Cannibalistic Infancy - Dominant Inhumanity - 2013 Soulflesh Collector Records

Artwork- Marco Hasmann

"Dominant Inhumanity" boasts such an immense improvement in recording and production since Cannibalistic Infancy’s 2009 EP “Decomposition of Materiality”, you may think it's a different band entirely.  Words that come to mind with their new sound are thick, beefy and pounding.  Everything is mixed in really well for an incredibly hard-hitting brutal slamming death metal record.  Right from the beginning, the re-recorded “Urethral Decaying” proves the band is back and is much better.  The vocalist, Artyom Pavlenko, does an amazing job of mixing in a few different styles of airy gutturals.  He makes it obvious that he has an extensive range at his disposal, but does not overuse different styles.  "Urethral Decaying" is the only song on this full length that also appeared on the band's 2009 EP.  The last minute of this song is one big, fat, slow slam.  Come to think of it, one big, fat, slow slam could describe the majority of this record.

Yes, "Dominant Inhumanity" is generously peppered with brutal, head bobbing slams, but what else is here?  Of course, you've got your quicker, catchy guitar riffs, blast beats, and cute little drum fills.  All of these elements are key to a great record in this genre of music, but what else is needed?  That secret ingredient, the one that cannot be put into words.  It's more of a feeling.  What classics are made of.  Just that feeling or vibe that makes you keep coming back for more.  That is what is missing here.  

"Dominant Inhumanity" is a good album, there just aren't many memorable moments.  It's all been done before.  I admit, it is incredibly heavy.  Barbarically Brutal.  Unforgivingly Ugly.  It has been well received and Cannibalistic Infancy are definitely a force to be reckoned with, I just think they could do better to push the boundaries.

Let me talk a little more about what saves this record from the endlessly growing sea of generic bullshit in todays Brutal Death Metal scene.  The tones of the tunes!  The guitars on here are so powerful.  Think Coprocephalic meets Kraanium, and then hit yourself in the face with a sledgehammer.  Also, as I touched upon earlier, the vocals really keep all these slams from going stagnant.  However, for me, the bass guitar needs to be turned up!  I hear it rounding out the low ends and keeping things warm, I just wish it were more stand-alone audible.  Between the slow parts, you get tremolo riffs that feel, and work well as transitions.  When all is mixed together, it feels like a dumbed-down Defeated Sanity.

Some of the slower, almost beat down sections on the album remind me of Short Bus Pile Up, more than anything because of the vocals.   I've always thought that on "Repulsive Display of Human Upholstery" Tyler Sharpes, vocalist of Short Bus Pile Up, was among the first to have some super awesome gutturals that were also comprehensible.  There is a fair share of that vocal style going on here.  "Dead Pornstars" is one of my favorite songs, bringing together all the element of the album, along with creative songwriting.

"Dominant Inhumanity" covers 8 songs over 26 minutes.  While it may have a few flaws, it is short, and worth checking out.  For me, it is missing some originality, but, once again, Russia brings home the Brutal Death bacon.



Purchase "Dominant Inhumanity" HERE

Colpolscopy - Ready For Gore - Gore House Productions - 2013

     Music, visual-art, different genres of music, types of dance:  Have you ever seen or heard something, only to think to yourself:  "I could never enjoy that!  How do people get into that sort of thing?!"
In steps Brutal Death Metal.  When I was in high school, I remember being more into straight-up Death Metal.  The name Cannibal Corpse was a household name, but really only because of my Butchered at Birth t-shirt, and my parents' disgust with it.  I actually got the shirt as a weird gift before listening to much Cannibal Corpse.  I really like the album Butchered At Birth, but do not not really care for all of CC's works. 
I started out my heavy music quests with more symphonic stuff, I was a Cradle of Filth kid.  That quickly turned into years of delving into Death Metal and, while now I am prominently a fan of Brutal Death, I remain true to my Death Metal roots and revisit them from time to time.    If I met the high-school me on the street and told him that there was a genre different than Death Metal called Brutal Death Metal, high-school me would roll around laughing.  I am sure many people who don't enjoy this sort of thing still do laugh, that's fine, but you ought to know what you are laughing at.  Ok, enough ranting.

The album at hand for this review, Ready For Gore, from Southern California's Colpolscopy, was sent to me before I knew the band existed.  Hearing it now, I honestly probably would have skipped over it because of the art and the album title, neither of which caught by eye as being creative or well-thought-out.  I am, however, really happy Gore House Productions sent me this.  Listening to this album is what reminded me of what it feels like to start enjoying things you thought you never would.  Ready For Gore is chock-full of interesting, fun riffs and memorable slams, but it has a few things that you notice first.  Some of these things are the low, gurgling vocals and the smooth, near-perfectly mixed, audio that gives every instrument, and BOTH vocalists, tons of room to shine.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Ryan Gregory and Marcos Cortez share vocal duties here, and if you listen enough, you can hear who is who.  You get more than just two, distinct styles though.  There are insanely low, seemingly under-water gurgles, middle toned, gravelly gutturals, some decent high screeches, and countless in-between noises that just do not sound human.  A cool, organic, effect occurs throughout the album when both vocalists are layered on top of one another to sound like one.  This is, I guess you could say, the third vocalist!
The instrument that I would have expected there to be more than one of, is the guitar.  It is played by one man, Jesus Cortez.  The guitar compositions are definitely what allow this album to stand out.  Cortez combines generic slams with breakdowns and all over the place, grind-esque, fuzzed-out riffs that turn on a dime.
The band's name, album title, and artwork, all just had me picturing a band that would add to the rapidly growing landfill of one-hit-wonders who are out to achieve the hardest hitting slams and just use shock factor art and a medical term for a name.  I warn you, Colpolscopy is not that.  It is a medical term though, one that refers to a procedure to closely examine a cervix, vagina, or vulva for signs of disease.  There, now you know what to call that.

In today's world of countless sub-genres and fabricated labels, paired with the technology that gives us the ability to instantly judge things, a lot of art (music or other) gets swept under the rug too quickly. We all need to remember to keep open minds and remember, no matter what you are currently a fan of, you were not always, and may not always be, a fan of it!
I still do not much care for the cover art or album name, but the importance of those fades more and more with each listen.  The bouncy, thick production makes every riff on here seem to pound your head in.  The tone of the album as a whole reminds me a lot of Parasitic Ejaculation's full-length, "Rationing the Sacred Human Remains," (HERE) an album that singlehandedly, and rightfully so, put that band on every Brutal Death head's radar.  The drumming reminds me of that of Kraanium, only with more fills and tempo changes.
Much like the outstanding review (HERE) I gave to Lack of Truth's album "Under The Torn Flesh," this review is one I took a while to think about and write.  Ready For Gore may take a few listens, but I promise the product is worth it.
Overall, this album is a high-energy half-hour, where simplicity and barbarity meld together, throwing flashy production to the wayside.
Colpolscopy's Ready For Gore will be ready for you to score, officially released November 29th, 2013, on Gore House Productions.  I highly recommend giving it an attentive listen!  You will enjoy it!

COLPOLSCOPY

GORE HOUSE PRODUCTIONS

Clit Commander - Tex Mex Ass Blast - Promo 2013

Artwork by Sidjime Art

GGGRRRRR..........PENIS...... GRRRRRRR......IN A HIVE......GGRRRGRRRRR!

If that doesn't have you giggling, you need to lighten up a bit.  The song however, "Penis In A Hive," is far from funny.
A steady, pounding, and well-paced track that, is really just one riff over and over again, somehow manages to be pretty catchy.  Now, if your band's name is Clit Commander, and you are releasing a promo under the moniker "Tex Mex Ass Blast," I figure you've got your work cut out for you to stop me from laughing long enough to even listen.
Congratulations to Clit Commander on a job well done; I am carefully listening.  You've caught my ear.  This five piece from Switzerland are packing quite the punch, and apparently commanding clitorises to do whatever they need done.  Okay, seriously now, all joking aside, these three songs really are good.
The band features two vocalists: Dave "Guttural" Apel (Incinerated Flesh) and René "Pussyshredder" Barthoulot (Ex-Cropment, Carnal Decay, Slamentation.)  For me, having two vocalists in this sort of music usually sounds the same as one but looks twice as stupid.  After all, who wants two guys standing on stage just growling and grunting their faces off?  I am happy to say that Clit Commander pull it off quite nicely.  I can here the added diversity in the vocals, which include those ultra-low gutturals that these sort of slams need, some Kraanium-esque, airy mids, some really great predator vocals (think Heinous Killings,) and even some actual shouting.  All of these mixed together are extremely powerful.  Even during some of the lowest of the lows you can still make out what is being said.

What really helps Tex Mex Ass Blast stand out from every other promotional 2-3 song release is its production.  Some real time and energy has been put into the recording, mixing, and mastering of this very short release.  Everything is tweaked just enough to be perfectly audible, even hammer-ons and pull-offs from Utti, the bass guitarist.  I also quickly noticed every drum having a really nice, welcoming tone.  Drummer, Cornel Betschart, displays an array of comfort and ease playing at different tempos and switching around patterns.  I also heard a reverse snare in there, something I hadn't  heard used since the last Raped By Pigs release.  Some electronic, technical touches such as that, and a couple on the vocals, are done in great taste and shouldn't steer you away from this promo.

Overall, Tex Mex Ass Blast is a three song promo that shows a renewed Clit Commander, with far better production and song writing than on there 2011 demo recordings.  Definitely worth checking out.
They also have some cool merch to check out!

CLIT COMMANDER FACEBOOK

CLIT COMMANDER

BIGCARTEL

Cerebral Engorgement - Gastrointestinal Bleeding - Gore House Productions 2013

Artwork by Rian Oktanto Art

Cerebral Engorgement are a three piece Slamming Brutal Death Metal band hailing out of San Francisco, California.  Since 2007, they've had three full lengths, each of which better than its predecessor.   The vocals have noticeably gotten a lot better with each release.  This album allows vocalist Mike Simon's gutturals to shine through, proving he is a fecal gargling sewer dweller.  Mike Simon is also in charge of the drumming on the album, which stands out as being the key part of the puzzle.  Fast and relentless at times, slow and brutally detailed at others, the drums do not get boring.

 Also, towards the end of the album are some punk rock influenced riffs that are both unpredictable and fun.  In fact, guitarist Jesse Terres has quite a few memorable riffs throughout "Gastrointestinal Bleeding".

On one hand, this is plain and simple barbaric Slam.  On the other, it is unique, catchy, detailed Slam.  At just over thirty minutes, it is kind of long for what it is and it may start to seem redundant, but like I said, listen for those details; more and more will come alive with each listen.
"Shitnami Shitstorm" is a stupid intro track that starts things off on a really bad note.  I do not know what the sample is from, but it is not setting any mood other than over-the-top silly, something the rest of the album is not.  "Gastrointestinal Bleeding" is surprisingly inventive and refreshing.  The production quality and ultra heavy, pounding song structure as soon as the album begins brings to mind Kraanium's "Post Mortal Coital Fixation".
Cerebral Engorgement used to be a more straight forward goregrind band, and that definitely shines through in some parts (and song names).  Despite the clean and crisp production, things feel raw and passionate and at times just unpolished enough.  It is apparent that the band has thought these riffs through very thoroughly.
"Double Penetrated at The Dinner Table" is one of my favorite songs on here, containing one huge build up to slams and blasts so powerful you may actually feel like you are being double penetrated.
 Things keep getting slower and deeper and more murky as you near end of the record.  There are definitely some very creative riffs on here. These are highlighted and brought out more than usual due to the unique mixture in drumming styles going on between the ultra heavy slams and riffs.  Think early days of Analdicktion mixed with modern day Kraanium.

These days everyone is all up in arms about the drums.  With almost every release in this genre people are asking "Are they triggered?"  "Are they sampled or programmed" "Are they even real?"  Sometimes I even wonder "Can you tell?"  While I definitely see the value in these questions and agree to some extent that real, untriggered drumming has a passion and rawness that remains uncomparable, I also refuse to completely write off music if it has programmed drums or over produced anything.  There is a time and place for different sounds.  Listening to music is always different and let's not forget: subjective.
If you like it you like it if you don't you don't.  I happen to really like "Gastrointestinal Bleeding" by Cerebral Engorgement and I hope you do too.  With so many new Slam albums recently and so many bands cloning each other, "Gastrointestinal Bleeding" does a good job of refreshing the familiar.

Purchase the album HERE

Keep up with the band on Facebook HERE

Cannibalistic Infancy - Dominant Inhumanity - 2013 Soulflesh Collector Records

Artwork- Marco Hasmann

"Dominant Inhumanity" boasts such an immense improvement in recording and production since Cannibalistic Infancy’s 2009 EP “Decomposition of Materiality”, you may think it's a different band entirely.  Words that come to mind with their new sound are thick, beefy and pounding.  Everything is mixed in really well for an incredibly hard-hitting brutal slamming death metal record.  Right from the beginning, the re-recorded “Urethral Decaying” proves the band is back and is much better.  The vocalist, Artyom Pavlenko, does an amazing job of mixing in a few different styles of airy gutturals.  He makes it obvious that he has an extensive range at his disposal, but does not overuse different styles.  "Urethral Decaying" is the only song on this full length that also appeared on the band's 2009 EP.  The last minute of this song is one big, fat, slow slam.  Come to think of it, one big, fat, slow slam could describe the majority of this record.

Yes, "Dominant Inhumanity" is generously peppered with brutal, head bobbing slams, but what else is here?  Of course, you've got your quicker, catchy guitar riffs, blast beats, and cute little drum fills.  All of these elements are key to a great record in this genre of music, but what else is needed?  That secret ingredient, the one that cannot be put into words.  It's more of a feeling.  What classics are made of.  Just that feeling or vibe that makes you keep coming back for more.  That is what is missing here.  

"Dominant Inhumanity" is a good album, there just aren't many memorable moments.  It's all been done before.  I admit, it is incredibly heavy.  Barbarically Brutal.  Unforgivingly Ugly.  It has been well received and Cannibalistic Infancy are definitely a force to be reckoned with, I just think they could do better to push the boundaries.

Let me talk a little more about what saves this record from the endlessly growing sea of generic bullshit in todays Brutal Death Metal scene.  The tones of the tunes!  The guitars on here are so powerful.  Think Coprocephalic meets Kraanium, and then hit yourself in the face with a sledgehammer.  Also, as I touched upon earlier, the vocals really keep all these slams from going stagnant.  However, for me, the bass guitar needs to be turned up!  I hear it rounding out the low ends and keeping things warm, I just wish it were more stand-alone audible.  Between the slow parts, you get tremolo riffs that feel, and work well as transitions.  When all is mixed together, it feels like a dumbed-down Defeated Sanity.

Some of the slower, almost beat down sections on the album remind me of Short Bus Pile Up, more than anything because of the vocals.   I've always thought that on "Repulsive Display of Human Upholstery" Tyler Sharpes, vocalist of Short Bus Pile Up, was among the first to have some super awesome gutturals that were also comprehensible.  There is a fair share of that vocal style going on here.  "Dead Pornstars" is one of my favorite songs, bringing together all the element of the album, along with creative songwriting.

"Dominant Inhumanity" covers 8 songs over 26 minutes.  While it may have a few flaws, it is short, and worth checking out.  For me, it is missing some originality, but, once again, Russia brings home the Brutal Death bacon.



Purchase "Dominant Inhumanity" HERE

Interview with Alessandro Garofalo of Created From Pig's Mutilation - 2010

I am very excited to say that I was able to interview Alessandro Garofalo of Created From Pig's Mutilation.





——————————————————————————————————————-


Cerebral Reviewment- Where did you guys first come up with the name COPROEXHUMOCOATHGASM FISTOLECTONYCHOMICOSIS PARACOCCIGASTROVOMIT MUCOSPERMOSUBUNGUAL?


Alessandro Garofalo-  We chose this name because we wanted to create a demential grind project.
Indeed CxFxPxMx stands for a cluster of diseases, operations (and so on) put together.





CR-  Created From Pig’s Mutilation has the same initials but how did you decide on that name?


AG-  While we were composing the lyrics, we realized that we were creating pure slam; so we decided to change the name, because the previous reflected our kind of music no more. The current name has the same initial letters, but it is connected with a story of a particular creature that we do not want to reveal now. We will explain and develop it when we will have published the full length. ;)




CR-  Where are you guys from?


AG-  We are from Italy.


CR-  How old is everyone in the band?


AG-  We are all almost the same age: I (the guitarist) am 20, Luca (the singer) is 21 and Stefano (the bassist) is 19.



CR-  What are some of your biggest influences for writing?


AG-  Of course Devourment, we consider them as masters!!!! But also Cannibal Corpse, Kraanium, Vulvectomy, Abominable Putridity, Extirpating The Infected, Short Bus Pile Up and many more bands.



CR-  What is some music you listen to that is not metal?

AG-  We are extremely heterogeneous. Every one of us sometimes listens to reggae, rap, dance, funk, punk and so on.





CR-  I really liked the logo design for your old name, and I really like the new one as well! Can you say a little bit about Garol Graphics and how you started working with them? Also any other artists you are working with?


AG-  I’m the man behind Garol Graphics, so it’s really easy for us to fuse our musical attitude and the way we write lyrics with the graphics (logos, cd covers, merchandise, etc.).We are also thinking about working with other artists, but we prefer not to anticipate anything right now… =)





CR-  What is your opinion on lyrics in this genre? Some bands seem to have stopped having any at all. Do you guys have lyrics? What are they about?

AG-  It’s a matter of style…it’s just like using a drum machine instead of a real drummer.
If there are no lyrics, the voice becomes an instrument, so the presence of lyrics depends from what a band has in mind.
As regards us, the lyrics are about splatter, horror, pornos and there is frequently a reference between them and the story behind the new name of the band.



CR-  I could speak for hours about my annoyance with some drum programmers, but I can happily say that I love yours! I think it is tasteful while sounding realistic and not going overboard. Can you say a little bit about your process when it comes to the drums? What gear your using? Any specific influences for your drums?

AG-  When I compose, I write up the song using guitar pro and in the meanwhile I create a simple midi drum base.  After the song has been finished, in the rehearsal room we decide all the details of the drum part.  When the track is completed, I convert it using superior drummer, equalizing the sounds as we need them and then I sometimes add intros.



CR-  In the video for “Starting To Devour Pig’s Entrails” it says the intro is done by IntroMania. Can you talk a little bit about that?

AG-  IntroMania is the guitarist of my other band “Kronium”, he creates intros and soundtracks for bands, horror movies, short films. All our intros are done by him.





Thanks a lot CxFxPxMx!!!


CREATED FROM PIGS MUTILATION


INTROMANIA


GAROL GRAPHICS

Epicardiectomy - Ulcerous Cadaveric Decrepitation - 2011 Promo

Ulcerous Cadaveric Decrepitation is a two song 2011 promo from Epicardiectomy, a three piece slam band from Czech Republic.

Tracklist:

1: Ulcerous Cadaveric Decrepitation

2: Phallus Decapitation



My opinion and enjoyment of this band have always been very up and down. I think they could be so much better and consistent with their sound. They were on a 3-way split last year with Dormant Carnivore and Kraanium, two bands I also enjoy, and it was a very solid release.



This two song promo, however, seems to be more of the same, with less production quality.  Less production quality is not always a bad thing.  It is in this case though.
Other than a super slow slam around the 2:15 mark of the title track, both of these songs stay at a very steady pace.  A pace that is set and creatively punctuated by the drums, which are what holds this band together.  Nicely fitting pinch harmonics that actually don’t get overwhelming, are heavily peppered throughout this promo.

It is by no means a bad release, and it is only a promotional two songs.  They have done their job by promoting and sparking a desire for me to hear more from the band soon!
Also enjoyable is the artwork of a guy who goes by Rhino, he lives right in the band’s hometown of Prague and does their artwork. He also does work for Gorepot, Gortuary, Kraanium to name a few.

Kraanium - Post Mortal Coital Fixation - 2012 Comatose Music

I remember in THIS interview I did with Martin, he talked about how lucky the band was with basically unlimited studio time. Well it really shines through. This album sounds amazing! It is obvious everyone took there time and was precise and that Colin Davis (IMPERIAL MASTERING) put hours and hours of hard work into mastering this. Such extreme attention to detail is very appreciated, especially in this genre of music where so much can easily go unheard or unnoticed.   You will have no problem listening to this!  It is pleasant on the ears in every way.  Great musicianship meets suburb recording and mastering!

band photo taken by Martin Tonning-Strand

If you have not picked up on this yet, I love this album. “Post Mortal Coital Fixation" has impressed me beyond expectations. It had me smiling and bobbing my head the whole way through. I really enjoy writing reviews and posting them to this stupid blog, but sometimes I lack the motivation to write about records that do not stand out. This is not the easiest style of music to play while still being original and maintain a unique sound. Kraanium have done just that, making a great brutal, slamming, groovy, disgusting album while hanging on to their signature sounds and enhancing them in all the right places. Made for an easy and enjoyable review!

"Post Mortal Fixation" kicks things of with a beefy, simple, perfectly brutal instrumental track and is the perfect warm up and foreshadowing to what you are getting yourself into. What comes next is a “Stillborn Necrotic Fuck Feast" and it is delicious. It features massive servings of that perfect attention to detail I was talking about with a few pinches of groove. Martins vocals have improved by miles and I love them on this album. Vocalists do not get to these levels without putting in hard work and dedication and he is taking this very seriously. The end of this song is like a gradual buildup to nothing, which is actually quite satisfying due to the drums and subtle changes of pace and dynamic.

"Bursting Rectal Sores" uses repetition and simple changes. Catchy riffs are counter acted by something so different yet so fitting. Creativity flows freely here, like ooze from a rectal sore. I love the blasty parts with the drums and the fills. Also notable are the spots where the drums have a more minimal and tasteful approach, complimenting but not overbearing. Martin gets to show off his range here, something that is so gross and powerful that it reminds us that vocals can be such an effective instrument. “Compulsive Mutilation Disorder" starts with possibly the best sample ever and is luckily followed my an equally awesome three minutes. The pings and punches and pops and splashes and whatever other words you might use for these drum sounds, are perfect. The steady snare backbone keeps you bouncing along while everything else floats above. “Slurping The Vaginal Pus" is where I fully noticed the amazingly warm bass tone on this album. Straightforward chugging riffs mixed with melodic tremolo riffs lead up to around the 2 minute mark where everything melts into a gorgeous, swaying slam punctuated by splashing drums and disgusting vocals.

"Crack Whore Pounding" has a non stop chugging, pounding feel only to slowly bash your skull in before “Coprophagial Asphyxiation" fades in and brings you back to that familiar Kraanium sound, full of drum fills and pounding, repetitive riffs that are basically predictable but oh so satisfying. Has a sound around the 1:30 mark that I cannot figure out. Anyone? It doesn’t add much but it doesn’t take away either. Everything here is great and it speeds up for just a moment before one last return to this songs catchy riff.

The band released “Slammed Kranial Remains" via youtube as a sort of single before anything else was released. Smart move; in the midst of these tunes this one is actually quite amazing. I mean we all already thought so, but this track is way better surrounded by all of it’s ugly siblings rather than part of a diverse youtube playlist.

"Sculptures of Perverse Suffering" showcases the brilliance of having two guitarists and creating atmosphere. Very creative songwriting. These drums are awesome and I think everyone will love the snare sound on this album. Martins vocals remind me at times of Angel Ochoa’s earlier works.

The last two songs ( before the actual last song, an Abominable Putridity cover) sort of seem like they should be one. The brilliantly named “Baptized in Boiling Sewage" is a simple, short, catchy song that leaves me wanting more anyway. Then it perfectly fades into “Orgy of Cannibalistic Fornication", which starts with a woman screaming and a guitar in the background is playing a riff that sounds way too close to the one in “Baptized". These two songs make for one really good one with a sample in the middle.

Overall, this is easily Kraanium’s best release to date, and will be one of my favorites of the year. Go order it here:

COMATOSE MUSIC

Kraanium Interview 2012

I am very pleased that Martin Funderud, vocalist for Norwegian band Kraanium, took time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions for me in the below interview:

Cerebral Reviewment-  Thank you Martin for setting aside the time to talk with me!!  I am a long time Kraanium fan and am very excited for your upcoming full length “Post Mortal Coital Fixation”!  Could you give people who don’t know a quick history of Kraanium and what you guys do?

Martin-
  Yeah man no problem! We started up (again) back in 2006 after the band had been broken up for some years.
But we mainly just kept the name and concentrated on writing more slamming death metal inspired stuff. Also with some new members and line up changes. For the last couple of years we have had a lot of changes when it comes to drummers. Been having 5-6 different drummers but now we finally have a new one. 
So the line up now is:
Martin Funderud - Vocals
Ian Slemming- Bass 
Mats Funderud - Guitars
Vidar Ermesjø - Guitars
Mitch Rider - Drums

CR-  I remember reading that you were excited about the deal you got on recording time for the album?  Something about tons of time to work with?  How did the recording process go compared to the other albums?

M-  
Yeah we rented a studio from a friend really cheap and basically had limitless time for the use of it. And for this album we have used alot of time for the whole process. But we also have had some problems along the way. Had to kick out our old drummer coz his drumming for this album was not satisfactory enough for us and he didn’t have time to re-record it. So we had to put the process on hold for a bit to find a new drummer. And also had to re-record the guitars 2-3 times before it all sounded as good as we wanted (this was because there was some problem with the equipment in the studio).
And usually on the other albums we had all songs ready and written before we went in to record them, but this time we actually wrote 2-3 songs while in the studio. So this was a new and cool experience for us!

CR-  Any major differences in the style of writing this time around?  Still slammin?


M-  Yeah bro still slammin, kraanium style! But think we also have added some stuff that we didn’t use too much in our songs before.   We kinda grew a bit when it comes to the songwriting on this album!

CR-  Correct me if I am wrong but I think this is Kraanium’s 10^th year together!  Congratulations on staying together this long and getting along with each other and pumping out amazing music!  Comments on being in a band with your brother?  Any tips for young bands??


M-  Thanks! I guess it have been around ten years since we actually first started yeah! But I mean I don’t really feel like the “real" kraanium began exisiting until we started up again with Ian on bass and Vidar on second guitars, hehe! 
Well, It’s a privilege to have a twin brother to play and make music together with. I feel very lucky about that part, hehe! But we do fight like hell over riffs and writing new stuff all the time so that might be a bit frustrating sometimes for the 3 other members in the band, but I guess they have gotten pretty much used to it over the years.

CR-  What is your opinion on lyrics?  How important are they to the genre?

M-  
I think lyrics in the death metal genre are as important as in any other genres! And to be honest I don’t like this new trend with bands that have no lyrics, to me this seems like a very lazy solution for the singer!
I mean, when you are a guitarist you use a lot of time writing riffs and perfecting them to the max, and I think the same should be done when it comes to the lyrics.  As for myself I also think its much easier to have lyrics, to remember what to sing when you play live, it’s a lot harder to try and remember just vocal patterns. And yeah of course people can say: “What’s the point with lyrics when you can’t understand what we are singing" but that’s what we have the lyric sheets in the albums for :)

CR-  How are things with Comatose?  Can you say a little about how that came to fruition?



M-  Comatose is great! Steve Green is hardworking and dedicated 100% to the underground brutal death scene!
The collaboration with him so far has been great, and he really takes care of business.  The way we got signed was that we got tipped off by someone that they were looking for new bands to sign and talked to Steve about it and he was very interested in signing Kraanium. So we just went for it and have not regretted it since!

CR-  I understand you’ve got a big tour coming up!  Can you say anything about that?

M-  
Yeah! We got a USA tour starting on the beginning of June together with Atrocious Abnormality & Coathanger Abortion. It’s called COMATOUR 2012 and will feature all Comatose music bands, and we are doing 16 shows on the tour and we will also be playing at Las Vegas Deathfest. Its gonna be great!

CR-  Is there new merch in the works for Kraanium?   

M-  Yeah we are gonna have brand new merch for the tour and might do some other new merch before that as well.
Will also be re-releasing the 5 tracks from our split as its own MCD thru Rising Nemesis records from Germany. The songs will be re-mixed and we will probably have some new merch together with that release. MCD will be called “Ditch Full of Bitches"…so stay tuned for that stuff as will!

 

CR-  Who are some of your favorite vocalists?

M-  
My  personal favorites are Angel Ochoa, Wayne Knupp and Vladimir who used to sing for Abominable putridity. But I also like some of the old school dudes, like Chris Barnes and Frank Mullen!

CR-  Is Norway still constantly birthing black metal?  Do you like black metal?

M-  
Yes black metal is still the “big thing" here in Norway, but seems some people, at least the younger generation of metalheads, are starting to open their eyes for slamming death metal. Which I think is awesome!
  I like black metal yeah, but not the symphonic shit! Its gotta be old school stuff.  Me and my brother Mats actually have a black metal project band called DAUDEHAUD, and we even have released a cd.

CR-  Anything else you’d like to say to your fans?



M-  Thanks to you bro for supporting us by doing this interview! And thanks to everyone worldwide supporting Kraanium and the underground death metal scene!