After several years of silence, former MANTAS / DEATH / MASSACRE vocalist KAM LEE has finally returned to the scene. Reason enough for us to let this true legend and originator of the Death Metal grunting vocal style speak out about his entire career and future projects…

When did you start playing music yourself? I know that you’ve been in a couple of bands already before you joined MANTAS, so please tell us a bit more about that time, the style of music and names of those early bands.
"Back in 1983 / 84 I came from a Death / Punk background (MISFITS / SAMHAIN) more than a Metal background – so my first band had a similar sound as MISFITS ! We had some stupid name like invaders from hell or something like that! Later (because the Punk scene in my town was lame at that time) I joined a ‘Metal garage band’, playing stuff like iron maiden covers and raven covers!"

When and how did you hook up with Chuck Schuldiner and Rick Rozz?
"Unfortunately it was during Highschool! I was starting to get into darker Metal music like venom, hellhammer and mercyful fate! i would bring the albums to school to show my classmates (and watch them get all spooked cause the stuff was so dark and satanic!) this caught the attention of Rick who was in another band at the time! So then Rick ask me if I would try out as a drummer… that’s how it all started! Later that week Rick contacted Chuck, and everything from that point is history!"

When exactly did you record the "Death By Metal" demo and was the track ‘Power Of Darkness’ on it straight from the start already?
"It was recorded in Chuck’s parents garage in the summer of 1983, and yes ‘Power Of Darkness’ was always on it!"

When and why did you later re-release it under the DEATH moniker? Was the track ‘Mantas’ replaced for that by ‘Zombie’ or is it just on my personal copy?
"Because we changed our name only after a short two months in existence… Yes, ‘Zombie’ replaced the song ‘Mantas’!"

Did you play drums and sing on all those old recordings?
"Yes, except the song ‘Power Of Darkness’ – Chuck did the vokills on that one!"

I know that you named the band MANTAS because you all were big fans of VENOM, but why not CRONOS or ABADDON? Was MANTAS your favorite VENOM character?
"Rick came up with the name… it was a guitar player thing i guess!"

When did you change the band’s name from MANTAS to DEATH and did it cause any confusion for your underground following? How long has the band been existing as MANTAS?
"Because it was only months later. i don’t think people got confused… The underground was much smaller and more reliable back then! News got around fast, so the fans knew what was up when we changed the name (personally back then i hated both names…mantas and death!)."

I know that you were responsible for the DEATH logo art. Did you also draw the MASSACRE logo? Have you ever been doing artwork more professionally? What else have you drawn?
"Hey – thanx for recognizing that… most fans never knew the truth about this, cause Chuck never gave me credit for the design! (but I do, ha! – Frank) I didn’t come up with the original massacre logo, but i did re-design it with the cracks in it… Later for the "From Beyond" album, the horrible logo used was designed by the shitty cover artist Ed Repka (I hate that logo, it reminds me of the "Superman movie" logo or something as stupid!). As for my art – as a matter of fact when i left the scene back in 1994, I decided to re-locate to Phoenix, AZ. (USA) to pursue a job as a comic book artist! i have some stuff out, but nothing really major! Most adult porno / style stuff!"

Feel free to go ahead and tell us a little bit more about the comic books that you’ve done (the titles, how many issues have been published and so on).
"I did a few, underground ‘pin-up’ style stuff! I did a three page story in an underground comic called "Blue Couch Presents" about fallen angels! The story was called "How Angels Bleed" and it was about how the demon Nergal was torturing a crucified Lazarus to find out the existence of the last Grigori – Azazel! i have some new stuff in the making now… One is a book about werewolves, the other is about tentacle demons from hell! I will hope to find a publisher for these sometime in the future!"

Are you aware of Glen Danzig’s work in this department? What do you think of it?
"Yes – i met him and it was so fucking cool… he gave me some tips, and told me to keep up the good work! But his company had all the artist he needed at the time, i also gave Chaos Comics a try ("Evil Ernie", "Lady Death"), but my work is still a bit on the amateur side, so i was nicely rejected! But Brian Pulido is a great guy and was really cool!"

Ok, back to your musical career… Has there ever been a real MANTAS bandlogo?
"No, not that i recall."

Next up was the "Reign Of Terror" demo. Could you give us some more details on that? There’s a lot of different tracklists circulating in the tapetrading underground, so which songs have been exactly on it?
"I really don’t remember…hell man, it’s been over 16 years now… i don’t remember last week sometimes, let alone 16 years ago! How do you remember all this stuff? (I played those tapes to death and have been possessed by early DEATH and MANTAS ever since you guys appeared on the scene, so I guess it’s quite natural that I still worship the stuff nowadays! – Frank) Hey, i don’t even have any copies of these old death demos, so why don’t you make me a copy and send it to me… i haven’t heard this stuff in years…"

Yeah, why not, we could trade for your comic books, hehe…
"Sorry but I only have one copy left (my personal copy) of the comic I did "Blue Couch Presents", but I am planning on releasing a new underground "Ash-Can" style comic of something I am working on sometime in the near future, if you would be interested in this… I will keep you informed. It will be sick stuff – total adult – macabre-erotica!"

You already played live a few times in Florida at the time. What kind of reactions did you get? I mean Death Metal was still almost non existing at the time, so…
"People hated us… they still do! i have no friends even now, cause i am such an asshole that no one can stand being around me more then a few moments! Plus, I like it that way… i hate people! Humans suck! Misanthropic all the way! Certain individuals i like, but people as a whole suck! Nothing but talking monkeys with car keys!"

Did you have any kind of stage show or something?
"I was such a samhain fan that i wanted to immolate the way they did their live shows all covered in blood and gore! So we did that as well as the early corpse paint, black make up around the eyes and stuff!"

Who wrote the lyrics at the time and are they available in any way?
"I wrote all the lyrics… i can’t even remember most of them! Later Chuck changed the verses and the words on the tracks ‘Evil Dead’ and ‘Infernal Death’ when he did the ‘Scream Bloody Gore’ album, but the original stuff I wrote!"

On the "Infernal Death" demo, things started to change a little bit. Chuck not only wrote the two songs ‘Baptized In Blood’ and ‘Arch Angel’, he also took over the vocals on those tracks… Was the response on them better than on your other songs or what caused the change that was about to come?
"Chuck wanted to be the center of attention… He couldn’t stand it that all the little whores wanted to suck my cock and not his… So he wanted some of those sluts lusting for his boy sausage as well! So he decided to start singing… i don’t know – you tell me who is the better vocalist, the original or the rip off?!" (honestly spoken, I always liked both your voices – Frank)

After "Infernal Death" Rick left the band. What was the reason for that and what did he do until he re-joined with you in MASSACRE later on?
"He was kicked out because he was too fat… He fed his fat ass and played with himself until I got him in massacre! Then he fed his fat ass, played with himself, and played guitar for massacre! Hahaha, I am such a prick!" (yes, that’s obviously what you are, haha! – Frank)

You released another 2 song demo with Chuck, which featured the tracks ‘Seizure’ and ‘Rigor Mortis’… What can you tell us about that particular demo? By the way, did it have a title?
"This was my last ditch effort to try and work with Chuck… it was called "Seizure / Rigor Mortis"!!"

After that you left DEATH – for what reasons?
"Chuck’s ego was too big for the both of us!"

How many shows (approx.) did you play together (MANTAS and DEATH combined)?
"Two or three, maybe four… Does a party count?" (sure… hahaha – Frank)

But you re-joined with Chuck a little later for a two months period again. Tell us more about that and why you left again at the end of ’84, beginning of ’85 to join MASSACRE.
"I did? How the fuck do you remember this shit… you must have a time portal that you look through every night that lets you see events from 16 years ago or something! I just remember leaving death cause Chuck was a real wanker and an asshole, and that was it… Later i relocated to Tampa, FL. and there i joined with massacre!"

Did you ever regret that almost all those old DEATH / MANTAS classics never got re-recorded properly? I personally would really like to hear those tunes with a decent production!
"Yeah, i wanted to record this stuff, but because of the whole shit between Chuck and myself it never got the true spotlight it deserved! Too bad really… Who knows, maybe all the death fans should write to Chuck and convince him to record this stuff with me, and then we could show the world what real Death Metal is!" (Hell yes!!! That would be killer, but as far as I know Chuck, something like that will most certainly NEVER EVER happen! Too bad, really… – Frank)

Bill Andrews (dr.) originally had formed MASSACRE in 1984 along with Alan West (gt.), Mike Borders (bs.) and two not so wellknown people on vocals and second guitar. Do you still recall their names and if they ever did anything afterwards?
"No! Who cares about those loser fags!"

At which point of time did MASSACRE become a 4-piece band and for what reasons? Have you never tried to get another guitar player in the band again at the time?
"We had several guitarists in and out of massacre at different times, but again Rick was too much of dickhead to ever work with for too long of a time. That guitarist would leave because of his attitude!"

What kind of vocal style did MASSACRE’s original singer have? Was it already any similar to what you were doing at the time?
"He was a pussy faggot wimp singer like that poser shit anthrax singer!"

Why did he not work out? As far as I know, MASSACRE only played two shows with him, so…
"Cause he sucked hairy monkey balls and did vocals like a faggot girlyboy!"

MASSACRE originally started out as a coverband, so which songs did they play at the time?
"Pussy ass anthrax covers (i hate anthrax)! When I joined I told them that they need to play only Death Metal – no more of this Power Metal shit!"

The first MASSACRE recording was a tape simple entitled "Demo 1", featuring ‘Aggressive Tyrant’, ‘Mutilated’ and ‘Death In Hell’… Could you tell us a little bit more about that, like where and when you exactly recorded those songs and so on?!
"This was the legendary demo that changed the entire Death Metal scene as we know it… This was the landmark ‘death-vomit’ style vokills that made me the most ripped off artist ever, one who has never been given credit for it! This was the true beginning for Death Metal low growling vocals!"

What kind of reactions did you get on it?
"As i said it was a big hit… Everyone wanted to sound like me in one way or another!! I am the originator of the ‘death-vomit’ vocal style!"

Why did you split up with Alan after the first demo and was Rick (Rozz) your first choice as his replacement or have you auditioned other guitarists as well?
"Billy and Allen had some kind of falling out… I always liked Allen and still do, he is a really cool guy! Back then though Billy made most of the band orders because it was his band at first… Rick wasn’t the first choice, as a matter of fact Trevor (of Obituary) was the first guitarist we tried out, but because he couldn’t play leads we went with Rick (not that Rick can play leads either)."

Did MASSACRE already play any shows at the time?
"None with Allen…"

Didn’t you record your second demo "Chamber Of Ages" the same year already? What made you come up with a follow up so quickly?
"Most of this material was left over material that Rick was working on while he was in death… So i was a bit familiar with some of the riffs! So we just went into the studio to get this new direction of massacre out to the fans and the underground!"

The only thing I know about "Chamber Of Ages" is that it featured the songs ‘From Beyond’, ‘Chamber Of Ages’, ‘Symbolic Immortality’ and ‘Clangor Of War’… So, could you tell us all necessary details about this demo as well?
"I just did above… It was material that Rick already had and ideas i had that would have been used in death!"

Did any of the MASSACRE demos have a cover?
"No. They never had official covers because originally they were only meant to be as promos to record companies!"

At one point there was talk about the possibility of a MASSACRE 12" for Goreque Productions (the label of ex-MORBID ANGEL vocalist David Vincent), but it never became reality. Did you already have any songs in mind for that?
"All the material that appears on the "From Beyond" album!"

Why did MASSACRE break up in 1987? Was it mainly because Bill and Terry joined DEATH?
"Bill, Terry and that fat fucker Rick all left me behind to join with Charlie in the death line up for the "Leprosy" album!"

What have you done after the split-up?
"Sacrificed virgins to my dark lord Satan for revenge upon those who fucked me over… Do you think it worked?!" (nah, not really, haha! – Frank)

At some point you formed a band called ABHORRENT EXISTENCE. Tell us more about that, like who else was in the band, if you ever recorded any material (rehearsals or studio demos), what kind of style you played and so on.
"This was a Death / Thrash outfit that included Pete Slate (Acheron / Equinox) and Mark Lavania (incubus / equinox)… We never did record anything, but a few bootleg rehearsal tapes are out in the underground somewhere!"

That band never really went anywhere, so when did the idea come up to reform MASSACRE again? Did you have any difficulties in the realization of it?
"ABHORRENT EXISTENCE was short lived for about four / five months only, i decided to reform massacre after hearing how popular massacre was overseas! i knew that i must give my true fans the kind of Death Metal they knew me best from!"

Apart from you and Rick you started out with Joey Cangelosi (ex-WHIPLASH) on drums and Butch Gonzales on bass, but the material that you wrote ended up sounding completely different to what MASSACRE originally stood for. Tell us the whole story here.
"When i had asked Rick to re-form massacre he was already out of the Death Metal scene and was playing shitty wimp Thrash / Funk style music… So when we first got together he wanted to showcase this style of music… We did a studio demo just to see how it would sound! Of course it was shit, so i demanded that we go back to the old material… And that is what happened!"

When did you manage to convince Bill and Terry to re-join MASSACRE?
"I didn’t convince them of shit… They begged me to re-join massacre!"

What made you work with Colin Richardson as the producer instead of Scott Burns, who just engineered "From Beyond"?
"Scott Burns… Scott Burns – fuck Scott Burns! He doesn’t even like Death Metal, he’s such a two faced prick! The only reason he ever did this music was for money and fame! He could care less about the scene! Colin was a waste of time and did nothing instead of take up time and money… I could produce better then Scott Burns and Colin Richardson combined! Fuck them both in hell with a spiked demon prick right up there poser faggot asses!"

Where you completely satisfied with the way the album originally came out? I mean, on currently released re-issue the background color has been changed from pink to blue and the album title is spelled in different letters, so did you have anything to do with that?
"Hell fuck no – i hated the original cover, i hated the mix! There is so many mistakes on the album also… ‘Cryptic Realms’ and ‘Succubus’ are both so fucked up, Billy has no sense of timing, his meter is all up down! Now – the re-release is a way for Earache to cash in on my name! Fuck them and fuck that re-release! I have never even seen any fucking money from any massacre stuff done with Earache! Bunch of fucking rip offs! Yes, let the fans know that i have never ever seen any money from my time with massacre!! Never have i been paid! i have been ripped off so bad by both Earache and that fat prick Rick Rozz! Fuck them both in hell!"

By the way, how do you feel about the album’s re-release? Do you think it was a good idea to include the EP tracks as well this time?
"As i said fuck this… I had nothing to do with this! Total bullshit! i hope that if fans really want to hear something from me then they will wait until the Kauldron release! This will be true Kam ‘The Tyrant’ Lee the way I was meant to be heard… brutal, unhinged, and from hell! Fuck that re-released shit! Fuck Earache and fuck Rick the dick Rozz!"

When you toured Europe in support of "From Beyond" (with MORGOTH and IMMOLATION) you played with a second guitar player again… Tell us more about that guy and whatever happened to him?
"He is the fuck that is now in six feet under that took over Allen’s place… and what a fucking rip off that is! Six feet under is Allen West’s band, but that fucker Terry Butler has kicked him out so he can have his buddy Steve Swanson join! What total bullshit! Now fans can see the kind of two faced assholes i had to work with in massacre, and maybe now they can see who is a real honest person who stuck with what he believes in (real Death), and who is the corporate sell outs!"

On the "Inhuman Condition" CD single you worked with Cronos from VENOM for the VENOM cover ‘Warhead’. Tell us a little bit more about that, like how you got together, which other songs you had in mind and if it was planned that he sings on the entire track straight from the start?
"I hated this fucking EP – Cronos was cool, but the whole thing turned out to be a shitty experience for me! I got reduced to singing back up vocals on the ‘Warhead’ cover, it might as well have been just another venom version rather then a massacre version! The other material also sucks… All except the track ‘Provoked Accurser’ (which was originally recorded during the "From Beyond" session!) I like ‘Provoked Accurser’ it is one of my personal favorites next to ‘Dawn Of Eternity’!"

What went wrong with MASSACRE afterwards? It not only took you four long years to return to the scene again, the "Promise" album that came out in 1996 was musically also not comparable at all to what MASSACRE originally stood for. So, what’s the story behind that?
"I originally quit massacre in 1992 on the last date of the UK tour! I walked off stage in London and announced that was it… I quit! Later in 1993, Rick approached me about re-joining to do another album! He said that he had a new band with new members… And that he had all the music already written! At the time i was not doing anything… So after i time i decided to do it! However while in the studio i realized that this material was shit and so during the post production i quit and walked out! This was recorded in 1994, but it took Rick and Earache two more years to finish it because i quit! Do not let them fool you… all the vocals on this album are not me!! I never finished all the vocal tracks! This album sucks, and it ruined my carrier for a time! I hate it, and hope that every copy burst into flames of hellfire at this very moment (did it work?)." (probably, as I rarely see copies of it, hahaha! – Frank)

Who else was in the MASSACRE line-up at the time and who took over the vocals after you left?
"The dweebs whose names appear on the inside of the album’s cover… no one important cause they aren’t involved in the Death Metal scene at all! I don’t even know who the joker was that Rick had replace me, all i know is they tried to play a few shows and they got boo-ed off the stage, haha!"

Have you ever spoken or met up with any of the old DEATH and MASSACRE members after you split-up?
"Hell no! Chuck still harbors a hatred for me that i just don’t understand! He is an unforgiving bastard! As far as me… I have nothing really against the guy! My teasing and name calling was all done in fun – kinda like ‘American pro-wrestling’, just a bunch of hype to get the crowd going, nothing that was truly real!! Just all in fun! He on the other hand doesn’t see it this way! As far as those fucks from massacre… They can all die in a pit of shit and bile for all i care! They all ripped me off! Took all my money, all my fame and glory! Fuck them! i am not 100% positive who was responsible for taking my money, but i am pretty sure it was that fat loser fuck ass Rick!"

What do you think of the late DEATH releases?
"I don’t listen to it because it doesn’t appeal to me!"

As you are using the internet for promotion as well… are you aware of any websites dedicated to old MANTAS / DEATH, MASSACRE?
"I knew of the death sites, but never saw a massacre site! Is there one?! (don’t know, that’s why I figured I’d ask you about it – Frank) I had no idea! Is it good? What does it say?! I hope they recognize the true ‘tyrant’ of Death Metal… me (smile)!"

There’s been talk about a song called ‘The Traitor’, which you had dedicated to Chuck back then… Tell us more about that song and whatever happened to it!
"Oh…I don’t even remember the music… But the lyrics weren’t directed towards Chuck completely! Rather it was about being fucked over by anyone who would stab you in the back! I later did re-use the lyrical concept for the "Promise" album (piece of shit!), but that was about the only thing that was done with it!"

I just found out that Rick once used to be a member of THE GENITORTURERS in between DEATH and MASSACRE, which not many seem to know / remember… Was the band already similar in style and image as nowadays?
"From what I understand he was just rehearsing with them, but never got around to playing live with them… As far as the image, yeah Gen has always had the (plasmatics rip off!) image going for a long time!"

You also used to publish a zine entitled "Comatose" some years ago – please let us know more about that, like how many issues you put out, what kind of bands you featured and how long it existed. Why did you stop with it?
"COMATOSE was great to do, and I still miss doing it! I have even tried several times to get Jim (the other editor) to start it up again, but he isn’t any longer into the scene the way he was back then! We only released two issues, but had a third and fourth in the making when Jim decided to call it quits! The stuff in the first two issues was total underground Death / Grind / Noise bands! You have to realize that issue one was done in 1990… so many of these bands hadn’t even been signed yet! Issue #1 had interviews with: IMPETIGO, MORTA SKULD, DESECRATOR, DERKETA, MORTICIAN, SUFFOCATION, HELLWITCH, UNLEASHED, KILLING ADDICTION, ABOMINOG, MONSTROSITY, PARALYSIS, MALEVOLENT CREATION, BROKEN HOPE, INCUBUS, BRUTALITY, MARTYRIZE and PAINEATER! Plus tons of demo reviews! Issue #2 came out in 1991 and had interviews with: AGATHOCLES, COPROPHAGIST, PLUTOCRASY, BROKEN HOPE, EXHUMED, VITAL REMAINS, LOBOTOMY, DISEMBOWELMENT, CORPSE GRINDER, NECRONY, ACHERON, VADER, ACCIDENTAL SUICIDE and CEMETARY! We had issue #3 as a ‘tribute’ issue to ‘old school’ Black / Death / Thrash like: SODOM, RAZOR, KREATOR, BATHORY, NECROPHAGIA, SEPULTURA, MORBID ANGEL, DARK ANGEL, REPULSION, SACRIFICE and POSSESSED! Issue #4 was total Black Metal (before it got trendy!!) with interviews with: DARKTHRONE, PROFANATICA, GOATLORD, INCARNIS, ACHERON, CRUCIFER, BEHERIT, ROTTING CHRIST, IMPALED NAZARENE and ORDER FROM CHAOS! Too bad that these last two issues never got released! It would have shown the world that I was way ahead of my time with the whole underground scene, and I predicted (way back in 1992) that Black Metal was the next big wave! Tadaaa! Look at the scene today! Black Metal is in and Death Metal is out!"

Didn’t you also sing background vocals on NAPALM DEATH’s "Harmony Corruption" album? How did that happen? I suppose it was a real honor for Barney, who never made a big secret out of the fact that he was heavily influenced by your style of singing, so… Did you contribute to other albums as well?
"No! I did not sing on "Harmony Corruption"! I did however do back ups on the Nocturnus album "The Key", but never did I do vocals with napalm death! (aaah, stupid me, I’m getting too old for this shit – Frank)Yes, I know that Mark "Barney" Greenway acknowledges me as one of his influences… The whole "Kam Lee wipe-out" thing and all. He is one of the few who does recognize me as one of the originators of this vocal style and I thank him for that! Although I’ve had some ignorant fuckheads come up to me and ask why "I" rip off him!! Fucking stupid clueless morons!"

Are you still living in Arizona these days? What actually made you leave Florida back then?
"Well I left the desert and returned once more to the swamps! Yet, Florida is not all what everyone thinks it is… It’s not a great Death Metal capitol. It’s not as if all the bands hang out together on the weekends drinking, smoking and fucking sluts! As a matter of fact, everyone is a bunch of backstabbing, two-faced, shit talkers. They all hate each other, and if they act like they like each other it is just an act… A few select people in a few select bands I can get along with, but a majority of these guys are bigger assholes then I am, and that is saying a lot because I am a pretty big mother fucking prick myself! I left for this reason… Everyone of these pricks thinks he (or she) is Satan’s dark gift to Death / Black Metal and that their shit doesn’t stink! I hate going to shows cause it is such a fucking joke with everyone parading around like some goddamned satanic peacock! So stupid!"

There’s a MASSACRE promo video available for the song ‘Chamber Of Ages’ which is rather weird… How big was the band’s input on the realization of it?
"I have never even seen this fucking video, but I heard that it sucks! I don’t think we even knew it was being made…"

What have you done after you left MASSACRE and how’s your current musical situation? When and why did you taste blood again? You mentioned that you are working on several projects at the moment. So, tell us more about KAULDRON, CADAVERIZER, URIZEN and SOUL SKINNER.
"For a time during the years of 1995 – 1997 i relocated to Arizona… I quit the scene cause it was over run with backstabbing – two faced – liars and cheats, and the corporate dickheads took over! No one was true anymore, at least here in the States! Everyone was following whoever the media told them to follow, and no one was making up their own minds! The scene was being controlled by the puppet masters in the media rather then the fans choice! Today it is not that different… only now it is with the ‘new wave of Black Metal’ rather then the Death Metal scene! The overflow of bands, the media hype, it is all so stupid! This is not what underground is… This is just another sad act of corporate takeover of a subgenre! Total shit! I decided to return to the scene to show the fans and the media pricks what real true Death Metal is… Not the shit the media has been forcing down the public’s throat for the past 10 years, but true to the roots Death Metal! The kind of Metal that comes from the black soul and burnt heart, not from the pocket book like so many of these new breeds are doing! Kauldron will be old school traditional style Death Metal in the Hellhammer / celtic frost, possessed, massacre vein! Cadaverizer I am doing with members of exhumed and this will be good old gore Death Metal like exmortis, goreaphobia, autopsy! Soul skinner is a one man project (me-myself & i) and will be gore-core style Death in the general surgery, old carcass, catasexual urge motivation style! Last is a new project i am thinking about doing, but won’t come out until sometime in the year 2002! Urizen will be an old school style Doom band that will mix sounds like witchfinder general, winter, trouble and even some samhain / danzig styles! I plan on doing both the vocals and playing guitar with this one, but more on this one as time proceeds! "

Is there already material available from any of those bands, or at least from KAULDRON? Have labels already shown interest in it?
"Kauldron will enter the studio sometime in the beginning of the new year (2001)!! We will record a full length album to be released on Necropolis Records… Look for this to have one of the most controversy shocking cover art ever! Also, sometime in the beginning of the new year i should also record the cadaverizer with Matt and Cole of exhumed… Look for this to be out on Relapse Records and if everything works out, it may sport cover art drawn by yours truly (me)! Soul skinner should be done around the late summer of 2001! I am not sure if this will be out on Death Vomit Records (a division of Necropolis) or possibly on Razorback Records (a killer gore-core label, if you need a good dose of some of the best gore-core around be sure to check out Razorback Records at: www.razorbackrecords.com and make sure you tell Billy ‘The Tyrant’ sent you!). Anyhow, I am calling the year 2001 – the year of the tyrant! So beware – and hail the king, for the ‘true one’ has returned to re-claim his throne, and to throw down those who usurped his crown! Only Death is real!"

Anything else you’d like to mention?
"Yeah… As many of you may have heard I am still in search of a drummer! What I am seeking is an individual with strong double bass abilities, as well as a fantastic meter and good rhythm. You must be able to play to a click track! If you can’t then don’t fucking waste my time… Blasting Speed Freaks need not apply! A little blast is ok, but if your looking to be in a total blast band then we are not the band for you! If you know anyone who might be interested then tell them to contact me at: panzer58@hotmail.com. Also it would be ideal if the drummer could either be someone near or local to us, but I would be willing to work out something for the "right" person! If a full time drummer isn’t found by the time we are supposed to enter the studio, it has been suggested to me that Emilio of the band SADISTIC INTENT wouldn’t mind filling in! "Way to go Emilio – Thanks for the support!" Remember to check out SADISTIC INTENT’s new release "The Second Coming…" out soon on Necropolis Records! Either way KAULDRON will be unleashed onto the world in 2001! In the meantime check out the new SAMHAIN box set that has just been released. It’s not cheap, but the video alone makes it worth it, plus the comic is cool for some kicks! By the way, for those of you who rip on DANZIG – you better think about what you’re saying. Ok, so his last two albums sucked, but hey DANZIG was dark and evil before dark and evil was cool! Glen was ‘dancing with the devil’ when most of us were still sucking milk from our momma’s tits and shitting ourselves! Before I close I need to express my hatred towards some of the things that just put my nuts in a twist!

1) Close-minded, shit-talking, back-stabbers who can’t think for themselves and constantly regurgitate up garbage that they swallowed up from someone else’s shit-talking! In other words 90% of most people in the ‘underground scene’!! What side of the fence do you stand on? The side with the overcrowded shit-talkers? Or are you brave enough to move over to the other side where the small but proud crowd stands and start thinking for yourself! Oh – and don’t try and be a smart ass and say something like – " I knock the fence down, and take no sides!" Because if that is how you are then you are worse then the shit-talkers cause that just makes you out to be a two-faced ass kisser!

2) Wigger Music! Did we really need another dose of a stupid crossover sub-genre? Fuck LIMP BISNUTZ and that white trash poster boy for faggots Kid-Cock! And what the hell is this turd named after an candy Enema – didn’t we live thru the BEASTIE BOYZ already? If you like this music… I’m sorry! Hopefully you will grow up soon and realize your ignorance.

3) Mainstream Extreme Metal mags… You know which ones I’m talking about.. those that you can pick up at your local grocery store magazine stand! The fuckwads that write for these corporate owned paper waste are the ones standing on the frontlines of the public’s stupidity! They are the Generals of the mass brain-drain and the Dictators to your thoughts! They tell you what and what not to buy, what to like and what not to like, and what and how to think! They are the corporate nut sacks so filled with jiszm just waiting to spray their spunk down your throats! And like the willing whores that you are you gladly swallow up ever drop! Well that’s it. I know you hated it, but I loved making you hate it, and that just makes me smile!! If you liked it and want to read more of my mind spill then e-mail me back and let me know! Stay Morbid – Stay Death – Stay covered in blood and gore! STAY METAL!"

Shortly after this interview was done, Kam completely changed some of his plans around, so here’s a little update on his activities:
"It seems that because of both the lack of "real" morbid musicians in this area and because of me just being sick and tired of trying to find the right people to work with, I have decided to close plans on doing any other music projects (truth is, no one wants to work with me because of the shit rumors started by all the jealous fuckers around here)! Hey to all you shit talking assholes… Fuck off! If any of you pussies got the balls to say it to my face – bring it on! So, what does this all mean? Well it means – no more SOUL SKINNER and no more URIZEN! Why do I even bother? As a matter of fact I have decided to just combine all these ideas into one with KAULDRON… Also, I feel that I won’t be doing CADAVERIZER either, at least not until KAULDRON can be done first! I’ve been stretching myself way to thin, trying to take on more then I can handle, and it really has stressed me out! Basically turning me into a bigger asshole then I already am! Burning the candle from both ends kinda shit, if you know what I am saying! Also: coming up sometime in December I am making the "Phlegethon" 1998 – 3 song CD demo available again for a short time! What is this "Phlegethon" demo? This was the demo I did back in 1998 that got the record companies itching to sign me again! This was total Black / Death Metal style, and I even do different style vocals on this… More Black Metal / hell -screaching style! I later decided to change the name of the band to KAULDRON and also went back to my old ‘death-vomit’ style vocals that I am known for, but if you want to hear some pre-dated KAULDRON material with me doing everything (yes, you read that right – I do it all… the guitars, bass, keys, drum programming, and vocals!) then you might want to get your hands on this rare item! As I said – as soon as I can get some copies burnt to disc I will make this available to order! When they are ready I will send out another news letter! They will go for about $5.00 US dollars, this should also cover the postage! They will only be available until supplies last! I plan on producing only about 100 copies – they will be a special packaged item as well with an alternate cover then the first release, plus a small bio and stickers! I feel bad about not getting the KAULDRON MCD out this year, so this is sort of my recompense to all the fans! Well that is all… Stay Metal! Stay morbid!"

STATEMENT FROM KAM LEE

The interview above caused a lot of controversial reactions around the globe which finally resulted in a statement from Kam himself. We received it on May 16, 2001 via e-mail and would like to share with you… Maybe it will calm things down a little bit. Frank…

"Hello, I just wanted to say thank you again for the interview you did… A lot of people seem to be getting it, of course a lot of negativity has come from it! Billy (my good friend) of Razorback Records has posted it out to many people… And I get a lot of hate mail from it! It seems to me that people just didn’t like my twisted sense of humour! They think I really am an asshole… O.k. – so maybe I did come off sounding like a big prick, but really it was just in fun… To sort of give the interview a different feel! Why do a boring interview just saying …"no comment" or such? Truth is, I hate doing interviews that talk about my past with DEATH, but I did it and I decided to "spice" it up a bit! But, as you can see… People love to hate me! It’s good to be hated so much, at least someone out there is talking about me!! Ha-ha! No really – I hope you understood that all in all I was just having some fun, and really I am not as much an asshole as I portray myself! I just find it amusing that so many people take metal music so serious… I mean I think it’s really just a big joke! People that live their entire life based around a musical ideology have some serious issues to deal with! Music to me is just entertainment… Not something that I base my whole life on. It’s just fun – not doctrine to live by! I know that in this world people tend to take things out of context, and blow things way out of proportion! Unfortunately that was the case here with my interview. Maybe you could print part of this letter for those who didn’t seem to get the pun of the interview, to explain to them the fun of the whole thing! It’s not that I care if people think I’m an asshole or not, I will always have those who hate me… That’s just part of life. I just feel I needed to sort of explain my side of it! I just thought it would make for a funny read, and not have it be the typical boring interview as so many bands do! Well, that is all….KAULDON is still looking to be in the studio around July. It will just be myself along with Pete Slate (EQUINOX)… Just the two of us! Well that is all! Keep it real – keep it gory!

Kam ‘Back From Beyond’ Lee

Contact:
Kam Lee
P.O. Box 521401
Longwood, FL 32752
U.S.A.
E-Mail: panzer58@hotmail.com

Interview & all Live Pics: Frank Stöver