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INDEX
INTERVIEWS
GUESTBOOK
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OLD
SCHOOL THRASH/ DEATH
FROM
NEW ENGLAND/ USA
1. Hello.
Before all a little introduction to RANCOROUS would be welcome.
What were the reasons for the creation of the band? Was it only
to compose good metal songs, or you had a bit more in mind?
From the start, the spark that lit the fuse was ripping off MERCILESS and 80’s German thrash metal, mostly SODOM and some early KREATOR. That was the initial thing. Eventually it also became an outlet for misanthropic hatred of humanity, total irrational fury, and wanting to kill and destroy everything. Doing this style of death/thrash metal without some actual warped aggression scorching through your brain doesn’t make sense to me at all.
2. Your music shows a nice sense of composition, so I think you had other musical experiences before... Can you tell us more about it?
Fuck, we could be here all week talking about the various failures that led to the creation of the songs for this band, haha. Speaking for myself, I’ve made and discarded dozens and dozens of awful riffs and songs over the years. And I’ve had the honor and pleasure to participate in more than a few bands and projects that either went absolutely nowhere, or just totally crashed and burned. All of the stereotypical band bullshit. Dealing with every dysfunctional personality type imaginable. Getting fucked around by flakes and charlatans. Putting up with gargantuan egos. Any sense of composition comes from bombing and fucking up for years and years, and then being stubborn and stupid enough to not quit. Maybe somewhere along the line you come up with something that kills. That’s maybe.
3. Are melodies important for a thrash metal band? If I had asked this question to a thrasher in the 80's his answer could have been quite harsh ahah
Depends on the band. SLAYER made a career with a ton of atonal, fucked up riffs & solos. Is it a deal breaker if a band uses it well? Nope. All things considered, I definitely prefer the more fucked up atonal thrash riffing in general. “Darkness Descends” is a prime example.
4. Old SODOM
are a part of your influences. Which release from their early years
is the most influential for your sounds? From the half-drunk evil
youth of "in the sign of evil", to the raw savagery of
"obsessed by cruelty" (Well, depends on if you own the
American or European versions, which are different recordings, still
not totally clear about this), to the more professional and catchy
vocals or ass kicking riffs of "Persecution mania", or
the soulful guitars of "Agent orange"... Which one did
matter the most? (And would you say "Better Off Dead"
is a part of the first epoch/ Golden years of Sodom?)
Gotta say, the main thing that sold me on SODOM was “Agent Orange”. Then “Persecution Mania”, then “In the Sign”, then the rest. It took a little while for my young dumb brain to absorb a primitive, maniacal song like “Blasphemer”, haha. Which is now arguably my favorite SODOM song. The most influential album for RANCOROUS is “Agent Orange”, though, no question. Songs, riffs, guitar tone, production… all of it. And yeah, I’d throw “Better Off Dead” in there as possibly being the last of the “classic” era.
5. Do you miss the Swedish MERCILESS? Their last album from 2003 contained a great melting of old school thrash/ death and blackened Scandinavian influences... I wouldn't mind hearing more of this as long as the (horned) quality would be present.
Probably the only band I actually miss is the true SLAYER. Getting to witness Hanneman, Lombardo, Araya, and King perform live was life affirming and remains an all time inspiration. MERCILESS were always killer, but I can’t exactly say that I miss them, considering that they essentially ceased to exist as a full time band in the 90’s. So it’s kind of difficult to miss something that wasn’t on my radar until later. I only caught on to them right after that last S/T album came out in 2003. Speaking of which, that record is excellent, and definitely holds up to the rest of the catalog. Love the production on that one. It’s one of those records that actually gets better and better the more you listen to it. This question actually made me get the CD out and give it another spin, so there you go. Totally recommended!
6. Some bands release only online demos on YouTube or bandcamp... On the other hand you decided to release it by yourselves on cassettes. What are the advantages of a physical release in your opinion? I can find various reasons such as "A physical release isn't as easily forgotten as anything digital", but I won't answer my own questions ahah
Now we’re getting
into music nerd territory. Advantages of a physical release are
an actual tangible object that can be duplicated and archived. Having
a digital only release provides less context, I’d say. This is due
to age, because I can vividly remember having to go by the CD insert
thanks lists to find out about other bands. Data on a hard drive
has never seemed real. Owning an actual vinyl LP or CD is much more
worthwhile in the long run, for a bunch of reasons. I’d argue that
any metal band that wants to go the distance will put their money
where their mouth is, and plan to release a demo or an album on
at least one physical format.
7. If RANCOROUS was a chainsaw, would it rather work on petroleum or electricity? What do you think about cliché metal questions in interviews? (ahah)
Most cliche metal questions should be destroyed, or ignored, haha! Who the fuck wants an electric chainsaw? You’re interviewing an American! We only use devices that will destroy the environment. Our amps run on coal, and our favorite hobby is littering.
8. What are currently the most important American labels for underground old school metal in USA? Would you say Hell's headbangers, Nuclear war now, or 20 buck spin perhaps? Peoples living in Europe might not have the same view because of distance, persistence of communication...
I’d agree 100% that all three of those labels are among the most important and influential in the US. All three seem to have a solid reputation as well, which says something. Even though I don’t like or care about everything they put out, I definitely have respect for the overall professionalism and persistence. I mean, I can nitpick all day about what I like and don't like, but who the fuck am I to tell someone how they should run their business? There are already enough people blasting their uninformed opinions out there on social media and message boards.
9. And what about smaller underground labels in USA? There are nice labels releasing tapes or smaller scale CDS in your country, which could you quote?
Headsplit is the best as far as US tape labels go. Varied distro with lots of death, grind, and thrash, both newer releases and reissues. Can’t go wrong there.
10. If you could torture the directors of the US postage service, because of their very nice prices (It drastically increased years ago), which methods of revenge would you choose? Something old school such as boiling water, or a goat sucking the homey from their feet fingers would be quite nice ahah
This is an unpopular opinion maybe, but they are fine by me. My local post office is great, and I’ve done a ton of good business with the USPS over the years. Yeah, if you have a shitty postman, or have to deal with rude desk workers every day, it absolutely sucks. But I’ve been extremely lucky. Really, if you are pissed about rate hikes, blame the dumbfuck idiot politicians in Congress who have been trying to dick over and kneecap the USPS for years and years.
11. What are you currently listening to? Do you generally check out the old cult albums mostly, or are you also fond of some newer bands?
Both old and new releases. That wasn’t always the case, but attempting to keep up with at least some of the newer bands is a priority these days. A couple of bands that are promising include PHYLACTERY- “Necromancy Enthroned” and DAEVA- ”Pulsing Dark Absorptions”. Very interested to hear what either of them can come up with on their follow ups. There have also been a ton of killer reissues these past few years. Worth mentioning are INQUISITOR “Walpurgis-Sabbath of Lust” and DEAD HEAD “The Feast Begins at Dawn”. Cheers to Hammerheart for re-releasing these albums. Pure intense annihilation, both of them, and highly recommended to anyone who appreciates fast, uncompromising metal.
12. What are the next projects with RANCOROUS? Tell us more, and feel free to conclude.
Currently finishing
up demo recordings for the next release. The main goal at this point
is aiming to have a full LP recorded within the near future. No
wimping out. Zero compromise and zero fucks given. Any LP release
should include live gigs and touring anywhere possible. One million
salutes for the interview!
Web page: https://rancorous.bandcamp.com
