Here is a new interview with the thrashing,black metal mettalers Warfist who discuss their new release "Metal To The Bone" and the past and future of the band along with the metal scene in general.
Keep watching Winter Torment for more reviews and interviews coming up!!
Regards
Patrick
fiendformetal@live.com
https://twitter.com/PDeathrasher
https://plus.google.com/110515263288050247357?hl=en
Interview with Warfist done by Patrick
1.Hails please introduce yourself to the readers?
We are Warfist and we take no slaves! Everything started in early 2004 when Witchfucker and I felt the urge to play old school, filthy metal. After some time Pavulon on drums and Wrath on bass joined us. With Witchfucker leaving the band in 2006 after recording two demos with us, we have been active as a trio. Nevertheless, we still carry the flame of classic metal regardless of trends and expectations of anybody.
2.At what age did you discover metal music and who were the first bands you listened to?
It was pretty early thanks to my older sister. She got herself into metal when I was six years old, so at first I had to listen to this music and then I realized I want to, hahaha! The first ever metal song I heard was "Wheels of Fire" by Manowar from "Kings of Metal". Because of the cover artwork presenting a warrior on top of the mountain, holding a sword and a ring, this album seemed quite attractive for a six-year old boy. So in general, I have been surrounded by metal from the youngest age. Later on I started discovering bands like Sodom, Slayer, Motorhead, Bathory, Venom, Running Wild, Accept, Deicide, Darkthrone, and many more by myself. But yeah... my very beginnings was Manowar and at approximately the same time also King Diamond as I remember.
3.You all formed Warfist in2004 what gave you all the idea to start this band?
As I said, it was the urge to play classic metal. At that time we were pretty much influenced by what was going on in the Australian scene and bands like Destroyer 666, Gospel of the Horns, Bestial Warlust, etc. We really enjoyed their vision of mixing extreme black/death metal with more catchy classic heavy/thrash elements and wanted to try doing something similar ourselves. I myself had a few ideas in this vein that didn't fit the death metal style of my other band I was paying in at that time, Ebola. So we had some stuff to begin with. At first it was all very harsh and primitive, but started to get the shape that we wanted it to be over following months. I think that "Tunes of Hell and Alcohol" was some sort of breakthrough in our songwriting abilities back in the early days.
4.What is the current line-up of Warfist? And for the readers who have never heard the bands music how would you say the music has changed over the years?
We have been playing in the same line-up for most of the time. It's Wrath on bass, Pavulon on drums and me, Mihu, on vocals and guitars. Apart from Witchfucker leaving the band there was one more line-up change in Warfist over the years... or actually two. Somewhere around 2012 Pavulon decided to leave the band and his replacement was M. de Sade, with whom we recorded our debut full-length "The Devil Lives in Grünberg". However, the year that this stuff was released we began to find communicating with M. on musical level pretty difficult, so he was replaced with... Pavulon, who decided to come back. I'm very glad of this decision, because Pavulon seems to be born to play the kind of music that Warfist plays. And regarding changes in our music... It has always been blackened thrash. At the beginning it was a little bit more primitive with more black and death metal elements to it. Right now I think our music has went into a more classical direction. You know, the 80s stuff and bands that have defined metal music as we know it today. Regardless of the genre, whether it's thrash, death, black or heavy. At that times labeling metal wasn't that important. The most important thing was that this music needed to be true and ass-kicking. That's our attitude towards our own sounds.
5.Warfist is getting ready to release their second full length "Metal To The Bone" does the band take part in writing the music or does one member usually write everything?
Song-writing process in Warfist is based on me coming up with the riffs and the entire band works on the final shape of the song. This method works well for us and it has always been like this in our case.
6.Who usually writes the lyrics for the songs and what are some subjects you all write about on the new release?
I'm in charge of writing lyrics. The topics are pretty diversified. Mostly it's the evil nature of human kind in general. I also write lyrics disgust towards monotheistic religious systems, as well as anything that limits your freedom of mind and body. Some lyrics concern sex, partying, drinking - the metal way of life. It's pretty much the same with lyrics for our forthcoming album. You can find there songs about standing up against religion like "Pestilent Plague" or "Reclaim the Crown". There are songs of some twisted deviations like imprisonment of a woman in a monastery by nuns in "Convent of Sin" or necrophilia in "NecroVenom". There's also our own metal hymn, which is the title track, "Metal to the Bone". I could say that my inspiration in general is the world around me. There has been so much evil going in over the centuries that who needs to sing about hell, demons and stuff? We are in hell and demons walk around us. You just need to observe carefully hahaha!
7.Besides "Metal To The Bone" do you all have copies of the previous releases or demo's still available for the readers? Other then music does the band have any other merchandise available for the readers if yes what is available and where can the readers buy it?
Unfortunately, we don't have anymore copies of our debut full-length, nor any other releases. But if somebody wants to get "The Devil Lives in Grünberg" album, he or she should ask at Wydawnictwo Muzyczne Psycho. This is the label that released our debut and perhaps they still have some copies. Regarding other releases, I believe that they're all sold out. Although a friend of mine recently completed the entire Warfist discography by looking for our releases on eBay and places like this. So maybe you should also try your luck there. And as for other merch, new t-shirts will be ready to celebrate our second full-length's release, so ask for them at Godz Ov war Productions!
8.Does Warfist play live very often or do you prefer to work in the studio? What has been some of the bands most memorable shows over the years?
Not as often as we would like to, but we have some gigs to our account. Actually, I can't imagine Warfist only becoming a studio project. We love to play live, because these are the circumstances in which our music can show its full power! There was some memorable shows over these years. I can mention our first show in Berlin with the mighty Piledriver, our gig at Metal Head's Mission in Crimea, Ukraine (at least at that time, if you know what I mean), the show in Orthodox Club in Mlada Boleslav in Czech Republic, the gig in Nürnberg with Hellish Crossfire and a few more. I only mentioned our abroad gigs, but the Polish ones were awesome too. Especially in Szczecin and Poznań. We really feel at home in these cities.
9.Are their any shows or tours coming up that the readers should watch out for? If yes where are some places and countries the band will be performing?
Actually yes! We have three shows booked for the forthcoming weeks. The first one is scheduled for October 25 in Wrocław with the mighty Dead Congregation. Later, we will play in Gdańsk with North and Taran on October 31. And finally, a gig in Poznań with the legendary Ares Kingdom and Pentacle on November 6. There are no precise plans for any tour yet, but hopefully we will come up with something next year. It would be awesome to play in Germany again and we'll do our best to achieve this goal!
10.Besides working in Warfist do any of the members currently play with any other bands?
All of us had or have some other bands to play in. However, Wrath is currently only focusing on Warfist and doesn't play anywhere else. Pavulon plays drums in Spirit Crusher, which started as Death tribute band, but as far as I know they're starting to make their own songs now. As for me, I also play in Supreme Lord, death metal beast from Zielona Góra.
11.In your opinion what does underground metal mean to you all?
The question is, can we even speak of something as underground metal now in the internet era? Currently most of the bands are present online, which makes them very easily accessible, so there's one underground element that we may call history. But I think that underground metal is not about remaining hidden from everybody, but about honesty and creative independence. This is what it should be all about. Being online doesn't make a band less underground in my opinion. It's just another promotional tool, like flyers was back in the days. It's signum temporis. Let's be honest - you don't start a band just to play for your friends and guinea pig. You want to be heard by as many people as possible. But the most important thing is to stay true to yourself and don't follow trends blindly. This is underground metal - honesty, creativity and independence.
12.Warfist comes out of Poland's blackend thrash metal scene what is your opinion of Poland's metal scene over the years?
It has been growing strong over the years. It already was strong in the 80s with bands like Kat, Turbo, Dragon, Wold Spider etc. Then came more extreme wave with Imperatior, Vader, Pandemonium, Christ Agony, Magnus, Damnation and many others. Younger bands like Witchmaster, Embrional, Ragehammer, Infernal War, Stillborn, Deus Mortem or Azarath continue to keep the flame burning. There are many talented bands in Poland. I mentioned a few for you. Find the rest yourself.
13.Who are your all-time favorite Polish bands? And are their any new bands you feel the readers should watch out for ?
When it comes to my all-time Polish favorites I'd definitely say Witchmaster, Damnation, Christ Agony, Imperator and Kat. Sadly, two out of these bands exist no longer and Kat has split into two bands approximately a decade ago, and their music is very far from their best years. But their first three albums have been genuine classics ever since. As for new bands I definitely recommend Regehammer who really killed with their debut full-length "The Hammer Doctrine". You should also watch out for young thrashers from Gallower, who only have one demo so far, but if they keep on playing, they should be something really smashing.
14.Besides bands are their any good labels or distro's you can recommend to the readers?
Godz Ov War, of course hahaha! But I would have recommended it even if it wasn't our label. Greg has a really good taste in underground music and I enjoyed his releases ever since he started cooperation with my radio show, Metalizacja. Another label worth of recommendation is Arachnophobia Records, which releases very diversified metal music. Some other names I could mention here are Old Temple, Under the Sign of Garazel, Bad To The Bone, Wydawnictwo Muzyczne Psycho, Malignant Voices.
15.When not working on new music or band business what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
As I said in the previous question I also run a radio show called Metalizacja. I promote bands which are interesting in my opinion and also play a lot classic heavy/speed/thrash metal from the 80s. What else? Sex, drinks and metal!
16.Thank you for taking the time to fill this interview out do you all have any final comments for the readers?
Thanks for this interview Patrick! It was cool talking to you. To all the readers - watch out for our second full-length and remain METAL TO THE BONE!!! See you out there!
Band Contacts
https://www.facebook.com/warfisthorde/?fref=ts
Label Contacts
http://godzovwar.com/
https://www.facebook.com/GodzOvWar/
https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/
