There's no doubt that FLESHGORE is a super hard-working band and if comes to the Brutal Death Metal scene of Ukraine they surely appear in the very top of it. Their fifth album "Denial of the Scriptures" will start to destroy the masses in exactly four days, so it was more than obvious to interview the band. Founder guitarist Igor Lystopad was cool enough and answered all my questions in details. Enjoy this conversation and make sure to check FLESHGORE's new album in a few days!
Hails! Only a few days left until the release of "Denial of the Scriptures", your new full-length album, which will be released 19th February by Spanish Xtreem Music. How did you hook up with them and what kind of deal they offered for FLESHGORE?
- Yes! I really proud and happy about it. Our new CD comes out in few days finally! Also twice as nice to release this material by Xtreem Music. Right after we recorded new songs we have sent a lot of promo CDs to interested labels all over the world. Of course, we received several positive answers back about signing us. But we have chosen Xtreem Music, because this label has a huge reputation, powerful name in death metal and all their releases are in the old-school death metal wave predominantly. Also they know their work very well! All together, has left us no choice! So we have signed a contract with Xtreem Music and really hope for a great collaboration in the future.
Tell us a little bit about the recording process for this album: rehearsals, pre-production, studios where the recordings took place, mastering, etc.
- We split the recordings of the new album in 2 studio sessions during 2015 year. The last 2 releases were recorded in my home studio and rehearsal room. I called it Sick Carnage Studio. Also mixing and mastering I made at my home studio. Previous EP "Domain of Death" was recorded the same way and everybody liked the sound and production, so we decided to record the full-length material on our own too.
"Denial of the Scriptures" has a killer artwork done by none other than the awesome Seeming Watcher. He did a few other covers for you recently. Who came up with the basic idea and concept for this artwork? Was it totally up to Seeming Watcher when it goes to the small details or you had an exact vision of how it should look like?
- Yes, we've collaborated with Seeming Watcher during our last releases and will work with him in the future, because he is cool as artist. I really like his vision of arts. (Totally agree with you, he's a mastermind – Ed.) In June I have called him and asked about the new cover art for our upcoming material and said that I haven't any idea what it have to be. He used own ideas in artwork. I just asked him to put a few details on the final version.
The lyrics became quite antireligious this time. Please share with us more details about the themes you touched in those 9 tracks. What were influential on you during the writing of the lyrics?
- The biggest influences we took from real life and real world around us. We touched themes about wars, death, mass genocide, forgotten knowledge, total and mind control and many more. Of course, the most important thing is that people close their eyes and they hide behind the screen of religion. But now it's time to wake up! Denial of the scriptures!
Let's talk a bit about the music of "Denial of the Scriptures". The advance song "Inception of Incursion" displays a super massive and groovy Death Metal alloy, which reminded me somehow the well-developed formula of DYING FETUS in some way. How do you feel about it?
- I can't hide that DF is one of my favorite bands in death metal. But I can't say that track "Inception of Incursion" is so close to their style. (Well, maybe it wasn't the best example, I agree, had to compare it better to any of the "Domain of Death" songs, but still their influence is quite evident – Ed.) Maybe in other tracks we are more influenced, also by other great death metal bands. But on the new album we tried to create our own style totally. Times when the young musicians wanted to be like others long gone. (Really happy to read this and looking forward to listen to the whole new album in details – Ed.)
There was a cover song of PYAEMIA recorded for your new album. What's the story behind it? Any plans, which band(s)/song(s) will you going to cover for your future release(s)?
- We always like to play cover versions. And sometimes we record covers in our studio, because it's so nice to have an own studio and to have unlimited access to it. So during the last recording session we recorded a few covers as well. I asked Dave Rotten (Xtreem Music boss) about the possibility to add some cover as a bonus track on our upcoming CD. He said PYAEMIA will be cool. Usually we try to play and record cover songs of our favorite bands. Maybe you already heard our MORBID ANGEL cover on YouTube. (Sure I've heard it, and your version of "Immortal Rites" became really awesome – Ed.) In the nearest future we are planning to finish the cover versions of INTERNAL BLEEDING and GORGASM too.
Who is responsible in FLESHGORE for writing the songs? Do you provide a complete track for the band-members or it is a team work to complete and finish a new song?
- I write most of the music, but at the rehearsals we try to add ideas from all the other members. This time not all the tracks were written by me. For example, the track "Bloody Hands of Aggressor" from "Denial of the Scriptures" was created by our vocalist/bass player Ruslan. He did a perfect track. So I just added my solo on it plus a few details and that's all. The structure and musical ideas were perfect, so we didn't change anything.
During the existence of the band, you've changed its style quite a few times. You've started as a Brutal Death Metal band then skipped to some modern/experimental kind of extreme music. Why those drastic changes took place? What motivated you to try those modern experiments out? Since the "Domain of Death" EP (2014) you've returned to the good old Brutal Death Metal style again. Was it due to the new band-members or it was just natural for you to return to your roots?
- In fact, the stylistic changes took place from 2007 to 2012. This was due, because the wishes of some of the former participants in the upgraded group grew into something new, initiated by the current trend. And later with the changes in the band's line-up, which, in fact, resulted in a strong stylistic deviation from the original course. However, later in 2013, the line-up was totally changed and I, as a founder of the band came to the decision that FLESHGORE must go back to the roots of its original style and to become even better than before, with a great experience and new good musicians in the line-up! But now we are all like-minded persons and can work and create quality death metal as earlier and even better!
Since 2013 you are working quite successfully as a trio and your line-up is stable. Please introduce us the members of FLESHGORE and talk a little about their jobs, interests, hobbies and other actual musical projects.
- Current line-up is: Igor Lystopad (guitars), Ruslan Drozd (vocals/bass), Lev Kurgansky (drums). I can say advanced about myself. About hobbies I like photography and ride my bike a lot. Also I am recording and mixing some other bands in my home studio. A month ago I've joined a new band project - REVOLT. I knew guys over the years and liked their music, so I will play with them soon. Hope this project will go up! About the other members. Our drummer Lev is a huge fan of old-school death metal and Indonesian Death Metal bands. He collects rare tapes, demos and any records from 90s. He's also playing in many other bands. His main bands besides FLESHGORE are: EZOPHAGOTHOMIA and Ѳ×ÃÀÐÒ. Earlier he played in more than 20 bands I think and still playing sometimes as a session drummer in some bands. Ruslan also have a project band called ZORG INCORPORATED, where he sings only. Before FLESHGORE he played in many bands like: ÀÐÕÀÒ, HANDFUL OF STARS, FIRELAKE, INVERSUS, AUDI SILE and GLOOM OF DOOM. So the musical skills and experiences of all the FLESHGORE members are high enough.
There were two interesting tape releases by DAC Productions in 2015, both with unreleased FLESHGORE materials. We talk about the demoing era for "Killing Absorption" album, which happened back in 2002 and about the 2004 demo of "May God Strike Me Dead". Whose idea was to release them this way?
- Our drummer and our good friend Dmitriy from DAC Productions many times asked me to release some demo recordings and the most important idea was to release it unusually and originally. So we decided to release them on tapes without any mastering or fixes for old-school fans and collectors.
Third of April you will be holding a special release party in support of your new album. What should the audition expect that day from you? Besides new songs will there be some other extras as well? I mean some special or conceptual light/fire show or maybe excavated songs from the past? Tell us more about that gig, please.
- I will organize this show like little death metal fest for the first time and hope to arrange it later again. But will see. I called it like FAMOUS FLESH FEST. Hope the people will be satisfied with this fest and will come again. We are planning to play all songs from new album "Denial of the Scriptures" and a few covers as always, but if people will ask us to play more, we can add something from old stuff.
Will there be any extended Ukrainian/European tours set up in support of "Denial of the Scriptures" shortly? Enlighten us some details if they are available yet. There's already known your first fixed US appearance at Las Vegas Death Fest this year. My congratulations! That's a huge step ahead, for sure.
- This autumn I hope we will play a US tour, as our agent try to arrange it. He already booked for us Las Vegas Death Fest. But at the moment I don't have plans about EU tours. I hope to arrange it next year. But I'm sure we will play local gigs over Ukraine and some nearest countries during this year.
Thanks a lot for the answers. To finish the interview, please share your final thoughts to the readers of Encomium.
- Stay true! Support your favorite bands! Visit their shows and buy their stuff. Your support is very important!!!
