self disembowelment
First off why did you choose name DEVOURMENT?
Actually Brad Fincher, our original drummer came up with the name. This was the end of 1996 if I’m not mistaken. He just thought it was a cool name, as do I.
Try to describe your music style for those unaware who you are if ever someone still exists.
Straight up, in your face, brutal death metal. We try to avoid constant speed and mix it up with groove and mid tempo sections. We don’t incorporate guitar solos, we are not a band that focuses on melody and atmosphere. You can expect a nonstop assault from beginning to end, every single song we play.
Standard question...who or what inspires you?
Musically we are all inspired by the old school death metal bands we grew up listening to. Also, the negative aspects of life that allow us to vent pent up frustration we have from day to day life.
What do you listen at home? Which bands do you like?
My personal tastes are very broad. As far as death metal goes, about 90% of what I listen to is the death metal bands I grew up with from the early 90’s. I like a lot of new stuff as well, but I’m real picky about the newer bands out there. I listen to a lot of thrash, which I also grew up on. I love jazz, classic rock, a lot of mellow rock, depends on my mood.
Let‘s come to your music....are you preparing something new after the promo stuff you have released last year in September? I‘ve heard you want to record "Butcher The Weak" once again....is it true? How long did writing of „Butcher the Weak“take?
Butcher the Weak has been written over a period of about 6 years. In fact, I wrote several of the songs on the album right after I wrote Babykiller in 2000. And we did indeed re-record Butcher the Weak. It sounds about 1,000 times better than the first release. It was recorded correctly this time, it was very relaxed and we a lot more prepared as a band. It has been out for about 7 months now and is out on Brutal Bands records.
Your line-up has changed a lot opposite debut album. Why have you left bass guitar and run to vocals?
When we reformed, our original vocalist Wayne Knupp was going to do vocals, but a few months into it decided to leave the band due to some serious personal issues that he had to focus his life on. There was no hard feeling and we remain great friends. I didn’t really trust anyone else as a front man other than Wayne or Ruben, and Ruben wanted to focus on guitar, so I decided I would take over vocals and find a new bass player. The decision was the right one as we have never been tighter and more solid as a band.
DEVOURMENT split up in 2002. Could you explain what the reason was? Who came as first with idea to reform DEVOURMENT?
It was actually1999 when we officially broke up. Certain members of the band were no longer getting along and it wasn’t fun any more. Then Ruben got arrested the same day or our CD release show for Molesting the Decapitated and that pretty much was the last straw. He got out 2 years later and tried to reform the band with pretty much all new members. I was not available to do it because I was focusing on school at the time. That didn’t work out so Ruben called it quits. Then in 2004, Ruben and I got together and decided we were gonna put out another album if it fucken killed us. So we hooked up with Eric Park to play drums and later Chris Andrews joined on bass and the lineup was solidified.
You are well-known for your work with many other bands. Disclose what all you have done?
If you are referring to my artwork, I have done shirt designs, logos and covers for many bands, including Deeds of Flesh, Vile, Carnivore Diprosopus, Guttural Secrete, Vomit Remnants, Torsofuck, to name a few. I am currently doing work for Internal Bleeding and Ruthless Beatings.
Drums and guitars are well coordinated and the vocal only adds perfection to it all... (Vocal practically shoots the breath out!!). What all do you do to sound like this? How much time do you spend together?
We try to practice often, when we have shows, we practice 3 to 5 times a week for about 2 months to make sure we are good and ready. We want people to think we are just as good or better live, than on CD. The feedback has been amazing.
I feel your metal music is still more technical. What is the reason? What actually drives you forwards?
We just want to be a band that people will jam when they are angry with the world, or just want to jam some straight up aggression. That’s our goal and that’s what we love to play.
Why have you decide to release DVD?
There was a lot of demand from fans to release concert footage, which I had tons of, so it just seemed logical to do. I work at a computer graphics company and had the means to make a professional DVD so I did. They are both a lot of fun and fans should enjoy them.
Where do you want to put your creation over? What do you still want to prove in this genre? Do you still have some special dreams?
Our goal is to stay true to what we do and try to keep it as fresh as possible without deviating from our style. People know what to expect from a Devourment song, and that is what they are going to get, every time. Our dream has more than come true. We are in a band we love, and a lot of other people enjoy what we do. We never expected it to be as big as it is and to tell you the truth, I couldn’t be happier with where we are.
Oftentimes enough you are compared to bands like BRODEQUIN, DYING FETUS, or MALIGNANCY...is it honor or you feel injured if you are compared to someone?
A total honor. We have respect and enjoy all those bands you mentioned, not to mention they are friends of ours. There are a lot of bands with similar style than us, but I think we put our own twist on it and managed to stand out.
Are you going to play some festivals in the summer? Eventually some gig in Slovakia?
Yes, we are playing the Central Illinois Metalfest in July and the California Deathfest in September. We also have a European tour planned for May. Unfortunately we won’t be playing Slovakia this time around, but we will be back!
At the end I‘d like to know one more thing...who is responsible for those artworks on your CDs front covers?
The first album cover was a photograph taken by Joel Peter Witkin and I did the cover art for Butcher the Weak. The artist for the next album cover is a secret.
Vetala
Actually Brad Fincher, our original drummer came up with the name. This was the end of 1996 if I’m not mistaken. He just thought it was a cool name, as do I.
Try to describe your music style for those unaware who you are if ever someone still exists.
Straight up, in your face, brutal death metal. We try to avoid constant speed and mix it up with groove and mid tempo sections. We don’t incorporate guitar solos, we are not a band that focuses on melody and atmosphere. You can expect a nonstop assault from beginning to end, every single song we play.
Standard question...who or what inspires you?
Musically we are all inspired by the old school death metal bands we grew up listening to. Also, the negative aspects of life that allow us to vent pent up frustration we have from day to day life.
What do you listen at home? Which bands do you like?
My personal tastes are very broad. As far as death metal goes, about 90% of what I listen to is the death metal bands I grew up with from the early 90’s. I like a lot of new stuff as well, but I’m real picky about the newer bands out there. I listen to a lot of thrash, which I also grew up on. I love jazz, classic rock, a lot of mellow rock, depends on my mood.
Let‘s come to your music....are you preparing something new after the promo stuff you have released last year in September? I‘ve heard you want to record "Butcher The Weak" once again....is it true? How long did writing of „Butcher the Weak“take?
Butcher the Weak has been written over a period of about 6 years. In fact, I wrote several of the songs on the album right after I wrote Babykiller in 2000. And we did indeed re-record Butcher the Weak. It sounds about 1,000 times better than the first release. It was recorded correctly this time, it was very relaxed and we a lot more prepared as a band. It has been out for about 7 months now and is out on Brutal Bands records.
Your line-up has changed a lot opposite debut album. Why have you left bass guitar and run to vocals?
When we reformed, our original vocalist Wayne Knupp was going to do vocals, but a few months into it decided to leave the band due to some serious personal issues that he had to focus his life on. There was no hard feeling and we remain great friends. I didn’t really trust anyone else as a front man other than Wayne or Ruben, and Ruben wanted to focus on guitar, so I decided I would take over vocals and find a new bass player. The decision was the right one as we have never been tighter and more solid as a band.
DEVOURMENT split up in 2002. Could you explain what the reason was? Who came as first with idea to reform DEVOURMENT?
It was actually1999 when we officially broke up. Certain members of the band were no longer getting along and it wasn’t fun any more. Then Ruben got arrested the same day or our CD release show for Molesting the Decapitated and that pretty much was the last straw. He got out 2 years later and tried to reform the band with pretty much all new members. I was not available to do it because I was focusing on school at the time. That didn’t work out so Ruben called it quits. Then in 2004, Ruben and I got together and decided we were gonna put out another album if it fucken killed us. So we hooked up with Eric Park to play drums and later Chris Andrews joined on bass and the lineup was solidified.
You are well-known for your work with many other bands. Disclose what all you have done?
If you are referring to my artwork, I have done shirt designs, logos and covers for many bands, including Deeds of Flesh, Vile, Carnivore Diprosopus, Guttural Secrete, Vomit Remnants, Torsofuck, to name a few. I am currently doing work for Internal Bleeding and Ruthless Beatings.
Drums and guitars are well coordinated and the vocal only adds perfection to it all... (Vocal practically shoots the breath out!!). What all do you do to sound like this? How much time do you spend together?
We try to practice often, when we have shows, we practice 3 to 5 times a week for about 2 months to make sure we are good and ready. We want people to think we are just as good or better live, than on CD. The feedback has been amazing.
I feel your metal music is still more technical. What is the reason? What actually drives you forwards?
We just want to be a band that people will jam when they are angry with the world, or just want to jam some straight up aggression. That’s our goal and that’s what we love to play.
Why have you decide to release DVD?
There was a lot of demand from fans to release concert footage, which I had tons of, so it just seemed logical to do. I work at a computer graphics company and had the means to make a professional DVD so I did. They are both a lot of fun and fans should enjoy them.
Where do you want to put your creation over? What do you still want to prove in this genre? Do you still have some special dreams?
Our goal is to stay true to what we do and try to keep it as fresh as possible without deviating from our style. People know what to expect from a Devourment song, and that is what they are going to get, every time. Our dream has more than come true. We are in a band we love, and a lot of other people enjoy what we do. We never expected it to be as big as it is and to tell you the truth, I couldn’t be happier with where we are.
Oftentimes enough you are compared to bands like BRODEQUIN, DYING FETUS, or MALIGNANCY...is it honor or you feel injured if you are compared to someone?
A total honor. We have respect and enjoy all those bands you mentioned, not to mention they are friends of ours. There are a lot of bands with similar style than us, but I think we put our own twist on it and managed to stand out.
Are you going to play some festivals in the summer? Eventually some gig in Slovakia?
Yes, we are playing the Central Illinois Metalfest in July and the California Deathfest in September. We also have a European tour planned for May. Unfortunately we won’t be playing Slovakia this time around, but we will be back!
At the end I‘d like to know one more thing...who is responsible for those artworks on your CDs front covers?
The first album cover was a photograph taken by Joel Peter Witkin and I did the cover art for Butcher the Weak. The artist for the next album cover is a secret.
Vetala
