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DEGENERHATE is a fine old-school-oriented grindcore band from Italy. I've questioned Gianluca Lucarini (guitar/backing vocals) about the band's progression from their "The End Has Just Begun" debut MCD to their actual not-yet-finished "Chronicles of the Apocalypse" album. So penetrate the spheres of grind provided by these socio-political maniacs!!!
Hi Gianluca, how are you lately? At the moment you are recording new material for your forthcoming full-length album titled as "Chronicles of the Apocalypse". Please tell us in what way will it differ from your debut MCD called "The End Has Just Begun" (2006) (both musically and lyrically)? Also tell us where do you recording it and how many tracks will it include?
- Hi Cornelius, I'm fine! Thanx bro! Well, we are recording "Chronicles of the Apocalypse" at Emerald Studio Recordings ( emeraldrecordings.com), our own studio here in Rome. The album contains 18 trax, and it will be really different from "The End Has Just Begun": first of all, we have more time for recording, and this is good for us cause we like very much to find the best sounds possible for DEGENERHATE's attitude and this album will have a great sound and production! We have recorded "The End Has Just Begun" in only one week, we are recording "Chronicles of the Apocalypse" since last December and we will finish in May... I hope!!! "Chronicles of the Apocalypse" is musically different from "The End Has Just Begun", you will find our typically fast and furious songs, but you can also find an acoustic song with female vocals and you can also find songs with rock and roll guitar riffs, and you can also find extreme technical touches as we like to do. I think this album is more variegated and "complete" than "The End Has Just Begun", it will be a ripe album I think.
About lyrics, you will find always our socio-political themes but you will also find private and inmost lyrics... one of this is the acoustical song which is titled "The Brighter Side of Life".
The band was formed back in 2002 and all of its members played in different bands since 1989. Why it took 4 years for you to release "The End Has Just Begun" MCD? How's the reaction of fans and media been so far?
- Four years, because the band, after we have recorded a promo CD, has been in trouble for one year. You know, it's very difficult to have a fulltime band today! Each one of us is busy with his job, family, activities, and it's not simple to stay together in the same room and practice twice a week!
But after this year of trouble, finally "The End Has Just Begun" is born and the reaction of the fans and media is fantastic!!! Just take a look to the reviews on our MySpace profile at www.myspace.com/degenerhate. The mini CD has been sold out in only one month!!! And the second press in only ten days!!! We are very happy and surprised at the same time for this unexpected success!!!
"The End Has Just Begun" was released on Endless Brutality of Men. Tell us more about this co-operation and will the new album also be released on this label or...?
- Josè of Endless Brutality of Men Records is a cool and honest guy! And he has been the first to believe in us! He always supports us at the best level and we are very happy for the work he makes for us.
"Chronicles of the Apocalypse" will not be released by Endless Brutality of Men Records and we still don't know the name of the label who will press it... we have a lot of offers and we are thinking...
Your kind of grindcore music is definitely influenced by all those great old-school grind squads as NAPALM DEATH, TERRORIZER, FEAR OF GOD, REPULSION, DOOM or DISRUPT to name a few. Why did you choose this kind of approach (or better to say musical attitude) for DEGENERHATE's music?
- Cause we started to play in 1989!!!!! Our influences (the bands you have mentioned) are old like us! We grew up together!!! This is the music we like to play bro! We are OLD SCHOOL AND PROUD!!!!
Tell us more about each member in the band (job, hobbies, interests, etc.). I mean what do you like to do besides playing grindcore and listening to appropriate music of yours?
- Well, I'm an interior designer and I'm starting a clothes line too. I love snowboarding and I adore splatter/gore movies!!! Max (vocalist) actually works in a clothes shop, and he likes splatter/gore movies too. He has a side project band called KINGDOM with Fabio (bassist). Fabio is a well-known session-man in Italy, his job is the music. He is the owner of Emerald Studio Recordings together with Luigi Colasanti Antonelli, the real fifth member of DEGENERHATE, and one of the best sound technicians all around! By the way... he is a great photographer too!!!! Francesco (drummer) is a yacht and boats designer and he likes to... play drums fast as hell!!!!
What is the grindcore scene in Rome like? Could you recommend us some worth to check out bands from your area or from Italy in general?
- We have a cool scene here in Rome man, lot of bands, lot of nice people and good attitude. I can recommend these bands from Rome: TSUBO, DIRTY POWER GAME, ULTIMO MONDO CANNIBALE, CORPSE FUCKING ART, HOUR OF PENANCE and of course CRIPPLE BASTARDS... but they are not from Rome...
Name us what bands are you listening at the moment and list us 5 albums that played an important role in your life.
- Actually I'm listening to a lot of classic music and chill out, lounge tunes... I love music from Mozart to Extreme Noise Terror!!!!
Five albums that played an important role in my life? Here you are:
THE SMITHS - all albums
CARCASS - all albums
TERRORIZER - "World Downfall"
METALLICA - "Kill 'em All"
SKID ROW - "Slave to the Grind"
What do you think about the reunion of CARCASS? Will you check one of their few performances planned for this year?
- I'm extremely happy of their reunion!!!! CARCASS is my favourite band ever!!! And forever!!! I will check their concert at Gods of Metal Festival in June here in Italy.
What is the situation with live gigs? Do you play often? Tell us what countries you visited so far and what was your best gig to date and where was it + why was it so special to you.
- We don't play very often 'cause we don't have a lot of free time with our own jobs and families. We are not kids anymore bro... We prefer to play at big festivals than little gigs and we prefer to play outside our country. We have played a lot in Italy in the past years (in shitty places too) and we want to bring our crushing gigs outside the Italian frontiers.
About the best gig I think the best is yet to come... so, stay tuned and come to our next gig near to your home!
How do you write a song? Mostly it comes from one member or it's kind of teamwork.
- I write all the music and all the lyrics in the band, only by myself. First I write the music, and then I write the lyrics for that song.
Your lyrics have a socio-political orientation. Who writes them plus what inspires you to write about such themes?
- As I told you above, I write the lyrics and I'm always inspired by the decadence of the human race. All the anger and the pain I have inside, are (de)generated by the shitty world where we live! So, this is the main reason about our socio-political themes.
At the end, please tell us your plans for the future and say hello to all the Ukrainian grindcore fans in the way you prefer.
Thanks a lot for the interview! The space is yours and looking forward to the "Chronicles of the Apocalypse"!!!
- Well, we must finish the recording sessions for "Chronicles of the Apocalypse", then we will start the promotion for the album and we are planning a European tour too.
I really thank you Cornelius for the interview, and I really thanx to all Ukrainian grindcore maniacs! We have a lot of fans and friends there, and we hope to play there soon as possible and drink a beer with each one we will meet!!! Thanx again and stay tuned for the "Chronicles of the Apocalypse"!!!
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