Interview with Tormentor of Desaster 2008

By Bradley Smith

Your latest album Satan’s Soldier Syndicate, features a more simplified song structure and hearkens back somewhat to the early days of Desaster.  Was this intentional?  Was there too much progression and experimentation on Angelwhore? 

Yes and no... maybe “Angelwhore” was a bit “too much” but on the other hand Desaster isn’t a band for progression and experimentation... I think a big point was the sound of the album. A bit to “dry” is maybe a good word for it. Within the songwriting process of “SSS” we felt that the new songs were more to the point and like a fist in your face. More or less the whole new album is more like this. But I still like the “Angelwhore” album, don’t misunderstand me, but “SSS” is going more backwards as you told before, that’s true. One good riff is 100000 times better than breaks, speed or anything else!

Desaster is basically at 20 years of existence.  Are you doing anything special to mark that significant milestone?  Another limited vinyl release like you did on your 10 year anniversary?   Do you think that this milestone for Desaster is important and if so why?

At the moment we are collecting some ideas to celebrate this special birthday and I think at the end of the year we have something special for our fans. At the moment it looks like a special gig and a special release... but we really cannot say something concrete by now! I think every year of existence is a milestone for a band, every record is a milestone... but the age isn’t that important. More important is that we still play fast’n’heavy music and have the chance to play live!

I view Desaster as the band that almost single-handedly resurrected the German underground scene.  You were also one of the first bands to successfully unite thrash and black metal.  How do you view Desaster’s contributions and do you agree with my view at all or am I way off base?

We never wanted to be a part of any scene. We just do our thing and hail the cult of Heavy Metal. That so called scene was and is nothing. I think some bands had a good hand to combinate Black and Thrash Metal like Deströyer666... But we really don’t care about if we are black, thrash, speed, doom or whatever... METAL is the only thing what’s all about!

There seems to be a Unity within the German Scene with the whole Hellbanger chapters in different areas.  It’s almost like football clubs.  Do you think that the Germany scene is somewhat unique in this respect?  Do you feel that sense of brotherhood with other German metal communities/bands?

There are at the moment only one chaptor beside the original German Hellbangers. That are our friends from Finland/ Tampere.  But maybe I’m wrong.  I am in the Hellbangers anymore due some different problems... but it’s not like a football club... more like a friendship of some crazy metalheads celebrating drinking and headbanging contests... haha Of course there is kind of brotherhood... but it’s not because of the club... it’s because of the music we listen to! Isn’t it?

How has your partnership with Metal Blade been going?  What advantages has it afforded you that you didn’t previously have?  I know you still remain loyal to Iron Pegasus, why?

At the moment all is fine between us and Metal Blade... and also the American label was now “able” to release a official CD version of “SSS”. But the German label is fukkin’ great. They know that we are a small and undergoundish band who needs their freedom. They don’t do something without a permission of the band and also all rights for merch and vinyl is by the band! That was a really fair deal and I think they want to do a next album with us! More or less nothing changed that much... ok, better promotion is one thing because we wanted to become more known outside Germany. But I think we never did much more interviews like the last 2 albums before. Sometimes you feel that some interviews only were done to still receive the promokit from MB! haha... Anyway... We still work together with IP because of we really know what Costa did for the band in all the years and he also did good jobs with all records... He is the right person for releasing a vinyl version!

The German metal and especially the thrash scene was pretty extensive and influential.  A lot of excellent and cult worthy bands were overlooked during their time.  What do you think are some of the overlooked gems from the German scene?

There is definitely one band I have to name: Violent Force. And of course bands like Darkness, Warrant, Living Death, Toxic Shock and so on. Nowadays we still have some great bands here like Witchburner, Metal Inquisitor, Nocturnal, Delirious, Stigmatized, Necros Christos, Fatal Embrace, Hatespawn, Old and many more who keep the flag of German Metal alive!

Desaster are big supporters of vinyl.  So what makes Vinyl so important, what drives people to be maniacs about it?  How is it more TRUE than other formats?

I really like the sounds... it’s not that “clinical” like a CD and also the coverartwörks are looking much better. You see more details! There’s nothing better than put a good record on, smoke a cigarette and drink a beer. I think there are only the demo tapes and the Split with Sabbat which is in Desaster’s discography what wasn’t released on vinyl! It’s still something special... hopefully vinyl will never die!

As a band that seems to support the Alcoholocaust aesthetics of metal it would be interesting to get your take on the relationship between alcohol and METAL.  What do you think is so special about mixing the two?  What are some of your favourite brands of alcohol?

I think in the first row alcohol isn’t the most important thing in the world! But on the other hand, there nothing better to listen to Metal and have a cold beer in your hand! haha... 10 years ago, I really drunk more or less every day... not hard stuff... but since I have to work and have to wake up from Monday to Friday at 3.45 in the morning, it’s not possible to drink during the week. Anyway, weekend is drinking time and if it taste well I cannot stop until... haha... My favourite beers are Guinness (fresh from the tap in Ireland!), Königsbacher (local) and Bitburger. Also “Norrlands Guld” from Sweden is great, or “Nektar” from Czech Rep. and “Skol” from Brazil. The most worse beer you can find in the Netherlands... believe in me... haha. When it comes to harder drinks I like Cuba Libre, Caipirinha, Dirty Harry and some other shots!

Metal is a Cult as you so eloquently put it on the CD book for Satan’s Soldiers Syndicate.  What makes Metal different from any thing else?  How do you embody that metalized blood flowing through your veins?  What is a metal lifestyle in your eyes?

METAL is a life-style! It’s not like any other kind of music! It’s immortal and I think everybody who listens to Metal knows that he is something special in a worldwide community! People who do not listen to Metal don’t know how it is! You meet people from all over the world, total different language, total different in anything, but Metal keep all together. You must feel it in your heart and of course metalized blood must run through your veins! Metal lifestyle is only do what you want, buy killer records, meet many other die hard maniacs, drinking beer with those guys and live your life...

As a fan of all things Metal, I was wondering how you developed your love for metal, what was your first concert that you banged at, and What do you think your greatest metal related memory has been?

Haha, yeah... my first gig ever was 1989 Alice Cooper in Cologne on his “Trash” tour. That was an amazing moment... all those hard rock and metal fans in one big hall... killer... I started listen to Metal around ‘87/’88... but after this gig I really thought Metal is more than “only” listen to music... after that I went to gigs of bands like Morgoth, Pyracanda, Massacre, Benediction, Asphyx, Entombed, Cannibal Corpse and so on... I became more and more into the “undergroundish” music and yeah... now I am what I am.... a dirty, rotten Metalmaniac! I have so many memories... not only with the band... to meet my girlfriend on a Metal Party, to play with Desaster in South America, all those killer festivals, where you meet so much crazy and killer people... all those friendships through the years and so on... I AM PROUD TO BE A METALHEAD!

What are the near-term plans for Desaster?  Any essential live events or new recordings that we should be on the look out for?

We started to write new songs and also some rehearsals for more live gigs were done... next gigs will be an open air in Austria and some other gigs in Germany, Finland and Switzerland... In October we will deströy Brazil again and then it’s time to write more new neckbreaker... Next year we will also have our 20^th anniversary with some specials... we are in the beginning of the organisation with it... but we will do something really special... live and release- wise!

I’ll leave any final comments to you and incidentally, how can one “Bang or be Banged?”  Heh heh.

Listen to our music and you have to be BANG OR BE BANGED! hehe... Thanxx for this great interview and hails to all your readers! Heavy Metal is the law! If somebody is interested into merchandise or something else get in touch and visit our website: www.total-desaster.de or www.myspace.com/desasterofficial

BANG OR BE BANGED!

Tormentor