PANDEMONIUM (Eng.)
– Hello thank you so much for your time. To start, could you please make some history of the band for all those people that don’t know you yet? Though you have been around for over 20 years now…
M. Hell, brothers! OK, I could write a book with thousands of interesting stories that happened during Pandemonium is existence but let me focus on essential things. Band is existed for 20 years, last year was our 20th anniversary so it’s a serious opportunity to have a couple of drinks, hah. Regarding the crew, it changed many times through those years and only the leader Paul stayed from the beginning. The group was originally formed in autumn 1989 under the name Pandemonium. The founders were Paul (guitar, vocal) and Peter (drums). During that time there were no music bands of this nature in Poland and in West Europe there were only Samael, Celtic Frost and Bathory. The lack of such bands was the reason why they gained so many fans. In December of 1990 Pandemonium registered its first Reh Tape. After several concerts Pandemonium became one of the most popular bands in Poland right next to Kat, Imperator and Vader. The end result was a contract with Carnage Records and officially published material called “Devilri». Tens of thousands of copies sold made it probably the best selling demo in the world, which was a great achievement those days. The next album “The Ancient Katatonia” was published in 1994 at the music festival Metalmania, where such bands as Morbid Angel, Samael and Cannibal Corpse performed. This concert was the culmination point for the whole existence of Pandemonium. Some time passed and things went wrong, Pandemonium ended a few years later Paul started “Domain» episode with different musicans. It lasted for many years, of course Paul and the horde still created great music of similar style. During the spring of 2002 Domain entered studio to record a sensational new album “Gat Etemmi». The album was highly valued even by old fans of Pandemonium, though a considerable amount of electronic sounds. Unfortunately, a lack of appropriate promotion and some personal misunderstandings among the members of Domain caused that band itself had to suspend its activities for several months.
Then, at last, many fantastic situations appeared and Paul was able to reactivate Pandemonium. I joined the new crew and we record an experimental, dark and atmospheric “The Zonei» album that effected in the Poland Tour with Behemoth. In opposite to electronic “The Zonei» we started to think about “live» drums and oldschool black&roll times. That was what we missed, old good youth times when death metal was being born. Then the new rhytm section joined us Simon and Michael, we play together so far. We signed contract with Mystic Prod. label and recorded raging, death/black metal old school album “Hellspawn» which met with great reviews. Unfortunately we met again with a lack of any promotional moves so “Hellspawn» was known mainly in Poland. In a meantime we played on many prestigious festivals like Metalmania, Mystic Festival, Strashydlo with bands like Celtic Frost, Samael, Slayer. Now, we are working on the new stuff “Misanthropy» and we are close to signing a contract with Pagan Records. A few weeks ago we also released a “Promo 2010” CD with two new tracks and some live video clips. Simultaneously limited a version of “Devilri” LP went out thanks to our Godfather Greg.
– Whay was the band formed? I mean, what did you want to express with Pandemonium?
M. I guess, every young guy who met majesty and power of metal start dreaming about establishing his own metal band, some succed , some not. In this case we were attracted by amazing atmosphere of early music of bands like Samael, Bathory, Celtic Frost. Those days there were no such a dark bands in Poland, there was like exciting challenge.
– 20 years are actually a lot, how do you see has been your musical evolution during this time?
M. We’re much smarter, that’s for sure. We know how we want to make music. According to former experiences we create our future… We avoid mistakes we paid for painfully in the past. However, we kept the unspoiled spirit. That allows us to create and play exactly what we feel..
– And, how did you come up with the name «Pandemonium»? How does it deal with your lyrics?
M. We touch dark ground of human nature, philosophy and also ancient legends and beliefs, especially Sumerian ones.
The more you live the more you know. You learn, analyze, explore, draw conclusions, the same situation is in my mind. This is a continuous process of exploration, experiencing and creating ideas for future. A seemingly trivial things, words, paints or situations very often result as material or unmaterial product, but always it has some form. From time to time these are fleeting, written somewhere and played things, and 
that’s how it is. I catch this fleeting and recombine it to words and music. But from time to time they escape… In The Universe? You won’t find edifying, positive stories in our lyrics. Rather anti-religion philosophy and haunted, possessed voices of something you could find in Lovecraft’s novels.
– During these years there have been different line-up changes, being Paul the only former member left but, is this a steady line-up?
M. Actual crew is probably the most stable and tuned , we played dozens of gigs together and were working on the second album in this line-up. I have no fucking idea how long exactly we are together in this adventure but it must have been about 5 years. It’s hard to believe but for the last 2 years every one of us lives in a different city.
– Your upcoming album will be named «Misanthropy». What can you advance us about it? Anything about its sound?
M. We reject the conventions, trends and any contemporary death metal fashion. All tracks have to be accepted by all members with full enthusiasm, no compromise! A lot of sounds, riffs and finished tracks we put to trash, because after a short time they cease to convince us. «Misanthropy» will be a heavy, hard and dark album with many morbid semi melodies and vocals, grinded riffs and depressive guitar sounds. This is not the material for orthodox blasts fan or pure technical playing maniacs. This will be magic, ritual, madness, fear, obsession, hate for humans race, these will be a «Misanthrope» lyrics. It will also be in its own way melodic, if you can call hanged witches crackle in forgotten forest a «melody». We worked a long time to arrange songs which blow minds and I am sure that metal maniacs and all guys who are looking for some oldschool metal breath won’t be disappointed.
– If I’m not wrong, the album is already recorded, how has been this process?
M. You’re in the middle 😉 We have just finished drums recording and we are preparing for guitar session. Finally we decided to record all the instruments in the same music studio. So, on this field there are no surprises just standard recording schedule: drums, guitars, bass , vocal and other stuff. Then the most interesting part of the session: mixing and mastering. We don’t have to hurry, we must finish recording until September so there is plenty of time for realization. So far, we are very glad, drums sounds rich, dynamic and mighty. Simon and Piotrek (studio producer ) did fucking great job !
– And, once more, what can you tell us about the album’s title? How does represent you?
M. Human race is the most egoistic, mean and inconsistent species In the Word. We are able to create and destroy, to develop civilization and put it into the ruin by few military moves. Concerning all these aspects of human nature i think only individuals with huge awareness are worth to be named man, mindless masses are what i hate and despise.
– This album will be out later this year, so have been 4 years since your previous «Hellspawn» and this upcoming «Misanthropy»; why did it take you that long? Were some of the songs from the album already written?
M. We could record new album every year but what for ? We want to make music which is worth of listening to and has something which force you to turn your player on again and again. That requires some time and fresh look for your inspirations and artistic needs . We started making «Hellspawn» successor 3years ago but honestly first few songs gave us clear vision what we are really plan to make – those first tracks presented nothing special and didn’t much our music expectations. Obviously we must have a break and after few months start composing from the beginning. In a meantime we have played a lot of gigs and the time as usual was passing by.
– Now going to your latest musical work, «Promo 2010», I think is a piece that, comapred to your foromer albums, sounds more Black Metal. Is this a new direction the band is going to take? Are we going to find a similar sound to this in «Misanthropy»?
M. Promo 2010 had to show our new ideas for the music not the sound which gonna be really more aggressive and fatty. We always use the best oldschool patents from many metal styles: trash, death, black or doom just changing proportions. This time the whole album idea is to create blasphemous , haunted and hopeless atmosphere according to the worse human obsessions, fears and believes . Naturally , black metal in this case is essential but it also does not dominate in every song on «Misanthropy» , there will be lots of powerful , destroying riffs and slow doomy , ritual patterns.
– Beside this, you mix different styles such as, of course, Death Metal, and Doom or Thrash too… So, what are your main musical influences?
P. Our first and the only gods were and still are: Bathory, Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Morbid Angel. They were my and our first love. The previous climates of mine was the early Black Sabbath. I think this is the region that is the source of my efforts in Pandemonium. They were the foundations of our own style we care for, get stronger and stronger, create.
– This promo is your first cooperation with Pagan Records and, to be honest with you, I knew of you guys because of it, so I figure Pagan Records are doing a better job in terms of promotion than your previous record labels?
P. Yes, that’s true. It is our first time with Pagan Rec. I think Pagan is the most opimal solution for Pandemonium. They are as oldschool as my band that’s why we should feel all right together. Naturally, our cooperation with the former agencies that were releasing our stuff was pretty well. Nothing lasts forever, though. However, sometimes some changes is beneficial…
– So because of this, what are your aims to get with «Misanthropy»?
P. We want to conquer the whole fucking world and get anyywhere it is only possible with our latest stuff Pandemonium –“Misanthropy” !!!!!! I know we can do that with the broad connections of Pagan Records and Godz Ov War Productions. Both have just been doing all that they can to promote Pandemonium from some time.
– Aren’ there any touring plans to support this album live?
P. We are giving gigs all the time and try to put our new tracks into life. We all know that concerts are the very important element of the promotion campaign so, it is obvious it must be in progress. At the moment we are occupying the studio and our concert timetable is a little bit shortened. When the session is done we hope we visit some places and show the new face of Pandemonium.
– You have recently re-relased «Devilri» in vinyl version, why did you decide to do so? It seems vinyl is now coming back…
P. Vinyl is just a vinyl… cultic, you know… Besides, “Devilri” reached the name of cultic stuff… so, we couldn’t help not re-releasing it…. it occured to be the hitting the bull’s eye, the precise combination of the past Pandemonium and our future plans. Reedition of “Devilri” Pandemonium on LP has again woken up the same emotions that were accompanying it years ago.
– And something I’m curious about after reserching a bit your history, what happened in 1993 actually? What prompted that «split-up» and what made you come back? What happened to DOMAIN?
P. Unfortunately, those times were not properly clear concerning the name of the band or the graphic sign of Pandemonium /Poland/. It took me some time to make them straight. The most important thing though is, that Pandemonium is still alive and kicking after all those affairs in the past.
– It seems Poland has a trully huge Metal, or extreme Metal, scene (and even going stronger), but how do you see it as an insider? Any bands you would like to suggest?
P. Poland is a country full of good bands of the really high level of performance. We’ve got Behemoth, Vader, Armagedon, Lost Soul (Inhuman Obsessed lol!!!!!!!!!) and, of course, Pandemonium. It is not possible to mention all of them right here, right now.
– And finally, what’s next for Pandemonium?
P. The coming months are all about the incoming new stuff – “Misanthropy”. We’ve got lots of work to do. After releasing it we will have to try very hard to present our album properly. Promotion, gigs, intrerviews – frontal attack!!!
– That’s all, thanks once more for your time. If you now want to add some final words, last lines are yours.
P. We wish to thank you for the interview and your showing interests in our band. Stay with us. We won’t disappoint you with our new stuff. Search for our internet services.
