jamming again and we got Billy who had played in bands with us before back in the 90's, then Billy ended up being the vocalist for a while in the original band its just those kind of longtime friendship ya know.

we had jammed pretty solid for a year and half the first 9 months we were just bass,drums,guitar before we got the first vocalist
we weren’t that worried about the vocals at the time we were just jamming in the garage anyway it was about the music for us
our first show was a battle of the bands pay to play we got out there and the response we got was how tight we were being a well rehearsed band for just playing for the fun of it and practicing 3 times a week because we want to do. That was the response we got and that was it out first gig a battle of the bands paying 25 dollars to play and not winning cause we're death metal.


Keeper: Being from a scene that really doesn’t have metal scene how hard has it been for you to get going?

Jay and Scott: Actually the metal scene is better then you think, its better then a lot of places we have been,alot of places we've been out of town like fort worth, Dallas you know Devourment and all them are from there but very small crowds, there’s lots of places like that we've been to Florida twice, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville was the best out of those and even that wasn’t so hot, Chattanooga has a good
turn out for us better then average compared to a lot of places.


Keeper: With your bands name Coathanger Abortion have you had any discrimination or hate mail or protest?

Jay and Scott: Of course, no hate mail or protest people with signs anything like that just if someone sees a shirt or sees someone whose sort of metal and you tell them there’s a show tonight and our band name they give us the questions and then the sour faces and all that kind of stuff, it comes with the territory, we've heard of local venues that had said if we were going to be booked they said no due to the name, Then we go out and talk to them for ourselves and then it never happen its how things happen.


Keeper: How did you come up with the name CoatHanger Abortion

Jay and Scott: Our buddy of ours frank smith whose doing the one man band Putrid Remains him and Scott are both the kind of guy s who if you get them on a roll to gross each other out they won’t stop so frank says one time how about a "CoatHanger Abortion" we jokingly said that’s the band name and it stuck.

Keeper: What are your most memorable shows?

Jay and Scott: The most recent ones definite San Antonio, Davenport Iowa playing with Waco Jesus had a real good response the people from Iowa slipknot is not enough there really jonesing for some metal
they were saying thank you for coming so far they appreciated us.
The most memorable are the shitty rides and places you stay.

Keeper: Since signing with Comatose records how has it been?

Jay and Scott: For the most part I have noticed peoples eyebrows raised.
Since we have a real cd and a label backing us, venues take us more seriously. a few endorsements as well: Jay has moser guitars,Halo, I have pintech and devils workshop custom drums, pintech is triggers.
AS far as endorsements it was cool cause jay already played moser guitars so he took it upon himself to get the endorsements some of the stipulations were being in signed band a touring band and he was in aband that did all those things he was new to band and accomplished all those things so it made us look into it and Scott went and got him endorsements, ok we can do this cause we're meeting the criteria finally it never really crossed our minds before
and he took it upon himself so it makes us feel good about it too.


Keeper: How’s the release of "Dying Breed" how is it going has it helped you out any.

Jay and Scott: With notoriety and with making back some money of recording from what Steve at the label said its going well, it has worldwide distribution and its been file shared online and the buzz from myspace people are looking up our shows and coming out to see us
along with our music getting out there. that was one of the things we wanted to be with Comatose for was we knew they could do the job
they understand were we're coming from as being weekend warriors
and he doesn't ask us to do things we can’t do.

Keeper: Did you shop to other labels?

Jay and Scott: Yes in the beginning before we signed with comatose, but for another cd no we haven't we’ve not even thought of that yet, the cd just came out concentrate on this one for a year then worry about that stuff.

Keeper: Any new material awaiting people?

Jay and Scott: Yeah, we have four new songs for the next cd ,it took us a while to get this first cd out
so we'd already been working on the songs one of them is the first song we wrote and we decided to pull back out the other 3 we started to work on about a year ago, as far as getting more music together we're not trying to put another album out we do it the old school way taking time to put it together writing good music, even with Scott as he is with his drum parts he'll change them 6 months in finding different ways to do apart or make it better and make it more polished for us, then try to spit them out with alot of death metal bands do and they turn out to not be such good albums because of it alot of death metal bands there first album is there best and they get in that roll of spitting one out every year and staying on tour and it loses alot of the quality of the music that way.

Keeper: Do you feel the scene is getting oversaturated?

Jay and Scott: Well not in death metal, its not that popular.
well with the state of music the way it is with there not being alot of money and with no big label backing anymore people have to put out cds continually to make money,
Everything is oversaturated anyone can put out a damn album.
The one man band thing is becoming popular its becoming so easy to
do it all at home not dealing with 4 guys just plug the drum machine in and go.


Keeper: What are you influenced by?

Jay and Scott: The old school stuff, something we try to make sure people understand about us your sitting in our jam room you can see the posters that are up: Carcass, Napalm death, Immolation, Cannibal Corpse, early 90's stuff when it was still groovy when it made the transition from thrash to death metal, we try to throw in everything alot of grindcore too a bit of hardcore newer stuff we're influenced by would be: Cephalic Carnage, Dying Fetus, Lividity they've been around for alongtime.

Keeper: So your not afraid to put breakdowns into your songs?

Jay and Scott: We're not afraid We'll do whatever we want, but we will not do it in such a way were its the basis of the song we may do it one or two repetitions so when you get the idea and the effect but its not the part of the song you'll remember just one aspect of the song
because there still more of the flowing rhythms the rollercoaster we're taking you on the breakdown is breakdown then it goes into
a blast and we jerk you around with the music thats what I feel were trying to accomplish.

MAGGOT TWAT


Crashing into the metal scene of Chicago with crushing riffs and the disturbed comedy of Evil Dead cranked out on meth
Maggot Twat keeps the Mock Metal area alive and kickin'.This two man mock metal band Piz(Guitars and Vocals) and
Spammanwhat(Bass and Back up Vocals) crush the music scene with their trusty mechanical friend Dickpancakes(Drum machine).
catch their newest album "8-Bit Apocalypse" for Laughs, Headbanging, and straight up good ol' decrepit themed metal.






Keeper-So I saw that there was a rather brief break in Maggot Twat with Spam, could you tell us what happened?

 MT-SPAM GOT INTO A LITTLE TROUBLE WITH THE LAW. SPAM IS ALSO MARRIED WITH CHILDREN, SO HE KINDA FELT HE NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING TO KEEP HIS ASS IN LINE. ITS SEEMS EVERYTIME WE HANG OUT OR HAVE BAND PRACTICE, WE END UP GOING INSANE AND GETTING INTO SOME KINDA MISCHIEF. NOTHING TERRIBLY BAD, BUT SOMETIMES WE GO TOO FAR. SO, HE FELT HE NEEDED TO STEP AWAY FROM MAGGOT TWAT FOR A WHILE AND DO THE FAMILY THING. I DONT BLAME HIM, I WOULD'VE DONE THE SAME. BUT IT ONLY LASTED A LITTLE WHILE. MAGGOT TWAT IS TOO MUCH FUN TO QUIT

Keeper-I've seen videos of Maggot Twat's live shows and fans here in the south as well as I have wondered about a rumor of Dick Pancakes being built by you guys and actually plays a drum set or is Dick Pancakes just a normal drum machine?

 MT-I BUILT DICKPANCAKES BACK IN 2004 I BELIEVE. I MADE HIM OUT OF A BUNCH OF SHIT FROM MY OLD WORK. WE'VE GONE THROUGH AT LEAST 15 DIFFERENT DICKPANCAKE SETUPS BECAUSE WE DESTROY HIM AT OUR SHOWS WHEN THE FEELINGS RIGHT. HIS ARMS ARE OPERATED BY OUR BUDDY DEMENTED DAVE, BUT HE ISNT ACTUALLY PLAYING. HE JUST DRUMS ALONG WITH THE DRUM MACHINE. AND THE DRUM MACHINE IS SYNCHED UP WITH OUR LIVE VIDEO.

Keeper-I've seen the whole cartoon album artwork like Killgasm's album art, thats spreading amongst the Mock Metal bands and I was wondering about your view on it?like is it an annoying fad or is it something you see thats going to stick amongst Mock metal bands?and are you guys going to convert to that album artwork style?

MT-THATS FUNNY CUZ OUR FIRST ALBUM "STUFFED ANIMAL ORGY" FROM 1998 HAD A HUGE CARTOON CHARACTER ORGY ON THE COVER. IT HAD BIG BIRD BUTT FUCKING BARNEY, WHERES WALDO JERKIN OFF BEHIND A TREE, GONZO WITH HIS NOSE GOING UP SOMEONES ASS, AND STUFF LIKE THAT. OUR MYSPACE PAGE HAS CARTOON PICS OF US ON IT AS WELL. I HAVENT REALLY SEEN TO MANY OTHER BANDS DOING IT, BUT THEN AGAIN MAYBE I DONT LOOK. I THINK IF YOUR A MOCK METAL BAND, ITS KINDA GOES HAND IN HAND WITH THE GOOFY CARTOON THING.

Keeper-How has it been since you guys signed with Deathstar Records?What kind of Merch are they doing for you guys and what about Tours?

 MT-OUR DEAL WITH DARKSTAR IS ONLY A DISTRIBUTION DEAL. SO WE HAVENT DONE MUCH WITH THEM YET. THEY'RE WAITING ON OUR NEW ALBUM WHICH WILL BE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH BEST BUY. DARKSTAR WILL ALSO BE HELPING US WITH VIDEO AIRPLAY ON MTV2 AND FUSE N STUFF. BUT MERCH AND TOURING IS COMPLETELY ON OUR END.

Keeper-Being a band in Chicago, How is the Metal Scene there and how do people respond to the music you guys put out?

MT-THE METAL SCENE HERE IS PRETTY DECENT. THERE ARE ALWAYS SHOWS HAPPENING HERE ALL THE TIME. THERE ARE A TON OF BARS THAT SUPPORT THE LOCAL SCENE AND PROMOTE THE CRAP OUT OF THERE EVENTS. AS FOR US, IT TOOK A REALLY LONG TIME TO GET INTO SOME OF THE BIGGER VENUES OUT HERE. I WOULD SENT PROMO PACS AND EMAILS FOR YEARS AND WE WOULD BE IGNORED. BUT THEN WE'D GET LUCKY CUZ ANOTHER BAND WOULD INVITE US TO PLAY. THE OWNERS OF THE CLUBS LIKED US A LOT AND KEPT INVITING US BACK. WE'VE BEEN ATTRACTING A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO OUR SHOWS. DOMINATRIX GIRLS, BIKERS, SOME PREPPY LOOKING PEOPLE (I DUNNO WHY), KIDS, METALHEADS, EVERYTHING.

Keeper-How long have you and Spam truly been playing music together? how did you guys meet and decide to start Maggot Twat?

MT-I MET SPAM WHEN I CAME OUT OF MY MOMS TWAT. HE WAS THERE AND HE SAID "WHY IS HE CRYING MOMMMY?" HAHA. SPAM AND I ARE BROS. WE STARTED PLAYING MUSIC TOGETHER WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 12 YRS OLD. THE FIRST MUSIC THING WE EVER DID WAS HIM ON HIS CASIO KEYBOARD AND ME ON GUITAR. IT WAS THE ORIGINAL MAGGOT TWAT. NO BUT WE STARTED MT IN 1998. I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING THAT WAS HEAVY AND NUTS, BUT MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH AT THE SAME TIME.

Keeper-Any future ideas or plans for Maggot Twat?

MT-YES. OUR NEW ALBUM IS IN THE WORKS. WE MAY OR MAY NOT ADD A REAL DRUMMER TO THE BAND. MUSIC VIDEOS TO BE PUSHED UP PEOPLES A-HOLES ON MTV. AND DEFINITLEY A TOUR. ALL THESE YEARS OF TWATING, AND WE'VE NEVER GONE ON TOUR. WEVE ONLY PLAYED 5 OUT OF STATE SHOWS IN THE LAST 11 YEARS. SO I THINK ITS TIME WE VENTURE OUT. I WAS SUPRISED TO HEAR YOU SAY WE HAVE FANS IN THE SOUTH.  THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT SEBASTIAN! KEEP IN TOUCH. --PIZ 
 
By Sebastian

AT DAWN


Melding 80's Thrash with today’s Metal, “At Dawn” pushes forth in attracting crowds of the old thrash heads and the young metal heads of today.
With screeching guitars and melodies to catch any ear and vocals to decimate crowds and turn them into pits quickly “At Dawn” busts forth with
their music to catch the ear of people from each genre of Hardcore, Deathcore, Thrash, Melodic Death Metal, and straight up Death Metal.



Keeper-At Dawn's style of music is very unique and reminiscent of 80's thrash metal with an added dosage of complexity to it. Can you tell us what influences helps At Dawn create the music we hear?

 

AD-On “Rapture” we were coming into the writing process with the idea we were going to try to distance ourselves from everyone in the surrounding scene and play some stuff we thought would stand up over time. That being said we listened to a lot of European shit and older stuff. Mostly focusing on old thrash bands and a few choice black metal bands. A good deal of the lyrics are about The Stand.

 

Keeper-Can you tell us how and At Dawn formed?

 

AD-Thats too hard of a question man. Three of us have been playing together and fucking off since junior year. The best answer would probably be winter 2008 when we found a good drummer and started trying.

Keeper-How do people take to At Dawn's music? Does the crowd just stand there or do they respond?

 

AD-Well for the most part people stand there and get mad when we don’t have “mosh calls” or breakdowns but that’s just how the scene is these days in California. When we played out of state it seems like more people get into it.

Keeper-What kind of crowd do you guys attract? like do you guys catch the older crowd and younger crowd?

AD-The young kids usually hate us and look at us like talentless fools for not chugging out an open note for 20 to 30 min every night. The people who are coming out these days are old metal dudes and a few young kids who are starting to get into this type of shit more and more it seems.

Keeper-I recently read in an At Dawn blog that production and shows are slowing to a screeching halt due to school, work, and a combination of the two. Do you think that it will harm At Dawn at all?

 

AD-I don’t really look at the band as a money maker. It’s metal and unless we ride the trends and jump on a hot topic tour we aren’t losing any momentum. It's about fulfilling the need to create something with friends and growing as people. If the music we put out is honest to ourselves and we play what we want that’s all I’m concerned with. We aren't going to be the next big thing. Just looking to fill a void for a few kids and not have to dwell too deep in our pockets to do it.

Keeper-How did At Dawn manage to form and mold its unique Thrashy yet complex sound that it is today?

 

AD-We've always been the odd man out as long as I can remember and we didn't want to imitate all the Warped Tour bullshit going on right now. Mix that with a lot of arguing, bitch fits, hardheadedness, mountain dew(MTNDEW=lame), long car rides and sitting in a room for way too long and theres your answer.

 

Keeper-When might At Dawn make a full length album?

 

AD-There’s no planned dates for anything, but the writing will probably be done by the end of next summer and start recording by winter 2010.

Keeper-Have there been any offers from labels or endorsements for you guys?

I mean it’s clear that the talent is there, and that labels have had to hear you guys.

 

AD-Eh, here and there but nothing worth biting. Endorsements for bands our size are almost always bullshit offers. When we put out “UNDEAD” we got a little label attention but they said we “were shredding just to shred” and they wanted to hear a future release. Not really interested in getting ripped off by a label right now. DIY for as long as possible I say.

Keeper-Can you tell us of any memorable moments and/or shows?

 

AD-Best venue we've played I think we would collectively say is in Denver. Its called “Blastomat” that has an awesome supportive crowd and the owners are cool dudes. Definitely hit that place up if you live anywhere near it. As for stories there are a lot but the funniest thing I can remember is a few years ago playing an outdoor fest with no permit in Modesto, Ca. Basically we were shut down while kids were beating on each other with bowling pins by a helicopter and SWAT team.

 

Keeper-Has the recent Economic crisis made it harder for you guys to put on shows or record or anything of the nature?

 

AD-I think the economy is hitting shows hard and we have to ask for more money when traveling. As for recording our drummer Bob owns and operates a great recording studio in northern California. You can check his stuff out at: www.myspace.com/mayhemenessstudios

Keeper-Anything you'd like to say to the readers?

AD-Always have an open mind about don't buy in to what you are expected to just because.

Low Down 


From the deep south comes the sound of a wrecking ball known as LOW DOWN, a local band with the talent and charisma that launches an audience into a head banging crowd of animals. Today they rolled into north Georgia to obliterate our small town of Lafayette and tell me the story of how they became..

AngelGrave-How did Low Down originate?

LD-Low Down originated from Mark and Keith playing together for so long,
my brother Derek and I had been playing in other bands before then we all met through a mutual friend and got together and started playing, we've had a few other bass players but luckily Pat came along.


AngelGrave -How long ago did the band form?

LD-About 5 years ago

AngelGrave-You have one release out ,and it is called?

LD-Sinner's Blues

AngelGrave-How long did you take to write the material for and record the release?

LD-It took a course of a few years to write everything you know we did it in spurts here and there. cause we didn’t have anyway or money to record everything so finally we got everything written about 10- 11 songs we recorded in about 6 weeks.

Angelgrave-What area of the south are you from?

LD-Kingston, Georgia which is out in the swamps


Angelgrave-Do you get any criticism being from a small town, trying to do shows etc?

LD-They might run that mouth, but no one really has the balls,
they run that mouth until we play, we live so far out that no one can hear you scream people disappear if they talk shit, That’s how we roll.



AngelGrave-Lowdown sports the southern flag a lot is that your logo tell us about that.

LD-It pisses people off and that’s funny

AngelGrave-Why do you think it pisses people off?

LD-Cause some people see it as racist or whatever.
Its just a fucking flag, its heritage and its black and grey anyway
ok well who were the biggest rebels of all: AMERICA what did we do we rebelled against England and moved out here. So where is the harm in that. Some people take it too literal as being racist, people interpret things in a lot of retarded ways. A lot of things we're definitely not and bigots we're not we love everybody, anybody.

AngelGrave-What are you fans favorite songs off of "Sinners Blues"

LD-We get a lot of compliments from "Sleep Treatment", "Flyswatter", "D.M.O.L", Definitely "Sleep Treatment" is my favorite one to play to me its got a little more consistent energy some of the others are peaks and valleys, its a more constant attack.


AngelGrave-Any favorite memories from any shows?

LD-I got my head busted open, It was a Halloween show wasn't it?
our other bass player he was an idiot he basically used his bass as an axe for Keith’s head and busted his head wide open, he was bleeding blood it was awesome.

AngelGrave-You kept playing?

LD-Yeah First song he turned right around and whacked Keith in the head
I turned around and looked at Keith, he had blood all over his face! I was like- what the fuck?! Do we need to go the hospital ?And he was just -No just keep playing! It was fucking metal.

AngelGrave-Do you have a scar?

LD-Yes


AngelGrave-Have you guys had any chance to play with national tours that come through?

LD-Primer55. Motograter, Dangerous New Machine which has members of Stuck Mojo in it, and EchoValve.


AngelGrave-Did anyone give you any compliments on your show?

LD-Hell yeah! Motograter loved us, EchoValve bought us drinks
we sat at the bar talking to this guy and he's all you want to get drunk and he says I am paying we ask him who are you dude he says I am playing in the band after you guys.



AngelGrave-What would be your dream tour?

LD-Devildriver, Lamb of god, KillSwitch Engage, Black Label Society, Queen


AngelGrave-What legacy do you want to leave behind?

LD-A dark and brutal one, letting people do what they want in life,
having fun, staying a kid, doing what you love and have fun with it.

AngelGrave-Anything you want to add?

LD-Where are you from? ha ha ha lets turn this around for a while!
By AnglGrave