Deathstars

Interview date

14 Mai 2014

Interviewer

Evanessa

I N T E R V I E W

Interview Nightmare Industries (by mail)


Hi and thanks for taking some time to answer my questions for the French webzine Aux Portes Du Metal. Your new album “The Perfect Cult” will be released in Europe in June. Can you tell us what the concept and the themes of this new album are?

The title comes from the track with the same name which kind of sums up a little bit about an underlying theme which is present more or less to some extent in all of the songs even though they all have different stories and angles. It’s a theme of desperation to find meaning in things and in the end you end up believing in nothing. How believing in nothing turns to worshipping nothingness and how that turns into selfdestructiveness because you grow emotionally numb. So it is actually a sarcastic title because it is everything but perfect, it is actually just shit.

You last album "Night Electric Night" was released in 2009, what have you done since then?

Well after the last album was released we toured until the end of 2010. Then we needed to take a breather and slow down to get some other impressions in. We decided to take a break in the end of 2010, as we had been touring almost two years with the Termination Bliss album, going directly to the studio then going right out on the road again for almost two more years. So we needed a little break to recover and find our flame again. This break didn't last longer than a few months because we were asked to join Rammstein on tour. So together with that we were gonna release the "Greatest Hits on Earth" compilation and needed to record some new songs for it so it was back to the writing process then head for the studio, recording, mix, make a video, make promotion and then head out on the road again. After those two tour legs with Rammstein we caught our breath for a couple of months then we began to write songs again for this album. It's just been going on and on.

Cat Casino has left the band and you are now four members, just like when your band was created. Can you tell us why he left and how do you feel now?

I think Cat needed a change in his life, he found other things that he wanted to pursue which was not music and we totally understand and respect that. At first we thought that this would affect our live sound and it actually did, in a good way. The dynamics between the instruments are much wider now which makes it all sound bigger and more powerful. So it all worked out for the best for everyone. It also made the four guys in the band stronger, appreciating each other more and noticing how hard everyone is working for things to work out. We haven't felt stronger or better ever within the band.

What was the starting point of your new album? Which track did you compose first? And which was the last?

It started with "The Fire Galore", it was the first song I wrote since the two songs we wrote for the "Best of" compilation in 2011. The last one I worked on was a re-make of "Noise Cuts" which sounded completely different in its original form. It sounded so different we had to take it back to a simpler form which suited our sound better. But this was a re-make of an already existing song. The last song that I wrote in its entirity was "All the Devils Toys", and that song was written because we felt we also needed an upbeat party song on the album.

Was the whole band greatly involved in the music composing process?

The process is always the same more or less in Deathstars, I write music demos that I send to Whiplasher who then writes lyric demos and sends them back, after that I produce his lyrics and arrangements together with him. Skinny and Vice have a chance to give their input along the way when it comes to their instrument but mainly the songs are written by me and Whip.

Who writes the lyrics?

Whiplasher.

What is your favorite track in this new album?

"Track, Crush & Prevail" because it is such an underdog. And it incorporates so many new elements into our music. It's heavy, airy and super dynamic. The lyrics are completely black.

Can you explain the main idea behind the cover of the album?

The cover was done by Fabio Timpanaro and the cover was his interpretation of how we described the album and the "cult". There is a lot of cult symbolism on the cover and in the booklet, all in line with the visual idea of the album.

You have just released your first official video for the track "All The Devil’s Toys", did you enjoy the shooting? What can you tell us about it?

The shooting was again done by the iCode team in Belgrade, Serbia who did great job once again. We shot the video during two long days in the beginning of March 2014. It was a lot of fun for sure but also a lot of work and as always a lot of waiting around…

You will come to play in Europe this fall and in France in Strasbourg and in Paris. Are you happy to come to France?

We are super happy of course, France is a lovely country and Paris is always a delight to come back to. I haven't been to Strasbourg for a few years now so it's gonna be great to come back there as well.

What is your best memory in France?

Love Paris. I have been in Paris at least twenty times already on different tours but it wasn't until 2013 that I actually got to hang around more in the city in the summer time, and experience the true vibe of the city. Truly amazing! I also love the south of France. Since I'm from the north I'm a sucker for warm weather and speedboats.

What do you think of the French audience?

The French audience is superb.

What are your favorite bands and musical styles?

My personal favourite musical style that I always go back to is heavy metal from the 70's and 80's. KISS, Judas Priest, W.A.S.P.. Apart from that I like everything, I love programmed stuff with a lot of synth.

What are your favorite French bands?

Gojira.

What are your plans for the coming months?

The release is in June so we are doing lots of promotion right now, after the release we begin to rehearse and in September we start touring the album.

Will you play in some festivals this summer?

Because the release is in June we will not be able to make any festivals this year, instead we hit the road touring directly. We save all the festivals for 2015.

Do you have something to say to the people who download your music illegally?

No.

And finally, do you want to say something special to our readers?

Check out the new album, it's the darkest yet and don't miss our shows in France this fall. See you there!


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