Excruciations Interview 2024

Cerebral Reviewment long-time readers will know, old school style BDM, like the latest from Kansas City one-man Brodequin worship project, Excruciations, is right up my alley.  The riffs, the vocals, the imagery.  Hell yes.  Thank you Simon!

Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions!  Can you start by telling us your age and a little background about yourself?

Thanks for hitting me up for an interview!! I'm Simon, 20 years old and lived in Kansas city damn near my entire life. been obsessed with this whole realm of disgusting music since high school and its been uphill (or downhill, depending on how you look at it) ever since.

You have two projects that are just you, Defaced and Excruciations, correct?  Have you always enjoyed working alone?  have you played with a full band before?

I've actually got a pretty ridiculous amount of projects haha, but defaced and excruciations are definitely my favorites. some others of mine are lymphoblast, pig stomper, ejaculation, scum, and my most recent musical endeavors , Butcher (ultra raw brutal death with all real instruments) and Portrait of God (which is a real deal band I play drums for , really really fun stuff).

but yeah I love working alone! sometimes working with other people on music can be really frustrating so I've always loved being able to just be like "well yall ain't workin out too well so I'll just prolly go do something on my own" without really having to sweat it lol.

This EP has a raw, unpolished feel.  Real old school feel right down to the pacing of the riffs and the wonderful gutturals.  You call this project "Brodequin worship" and I also see a Disgorge cover on here.  What other influences, music or otherwise, do you have?

oh man, there's such an endless amount of things I've drawn inspiration from for music , I'll try my best to break it down so this isn't a 40 paragraph answer haha.

the biggest ones for Excruciations are most definitely Brodequin and Disgorge, the upcoming EP is TO THE BONE Brodequin worship especially, someone described the debut as "if brodequin
moved to Kansas city" and just imagine that but cranked past 10. shit, imagine the knob broke.

I'm also endlessly inspired by my friends and loved ones who all pursue their own passions, seeing someone else thrive with what they love doing is an incredible driving force for me.

I love the classic medieval artwork!  Who did it? 

I won't lie, I'm one of those nerds who obsesses over medieval torture art and the like, so when it came time to release the EP, it was just the one I gravitated toward.

Looks like you have a debut full-length album coming soon!!!!  What can you tell us about "Putrification Through Torture"?  Same style?  Same production?

its definitely a big step up in my eyes! everything i loved while making the EP is all present in PTT, while honing it all to a massive extent. some of the absolute nastiest riffs I've ever written are on here , alongside some of my best vocals. there's actually a couple spots where I had to vomit after a vocal take because I biffed something, but ended up loving how it sounded haha.

What else can we expect in the near future?  Live shows?  New merch?

merch for sure !!! I would absolutely love to do shows someday, and even had a conversation with a couple people in KC who offered to play as Excruciations, but it unfortunately never came to fruition. but someday ! there will be at least ONE Excruciations show.

How did you pick the name "Excruciations"?

it's just a badass sounding word! very intense and ugly.

Can you name 3 bands that you take influence from?

I think the 3 bands who influenced me the most overall are probably Circle of Dead Children, with their extremely frenetic energy throughout their music, esoteric feeling passages where they show they're not afraid to use harsh noise or create an intense soundscape, just everything about them!

next would definitely be Suffocation, I've always been utterly infatuated by Terrance Hobbs'
playing, and how the tabs themselves are almost an art form when you really look at them.

finally, without any shadow of a doubt is Mortal Decay. the demos,  sickening erotic fanaticism, forensic and everything after really made me push my songwriting to its limits, especially when I was starting out. groovy, gory mayhem with melodies strewn throughout and horrifying frog vocals, they've just always checked every box for me.

Can you name a few upcoming bands from your area that we should check out?

BILLY!! 100% BILLY. some of the sickest and coolest dudes I've ever met, and they just dropped their second EP, Control Burn, which is a MUST LISTEN if you can get down with hardcore and hammer swinging riffs.

Strzyyga is also very very good, I've had the honor of ripping with these dudes and they're no fuckin joke. grinding, war-like absolute mayhem. they're about to drop their first EP too!

lastly I wanna mention Tombseeker. holy shit Tombseeker. they're some straight up, no bullshit death metal, and everytime I've seen them they've had such a control over the entire room it's impossible to ignore.

Thanks again!  Anything at all you would like to say to our readers?

KEEP MAKING MUSIC. Don't let yourself get bogged down by not being big on what you write. the first 5 or 6 months I was writing my solo stuff, it was all TERRIBLE! I'd be ashamed to hear it now. Keep on grinding that axe and before you know it you'll be pumping out some seriously sick shit.

Links:

EXCRUCIATIONS INSTAGRAM

EXCRUCIATIONS BANDCAMP

SPOTIFY

APPLE

VILE TAPES

BILLY

DEFACED

STRZYYGA

TOMBSEEKER

Desecation - Left To The Trogs - 2024

 Desecation first caught my attention for being so young while still pumping out such a mature sounding brutal death EP two years ago with self-titled "Desecation", which I briefly talked about HERE.

Since then, just following them on social media and their youtube presence, it is clear that they are young but taking this very serious and being themselves, not trying to change anything about what they bring to the table.  Being original with their sound.  

Also, they are surrounded by and playing shows with legends like Cephalotripsy, Disgorge, Vulnificus, Condemned and many more.

When they started to give previews and glimpses of this new album, I was beyond pumped, and now I get to sit down and listen.

Album artwork by legendary Jon Zig

"Left To The Trogs" opens with a disturbing sample that I recognized from a long time ago.  From a scene that definitely stays with you if you ever saw it.  It is from a Kurt Russell movie about 10 years ago, called "Bone Tomahawk."  A scene in which a man is help down and scalped and then held upside down and hawked in two.  It's just lovely! Check the scene out HERE.

The audio from this scene perfectly sets the tone for the next 20 minutes.  An unforgiving onslaught of raw, original BDM with each element of the music getting its proper showcase.  Production is clear yet perfectly raw. 

Guitars are a delightful mix of fuzzy and crunchy, musicianship is tight and steadily marching to and from heavy slams and catchy riffs.  The riffs seem slightly more technical here than on "Desecation".  Excited to watch how this young band keeps growing and progressing.    

Vocals throughout this album are diverse.  Nasty gargling gutturals with the occasional pig squealing and sometimes your basic death growl.  Every method done with confidence and a gravely delivery that sounds well-honed.   Drummer is crazy, detailed fills with a lot going on under the surface.

I have been paying attention to Desecation since I first found them.  A decent amount of live footage is already on youtube and they have that "thing."  They just feel like the complete package.  Hoping to catch them live soon.  Check out a video of the band performing at Angel Ochoa's (Cephalotripsy) Birthday party:

Most of their live videos show three members, and they are listed as a 3-piece band, but I believe this video is their full band line-up:

Todd Novoa - Guitars

Marc Novoa - Guitars, Vocals

Alex Sisko - Vocals

Nate Gonzalez - Drums, Vocals

Sam Little - Bass

Overall, I am LOVING this new offering from this young, still up-and-coming California band!

Will be spinning this allllll day!!

"Left To The Trogs" will be released January 23rd, 2024 via BrutalMind.

Check out "Inducing Cognitive Paralysis" from the album HERE

Asphyxiate - Self Transform From Decayed Flesh - 2013 - New Standard Elite

Art by Jonrinz Art

I interviewed Asphyxiate (HERE) before I had even heard more than one song from this album.
THIS SONG
 I had hoped that the whole album would be as brutal and addicting as that one song.  Was I right?

I must be getting good at predicting these things.  Asphyxiate have produced what they promised, a return back to the roots of Indonesian brutality that is sure to have any Brutal Death Metal fan banging their head in recognition and agreement.
"Self Transform From Decayed Flesh" would have stood above many other 2013 releases on riffage and songwriting alone.  Giving the album an extra boost is the impressive production and mastering from Josh Welshnam.  Previously known as the brains behind promising one-man band, Autonomy, he has foreshadowed here a promising career behind the controls, helping bands achieve their prime sound and brutality.
The Disgorge-esque stylings of this record are unrelentingly punishing.  The opening track, "Suffered in Vivisection" begins with a slower riff, as if to warm you up for whats to come.  The mood is undeniably set, and the second half of the song throws you into a whirlwind of fast blasting riffs under half-discernible gutturals that are enunciated just enough to make you want to read along.
The whole album is riff after riff, providing little time to rest.

Josh (Guitar, Vocals) shows how it should be done.  It is mind-blowing listening to this when you realize the guitar and vocals are coming from the same person.  He has a real knack for changing up patterns between guitar and vocal riffs.  His lack of diversity in the vocal department is saved by a few occurrences of layered vocals, and his scrupulous, punctual enunciation, going along nicely with his guitar-work.

Yogi, the man behind the drums, has obviously been doing this for a long time.  Try as you may, and I have tried, but you will not find a dull moment in his perfect drumming performance.  The drums, for me, are what make this album.

A common complaint of mine is again an issue here: I wish the bass guitar (Adi) was a little more audible.  I here it thickening up the low-end, I just cannot tell if it is doing much else.  Being able to keep up at this pace is a feat of excellence for any bassist, turn it up!

The amazing artwork, from Jonrinz Art, gives an accurate visual representation of how I feel when this album is playing: I am being melted and torn into a thousand more versions of me!  Transformed from my decayed flesh!  He has many pieces of similar detail, check them out HERE.

Jonrinz Art-Ballpoint on paper 15,5 x 23,5 inches

Asphyxiate have been around for over 10 years now.  I am overcome with sadness and surprise when I say this is my first time hearing their music!  My next step is to check out their entire back-catalogue.
For now, I am thoroughly enjoying "Self Transform From Decayed Flesh," as should you!
Purchase here:

NEW STANDARD ELITE

More art here:

JONRINZ ART

Interview with Execrated drummer Tadz - 2013

Execrated, the relentless four piece Brutal Death Metal band from Davao, Philippines, have proven themselves a force to be reckoned with.  With only one EP (Reviewed HERE) under their belts, the next thing they release will have to be pretty amazing to top its predecessor.
I was lucky enough to conduct a quick and to-the-point interview with the band's drummer. Read on.

Cerebral Reviewment- Could you tell us who you are and what you do in the band?  

Tadz- My name is Tadz and I am the drummer of Execrated.

CR- Why did you guys decide to change the name of the band?

T- Well we made a mistake naming our band Degrade Incinerate in those past years. We received some negative feedback and reconsidered it, and it's not too hard for us to change our name because we are just getting starting.

CR- The death metal scene in the Philippines has always been known as a good one. Do you guys also feel that your scene there is supportive and strong?

T- Actually there is a lot of support from this country but the support is not that strong. We are still very grateful for the support we receive. We bow down and give great respect to those who support us, and for the record we will still make brutal music if they will support it or not.

CR- “Condemnation To Eternal Punishment” is a great EP! Do you have plans in motion for your next release? 
T- Yes! Actually, we are pursuing the writing of more songs to get ready for our 1st full length album.

CR- Art of Gore did an amazing job on the artwork of “Condemnation To Eternal Punishment”. How did the band get in touch with this artist and decide to work with him? Will you work with him in the future? 

T- Dmitry Simlyansky of Anopsys Records helped us find a good artist for our cover art. He showed us the work of Art of Gore and damn, it was a pretty sick piece of art and we have no regrets choosing Art of Gore. We are looking forward to working with him again. By the way, thank you so much Art of Gore!!!

CR- Will you guys be touring anytime soon? 

T- We don't know (real talk). We don't have plans to at this point, but if someone is willing to invite us then it will be no problem!

CR- Who are some of your biggest influences? 
T- Putridity, Antropofagus, Plasmoptysis, Woundeep, Disgorge, Dying Fetus, and also all Davao city based brutal bands.

CR- Thank you very much for taking the time to answer some questions!
T- Thanks for the interview!

EXECRATED
ART OF GORE
ANOPSYS RECORDS

Lack Of Truth - Under The Torn Flesh - 2013 Death Metal Industry

Lack Of Truth is a Brutal Death Metal band from Saint-Petersburg, Russia, pumping out straightforward BDM with an old school style that is infectious and addictive. Under The Torn Flesh is their first full length, following a 2010 demo release entitled Graveyard of Fools. Graveyard of Fools contains three songs that also appear here on the full length, so this is a fine place to start. It is about 30 minutes of original, creative Brutal Death Metal that most brings to mind Disgorge making slow, passionate love to Defeated Sanity.  Before even hearing this, I was excited by the cover art. It just has that original old school feel. The art is done by Regurgitated Arts, operating out of Murmansk, Russia.

I have listened to this album many, many times and every time it seems to shine in different ways. I really like how it is recorded and mixed, particularly the bass. Valentin Khramtsov does an amazing job filling out the low end here with a super thick, shaky bass tone that can be perfectly heard without being overbearing. Guitarist Sergey Minaev shows his diverse riffing abilities with flawless transitions from fast, all over the neck riffs to slower, chugging, slams with pinch harmonics. The drums get a little tiring and at a couple specific times feel like they are struggling to keep up. Alexey Grigoriev is the man behind the set, and he can definitely drum. He has some creative fills and shows some subtle intricate blast and double bass work, not to mention that snare tone. Vocally, Under The Torn Flesh is a display of all natural, deep gutturals mixed with mid range squeals and a few chorus-esque parts where you can absolutely make out what is being said. What really stands out though are the vocal patterns. Vocalist Alexey Remizov is obviously passionate about what he is doing here. It is always nice to hear original and creative vocals and vocal patterns in a genre where that sort of thing is so overlooked. Everything's really tight and I like the raw production, specifically the raw drum sound.

Only complaint is the quickly fading endings to each song. For an album with such well written songs, it's a shame to break the flow of the whole thing with such a small mistake. The mistake is exactly that though, small. Definitely pick this up. It is really well put together with good song writing that will keep any BDM fan entertained. Any doubts I had about certain parts of the album upon first listens were shortly thereafter falsified.   After a few listens, every thing just falls into place and becomes very catchy. Brutal Death Metal needs more bands like this that are original and work hard in the riff department without just slamming your face off all the time. That's another story for another time, if you want only slams, it's out there in disgusting abundance. This is rare, innovate Brutal Death that will remind you of why you fell in love with it in the first place.

Derogation- Revival Of A Nest Ignorant - 2013 Permeated Records

Art by Regurgitated Arts

On September 30th, 2013, Derogation's "Revival Of A Nest Ignorant" will be unleashed upon the world.  For a release this short, it is really full of awesome and memorable parts.  I am a huge fan already.

Kiev, Ukraine's Derogation come at you with a riffing style similar to Defeated Sanity and a technical prowess that begs many listens; super technical sweeping and tapping parts that teeter on the edge of too much.  It's just really just good writing though.
Some of the all over the place riffs, the beginning of "Abhorrent Fornication" for example, takes me back to the old days when Decrepit Birth were still awesome and original.

Ex Defeated Sanity vocalist Jens Cannibaloki Staschel has found a wonderful new home in Derogation.  His familiar vocals do a really nice job of keeping things creative and disgusting.  The god behind the guitar is Vlad Melnik (Neurogenic, Back Door To Asylum), perfectly partnered up with bassist Alexander Chub (Hedonistic Exility).  The bass tone is wonderfully warm throughout and this guy can really play.  Lev Kurgansky (Ezophagothomia) hold things down behind the drums with blasts and tight fills that ensure to keep your attention.  

You get 5 tracks in total.  The last song is a cover and the second to last is just atmospheric noise.  When all is said and done you end up with around 10 minutes of original material from Derogation, but it's the most technically proficient brutal death metal I've heard in a very long time.

My only complaint is the length of this album.  We can only hope there is much more of this on the way, and soon!

For fans of Defeated Sanity, Decrepit Birth, or Disgorge

REGURGITATED ARTS

PERMEATED RECORDS

DEROGATION