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INDEX
INTERVIEWS
GUESTBOOK
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DEATH
METAL TAPE LABEL THE DOOMED WAY
(SPAIN)
1. Hello. Can you introduce your label and yourself to our humble rotting readers?
I started Unholy Domain records together with Black Oath’s singer and guitar player Alex in 2009. At First we made up our mind to run a special kind of label, whose aim was to release only pro-tapes. Usually those kind of records are released on Cdr, and we wanted to turn them at least on MC. Moreover, I collect death metal demo-tapes of the early 90’es and, since a lot of new bands are recording good stuff echoing that glorious old times, I wanted to give them the opportunity to do it in the same way, in order to recreate the same atmosphere, especially for the listeners, who still love that unique MC’s sound. Same thing for the vinyl. The first vinyl we released was a simple test, but then we found out that we could not stop releasing vinyl! Vinyl’s sound is really incredible and the product itself makes a big difference in comparison to every other kind of release. The object itself is just wonderful. Anyway, even if we decided to release Vinyl, we want to keep putting out new releases in MC as well. This is briefly my label’s philosophy. Besides, I call it my label, because actually I run it alone, since Alex decided to quit, just because we wanted to focuses more on his work in Black Oath.
2. Tell us more about your label's state of mind: Do you have particular visions, ways to follow, and what makes yours a bit different from other labels? Could we say you run a Death metal label, or would you choose other words to describe it?
I would call my label a death metal label because, although we released also some doom stuff, its soul was and still is death metal. What makes it different is its true underground attitude: even the choice to release MC follows this direction, which is the only direction I ever followed myself in decades of dedication to the death metal scene.
3. The name of your label, Unholy domain, seems like it wouldn't be unfamiliar with your habitation... I mean if your house is totally full of obscure tapes and Lps in every corners (Even Water closets?), it could be called the "Unholy domain"... Am I right, or wrong, or just confused? (Napalm Death quote inside)
I
chose this name for different reasons. First I was looking for a
word, able to express a common features, which could embrace all
the different stuff I wanted release: so it came the word “unholy”.
Second, I wanted to express the idea of a kingdom which is the place
where this stuff prevails: so came it the word “domain”. Anyway
the name keeps a connection to my habitation, because it’s really
full with MCs, Vinyl, Cds and T-shirts: but you won’t find anything
inside my water closet, except what you can usually find in such
a thing….ahah!
4. You seem to like the tape format. Why did you choose this one exactly? What are the advantages of tapes compared to other formats in your opinion?
As I told you the tape version has a unique sound in my opinion. It’s impossible to recreate such a sound, the sound of the 90’s, on a different format. Furthermore I think it’s a pity to have great demos or rehearsal in Cd-r format, because it simply hurts me as collector!
5. Newer labels are more and more attracted by pro tapes... In your opinion what are the advantages and disadvantages compared to regular tapes? Is the goal to have 100-200 ready to use tapes, and not having to dub everything yourself, or is it rather about having a “professional” product? Do you make a big difference between pro tapes and regular tape demos?
To answer this question I have to split my arguments: as a collector I don’t make a big difference between pro tape and tape demos. In the 90’s it wasn’t really usual to print pro-tape, and I have tons of regular tapes from that period (remember: in that time many tapes were self-released). As owner of a label I chose to release pro tape because I wanted to values my productions, offering the bands as well as the fans a professional products.
6. To which labels would you say you identify yourself the best? Would you feel close to older peoples, older than 30 who run labels for years with their "old ideas", or it's not necessarily a matter of age? Maybe in the fact of running your label you could also be inspired by something else, such as some enterprises or the local 60 years old second-hand book seller?
It’s not necessary a matter of age, of course I always consider the way old label worked and old ideas can still be fresh sometimes. On the other hand, I always keep an eye opened on the new labels, which are actually doing a great job in promoting new and promising bands. Even if I’m 32 I don’t feel myself like an old corpse ahah and besides my label is a new label too!
7. Sometimes when I listen to some new old school Death metal bands, I rather feel listening to something like "Morbid thrash metal"... It seems to me they're closer to something like SLAYER "Hell awaits" (With its morbid atmosphere), the first POSSESSED album (With the screams and distorted sound), NECROVORE or eventually the first PESTILENCE album, than the old school Death metal I know (With downtuned guitars, low death growls and more...). Would you say there's something like an evolution in the meaning of "Old school Death metal" for a part of the audience, or is it possible that I'm becoming to become old? (Hu?)
You’re definitely right. I perfectly agree with your analysis and probably we’re both becoming old ahah! Actually old school death metal had kind of different sound and it and won’t define this new trend like an evolution. It is something more and something less at the same time: those bands try to refers their music to the old school but they’re actually creating something new.
8. What's the best way to promote your label in your opinion? Is it necessary to use a bit of everything: Emails, forums, facebook, twitter, youtube, youporn, flyers and more... Or did you find a way that works much better than the remaining? Would you say you're rather lazy or quite active in terms of promotion?
I mainly use youporn: if you write my name you can find some videos of mine in which I rape animals and grannies! Ahahah! No, seriously, now I’m still using facebook and myspace, even if I don’t really like those kind of media, but you can't avoid them if you want that people know about your releases. I use them especially for the bands, because they can have better exposure on internet than only via flyer and zines. Anyway I always spread flyer everywhere (concerts, festivals, pubs, rehearsals, music shop, etc.) and I send them to other labels worldwide as well. Sincerely I have been a bit lazy during the past, just because have to do everything after work and, as you can imagine, I don’t have much time left. But, since months, I’m trying to push more effort in promotion, especially organizing gigs.
9. Do you happen to run "stands" during gigs to sell distro items, or not? Is this something good to distribute your releases?
Yes
I run a stand during gigs in my area and it’s really worthy. People
know that they can find Unholy Domain stuff during those gigs and
it’s like a meeting point for all the sick people who support this
music.
10. Which one from your releases is your favorite, and why?
I only release stuff that I really like. If I have to chose a couple of name as my favorites I would probably say: Abysme “S/T” (demo); the first time I’ve listen to it I thought: I MUST release this amazing stuff! I also really like Sepulcral “Anthropophagy of Doom”, which is my first 12” Lp.
11. Which releases you did was the most successful in terms of sales and trades? Did you notice some were easier to sell or trade, and if so did you identify why?
The most successful releases in term of sales and trades are Anguish/Black Oath, split 7” and Undead Creep “demo 2009”. The first one sold very good because Black Oath are pretty popular in the underground; the second one because the band’s promotion plus label’s promotion reached a lot of fans. Useless to say, that both the release are just amazing in term of music!
12. Generally, how many copies of a tape do you distribute? Do you voluntary limit the amount of copies, or is it something like the kind of release you choose won't need more than 100 or 200 for example?
It has to be limited, unique and elite. This is a precise rule in Unholy Domain. I decided to print only 100 copies on tape. There are only few exceptions, so to say, I’m going to release 200 copies of Assumption “S/T” demo, but this is the maximum I can grant for the moment, because I don’t want any single kid who’s listening death metal since 2 days have this rare and precious stuff! Max set for vinyl is 300 copies.
13. Do you think you will stick to the tape format for a long time, or you already have plans to release something on vynil, CD, or else? In other words, is the tape label a finality, or a step towards something else?
I
already printed stuff on Vinyl but I keep print MC as well and I’ll
always do it. I wouldn’t say I won’t print even Cd but the main
thing is: I chose the more suitable format according to the kind
of music that it will contain.
14. How is the Death metal scene in Italy right now? Would you say it's quite healthy, or rather quite small? Personally I could quote a few band names, but not too much, so it might be better to ask the opinion of someone located in the wormy middle of it!
Recently the Italian scene is pretty healty and is growing in every death metal sector . I can quote some names: Undead Creep, Profanal, Eroded, Sepulcral, Voids of Vomit, Necro, Psychopath Witch, Nefas, Bastard Saints, Blasphemer, Septycal Gorge, Putridity, Sickening, and many others.
15. You told me you're 32 years old. I searched your name on metal-archives but found no result... Does it mean you played in no metal bands at all in the past? Or maybe none of the band recorded something like a demo or an album? (Maybe it was a cover band...). You could also use this question to speak about your past metal activities (Such as fanzines, distro, radioshows or something else...)
You didn’t find my name in internet, because your search on the wrong website: as I told you, you have to try with youporn! Ahahah! No, I’ve never had a band or played an instrument but I had a label, Flood Records, which dealt with brutal death and grind stuff. I released with it several albums, Ulcerate, Stabwound and Antigama just to name a few.
16. How did you discover metal, and Death metal in particular? Was it immediately something quite obscure, or did it evolve gradually from quite mainstream genres, to something a bit more extreme each time? When I was a teenager in 1994 it began with hard rock in my father's Lps collection (Alice cooper, Led Zeppelin), then there was some Heavy metal or grunge (Iron maiden, Nirvana (Yes, ouch!)). Then some thrash metal like Sepultura or Slayer... And then some quite famous Death metal bands (Like Death, Carcass, Morbid angel)... What were your first contacts with Death metal, and how did you get your first tape demos?
I
discovered Death metal in the same way, starting with other genres
such as heavy and thrash metal. Then I bought 4 Cds that changed
my life: Legion (Deicide), Blessed are the sick (Morbid Angel),
The ten Commandments (Malevolent Creation) and The Bleeding (Cannibal
corpse). Then I became sick for this music and since that year I’ve
never stopped listening to death metal, discovering every day new
bands, albums and so on. The first demo tape I bought was Reborn
in Blasphemy (Dismember): I found it in 1994 in a small shop in
Milan.
17. There are more and more bands trying to sound like Swedish Death metal... What are your feelings about it? Do you think it's good, since it's a genre you like very much, or do you feel a bit bored and would need a bit of something else? What could be the next underground trend in your opinion?
I really like Swedish death metal but I don’t like trends in general. In this sense I would say that I like good albums and that’s it. No matter if it’s Swedish or anything else, it has to be true music and not a fucking trend, just played to impress some 15 years old chick!!! In my opinion black metal nowadays has good chances to become trendy again.
18. What would be your most passionating and wettest dreams with the label? (Releasing the music of a band in particular? Re-releasing the demos of an old forgotten Italian band?)
It would be a dream to me to release something of the mighty Autopsy and Derketa, as well as to re-release Incantation”Mortal Throne Of Nazarene” and Infamy’s full length “The blood shall flow” in Vinyl format!
19. If you couldn't release Death metal recordings, for an unfortunate reason such as "Death metal doesn't exist"... Which other kinds of music would you choose? I guess there could be old school thrash metal, doom metal, black metal, heavy metal... But what about old school grindcore? Would you imagine you could released something like dark ambient, or another kind of extreme/ strange but non-metal music?
I could release hip-hop cds, wearing a leopard coat, with gold teeth and chains and stuff like that! Ahah No, honestly I wouldn’t release nothing but metal stuff. I would probably release something doom, as I actually already did.
20. Would you say running a tape label helps to get free pussy, or not at all? Is your wife happy with the fact you run a Death metal label, and does she like the fact it helps to get free pussy? (If it helps at all) AhAh
I have so many pussy around that I actually decided to run a death metal label in order to avoid those herd of pussies who try every time to suck my cock! Ahahah No: death metal doesn’t help in getting pussy at all! Free pussy and death metal are two words that can’t even make sense combined together! But I can have a lot of well payed pussies selling MC and Vynil!!ahahah
21. If it's not too complicated, can you give us: Your top ten albums of all time, and top ten demos of all time?
Yes,
it is difficult to choose only 10 of many albums and especially
only 10 demos, but I like this question:
Top Album:
-Rottrevore
“Iniquitous” cd
-Malevolent Creation “The Ten Commandments”
lp
-Immolation “Dawn Of Possession” lp
-Gorguts “Considered
Dead” lp
-Suffocation”Effigy Of The Forgotten” lp
-Incantation
“Mortal Throne Of Nazarene” cd
-Necrophagia “Season Of The Dead”
lp
-Grave “Into The Grave” lp
-Bolt Thrower “Warmaster” lp
-Asphyx
“The Rack” lp
Top Demos:
-Crematory (SWE) all demos
-Hideous
Corpse “Demented” demo
-Abhorrence (FIN) “Vulgar Necrolatry”
demo
-Derketa “The Unholy Ground” demo
-Necrophobic ”Unhoy
Prophecies” demo
-Embalmer “Rotting Remains” demo
-Convulse
“Resuscitation Of Evilness” demo
-Maimed “Demo # 1 91” demo
-Imprecation
“Ceremony Of The Nine Angles” demo
-Demigod “Unholy Domain” demo
for
the demos was a tough choice hehe...
22. This is the free question, feel free to speak about anything good... Metal related or not.
Forza Inter! If I have to speak about something as good as death metal I must speak about my football team F.C. Internazionale!!!
23. What are your future plans? Tell us more about it, and feel free to conclude... A morbid way!
I’m
going to release some demos, which were recorded at first in Cd-r
Format and that I want to have on MC (pro-tape), e.g. Ectovoid (USA),
Escarnium (BRA), Diabolical Messiah (CHI). Furthermore I’m going
to release the first demo of the Italian band Assumption, featuring
members of Undead Creep: they play death doom in the vein of Disembowelment,
Evoken, Thergothon. I’m also working on some upcoming releases on
Vinyl.
This summer I’m gonna be at some festivals, such as Hell’s
Pleasure and Kill Town Death Fest, and I’ll probably bring some
of my new releases.
Thank you very much for this interview and
keep supporting Death metal! Porco Dio!
Web page: http://www.myspace.com/unholydomainrecs
