E-ZINE - Raw & Wild - '80 heavy 'zine / Web

:: INTERVIEW TO DIVINE DECAY

WOULD YOU LIKE TO PRESENT YOURSELVES OUR READERS?
"You mean the band presentation? Alec: vocals and 1st guitar Paul: 2nd guitar, backing vocals Stig Evil: 3rd lead guitar, backing voacls Pätkä: Drums Tony: Bass"

A SHORT OVERVIEW OF YOUR HISTORY?
"Me and Alec formed Divine:Decay in 1999 at the yard of our rehearsal place in Helsinki. We both were and still are big fans of Bay Area speed/thrash metal and we decided that we should have a band together. Then we started making riffs and shit, but we thought that we might need at least singer, drummer and bass player if we would like to called us like a "real" band. I called to Pätkä, who was just quitted his career with H.I.M and he accepted the job immediately. Then Tony came up and we started to play those songs together. The singer was only problem and we tried few guys out, but Alec decided to sing because we forced him, heh! He hasn`t sing never before so it was quite a task for him to do it. But it went really good from the very first rehearsals and now he is singing permanently. Then we did a demo tape and we got the deal from Osmose."

WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE VARIOUS PHASES OF PRODUCTION OF YOUR ALBUM?
"It was very simple process. We played live in studio and then we re-recorded few guitar solos and rhythm guitar parts and Alec did his vocal parts. That was it, basically really boring sessions, heh!"

SATISFIED WITH THE FINAL RESULT ACHIEVED?
"Absolutely."

IF I'M NOT WRONGIN' 'MAXIMIZE THE MISERY' IS YOUR SECOND ALBUM TO DATE, RIGHT?
"Yes it is. The first one was Songs of the Damned (2000), our debut one."

WHAT'S ABOUT THE TRACKS FEATURED IN?
"I can`t start to pin-point all the tracks but personally it was another step forward in our career. If not, then it would be time to quit, hehe! The huge difference between our 1st and 2nd one is the sound and how the songs were put together. There is nothing wrong with our 1st album, but now every song were better, richer and had more details. Well, eveyone is saying same things before they release next album, but honestly we took our music to another level in our point of view."

WHICH TRACKS DO REPRESENT YOUR SOUND?
"All the tracks. I cannot answer nothing else."

YOUR SOUND IS BRUTAL AND VARIED, RIGHT?
"Yes i think so too, but in near future i hope that we`ll have even more brutal sound but more melodic songs, and i don`t mean any melodic-death metal kind of thing but more like classical speed metal songs with heavier sound."

ANY INTERESTING ASPECTS OF YOUR SOUND?
"Well we have three guitars but we`ll have to see how we use the 3rd one in our next album. More harmonies and better solos, i guess."

HOW DO YOU WRITE A TRACK?
"Alec will do the most songs on his own but i have few riffs here and there. In 1st album Alec did like 50 % of the songs and i did the rest but Alec has always done all the lyrics and vocal lines. And sometimes we arrange some songs together in it`s final shape."

DID YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR GOAL WHEN YOU COMPOSE?
"Well we have only one goal and that is sounding good as possible. We try to find balance between heavy and melodic parts and add some nasty vocals in it. We don`t have any recipy for making songs, they just fall down near by our legs, heh! And we pick the most promising sound one`s and put them to our record."

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN ANALYSING SOCIAL SITUATION?
"Paul: Well, some may find social political statement within the title, but frankly what we were thinking about the title, was just the feeling when everything in your life is upside-down and personally mess up in life. It`s more focused on finnish melancholy way of life. In finland we have the one of the best social security in europe but it seems that the line between on very rich people and very poor people is getting narrower. But i think that many of these social problems are invidual, alcohol and other drugs involved, problems. It`s more like people drove their life`s in to the pit, unlike start develope themselves. But we are musicians, not politicians. So musically speaking there isn`t any "hidden messages" by any political staments. We are not a political band. "

WHAT'S ABOUT SPREADING POLITICAL MESSAGES THRU THE MUSIC?
"Dead Kennydys did that quite well back in the 80`s and few others, but we feel that there is no point spreading any strong statements, nor religion, political or racist elements in our music. We feel more like writing lyrics what`s going inside your head, more personal stuff, but everyone can get their own conclusions what our lyrics mean."

DO YOU REFLECT THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL SITUATION SURROUNDING US?
"Of course personally it`s very reflecting in some point but like i said we don`t mix that kind of thoughts in our music."

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF PRESENT WORLD?
"Uuh, it would get my brains to explose if i start to count everything what is wrong in this planet but i think that everything will start by people themselves and i`m strongly in for invidualism way of thinking, than mass-thinking. You have to get your own life in balance, before you`ll start "healing" the world. Western civilisation in it`s all forms, is the best example of mass hypnosis and it`s definately ruining our ancient (european) roots. George W. Bush is doing this in pretty good speed but it`s not all his fault. The whole US system has been messed up since Vietnam war and i can blame only it`s goverment than invidual people. But in the other hand people vote that guy (and other president`s too) so it`s kind of funny situation. But i trust that the americanos are wiser with the second round. The Russian situation kind of worrying too but i think it`s getting better all of time with politics and other shit. But we have some many good things going on that we should be happy how the things are than just blaming all the bad stuff. And this is what i can see through my own eyes."

AND AFTER THIS NEW ALBUM?
"Our contract with Osmose has finished so i guess we have to find a new label but we already we 4-5 songs ready for the next album."

ANY TOURING PLANS?
"No. Osmose have tried to arrange some tours but unfortunately their budget wasn`t big enough to make them possible. Sad but true. But we hope with the next album that we would have at least some mini-mini tour in europe."

LAST REMARKS?
"Thanx for the interview and greetings to all your readers! Stay Metal!!!"

For more infos: www.divinedecay.com or www.osmoseproductions.com

EMANUELE GENTILE

<<< back