Diabolical Conquest: Hails, guys! Man, the new record really knocked me on my ass! I love infernal, sinister death metal like "Your Prayers Mean Nothing", and the record really was a pleasant surprise for me, considering I had never heard of you folk before. Theres no gimmicky imagery in here, no pretension, its just honest, pummeling, excellently written blasphemous death metal played in the way of the ancients. If you would care to describe Infernal Legion it would be very much appreciated
 JOSH: The best way I can describe Infernal Legion is old fashioned ass kickin bible bashin death metal for the satanic elite
ERIK: Christian hating music, pure and simple. The idea is that, we can spread the message of hatred towards this plague upon humanity.
DOUG: We embody all that is sadistic.
DC: While I don\rquote t think the bands sound too similar, I genuinely feel like there is an artistic conduit that exists between "Your Prayers Mean Nothing" and something like "Dawn of Possession". There is the same dynamism, the mindbending array of filthy, repetitious grooves, the dominance of slow to mid tempo sections that really EXPLORE the hypnotic depth of the evil riffs and rhythms within. Fucking killer! Was that record an inspiration for the new Infernal Legion?
JOSH: For me, Immolation is a band I just started getting into the past few years which I am glad about because I was in need of something new evil and brutal, I've always been a huge Deicide and Morbid Angel fan but now Immolation is right there at the top of the list. As far as lyrically, I try to keep the evil fresh and new. My main inspiration for some of the album was "what would the world be like if the holocaust was geared towards christans instead of the jews"
JUSTIN: It's one of my favorite albums, but it never crossed my mind when we wrote these songs.
DOUG: Let's put it this way.. I have part of the album cover tattooed on my right hand.
ERIK: Immolation has been an inspiration to me over the years, but when we get together to write songs, I don't let any external influences get into the mix.
DC: I've posed this question to other bands before, but seeing as how your band has a very firm grasp on this concept I thought I would ask you the same thing. In a post-Death, post-Gorguts "Obscura" aeon, it seems like people are becoming more and more inclined towards ultra-technical death metal, that stuff like Possessed, Asphyx, Pestilence, Bolt Thrower and Thanatos are relics of the past to be discarded for bands that incorporate 50 time changes in their music, use polyrhythms, have riffs that fly all over the fretboard, employ lengthy fusion bass solos, etcetera. Fucking bullshit! Death metal is supposed to sound morbid, filthy, disgusting, not a fusion jazz masturbatory abomination! What do you have to say to this? What does ‘'death metal'' mean to you?
 ERIK: To me, death metal is about the ability to write music at the most extreme level. Offending stupid Christians is just a bonus.
JUSTIN: I play the type of death metal that I enjoy listening to.
DOUG: I like some tech shit, but I will agree with you, when it gets too stupid, then I'm just not into it.
DC: I think that while Infernal Legion certainly are aware of (and utilize VERY effectively) the power of simplicity and repetition, you are by NO MEANS a simplistic band. There are lots of time changes and labyrinthine structures in your songs, which all feature very engaging twists and turns. Yet, all the time changes and riff switches aren't utilized to display technical virtuosity, they just WORK in the framework of the song, you move seamlessly from idea to idea. What is your approach to songwriting?
ERIK: To keep an open mind, trust. Doug and I have been working together for years putting together riffs into songs. Never assume that one riff is going to get the job done, always put more fucking effort into it. Focus on the mission.
DOUG: If a cool riff comes to mind, I'll play it and then go from there.
DC: While often the band remind me of gods like Immolation and Sadistic Intent, at the same time I feel like there is a very Morrisound Deicide/Morbid Angel aesthetic to the proceedings that I really, really enjoy. The Deicide slant to me sort of manifests itself in the blasphemous lyrics and the very ritualistic feeling of the songs, which often come across as meditative hymnals to demonic forces, haha. Do you feel like death metal is a medium for devilish, antichristian expression, as opposed to the gorey nonsense that populates much of death metal today?
JOSH: I think death/black metal is the perfect out let for satanic/antichristan expression, the heavy sound the brutality of every thing about it brings a level of danger that radio metal dosent have any more.
ERIK: I've always felt that death metal is a great outlet for anti-christian messages. Although, I think that black metal is most focused on this topic. Personally, I don't consider us a 100% death metal band, as our anti-christian agenda more resembles that of a black metal or maybe black/death metal band. Everyone in this band has their own perspective on this.
JUSTIN: To me, it's all about who's playing it. A person that has anti-christian views is going to write material that reflects those views.
DOUG: I think all death metal is primarily anti-christian.
DC: What would you have to say to people who feel like death metal has become a parody of itself? It seems like death metal (or much metal in general) no longer poses any threat to the status quo- much of it is sterile, complacent horror-movied obsessed childishness played by suburban dorks in backwards baseball caps, most of whom think that playing as fast as possible, as often as possible is definable as ‘'death metal'' Yet every now and then you have a band like Mortem, Throneum, Drawn & Quartered, Crucifier, Lord Blasphemer and yourselves who really are a slap in the face to ‘'modern death metal''. How do you feel about the fact that bands like yours will likely always only have an underground appeal, that you're too dark and too nasty for kids into Suffocation wannabe bands? 
JOSH: The thought of getting huge is always there but we will always stay true to the underground. I feel people are always looking for something more. More dangerous, more evil… not always just faster
DOUG: I think it's fine, I don't want to play that kind of death metal. I'd rather play for five true underground fans than a room full of idiots.
JUSTIN: I have no problem playing the underground for the rest of my life.
ERIK: It basically comes down to one thing for me, why am I doing this? I don't write these songs, load around the gear, play these shows, etc. for the fucking money or for the fucking attention from ignorant fucks who don't even understand. I do it because I love it, and those people that love the fucking death, the fucking anti-christian music, those people are who motivate me.
DC: I think what so many death metal bands fail to realize right now is the fact that playing slow is in some instances FAR more intense than blasting with triggered kits for an hour. The very best parts of the new Infernal Legion record are found in the MONSTROUS, PUNISHING grooves which dominate many of the songs, like the beginning of \ldblquote Forest Of The Diseased\rdblquote , the riff that surfaces at the two minute mark\'85fuck! Total death metal torment, haha. Infernal Legion is a band that uses double bass for atmospheric effect, to work WITH the song, not as a means for flashy technical virtuosity. At the same time, there are no flashy solos, with the lead guitar only surfacing to add eerie texture to the barreling, nefarious grooves underneath. I can really appreciate that, the fact that the songwriting is so streamlined and so focused, there are no unnecessary frills to distract from the single-minded brutality of the music. What made you realize that you don\rquote t have to adopt the ‘'blast til you drop'' perspective towards death metal?
JUSTIN: I've never liked that type of music. So I would never play that type of music.
DC: Because I enjoy doing this so much with ancient-sounding death metal bands, I was very interested in knowing what your 10 favorite death metal records were.
 1. Deicide - Once upon the Cross
2. Immolation - Failure for Gods
3. Deicide - Legion
4. Morbid Angel - Domination
5. Morbid Angel - Blessed Are the Sick
6. Deicide – Deicide
7. Monstrosity - In Dark Purity
8. Immolation - Dawn of Possesion
9. Broken Hope - Repulsive Conception
10. Cannibal Corpse - Butchered at Birth
DC: That's about it from me this time. I love the new record, and can't wait to hear what else you have planned in the future. Here's where you can let our readers know about any impending tours or projects. Thank you for a great record!
JOSH: watch for the new infernal legion on Moribund…support true metal!
ERIK: We're never stopping, ever, we're death metal terminators.
JUSTIN: We're metal thrashing mad.
DOUG: We'll kick other bands in the sack. |
