– Hello, thanks for answering to our interview and congratulations on your new piece. After some time working on it, how do you feel on the near relese of «Deathhammer»?

Bob-Hello there.Thanx for doing the interview.The release of Deathhammer is on Februari 27th on is coming soon.We have to say that we are VERY proud of Deathhammer.The album turned out exactly like we wanted it to turn out.Every song stands on it’s own and Deathhammer has a dark,epic atmosphere.

– After so many years you have relayed again on Axel Hermman. What has he brought to the visual part of the band and what does this concrete cover artwork mean?

Bob-Axel is part of the history of Asphyx and of Century Media.Axel knows precisely how we,as Asphyx,think.He translates our thougths and ideas in his paintings.He’s a true artist.The artwork means our Book of Death Metal,our vision on death metal and how we want it to sound like.It’s just our own thing.I mean when we listen to death metal we listen to the old stuff from our childhood/puberty,the stuff like old Massacre(the demo’s),Slaughter,Venom,Hellhammer,Possessed,old Death,Master,Repulsion etc.etc…to us thát was death metal.That was the music which crawled in our souls and it remained there for good.

 

– Getting into the album’s sound, it kicks off with «Into the Timewastes», one of the most fast, brutal and straight-forward songs on this new effort, still being heavy and with a really outstanding bass break, something new for you guys. How did this new «element» arise»?

Bob-Into the Timewastes is brutal indeed and sets in without a warning.The bassbreak was something we always wanted to do but never actually did it…until now.It’s also a kind of introduction of Alwin,our bassplayer.It really fits the song and the bassound is brutal as hell.

 

– Talking about this, this is your first full-length album with Alwin; has he provided his bass parts? And in general, how’s everything going with him? What could you say has Alwin brought to ASPHYX?

Bob-Alwin just plays along with the guitarriffs,which is the way it should be.That way it sounds more massive and as a whole.Alwin did,surprise,provide a guitarriff,the beginriff of Vespa Crabro is from his hand.Alwin thinks exactly like we do and that’s a real comfort for sure.It’s going just great with him.We don’t have to tell him what to do and how to play the songs,he understands it 100%,which is a real relief for us.Alwin was the missing link in Asphyx,he brings in a great bass-sound and lots of beer.

 

– «Deathhammer» is a really extreme album, I mean it has some really straight-foward and powerful Death Metal tunes (own title tracks for instance) and other really «doomie» as «Minefield», wich I’d dare say is your most slow and heaviest song. How did you come up with a song like this?

Bob-Indeed,you are right by saying that «Minefield» might be our heaviest song to date for sure.It existed in the Winter season and the dark months can give you great inspiration for songs like Minefield or Der Landser.Like said,it were the Autumn/Winter months who brought us these songs,it’s the certain mindsetting you have then.We always had that,the urge to make ultra doom during the dark seasons.

 

– «As the Magma Mammoth Rises» is an almost epic ending and really different to the rest of the record. Was this what you were looking for? Did you have clear since the beginning how did you want this song to sound like?

Bob-It is.I asked Paul to make a riff like the old Bathory used to have,something cold and epic and then he came up with this amazing leading riff.Both,Martin and me are old Bathory fans from the early days and to us this is our own «Enter the Eternal Fire» sort to say,but then in the Asphyx style,of course.Martin found the perfect vocallines for this song and it turned out really great,I must say.This song just had to sound big,cold and epic and still being an Asphyx song.It turned out exactly that.

 

– In general is a really heavy album; could you say the mix helped getting this sound? In fact you have worked again with Dan Swanö for such duties; do you think this teamwork is getting more solid each time and helps getting a better output?

Bob-Yes of course.The mix is very,very important to get the right atmosphere and doing justice to the songs.We wanted the album to sound like we also sound in our rehearsalroom.Dan Swano did that.He understands our sound 100%.This is the Asphyx sound we have when we play together and getting just thát on the record is almost magic.Dan is considered as the 5th Asphyx member for sure.

 

– «Death… the Brutal Way», now «Deathhammer». Will having the word «death» in your albums become a tradition? It seems like there’s nothing better to describe you guys, moreover it seems like «Deathhammer» holds a certain message, isn’t it?

Bob-Maybe,maybe not.It just turned out this way again.Death…the Brutal Way was a slogan which Metalion used to use and I liked that so much that I typed that on our flyers in 1989,after he had given his blessings for that,of course.So it was only natural that we had to use that very slogan again for our comeback album.Then,Deathhammer is our book-our Witchhammer-on the death metal rules.Obey or die.The message is clear:if death metal is not in your heart and soul but you’re just pretending,please get the hell out of our beloved scene!

 

– When I interviewed you some years ago you told me there was no excitement during the «Wings of Inferno» era but; have you recovered that good old feeling with these two new albums?

Yes,I still stand behind «On The Wings Of Inferno» of course,but the bandfeeling just wasn’t there anylonger.The magic was gone back then and when that happens it’s better time to quit.Luckily after the reunion in 2007 I’ve recovered the good old bandfeeling again since this line up is great.It’s alot of fun playing with these guys and we have no stress.Also Asphyx is stronger than ever with this current line-up,which is underlined by the last 2 albums and especially Deathhammer.

 

– Last 2011 we could saw you guys in Barcelona celebrating the anniversary of «The Rack». It was a blasting night, with many people going crazy but; how do you recall that show?

Bob-Yeah,sort of,but it was great to do.It was a great show where one guy who was trying to stagedive was tearing a whole monitor into the audience! That was fun! I think we even have that on video!haha! It was a great night with good beer as well!

 

– And have you thought about doing something similar for «Last One on Earth»? I could say these first two albums are your most acclaimed records ever.

Bob-Not yet,but we might do so since this year it’s 20 years ago The Last One On Earth got released…damn..time flies!!

 

– I know you are a band that does not tour but (beside some already confirmed festivals) are you going to play (or have any offers) some single show?

Bob-Yes,some festivals and clubshows here and there.Not too much.I think we’ll do 13 shows this year.Touring is in the past for us.

 

– That has been everything from my side, thanks once more for taking your time. If you now want to add some final words; last lines are all yours.

Bob-Thanx to you,Tania,for doing this interview! Thanx and cheers to all Spanish Asphyx fans out there!!! Thanx for yor support!

Tania Giménez

tania@queensofsteel.com

 

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