HMT: Greetings Gravewurm! This year marks the 20th year since the band’s formation. Has the band ever thought that you guys will still be releasing albums 20 years on?
Actually no...the band continued to go through hard times and numerous line up changes even after we had support of various record labels. Many times it seemed more trouble than it was worth...not many here in the states cared about going to our shows and there is so much illegal downloading of our music that cd sales continued to drop which made even doing shows difficult as the expense always came out of my pocket.
The band released two full lengths, Black Fire and Blood of the Pentagram this year. How does Gravewurm generate so much music within a year?
Those albums were released this year, but they were recorded more than a year ago. Record labels have a release schedule to go by and the good ones stick to it. Many of our releases on Barbarian Wrath Records met with a year or more in delay of the release and all of that time I just didn’t sit around and wait for that to happen. I continued to write and record Gravewurm with or without a line up since its inception in 1990. Even with various record labels willing to lend support, they could not keep up with the bands fever for material - ha. Hells Headbangers did a great job however in regards to releasing our split 7" with Nunslaughter and the final album Blood of the Pentagram. Only the Lp version was delayed due to technical problems, no fault of their own.
What was the reason behind having two full length releases in a year instead of spreading it out?
Blood of the Pentagram recording sessions started soon after Black Fire was completed. The energy comes and goes for writing and recording as many veteran bands can tell you, and there was still energy in the reserves for more writing so Blood of the Pentagram was started then. I wanted Gravewurm to go out of existence with two full length albums being released in close proximity because I felt that ending on 20 years was best and since there had not been a line up to do shows since returning from Europe in March 2009, there was no point in holding the final release for some mythical, would-be line up to do more shows. I accomplished a lot with this band, more than many people thought possible with such a strict code of writing and themes.
How have reactions and reception to the albums been so far?
After 20 years, it is obvious to see the changes in the underground. There are a lot more genres of metal now than when we started. Doom metal wasn’t even much of a movement in the early 90s from what I recall and now it’s all over which is great to hear.
It’s kind of unbelievable that the reviews of the "big" magazines have been favorable whereas most of the indie / DIY webzines of today’s underground are confused, angry and outright disgusted by the album. They expect to hear some Behemoth or Watain style of black metal but what they get is a pretty much a retrospective of black metal that I grew up with in the 80s and early 90s. Those sounds don’t really exist much anymore with today’s bands. Gravewurm will forever be a "love it or hate it" kind of band.
Blood of the Pentagram was released in a limited edition tin box along with rare and unreleased bonus tracks. What was the reason behind including these tracks, and how have fans reacted to this move?
The avid followers of the band like this limited double release. There have been many tracks that were recorded, which at the time, were between official recording sessions or just jam sessions. Some of them bore fruit and some didn’t. I wanted to have those completed songs available to the followers that wanted more and to complete their collection of Gravewurm material.
It is stated on the band’s Metal Archives page that Funeral Grave handles studio vocals but Zyklon handles live vocals. Why is there such an arrangement?
Mainly because Zyklon was not available for recording on many of the releases although he was still an active member of the band. I did not put any actions of Gravewurm on hold in consideration for the other members. There was a momentum established for the band a long time ago and I would not see it halt.
Gravewurm has been playing dirty black/death metal for 20 years (and more). How do you come up with the inspiration to write new songs, and have you ever run dry of ideas? How do you clear this “mental block” when you encounter it?
Most people by now know the influences behind Gravewurm…it is not a secret. Sure there were times of lull in the writing, but not many. The old school metal bands always provided me with enough inspiration to continue forward with the aforementioned momentum of the band.
Gravewurm’s lyrical contents deal a lot with occult and war. Where do you draw the influences from to write the lyrics of the band? Do you have any spiritual beliefs?
Lyrical topics varied from release to release, but they never strayed from the path Blood (bass) and I forged in the early days. All things dark and sinister were fuel for the beast known as Gravewurm.
Over 2006 and 2007, Gravewurm released a number of split albums with bands such as Nunslaughter and Throneum. Which was your favourite split, and why the large number of split albums instead of compiling them all and releasing them as a full length album?
I felt that split albums and vinyls were more essential than full length albums, especially in the underground where so many good bands go unnoticed or experience a delay in having their materials released. Great bands like Suicidal Winds, Devil Lee Rot, Derketa, Throneum, Hekseri and the mighty Nunslaughter we liked very much and wanted to show our appreciation and comradarie by having split releases with them.
For the split with Nunslaughter, Mike Browning was featured as guest writer for the lyrics. How did this collaboration come about, both with Nunslaughter and Mike Browning?
I got to know Mike in recent years, when After Death was just starting to get known. That band is similar in regards to demo / "The Key" era Nocturnus and is the logical continuation of that path. His musical and lyrical divinations are unique and it was great having him take the time to forge a script for one of our songs. I have been friends with Nunslaughter for nearly 20 years and their music and standing have always had an impact on Gravewurm one way or another.
The band recorded a number of demos in the first 10 years of your existence, between 1990 and 2000. Has there ever been any plans for these demos to released as a compilation?
There are no official plans for such a compilation. The demos are cast to the winds… only bootlegs remain. The 1998 demo Command of Satan’s Blade was re-released with the entire Warbeast 7" sesssion on a MCD in 2002. Those discs might be obtained in some distros still around.
We have come to the end of the interview, thank you for answering our questions!
Thanks for the interest. All people who still collect demos, spin vinyl and embrace the abyss should check out Blood of the Pentagram. That plague has spread worldwide and can be found in many distros and by official means. Limited Lp version and limited shirts are available too. The limited double cd version is sold out at the label, but I still have some copies remaining. Check out our official page at Hells Headbangers for complete Gravewurm details.
Gravewürm on the internet:
MySpace
Hells Headbangers Records
©2011 Heavy Metal Tribune | Hong Rui
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