Interview with drummer Daniel
The new album has been out for a while now, how’s the
response so far?
Very good! The 11” LP came out in August 2013, the CD last
year in December. So it`s still quite “fresh” and we are getting positive feedback
and reactions almost every day. It was about time to release another
full-length, that`s for sure!
The whole process to release it took all in all
about 3 years and we are very happy with the final result. Every single second
of work & dedication was very worth it. Definitely a good step for us in a
direction we`re very pleased about.
The album was released in both LP and CD format,
personally what format do you prefer?
I like both versions even if I´m a little more in love with
the 11” LP. Deep in my heart I am a wax lover as I grew up with that and
learned to love listening (not only) to music as a little kid (not to forget
the tapes!!!). In the end I became older and things like CD or MP3 came up. I
included all that options and possibilities in my personal ways of listening to
or dealing with music. I like everything about music so I can`t say this or
that format is better or cooler etc.
To speak for the other members of the band
I would say it`s like that for everybody in the band. We`d like the chance to
announce that there will be a tape version of the album soon, too! Power it up
will release a limited amount of that, to be available in the next weeks!
What’s with the lengthy audio sample of the Japan tsunami
video in the last LP track Assimilated? I mean that sample was 2 songs worth
already, haha.
I dig ya...but when we were in the studio recording the
album we were like there must be an end for the album that sounds like total
destruction and hell. And we didn`t want another bomb explosion orgy so
Danilo came up with this sample where you just hear that massive impact of the tsunami. Even the emergency calls are out order, nothing is left and it feels
like the absolute end...
Speaking of samples, how do you choose which samples to
use in a certain song?
We try to connect the samples with the feeling of the songs,
the lyrics or the impression you can get when you´re listening to the songs all
in all in a row. I would say we like to set some special points with a certain
kind of message in there. Nowadays this sample thing is something like a good
tradition for us...I`m just asking myself how it would feel or be without the
samples...
No, as those songs are a little “older” we always planned to
release them not on the actual record. We wanted to only have songs on the
album which were made in the actual line-up. But the songs from the EP`s were
never released in a good sound quality so we thought it might be cool to use
them on the singles.
Those were like good appetizers before the release of the
album.
What’s the concept behind the album cover?
Concept sounds good! We wanted to have something that fits
with the lyrics, the sound and the album title.
As we worked with Jasper Swerts
from Infested Art on the cover artwork for the Split 7” with Proletar which was
quite cool we decided to work with him on the art for the album, too. He came
up with some great ideas so it was nice and easy to create something that
became in the end a cover that looks like we always wanted it to look like.
Much respect to Jasper!
What’s your take on mp3 downloads both legal and thru
file-sharing?
There are a lot of pro`s and contra`s to be honest. As a
musician I absolutely support and love the idea of creating something that
people can buy and you spend the money to do records, shows, tours or whatever.
On the other hand the “modern” and easy way of consuming music includes the
fact that it is sometimes easier to spread your music to people which maybe
would buy something or listen to your stuff. In the end as a band you need
money to pay for gas, studio, rehearsal room and a lot more.
The band was formed even before any of the members began
learning how to play their instruments... Could you tell us the rest of the
story?
Well, it´s always funny to take a look back in time. As I am
the only founding member of the band I got all the rest of the story in my head
and heart...believe me, I could write a book... so many stories to tell!
When
the band was founded there were 2 people which were like...okay, I will “sing”
and okay, I will play drums. Then we found a guitar player and a bass player to
begin with rehearsals and making “songs”...
24 years later I am sitting here
and can tell you that I practised 4 times in the last for myself on the drums
and had 2 rehearsals with the band. There was a lot of learning, practising and
playing in the past and I am looking forward to even more things to learn and
play in the future.
Drums and Grind 4 life!
After the debut album was released you stopped recording
but kept on playing live. The band went silent for a couple of years, what’s
the reason behind the long silence?
The album came out in 2004 and we were very busy promoting
that record live. At the point where we should have started to write new
material we got the offer to play some shows with Sayyadina & Rotten Sound
on their Euro tour in the beginning of 2006.
But...unfortunately things in the band developed a little bit different.
There was a lot of tension and it was more than about time to make changes even
when that was hurting.
So this tour thing got cancelled and we decided to go on
without the guitar player. As I got a new job that took almost all my time the
new beginning with a different guitar player was like a little slower. Beside
that I got divorced in the end of 2005 so there was even more stuff to deal
with at that time for me. But when I look back from today I can say it was so
very much worth the time and energy it took for everybody involved in all the
changes. Since that time we are again a very good team in the band and it feels
so good to hang and stuff with each other.
We started to play live again in
2008 but then my arms were out of order so I wasn`t able to play drums for
almost about a year. In the end of 2009 things got better and since 2010 we
started to work on new songs.
What kept you busy music-wise during that period?
For me personally it was like about a year that I didn`t
play drums or did anything concerning the band or so. I was only listening to
music or checking live shows as always. Working and re-organizing my life was a
little more important...
At one point in EM’s career, you tried adding female
vocals, what happened to that?
Well, that was about 1999 or so. We did the Split 12” with
Subcut and some live shows with Loretta and Danilo on vocals. It worked quite
well for some moments but without any negative vibes or so ways parted quite
fast back in those days. Good times, bad times.
How do you see the current situation of the grindcore
scene these days?
I really enjoy being a part of the International Grind
Family! There is a lot of good music by a whole lot of bands from many
interesting countries of the world. There are records, shows, festivals, labels,
cool people all around the world and everybody is sharing quite positives vibes
and times together.
I love that coz it`s different to a lot of shit that is
happening every day around us.
Almost all of your pre-album splits are tough to find.
Ever thought of compiling all those early releases in one CD/LP?
Tom from Power It Up is the not the only one who was asking
to do something like a discography release. We like the idea but on the other
hand we concentrate more on today and watch into the future. Being a band or
being in the band, making new songs, playing shows, recording new stuff.. almost
all our time beside family, kids and job is needed for that. Maybe there will
be something in the future, you never know.
In 2015 Entrails Massacre will
exist for 25 years so maybe something will happen. But plans are like more to
release a new full-length in 2015 so this will have main priority for us.
Being a family man, how do you divide your time between
your family and the band?
For everybody in the band life is like family, kids, job, band,
music and everything around the band or music. Not to forget a little bit of
holidays and stuff. I am working as a family therapist, Monday to Friday plus
personal education and qualification. I have a 10 years young daughter which is
every weekend and in all my spare time with me. I got a girlfriend which has a
son, too. We live in different places but in the same city. The “rest” of my
life is almost the band or things around the band or music. I try to practise
on the drums for about 2 or 3 times a week and we practise mostly on Sundays
with the whole band.
What are the band`s future plans?
First of all I wanna say thank you for having us in your
zine and for all your true support of the band! Right now we are preparing
our live set for some upcoming spring shows, for example with Feastem or PLF.
There will be a little UK tour with Krupskaya in the end of March, first time
that we hit the island. In March we`ll be in the studio, too. We gonna record
the songs for a 6” EP which will be released by Power it up in July.
Beginning
in the Summer we wanna plan for the next year...as I said that will be the 25th
year of the band`s existence so there is something to do for that. Writing new
songs, making a new record, playing more shows and so on. Keep on grinding
folks! Cheerz!!!
