ABHORRENCE (Eng.)
– Hello, thanks for answering to our questions. What are you currently up to?
Working, sorting my sons b-day party and listening to Conan’s excellent new album Monnos.
– You have just released the “Completely Vulgar” compilation. How did the idea of releasing this kind of material arise?
Well, it’s been a long time coming. Somewhere around 2000 I realized it’s been over ten years since the band broke up and I still saw people talking about it here and there. So I put up a website and started getting email regarding the EP and so forth. Around the same time I was playing around with the idea of re-releasing the material and after everyone involved seemed to think it was a good enough idea, I made some inquiries.
Took me a long while to make it happen, apparently I needed a label which I personally was passionate about to push the idea into reality.
– I read you started thinking on this idea a long time ago but, how and when did this release actually started getting form?
As I said, it has been long time coming, but the actual form came about when I started talking with Tomi from Svart Records. Before I would’ve been happy with the EP and demo being released as they were, but I’m very pleased with Sami Jämsén, his studio wizardry with the sound and the fact that Svart decided to go through with cleaning it all up.
I think the first baby steps were taken in 2004, when I gave a designer friend of mine all the posters and flyers, so he could make some design ideas with them. That never happened with him, but the seed was planted right there.
– It’s a really complete compilation but, for all those who may be interested; would you mind to elaborate a bit on the stuff we can find on it? As there’s some more than just your two releases.
In addition to the demo and EP, there is a live show from Turku’s Auran Panimo, old beer brewery that was used for shows back then, where we played with Xysma, Funebre and Disgrace. The actual posted for this gig is in the booklet by the way.
There is also tracks from a rehearsal tape, which was later dubbed as Macabre Maquerade rehearsal demo, which Tomi (Koivusaari) used to record to b-sides of demotapes he sent out. The live and rehearsal material has versions of two previously unreleased tracks, called The Macabre Masquerade and Adoration of Abcessed Cadavers. The double LP also has 5 more tracks from said rehearsal tape.
Funnily enough, the lyrics for Adoration of Abcessed Cadavers have been previously released, but by Funebrarum and on a completely different song! I gave Daryl Kahan the lyrics and he re-wrote some bits of them, that track ended up on their Beneath the Columns of Abandoned Gods album.
– I’ve read you also have some video footage. Wouldn’t this be a right moment for a DVD as well?
That is something that I’ve been thinking as well, but for now this release is enough. I think I might print up some t-shirts as well, but that too remains to be seen.
– On your current line-up we can’t find drummer Kimmo Heikkinen. Why hasn’t been involved with this effort? Do you know is he’s still involved in music?
He gave up music long ago and to my knowledge he is not involved with music, except as a listener perhaps.
Kalle hasn’t been too much involved with this either, although I did get comments from all of our members for the booklet. I guess the other guys didn’t want to meddle too much and left me to handle the «logistics». If I needed opinions or comments, Juice and Tomi were always happy to comply tho.
– This “Completely Vulgar” has been possible thanks to Svart Records. What are your feelings with this label?
They rule! I mean, the sheer passion they share with the fans is inspirational. All of their releases are done with tender care and love, which can be seen, especially well with their vinyl releases. The Reverend Bizarre vinyl releases are spectacular!
And as I’ve met with the guys, I can also report they are super nice mates in person as well.
– ABHORRENCE did split up in the 90s after releasing a demo and an EP. Did you ever had the chance or thought about releasing a full-length album?
No, not really. We only had few new tracks outside those released, plus some riffs and structures that would’ve needed a lot of work. So we didn’t have material, nor were we too much «official release oriented». We really liked being an underground band and thus didn’t even send demos to record companies, except for a very few cases (like Earache).
– This opus title is a clear wink to your first demo, “Vulgar Necrolatry”. What kind of impact do you know think this demo had into Death Metal?
I really can’t say and I’m the wrong person to ask really. I think it had some influence on local scene, possibly finnish scene in general, but nothing major. There were tons of awesome bands back then, which never made anything more that demo tapes, but I guess the fact that we were in the first few to put our music out, made us a bit more prominent.
– In fact you are Death Metal pioneers in Finland. Considering this and that you are currently considered a cult band; why did you split up so early?
I think Tomi and Juice sum it up rather well in the record booklet, it was mostly a combination of events. Arkki decided to leave, so we needed a new drummer. We all started to like all kinds of other music along with extreme metal and since things happened to us so fast in the beginning, it suddenly felt like nothing was happening at all.
Basically, we were very young.
– Anyway Death Metal scene in Finland doesn’t seem to be the hugest one. In fact Finland seems to be for Black Metal the same as Sweden for Death Metal. What do you think is the main reason behind this?
I actually don’t agree, Finland has a lot of death metal, but most of the bands never managed to get out much or they didn’t really release anything official.
I do agree that we have lots more black metal, and thrash as well, as for the reason… I’ve no clue.
– Since ABHORRENCE split up the music world has changed a lot, and the extreme Metal scene makes no exception. How do you think has this style has evolved since the 90’s? Do you think you will now, thanks to technology, get the deserved recognition?
Extreme metal in general has done very well. I think the main problem has been, for a long time, the sheer volume of bands that sound more or less the same. Kind of the same thing that happened with Swedish death metal and «the Sunlight sound».
As far a developement goes, it’s been very slow after late ’80s to early ’90s. Things have become more finetuned, yes, but as far as whole new genres and radical changes go it’s been slow. Comparing to the ’80s when heavy metal and punk spawned speed/thrash/power/death/black and so forth.
I think we’ve already gotten recognition, which for me comes from the people who know or want to know metal more deeply than the latest big seller. Fame or big sales are not something Abhorrence was after in the first place. I mean, not many bands can say that their music is still relevant after 20 years and gets to be re-released so newer fans can anjoy it too!
– Throughout these decades of ever growing extreme Metal music; what are the bands that have made the biggest impact on you?
Personally, and now I’m taking some liberties with your question, most influential bands have been (in order I «found» them): Kiss, Black Sabbath, Venom, Carcass, Bolt Thrower, Morbid Angel, Pink Floyd, Cathedral, Kyuss, Winter, Electric Wizard, Reverend Bizarre, Clutch, Johnny Cash, Church of Misery and after that I’ve been listening to all kinds of music from grindcore to soul and psychedelic rock.
Most of these have opened up a whole new world of music for me to dig into.
Also, I recently got back into death metal, after a long while too, due to Vallenfyre’s album. It’s fucking amazing!
– And finally, what are you near-future plans? Haven’t you got (or planned) any offer for a special reunion show or something like this?
No plans. we’ve talked about it and while everyone is carefully positive about such a show, we haven’t made anything to make it happen. If it should happen, it’s going to be one off show most likely.
– That has been everything from my side, thanks once more for your time. If you want to add some final words, feel free to do it.
Support small labels! Buy vinyl! Buy your music from small record stores and support them when ever you can. And as always, don’t spend your energy in putting shitty music down, use it to support the bands and music you love instead!
