At Vilnius in Lithuania, the Night Slaher quatuor, Laurynas Karka (vocals), Juozapas Bočkus (guitar), Tomas Ivanovas (bass) and Dmitrijus Matvejevas (drums), is thrashing mad on his instruments to produce a wide range of heavy black speed metal. Their first self-titled album is an outstanding achievement of ferocity.Out on Bandcamp, the eight tracks are varied enough to avoid boredom. The singer of the band kindly answered our questions. Interview.
Since the eigthies, South America was always a good place for extreme and brutal metal. In Lima (Peru), Maze Of Terror are delivering a strong death/thrash metal which can break your neck in two. In 2019, the EP "Death Worshipers" can be a good introduction to the band musical style with their ferocious blast beats, heavy breaks and voracious vocals. Leviathan (bass and vocals) is telling us more about the past and the future of Maze Of Terror.
How did you meet together and wanted to form Maze Of Terror in 2012 ? Was it a short, hard or long process ?
Leviathan (bass and vocals) : We started 8 years ago when our ideas, influences and madness becomes reality with the "Skullcrusher" EP. Everything started from this point. After months of effort, Hammer and I recorded the "Skullcrusher" EP with the help of Bestial Slaugther, our first guitarist. After two years of gigs and shows, opening for different bands from Lima, we released our first album "Ready to Kill" in 2016. Now, after Eps, splits, and tours, we're waiting the pandemic to stop and then we will record our second album for Xtreem Records.
Is it easy to play and record thrash/death metal in Lima ? Let us know about the local metal scene…
Well, playing in Lima is easy, there is an small scene but strong, obviously we not gain money here but we don't care, we only focused in make music and played live. Every month, we have US bands coming here to play like Terrorizer, Sadistic Intent, Profanatica... We don't have much places to play but people always supporting us. Perú has so many good bands like Mortem, Anal Vomit, Goat Semen, some awesome bands like Necropsya, Evil Spectrum, Cobra, Obscure Evil, Sordid, Profaner, Morbid Slaugther, Sexorcist, Vulvanic, Evil Priest, Tenebrion, Antropomancia... We have a strong scene, some people says the opposite, but I think they are wrong ! We also have so many small labels releasing music through tapes and Cds. I'm talking to other people from different places and they tell me that they don't have that in their countries, this is really important and we appreciate it.
You opened for different legends of the 80's (Whiplash, Destruction, Exumer…). Is the connexion with this first generation of thrashers was easy ?
Well, we are really grateful to have played with these legends, people always supported us during these shows. All the time, we are looking for ways to expose our music, not because we want fame or recognition, we just want people to know about our music. All the bands we opened for were good guys... For example, Nasty Savage saluted us for opening for them. I learned that these people are like you and me, they want to keep metal alive... I learned that they have the same problems than all the bands, we all need the support of the metal scenes for metal becoming bigger and bigger. Our connection with them is giving us inspiration and respect, we really respect all the bands, old, small or new, they are all equal because this is the real meaning of the underground.
Can you tell us more about your different releases : "Death Worshipers", "Evoked Black Souls", "Death For Our Rivals", "Ready To Kill" (thanks for the song "Gilles de Rais"), "Skullcrusher" ? All these recordings are a lot of work…
About "Death Worshipers", our last effort, this is a demo. We started the band without releasing demos because we already recorded demos as musicians in other bands. We wanted to start in a professional way. Now, we made a demo because we wanted to show our raw sound. In 2012, "Skullcrusher" was our first release. This Ep shows our inspiration and influences, like Sepultura or Chakal. Then, the evolution of our musical style can be heard on the Lp "Ready to Kill" (2016) which is more influenced by German and South American sound. It is musically and lyrically more elaborated. This album was released by Empire Records from Belgium on Cd and vinyl. It was also released on tape by P18 and Thundersteel Records. We are grateful too for having the opportunity to release 2 splits records. One with the guys of Amkem, an awesome thrash metal band from Greece, and the legend from LA Witchaven. In 2018, the single "Evoked Black" was originally part of a split record that wasn't released. This piece, rawer than the album, was released recently on a compilation beside the demo, by Alcolic Holocaust from Argentina... Our next work will be even more raw and brutal... We're waiting patiently to record our next attack.
Tell us more about this next step for Maze Of Terror ?
As I said, after the Covid-19 end, we will record our second album. We have a deal with Xtreem Records and we are excited, because this label is very good for bands like us, it can give us a good diffusion. At the same time, we will record a new Ep. It is a big plan for later touring again in different countries... Thanks for the support an bestial salute for all !!! Stay brutal !!!!
Legendary Swedish doom metallers Candlemass will release a special 30th-anniversary EP titled "Death Thy Lover" on June 3 on Napalm Records. We talked to Lars Johansson (lead guitar) about this new release. Interview.
Candlemass, in my opinion, is just as good and right up there with bands such as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, etc... Messiah Marcolin, former vocalist of Candlemass, once stated Candlemass was influenced by Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep, and Judas Priest. Has Candlemass just not gotten the press or recognition that these other bands have gotten? Why do you think Candlemass has remained "underground" so to speak even though you were signed onto labels like Nuclear Blast , and have played with many well-known bands?
Lars Johansson (lead guitar) : Maybe because we didn´t tour ourselfes to death, and we never actually have done any "radio-hits".
What inspired Candlemass' dark, heavy, doomy sound?
L.J. : At the time when there was almost only whimpy metal or thrash metal, we felt that true slow and heavy is the only right thing (laugh).
What's the thing that's kept bringing you guys back together again after three disbandments? All the current members have been a part of Candlemass basically since it started except Mats Levin, who just joined up as the new vocalist. Mats however has sung on two of Leif's other projects, Abstrakt Algebra and Krux, plus was singing for you guys in 2012. Lars, Mats Bjorkman, and Jan have been there throughout basically the whole history of Candlemass except there is a five year period that Leif was the only one out of the current members who was Candlemass. Why the five year absence on the others part?
L.J. : You're questions are little difficult to answer… If we begin with the fact that the guitars, the drums and the bass
together makes the sound that will change if someone is replaced then add the fact that we're good friends then you'll know what kept bringing us together after different mishaps with vocalists.. The 5 years of absence might have been in a period of life when people had other things to do such as beeing with our family’s, Having time for solo projects and so on. Mats also sings in FAT.MO.MAC, a blues project from Lars, and his name is Levén...
I love the themes in Candlemass. Are these everyones interests in life? Why these epic themes of dark fantasy, good and evil, as opposed to politics, love/romance (yes i said love/romance) and war type stuff?
L.J. : Since Leif (bass) is writing all the music and lyrics, we have all our faith in what he comes up with... And many times his lyrics has other meanings than what´s obvius, it works with the music perfectly.
"Psalms of the Dead" was supposed to be the last studio album for Candlemass. I quote Leif in a 2012 statement to Terrorizer magazine "We want to stop before we get too old and start putting out half-lame albums" Now you guys are putting out an anniversary EP with four new songs that are reportedly "very heavy and very metal" (this is coming from your own website!) Doesn't sound lame to me. Why did you decide to put out this new EP?
L.J. : We have our 30 years anniversary…. and wanted to make our fans happy. Also since Mats (vocals) came along and our live gigs became better we wanted his voice "on print".
What has been the most memorable tour/show/festival for Candlemass? Have you ever had a "bad" tour experience?
L.J. : Dynamo festival 88 was the most memorable and important gig for the Candlemass career.
You guys go back a long way having played on a five week tour in the United States with Venom, Trouble, Liege Lord, and Stone back in 1989. Besides that tour, have you played any more in the States since then? How has your experience been playing in the States? Any more plans for another U.S. tour?
L.J. : We did a 6 weeks tour in 2007 and, in August, we will do a festival in Vegas. We also did the Maryland Death Festival a year ago. I think that one showed that Candlemass have a great fanbase in the states. The tour 2007 wasn’t that good, but the Maryland festival was a blast.
What are your best live memories for Candlemass? Do you still think you do better live than in the studio?
L.J. : We were a much better band in the studio when Robert (ndlr : the lead vocalist that left the band in 2012) was in the band. Right now, when Mats is in the band, we are a better liveband than ever.
You've supported a lot of bands. What are some bands that have supported Candlemass?
L.J. : Not easy to remember, because there use to be local bands.
Who comes up with the album artwork?
L.J. : Leif use to come up with the ideas, then we work it out together.with some good graphic designer.
Fans can find you on candlemass.se. There is lots of interesting stuff on the site about past albums, classic old photos from the very beginnings of the band as well as current ones, and cool stuff from Candlemass past AND present. Do you guys have any other places the fans can go to check you guys out?
L.J. : Only facebook, but the homepage have more old stuff. Facebook is more of whats gonna happen.
Let's talk Candlemass 2016 and beyond..what will you guys be doing this year? I know Mats Levén just joined up as the new, permanent vocalist...also you are working on a four song EP slated for a 2016 release which I know fans are very eagerly waiting for….talk about Mats' new position as vocalist and the EP. Any new tours lined up? festivals?
L.J. : The EP will be released in July, and we will do some festivals, South America in April, and we will have some more 30 year anniversary gigs in 2016.
Candlemass trivia time! We need to hear some other things about you guys besides the fact you play awesome music. Can I get some interesting facts about the others that I'm sure fans would find interesting? any hobbies? other interests such as sports or books?
Mats "Mappe" Björkman (guitar) : Leif is actually a very good fotball player and I am a totally diehard fan of Laurel and Hardy ...haha…
Edited by Heather Williams Photo : Beatric Endling Candlemass, Death Thy Lover (Naplam Records) Out on June 03 2016 www.candlemass.se/doom/
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