NECRODEATH interview 2006

When you’ll be reading those words, the new album of NECRODEATH will be out and reviewed in these pages. “100% Hell”, the last CD of Italian black/thrash veterans, was strongly awaited…at least by me! Since “Mater of all Evil” I was expecting a more skullfucking album that never occurred with the following releases. I couldn’t wait anymore so I contacted Peso and John to calm down my addiction of necro/black/thrash metal and know more about the next release.

1-Hello, how are you? NECRODEATH is going to release its new album in mid April, what can we expect from your 6th aggression?
PESO: Well, our next upcoming album will be called "100% Hell" and will be out in Europe on 17 April...In France will be distributed by Season of mist, and you can be sure that the new release will blow away your head!

2-My favourite album of NECRODEATH is “Mater of all evil”, the album of your reformation; each song on this album is awesome, the sound is good, the atmosphere is absolutely demoniac and vocals are so aggressive. I didn’t feel so impressed by the following albums (which contains good songs for sure!).”Mater of all evil” is your best album so far; how this next release “100% hell” can dethrone this masterpiece?
PESO: If you like Mater I think you have to love" Black as pitch" as well, cause we have work on the same frequency if you know what I mean...I can understand "Ton(e)s of hate is pretty particular and in same way very experimental for a band like us...Well "100% Hell" I think is a mix of all our steps, but in this one I think the way of composition is more mature, and we have try to mix in our best way the violence with the melody...so at last I can tell that this is just another different NECRODEATH album, where anyway you can recognise the necro trademark!

3-Claudio left NECRODEATH for personal reasons. Was it a lack of interest in the music? Will it affect the song writing? I ask this because you have a particular riffs approach? Can you introduce us to your new guitar player?
PESO: When Claudio left the band I take care about the composition of the songs and we have recruited a guitar turnist with us called Andy that has recorded the guitar work in the album....Actually for the live shows that we have to start in April we’ll have on lead guitar, Pier from LABYRINTH, a great Italian heavy metal band..... Anyway for me ,also if I play drums, was not a new compose a necro song, cause since the beginning from demos time I’ve always written songs together with Claudio, and in the last years too Claudio leave me the "space" for my ideas....

4-This new album will feature a special guest appearance with Cronos from the mighty VENOM. How does this happen? Is he a NECRODEATH fan?
PESO: We always has been great fans of VENOM, and by the way we were already in touch with Cronos, cause he knows our releases and he too appreciate our music...anyway with the help of mister Bosio this time we have asked to Cronos if he wanted make an intro for our new album, and he agreed....For us it has been a really great satisfaction and honour to have the father of all extreme music in our “100% Hell”!!!!!

5-Will this new album be released through Scarlet records? Can you talk about your relations with this label? I think you are among their biggest sales, am I right? Never been contacted by bigger label such as Nuclear Blast, Century Media…?
PESO: We are in touch in true friendly way with them and we have a very good deal....Anyway we like be free persons and free artists and with Scarlet this is possible....at last I don’t think that we could be able to sign a deal like 7 CD in 7 years or stuff like that....At last if we will receive a big offer from somebody we will easily speak with Scarlet and see what is the best for everybody.... If we should sign for a bigger label of course Scarlet too should sell more of our catalogue....

6-NECRODEATH played numerous gigs and festivals in Italy, but did you have any proposals for the rest of Europe? Will you kick our bastard arses one day in France? HellFest is going to take place in France at the end of June if you’re looking for gigs!
JOHN: In May we'll tour Europe together with MARDUK and we'll be in France as well! Please take a look to http://www.necrodeath.net/ for further details. However, in the past we had several proposals for touring Europe or for playing concerts in other countries, but those weren't good proposals.

7-Let’s talk about the compilation “20 years of noise”. Who made the choice of track listing? The good point is that we can find your first demo “the shining pentagram” on it, but concerning the choice of your best songs I am a bit disappointed, where are the killer songs of “Mater of all evil” (the creature, serpent, flame of malignance…). It shows a more accessible side of NECRODEATH I think.
PESO: Believe me it is not so easy to choose among about 80 songs written in 20 years....of course everybody will be happy and disappointed at the same time.... we have try to choose about our taste....for example I don’t like Serpent anymore, but I love Thanatoid (NdJ: On “Fragments of Insanity”), but at last you can’t find any of this two songs... Anyway for us has been great print this compilation cause means that after 20 years we are still good to make noise!! ehehe die hard!!!!!!!!!!!

8-On the “Ton(e)s of hate” CD, you’ve got an incredibly powerful bass sound? Will this characteristic remain on the new album? What equipment are you using actually (bass, amp, effects…)?
JOHN: In "Ton(e)s of Hate" I used the same sound I use live, while in the previous albums the producer didn't agree. And in "100% Hell" I could use my live sound as well. I'm currently using a Bass POD Pro for modelling and distorting the sound, an Alesis 3630 to compress, a Rocktron Velocity 400 power amplifier ad a SWR Triad I cabinet.

9-NECRODEATH has always been into diabolical themes, evil, death… Have you ever had troubles with religious groups in the past trying to cancel your gigs? Similar things happened to IMPALED NAZARENE for example.
PESO: I think we have a different way of explain our ideas or evil nature of disgust.... For example in "Church Black Book", we speak about the slaughters of catholics during the centuries..... This is history right? Anyway our “100% Hell”, except the last song that is the title track that is a travel to hell inspired by the "inferno" of Divina Commedia, speaks about the typical news we read and see everyday...and this is the real hell if you know what I mean.....

10-John, you’ve been part of NECRODEATH since the reformation; how were you recruited by Claudio & Peso? Did you know the band before? What is your favourite NECRODEATH album?
JOHN: I was used to play together with Peso in minor local bands and we were friends since the early 90s. When NECRODEATH formed back and Paolo (ex bass player) didn't want to join the band Peso asked me to substitute him. And now I'm here! ;)

11-How did you become a metal maniac? What was the first album that you bought and the first gig you went to? What are the latest releases you are listening to?
PESO:I was 12years old and I buy a KISS album called "Unmasked"....then I started to listen AC-DC and IRON MAIDEN....but some years later I need some more aggressive...So I was impressed by VENOM and soon METALLICA and SLAYER.... After saw VENOM live in Milan the day 5 Feb 1984 Claudio and I decided to put together a noise band...so we started call the project GHOSTRIDER, but after one year we changed the name in NECRODEATH!!

12-How do you see the evolution of cult acts such as SLAYER or SEPULTURA who changed a lot since their beginnings? Still fan of them and their latest releases?
PESO: About SEPULTURA to be honest I’m a fan of the old stuff...the “Schizophrenia” vinyl is an absolute must! I’ve finish to follow the band after the split with Max.... About SLAYER I don’t think they have change so much compared the beginning, also if I must admit as a big SLAYER fan as I am, that another album as "Reign in blood" well never be heard again.......

13-John, you are also a member of RAZA DE ODIO, CADAVERIA and DYNABYTE. Hell, how do you manage to lead all these projects? Do you have a job? Can you give us little information about each band?
JOHN: I'm not a professional musician and I have an ordinary job like any mortal... moreover, for more precision, I don't "lead" these bands as I'm just the bass player and I take part of the composition only in DYNABYTE songs, while in other bands I just play and take care of minor things like web sites and merchandise etc... Well, RAZA DE ODIO are currently composing new songs http://www.razadeodio.com/, CADAVERIA are recording their 3rd album (in this band I'm also the producer) http://www.cadaveria.com/ and DYNABYTE are preparing few live acts for the next weeks http://www.dynabyte.it/

14-What are your future plans? You have released a VHS “From hate to scorn” about the reformation. What about the idea of a DVD gathering your history, clips and gigs?
JOHN: It's a nice idea but don't forget that we are an underground band and we are low budget. Producing a DVD is very expensive... unfortunately...

15-Do you care about the Italian scene? Do you know NATRON, HOUR OF PENANCE, SADIST, FORGOTTEN TOMB, SACRADIS…? Do you have any bands to recommend to the readers?
PESO: Yes! First of all I wanna recommend you the return of the great SCHIZO! They are recording the album of their come back to their roots....I can’t wait.... then about the new revelations here in Italy you have to remember these names: LEGION, AMETHISTA, METHEDRAS, CRUENTUS and SHINING FEAR!! All of these are very special great new acts!! Check it!!!

16-Thanks a lot for your time, good luck with NECRODEATH and be sure I will get your next release. If you have anything to add. Hail!
PESO: Stay tuned with our web site http://www.necrodeath.net/ and see you in France soon!! “100%hell” kills!
JOHN: Cheers mates! See you soon on stage!!!!!!!

Necrodeath
Casella Postale 22 - 16030 Ruta (GE) - Italy
info@necrodeath.net