INFECTED FLESH (Eng.)
– Hello, lots of thanks for answering our interview. How is everything going with INFECTED FLESH?
Roger: “Hey Tania, what’s up? Everything’s cool here.”
– I guess there may still be some people who aren’t familiar with you yet so, first off all, could you please (Roger) tell us what motivated reforming the band in 2006 as a so called «one-man band»?
Roger: “After spending quite a lot of time with no band and without playing guitar, mainly because of life and professional circumstances, by 2006 I found some time to start playing again. I thought about retrieving the taste of rancid flesh that one can feel when playing something fucking brutal and twisted. I had a flashback of something very brutal that I really enjoyed doing in the past, and it was INFECTED FLESH. It was not meant to be a “one-man band” but firstly because of my remote location at that time and later because of the lack of reliable musicians, once I felt I could keep working alone, then I moved forward as a “one-man band”.”
– You have just released your third album, «Concatenation of Severe Infections», this time with Seth behind the drum kit. How has this been for you both?
Seth: “I’ve had tons of fun working on this album. Ever since we made the 2 track promo we just knew we wanted to make the sickest record possible. We kept that vibe during the whole writing and recording process and the result is there. For me it brings something different to the table from what I usually do in SEVERE TORTURE and CENTURIAN. That’s very important to me.”
Roger: “It’s been a while Seth and I are working together. More than 2 years if I’m not wrong…Seth’s first appearance with INFECTED FLESH was by summer 2010, when we recorded a promo CD with two brand new tracks in order to try and find a cool label. Comatose Music hooked us up and by 2011 they released a split CD, the “Split Torso Trauma” (ANTROPOFAGUS/PUTRIDITY/PRION/INFECTED FLESH/MASS INFECTION), containing both songs of our promo. And this year, 2012, we saw our “Concatenation of Severe Infections” released. So I would say that having Seth in the line-up makes the band very productive, focused, consistent and he is always bringing up lots of positive stuff and ideas.”
– And what kind of effect could you say has this had on the band’s music? As on your previous opus you used programmed drums, which sounded pretty good and real but sometimes had an almost inhuman speed.
Roger: “Definitely having a great human drummer makes a difference. The music gets more dynamic and the songs flow within a different atmosphere. Everything is less mechanic and more natural. If you noticed, on this particular album, we tried to keep the acoustic drum sound as much as possible, avoiding all kind of samples or whatever…”
– Talking about such, will you keep this two-piece line-up from now on?
Roger: “Hell yeah! We feel doing a great job together!”
– This album has been recorded in Holland, due to this I would like you to tell us a bit how were the recording sessiones like and why did you decided to recorded there instrad in, for instance, Spain.
Roger: “That’s just partially correct…This is what we recorded in Holland: drums and vocals (Seth, Joost, Dennis and Rob K); and this is what we recorded in Catalonia: guitars, bass and vocals (Roger, Roi, Albert Llobarro, Jofre Dalmau and Regius). All mixing and mastering was done in Catalonia as well. The reason is simple: it was easier for us to book a good studio in Holland and get Seth’s drum kit there. He could use his own drums and afterwards I just needed to get all recorded drum tracks to my studio to continue recording the remaining stuff.”
– On this album you have had several guest artists, as members of DISAVOWED, SEVERE TORTURE and CLITEATER, but also some musicians of the national/local scene such as members frOm HAEMOPHAGIA, PESTA PORCINA and NEMESIS AETERNA. Regarding this, would you mind to tell us how did you come up with the idea of having these several artists? And what have they brought with their cooperation?
Roger: “Since we wanted to make an absolutely sick album, we figured out that would be a good idea to try and give some hints of singularity to our songs by featuring some artists whose characteristics would be suitable for the ideas we had in mind. All these guys were really keen to do it, they took some of their own time to prepare our stuff and they brought up insane and skilled performances with their own and different styles, which really helped our songs to get sicker and sicker, just the way we expected to!! Cheers dudes!!”
– A few time ago you signed with Comatose Music after releasing your two first albums with different labels. Being Comatose based in the USA, do you think this will help you getting a bigger coverage?
Roger: “Well definitely yes, at least in the North-American markets. Comatose Music specializes in the brutal death metal genre, they have excellent distribution and promotion channels all over the world and they do a brilliant job working with their artists.”
– Digging deeper into this new «Concatenation of Severe Infections», it keeps that feeling of being a better constructed and more well-cared your previous «The Ascension of the Abysmal Aberration» had. Is this just a natural evolution or rather a consequence of something?
Roger: “I think both albums are completely different, though the essence of INFECTED FLESH is everywhere. I don’t think it is a natural evolution, I think it’s the consequence of different factors. In my opinion “The Ascension of the Abysmal Aberration” is a more technical album, with more complex song structures. But let’s look into the background. “The Ascension…” album was done in a “one-man band” format, with almost a $0 budget; it marked the return of Infected Flesh to the brutal scene and music wise every single thing was made by me, with no other opinions around; the songwriting is absolutely introspective and I just allowed my imagination flow through endless passages of brutality…that’s how it was meant to be…let’s say it is an author oriented album.
“Concatenation of Severe Infections” has a completely different background. A different type of songwriting was already displayed in the two tracks of the “Split Torso Trauma”. Let’s say from there the songs are audience oriented. Having Seth onboard means that we can share ideas, impressions…And these songs are written to have fun with the audience. There are less riffs in the songs, but we have carefully selected the ones we think are better, the patterns are catchier, and for first time in the history of INFECTED FLESH there are even chorus in our songs!!”
– For instance, being now a two-piece but still being Roger the band’s leader; have both of you involved in the songwriting?
Roger: “I wrote all music and lyrics, but we always deal together about what might work better, what needs to be changed, etc. Seth’s
contribution in this matter is essential.”
– Guitar riffs also caught my attention off this CD as, still having that brutal and straight-forward approach, you have added some quite technical and elaborated guitar riffs. Some Brutal Death Metal bands fail focusing on just writing fast guitar parts so, did you keep during the songwriting process some kind of a certain sense of versatility?
Roger: “I was not really focused on putting up a lot of technical stuff when writing this album. Our aim was to get a nice set of straight forward brutal death metal pieces sounding as a relentless and expanding infection. As I mentioned before, the previous album, “The Ascension…” was for sure much focused on technical riffing.”
– In fact «Concatenation of Severe Infections» also has a huge versatility on vocals (as always). Is this something important for INFECTED FLESH and its personality or just somethings that comes out naturally (or maybe a bit of both)? Moreover I personally think it helps getting a more enjoyable final outcome.
Roger: “Indeed, this album has a lot of vocal versatility. If you notice, my main voice is also different than previous releases. I tried to find a vocal tone that would be certainly a bit more intelligible and less “piggy”. The typical Infected Flesh voice with guttural pig squeals is still there, but this time it plays a secondary role supporting some vocal lines. All songs are constructed with my vocals as the main axis, and then Seth’s highs, and mine as well, are stepping in and out. We also have some low vocals from Seth, that kind of death metal low tone he used to do with CENTURIAN and NOX…and then we have the guests!
– All in all it seems like on this «Concatenation of Severe Infections» you have perfected and solified your own formula, while on your two previous albums it felt like you were still shaping your personality and finding your way. So, could you say this new record is the opus you have always wanted to do with INFECTED FLESH?
Roger: “This album gives a much consistent and consolidated impression of the band. We’ve found a good formula to work and a good way of doing music, where we both feel comfortable, we work in the same direction, we share our opinions freely and, the most important, we have a clear idea on what we want to achieve in every song we create.
I don’t know if it is the opus I always wanted, this is something that time will show us. I can say it is something we really enjoyed doing.”
– And all this about «Concatenation of Severe Infections» being said; how could you describe it in just 3 words?
Roger: “Brutal/Sick/Infectious.”
– Moving to another topic, in Barcelona/Catalonia there’s a strong, healthy and ever-growing Death/Grind scene, there are a lot of bands and it seems people is really interested in extreme Metal. What kind of impact do you think the late cutbacks and tax increases will have on bands like you?
Roger: “Yes, it seems that fortunately the amount of people interested in this kind of music is growing. I’m not sure on the impact of cutbacks and tax increases…what I’m sure is that concerts are fucking expensive!!”
– Anyway, as you are now an «international» band and after signing with Comatose Music I guess you will also focus on playing and work on your promotion abroad, won’t you?
Roger: “Since I refunded the band on 2006, I have considered the band as “international”. Along these years INFECTED FLESH played much more shows abroad rather than in Spain.
Yes, we will try to promote our work and we will try to play as much as our time and jobs will let us. However, don’t forget that Seth lives in Holland and he plays in SEVERE TORTURE and CENTURIAN, so it will not be really easy to play live shows together…”
– For instance Holland has always had a great Death Metal scene but, how do you (Seth) see it as an insider? Is still a good place (in terms of shows, venues, fans, etc.) for bands like INFECTED FLESH?
Seth: “There are not as many shows as let’s say 10-15 years ago, but things are still not bad at all. Holland has a few venues that are really active in the metal scene, so you just have to make sure to play in the right place.”
– Roger, if I’m not mistaken you are (along with Dave Rotten) working on the long-awaited sohpomore album by CHRIST DENIED so, in which point of the process are you guys?
Roger: “Yes, you are right. I’m working together with Dave Rotten on new stuff for CHRIST DENIED. We’ve just finished writing the 5th track, so let’s say we’ve written about half of the new album.”
– And Seth, what about SEVERE TORTURE? When can we expect hearing a new album?
Seth: “We just started writing the very first tunes so it’s early to say if the magic will happen next year, but it is our intention. In the end we take the time we need and don’t want to rush anything.”
– As 2012 is about to end; could you please tell us what are your 3 favourite albums of the year as well as the least favourite one?
Seth:
“1. Cryptopsy – Cryptopsy
2. Nile – At the Gates of Sethu
3. Dying Fetus – Reign Supreme
I wouldn’t know what my least favourite one is, cause when I don’t like something I turn it off.”
Roger:
“1.Dying Fetus – Reign Supreme
2.Cannibal Corpse – Torture
3.Cryptopsy – Cryptopsy
…nothing comes to mind now as a least favourite one…”
– And finally; what does future have in store for INFECTED FLESH?
Roger: “I have no idea about that…seeing that Mayan prophecies failed I don’t want to make any prediction haha. What I can tell you for sure is that we will keep working on new pieces of infection as soon as we have some time!”
– That’s all, thank you once more for answering our questions. If you want to add some final words; feel free to do it.
Seth: “Cheers to all who support INFECTED FLESH and I hope to catch you on the road sometime!!”
Roger: “Thanks Tania, it was a pleasure. Wish you good luck with “Queens of Steel”!!”