It has been a while since I have updated my blog due to actual problems with uploading features onto the blog via the library computer that I currently rely on due to my home PC currently being offline, I am still experiencing problems so please bare with me as far as the layout etc is concerned whilst I work out what the actual fuck is wrong with this thing! Anyway earlier in 2013 I featured Texan Satanic Death Metallers Imprecation on my Terrorizer Magazine website blog below is the full interview I did, Kat/ WHO ARE THEY: IMPRECATION WHERE ARE THEY FROM: Texas, USA FOR FANS OF: Incantation, Immolation, Vital Remains, Blaspherian, early Morbid Angel, early Deicide LATEST RELEASE: Satanae Tenebris Infinita (Dark Descent, 2013 ) WEBSITE : facebook Cult Texan Satanic Death Metal horde Imprecation returned to the scene a few years ago to finish off some unfinished business which has finally resulted in the ravaging and snarling beast of a full length album due to be unleashed upon the metal masses in June titled "Satanae Tenebris Infinita" which is actually the bands debut full length album proper despite originally forming in the early 90's so I thought it was the perfect time to contact vocalist David Herrera to find out more.
So...you guys are finally back together and active in recent years...what made you decide to initially awaken this old school black/death metal beast from it's dormant slumber?!
David: It just needed to be done. There was a ton of unfinished business left in the band, and with me personally as well. I left the band in 1993 to form Bahimiron (which didn't happen until 2002), and I feel that it was a bit premature. There was still realms to explore, and gates to open so I returned to the fold when Ruben approached me about rejoining. We also felt that Imprecation went astray from the Death Metal identity that we worked so hard on, mainly because when Mark Beecher took over on vocals when I left, he started to wearing facepaint and capes and stuff bringing a more theatrical element to the band. Imprecation was never meant to be that, so it eventually drove itself to an end in the late 90s. Another thing that was left on the table when the band had it's initial demise was the simple fact that there was never a proper full length recorded, and we felt that we owed it to ourselves as well as our supporters world wide to fulfill this goal.
Your first release since your return was the "Sigil Of Lucifer" EP - Please tell us a little about this release
David: The "Sigil of Lucifer" ep was a way to break the ice that had formed between the late '90s and the new incarnation of the band. Tim Bartlett who heads NEGATIVITY RECORDS and owns Noisefarm studios in Paige, TX had contacted us about coming down and recording a couple of songs to kickstart things back into life and letting the underground know that we have crawled out from the tomb. It was a great experience, though I'm not sure that the end result was what we were trying to achieve. The songs were written in the right vein, and it was recorded right as well, but I think we might have rushed into the studio a little prematurely. My Death vocals had been on hiatus for some time, having only been executed with Bahimiron on studio albums and the occasional rare live performance. When we recorded the 7 inch I still had yet to break the seal properly. And the guitars came out rather thin in my opinion, though I do not know why that happened as Phil and Jim had a crushing sound at the time. All in all, chalk it up to a re-learning experience and move forward with the blasphemy!
After that you recorded a demo "Jehovah Denied" that was released in 2012 - what was the purpose of this demo? Did you sell many copies of it or was it more of a promo demo to try and secure a new record deal?
David: "Jehovah Denied" was a statement. First off it had been 20 years since the release of our "Ceremony of the Nine Angles" demo so we started to plan to do a true underground styled demo to commemorate the release. While Ruben and I were starting to plan this action Phil decided that he did not want to play in Imprecation anymore as he was wanting to fulfill his need to play Doom music. I dunno what happened but Jim decided to leave as well, leaving us with no guitarists. We were in shambles of sorts. Milton Luna was our bass player at the time, so we were ok in that aspect, but we had to start an under-the-radar search for a guitarist. In Imprecation we do not just plug in a guy with a guitar and push play, the person has to fit our ideology and sound, and to be an all out professional on his instrument. Needless to say there were not many guitarists in our vicinity to choose from, most of the good to great guitarists were committed to their respective bands or simply did not have the time to join a band. Luckily Danny Hiller, who had previously left Imprecation (on bass) because he had to get surgery on his wrist area that left him unable to play, was fully recovered and ready to rejoin. But this time it was to be on his chosen instrument of a guitar. The four of us trudged forward and crafted four songs, fleshed them out and beat them down. The end result was "Jehovah Denied", and in my opinion it is one of the most honest and brutal releases we had done up to that point. The demo was never really recorded to secure a record deal, that really was a secondary purpose to be quite frank. It was more or less done with a new purpose to silence all of our doubters who felt that Ruben and myself could not carry on with Imprecation without Phil and Jim in it. We did everything ourselves, from the recording to the layout. We sold all of the 100 copies within the first week of release, and eventually this demo was released on cassette by UNHOLY DOMAIN records in Italy. I did send one to Matt from DARK DESCENT RECORDS, as I felt that he was a label that cared about what he attached his name to, and hoped to peak his interest in working with us to release our first full length. As I said, the demo had a secondary purpose of trying to find a good label. Matt was fully interested, he agreed to sign us for the album and the rest is as you know it.
Your new full length album "Satanae Tenebris Infinita" is recorded and due to be unleashed soon by one of the best and most prolific American independant death/extreme metal labels Dark Descent Records ...how did you hook up with them? Was it a result of the 2012 demo(n)?! Please tell the readers abit about this album in your own words and what they can expect from it?.
David: Matt had previously agreed to release a split 7 inch with our Death metal brothers in BLASPHERIAN (which is still going to happen), and I noticed that he was showing some interest on some various forums in regards to "Jehovah Denied" so I basically took a shot in asking him. We've been around a while and have made some sort of mark in the underground through our earlier releases, so I figured that I did not need to "sell" Dark Descent a reason why he should take a chance on releasing our full length as our earlier work speaks for itself. We chatted over the phone for about an hour as to what we were looking for from his end, he gave me a rough idea of what we would be looking at on the business end of the deal, everything sounded killer so we went forward with the contract. "Satanae Tenebris Infinita" was originally entitled "Of The Black Earth" as that was a title that I have had in my pocket for the name of our first full length since 1992. I even printed it on the first shirts that have the "Necronomicross" on the front that were done for the "Ceremony of the Nine Angles" demo. Anyways, label mates MAVETH came out with their album on Dark Descent entitled "Coils of the Black Earth" at the end of 2012, and rather than compete with them on the title I just figured we should rename the album to something else. Not to mention that we have a song on the album entitled "The Coils of Eden" haha, so the similarities in that aspect were too close. "Satanae Tenebris Infinita" was the latin translation of "The Infinite Darkness of Satan", translated with a little guidance from Tim Bartlett and Jeff Tandy (both whose opinions I value and trust fully) and a professional latin translator confirmed that we were right in the translation. I like the title so much more, it almost has a feel very similar to our initial compilation full length LP "Thuergia Goetia Summa". You can expect everything that IMPRECATION is about on this album, with a dirty modern production that loses none of the vibe that we laid down in the years of 1992 and 1993.
Have many reviews surfaced yet? If so how have they been?
David: Yes, there have been some reviews trickling in, and they for the most part have been very good and killer. Some have even gone as far as to deem it as an album that belongs with past legendary Death metal releases with ease. This is very appreciated, though we do not take those reviews to heart. We will always strive to release the best material that we can, we set a new bar for ourselves with "Satanae" and we are not going to release anything in the future unless it matches or passes this work.
Lyrically what can we expect on this album...where did you draw the inspiration from to put pen to paper to write lyrics for this album? Please tell us about some of the lyrical concepts behind the songtitles.
David: The morbid glory of Satanas and all of the infernal treasure within. He is the air that I breathe and the blood in my veins. I will never stray from the lyrical path that I first started on in the late '80s with my band CHRIST DISMEMBERED. There are some songs on the album that have different themes than worship, but they fall into a category of Christ hate. Our song "Hosanna Ex Inferis" is about the putrid Catholic scum who rape tender souls in the name of their Serpent Jesus. "This is the flesh of my body, the flesh of a new and everlasting covenant." Blasphemy for desire. Another song on the album is the opener "Blood Dominion" which is a throw the Christians into the pit with the lions and beasts type thing: "Whips of the crucifiers, strike across the flesh/Devil's snare restrains/Blood flows to the earth/Hear the leather crack/Thunder strikes again/casting the Christians into the pit/Hear the lions roar thirsting for their blood/Goathorned Emperor standing proud/Hear the roar from the crowd hungry for their Death/Devil's frenzy/Bloodlust all around....."
It's not Shakespeare, but that's the kind of shit I get off to! Also a song on the album called "From Beyond the Fiery Temples" that is inspired by Lovecraftian beasts and Necronomicon Ancient Ones.
Please tell us about the new album title and the meaning and inspiration behind it.
David: Hating Christ and his sheep.
How was the writing process for the album? Typically how does a song come together from birth to completion?
David: I don't put pen to paper until I get the song arranged to my satisfaction, and I get an idea where leads should go. As far as the music writing, the guys would be best to answer that since I don't touch any instruments in creating our hymns. All I assist with is editing the song arrangements to flow with the ideas I have going.
Where was the new album recorded? Are you satisifed overall with how it has turned out?! How would you compare the Imprecation of 2013 to that of the early 90's incarnation? Is there any notable differences in your opinion?
David: It was recorded at Big Door Studios is Webster, TX. I have recorded here for years with Bahimiron, and I am a good friend with the owner and engineer Mike BBQ. The man understands abrasive heaviness, and he knows how to bring out what we seek everytime we enter his studio. I would say it's a menacing beast in sound, not too polished and has a great crushing low end on the bass. Everything is where it needs to be. The mastering is excellent as well, done by Dan from CRUCIAMENTUM.
Imprecation has always been an openly and blatant satanic death metal band - what does satanism mean and represent to you as indivduals and as a band? It is obviously a VERY important aspect to the band.
David: Like I said, it is the very fuel that burns our souls. Imprecation has been and always will be a Satanic Death metal band.
If you compare the current death/black metal scene to that of the early 90s heyday what differences do you see for better or for worse? What is your opinion on the current scene and why do you think old school style death metal is enjoying a renewed interest?! Are there any newer bands that you feel an "affinity" with?! Or that have caught your attention.
David: Well, the overpopulus of crappy underground metal is a cancer in the scene. We are all very well aware of the trendies, crusties and hipsters that have infiltrated it, and the best way to combat this plague is to release true Death and Black metal oblivious to their ways. Eventually they will grow tired of the sound, and will move on to be locusts on some other underground music and lifestyle. The early 90s were are magickal time, but even then there were posuers stinking things up. One of the big reasons why I left Imprecation is that I got tired of the mindless Cannibal Corpse and Suffocation comparisons that we got, it's like these fuckers did not even LISTEN to what we were doing. We are so far from that type of drivel that it baffles me to the core that we would get lumped in with such crap. Of course that was my big mistake, I was young and actually listened to these brainless comparisons time and time again, and let it influence my decision to leave the band. That will never happen again, I assure you. When I finally have had my fill of this band, I will leave on my own accord and not based on false comparisons or other distractions. Currently there are a crop of bands that are worthy of a true metalhead's collection, bands like TEITANBLOOD, DIOCLETIAN, HELLVETRON, MORBOSIDAD, BLASPHERIAN, HOD, DESOLATE SHRINE, TEMPLE NIGHTSIDE, CEMETERY URN, VORUM, TERATISM, FAMINE, CELESTIAL BLOODSHED, WRATHPRAYER, PSEUDOGOD, CULTES DES GHOULES, FATHER BEFOULED, LANTERN, ANHEDONIST, KRYPTS, SICKRITES, OBESEINCE, as well as the ever reliable classics still in existence such as CRUCIFIER, ARCHGOAT, INCANTATION, DIVINE EVE, IMMOLATION.....
For those who do not know what is an "imprecation" - please give the readers an insight into why you chose this particular band name.
David: It is defined as a wicked curse. I think it is obvious as to why we chose this name! (a big FUCK OFF to the bedroom black metal shit baby from Turkey who thought it was a good idea to lift our name in the year of 2012. As he found out our supporters are very passionate!)
What has the response been like overall to your return to the scene, do you find that there is alot of younger people getting into Imprecation aswell as the die hard old guard/old schoolers who remember the band from when you were active the first time around?!
David: Yeah, it's been killer! We still have a lot of support from the old guard, but have gained a ton of younger people who understand what true underground Death Metal is all about! Everywhere we play there is always someone from back in the day who never got a chance to see us, and we make sure that we give them 110% onstage especially for the support they have shown for such a long time! We get lots of emails from demons the world over with their Imprecation collection on display and anticipating the new album.
How active is the current incarnation of Imprecation? Do you play live much locally or out of state? Are there any or many plans to play and maybes even tour in support of the new album after it's release? What can people expect from an Imprecation live show?!
David: We take things in stride, we are all older, mind you, and have adult responsibilities that we cannot simply ignore by jumping in a van and hitting the road for weeks on end. With that being said, we have been active as of recent, with shows in Mexico, New York, Maryland in addition to our shows throughout the state of Texas! We are supposed to return up north in October of this year, and we look forward to it tremendously as the crowds up there for our sets have been INSANE. Later this month we will be supporting the mighty BOLT THROWER at the Chaos in Tejas fest in Austin, TX, looking forward to that as well! Expect true underground Satanic Death Metal played with true passion and hate.
Any plans to hit Europe?
David: Would love to, though no serious offers have come through as of yet!
Describe Imprecation IN 5 WORDS ONLY!
David: Satanic Texas Death Metal Coven
Introduce the current members of the band - There is yourself and Ruben from the early/old days and 3 newer members, how did you get to know these guys and ultimately decide to have them as part of the band? What qualities do you think the newer members have brought to the table?
David: We have Danny Hilller on lead guitars, Milton Luna on rhythm guitars and our new recruit David Ramirez on bass guitar. We have plans to have Jeff Tandy from BIRTH A.D./AVERSE SEFIRA on joining us onstage in New York this fall as David has duties with the military that make him unable to commit to going out of town with the band for the rest of this year. That will be killer, as Jeff is a good friend and long time supporter of the band.
I have always loved the artwork of IMPRECATION - the new art looks absolutley AMAZING - If I am not wrong it is a Chris Moyen creation. Why did you decide to use this artist? Please tell us about this art...did you give Chris the basic idea for it in words or ???
David: Yes it does! The cover is indeed crafted by none other than the master Chris Moyen. He asked me what I wanted for the cover and then translated it with great talent. Also featured within the album is another master of dark arts Mark Riddick with a creation of sex and blasphemy that he translated with great vision and talent as well!
What is your local scene like? many decent clubs/places to play or bands you can recommend? Are the members of Imprecation active in any/many other bands? If so please tell us about them.
David: Texas has some great up and coming talent with bands such as PLUTONIAN SHORE, MORGENGRAU, FUNERAL SHROUD, SPECTRAL MANIFEST, HEL-RAZOR, CHURCH OV MELKARTH, OATH OF CRUELTY and the classical stylings of GOATCRAFT!
What is your opinion on the USA death metal scene thesedays? What bands nationally do you feel a bond/affinity with?
David: I think it is strong, you just have to know where to seek the strong cults. Some bands we feel affinity with are: TERATISM, THORNSPAWN, OAKMOON, HOD, BIRTH A.D., CRUCIFIER, BLASPHERIAN, FUNERAL SHROUD, MORGENGRAU, PLUTONIAN SHORE and a few others who escape me at the moment.
What are your plans for the rest of the year and into the beyond...?
David: Time to get to work on this 7 inch split with BLASPHERIAN. The cover art is amazing, done with great talent from DANIEL "SAWBLADE" SHAW.
Thanks for answering this interview..the last words are yours!
David: Thank you Kat for the great interview and interest in our band. HORNS!!!!
So...you guys are finally back together and active in recent years...what made you decide to initially awaken this old school black/death metal beast from it's dormant slumber?!
David: It just needed to be done. There was a ton of unfinished business left in the band, and with me personally as well. I left the band in 1993 to form Bahimiron (which didn't happen until 2002), and I feel that it was a bit premature. There was still realms to explore, and gates to open so I returned to the fold when Ruben approached me about rejoining. We also felt that Imprecation went astray from the Death Metal identity that we worked so hard on, mainly because when Mark Beecher took over on vocals when I left, he started to wearing facepaint and capes and stuff bringing a more theatrical element to the band. Imprecation was never meant to be that, so it eventually drove itself to an end in the late 90s. Another thing that was left on the table when the band had it's initial demise was the simple fact that there was never a proper full length recorded, and we felt that we owed it to ourselves as well as our supporters world wide to fulfill this goal.
Your first release since your return was the "Sigil Of Lucifer" EP - Please tell us a little about this release
David: The "Sigil of Lucifer" ep was a way to break the ice that had formed between the late '90s and the new incarnation of the band. Tim Bartlett who heads NEGATIVITY RECORDS and owns Noisefarm studios in Paige, TX had contacted us about coming down and recording a couple of songs to kickstart things back into life and letting the underground know that we have crawled out from the tomb. It was a great experience, though I'm not sure that the end result was what we were trying to achieve. The songs were written in the right vein, and it was recorded right as well, but I think we might have rushed into the studio a little prematurely. My Death vocals had been on hiatus for some time, having only been executed with Bahimiron on studio albums and the occasional rare live performance. When we recorded the 7 inch I still had yet to break the seal properly. And the guitars came out rather thin in my opinion, though I do not know why that happened as Phil and Jim had a crushing sound at the time. All in all, chalk it up to a re-learning experience and move forward with the blasphemy!
After that you recorded a demo "Jehovah Denied" that was released in 2012 - what was the purpose of this demo? Did you sell many copies of it or was it more of a promo demo to try and secure a new record deal?
David: "Jehovah Denied" was a statement. First off it had been 20 years since the release of our "Ceremony of the Nine Angles" demo so we started to plan to do a true underground styled demo to commemorate the release. While Ruben and I were starting to plan this action Phil decided that he did not want to play in Imprecation anymore as he was wanting to fulfill his need to play Doom music. I dunno what happened but Jim decided to leave as well, leaving us with no guitarists. We were in shambles of sorts. Milton Luna was our bass player at the time, so we were ok in that aspect, but we had to start an under-the-radar search for a guitarist. In Imprecation we do not just plug in a guy with a guitar and push play, the person has to fit our ideology and sound, and to be an all out professional on his instrument. Needless to say there were not many guitarists in our vicinity to choose from, most of the good to great guitarists were committed to their respective bands or simply did not have the time to join a band. Luckily Danny Hiller, who had previously left Imprecation (on bass) because he had to get surgery on his wrist area that left him unable to play, was fully recovered and ready to rejoin. But this time it was to be on his chosen instrument of a guitar. The four of us trudged forward and crafted four songs, fleshed them out and beat them down. The end result was "Jehovah Denied", and in my opinion it is one of the most honest and brutal releases we had done up to that point. The demo was never really recorded to secure a record deal, that really was a secondary purpose to be quite frank. It was more or less done with a new purpose to silence all of our doubters who felt that Ruben and myself could not carry on with Imprecation without Phil and Jim in it. We did everything ourselves, from the recording to the layout. We sold all of the 100 copies within the first week of release, and eventually this demo was released on cassette by UNHOLY DOMAIN records in Italy. I did send one to Matt from DARK DESCENT RECORDS, as I felt that he was a label that cared about what he attached his name to, and hoped to peak his interest in working with us to release our first full length. As I said, the demo had a secondary purpose of trying to find a good label. Matt was fully interested, he agreed to sign us for the album and the rest is as you know it.
Your new full length album "Satanae Tenebris Infinita" is recorded and due to be unleashed soon by one of the best and most prolific American independant death/extreme metal labels Dark Descent Records ...how did you hook up with them? Was it a result of the 2012 demo(n)?! Please tell the readers abit about this album in your own words and what they can expect from it?.
David: Matt had previously agreed to release a split 7 inch with our Death metal brothers in BLASPHERIAN (which is still going to happen), and I noticed that he was showing some interest on some various forums in regards to "Jehovah Denied" so I basically took a shot in asking him. We've been around a while and have made some sort of mark in the underground through our earlier releases, so I figured that I did not need to "sell" Dark Descent a reason why he should take a chance on releasing our full length as our earlier work speaks for itself. We chatted over the phone for about an hour as to what we were looking for from his end, he gave me a rough idea of what we would be looking at on the business end of the deal, everything sounded killer so we went forward with the contract. "Satanae Tenebris Infinita" was originally entitled "Of The Black Earth" as that was a title that I have had in my pocket for the name of our first full length since 1992. I even printed it on the first shirts that have the "Necronomicross" on the front that were done for the "Ceremony of the Nine Angles" demo. Anyways, label mates MAVETH came out with their album on Dark Descent entitled "Coils of the Black Earth" at the end of 2012, and rather than compete with them on the title I just figured we should rename the album to something else. Not to mention that we have a song on the album entitled "The Coils of Eden" haha, so the similarities in that aspect were too close. "Satanae Tenebris Infinita" was the latin translation of "The Infinite Darkness of Satan", translated with a little guidance from Tim Bartlett and Jeff Tandy (both whose opinions I value and trust fully) and a professional latin translator confirmed that we were right in the translation. I like the title so much more, it almost has a feel very similar to our initial compilation full length LP "Thuergia Goetia Summa". You can expect everything that IMPRECATION is about on this album, with a dirty modern production that loses none of the vibe that we laid down in the years of 1992 and 1993.
Have many reviews surfaced yet? If so how have they been?
David: Yes, there have been some reviews trickling in, and they for the most part have been very good and killer. Some have even gone as far as to deem it as an album that belongs with past legendary Death metal releases with ease. This is very appreciated, though we do not take those reviews to heart. We will always strive to release the best material that we can, we set a new bar for ourselves with "Satanae" and we are not going to release anything in the future unless it matches or passes this work.
Lyrically what can we expect on this album...where did you draw the inspiration from to put pen to paper to write lyrics for this album? Please tell us about some of the lyrical concepts behind the songtitles.
David: The morbid glory of Satanas and all of the infernal treasure within. He is the air that I breathe and the blood in my veins. I will never stray from the lyrical path that I first started on in the late '80s with my band CHRIST DISMEMBERED. There are some songs on the album that have different themes than worship, but they fall into a category of Christ hate. Our song "Hosanna Ex Inferis" is about the putrid Catholic scum who rape tender souls in the name of their Serpent Jesus. "This is the flesh of my body, the flesh of a new and everlasting covenant." Blasphemy for desire. Another song on the album is the opener "Blood Dominion" which is a throw the Christians into the pit with the lions and beasts type thing: "Whips of the crucifiers, strike across the flesh/Devil's snare restrains/Blood flows to the earth/Hear the leather crack/Thunder strikes again/casting the Christians into the pit/Hear the lions roar thirsting for their blood/Goathorned Emperor standing proud/Hear the roar from the crowd hungry for their Death/Devil's frenzy/Bloodlust all around....."
It's not Shakespeare, but that's the kind of shit I get off to! Also a song on the album called "From Beyond the Fiery Temples" that is inspired by Lovecraftian beasts and Necronomicon Ancient Ones.
Please tell us about the new album title and the meaning and inspiration behind it.
David: Hating Christ and his sheep.
How was the writing process for the album? Typically how does a song come together from birth to completion?
David: I don't put pen to paper until I get the song arranged to my satisfaction, and I get an idea where leads should go. As far as the music writing, the guys would be best to answer that since I don't touch any instruments in creating our hymns. All I assist with is editing the song arrangements to flow with the ideas I have going.
Where was the new album recorded? Are you satisifed overall with how it has turned out?! How would you compare the Imprecation of 2013 to that of the early 90's incarnation? Is there any notable differences in your opinion?
David: It was recorded at Big Door Studios is Webster, TX. I have recorded here for years with Bahimiron, and I am a good friend with the owner and engineer Mike BBQ. The man understands abrasive heaviness, and he knows how to bring out what we seek everytime we enter his studio. I would say it's a menacing beast in sound, not too polished and has a great crushing low end on the bass. Everything is where it needs to be. The mastering is excellent as well, done by Dan from CRUCIAMENTUM.
Imprecation has always been an openly and blatant satanic death metal band - what does satanism mean and represent to you as indivduals and as a band? It is obviously a VERY important aspect to the band.
David: Like I said, it is the very fuel that burns our souls. Imprecation has been and always will be a Satanic Death metal band.
If you compare the current death/black metal scene to that of the early 90s heyday what differences do you see for better or for worse? What is your opinion on the current scene and why do you think old school style death metal is enjoying a renewed interest?! Are there any newer bands that you feel an "affinity" with?! Or that have caught your attention.
David: Well, the overpopulus of crappy underground metal is a cancer in the scene. We are all very well aware of the trendies, crusties and hipsters that have infiltrated it, and the best way to combat this plague is to release true Death and Black metal oblivious to their ways. Eventually they will grow tired of the sound, and will move on to be locusts on some other underground music and lifestyle. The early 90s were are magickal time, but even then there were posuers stinking things up. One of the big reasons why I left Imprecation is that I got tired of the mindless Cannibal Corpse and Suffocation comparisons that we got, it's like these fuckers did not even LISTEN to what we were doing. We are so far from that type of drivel that it baffles me to the core that we would get lumped in with such crap. Of course that was my big mistake, I was young and actually listened to these brainless comparisons time and time again, and let it influence my decision to leave the band. That will never happen again, I assure you. When I finally have had my fill of this band, I will leave on my own accord and not based on false comparisons or other distractions. Currently there are a crop of bands that are worthy of a true metalhead's collection, bands like TEITANBLOOD, DIOCLETIAN, HELLVETRON, MORBOSIDAD, BLASPHERIAN, HOD, DESOLATE SHRINE, TEMPLE NIGHTSIDE, CEMETERY URN, VORUM, TERATISM, FAMINE, CELESTIAL BLOODSHED, WRATHPRAYER, PSEUDOGOD, CULTES DES GHOULES, FATHER BEFOULED, LANTERN, ANHEDONIST, KRYPTS, SICKRITES, OBESEINCE, as well as the ever reliable classics still in existence such as CRUCIFIER, ARCHGOAT, INCANTATION, DIVINE EVE, IMMOLATION.....
For those who do not know what is an "imprecation" - please give the readers an insight into why you chose this particular band name.
David: It is defined as a wicked curse. I think it is obvious as to why we chose this name! (a big FUCK OFF to the bedroom black metal shit baby from Turkey who thought it was a good idea to lift our name in the year of 2012. As he found out our supporters are very passionate!)
What has the response been like overall to your return to the scene, do you find that there is alot of younger people getting into Imprecation aswell as the die hard old guard/old schoolers who remember the band from when you were active the first time around?!
David: Yeah, it's been killer! We still have a lot of support from the old guard, but have gained a ton of younger people who understand what true underground Death Metal is all about! Everywhere we play there is always someone from back in the day who never got a chance to see us, and we make sure that we give them 110% onstage especially for the support they have shown for such a long time! We get lots of emails from demons the world over with their Imprecation collection on display and anticipating the new album.
How active is the current incarnation of Imprecation? Do you play live much locally or out of state? Are there any or many plans to play and maybes even tour in support of the new album after it's release? What can people expect from an Imprecation live show?!
David: We take things in stride, we are all older, mind you, and have adult responsibilities that we cannot simply ignore by jumping in a van and hitting the road for weeks on end. With that being said, we have been active as of recent, with shows in Mexico, New York, Maryland in addition to our shows throughout the state of Texas! We are supposed to return up north in October of this year, and we look forward to it tremendously as the crowds up there for our sets have been INSANE. Later this month we will be supporting the mighty BOLT THROWER at the Chaos in Tejas fest in Austin, TX, looking forward to that as well! Expect true underground Satanic Death Metal played with true passion and hate.
Any plans to hit Europe?
David: Would love to, though no serious offers have come through as of yet!
Describe Imprecation IN 5 WORDS ONLY!
David: Satanic Texas Death Metal Coven
Introduce the current members of the band - There is yourself and Ruben from the early/old days and 3 newer members, how did you get to know these guys and ultimately decide to have them as part of the band? What qualities do you think the newer members have brought to the table?
David: We have Danny Hilller on lead guitars, Milton Luna on rhythm guitars and our new recruit David Ramirez on bass guitar. We have plans to have Jeff Tandy from BIRTH A.D./AVERSE SEFIRA on joining us onstage in New York this fall as David has duties with the military that make him unable to commit to going out of town with the band for the rest of this year. That will be killer, as Jeff is a good friend and long time supporter of the band.
I have always loved the artwork of IMPRECATION - the new art looks absolutley AMAZING - If I am not wrong it is a Chris Moyen creation. Why did you decide to use this artist? Please tell us about this art...did you give Chris the basic idea for it in words or ???
David: Yes it does! The cover is indeed crafted by none other than the master Chris Moyen. He asked me what I wanted for the cover and then translated it with great talent. Also featured within the album is another master of dark arts Mark Riddick with a creation of sex and blasphemy that he translated with great vision and talent as well!
What is your local scene like? many decent clubs/places to play or bands you can recommend? Are the members of Imprecation active in any/many other bands? If so please tell us about them.
David: Texas has some great up and coming talent with bands such as PLUTONIAN SHORE, MORGENGRAU, FUNERAL SHROUD, SPECTRAL MANIFEST, HEL-RAZOR, CHURCH OV MELKARTH, OATH OF CRUELTY and the classical stylings of GOATCRAFT!
What is your opinion on the USA death metal scene thesedays? What bands nationally do you feel a bond/affinity with?
David: I think it is strong, you just have to know where to seek the strong cults. Some bands we feel affinity with are: TERATISM, THORNSPAWN, OAKMOON, HOD, BIRTH A.D., CRUCIFIER, BLASPHERIAN, FUNERAL SHROUD, MORGENGRAU, PLUTONIAN SHORE and a few others who escape me at the moment.
What are your plans for the rest of the year and into the beyond...?
David: Time to get to work on this 7 inch split with BLASPHERIAN. The cover art is amazing, done with great talent from DANIEL "SAWBLADE" SHAW.
Thanks for answering this interview..the last words are yours!
David: Thank you Kat for the great interview and interest in our band. HORNS!!!!
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