Interview with Misantropic

MISANTROPIC IS AN INCREDIBLY powerful crust/dbeat/thrash five-piece from Umea in Sweden. Now, Sweden has so many great metal and thrash outfits per capita that you might be forgiven for thinking that every self-respecting Swede is in a band of some sort, but Misantropic has a far more brutal and savage sound than most others in their genre, and this is due in no small part to the sense of despair and absolute rage that frontwoman Gerda conveys in her vocals. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have a drummer who is a master of double kick and the high-speed supercharged d-beat, over which guitarist Erik lays his rabid riffs like bricks and mortar. Misantropic sound like all the best parts of SACRILEGE, NAUSEA and DETESTATION, but beefed up and galvanised into something more vicious than any of them. The band has been around since 2009, during which time they’ve released a split e.p with DEATHRACE, another split e.p with EATEN RAW, and the outstanding ‘Insomnia’, which is a perfect thrash/crust masterpiece and their best release to date. They’ve recently finished putting the final touches to their long-awaited full-length debut ‘Catharsis’, which is due for release in the autumn. I spoke to MATTE (bass and vocals) and GERDA (vocals) about politics, the new album, and why there are so many great metal and punk bands in Sweden:

How was Misantropic formed and what were your main influences?

M: We started like 12 years ago, with a slightly different lineup. I think the ambition in the beginning was to play more stench/crust than we had done in previous bands. The main influences back then were old UK bands like SACRILEGE and DEVIATED INSTINCT and newer US groups like CONSUME, STATE OF FEAR, HELLSHOCK and so on. I guess Swedish death metal was a big influence as well. I don’t think those influences are so obvious today though…

G: I joined the band after the original vocalist Johannes left in 2009 or something like that. Before that I was more like a fan/friend that sometimes joined MISANTROPIC on stage doing a cover of “Cybergod” by NAUSEA, a song they played regularly around this time.  So when they asked me to be a member I first said “Fuck no”, because I had stage fright and all off that, but well… here we are. So on the first 7” EP, I don’t do the vocals. It’s a guy called Johannes.

Which specific albums have influenced you most as a musician?

M: We all have pretty different backgrounds musically. Some of us come from the crust punk scene, some from the metal scene and some from the hardcore scene so I think everything from DISCHARGE, ANTISECT and SLAYER to IRON MAIDEN, TRAPPED UNDER ICE and MADBALL would be on that list.
Personally, I would say that “Behind the Realms of Madness” by SACRILEGE have influenced me a lot when I write music for MISANTROPIC. I have probably also stolen a lot of stuff from “Absolut country of Sweden” by ANTICIMEX.  I cant really speak for the others but I know that Erik, who writes a lot of the music, has listened a lot to AGNOSY “When Daylight Reveals the Torture” lately. He also worships “Best wishes” by CRO-MAGS and “For victory” by BOLT THROWER. Other albums I know have influenced our members is “Scandinavian Jawbreaker” by ANTICIMEX, “Reign in blood” by SLAYER, “Beneath the Remains” by SEPULTURA and “Vengeance” by TRAGEDY.

G:  For me, I would say “Behind the Realms of Madness” by SACRILEGE, “Rise of the Serpent Men” by AXEGRINDER and “Conjure and Command” by TOXIC HOLOCAUST! But yeah also some of those mentioned above, like SLAYER and ANTICIMEX.

 

Why are there so many good bands of every genre in Sweden? Is it because the country is more egalitarian with a better education system? How is the live scene, and did it used to be better?

M: Sweden have something called Folkbildning (’folk’ means ’people’,’bildning’ means ’enlightenment’) which means that most bands in Sweden get free rehearsal places from the City. Bands can even get money from the state for buying equipment and stuff like that, so its really easy for bands to start playing music here in Sweden. This folkbildning-system was especially big in the 1980´s and 1990´s, because back then Sweden was still social democratic and these organizations had shitloads of money, so all of those classic Swedish punk/metal-releases from the old days was pretty much payed for by the state hahaha.

G: Folkbildning is still a big thing here though, and I am working with that for a living; helping kids putting up shows, building rehearsal rooms for bands etc. My workplace is at a cultural center in one of Umeås suburbs where we help the community organising cool shit (refugees welcome, food not bombs, setting up recording studios, organizing concerts etc). I think this is the main reason for Sweden’s music export.

M: The live scene is not so good at the moment, especially not compared to 10 or 20 years ago. Gentrification has affected most cities, and it is hard for organizers to find venues for DIY activities now days. And since there is no tradition in squatting in Sweden (partly because of the cold climate and partly because of the police) this means that it is hard to put on shows without lots of money. But every city is different, and Umeå still have a pretty decent DIY live scene. But since the punks got evicted from the classic venue Verket a few years ago, it has been tough and an important platform has been lost.

Is Misantropic more metal than punk, or vice versa?

M: Hmmm. We play the music we play, which I guess is metal influenced hardcore punk. However, we pretty much only play at punk places and our ethics is strongly connected to the punk scene (DIY, non profit etc) so I guess that makes us 100% a punk band.

Misanthropic has a foot in the metal scene (which is still male dominated) and a foot in punk (which is more inclusive). What is it like for a woman to front a band in these scenes?

M: I don’t know if this is true, that we have one foot in each scene. Sure, musically we are very influenced by metal but Misantropic is not really a part of the metal scene at all. We never play at metal shows (we would if they would ask us!) and even though many of the local metal heads show up at our gigs here in Umeå I would say that when we leave town 99% of the people coming to see us are punks and hardcore kids. I don’t think many people in the Swedish metal scene knows about us. Robert is also playing in some metal bands (BEWITCHED, for example) and Umeå is a small town so we hang out with the local metal people and go to the local metal shows and that sort of thing, but one foot in each scene… nah.

G: The metal scene have a lot of issues to work out. Even though I rarely go to metal gigs, when I do go I often hear sexist shit and stuff like that. As a woman, I feel much more welcome and respected in the punk scene than in the metal scene. But maybe things are changing a bit now. Lets hope so.

How is the new album doing, and how does it compare to the previous material?

M: I would say the new album “Catharsis” is a natural development from the latest release (the 2014 split with Eaten Raw).. We have released a single 7”, “Death Cult”, earlier this year that I think kind of shows where we are going. I guess “Catharsis” is a bit more metal than the previous releases, meaning more double bass drums and less d-beat, but I still think the punks and crusties will like it a lot. It’s a great album that took us a long time to finish, so hopefully people will like it as much as we do. We are super proud of “Catharsis”.

G: Its more "experimental", so to speak.  I mean, there are even violins and synthesizers on some tracks! But it is still fucking raw and brutal, so don’t worry!!!

Do you prefer the old school metal and punk with its 'rugged' sound, or the more modern stuff?

M: Personally, I really prefer primitive rugged sound before the modern stuff. All the classic albums I like were probably recorded on an 8 track portable. But Erik (guitar) is my complete opposite. He has a studio, Ljudkross, where we always record our material, and he is super good at what he does and he really likes to work with getting a great sound. So Misantropic is usually pretty well produced, since Erik is behind the mixing and recording. And that’s good, I think Misantropic would sound pretty bad with a sloppy production. Also, when it comes to extreme music I really like it when you can still hear the lyrics (wich is pretty hard to do on old rugged recordings).

The metal and punk scenes, like the world itself, are becoming more politically polarised. Where do you stand politically? How does metal compare to punk in terms of political literacy?

M: Misantropic have always been a political band, to us it is something totally natural. Our lyrics are pretty much focused on different aspects of anti-fascism, so yeah… that’s where we stand politically. And, being anti-fascist also means being anti-sexist, anti-capitalist and anti-racist. We also have a lot of songs about environmental issues, animal rights and so on. I dont really spend enough time in the metal scene to say anything about how metal compares to punk in terms of political literacy, but it sure seems like the metal scene still have some problems with racism, conservatism and stuff like that. And they definitely have problems with sexism, chauvinism and homophobia. I hear a lot of shit in the crowd or in the bar when I attend metal shows. But I think the metal scene is slowly starting to deal with this, at least here in Sweden. People seem to more interested in listening and educating themselves today instead of just saying that metal is “un-political” before opening another beer. So that is a positive development.

What is your view on the blm protests?
M: I support it, of course. The deeply rooted racism in the US against African-Americans needs to be dealt with, and it seems like the only way this is going to happen is by burning shit up. Keep it up. It’s time for a change.

G: Kimberly Jones!

How did covid19 affect the band, and what are your plans for when it's all over?
M: Well, not much really. Sweden’s, rather controversial, Covid-19 strategy meant that we have been working as usual, our kids are still in school and so on. The only difference is that there are no shows, so some gigs was cancelled and stuff like that. Also, I guess the production of the new LP got somewhat delayed (but it is being printed now and should be out in august).

G: Its been rather productive for us, we have been able to rehearse a lot so we have written new material for something that might be released in 2021. That is rare, we are usually a very unproductive band hahaha.

What is the best experience you've ever had with Misanthropic, either live or in the studio?

M: Hard to say, but we have done some really amazing shows (and some really shitty ones). I remember our gig at DIY HARDCORE FEST in Gdynia, Poland, being a concert that we just fucking nailed. There are some videos on internet from that gig and I would say that we have never been better than we were at that show. I also remember a beautiful evening playing in an old ammunition factory in Croatia (No Sanctuary Fest) being one of the greatest evenings ever.

G: What Mattias said! AND a gig at Gula Villan in Stockholm 2015 where the crowd tore the place in pieces, stage diving from windows, stage diving from our equipment, breaking stuff, bleeding... 5 seconds into the show I saw the mic stand crowd surfing away to come back a minute later in pieces. I´ve never been so happy in my life.

What do you think fans like about your band?
I think people like us because we do our own weird thing and have our own style. The sound is deeply rooted in d-beat crust punk, but we have no problems throwing in some heavy metal riffs or hardcore breakdowns into it..

Which new Swedish punk/metal bands would you recommend?

M: SWORDWIELDER have been around for a long time but it seems like a lot of people have missed them. Their new record “System Overlord” is one of the best albums I have heard in decades. I also enjoyed the new ZYFILIS album that came out a few weeks ago. WARCHILD, from Umeå, is also fucking amazing. The new LOWEST CREATURE album was really good as well.

G: DEADACHE, HEAVY BLEEDING, SKROT, TJUVKOPPLA, AXE RASH!

Any further comments?

M: Thank you for the interest in Misantropic. Keep an eye out for the “Catharsis” album in the fall of 2020.  No gods, no masters!

G: Cheers!

 

J.Cooper

Copyright Metal Punk Inferno (2020)

 

 

 

REAPER - 'Unholy Nordic Noise' (Iron Bonehead Productions)

REAPER - 'Unholy Nordic Noise' (Iron Bonehead Productions):

https://youtu.be/ZdPzEV3PNNM
Having heard Reaper's 3-track demo 'Ravenous Storm Of Piss' last year, it was clear that their debut album was going to be something special, and it is.
If any band other than Darkthrone exemplify the way old school black metal should be played these days, it's these reclusive Swedes.
It's black metal Punk simplified and pared down to the bone, with vocals of the kind Quorthon might have vomited out in 1984, or sometimes like the cynical growling of Attila on last year's 'Daemon'.
Unlike many debuts, this one manages to retain exactly the same brutally primitive feel as the demo. There's a strong flavour of punk to the sound, with echoes of the Syphillitic Vaginas, Sabbat (Jap) and the sneering rawness of GISM. There are no blast beats to be heard, and the solos aren't fancy. This is strictly first wave - driven by dbeat and (mostly) basic single-kick drum parts. 'Order Of The Beelzebub' is pure metal punk, whereas 'Birth Of War', (with its lyrics that read like a tribute to the violence inherent in human nature), and 'Horn Of Hades' (which describes something like Ragnarok) sometimes channel early Nifelheim.
The songs that stand out are, of course, the familiar tracks from the demo, but there is not a single weak moment on the album from intro to outro. At just over 28 minutes, the album is just the right length for simplicity, and any black metal album that comes out this year will struggle to equal it.
I've just ordered a copy of 'Unholy Nordic Noise' from the Iron Bonehead shop. I suggest you do the same.
J.

Nothing Is Real - 'Desert Of Illusions'

Nothing Is Real - 'Desert Of Illusions'

NIR is the brainchild of the super-prolific Nicholas Turner, who also plays in grindcore band Mouldering Vibration, and it's their second album in six months. If you've heard the previous releases ('Unnamed', 'Give Me Your Energy', 'Only The Wicked Are Pure' and last year's 'Pain Is Joy') you'll know that their sound is unmistakeable. And every one of their albums is an improvement on the last.
The title track opens up subtly with some accoustic guitar that brings to mind Uncle Acid. Like a horror film, it builds up tension until the guitars come crashing down like a tonne of lead. Again the drums sound wonderfully real, overlaid with a beefy and authoritative guitar. The riffs are so satisfying that you won't notice the minutes racing by. The pessimism of the last three albums is still here, but there's a lot more power and rage in the mixture. They have chosen the same production values as the last album - all the knobs are on the same settings - but the pace is more variable and the drums are more upbeat this time, introducing blast beats in places, and a double kick drum that thunders like a machine gun. The lead guitar here is truly apocalyptic, like Megadeth's 'Into The Lungs Of Hell'.
'Wasteland Of Lost Souls' sounds as ominous as the title suggests, conjuring a post-apocalyptic landscape of burned out buildings and rotting plastic, with wasted figures in gas masks staggering out of the smog. The riffs on this are some of the most massive slabs of bombast you'll ever hear.
'Clawing At My Essence' is an unsettling accoustic piece that leads into 'False Mirages Of Hope'. This starts off optimistically enough, but the hope lasts only about a minute before the brutal power-riffs nail you to the floor again, and a burst of blast beats in the 3rd minute takes things to a level of ferocity previously unexplored by the band.
'Vital Confrontation' starts with a guitar solo similar to the one at the end of the title track, and some spooky Hammer Horror piano and keyboard gives it a suitably gothic atmosphere. This song conveys a strong sense of dread and impending doom, very much in tune with the times we are living in.
'Embracing Of Self' brings us to the end of this doomfeast. It starts by bringing you so close to the accoustic guitar that you can hear the strings rattle on the wood. There's a sense of proximity in the sound that makes you feel like you're in the same room with the band. Like the whole album, this song is bipolar in its pacing, changing mood constantly as it plays with the listener's mind.
You might think that the doom scene has become saturated in recent years, but there aren't any other doom bands who capture the gloom of the times as Nothing Is Real do.
'Desert Of Illusions' is available now to pre-order. J

VERDOEMD – ‘The Black Heresy Will Prevail’ (2020)

VERDOEMD – ‘Black Heresy Will Prevail’ (2020)

CONCEIVED, PERFORMED AND PRODUCED by the multi-talented Belgian Glenn Maesschalck (ex-KOSMOKRATOR/SERPENT MASS/EVIL SHEPHERD), VERDOEMD (which means ‘damned’ in Dutch) is a one man death/thrash project influenced by old school masters like CELTIC FROST, early SLAYER and VENOM, but beefed up with an injection of black metal speed that takes it beyond those bands in terms of aggression and precision. This - their first album - is  a collection of dirty, spiky, leather-and-hell metal songs with crushing riffs, chaotic solos of the Tom Warrior school, and bilious growls of the kind found on SERPENT MASS’ 2019 demo ‘Mass Of The Serpent’. Fierce, chainsaw guitars are interwoven with dbeat-driven punk licks and staccato rhythms that change pace frequently as the mood switches schizophrenically between genres.

Tracks like ‘Metamorphosis’ and the ghoulish ‘Avatar’ are neither black, death, or punk, but a promiscuous mixture of all three, infused with the kind of malicious energy found on POSSESSED’s ‘Seven Churches’ or HELLHAMMER’S ‘Satanic Rites’. ‘Black Heresy Will Prevail’ and ‘Total Eradication’ are pounding old-school thrashers infested with blast beats like maggots on a corpse, with double bass drums thundering amidst a cacophony of cymbals and punishing chords. Elsewhere, the doleful ‘Enter The Mass Grave’ marches on like a dirge for the funeral of the human race. In places Maesschalck’s gruff, werewolf-on-steroids ranting brings to mind Matt Pike from HIGH ON FIRE, and it is partly this which prevents the sound falling too easily into the straight black metal bracket.

VERDOEMD might be firmly rooted in the old-school, but it’s no retro rehash, and there are plenty of original ideas. This debut manages to convey a sense of 1^st wave ruggedness and grit through a sound that is clear and powerful, possessing the kind of raw brutality that makes the blood boil and the head bang. In other words, it’s raw without sounding like it was recorded in a toilet, and fast without losing coherence, and the vocals provide an alternative to the ubiquitous, high-pitched BM screech. So, if you enjoy your thrash dark and moody and fast, seething with malice and fire and an undercurrent of violence, then ‘Black Heresy Will Prevail’ should prove a worthwhile investment.

 

J.Cooper (2020)