here is a new interview i did with a great and VERY UNderrated band {in
my opinion anyways} towards global holocaust. the band embraces what
metal is truly about violence,hate and pure aggression. on the bands
debut cd "fuersturm" the band unleashes it's strongest material to date
combining elements of black,death and a strong thrash element combined
with their own ideas to make a great cd defintly a MUST hear for fans of
violent,war/extreme metal that defys being thrown into one specific
genre.
thanks for all the great support over the last few years and
expect ALOT of great interviews,reviews and whatever else we can think
of for 2011.
patrick and winter torment
http://www.myspace.com/winter_torment
http://www.friendburst.com/wintertorment
interview with R.F vocals,bass,guitars and blaash druns,vocals for towards global holocaust done by patrick
1.metal
hails brothers!! how is your december going? are you ready for that
jolly-fat man in red to come and visit in a few weeks? ok we're not here
to discuss greedmass so lets get to it.please introduce yourselves to
the readers.
Blaash – If one “googles” the term “blaash”
the definition will come up as a “giant radioactive moth for gamma
world” this is not correct… the Blaash is a non descript degenerate and
drunk, failure at most things in life, and seeking to spray those within
range with a whiskey tainted assortment of my rotting blood. Said
entity also handles the ramshackle percussion on TGH, as well as some
chaotically placed vocals.. I also handle drums for Bahimiron and am the
sole person that can be held criminally accountable for Wheresmyskin
Zine.
RF – I do not happen to celebrate “Happy Jewbag Speared in
the Guts Whilst Hanging on a Wooden Instrument of Mockery and Torture
Day”, but the effort to spread traditional seasonal cheer is certainly
appreciated. I have been known to play guitar (poorly) and screech
randomly (even worse) for the ramshackle assault that is towards global
holocaust. Also it is rumoured that I am the leader of a nefarious
global operation that is bent on world annihilation as well as being
involved in various other music projects and “artistic” endeavours.
2.when did you guys first discover metal? who were some of the first
bands you listened to? who are some of your "current" favorite bands?
Blaash
– Metal for me oozed into my ears in the mid to late 80s with the
thrash assault .. I was very much into Slayer, Metallica’s early stuff
(all the LPs up to And Justice…), Possesed, Megadeath, Anthrax, Rigor
Mortis (still very much into this band even today – cannot beat that
first lp they put out)… I was always looking to find more extreme and
obscure bands, which is why I would listen to an underground radio show
“Sweet Nightmares” run by Wes Weaver here in Houston on KPFT 90.1… it
was there I first found some of the first death metal bands I really
liked.. MORBID ANGEL, GRAVE, ENTOMBED, CARCASS, PESTILENCE.... my first
exposure to the extreme Texas scene was KATHONIK, NECROTIC VOID and
IMPRECATION.. first vomits at the 2nd wave of black metal would be a TDK
90 compilation tape I received when I traded/ordered Billy Nocera’s
(Razorback Records) Zine “Coven”… IMPALED NAZARENE was on that tape with
a track from their demo “taog eht ot htao”.. (there were other bands
like DISSECTION, DEMIGOD etc)…
Current favourite bands..
varies.. I listen to a diverse amount of material… Really like all of
INQUISITION’s work.. BLACK WITCHERY/BLASPHEMY… TEITENBLOOD, URGEHAL,
SARGEIST, LIFELOVER, FUNERAL MIST, ONDSKAPT, ABYSSIC HATE, BETHLEHEM
(prefer them without kva whatever, but that’s just me), HYPOTHERMIA, the
old school Swedish Death metal bands a la GRAVE, ENTOMBED, CREMATORY,
and so on… a few more obscure bands like TRUPPENSTURM, NEKROKRIST SS,
CULTE DES GHOULS (POL), BLASPHERIAN, MORBUS 666, IMPRECATION, and of
course just to throw a hand grenade into it all, HANK III gets a lot of
playing time when the whiskey flows…
RF – I vaguely recall first
getting into metal back in middle school. Somebody that I knew had
gotten a Judas Priest tape and passed it along to me, WASP tapes were
also in the small collection. It carried on from there with an
assortment of mostly crappy metal bands. Slayer and old Megadeth and
Metallica began to change things for me during the mid 80s as I began to
listen to less and less puss metal and only wanted to listen to heavy
stuff that was “real”. Imagine my shock and dismay when it became
apparent, through adult eyes, that it is almost always less than
genuine.
Favorite bands over the past 20-25 years would include
Dissection, Bethlehem, Morbid Angel, Grave, Entombed, Dismember,
Kreator, Agalloch, the Cure, Depeche Mode, Silencer (SWE), Skepticism,
Abyssic Hate, Immortal, Katatonia, Lifelover, Hypothermia, A Flock of
Seagulls, Ulver, Eurythmics, Exodus, Inquisition, Neptune Towers, Maeror
Tri, Mortiis … and loads of other random crap including whatever I am
working on myself.
3.how did the two of you meet?
was it long until you formed towards global holocaust? how did you guys
come up with the name for the band? for the readers who have never heard
t.g.h how would you describe the music?
Blaash – I believe we
met sometime in the mid-90s through a mutual friend.. we were supposed
to work with another bloke, Brian Fernandez.. but as it turns out
nothing came of it… I’m not entirely sure how we came up with the
original name for what eventually became TGH – firstly we were going to
announce our commencement of audial warfare as Holocaust SS – not with
the intention of proclaiming our glorification of any reich or any such
thing, but our general disdain for life in general produced the
following logic – Holocaust means end of life – and these blokes in the
SS carried out genocide – so we thought at the time it would be an okay
moniker.. That was back around 1996 or 1997.. not sure.. but when we
reformed in 2008 we decided in our bitter elder age to make things a
little simpler to not misinterpret and just go with Towards Global
Holocaust – that way all will know we are not affiliated with any
organized cults, religions, dogmas and/or other socio-political groups.
RF
– As mentioned by the inestimable FMoH, we met in Houston during the
mid 1990s. I try not to describe tgh to people. When forced to do so, I
usually say that it is metal of dubious merits and even though it is
generally considered less than stellar, that it should be purchased
along with an official tgh Department of Death patch simply because I am
a selfish, egotistical asshole.
4.the band recently released
it's debut full-length "fuersturm"through scattered to the winds rec.
how long did it take you all to write/record the songs for this release?
are you both happy with how everything turned out? how would you say
the music on "feuersturm" is different from the bands previous e.p and
split cd?
Blaash – I think RF has been working on the writing
process for at least 1 and half years I believe… its taken us a little
bit longer then we wanted to finish up this release…
I like some
parts of this release a lot and others not so much… some of the drumming
and vocals (by me) could have been done much better I think… and will
hopefully be corrected in the future…
This material is more
coherent, furious, and in some places thrashier and for lack of a better
term epic then the previous material I’d say.. Then again, I don’t
know, heh, find a review or something and see what they say…
RF –
All told it took about 18 months or so to get done, which is overly
long in my opinion. I think that it is an improvement overall compared
to the previous two releases, but still has far too many flaws to be
fully satisfied with. In the future, the mixing and mastering should be
better as should the songwriting, instrumentation and vocals. This one
was difficult to do because I am trying to transition away from the old
way of playing and writing that we used to employ. Maybe the next one
will see us deliver more on the potential of things instead of falling
short of the goal once again.
5.how has the response been from the press and fans?
Blaash
– not a lot of response at the moment – detractors believe us to be
just a godawful mess of incoherency and sloppiness.. Supporters believe
in the fury of the Feuersturm and have given humble praise.
RF
– I would describe the response thus far as tepid at best. Most people
are just not into this style of music even if they like metal in
general. We have gotten some good reviews and a couple of bad reviews.
Then again if you think that Camel and Opeth are 10/10s, then you
probably should not be reviewing Feuersturm in the first place in my
estimation.
6.if i am not mistaken you both live in different
states. do you find it difficult when discussing band business or
working on new song?
Blaash – band business is not so hard, as
we have email etc.. Now creation of material is a bit more difficult I’d
say.. again, lacking the ability to create and write music in the same
locality of each other requires a lot of work, and then a lot of
revision.. so it takes a bit longer to get material crafted in a fashion
we deem acceptable to cause the proper conflagration of life down to
the microbe.
RF – Band business is not an issue. The distance
makes actually completing a song a fairly long and drawn out process,
but as far as the songs themselves go, I pretty write all of the music
and almost all of the drums, then the mighty FMoH revises the drums to
suit his own particular arsenal and depraved predilections. Exact lyrics
and vocal patterns (yeah right) are finalized after all of the music is
done.
7.like myself you guys have been involved with the
underground for 15-20 yrs. now how do you feel the scene has changed
over the years? i know some people say the underground is dead or dying
would either of you agree with this statement?
Blaash –
This is a question I’ve asked others in interviews since 1994 or so… I
received responses back then that the underground was “already dead”.. I
will say because of advances in technology (that has resulted in home
grown terror sects and a variety of deviant pornography for would be
college graduates) that the “underground” is easier to “get into” … but
then again, I don’t really care.. so what if some trendy little bastard
hops into the underground with his plastic sword and three little scars
he manages to get on his chest.. or some little goth girl thinks she
wants to be evil and takes pictures of her private parts so she get
gangbanged a day before her prom date picks her up by “evil black
metallers”? Those who want to be part of the extreme scene will stay and
ignore the chafe that has and will continue to inhabit said scene…
RF
– The scene has been dying for 20 years now and I wish it would hurry
up and get it over with already. In the end it is irrelevant really. The
popularity of metal waxes and wanes and until western civilization is
completely eradicated from the planet, then somebody out there will
still choose to make metal music instead of rap or techno or ethnic
percussion. Mostly it is just a bunch of dumbass kids or clueless bald
guys with huge guts that make up the scene, although there seems to be
more hipster guys lately jumping in on the fringes…either with a
combover or a flannel shirt depending on if they are from the pacific
northwest or not.
8. Obviously the biggest change in the
underground is/was the creation of the internet/computers. do you feel
this is a good tool for the underground or has it made it to main-stream
for anyone to get ahold of the music?
Blaash – I’m mostly
indifferent.. but I’d be lying if I said I didn't like the ability to
hear a band’s material immediately.. However the internet is just a tool
– so I guess it matters most on how that tool was used. If it is used
to consistently create extraordinarily insincere crap, then spread it,
and then create social network sites to praise said crap…. then heh,
yeah its going to make things annoying…
RF – Seems to be a wash
at best. Sure it is easier to get stuff out there, but it is simply
overkill. There is no feasible way to get noticed these days (due to the
sheer size of the shitstorm sea that constitutes the metal scene
currently…I mean there must be a million metal bands at least) aside
from word of mouth, which is just like the old days except that instead
of looking through mail order catalogs one heads on over to the
googlenets and enters the band name that they heard from a third party.
9.the
band is highly influenced by war {both lyrically and musically} when
did you begin to get interested in studying war? this might seem like a
joke question {it's not intended as one though!} but do either of you
feel the world goverments will achieve world-peace? it seems like they
get close but then someone does something and their ready to nuke each
other again.
Blaash – Its not necessarily war, but a
means to an ends.. As I’ve become quite the bitter old bastard, and not
one that takes well to the loveliness of life and consorting with other
humans its come to my understanding that warfare seems to be the
acceptable manner in which to rid life from the planet – not just human,
but mammal, quadruped and microbial as well…
There is no way
there will be world peace – we as a species are too self destructive…
greed, jealously, anger, RELIGION, oh did I mention RELIGION heh.. see
it (religion) does have some uses – the creation of jihads and warfare
and general lead to an elimination of life..
There will always be
those who have (money, property, power, etc), and those who have not –
this unbalance will always cause friction.
RF – I started reading
about war when I was a youngster. These days I am not actually
interested in war, but the eradication of all life and the mysteries of
the omniverse as it relates to finding a practical way of staying alive
indefinitely and subsequently sailing through the various universes in
search of ever more life to get rid of. Peace is an utopian illusion
created by lay about philosophers, shiftless ideocrats and Jesus freaks.
Governments are created and sustained to empower political bullies and
to bring misery to both their own citizens and the population of the
world at large. If humans do not end up destroying themselves through
either conventional, chemical or nuclear warfare, then they will surely
exhaust the planet’s resources and starve to death whilst eating
contaminated dirt and counting jew gold and/or whatever currency is
deemed most desirable at the time.
10.you both have some of
the most disturbing and intense vocal styles ever to be recorded. when
did you both become interested in singing? who are some of your
influences/favorite vocalist? is t.g.h the first band either of you have
sung for?
Blaash – I’m not actually interested in being a proper
singer.. I guess I just like to add a bit of chaos to some of the
material we have – I do believe that vocals themselves can add another
level to the music that other instruments cannot .. for the record I
believe RF’s screeches and especially his approach to vocals (he does
all of “Approaching Global Genocide”, which some have called our best
track) are much better and provide a sounder base at world elimination..
I have done some backing vocals for Bahimiron, but that’s usually only
live…
The usual suspects for my vocal favourites are Nattramn,
Henke Forss (niden187 especially), Arioch/Mortuus, Grimlord, Pest (for
Gorgoroth), Nasko, Drakh, Torg, Magus Munkir.. a host of others as well…
RF
– I have recently started practicing actual singing rather than
screeching like a pterodactyl consumed in flames as it glides over the
remnants of an ashen landscape and plan to record some things next year
that feature clean vocals. As far as the metal vocals go, I probably
have the same influences as many others with a couple out of left field
that I will refrain from naming so as to not besmirch their fine
reputations as vocal stylists with my shoddy attempts at emulating them.
11.do either of you do anything special to keep your voice/throat healthy?
Blaash – not really.. I don’t do vocals often, so its not necessary to keep my throat healthy…. Heh.
RF
– To keep my throat healthy, I try to only record metal vocals once a
year at most over a period of a week or so. I have had some problems in
the past with that and it has led to difficulty speaking months after
the fact as well as horking up gobbets of blood periodically. So, since I
am now engaged in teaching myself how to actually sing, it is in my
best interests to not destroy the voice before I have gotten proper
usage out of it.
12.besides t.g.h i know you both
are involved with other bands/projects. could you please tell the
readers a little about your other bands/projects you are currently
working with?
Blaash – as stated before, I handle skins for Bahimiron and am accountable for Wheresmyskin zine…
RF
– I am currently working on a solo project called Ashes so Bitter and
we are still deciding if Ever Adrift is going to be another solo project
or a collaboration. We also have Eternal Ice Storms in the “might
resurrect” pile. Additionally, I am working on the basic concept and
framework for another, as yet unnamed, project. Next year should tell
the tale regarding which projects are worthwhile and actually see the
light of day or not.
13.R.F as if you were not busy with
t.g.h and your other musical projects you recently started-up
"scattered to the winds rec.". when did you get the idea to start up the
label? do you currently work on the label alone or have some help?
RF
– SttW was started primarily as a vehicle for our own releases as we
were pretty sure that no other labels would be interested in what we
were doing. Also, I am reluctant to sign away rights to the music and
don’t really need the usual deal that most labels give as we can afford
to record and press our own CDs. On the downside is that we have very
little promotion, support or distribution as of yet. It mostly consists
of trading around the world for what we can get along with a few sales
here and there.
My brother contributes money for releases. Seth
Bennett does some trading and networking in addition to being an artist
and designer. Blaash contributes time, money and a lot of effort working
on trades too.
It is small so far, but that seems as it should
be as we need to learn as we go and not get into things too quickly.
There is some small hope that Ashes so Bitter and Ever Adrift will be
somewhat more accessible and easier to promote and garner interest in.
14.please
give a brief-description of all your "current" releases. are their any
upcoming releases the readers should watch out for? are you currently
looking for any new bands to sign or release?
RF – So far we have
tgh “Ever Onwards…” and “Feuersturm” out as well as In Death I Become
“Black Wings, Grey Skies”. We also have IDIB shirts, patches and tgh
patches with shirts coming in the near future. SttW will repress the
split with Christ Dismembered “Upon Firmaments of Sacrilege and
Genocide”, originally released by Jeff at Disease Foundry Recordings,
soon.
I was supposed to already have Ashes so Bitter “Grey
Emptiness” and Ever Adrift “Hopelessly” done in 2010, but I got behind
and fell shorts of those goals. They should be done in 2011 and maybe
the next tgh album will be done in 2011 too. More likely early 2012.
We
are interested in working with other bands too. So far we have not been
approached by too many serious projects and I am wary of investing
currently. I have been helping out Hunter’s Ground recently, in an
individual capacity, and maybe later this year I will be able to record
their full-length release and carry it on SttW. As always, time will
tell.
15.if any labels are reading this what stlyes do
you carry/support in your distribution side of scattered to the winds?
how can labels interested in possible trades get in touch with you?
Mostly
we are interested in underground metal, but anything that is depressing
is also fine. Interested parties can get in touch at:
contact@scatteredtothewinds.com or sttwproductions@gmail.com.
16.blaash
besides your musical projects you are the editor of the legendary
"where's my skin fanzine". when did you start this zine up? how many
issues have you released? are any of the past issues still in print/for
sale? how can people get ahold of them.
Blaash – I
wouldn’t quite say legendary heh… Think I started WMS up around 93 or
1994.. ‘round that time sometime in a drunken stupor… I’ve released 11
issues.. and will be starting work on issue 12 soonish.. I’m a
procrastinatiin’ bastard as you can tell.. As of late 2010 I have issues
10 and 11 available.. contact me directly: blaash@hotmail.com for more
information…
17.in your opinion what makes a good
fanzine? what is your opinion of web-zines? any chances you will make/do
a web-zine version of where's my skin with some older interviews from
past issues?
Blaash – a good paper or webzine needs to me
to have the same thing – extremely good personality – by that I mean I
want to be able to tell the writer(s)/editor have put their own spittle
and spent a goodly amount of time either creating/editing the content,
coming up with well written questions, reviews, and/or other assets to
the written item, be it on the web or written… What would be
writers/editors have to realize is that no matter how much time you put
into your creation theres a very good chance you will not get the
feedback you want for it – so number one, you have to WANT to do the
web/written zine for yourself.. I read and reread my issues.. I couldn’t
care less if somebody wants it or not – I don’t create many copies, and
I dont do a lot of promotion for Wheresmyskin…
18.well
guys i think i have covered everything if not please let me know and
we'll talk again soon!!! thanks for taking the time to do this
interview.good luck with all your musicial projects,labels and zines. do
you have any final comments for the readers?
Blaash - Burn. This. Fucking. Worrrrrrrrllllldddddd....
War Whiskey Sodomy..
RF
– What he said. And be sure to Scatter the Ashes (ashes that have been
burned again after being turned to ashes initially by the workers of the
Holocaust State Inc.) for what is sown shall be reaped and eventually
turned into Sustenance Packet A, which is the lifeblood of the movement
at large.
towards global holocaust "official" myspace page.
http://www.myspace.com/towardsglobalholocaust
scattered to the winds rec. {besides the t.g.h releases he has a good
selection in the distro/shop so be sure to check it out!!}
www.scatteredtothewinds.com
