Here is a new interview with the Norweigan death metal band Deathfare who discuss the their debut release "Shotgun Surgery" and the bands future plans.
Regards
Patrick
fiendformetal@live.com
Interview with Robert Bassist of Deathfare done by Patrick
1.Hello Robert how are things going with you these days?Please introduce yourself to the readers?
Hello! Well, I am bass player, but currently I am focusing more on my film making. You can check out some of my work on www.robertvawter.com You readers might find the documentary Riding the Apocalypse interesting. Its a sort of an experimental road/tour movie I shot of Mayhem back in 09. Its available on my page for free! I am also a hobby photographer, https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertjtvawter/
2.At what age did you first discover metal music and who were some of the first bands you listened to?
Thinking about it, I didn't really listen seriously to music before I started playing in a band around when I was 15. I remember looking at bass guitar and thinking wow, those things looks great and sound interesting. I Finally bought a cheap Ibanez six string and started a band called Graabein with a friend. We were discussing what kind of music we where going to play and he put on Satyricon with the song Nemesis Divina. My brain exploded. I could say I like it, but I didn't hate it neither. It was just so different from what I had ever heard before. But we ended up playing black metal, which opened my ears to a lot of bands.
I didn't really listen a lot to Satyricon though, but more to Darkthrone, which I found a bit more groovy. We played some Black Sabbath, because it was fairly easy to play and sounded groovy as hell. I was also very influenced with Carpathian forest, because it has such a prominent aggressive bass sound.
3.When did you first meet the other members of Deathfare and was it long before you all formed the band?
Deathfare started several year before I joined them and had releasing some demos and EPs. I knew the band well. A lot of great local musicians had played there. Deathfare was kind of a harbor for metal musicians, which would come and play, leaving behind riffs and lyrics when they left the band (a lot of these riffs are in the Shotgun Surgery Album). When they lost their former bass player, I got a call from our the former vocalist in Deathfare asking if I wanted to come and play for them. When we got a new vocalist and new guitar player we started working on our debut album.
4.What is the current line-up of Deathfare? And for the readers who have never heard Deathfare's music how would you best describe it?
Deathfare simply but; filthy extreme death metal with high groove factor.
Our current line up is:
Nidhogg - Batterist
R.T.Drome - Bass
C. Tjessem - Guitar
Nikki - Vox
M.Wiig - Guitar
5.Deathfare is getting ready to release the debut "Shotgun Surgery" how long did it take to write the music for the songs on the debut release? Does the whole band take part in the writing process or does one member usually write everything ?
It took along time to finish. I released over the years, both as a musician and film maker that art takes time - when you think something takes 1 month it will in reality take 4 months. This was also the case with shotgun Surgery. From the time we had recorded everything to we had a release almost 5 years went by. But that doesn't matter. Good things will last and there is no rush.
Our music is very collaborate. Our batterist will have ideas of how the bass should sound like, the guitar players may have some idea about the drums. The vocalist will bring some lyrics or ideas on riffs, the guitar players will do the same. Everyone brings their own ingredient, or have an opinion. Then we will cooking everything together. I think being able to listen to other peoples opinions is an essential skill when working creatively.
6.Besides the debut does Deathfare have any other releases or merchandise available for the readers and if yes where can the readers buy it from?
We have some limited patch and T-shirts which we currently haven't setup to sell, and some shirts but we might start selling some merch through our record label Heathen Tribes. Checkout the facebook at https://www.facebook.com/heathentribes/
7.Does the band get to play "live" very often or do you prefer to work in the studio? And what have been the bands most memorable shows to date?
We haven't played live in years. But we will do some day. We love playing live, but we are in no rush and not really perusing to play live.
We had a great show back in 2013 which was the last time we played. You can check out some live performance here:
8.Are their any tours or shows coming up that the fans should watch out for?
We will let you know on our facebook page
9.Deathfare comes out of the Norwegian death metal scene what is your opinion of Norway's death metal scene?
In my opinion Norwegian death metal can be a bit too experimental and «avant-garde-ish I like my death metal brutal and straight forward.
10.Who are some of your all-time favorite Norweigan bands? Are their any new bands coming out of the Norweigan scene you feel the readers should watch out for?
In terms of straight forward death metal, Blood Red Throne is one of my favorites, which I also was fortunate to make a music video for the song Taste of God. And of course Obliteration, which is more thrashy. Horizon Ablase which is leaning more towards the experimental black metal. Killing for Company, Goat the Head. And of course the black metal band Carpathian Forest and Mayhem
Also the Norwegian band Shining, is producing some great death jazz. I love their music video «Fisheye» directed by my friend Leif Kyrre Larsen.
11.When not listening to death metal do you enjoy listening to any other forms of metal or music in general?
I listen to grind core, like Rompeprop (which my one year old daughter loves) and stoner/sludge music. I have also been listening to Ambient and noise music like Merzbow, NON, Nocturnal Emissions. Also Matta is an interesting dubstep band from England.
12.Robert are you or any of the members currently working and playing with any other bands at this time? If yes please tell the readers a little about them?
Our batterist Nidhogg is currently playing in a black metal band called The Konsortium from Stavanger. A great black metal band.
13.What does underground metal mean to you?
Mmmm… That 's a hard question to answer living in this digital age. More and more underground is becoming available on the same platform as commercial music through places like Spotify.
But to me underground metal or music has this grittyness to it. Often music that is challenging to listen to. I like that.
14.When not working on new music or band business what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
As mention I do film making. But also I am volunteering together with a local NGO on helping victimes of sexual violence in DR. Congo (check out the work at https://greatactions.org) I think too a certain extent death metal is to blame for my interest in Congo and the brutality going on there. Death metal can be several things - just music I enjoy, but also a comment on the human condition, illustrating the underlying evil potential that I believe lies with in all of us. Metal music connects us with our ancestral brutality, something I have been very interested in exploring. To me, personally, this is what we to in Deathfare through humor and music.
15.Thank you Robert for taking the time to fill this interview out do you have any final comments for the readers?
Thank Patrick you for letting me spew my words on your fine webpage.
