i thought i'd dig through my metal journalist archives and start posting amusing stuff... this is an excerpt from my book Fortress Europe (The Big Shiny Prison Vol. II). if you want more, you can download it free here: http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=78079
Its Saturday March 26th, 2011 the future The Jetsons envisioned, sort of -- and still there is a lunatic on the street ranting gibberish about hellfire, blasphemy, totalitarian Christ. This one this pot-bellied trailer hick is sporting a hoodie & white hat that reads FEAR GOD. Hes got Westboro-style protest signs about damnation, real tacky & shameless. And hes shouting face to face with an enraged Moloch (of Melechesh) whos reiterating: Fuck you! Fuck you! Im from Jerusalem!
Im dodging traffic in drizzling rain, hustling towards the crowd of metalheads surrounding the inbred buffoon. Theyre egging him on, laughing hard; every band from the tour has at least one member watching. I walk into the chaos, this heated debate. Moloch darts off exasperated like hes really, really trying hard not to knock this guy unconscious -- but you know that he knows that he is a better human & cannot do so as to set an example for said retard to later comprehend.
**Record: I dont understand, all this sin around & you want to talk to me, the street preacher Rip that stupid thing out of your lip -- you never got whooped by your dad Its happening right now on this sidewalk oh Jesus is here & hes gonna judge the wicked!! Hes gonna judge you & your sin!! Hes gonna judge the heathens & Were supposed to judge!! Did you read the marquee were supposed to judge!!... You dont go to conventional church do you? You go to that homosexual church -- careful, be careful careful with some of those homos
After a futile attempt to make the preacher take my Lord of the Black Sheep promo, even demanding that he burn or pee on it a little, I make it to the tour bus where I meet the fellows. Adam Sinner from HATE & Sakis Tolis from Rotting Christ are on one side, a bunch of guys I cant distinguish are everywhere. Its like a clown-car of metal. Vikki, the tour managers asks my response to the street maniac: I think its a perfect example of why we do what we do
* * * * *
The interior of the Hawthorne Theater is dimly lit high ceiling, red curtains draping down the lengthy stage -- & Sakis Tolis is grinning at me with mad energy, a high-octane aura that could only be cultivated in the perimeters of Europe...
Rotting Christ are a big deal in Greece & an even bigger deal on the international stage. 11 albums in, theyve toured relentlessly for years on end. Starting as a grindcore act in 1987, they soon launched into the emerging black metal wave of the early 90s. They nearly signed to Euronymous Deathlike Silence label, but Mr. Aarseth found his tragic fate in the rampage of Varg Vikernes & the rest is dread history.
By 1996 Rotting Christ signed to the burgeoning roster of Century Media, becoming one of the main bands on the label. 10 years of heavy promotion later they wound up on Season of Mist, having solidified an international touring history with monster names in extreme metal like My Dying Bride, Tiamat, Finntroll, Agathodaimon, Malevolent Creation, Vader, Krisiun, Deicide, Old Man's Child, Behemoth & Nile
Theyve also enraged a host of Christian groups & conservative personalities. In November 99 during the USA Presidential Primaries for Republican nomination, candidate Gary Bauer accused the band of a litany of heinous articles. And in May 2005 Dave Mustaine actually had Rotting Christ kicked off a concert bill that Megadeth was playing because their name was offensive to his newly Born Again sensibilities something that was a massive shock to the worldwide metal community, and which Mustaine never recovered from in terms of respect
Nearly 25 years in, Rotting Christ are one of the longest running bands in black metal and theyve never grown stale. AEALO, the band's latest album, was released on February 15, 2010 easily the groups most symphonic & atmospheric
Well is this your first time here in Portland?
Is my third time here, but this is the first time we saw something like this.
I dont know if the street preacher is coming directly at you, or just heavy metal in general
Yes, yes try to correct my English ok, because Im not that fluent
No problem Well youre the first interview in this new book -- I guess start off by telling me about this new tour
Its doing very well. In the first week we were a little bit hectic, but no, things are getting better -- more & more come to the show. We are about 15 shows into this tour. Its a very small tour, but everyone is satisfied except for some people out here on the street. We just saw the first protest against our name. But thats good, ok
Whats the strangest thing youve seen in America so far?
Actually this is our fourth time in America. Its not that strange because everyone watches American movies back in Europe so we know more or less whats going on. But the strange thing here is that everyone is about the money. That maybe scares me a little bit Everyone is about the money. No one does it for free or good purpose, for the hell of it or something. Thats really what scares me here.
Do you think the DIY, no money mentality is bigger in Europe?
Yup, ok, everyone needs money. But here in the USA, its very strict and everyones doing it for money. That does not mean someone is a bad person or good person, but that means, how can I say Its what you are taught in the school, you know? But I really enjoy America I love America actually because the mentality of the people.
Well the band started as a grindcore act back in 1987 I was wondering if youd ever be interested in reverting to grind on a future album.
No, no -- I like grindcore, but everything took off at the right point. Back then I was feeling more into grindcore so I did play this music. Right now I feel more heavy metal, more atmospheric music. It all depends on the period of time.
People here dont have a really clear conception about the scene in Greece
We have a big scene people are really into metal music. I think in general the Europe scene is very strong, metal is very strong. Its even stronger than here. When European bands play here, they dont pull a lot of people. In Europe we pull much more people -- metal is an everyday life. You see a lot of metal kids on the streets, blah blah blah, so I think its quite strong and we are very glad to be representing the Greek scene.
Tell me about your new record
We just had a new album come out, this just happened last year -- this is album number 11. Its still metal with a well established rotting Christ sound, but on the other hand we put some ethnic elements. We put some ancient Greek inspired music on our last album, so this is a different thing. And I think people react very positive. Some people think that this is by far our best album so it makes me really happy, really proud as a composer.
Lyrically and thematically, what kind of topics do you discuss?
The whole concept is about battle. About the feelings a warrior has during the battle. This is a feeling that everyone has in their every day life.
Ive been watching various news items about riots in Greece, economic turmoil, massive protests. Im just curious your comment on the situation
We messed up. Greece, we messed up, you know. I think everyone is very dissatisfied, this economical system destroyed the country. And everyone is very aggressive about this. We have protests every day, we have bombs. Now Greece is like a battlefield. You might wake up tomorrow and see our money gone. Thats the thing about this, you know. There is no insurance now things are very difficult back there. But of course that does not mean that Greece will disappear, because as a nation weve been existing more then 3000 years
Have you ever read The Colossus of Maroussi by Henry Miller?
No, but Maroussi is the area which I live. Its a suburb
If I come to Greece what are the main cities that I want to go to?
You should definitely go to the south, to see all the ancient monuments, you should go to the north to see all the Macedonian monuments. And you must have some days off in the ?? isolated islands just to enjoy the sun & nice beaches. The sea there is very smooth, very calm unlike the ocean here. You can stay on the island doing nothing, its a very nice area. Greece is very nice to go, so I wish some day you go there.
Heres a random one I read a lot of World War II history, world history in general is General Metaxas considered a war hero by the Grecian people?
I dont know if its hero some people consider him a hero, but some as a dictator. But hes a hero by saying no to these Nazis battles in 1940. Always Greece is like this we never surrender
What is the overall message of Rotting Christ?
Keeping the underground spirit alive. Thats the most important message that we wish to spread to the people. We are metal, we play dark music, but the most important thing for me is just to be yourself. Im a fan, I go to shows, I buy albums. This is the message we like to pass to people there is no difference between the musicians & the people that come to the show.
Im looking for a weird story now, something strange that happened to you & when you tell people they think youre a pathological liar it can be about anything UFOs, ghosts, bizarre rituals
One time after touring for two years in a row, I start to have illusions. I dont know why. I used to take some drugs ok, but a little bit. When I was in Mexico, for instance, I thought I was seeing UFOs, stuff like that. I dont know why. But I was very tired, I did some medical treatment and now Im ok. Because sometimes when youre one year on the road, you get tired a lot, really tired, playing shows every day. Sometimes, you know, you drink a lot. But now I quit everything. I dont drink, I dont take any drugs, I dont smoke anything in order to be strong for the self.
What do you think of Manowar?
I love them. They are one of my favorite bands because this is metal and I am a metal fan. Sometimes I dont like their attitude but I love Manowar, come on. I put it in my MP3 player and listen to this every night before I go to bed man
* * *
Adam Sinner is comfortably relaxed in one of the black quasi-fold out chairs in the venue, while varied metal plays over the loudspeakers now that doors are 20 minutes away. This individual is the vocalist/guitarist of HATE, one of the most lethal death metal bands in Poland today & complete w/ corpse-paint, warrior gear, Satanic overtones & industrialized undertones wrapped in a caustic slab of multi-style death metal
Formed in Warsaw in 1990, it was only after 3 self-released efforts before signing to Novum Vox Mortiis & later the famed Polish label Metal Mind Productions. The subsequent years would find HATE dropping a new album on a new label every few years, including Mercenary Musik (in the States), Dwell Records, Blackened Records, & finally Listenable Records where they are currently. HATEs new record Erebos is the one they now tour for, a monstrous slab of leviathan girth
So is this your first tour in the United States?
No, no, the second time actually. Theres a nice, friendly atmosphere on the bus with Rotting Christ and Melechesh. The shows are really, really good. We have seen a growing interest in the band definitely, compared to the first tour we did with Hypocrisy last year. So theres a progress for sure and this time we are in America to promote our new album Erebos
The first time I heard HATE was Cains Way back in 2002, that was in the Mercenary Musik days. Youre on Listenable now. Tell me about your new album, how it differs from your past works & what youre progressing towards
Talking about the music, how its evolved -- we started from traditional death metal, brutal death metal; a mixture of American influenced death with some European roots, thrash bands like Kreator or Destruction. But in 2005 there was a big change in the bands style -- we started using industrial influences, samples. Also the music was enriched with some black metal, thrash metal. The industrial & ambient stuff in our music is very important. It makes us different from the rest of the Polish death metal scene, also it gives our music some dirty character on live shows. On the American version of Erebos there are some bonus track that go even further in this direction -- remixed in dark ambient form by a French artist called Melecta quite well known in Europe for his industrial attempts. I think its something experimental, something fresh when it comes to extreme metal.
Obviously you have a thread of Satanism in your music as well
When it comes to the lyrics, in ideology -- yeah we were very, might I say, declared satanic band in the beginning. It hasnt changed that much. Were still into Satanism, or mysticism, but we dont express it in so much of a blatant way. I mean, its more, you know We are grown ups now. So we look at these things from a more grown up perspective. So those topics, that ideology, its still an important part of the contents of the lyrics, but its not expressed in this open way. Weve been more into mysticism, say Luciferian stuff, then plain Satanism. Thats why we dont use inverted crosses or pentagrams, which are too obvious -- and very often misinterpreted & used by everybody around. Thats why were trying to put it in some other way & to show other aspects of these ideologies.
Tell me about the Polish scene what am I walking into? Is Warsaw the number one city?
The Polish metal scene is present in many different cities -- its all over the country, lots of extreme metal bands. The scene is really, really strong; there are hundreds of bands. Some will call it the Polish death metal phenomenon. I dont believe that theres just one polish death metal style On the other hand there might be something in common for all those bands, but its more the sound then the riffs. All of us use the same studios, the same sound engineers -- sometimes even the same equipment in the studio If you want to know more about the Polish scene, you should interview all the main bands especially VADER, because it all started from them, back in the 80s even, when they started to make their name internationally. All the other bands, mine also, are following VADERs footsteps. They were the first band from the other side of The Iron Curtain, and they were a great success at the time. They were proof that we could do something.
Coming from Europe, how do you feel about cultural absurdity I mean in America, specifically, the odd things youve seen that would never happen elsewhere
Today we had a great example of absurdity, those guys protesting outside the club, protesting against satanic bands. Its a kind of protest thats full of contradictions. If they are soldiers of Christ they shouldnt be so angry, they shouldnt hate other people. But they openly hate us. Its just stupid its something you wouldnt see in Europe anywhere. Its a surprise that in Portland we have such a protest. It should be in the South States rather, Texas or It shows that America is built on capitalism and bible. I understood it today seeing this. Those people were really serious, they were really angry -- they didnt act. So they mustve been brainwashed to the point when they really believe in this shit & they speak openly in the street in such a dynamic manner about it America people are really open here. Here in America I can see many people willing to speak openly about love of things. In Europe, most countries, especially in the North, people are more to themselves. Not straight-forward, not outgoing Its a different culture, in this way, that people are more kind here in America. Also, the way that metal community is organized here is something completely different from Europe, because here you can meet young people & also people that are elderly, you know, like 50 years old. Its something unheard of in Europe -- there the crowd is 20-something-year-olds. But here its a metal culture. In Europe, people who are 25 are taking up some serious stuff for life -- they dont go to the concert. 30 is the breaking year you cannot really meet people over 30 at metal shows. So its a kind of lifestyle & it ends at about 30. Thats it.
So are you a total rarity? Youre about 32 right?
35.
So are you the last of your old friends that grew up & moved onto other stuff?
Yeah, definitely. Most my friends, former metal fans, crazy metal fans, these people are now business men sitting in the offices. Sometimes they look with some envy, theyre all a bit jealous of my career because they are stuck. They dont go to the venue for metal shows because they dont belong there anymore. They would feel strange, they would feel awkward, jumping around with all those youngsters there.
You grew up in Poland when it was still Iron Curtain. Now that thats all done with, do the older population in Poland still embrace the ideals of communism or do they feel it was a bad thing altogether? Do they even want to think about it anymore, or is there strong support a more moderate socialism?
You know there are still people in Poland who long for communism, long for that period. And its because capitalism is difficult. You need to get to work, you need to learn something. I remember life in the 70s and 80s in Poland and I remember that people were perfectly happy, even though there was nothing in the shops & some products were not available, people were in a way one big community. There werent big differences in the society, everybody had almost the same. Of course there were tiny group of privileged guys connected to the Communist Party, but all the other people were like equal. It really worked this way. And people lived with sport, maybe some Polish TV, films, stuff like that -- they were one community living the same things. It ended quite abruptly, violently I mean, and the new situation was a shock for many people Its changing now for the better. More & more people have become accepting of the situation, being perfectly benefited after all. But I remember the first 10 years after the transition, it was a great shock. And from a perspective of a metal musician, it changed in a good way. You could travel freely -- no Iron Curtain, no divisions. No borders in Europe, you know. I can go shopping in Germany. Nobody wouldve guessed this 20 years ago.
When all is said and done, what is the message of HATE?
HATE is a symbolic name -- it means reaction, lets say opposition, against all captivating systems that suppress human powers. Religion is the first thing that comes to mind, but also politics, civilization. So it means freedom from all this, all this shit, and what we do is try to get across a message that is full of metaphors. Its not so obvious -- the lyrics are metaphors on the condition of the human in general. Its not based on any mythology anymore. Even though we use the word Erebos from Greek mythology, its just a metaphor. Erebos here means the evil side of human being, these evil aspects that exist in each of us. What is important is to make this chaos, this evil part, be beneficial make it work for you, make the most of it in a creative way because its a great power. If it works for you, you can do anything. Its not about killing people. Its rather about being, I wouldnt like to say superhuman because that has some connotations, but to become a better personality. Become a person that can realize his or her goals in life. And at the same time be free, totally free in mind.
Youve been all over Europe playing with all sorts of these hardcore Satanic bands, these guys into mysticism & the occult. In your opinion, who are the real deal living this stuff 100% all the time? Who are the total freaks?
You know, there are different ways of perceiving this magical side Weve been touring with lots of bands -- Norwegian bands like Carpathian Forest, weve had meetings with Gorgoroth. Played that famous show actually -- we supported them while recording our DVD Litanies of Satan. Weve had lots of experiences with other bands you may call satanic or magical, using this ideology We lead quite normal lives & this is the way that keeps us sane. But those guys, for example, those black metal crazy bands from Norway, were living in chaos in their normal lives. What we saw touring with them was really strange because they were up to everything, absolutely, you know. Those guys seem to be completely lost. And this is the way they worship Satan, they say this, at least, you know, by being in chaos all the time -- by destroying themselves also, if necessary. So there are very different perceptions of what Satanism is, what magic is; how to open to it, how to use it. Its a long story, simply If you ask other bands this question as youre asking me, you will see how different it is. The band Shining for example, you know Mayhem -- all those bands are completely different from bands like us
* * *
Some time later, and Abigail Williams is deep into their set an atmospheric, melodic blackened doom saturated in an armada of sonic-warping guitar pedals. They are blistering, titanic
The guys in Melechesh are hanging in the back, looking onward, All night theyve been like these mysterious shadow people, silently floating the venue & emanating this intense, secret vibe. It sounds corny, but I can only think of ancient Pharaohs the ones with the lotus flower vials around their necks filled with raw DMT The Melechesh people are their own mystery, & though Id like to chat with them, they are obviously in their own world & getting ready to hammer the audience. Besides, they are in the first book, & if you want to read about them you know where to look
I sneak out the back door, bypassing security, and make it to Hohenstein from Lecherous Nocturne. We smoke a little grass hidden between the tour busses & banter the usual. This is their first national tour, the making of their Myth Manifest (as the new record is entitled). They hail from South Carolina & like most American bands, Lecherous Nocturne exudes the prevailing attitude amongst my fellow countrymen do or die & DIY: [The band message] is question everything, reject everything thats fed to you, be it religion or politics anything thats being shoved down your throats. Totally reject it -- & not only that but lash out against it, rant about it
Hohenstein raps the usual formalities then gives a great soliloquy regarding their recent Detroit excursion: A few nights ago in Detroit, we stopped at a gas station -- my guitar player & I, we went down a block to get pizza -- the guy ran & locked the door. So we saw a McDonalds across the street & walked through the drive thru. Two minutes later 3 cops swarmed in, got out The dominos guy said you guys were jerking on the door, trying to get in. Were like, No dude, we didnt even get 20 foot to the door. So theyre like, Oh, you guys in a band? One of the guys was an ex-NARC & a metalhead with all sorts of tattoos. So he told his cop buddies to give us a ride to the store where our van was parked. We were in the back of the squad car, so he pulled in & blocked the van off like he was gonna fucking bust us & shit. The guy got out and said, You know these guys? Its gonna cost you $500 to get them out the back of the car! Then he busted out laughing, got a cd and
* * * * *
We alone now? Ok, ok Just one second, before you wander off
If you are just now stepping into the maelstrom, then this book probably wont make much sense. If you are oblivious to the underground, then nothing will make sense. Which is fine, quite frankly, because FORTRESS EUROPE disregards such courtesy.
Foreshadowing is overdone & retreads are a drag, but its important to comprehend that this book is a sequel Some time ago, I was desperately unhappy. 25 years of Detroit had become enough. One night, not thinking the matter over too clearly, I dispatched a press release declaring a living book entitled THE BIG SHINY PRISON. I threw everything in a bag & hopped a Greyhound for California, determined to make my way through every territory possible -- to cover all aspects of the American Underground & regurgitate the journey through my own twisted aesthetics
293 days, 30,000 miles, 35 states, 2 national tours, 50 hours of interviews & 606+ hours on Greyhounds later, I somehow completed this objective It took another 8 months to finish the manuscript, and another year of rejection before I dropped it online as a Free PDF. The biggest news services in the underground then picked it up, RSS Feeds shot all over the planet & the download count just kept going & going... and the emails kept coming, the mad offers & karmic craziness the resonance has been continual
So here we are again -- one man, one vision, no budget -- ready to lunge headfirst into an array of dicey situations, bad noise, street freaks & total uncertainty
Whereas THE BIG SHINY PRISON set out to educate & illuminate, FORTRESS EUROPE is for the real trolls. It is therefore expected that the reader already possesses a considerable knowledge (or basic understanding) of the slang & tribes of the counterculture.
Secondly, FORTRESS EUROPE is a book of action. Unlike its predecessor which shot deep into personal narrative, philosophy, sociology, politics, etc Im generally going to keep my big mouth shut & let it flow. Everything major I wanted to say about America & the underground at large I already did & whats the point of forced rhetoric anyway?
One month left & the confirmations are in. Just a waiting game until Deutschland, Belgium, Netherlands, UK, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Italy, Denmark, Slovenia + Czech
& black coffee, moonshine, what have you, w/ Gorgoroth, Finntroll, Bethlehem, Agathocles, Korpiklaani, Master, BEHERIT, Deinonychus, Battlelore, Funeral Winds, Corpus Christii, Enochian Crescent, Ingurgitating Oblivion, Primordial, Deranged & Wolfbrigade,...
the only trouble left is actually getting to them
-Dr. Ryan Bartek 4.30.11
* * *
**Ryan Bartek is a freelance journalist, road junkie & all around freak. His new book FORTRESS EUROPE (The Big Shiny Prison Vol. II) is a 222 page odyssey which covers his journeys through the European Underground in 2011. FORTRESS EUROPE is a FREE PDF download at this location: http://ryanbartek.angelfire.com/blog/ <contact: ryanbartek@hotmail.com>
Its Saturday March 26th, 2011 the future The Jetsons envisioned, sort of -- and still there is a lunatic on the street ranting gibberish about hellfire, blasphemy, totalitarian Christ. This one this pot-bellied trailer hick is sporting a hoodie & white hat that reads FEAR GOD. Hes got Westboro-style protest signs about damnation, real tacky & shameless. And hes shouting face to face with an enraged Moloch (of Melechesh) whos reiterating: Fuck you! Fuck you! Im from Jerusalem!
Im dodging traffic in drizzling rain, hustling towards the crowd of metalheads surrounding the inbred buffoon. Theyre egging him on, laughing hard; every band from the tour has at least one member watching. I walk into the chaos, this heated debate. Moloch darts off exasperated like hes really, really trying hard not to knock this guy unconscious -- but you know that he knows that he is a better human & cannot do so as to set an example for said retard to later comprehend.
**Record: I dont understand, all this sin around & you want to talk to me, the street preacher Rip that stupid thing out of your lip -- you never got whooped by your dad Its happening right now on this sidewalk oh Jesus is here & hes gonna judge the wicked!! Hes gonna judge you & your sin!! Hes gonna judge the heathens & Were supposed to judge!! Did you read the marquee were supposed to judge!!... You dont go to conventional church do you? You go to that homosexual church -- careful, be careful careful with some of those homos
After a futile attempt to make the preacher take my Lord of the Black Sheep promo, even demanding that he burn or pee on it a little, I make it to the tour bus where I meet the fellows. Adam Sinner from HATE & Sakis Tolis from Rotting Christ are on one side, a bunch of guys I cant distinguish are everywhere. Its like a clown-car of metal. Vikki, the tour managers asks my response to the street maniac: I think its a perfect example of why we do what we do
* * * * *
The interior of the Hawthorne Theater is dimly lit high ceiling, red curtains draping down the lengthy stage -- & Sakis Tolis is grinning at me with mad energy, a high-octane aura that could only be cultivated in the perimeters of Europe...
Rotting Christ are a big deal in Greece & an even bigger deal on the international stage. 11 albums in, theyve toured relentlessly for years on end. Starting as a grindcore act in 1987, they soon launched into the emerging black metal wave of the early 90s. They nearly signed to Euronymous Deathlike Silence label, but Mr. Aarseth found his tragic fate in the rampage of Varg Vikernes & the rest is dread history.
By 1996 Rotting Christ signed to the burgeoning roster of Century Media, becoming one of the main bands on the label. 10 years of heavy promotion later they wound up on Season of Mist, having solidified an international touring history with monster names in extreme metal like My Dying Bride, Tiamat, Finntroll, Agathodaimon, Malevolent Creation, Vader, Krisiun, Deicide, Old Man's Child, Behemoth & Nile
Theyve also enraged a host of Christian groups & conservative personalities. In November 99 during the USA Presidential Primaries for Republican nomination, candidate Gary Bauer accused the band of a litany of heinous articles. And in May 2005 Dave Mustaine actually had Rotting Christ kicked off a concert bill that Megadeth was playing because their name was offensive to his newly Born Again sensibilities something that was a massive shock to the worldwide metal community, and which Mustaine never recovered from in terms of respect
Nearly 25 years in, Rotting Christ are one of the longest running bands in black metal and theyve never grown stale. AEALO, the band's latest album, was released on February 15, 2010 easily the groups most symphonic & atmospheric
Well is this your first time here in Portland?
Is my third time here, but this is the first time we saw something like this.
I dont know if the street preacher is coming directly at you, or just heavy metal in general
Yes, yes try to correct my English ok, because Im not that fluent
No problem Well youre the first interview in this new book -- I guess start off by telling me about this new tour
Its doing very well. In the first week we were a little bit hectic, but no, things are getting better -- more & more come to the show. We are about 15 shows into this tour. Its a very small tour, but everyone is satisfied except for some people out here on the street. We just saw the first protest against our name. But thats good, ok
Whats the strangest thing youve seen in America so far?
Actually this is our fourth time in America. Its not that strange because everyone watches American movies back in Europe so we know more or less whats going on. But the strange thing here is that everyone is about the money. That maybe scares me a little bit Everyone is about the money. No one does it for free or good purpose, for the hell of it or something. Thats really what scares me here.
Do you think the DIY, no money mentality is bigger in Europe?
Yup, ok, everyone needs money. But here in the USA, its very strict and everyones doing it for money. That does not mean someone is a bad person or good person, but that means, how can I say Its what you are taught in the school, you know? But I really enjoy America I love America actually because the mentality of the people.
Well the band started as a grindcore act back in 1987 I was wondering if youd ever be interested in reverting to grind on a future album.
No, no -- I like grindcore, but everything took off at the right point. Back then I was feeling more into grindcore so I did play this music. Right now I feel more heavy metal, more atmospheric music. It all depends on the period of time.
People here dont have a really clear conception about the scene in Greece
We have a big scene people are really into metal music. I think in general the Europe scene is very strong, metal is very strong. Its even stronger than here. When European bands play here, they dont pull a lot of people. In Europe we pull much more people -- metal is an everyday life. You see a lot of metal kids on the streets, blah blah blah, so I think its quite strong and we are very glad to be representing the Greek scene.
Tell me about your new record
We just had a new album come out, this just happened last year -- this is album number 11. Its still metal with a well established rotting Christ sound, but on the other hand we put some ethnic elements. We put some ancient Greek inspired music on our last album, so this is a different thing. And I think people react very positive. Some people think that this is by far our best album so it makes me really happy, really proud as a composer.
Lyrically and thematically, what kind of topics do you discuss?
The whole concept is about battle. About the feelings a warrior has during the battle. This is a feeling that everyone has in their every day life.
Ive been watching various news items about riots in Greece, economic turmoil, massive protests. Im just curious your comment on the situation
We messed up. Greece, we messed up, you know. I think everyone is very dissatisfied, this economical system destroyed the country. And everyone is very aggressive about this. We have protests every day, we have bombs. Now Greece is like a battlefield. You might wake up tomorrow and see our money gone. Thats the thing about this, you know. There is no insurance now things are very difficult back there. But of course that does not mean that Greece will disappear, because as a nation weve been existing more then 3000 years
Have you ever read The Colossus of Maroussi by Henry Miller?
No, but Maroussi is the area which I live. Its a suburb
If I come to Greece what are the main cities that I want to go to?
You should definitely go to the south, to see all the ancient monuments, you should go to the north to see all the Macedonian monuments. And you must have some days off in the ?? isolated islands just to enjoy the sun & nice beaches. The sea there is very smooth, very calm unlike the ocean here. You can stay on the island doing nothing, its a very nice area. Greece is very nice to go, so I wish some day you go there.
Heres a random one I read a lot of World War II history, world history in general is General Metaxas considered a war hero by the Grecian people?
I dont know if its hero some people consider him a hero, but some as a dictator. But hes a hero by saying no to these Nazis battles in 1940. Always Greece is like this we never surrender
What is the overall message of Rotting Christ?
Keeping the underground spirit alive. Thats the most important message that we wish to spread to the people. We are metal, we play dark music, but the most important thing for me is just to be yourself. Im a fan, I go to shows, I buy albums. This is the message we like to pass to people there is no difference between the musicians & the people that come to the show.
Im looking for a weird story now, something strange that happened to you & when you tell people they think youre a pathological liar it can be about anything UFOs, ghosts, bizarre rituals
One time after touring for two years in a row, I start to have illusions. I dont know why. I used to take some drugs ok, but a little bit. When I was in Mexico, for instance, I thought I was seeing UFOs, stuff like that. I dont know why. But I was very tired, I did some medical treatment and now Im ok. Because sometimes when youre one year on the road, you get tired a lot, really tired, playing shows every day. Sometimes, you know, you drink a lot. But now I quit everything. I dont drink, I dont take any drugs, I dont smoke anything in order to be strong for the self.
What do you think of Manowar?
I love them. They are one of my favorite bands because this is metal and I am a metal fan. Sometimes I dont like their attitude but I love Manowar, come on. I put it in my MP3 player and listen to this every night before I go to bed man
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Adam Sinner is comfortably relaxed in one of the black quasi-fold out chairs in the venue, while varied metal plays over the loudspeakers now that doors are 20 minutes away. This individual is the vocalist/guitarist of HATE, one of the most lethal death metal bands in Poland today & complete w/ corpse-paint, warrior gear, Satanic overtones & industrialized undertones wrapped in a caustic slab of multi-style death metal
Formed in Warsaw in 1990, it was only after 3 self-released efforts before signing to Novum Vox Mortiis & later the famed Polish label Metal Mind Productions. The subsequent years would find HATE dropping a new album on a new label every few years, including Mercenary Musik (in the States), Dwell Records, Blackened Records, & finally Listenable Records where they are currently. HATEs new record Erebos is the one they now tour for, a monstrous slab of leviathan girth
So is this your first tour in the United States?
No, no, the second time actually. Theres a nice, friendly atmosphere on the bus with Rotting Christ and Melechesh. The shows are really, really good. We have seen a growing interest in the band definitely, compared to the first tour we did with Hypocrisy last year. So theres a progress for sure and this time we are in America to promote our new album Erebos
The first time I heard HATE was Cains Way back in 2002, that was in the Mercenary Musik days. Youre on Listenable now. Tell me about your new album, how it differs from your past works & what youre progressing towards
Talking about the music, how its evolved -- we started from traditional death metal, brutal death metal; a mixture of American influenced death with some European roots, thrash bands like Kreator or Destruction. But in 2005 there was a big change in the bands style -- we started using industrial influences, samples. Also the music was enriched with some black metal, thrash metal. The industrial & ambient stuff in our music is very important. It makes us different from the rest of the Polish death metal scene, also it gives our music some dirty character on live shows. On the American version of Erebos there are some bonus track that go even further in this direction -- remixed in dark ambient form by a French artist called Melecta quite well known in Europe for his industrial attempts. I think its something experimental, something fresh when it comes to extreme metal.
Obviously you have a thread of Satanism in your music as well
When it comes to the lyrics, in ideology -- yeah we were very, might I say, declared satanic band in the beginning. It hasnt changed that much. Were still into Satanism, or mysticism, but we dont express it in so much of a blatant way. I mean, its more, you know We are grown ups now. So we look at these things from a more grown up perspective. So those topics, that ideology, its still an important part of the contents of the lyrics, but its not expressed in this open way. Weve been more into mysticism, say Luciferian stuff, then plain Satanism. Thats why we dont use inverted crosses or pentagrams, which are too obvious -- and very often misinterpreted & used by everybody around. Thats why were trying to put it in some other way & to show other aspects of these ideologies.
Tell me about the Polish scene what am I walking into? Is Warsaw the number one city?
The Polish metal scene is present in many different cities -- its all over the country, lots of extreme metal bands. The scene is really, really strong; there are hundreds of bands. Some will call it the Polish death metal phenomenon. I dont believe that theres just one polish death metal style On the other hand there might be something in common for all those bands, but its more the sound then the riffs. All of us use the same studios, the same sound engineers -- sometimes even the same equipment in the studio If you want to know more about the Polish scene, you should interview all the main bands especially VADER, because it all started from them, back in the 80s even, when they started to make their name internationally. All the other bands, mine also, are following VADERs footsteps. They were the first band from the other side of The Iron Curtain, and they were a great success at the time. They were proof that we could do something.
Coming from Europe, how do you feel about cultural absurdity I mean in America, specifically, the odd things youve seen that would never happen elsewhere
Today we had a great example of absurdity, those guys protesting outside the club, protesting against satanic bands. Its a kind of protest thats full of contradictions. If they are soldiers of Christ they shouldnt be so angry, they shouldnt hate other people. But they openly hate us. Its just stupid its something you wouldnt see in Europe anywhere. Its a surprise that in Portland we have such a protest. It should be in the South States rather, Texas or It shows that America is built on capitalism and bible. I understood it today seeing this. Those people were really serious, they were really angry -- they didnt act. So they mustve been brainwashed to the point when they really believe in this shit & they speak openly in the street in such a dynamic manner about it America people are really open here. Here in America I can see many people willing to speak openly about love of things. In Europe, most countries, especially in the North, people are more to themselves. Not straight-forward, not outgoing Its a different culture, in this way, that people are more kind here in America. Also, the way that metal community is organized here is something completely different from Europe, because here you can meet young people & also people that are elderly, you know, like 50 years old. Its something unheard of in Europe -- there the crowd is 20-something-year-olds. But here its a metal culture. In Europe, people who are 25 are taking up some serious stuff for life -- they dont go to the concert. 30 is the breaking year you cannot really meet people over 30 at metal shows. So its a kind of lifestyle & it ends at about 30. Thats it.
So are you a total rarity? Youre about 32 right?
35.
So are you the last of your old friends that grew up & moved onto other stuff?
Yeah, definitely. Most my friends, former metal fans, crazy metal fans, these people are now business men sitting in the offices. Sometimes they look with some envy, theyre all a bit jealous of my career because they are stuck. They dont go to the venue for metal shows because they dont belong there anymore. They would feel strange, they would feel awkward, jumping around with all those youngsters there.
You grew up in Poland when it was still Iron Curtain. Now that thats all done with, do the older population in Poland still embrace the ideals of communism or do they feel it was a bad thing altogether? Do they even want to think about it anymore, or is there strong support a more moderate socialism?
You know there are still people in Poland who long for communism, long for that period. And its because capitalism is difficult. You need to get to work, you need to learn something. I remember life in the 70s and 80s in Poland and I remember that people were perfectly happy, even though there was nothing in the shops & some products were not available, people were in a way one big community. There werent big differences in the society, everybody had almost the same. Of course there were tiny group of privileged guys connected to the Communist Party, but all the other people were like equal. It really worked this way. And people lived with sport, maybe some Polish TV, films, stuff like that -- they were one community living the same things. It ended quite abruptly, violently I mean, and the new situation was a shock for many people Its changing now for the better. More & more people have become accepting of the situation, being perfectly benefited after all. But I remember the first 10 years after the transition, it was a great shock. And from a perspective of a metal musician, it changed in a good way. You could travel freely -- no Iron Curtain, no divisions. No borders in Europe, you know. I can go shopping in Germany. Nobody wouldve guessed this 20 years ago.
When all is said and done, what is the message of HATE?
HATE is a symbolic name -- it means reaction, lets say opposition, against all captivating systems that suppress human powers. Religion is the first thing that comes to mind, but also politics, civilization. So it means freedom from all this, all this shit, and what we do is try to get across a message that is full of metaphors. Its not so obvious -- the lyrics are metaphors on the condition of the human in general. Its not based on any mythology anymore. Even though we use the word Erebos from Greek mythology, its just a metaphor. Erebos here means the evil side of human being, these evil aspects that exist in each of us. What is important is to make this chaos, this evil part, be beneficial make it work for you, make the most of it in a creative way because its a great power. If it works for you, you can do anything. Its not about killing people. Its rather about being, I wouldnt like to say superhuman because that has some connotations, but to become a better personality. Become a person that can realize his or her goals in life. And at the same time be free, totally free in mind.
Youve been all over Europe playing with all sorts of these hardcore Satanic bands, these guys into mysticism & the occult. In your opinion, who are the real deal living this stuff 100% all the time? Who are the total freaks?
You know, there are different ways of perceiving this magical side Weve been touring with lots of bands -- Norwegian bands like Carpathian Forest, weve had meetings with Gorgoroth. Played that famous show actually -- we supported them while recording our DVD Litanies of Satan. Weve had lots of experiences with other bands you may call satanic or magical, using this ideology We lead quite normal lives & this is the way that keeps us sane. But those guys, for example, those black metal crazy bands from Norway, were living in chaos in their normal lives. What we saw touring with them was really strange because they were up to everything, absolutely, you know. Those guys seem to be completely lost. And this is the way they worship Satan, they say this, at least, you know, by being in chaos all the time -- by destroying themselves also, if necessary. So there are very different perceptions of what Satanism is, what magic is; how to open to it, how to use it. Its a long story, simply If you ask other bands this question as youre asking me, you will see how different it is. The band Shining for example, you know Mayhem -- all those bands are completely different from bands like us
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Some time later, and Abigail Williams is deep into their set an atmospheric, melodic blackened doom saturated in an armada of sonic-warping guitar pedals. They are blistering, titanic
The guys in Melechesh are hanging in the back, looking onward, All night theyve been like these mysterious shadow people, silently floating the venue & emanating this intense, secret vibe. It sounds corny, but I can only think of ancient Pharaohs the ones with the lotus flower vials around their necks filled with raw DMT The Melechesh people are their own mystery, & though Id like to chat with them, they are obviously in their own world & getting ready to hammer the audience. Besides, they are in the first book, & if you want to read about them you know where to look
I sneak out the back door, bypassing security, and make it to Hohenstein from Lecherous Nocturne. We smoke a little grass hidden between the tour busses & banter the usual. This is their first national tour, the making of their Myth Manifest (as the new record is entitled). They hail from South Carolina & like most American bands, Lecherous Nocturne exudes the prevailing attitude amongst my fellow countrymen do or die & DIY: [The band message] is question everything, reject everything thats fed to you, be it religion or politics anything thats being shoved down your throats. Totally reject it -- & not only that but lash out against it, rant about it
Hohenstein raps the usual formalities then gives a great soliloquy regarding their recent Detroit excursion: A few nights ago in Detroit, we stopped at a gas station -- my guitar player & I, we went down a block to get pizza -- the guy ran & locked the door. So we saw a McDonalds across the street & walked through the drive thru. Two minutes later 3 cops swarmed in, got out The dominos guy said you guys were jerking on the door, trying to get in. Were like, No dude, we didnt even get 20 foot to the door. So theyre like, Oh, you guys in a band? One of the guys was an ex-NARC & a metalhead with all sorts of tattoos. So he told his cop buddies to give us a ride to the store where our van was parked. We were in the back of the squad car, so he pulled in & blocked the van off like he was gonna fucking bust us & shit. The guy got out and said, You know these guys? Its gonna cost you $500 to get them out the back of the car! Then he busted out laughing, got a cd and
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We alone now? Ok, ok Just one second, before you wander off
If you are just now stepping into the maelstrom, then this book probably wont make much sense. If you are oblivious to the underground, then nothing will make sense. Which is fine, quite frankly, because FORTRESS EUROPE disregards such courtesy.
Foreshadowing is overdone & retreads are a drag, but its important to comprehend that this book is a sequel Some time ago, I was desperately unhappy. 25 years of Detroit had become enough. One night, not thinking the matter over too clearly, I dispatched a press release declaring a living book entitled THE BIG SHINY PRISON. I threw everything in a bag & hopped a Greyhound for California, determined to make my way through every territory possible -- to cover all aspects of the American Underground & regurgitate the journey through my own twisted aesthetics
293 days, 30,000 miles, 35 states, 2 national tours, 50 hours of interviews & 606+ hours on Greyhounds later, I somehow completed this objective It took another 8 months to finish the manuscript, and another year of rejection before I dropped it online as a Free PDF. The biggest news services in the underground then picked it up, RSS Feeds shot all over the planet & the download count just kept going & going... and the emails kept coming, the mad offers & karmic craziness the resonance has been continual
So here we are again -- one man, one vision, no budget -- ready to lunge headfirst into an array of dicey situations, bad noise, street freaks & total uncertainty
Whereas THE BIG SHINY PRISON set out to educate & illuminate, FORTRESS EUROPE is for the real trolls. It is therefore expected that the reader already possesses a considerable knowledge (or basic understanding) of the slang & tribes of the counterculture.
Secondly, FORTRESS EUROPE is a book of action. Unlike its predecessor which shot deep into personal narrative, philosophy, sociology, politics, etc Im generally going to keep my big mouth shut & let it flow. Everything major I wanted to say about America & the underground at large I already did & whats the point of forced rhetoric anyway?
One month left & the confirmations are in. Just a waiting game until Deutschland, Belgium, Netherlands, UK, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Italy, Denmark, Slovenia + Czech
& black coffee, moonshine, what have you, w/ Gorgoroth, Finntroll, Bethlehem, Agathocles, Korpiklaani, Master, BEHERIT, Deinonychus, Battlelore, Funeral Winds, Corpus Christii, Enochian Crescent, Ingurgitating Oblivion, Primordial, Deranged & Wolfbrigade,...
the only trouble left is actually getting to them
-Dr. Ryan Bartek 4.30.11
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**Ryan Bartek is a freelance journalist, road junkie & all around freak. His new book FORTRESS EUROPE (The Big Shiny Prison Vol. II) is a 222 page odyssey which covers his journeys through the European Underground in 2011. FORTRESS EUROPE is a FREE PDF download at this location: http://ryanbartek.angelfire.com/blog/ <contact: ryanbartek@hotmail.com>
