Plutonium - Devilmentertainment Non-Stop by heavymetaltribune
HMT: Greetings J! Plultonium was formed in 2003 by yourself, playing a fusion of black metal and industrial music. Before we begin the interview proper, would it be possible to give us a brief history of the band?
Hi! Well a brief history: I started the band back in 2003 all by myself. I found some members and we recorded the “Wind of change” demo in 2004. 2005 we got a record deal with the new label Khaoz Star. In the end of 2005 to autumn 2006 the “One size fits all” album was recorded. It was released in february 2007 and in 2008 I started with new material. Then I realized the old members shouldn´t be part of the band anymore, to put a long story short. During 2008-2009 I recorded the “Devilmentertainment Non-stop” all by myself, and it was supposed to be released in autumn 2009. Unfortunately I trusted the wrong people and in 2011 after countless of problems I decided to put out the album by myself. And here we are..
How did the idea of fusing black metal and industrial metal come about, and who were your early inspirations in writing the music of Plutonium?
I always wanted to combine extreme metal with industrial sounds. I liked bands like Mysticum and later on Satyricon, DHG and so on. Also I enjoyed (and still enjoy) pure industrial bands like No Festival of Light, Arcana, Brighter Death Now and others. So I guess that´s what made me start, although I have widened my musical horizon for Plutonium since then, I always do!
Also, how did the name of the band, Plutonium come about? What is the significance of the band name to the band’s music?
Actually I wanted something very straightforward, Plutonium is one of the most dangerous material you could be exposed to. It´s used in nuclear plants etc. I just thought it fitted the music very well!
Let’s now talk about your latest album, Devilmentertainment Non-Stop. You mentioned that the album was supposed to be released in 2009, but was delayed until this year. What was the reason behind this delay?
Two labels were seriously interested in releasing the album but they both failed to release it for different reasons. The german NIEDERRHEINTERROR label recieved my master tape and the layout (which did differ a bit from the album I released, the cover was something entirely different!) and after that I never heard from them. I tried to get other labels interested but they wouldn´t or couldn´t release it. It seemed like a hopeless situation - I know some albums released these days that are definitely worse than mine! - so I thought like, “what the hell, everything ends up on the internet as free downloads anyway, so why not print a small edition by yourself and use the most of it as promotion?” And so far I am pretty satisfied, I own the rights to the recording and I have control of every copy (almost). And I learnt that it took one month from the release date before the album turned up on the mp3blogs and filesharing sites...but I couldn´t care too much, I hope the people who enjoy my music will find it worth to own a copy of the album. And maybe some label will find it interesting to release the third album? I was so personally satisfied with “Devilmentertainment non-stop” that I thought it deserved something better than just being a downloadable file...
The music on Devilmentertainment Non-Stop is a perfect balance of black metal and industrial metal, with some tracks displaying more straightforward black metal, while others have a purely industrial/electronic edge to them. What was the songwriting process like for this album?
I started as soon as the “One size fits all” album was recorded, fooling around with some riffs and melodies and stuff like that. But I guess at the start of 2007 I decided to go serious and try to make some songs out of all the parts I had written. It was almost just a matter of collecting stuff together and try to make songs out of it. It took me a year or something to make the best out of it, and in the beginning of 2009 I had the music finished and so it was time to put the final touch on the lyrics and after that I recorded the vocals. Well...it was kind of a strange process, I wrote songs that really differed from each other, they came to me in a really special time. Some riffs like the verse riff of “Unintelligent design” was written as early as 1996 but I couldn´t find the right context until now!
There is also a somewhat punkish feel on songs like The Misery King. What were some of the more subtle influences that you have incorporated when writing the music for Devilmentertainment?
“The misery king” was the first song I wrote for the album, I made a demo recording of it some weeks before the “One size fits all” album was released. I really wanted to do a very straight song with a rock structure to it. I don´t think it is punkish, I think there is a BATHORY feel to the main riff which really got me. So the song was kind of a reaction to some songs on the first album which were quite epic and long...”the misery king” has a primitive hard rock vibe and just came natural to me!
One track that stood out was Peace Keeper, with the track consisting mainly of spoken vocals and heavy atmosphere. How did the idea for that track come about, and how does it fit with the music on the rest of the album?
Since I am a big fan of industrial/ambient/electronic music I have always had a desire to incorporate a purely industrial song on a Plutonium album, but I had to wait until I had a consistent and thoroughly worked through idea. And I started with those drums in the beginning and worked my way through, and all of a sudden I had a song! It was just another example of me fooling around a bit and ending up with a proper and in this case, a very hostile and creepy track.
Let’s now talk about the lyrical themes on the album. They range from nuclear apocalypse on songs like Nuclear War Incense to social commentary on tracks like Peace Keeper to downright blasphemous themes on the title track, Devilmentertainment. Where do you draw inspiration to write the lyrics from?
I like to hear that you interpret the songs in a different way than I do! Peace keeper is maybe not a social commentary as I view it – but since you do it, just keep that view! - it is more about a friend that I did a great favor, and who returned with some real back-stabbing against me and my wife. Devilmentertainment is more a social commentary in my eyes, but it can of course be blasphemous as well... I´d LOVE to hear your interpretation of the lyrics! In the beginning I took influences from dystopian novels like “1984”, “Brave new world” and “Fahrenheit 451” and from history, mostly from different totalitarian countries, but for “Devilmentertainment...” I started to look at myself and my experiences, although mixed up with the aforementioned themes and everything that I come in touch with. I read a lot and watch as many movies I can, and I guess that influence me more these days than music do. When I was younger it was definitely the other way around!
On the album as well, you handle all the instruments, including the programming of the drums. Would it be possible to share with us a little bit about your personal musical history and journey?
Well, it is a long story I guess. I grew up in a home where there was always a lot of music around. My father played the guitar and the piano at home. He also had a record collection which I was more or less raised on. He listened to a lot of sixties and seventies rock and I liked BEATLES and DEEP PURPLE most of all..this was the late 70´s/early 80´s and I guess this was the hardest stuff I came across. When I started school I got in touch with KISS and IRON MAIDEN, and some years later there was METALLICA, KREATOR and stuff like that, and when I got 15 the death metal wave came in the early 90´ies and I started writing letters and stuff like that, tapetrading and all that. Swedish death metal became oversaturated but I had already got my hands on a copy of the second pressing of the first BATHORY album, and I guess that was a milestone in my life. Also I had heard great (then) underground bands like DISSECTION, MASTER´S HAMMER, ROTTING CHRIST, NECROMANTIA, MORTUARY DRAPE etc. which differed a lot from the typical Swedish death metal sound. And here we are now, 20 years later and I still like all the bands I´ve mentioned in the question so far! But also, I listen to lot of other stuff than metal as mentioned...
Also, you handled the producing, engineering and mixing of the album as well. What was the reason behind this, and how has it helped in the overall production of the album?
I did produce, engineer and mix the first album as well, so I didn´t even think of another alternative! It would be pretty wasted to not gain advantage from what I learnt the first time, also I wanted to do something different from the debut. When I recorded the first album I tried to find a good studio. But when finding out that it would cost me ridiculous amounts of money I came to the conclusion that I would probably benefit from taking my savings and invest in a good computer with decent home studio equipment. So I did, and it may probably be one of my wisest decisions ever. I can record whenever I want, and it won´t cost me a dime! Also I hate to deal with people yelling “you can´t do that” at me without even letting me try – I have the freedom to do what the fuck I want without paying for the time I spend. So it´s both a matter of economy and autonomy!
With the album finally released after much delay, are there any plans to release new material anytime soon? Can fans of industrial/black metal look forward to new music soon?
Since the album has been out for three months now, and I am still very busy with promoting it, there will probably be no recordings done this year. But since I have about ten songs already written for next release which I am constantly listening to and coming up with different arrangements for, I can probably start working on it next year. I am also busy with studying and work, so it may take a while. In 2010 I wrote a lot of music though so there is material to be recorded. And I can assure you it will be thoroughly worked material!
We have come to the end of the interview, the last words are yours!
I thank you for supporting me this way, it will be remembered! I am very glad you enjoyed the album and took time to ask me these questions. I hope my answers will do! If someone got interested in PLUTONIUM, just check out our web activities:
http://www.reverbnation.com/thetrueplutonium
http://twitter.com/trueplutonium
http://www.myspace.com/thetrueplutonium
Thanks once again!
Related articles:
Album Review: Plutonium - Devilmentertainment Non-Stop
Plutonium on the internet:
MySpace
©2011 Heavy Metal Tribune | Hong Rui
No comments:
Post a Comment
We moderate our comments. Hate mails, spam and non-constructive feedback will not be allowed.