NECROWRETCH (Eng.)
– Hello and first of all, thanks for taking the time. How is everything going right now with NECROWRETCH? What are you currently up to?
Vlad : Greetings ! Here we are desecrating the name of Christ with our new album With Serpents Scourge.
– First off, why did you name the band «Necrowretch»? I think it gives an idea we won’t find sweet soft melodies in your music.
Vlad : I was looking for something short and raw enough to describe our music. As the lyrics were talking about an evil priest possessed by hell, my brother told me “you should name this guy the Necrowretch” and so I chose as the band name.
– You have just released your new album, entitled «With Serpents Scourge». What are your expectations on this record? And how are the reviews being so far?
Vlad : This album is about unleashing hell upon the listener, to draw him into a world of death and decay. Our only goal in music is to create a sulfuric stench of hate
that will drive you insane. In many reviews, people understood the intentions of the band, but there are still some idiots to write that our music has no sense in 2015, these people are of course totally overkilled by all the savagery of the band.
– I guess releasing a debut album is always a learning experience, feeling pressure and excitement and without knowing how people will react to it. Did you have this time more confidence or considering the overwhelming feedback your debut got you also focused on the hard task of living up to it?
Vlad : I think that Putrid Death Sorcery was really the end of the beginning for the band. You know like the end of the first era, the final accomplishment of many years of demos and EP. When we started the writing process for the second album, we were focused on creating something even worse that everything we did before. And by worst I mean of course, more evil, satanic and bestial. Necrowretch is now fully established and this second album is the beginning of something else, something that we will judge in many years.
– This is an old school Death Metal album they way it should be done, without the need of being innovative, virtuosos or totally copying the influence of Swedish or US bands. How did you work on the songwriting process?
Vlad : My mind is always full of ideas, because I’m always listening to extreme or heavy metal. Then, I play some guitar and I find good riffs, and many riffs make a song. The thing is that when I write a riff, I don’t ask myself “does this sound black or death ?” but “is this fucking evil or not ?”. If I don’t headbang while I’m playing a riff, then it means that this riff isn’t a good one !
– Anyway you have a quite 90’s sound, really old school, but mixing influences from different scenes; USA, Scandinavia, South America… Due to this I would like to know what are your main musical influences.
Vlad : Our influences come from all around the world. Bands like old-DEATH, old-SEPULTURA and MERCILESS are probably the biggest ones. But also MORTEM, MARDUK, some DISSECTION, NIHILIST, DISMEMBER…
– The cover artwork for the album was done by Milovan Novakovic. What does it represent?
Vlad : It represents what you’ll find in the album : the scourge of serpents, seeding their venomous evil to humanity. Since the beginning of the band, the artworks always represented some parts of the lyrics of the release. In that case, Milovan sent me the art while the writing process wasn’t over, so I decided to write the album from the artwork. I really care about the Necrowretch imagery, I think it’s moreover important in this kind of metal, the music expresses something evil, and the imagery comes in support of this, so people can truly understand what Necrowretch is about.
– All this about «With Serpents Scourge» being said; how could you describe it in just 3 words?
Vlad : Putrid Death Metal.
– I’ve read since 2011 you have only played with session drummers. Are you still looking for a steady full-time drummer?
Vlad : No this situation is finally fixed ! We have a new – and very talented – permanent drummer since 2013 (Ilmar : from deafcunt Bloody Sign/also drummer in Chaos Echoes). The band is back to a trio and we’re more than ever ready to destroy everything with our music.
– You are hailing from France, a country with a strong extreme Metal scene. What not so known bands from your country would you suggest?
Vlad : Check out PERVERSIFIER, RITUALIZATION or CADAVERIC FUMES.
– Due to the several good bands hailing from France nowadays, is it easy for a band like NECROWRETCH to stand out? Or does this make it harder?
Vlad : We don’t really care about this you know. We’re not in a competition or things like this. There will always be bigger bands than you and that is not important for us. As I told you before, our only intentions are to play extreme music and to shred your sanity with hate and scorn.
– Finally, what are your near-future plans?
Vlad : We’re going to play some shows in France (including the Hellfest festival). Then, we’ll do a tour in Balkans this summer and also a tour in Singapore and Malaysia. A tour for Europe will probably happen later this year.
– That’s all, thank you once more for answering our questions. If you want to add some final words; feel free to do it.
Vlad : Thanks for your infernal support, see you maybe in Spain or see you in hell !!!
