Originally written by Ian Chainey and Jordan Campbell
With their second record, Beaten To Death has emerged as one of the most inspired acts in not only modern grindcore, but the entire spectrum of musical extremism. Dødsfest! fills a gaping void that’s been hiding in plain sight for the better part of a decade. It’s a record that not only re-establishes a spirit of spontaneity and recklessness that is alarmingly absent from 2013’s stoic smattering of metal and grind, but also manages to succeed on the most basic of levels: It’s an absloute blast to play at dangerous volumes.
LR scribes Ian Chainey and Jordan Campbell linked up for a transcontinental convo with BTD bassist Mika, where he talked about taking chances, letting go, and the band’s enthusiasm (or lack thereof) for retro thrash.
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Dødsfest! is very much a record made on your own terms; recorded live in your practice space over the span of five days, released on your own imprint via Bandcamp. How much of your approach is rooted in convenience, and how much is rooted in rebellion? Do you record live simply because it’s more fun that way, or is it a “fuck you” statement to the hyper-processed, cut-and-paste acts that permeate the modern extremes?
I would say maybe 50/50. We always record new ideas at rehearsals, and when it came to recording the first album it just seemed natural to continue that work flow. When the first album came out as good as it did, there was never any debate on how we would record the next one. That said, when we met last Easter and started recording, we didn’t know for sure wheter it would be a finished album or a pre-production thingy. I’m still not sure, hehe. But the others voted “fuck it, let’s release it”, and that was that.
And so, in that sense, it’s something of a statement. There really is too much music out there–metal or otherwise–where much the energy has been sucked out of the songs during production and post-production. Bands end up sounding the same, kind of predictable and–most of all–without that special feeling of having a bunch of musicians locked in a room taking chances and really communicating musically; sort of like you did when you started your first (and, most likely, awful-sounding) band. Dødsfest! really is a snapshot of how the band sounded those five days, for better or for worse. And yes, it was fun.
The recording process is inexorably tied to perception of the record. Some are thrown off by the record’s production values; others are riveted by the immediacy. With your atypical method of delivery, do you ever worry that people could be missing the point?
No, we don’t worry at all. I totally understand if people think it sounds like shit. And I appreciate when people think the production is half the fun and maybe even the main reason they bother listening to it in the first place. You can’t control how others concieve stuff you do, and you shouldn’t spend to much time worrying about it. In the end, what does it matter anyway? Make music, release it as you see fit, and then move on to new ideas and projects.
Dødsfest! really succeeds as that aforementioned snapshot of the band at a specific moment in time. As listeners (and commenters), we’re subjected to a band’s evolution from a weird vantage point; we encounter bands with a frequency similar to that of extended family members. We don’t get to see the full range of experiences that shape a band’s sound, and we can make rash remarks about things we only understand on a superficial level. Can it be frustrating to see a record carved from your life experiences be judged instantaneously by an impetuous audience?
Again, not really, no. If anything, I’m amazed–well, we all are–that both albums not only recieve positive reviews, but also reflect that whoever wrote about the particular album (or song) actually seem to “get it”. In some cases, the reviews are waaaay more insightful than anything I or most of the other guys could have written ourselves, and that really is a fascinating experience, I think.
Myself, I’m really curious on how, say, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Devin Townsend, or Pig Destroyer writes and records music, but at the same time, I appreciate not knowing and just let the listening experience live it’s own life, so to speak. That said, it’s rewarding to see said bands strut their stuff live, and I feel that people appreciate seeing us live as well, and kind of see for themselves what we’re all about.
How do you guys judge Dødsfest!? Does recording an album in a matter of days make your own music more enjoyable than if you had slaved over every tiny detail for months on end? Or are the little flaws too in-your-face for you to sit back and appreciate your work?
If I may speak for myself, I must say I’m having some issues with a couple of the songs; songs that I don’t really feel were finished when we recorded them. Also, there are a few songs I feel would have been much cooler had we given them a bit more attention when it comes to arranging. That said, I stand alone on this matter within the band, hehe.
Also, I truly believe that the most important thing to remember while creating music (or art in general) is to not stop the creative flow and energy you experience when you give yourself as little time as five days to record an entire album worth of music–live. Don’t overthink, don’t be too judgemental, don’t argue about every miniscule detail. Just go for it, release it and move on. And I must admit, I listen to the album almost every day while walking to work, and I feel pride of being part of it. A lot of the songs I really like, and I feel the playing is strong on all tracks, with a vibe I can’t really put my finger on but still feel is there. I’m absolutely sure that if we had spent more days–or maybe even weeks–recording it, it would not have been a more enjoyable experience. And maybe the album wouldn’t even have existed. And I know the others also listen to the album a lot, which I can assure you none of us would have done had we felt it sucked.
An economic leap regarding that creative flow: There’s a creative divide not just in music, but in all forms of media. Those that don’t have to worry about money can stick with their artistic pursuits, but they usually end up making boring shit because they have few compelling real-life experiences to draw from. On the other hand, there are tons of talented artists shackled by economic constraints, having their creativity drained by menial, bullshit drudgery. Is there internal pressure to maintain a balance between art and “real life”? Do you struggle to find the time to create? Do you feel guilty when you can’t?
Well, we all have jobs, so there is that. Jobs give you economic freedom, but might drain you when it comes to energy and creativity. Also, you can’t tour for days or weeks on end. But then again, when it comes to Beaten To Death, it really doesn’t matter if we don’t get to do anything for a few months. The band exists when everybody is available, ready to grind and has enough ideas (and maybe even demos) to make it worth the trip to the rehearsal space. And when it comes to doing gigs for just a few days at the time, it’s not really that much of a problem to get time off from work. So, I wouldn’t say it’s a struggle to find the time, even though we all feel we should make more music. I mean, one day you’re dead, and then it’s too fucking late, now isn’t it?
It’s more a matter of getting your priorities right. When we started the band, we didn’t really see two albums and a DVD coming out–not to mention all the extremely positive reviews–so as of now, we’re very happy with what we have managed to do out of those first couple of ideas for songs. And it’s definetly not over yet. We have plans for the next album already, and it will most likely be something of an experience to record…. but that’s a topic for another conversation.
Well, we’re still trying to wrap our heads around Dødsfest!; it’s one of the most un-reviewable records of the year. The best recommendation is, basically, “just listen to the damn thing.” In the interest of indulgence (and our journalistic laziness), can you break down the tracks for us?
I can try, even though Tommy and Martin wrote all the songs for this album.
“Vulpes, Vulpes, Mustela Lutreola, Praedium” and “The Egg Thrower” make for almost “comfortable” grindcore, paradoxically easing the listener into your world with abrasiveness.
Interesting point, I haven’t really thought of it like that. But yeah, I guess those two songs are among the less weird ones.
“Krepsekamp” plants seeds for the quirkiness to come, but “True Norwegian Internet Metal Warrior” is the where shit just goes berserk. The guitar work is just bonkers, leaving you and Christian to provide the majority of the “heaviness.”
Both those songs are Martin’s, and even though I don’t “get” “TNIMW” at all, I appreciate that people seem to like it. “Krepsekamp” is fun to play, in an easy, kind of crust-punky way. It’s great to have Martin’s more-or-less straightforward songs balancing Tommy’s more well-planned and pre-arranged songs, I think. It also gives the gigs a variety we otherwise wouldn’t have.
The title track is probably the fastest thing on the record, or at least the most traditionally grind-minded, along with its parasitic twin, “Erik Og Serik”. But what could easily be construed as a ‘breather’ track in “Dov, Dovere, Dod” ends up being one of the most profoundly bizarre songs of the year. It covers a ton of ground in two minutes.
It does, no doubt about that. I was a little skeptical of putting such a mellow track on the album (and on stage, for that matter), but we all like the song, so why not just release it? For a lot of people, it seems to be a favorite, or at least a welcome breather after the rather intense short songs that come before it. “Dødsfest!” and “Erik og Skrik” are Beaten To Death being most cavemen-like, dragging prey (or a fine Stone Age woman) back to the grindcave.
So: What’s the scoop on “Obliteration of Nekromantheon”? A friendly jab or just a cute play-on-words for metalheads to chuckle over?
Hehe, to be honest, when Tommy wrote the song, it didn’t have any specific meaning, lyrically or otherwise. Originally the song had the working title “Dovregubben” (as in Edvard Grieg’s “Dovregubbens Hall”, The Hall of The Mountain King) because of the obvious similarity in the main riff. Then came the time where we started to decide on song titles, and during a break at rehearsals (there are a lot of coffee and cake breaks at rehearsals) somebody brought up the subject of the retro-thrash bands that seem to pop up here and there.
One thing led to another and we suddenly found ourselves laughing at the ridiculous combination of the names of the two great Oslo-based bands Obliteration and Nekromantheon. Myself, I like both bands a lot, but as on many other subjects within the band, opinions are divided, hehe. In any case, the “play on words” thing is without a doubt the reason we stuck with the title. We’ve asked the guys from both bands to be in the video for the song (should we ever make one, that is), but I think maybe they were a little reluctant, hehe.
Were actual “Nazi Slippers” issued by the Third Reich? I bet some Swastika-clad loafers could command a hefty sum from lazy racists. (Real question: Were those gang vocals born from spontaneity?)
The title of that song is simply a translation of its original Norwegian working title, “Nazitøfler”, and originally didn’t have any meaning whatsoever. But now, Anders has written lyrics that actually give the song some meaning after all, with the subject being ignorant racist assholes you’ll more often than not encounter in rural parts of Norway: beer in hand and the remote in the other, watching crappy reality shows. So there is that. The gang vocals was very spontaneous, and actually features a friend of ours (Ola, the bassist from Insense) who just happened to drop by our shared rehearsal space to pick up his bass or something. All vocals where done over two evenings, so it’s fair to say that almost all of it is very spontaneous.
“The Flesh Prince With Swell Hair” revisits territory similar to “Dov, Dovere, Dod”, where blindingly melodic guitar work is washed atop serious brutality. Is that juxtaposition going to bleed more heavily into the next record?
Probably. Myself, I would have been happy if we just played brutal non-melodic riffs all the time, but I recognize that both our audience, the press and the rest of the band really love that stuff, so why not, I figure. I like both of those songs you mention, but find it more fun and challenging playing stuff like “The Egg Thrower”. That said, it’s nice to have songs that breathe a little, and it provides both ourselves and the listener with some relief during gigs.
“Aspen Hellweek” and “Vinni Butterfly” cap the record, cementing the record’s third act as the most melodic (and most atypical). Was it a calculated effort to start the album with more “conventional” grindcore and then guide listeners on a unique journey? Or did the tracklist unfold more organically than that?
The latter. I would say the track order on the album has more to do with cool transitions between songs than anything else. Also, because Tommy and Martin write very different types of songs, spreading them around the album seems logical and, as you say, organic.
Those aforementioned day jobs ever going to permit you to wreak some havoc Stateside?
Having jobs probably isn’t the biggest obstacle when it comes to visiting the US. That’s more of a money issue. So, it’s not something we are planning on, but the subject arises at rehearsals from time to time, and we would absolutely love to come over and play festivals like Maryland Deathfest or something. As of now, it’s more realistic that we’ll be able to visit a few European countries, which is nice, too.
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If you’re in Europe, keep your eyes peeled for BTD gigs. If you’re stuck on the wrong continent, swing over to Bandcamp and get down with the next best thing.
