PUSTILENCE (EN)
-Hello, thank you so much for answering to our interview. How’s everything going in the band’s camp? What’s keeping you busy?
Hey, thanks for the offer, busy days within’ the camp. We’ve recently had Anthony ( Who did the solos on the demo ) officially join as a full time member so we’ve been getting him up to speed with learning the songs fully and preparing for some upcoming shows we’ve got.
-To begin with, from what needs or desires was PUSTILENCE born? It has a very 90’s Death Metal sound. Did you have a clear vision on how you wanted this band to sound like?
Sean and I ( Taylor ) listen to a lot of old thrash and death metal so it really just spawned from loving those type of bands and riffs, we didn’t set out with the intention of replicating anything though, everything we’ve written was just a natural product of what we churned out.
-Your debut EP came out the same year you were formed. How were the first steps of the band until this release? The process of experimenting together to find your own sound, contacting labels, etc.
So the band was actually formed in 2018, Sean and I started writing riffs but it was on a real casual basis, it wasn’t until early 2020 that we showed Earl the midi tracks we’d written and he showed interest in playing drums and suggested we record. We pretty much just jammed for a few weeks then hit the studio and asked Anthony if he’d do some sick solos for us. During the recording process a lot of on the spot experimentation happened, Pip who recorded us was essential in brainstorming ideas with us too. Once it was released we got a heap of interest from labels, we’ve agreed for a full length through Memento Mori and through them Rotted Life contacted us about cassettes of the demo while Personal Records contacted us about CDs and we sorted out a deal with Bitter Loss Records to do the vinyls.
-Opposite to a lot of bands in the genre, your lyrics are darker and more evil and they are gruesome. A little bit à la MORBID ANGEL. What does inspire them?
Just a wild imagination, I guess. The overall lyrics aren’t inspired by anything they’re just sort of stories or scenarios I’ve cooked up in my head.
– This said, what bands have influence you? And what things inspire you outside of music?
When we were writing the songs there was a lot of early Monstrosity, Cannibal Corpse, Demolition Hammer, Malevolent Creation etc being listened to, outside of music? a lot of like, sci-fi and fantasy stuff I suppose…
-With your sound you create chaos, suffocation, but you also manage to evoke some sort of abyssal feeling. What do you want to instill with your sound and lyrics?
The general idea for the music was just whatever came out, there’s no real formula to what we want, we’re just writing music that we’d like to hear and that hopefully other people do too. Lyric wise I didn’t want to be just another “Death metal” band singing about smashing someone’s head off. I like lyrics with a theme a story so that’s what I’m going for, the whole demo is a story about transporting to a realm then seeking ultimate power, just real nerdy stuff.
-The cover artwork fits with that dark, almost esoteric or otherworldly aesthetic of your lyrics. How does a band create its own imagery? Is it built around the sound and lyrics?
So the artwork was done by Oscar Bonin, the whole thing was what he interpreted from the lyrics, we had no music recorded to show him so he was left to his imagination. When we saw it blew us away, he really created an imagery for us.
-Sound-wise “The Birth of the Beginning Before the Inception of the End” is thick. Raw. It is as rancid as fun to listen to. What’s your music for you? Are you channeling something through it?
At the end of the day we’re just Artists I guess and that’s all we’re creating, art. We just like good riffs and having a bit of fun and it’s a refreshing experience to be doing something that’s semi successful.
-By just having a look at your cover or reading your name anyone can guess what style you’re playing. Do you think sticking to certain stereotypes is almost necessary to build this kind of old school aesthetic and to provide something entertaining?
I guess like our overall approach to appearance is definitely a show off that we know some old school bands… As said before the artwork was completely the artist’s interpretation so that being a clique of OG death metal is out of our hands. The name was actually inspired by fellow Oz death cunce Sewercide, so there can definitely be a link to death metal claimed there. At the end of the day though the music that comes out is purely just what comes out, like we don’t write riffs and go “Man this needs to sound more circa 91 OSDM” it’s just what we write, so I think if you listen to enough of something you’ll just sweat it out in your own approach so I don’t think stereotypes are a necessity, just good taste.. Hah.
– In fact your style is very traditional as I said earlier. What’s to you the most important in an opus of the genre? The overall feeling? The filthy sound? Or is it a mix of different elements?
Personally I don’t think there’s any real set rules in the genre, just some extremity is needed.
–All this about “The Birth…” being said; how would you describe it in just 3 words?
Mind Warping Death.
-And what’s next for PUSTILENCE after this first EP?
We’re in the process of writing a full length which will come out through Memento Mori and Rotted Life next year I think…
– That’s all from our side, thanks again for your time. If you’d like to add some final words, feel free to do it.
Cheers to everyone for all the support.
