Greetings Daniel. How’s everything? My first contact with SLAUGHTBBATH was through the song that appears on the “Tu Futuro” compilation by Proselytism. What release does this song belong to? Can you tell us what material has been released up until “Hail To Fire”?
"Hails! Things are fine here. If I remember correctly, that song was taken from the split CD with DEMONIC RAGE. Up till now, we have released a few demos ("Rehearsal 2003", "The Unholy Wrath Of The Sacrilegious Reprisal" demo ‘05, "Raising The Chalice Of Blasphemy" demo rehearsal ‘06, "Pest Of Execration" demo ‘06, "Furious As The Black Flames Of Hell" demo ‘08), some splits (with ET VERBI SATHANUS, UNHOLY TEMPLE, DEMONIC RAGE and VULTUR), a 7” EP ("Total Warlust"), our first album ("Hail To Fire") released both on CD and vinyl and we have also participated in a few compilations. Now we are working in 2 more split releases; a 7” with Swedish demons of KILL and a split MLP / CD with our brothers of HADES ARCHER."
Where does the name SLAUGHTBBATH come from? Why did you decide on this name?
"The name makes reference to the words slaughter and sabbath as we have explained in basically every interview since we started the band. Being honest we just made a list of possible names before releasing our first demo / rehearsal and we all liked this one."
Could you clear for us which SLAUGHTBBATH members also play in TEMPLE BELOW and KRATHERION?
"Shredder and I are involved in TEMPLE BELOW, Negro plays drums in KRATHERION and I also play bass in COMMUNION. We are now recording a new MLP with TEMPLE BELOW and KRATHERION just released their second album."
“Hail to Fire” is a real display of Black Metal and one of the best records in a long time, I simply believe it is like fire itself. What is the primordial intention when writing this type of music?
"Thanks for your words. The intention behind the creation of the record was born from the dark energy that emanates from us, the burning despise for this world and the bestial devotion for chaos, darkness and death!"
A very interesting fact is that in a very special period of time I received three albums from very different styles which contained the same atmosphere: “Inverted Blood” by BODE PRETO (Brazil) and “Path To Holocaust” by MALAS. Have you listened to these bands? What would you think if I told you that all three albums have the same atmosphere as “The Awakening” by MERCILESS?
"I’m only familiar with "Inverted Blood" by BODE PRETO, which I fucking enjoyed a lot. It is a really great compliment to be compared with the raw aggression of such a classic album."
While writing and recording “Hail To Fire” were you more interested in reaching an atmosphere than following a specific style?
"Our music is certainly not atmospheric if you don’t consider war and hatred as proper atmospheres, although I understand what you mean. We have never been really trying to follow any particular style. We have always called our music as Black Metal even though many could label us as Black Thrash or Black Death, etc. and is true that you can find a lot of traces of those styles in our songs since we have been listening to all kinds of violent and obscure music all these years. We just try to expulse what we have inside, the only restrictions that we keep is that it has to be dark, furious and Satanic."
What was Pablo Clares’ role in the recording process for the album? Was that of a producer or did he simply focus on the studio’s technology in achieving the band’s instructions?
"I would say it was a mixture of both. Obviously he has way more knowledge and experience in sound and recording than us, but we gave him a lot of ideas and indications so we could achieve the production that we were aiming for. He spent a fucking lot of time in the mixing process and worked patiently until we all were satisfied enough with the final result."
To me it is more a Black Metal album than Black / Thrash or Black / Death. I think it has a stronger link to the first BATHORY, early IMPALED NAZARENE and the atmosphere of the early MERCILESS, what do you think about this?
"Yes, like I said before, we never liked to call ourselves with more denominations than just Black Metal. Those 2 words for us encircle all that we stand for as a band and individuals, so there’s no need to put any other adjectives to adorn our cursed path. I think you hit the nail close enough with your comparisons as the early records of those three bands have definitively influenced our music and I think the feeling that emanates from our record has the same violence and cruelty, even though my main inspiration when I wrote my songs in the album came from old SLAYER and KREATOR."
Continuing with the previous question… do you get annoyed by the comparisons to BESTIAL MOCKERY? For me you don’t have much in common…
"No I do not get annoyed when someone compares us with our brothers of BESTIAL MOCKERY, but I do not see much in common rather than maybe the same influences and insanity. I guess those comparisons mainly have to do with the fact that I’m a close friend with Master Motorsag and he has contributed some stuff for us, as I have contributed to them by doing artwork for some of their releases. Probably one guy said that we sound like them and then all the flock started to repeat like brainless parrots, just showing their ignorance and lack of ears. But hell, maybe we are closer to BESTIAL MOCKERY than CONQUEROR as some other smart asses have said!"
With all the internet and massification of opinions, do you think that in the end the easier access to information has ironically generated more ignorance? Mostly sheep that will follow anything…
"I agree, and also think that the internet has a lot to do with more bands dealing with the occult in lame ways. The problem at the end with all this hyper consumption is the digestion, as most of the people that read and listen to music thanks to the web will just take things easily and fast. In the same way that (citing the most obvious example) having a vinyl and watch the cover, read the lyrics and just paying attention to it and nothing else is totally different to have 100 albums playing songs at random in your mp3 player, to read one single real book at its fullest is also different to read 100 articles in the internet while you chat to your friends, watch porn and answer emails. So at the end, it’s easier to have a real burning passion for the albums and books that you consumed while that was the only thing that you had, while people that are growing up with everything at hand doesn’t really get into anything but the surface of things."
Do you think the over used term of “Metal Culture” is just an attempt at fitting within certain social parameters and mostly to harvest conformist and plaintive behaviours?
"I suppose the only ones using such a term are precisely the ones that look from far away as neither I nor anyone that I know have referred to Black Metal as that. But answering your question, it is obvious that such an initiative is done for the masses to see light and life where there is only darkness and death!"
There is obviously an anti-religious / anti-dogmatic concept within the lyrics of the album, but do you think that the real problem in our society is the Judeo Christian values that have been around for hundreds of years?
"There’s not a real intention to portray any anti-religious or anti-dogmatic concept in our album. I would even say that some of the lyrics are quite the opposite in a way, of course not the Christian one. If we see obscure Metal as something merely religious and away from any kind of spiritual apathies such as atheism and materialism we would have it placed at the same altar of other musical manifestations in tribute for the gods with the only exception that the motive of our prayers would be to worship death and perdition, a black poison vomited in the temple of YHWH instead of some trendy and empty music for brainless teenagers. Judeo Christian morality is still present especially in countries like ours but still I think that the current era is ruled by a materialistic paradigm and not a transcendental or spiritual one as it would be if we still see the world through religious devotion and afterlife as in the past and not through matter and science as nowadays. But soon the time will come for the sleeping Gods to awake and to return to see through the magic eyes of ΧΑΟΣ!"
Back to the music on “Hail To Fire”, most of it has been written at destructive speeds, how close are you to slower music or Doom sounds?
"Personally I listen to a lot of music including not only Metal, but I prefer to listen to faster stuff most of the time. SLAUGHTBBATH is closer to speed than slowness, but I think our compositions have enough variations to not bore as some fast Black Metal bands."
The songs are well structured, and the savage and barbaric atmosphere caught my attention, how did you accomplish this? Does it matter how pissed off you are with the world when writing and recording?
"Yes of course it matters! And painful death to the faggots and life lover hippies that dare to play the Metal of the Devil! I think most of our songs have old Black and Thrash Metal classic structures, so the raw aggression and violence is always present in our sound instead of innovative strange passages as modern Black Metal bands."
Do you believe that the element of barbarism and destruction is pivotal in our history as the dominating species in the planet?
"Who said humans where here to dominate in first place? We are neither the first nor the last ones on this planet and we will be drowned in oblivion soon enough!"
Currently there are a plethora of tendencies that most definitely take humans from their most savage and primordial selves, how do you see all this? I even think that 200 years from now, us who eat meat will be seen the same way the early slavers in the US are seen now…
"I think it is part of the inexorable cycle that we develop from our primeval savagery in order to reach higher states of spirituality, but as long as we dwell on this damned plane we should never shut our eyes to our beasts if we don’t want to be devoured without mercy. Let’s hope in 200 years all your grandchildren are starving to death and burning in the ashes and ruins of destroyed nations instead of eating beef in your fancy restaurants!"
Taking into account the savage, fast and destructive elements of “Hail To Fire” I perceive an intention to connecting with something that has been somehow lost for humanity, whatever it is, in the end to you think that you are accomplishing something positive from chaos and destruction?
"Two sided terms such as those are incomprehensible for the work of chaos and destruction."
Let’s talk a bit about your activities as the editor of PONZOÑA ZINE, what motivates you in making a printed zine? When will we be able to have a new issue?
"The zine has been buried for many years. There are no intentions or time to work in a new issue by now."
Which fanzines / magazines have you come across that have impressed you? There are really good ones in your country, have any new ones surfaced that are worth mentioning?
"The ones that comes now to my tormented brain at the moment are THE SINISTER FLAME, 666 IN THE NORTHERN SKY, NOISE & SHIT MAG, HAIL TO CRUELTY, SLAYER, HORRIBLE EYES, DEATH & ARMAGEDDON and CUNT AND PASTE… I know there’s a few more out there, but I can’t remember."
Of course most of all zines and mythical and simply have the magic of those days, but some of the current ones have better content and are written better, what do you think about this? According to your own criteria, what does a zine must have to get your attention?
"I have to agree. Some of the zines that I just mentioned above are way better done than the good old fanzines, and way more serious. First of all a good layout / design is a must for the first impression you get, but mostly I seek well written and interesting stuff, not only boring and typical interviews about tours and studio shit and cock sucking reviews."
Since you are great at drawing, have you considered editing a zine of just graphic material?
"Not really, but when I started to gather ideas for the third issue I was planning to make something different and feature a lot of artwork, but up till now I still don’t find the time and inspiration to do it. Nevertheless, Doomentia Press from the Czech Republic will release a book with my work sooner or later."
Since you have done many excellent album covers, which are your favourite album covers and which “classic” artist of album covers in extreme Metal do you prefer?
"I never choose any “favorites”, being albums, bands, books, etc. and especially I could not pick any especial work of mine since I am quite exigent with myself and is hard to be satisfied with the stuff I have done, but to answer your question I think I would choose my latest pieces. Some of the Metal artists that I like are Andrei Bouzikov, Chris Moyen, Mark Riddick, David Herrerias, Matt Carr, Rob Smits, Halsey Swain, Kris Verwimp and a few others."
Something very interesting happened in Colombia, record stores are almost extinct, have been replaced with tattoo shops that sell t-shirts, since you are at these two fronts, what do you think about that?
"It is a pity that there are no more record stores in your country. We still have many here, and for some years a couple ones that are specialized in underground stuff. I’m not a big fan of the tattoo shops, I work in an independent workshop where we only tattoo and do artwork / art craft, it’s not intended to be a commercial store opened for random customers."
What are the latest album covers you have drawn? Have you ever received an idea form a band that you considered extremely morbid or insane?
"The latest pieces I did were for FORCE OF DARKNESS, KRATHERION, WEREGOAT, LUCIFERICON, GAROTED and at the moment I’m working in stuff for SUICIDAL WINDS, KEVER, AMSG, INFERNAL CURSE and an art book named "Krieghallen". No, not really, usually they just give me freedom or come up with more or less typical concepts."
Back to SLAUGHTBBATH, the next release will be a split with KILL, how many new songs will it have and what label will release it?
"It will feature only one song per band, but they are long enough to use the time of a 7” properly, and both were exclusively done for this split. It will be released by Dybbuk Productions from México which is a label run by a hellish freak which totally supports the 2 bands and has already released some stuff from both sides. I didn’t make the cover artwork as we got an incredible piece done by the also Mexican but Sweden located artist David Herrerias."
The bells toll the final march, any words for the end?
"May we all soon perish in the black flames of the Devil!"
Interview: Jesus Claros
Introduction: Frank