The profanation began in 2007, and nothing seems able to stop its impious march! FATHER BEFOULED is the perfect incarnation of what death metal should be: dark, evil, disgusting and bonecrushing. If you dig the early blasphemies of INCANTION, ROTTREVORE, MORTICIAN, etc... you won't be disappointed by this band.-Putrid greetings Ghoat! FATHER BEFOULED is probably the ugliest and most impious death metallic manifestation coming from the States actually. But why didn't you follow the actual brutal death metal stream and choose to play this kind of obscure and devilish death metal instead?
Whereas I like more brutal death metal, it is simply not what I set out to create. When I created Father Befouled, there was no outright effort to become anything recognized. It simply started as a project between friends and eventually gained way more recognition than we expected. Brutal death metal attacks and is violent. What we play is more reserved and menacing; there is the oppressive undercurrent that makes our music dreary.
-What is your personal definition of death metal, which are the boundaries that mustn't be crossed according to you? Like many metal styles (black, thrash, heavy, doom, grind) it evolves with the addition of external elements, with more or less success... Do you think evolution and experiment are necessary even though they are inevitable?
With so many different styles of death metal, there are many boundaries that can be defined and/or crossed. With brutal death/gore/grind type metal, there is obviously what can be determined legal. Are there bands glorifying pedophilia? To an extent, take a band like Purulent from Columbia; their album about a serial child murderer spurned the existence of merch with the slogan “100% Pedophilia” attached. That can be too far.
If we are talking of boundaries in terms of musical expression, then yes, there are many that need to be addressed. In FB there are certain types of riffs I will not play because they do not fit the style. They can be considered death metal riffs all day, but not in the scope of what I create. Evolution and progression can exist, but within one’s own style. John McEntee has been writing Incantation songs for 20 years and they still sound like Incantation songs. Is the new stuff as crushing as the old? No, but it is every bit as ominous and atmospheric. Take a band that I love; Mortician. Mortician has essentially written the same album 8 times over 20 years, but it always sounds fresh. There is no need for ‘experimentation’ with what I do. There are other outlets.
-FATHER BEFOULED plays blasphemous death metal in the vein of early INCANTATION which is the most prominent influence (especially their two first records), but one can mention as well bands like IMMOLATION, IMPRECATION, MORPHEUS DESCENDS, PROFANATICA and certainly more. Sometimes you displays dark and gruesome atmospheres a bit like NECROS CHRISTOS who mixes death and black metal in an occult and ritualistic way. What are the influences, musical or not, you would put forward as the evil seeds of FATHER BEFOULED? Who can be interested by your rituals, how would you describe FATHER BEFOULED to someone who doesn't know the band?
Every band you mention above is certainly a direct influence; Incantation obviously as well as Immolation. I saw both of these bands 10-12 years ago for the first time, and both I saw live before I ever listened to them on tape. Their performances struck me and stayed with me. Through the years I have been involved in many bands from hardcore/punk bands to black and death metal bands, but the atmosphere of those two bands and the sounds created by like death metal bands of that era was something I always wanted to do. Atmosphere and the oppressive, obscure tone is something that is mandatory for FB.
To the new listener, we are a dark and oppressive death metal band. If people are fans of the bands above, then they will like us. We are just trying to create something fresh, and while our influences are clear, we are certainly not jumping on any bandwagon or trend.
-FATHER BEFOULED is a quite recent band but you have still three releases and three forthcoming ones, so one must say you're quite productive. The tracks appearing on your first demo have been released on two separate records by two different labels. What are the differences between the tracks on the “Sacrificing oblivion” demo soundwise? Why haven't you gathered all the tracks on only one LP? And how did you get in touch with Gasmask Records and Enucleation Records?
Sacrificing Oblivion has tracks from both the Profano MCD and the Obscurus CD, as well as live rehearsals and one exclusive demo track. The sound difference between the songs on the demo and the CDs is basically mastering/volume. They are the same recordings, just lowered, unmastered versions.
We do stay productive, but as a young band I want to promote as much as I can now. With as long as it takes releases to come out sometimes, it is good to always have something to work on.
-As said above you have two split EP to be out soon, with DECREPITAPH and CEMETERY URN, as well as a split CD/LP with HELCARAXE. Man, you never stop composing or have you many unreleased tracks left? How much time do you need to vomit a new track? How much time is allowed in the songwriting process? Is this something very spontaneous?
There are no unreleased tracks as of writing. I either use what gets written or recorded, or if something is not good, it usually never even becomes a full song. The Split with Decrepitaph is now out; we waited over a year for that to happen. As for the split with Cemetery Urn, that is also a long work in progress. It will be part of a single 7” series on Relapse Records. We signed with them for the one 7” over a year ago, and we did not even know who the split would be with. It will come out eventually. It will be part of a series like their grind or thrash 7” series’.
Songwriting happens at weird times. If I know I have to write a song and sit down to do it, nothing will come of it. So, usually, yes, the songs are pretty spontaneous. But I usually only write when there is something to write for. I do not have random songs laying around that need recording.
-The split EP with DECREPITAPH will be released by Archasm Releasing, which is your own label, right? Why don't you release all FATHER BEFOULED stuff through it? What are the others label's releases past & present?
Archasm was created for the purpose of the split. For some reason, we had major label issues trying to get that out. Labels were just not interested, and the couple that were fell through. So I decided to pony up the money and just do it. From that I figured it would be more legit to actually create a label. I want to support bands as well and, being a creative person, I want to get other’ people’s music presented. If I had the resources, I would release FB stuff through Archasm, but I just do not have that kind of money. Hell, I don't have the money to even run it now, but I try. We have a very good deal with Enucleation and I plan on staying with them.
-You also plays in black/death metal act VOMIT CHAPEL and released a demo Tape “War Vomit Death Worship”. Don't you fear sometimes that heading so many projects at the same time could make your bands sounding closer? A bit like DRAWN & QUARTERED and their side-project PLAGUE BEARER. How do you decide which music fits to whether VC or FB?
I feel the exact opposite. More bands keeps FB from either A)not sounding like FB, and B) keeps me from just writing FB songs. Because they would either all run together and be the same or they would be bland and generic.
Vomitchapel specifically is an outlet for pure aggression. The songs are almost completely written on the spot and not rehearsed at all. I record the drums first and write the music to the beats. It exists to be completely bestial, chaotic and pummeling black/death noise. The riffs are just attacks of chaos and not remotely similar to FB.
-The lyrics and title-tracks are extremely iconoclast and blasphemous in the vein of those from INCANTATION. Are there a part of your personality and beliefs or do you write them only to fit the music and strengthen the evil vibe? Are there some metaphorical meanings behind your lyrics?
They are a part of my disbelief, actually. I am a pretty staunch atheist, and in my lyrics I am mostly using metaphor to discount the existence of eternity. A lot of it is a mockery to the bible and Christianity, something I feel strongly about. I am not glorifying Satan or evil, yet promoting blasphemy and chaos against all religion. The darkness and evil is just imagery and fantasy against something that does not exist. I am very particular with my words.
-INCANTATION, CANNIBAL CORPSE, IMMOLATION, those bands keep playing a traditional form of death metal without really being out of their line and keeping a fanbase. Some other bands evolved with more or less success like HYPOCRISY, AMORPHIS or DEATH, and in some case some fans didn't follow the band during their whole career. Did you remain attached to the beginnings of your favorite bands or does it happen you got their entire discography?
Yes and no. I have everything Incantation did/does because they stay relevant. I am a pretty big fan of Cannibal Corpse too, but they have been useless on record for almost ten years. Their last 4 records have been identical. It all depends on the band, really. Take a band for Dissection, for instance; I have all their stuff and love it all equally. Reinkaos sounds like a completely different band, but something, to me, keeps it in the same league as their classic albums.
-Lately, I've been listening to the last PORTAL “Outre” which is one of the weirdest death metal release I got. I'm still wondering how to write a review about it! Do you like this band? What's the most unusual or strangest album/band you ever listened to, to the extent that you still don't know if you like it or not??Haha, I am actually listening to Seepia (PicLP) right now! Portal is fucking intense for sure. Their atmosphere is unparalleled and chaotic, but they are still listenable.
Lots of noise/electronic music is hard to listen to, but I still enjoy it for the most part. One of the strangest of the last few years for me is a Swedish band called Niellerade Fallibilisthorstar. They create soundscapes and noise without instruments, but it is very engaging and not boring or stupid.
As for metal bands, I am not sure. The first time I heard Demilich 10-12 years ago, I was weirded out. That is still a band I have yet to wrap my head around.
-You did a gig with MANTICORE on April 25th. Who arrange that gig? Do you have to arrange most of your band's gigs or did you get asked by gig-organizers? How many people attend at your gigs? We may have a mistaken opinion out there in France thinking that there are plenty of crowded metal gigs in the US, what's the reality in fact?
Metal gigs in the US blow. No one shows up unless it is big, clean, slick bands. Let me rephrase; underground metal gigs blow. 15 people came and watched us with Manticore. We played to about 100 with Imprecation two weeks ago. The biggest shows we played were with Profanatica and at the most there were maybe 250 people at one of them, and they were both festivals. We played in Dallas, TX with our brothers Decrepitaph and only 5 people or so came. It all depends on the region, the club, the city, the fans, etc…
We do not use a promoter or booker, but possibly will in the future. All of the gigs we have played have been offered to us, and some have been very good and some not at all, as mentioned above. If gigs are properly promoted there is a better chance of people coming of course, but as a whole I think it could certainly be better for us. When we played in Dallas, Suffocation was playing the same night about 30 minutes away, so of course everyone was there. We also did shitty promotion for that show. It was part of a tour that never happened.
My understanding is that underground metal gigs in Europe are much better.
-As a metal fan, to which extent your infatuation can be measured? I mean do you still buy a lot of releases every months or do you stay faithful to the classics? Did you do good discoveries lately, do you have anything you would recommend?
A bunch of both really. I work as a graphic designer, and a good bit of my work is doing layouts for CD and Records, so I stay on top of a lot of new underground stuff. I am also a vinyl collector, so I am always looking for old gems.
Lately I am really digging the new Church of Misery LP. If you are unfamiliar, they are a groove/stoner metal band from Japan and all their songs are about serial killers. They are just a fucking riff factory. I have been into them for years.
I also like the new Tribulation record on Blood Harvest. Killer black/death thrash.
Both of the above mentioned records also have KILLER packaging/layouts and that is something I always look for in releases, given that that is what I do.
-Let me know what comes to your mind when I mention:
-NECRO (the rap “band” self proclaiming their music death rap):
Just dumb, I hate this shit. No use for it.
-NECROPHAGIA:
LOVE THIS BAND!!! Holocausto de la Morte is a personal favorite, always.
-NECRODEATH:
Not a fan, I need to check them out more.
-NECROPHOBIC:
Also another band I have not listened to much.
-NECROCCULTUS:
Very dirty black death. Sounds like crap, but good. I have the split LP with Shub Niggurath.
-NECROPHAGIST:
Not a fan of tech/death, but I can tolerate about two songs of this band. I would go see them live if it were cheap and close. I have two friends who LOVE them and I enjoy seeing bands with my friends if they like the band and I do not. I enjoy my friends enjoying things.
-While my insomniac nights web investigation I discovered a new phenomenon coming from South America. There are dozens of blogs where guys gathered hundreds links of downloadable releases, even some releases are available before the date-release. When it comes to some hard-to-find demo stuff or sold out releases, I think that's pretty cool, but full albums... What's your view on this?
Obscurus Nex Cultus was available on a BlogSpot before I even had copies of the CD and it got under my skin a little. Everyone can afford a fucking CD. If you can afford to get on the internet, you can afford to buy an album. It can be helpful in checking out a band, but so can MySpace. I think some of it is a tad ridiculous. I do enjoy looking up obscure shit on these sites though and then tracking down the real demos/LPs.
-Ghoat, let me thank you for your time answering those fucking questions. Just let me know what you were listening while answering them. Now you can conclude, putrid salutations...
Portal – Seepia PicLP
Von – Satanic Blood Angel DPicLP
Nominon – Terra Necrosis LP
Thanks, and sorry it took so long!
http://www.myspace.com/fatherbefouled
http://www.fatherbefouled.com/
http://archasmreleasing.com/
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