NECROTIC FLESH interview 2006

Are you tired of this new wave of old school death metal? Well, fuck you because NECROTIC FLESH plays that kind and do it sadistically well. With a first stench smelling release called“Postmortem Pleasures”, a talk with necromaniac Tobias Liesaus was unavoidable.

-Hey Tobias, how are you doing? I think it’s your first interview for a French zine so we’ll do it in English! Ready to talk about NECROTIC FLESH and your first release “Postmortem pleasures”? Could you sum up the history of NECROTIC FLESH for our putrid readers?
Tobi: Hi Jim, I am fine, hope you too and yes it’s our first interview for a french zine. NECROTIC FLESH was founded in 2001 by Jürgen Werse (bass/vox), Stephan Wilhelm (guitar/vox), and Tobias Liesaus (drums). We try to recreate the good old Death metal style like played in the best years end of 80´s, beginning of the 90´s. NECROTIC FLESH is therefore trying not to avoid any stereotypes of the genre in Music, lyrics and artwork.

-It’s been a while I haven’t heard a kick ass death metal album from Germany deeply rooted in the 90’s. Many bands are coming to my mind but I can mention DISMEMBER, AUTOPSY and INFAMY for example but I guess there are far more influences? Why did you play that kind of death metal?
Tobi: We play the music we LOVE and we all grown up with bands like AUTOPSY, OBITUARY, UNLEASHED, BOLT THROWER, or PUNGENT STENCH. It’s like a "tribute" to the best years (90´s) of Death metal (in my opinion).

-If the Swedish influence is quite obvious in your music, do you find the actual death metal wave from Sweden interesting: bands like KAAMOS, PAGANIZER, VERMINOUS, GODHATE…?
Tobi: Yes! It’s very cool that bands are playing more the old school style again, than the brutal death thing. KAAMOS and GODHATE are one of my faves from the "new" swedish scene.

-Most of the Swedish important acts still play or have reformed. Do you think they still rule? I talk about UNLEASHED, GRAVE, NECROPHOBIC, EDGE OF SANITY… What do you think of those kinds of all-stars bands playing old school death metal like CHAOSBREED and BLOODBATH? Can we talk about the come back of old school death metal as opportunism?
Tobi: The big acts like UNLEASHED or GRAVE are quite good, but for me they don’t still rule. ;) The first outputs of these bands were AWESOME and our main influences, but the new albums don’t kick my ass. The all-star projects are very cool, I like GOD AMONG INSECTS and BLOODBATH very much. This is my type of music and it seems that old school Death metal have a come back! YEAH!

-“Postmortem Pleasures” is damned short. Was it impossible to add a couple of songs or were you eager to release something quickly? Did you release anything before “Postmortem Pleasures” (demo, EP…)?
Tobi: "Postmortem Pleasures" is our first and only release at this time. In the beginning we had the common problems with changing line-ups due to our guitarist Willi left the band for a year because lack of time, we had to find a replacement. But since 2004 Willi is back and we decided to record the best of our material to that time on CD for a DEMO! That’s why the album has only a playing time of 25 minutes. It was just luck that we found the label MDD which was interested to release our first output professionally. So we are currently working on a new and this time really full length album, finishing most of the songs we need. Hopefully we can spread it out early next year. (2007)

-If one takes the time to read your lyrics, one can see it’s mostly gore and horror themes. But looking carefully, one can see some familiar monikers: PUNGENT STENCH, DYING FETUS, CARCASS, MORBID ANGEL… Huh! What can you say about this? Guilty or innocent? Don’t try to fool the jury, ah, ah! Is it a kind of homage?
Tobi: Haha Guilty! Cool you realized the "clue". It’s like a homage or tribute to the bands. In gore lyrics these bandnames offer themselves to be used.

-“Postmortem Pleasures” cover was created by Tom Pryer. Did he draw it or is this a modified picture? I mean it looks like he took a porn picture then changed it in a gory way.
Tobi: I actually don’t know, but I thought the same, it’s like a porn picture changed in gore, haha. But anyway... as I saw this image first, I felt in love with and so we buyed the picture for our Cover. The theme fits perfectly to "Postmortem Pleasures". Thanks again to Tom Pryer who made the whole layout for our CD.

-MDD is a mail-order in Germany, what are the other releases of this label? How do you get in touch with them? Did you get good responses towards “Postmortem Pleasures” promotion?
Tobi: Please erase this question! (Jim: Oups, I didn’t expect that kind of answer.)

-You know CANNIBAL CORPSE having troubles with German censorship, use to release an uncensored CD covers for each new album and is forbidden to play tracks from their three first CD. Regarding NECROTIC FLESH artworks & lyrics (for example, the lyrics of “Bestiality” or “Coprophagist” would make a well thinking Christian cunt pukes, ah!ah!), do you have any troubles like these? Can you understand such a shit?
Tobi: It’s a shame, that censorship is so extreme in germany. We have no problems at this time, cause we are a underground band and not so well known (yet). ;) I like the extreme gore of the first Cannibal Corpse covers, they were a major influence too.
Like the lyric style. "Bestiality" or "Prenatal Decomposed" are very sick lyrics. haha. We see this more ironic, but some people are very disgusted and shocked about it. (Jim: So they should stop listening to death metal and hang themselves high, he! he!)

-I would bet that you are into horror & gore movies. It is said that german gore movies are the sickest on earth, far from American teenage gayish movies. I know Olaf Ittenbach and Andreas Schnaas which gore movies are awesome! Do you like their movies? Are there any others movie makers that rule?
Tobi: Got me. I like horror and splatter movies a lot! Olav Ittenbach and Andreas Schnaas are the sickest german directors, perhaps worldwide. Movies like "Premutos" and "Beyond the Limits" from Olav Ittenbach, and the Violent Shit Trilogie or Zombie 90 - Extreme Pestilence from Andreas Schnaas are my faves. Another great german director is Jörg Buttgereit, made Necromantic 1 & 2 for example. But at movies the censoreship is extreme ridiculous. They cut everything out, so you had to get uncut horror movies from Austria or other sources. ;)

-On 25-03-2006, you play at Bringer of Death Fest V with DEEDS OF FLESH, MONSTROSITY, IMPALED, VILE, DEBAUCHERY and KRONOS. Do you have good time there? What do you think of the bands featured?
Tobi: Hell yeah! This was the Line-up of the year! Mostly all my personal fave bands together in one evening. It was like a dream comes true to play with these great bands! What should I say? They are all killer bands and cool people, I enjoyed the time very much!

-Germany is famous for its heavy metal (HELLOWEEN, GAMMA RAY, GRAVE DIGGER…) or thrash metal (KREATOR, SODOM, DESTRUCTION…). What can you say about death metal and black metal? Are there any newcomers that sound promising? Do you know OBSCENITY, PURGATORY, POLYMORPH which are really good bands? Are there any bands close to your old school style worthy to be heard?
Tobi: There are great death metal newcomers bands like NECROPSY or COMMON GRAVE which make killer music and of course I know the great OBSCENITY, PURGATORY and POLYMORPH. ;) With Heavy Metal I never was involved with, but KREATOR, SODOM, DESTRUCTION was again my grow-up music. Especially KREATOR´s “Pleasure to Kill” and “Flag of Hate” are my german all time faves.

-Will you go to Wacken Open Air this year? Are you into those big events or do you prefer small clubs? What are the latest gigs you’ve been to and that kicked your ass?
Tobi: The only big Open Air I will go to this year is the UP FROM THE GROUND Festival. Really great line-up with the mighty SUFFOCATION headlining the event. But I prefer the smaller club gigs, it’s more "personal" and more intense. The best show this year was the DEICIDE gig in Munich with PROSTITUTE DISFIGUREMENT. It was so intense and brutal I will never forget! Both bands where AWESOME and kicked my ass. haha

-What are you listening while answering my questions? At the same time give me the 10 albums you think are essential to any death metal freaks.
Tobi: While answering your questions, BOLT THROWER - "Those once Loyal" is running.
and my Top 10: AUTOPSY - Severed Survival, MORBID ANGEL - Altars of Madness, GRAVE - Into the Grave, NAPALM DEATH - Harmony Corruption, DEATH - Scream Bloody Gore, DEATH - Leprosy, UNLEASHED - Where no life dwells, BOLT THROWER - Warmaster, OBITUARY - Slowly we Rot, CANNIBAL CORPSE - Butchered at birth

-That’s all for today. Thank you Tobias for your answers. It’s time to conclude, add anything I may have forgotten to ask. All the best with NECROTIC FLESH. Gore bless you!
Tobi: I have to Thank for the cool interview and your support! Thanks to all who read the interview and visit http://www.necroticflesh.de/ for the latest news and merchandise. Keep it sick and gory...

http://www.myspace.com/necroticfleshband