Diabolical Conquest (Mike Lidia): I am glad that you all have decided to submit yourselves to my heinous cranial implant experiments by doing this interview. Any last words before the diabolical interrogation begins?
Crimson Massacre-
Scott Horne (Drums): lets get this going
James (Guitar): As Pete has so graciously emphasized in the past: Arbeit macht frei.
Pete (Vocals): Stop holding back and get it over with.
DC: Alright now that I got you guys dead to rights let me begin by asking a simple question; how did the name Crimson Massacre come about?
James: The name originates from sometime in 2001, from juvenile origins no doubt. There is effectively nothing else I can say about the birth of the name, only a retrospect that it's crude simplicity seems to spawn a more flourishing meaning to me now, and had I thought of the exact same name presently for the band, it would be under an entirely different impetus it seems. Either way the name is the only suitable title for this organic paradigm, regardless of the time period.
DC: Why did Bill Ledgerwood leave the band? Jesse Jolly would you care to introduce yourself to the masses now that you are the new maniac playing bass?
James: Bill's departure can't specifically be tied to one motivation really. At the time, roughly 14 months ago, we were close to taking a long hiatus, which I suppose we did, and Bill had decided not to return to the ensemble sometime during the fall of that year, though there was no concise "I'm not in". We had been working on some material for an alleged EP or split that summer and that began to trail away as well, as a result of Scott, Bill, and I all living a distance from each other. Focus wasn't in its peak, and Bill also had conflicts with relationship issues and other humans outside our control that he seemed could me mediated by his avoidance from the band. Maybe he simply lost interest in our direction and couldn't confront us. It's not a concern as we're now more channeled than we've ever been in the past. Our task is to maintain this stream of consciousness.
Jesse (Bassist): sure. I moved to Tampa from northeast Tennessee about three years ago, basically for death metal. my band 'Blastmasters,' played a show with Pete's other band, dark faith. After the gig Pete approached me and asked if I would be interested in the slot. After he explained that "we can't find a bass-player that can keep up with these guys.", I was very interested. So over about a four-month period, James sent me the majority of the tabs, and I swear it was the most I've ever been challenged. We hit it off pretty much immediately. We practiced our asses off for a few days and played a show that went very well, and after that, it was finalized.
DC: Considering the various genres of Metal like Death, Brutal Death, and Black how did you all get influenced to play Technical Death Metal?
James: I think, as Pete suggested, that we never went out of our way to focus on technicality as the ends to the music, as so many technical bands do these days. Our level of technicality is required to sustain the hyper-intuitive yet articulate goal of tonal motif that we strive for. Technicality is simply a tool for assembly. A big problem bands have is a complete separation from that understanding. An apt analogy would be someone knowing how to swing a hammer really well without being able to even build a fence.
Pete: Though, I guess, you can classify the music as technical death metal I don't really see myself influenced to play "technical" music. It's more the case that this mode of expression just fits perfectly to what we wish to say in the metal genre. I find more influence from raw metal bands, like blasphemy or craft, then from technical acts like Necrophagist or theory in practice.
Jesse: it's the most demanding genre of music, in my opinion.
DC: Purists like me rant and rave about the complexity of Death Metal and how it is very similar to Classical music. What elements of Classical music, jazz, or even blues can be found in the music of Crimson Massacre?
James: Classical traditions of anti-individual themes and grandiose obsessions of an idea outlasting life and death eliminating death are definitely an idea, from the non-musical perspective. From a composition stand point; the music obviously has its structural positions and assertions firmly rooted in the classical realm of things. Jazz plays it's part in certain bridges or passages that are needed to literally carry a riff to the next conclusion, but on the meta-structure of our music, classical ambition takes the driver's seat.
Pete: I don't think you really find any elements of jazz or blues in the music. Classical wise, maybe a heavy influence from Bach more than anyone else.
DC: I read that you are looking for a second guitarist for live performances. Is this for the reason that James Jackson can lay down all the guitar tracks in the studio by himself, but on stage you are looking to make the sound doubly robust? If I answered my own question in that last inquiry then can I show up and pretend to play guitar during live performances in an attempt to score some chicks?
Scott: You have indeed answered your own question.
James: Obviously, whether or not it's just me in the studio doing both guitar tracks, there will be a necessity to have a 2nd guitarist live (at least if we have any aspiration in duplicating the parts and counterpoints live). We're in the process of filling the 2nd guitarist slot for live shows and beyond.
Pete: You might be better off filling in for Winger or Ratt if you are looking to get chic's by playing music.
DC: Be honest with me guys, does playing music in a band get you more pussy than if you were a janitor or lawyer?
Scott: I like my women like I like my coffee, ground up and in the freezer
James: I'm not a lawyer or janitor so I wouldn't know. I'm sure we harbor new strains of std's though. The kind you sell to Russians
Pete: I know it gets us less than if we were porn stars
Jesse: wait'll I'm famous...then I'll let ya know
DC: Bands like Psycroptic make intensely imaginative riffing a hallmark of their sound to the point that guitar solos almost seem unnecessary. By contrast what is the bands take on guitar leads?
Scott: If the lead in question manages to add to the over all feel/motif of the song then by all means, however if it is there simply to show technical prowess, the artist has failed.
James: We didn't need any solos on TLoP because there simply wasn't any spot for a solo to grab the riff and throw in to a clearer conception. The practical idea of a solo is that it is used to re-assert the riff it is complementing and then force a logical leap that couldn't be done with that riff alone. Future material will probably require a "fuel-injected" nature of a solo to breach gaps from idea to result.
Pete: They are good insofar as they are useful for getting a specific point or passage across to the listener.
Jesse: I dubbed James the "Picasso of guitar" for this reason. he's the fuckin' maniac
DC: Many Technical Death metal bands seem too mechanical or over produced; how has Crimson Massacre managed to sound passionate despite the layers of technicality?
Scott: Personally an overproduction of sound provides a sterile environment causing technology to replace musicianship
James: Sonically our tone obviously entailed a more "earthy" and flexible feel to it. So, on some degrees maybe production plays a trick in some peoples minds in relation to what degree of rhythmic and mechanical syntax they pick up. Compositionally, melody often intertwines or overtakes rhythm and posits a more graceful or flexible movement to the riffs than one might find in a majority of technical acts
Pete: I think it's because we are not playing music to be technical, the music just happens to be arranged that way. Or, more to the point, others consider what we do "technical."
DC: The drumming on The Luster of Pandemonium is extremely dynamic. How is it possible that the drums both support the music and swirl about like a tornado?
Scott: The drum patterns in mind were created and shaped to the guitar riffs to create a soundscape we had envisioned.
James: Maybe they support while swirling in the tornado? Maybe the structure is in the tornado?
DC: The vocals on The Luster of Pandemonium are a great cross between deep Death and slightly shrieking Black Metal styles. Was this the intention or does it fit the technical style of play?
Pete: The intention of using both styles of vocals was simply to get the lyrics across to the listener, as well as viewing the singer as just another instrument opposed to a center piece, thus providing for more versatility opposed to worrying about what it will look like or if people could understand what I'm saying enough of the time. Aside from fitting into the music well, I think the vocal patterns and style perfectly express what we were trying to get across on the album.
DC: The Luster of Pandemonium features the artwork of the famous John Zig. Was an album title chosen with an artistic concept in mind, or did you all ask him to be creative?
Scott: The album title was chosen with a concept in mind
James: The title was shaped after the music; the artwork was shaped after the music and subsequent lyrics.
DC: You know I aint too bad in the art department and I just scored a box of 64 crayons with the ole sharpener in the back. How about you guys tell me what you want done for the next album and Ill get to work?
Pete: We are getting ahead of ourselves. First you need to pay us the $500 that allows you to work on our album cover!
Jesse: maybe if it were a box of 666 crayons.
DC: I know it has only been a year since The Luster of Pandemonium hit the underground, but I cannot help asking, have you guys begun work on a new album?
Scott: The writing process for the second album is underway.
James: Expect a new album in 2007
DC: When going into the studio to record a new album is there a fear that the outcome will have people saying, The new CD is not as good as its predecessor?
Scott: I believe this was addressed in question 10
James: I think any fear of that sort never takes shape within our minds. If such a worry was in existence we probably would have failed and collapsed as a band.
Pete: There is no "fear" associated with the new, or any, album. Of course we hope people will like it, but in the end it doesn't really matter.
Jesse: judging by the sound of the new material, I don't fear that at all.
DC: The Luster of Pandemonium is a technical monster. For the next album are you guys looking to keep up the complexity?
Scott: for the most part yes
James: We'll keep up whatever is needed to forge the tower of logic we see to assert with the music. Technicality is merely a scaffold.
Pete: We are looking to get our point across to the listener. If the music is considered too complex for some, practice more -- sacrifice more.
DC: I think it is fair to assert that as you get older and more experienced you grow as a musician. With that in mind, what lessons gleaned from the recording process of The Luster of Pandemonium will make the new album better?
James: Most "lessons" were probably learned prior to or immediately after recording, and were on the songwriting level of things. I'll leave the result for people to judge on the next album.
Pete: Raise the volume until your ears bleed.
DC: With the purchase of United Guttural, Deathgasm Records has gotten a bit larger. How has their support of Crimson Massacre been? Will the next album be released on Deathgasm Records?
Scott: Support for the album has been promising. We will be exploring our opportunities with our second album
James: To be determined.
Pete: Deathgasm records did a great job with the album. As far as the new one goes, there are a couple of prospects on the horizon.
DC: Alright, lets shift into another gear with the questions guys. I was wondering what your take is on bands these days. Now, I am not asking you to name groups for bashing, I am just curious if you all think that certain bands are too focused on their image, or being too brutal with their sound.
Scott: There is humor in carrion.
Pete: There are some killer bands coming out, and some god-awful ones as well -- just like always. I just hate kids with trucker hats who wear their girlfriend's pants and have swoops.
Jesse: I see no problem with image or brutality, however this emo/psudo-heavy metal crap that seems to be devouring the market, should be dealt with.
DC: Alright, the guys at Diabolical Conquest and the fans seem to like my knack for incorporating porn analogies and descriptions into many of my reviews, but I have never done it in an interview so I'll keep it tame by asking, do you guys have a certain porn star you enjoy watching? Who is the one starlet the band would like to gangbang?
Scott: Hewey Lewis and the News
James: Not porn stars, maybe an actress, though nothing is coming to the top of my mind. And not a gangbang.
Jesse: sorry, bro...I'm a hentai man.
DC: OK that fucking does it for now. I have really enjoyed asking you guys' questions while learning more about the band and music. I am positive that fans will like you all twice as much too. Do you all have anything else you would like to say to the underground or anyone else?
Scott: Thanks for your support and interest! We will keep you posted as to when the second album will be released.
James: Standard rigmarole: look out for future material and tours.
Pete: www.darkfaith.us, www.myspace.com/darkfaith .... and please, stop listening to re-hashed at the gates riffs from 12 years ago...let metalcore die away as quickly as it appeared.
Jesse: don't worry...it'll be alright, the world will end soon.
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