Beaten Back To Pure
Wywiad przeprowadził Bartosz Donarski
At last! A brand new full-length album of Virginia-based Beaten Back To Pure is eventually out. If there’s anybody who missed their last year debut “Southern Apocalypse” is advised to firstly look up our previous interview with Ben Hogg. Now we are in for their new record entitled like a medieval book - “The Last Refuge of the Sons of the Bitches”. If you comb your hair aside, are fond of brit-pop and your mum still investigates your CD-collection in order to find something ‘explicit’, then better say grace and go to bed now! Yeah, I’m as always into scolding pussies, but believe me, this music has to be appreciated. I have fallen head over heels in this album and I’m really happy to have it. The feeling is akin to utter admiration. No, I’m not a gay, but hell with you all, I love these guys for what they do
First and foremost, I had no idea you're a man with a golden voice. You're an angel! Is this a new dimension of the dirt metal of yours? May it have link to rapidly broadening groupies' fan base?
Ben Hogg: Are you fucking with me? It is a new ingredient in what we have been doing. Don't make more out of it than there really is. The record is still 70% harsh vox. But the other parts really seem to stand out to the folks that have checked us out all along. I think it was a necessary step, to keep things moving forward. It's progress for the good. Unlike alot of bands who say they have "matured" and then they put out an awful record. I think we've done it in a more direct way and are more emotive, but we aint forgot what has gotten us this far. Nothing to do with groupies. Though I've nothing against that sort of thing. I hope you aint saying I sound "weak" or "womanlike" or whatever, I'll take that up with your ass. Fucking with you bro.
Being more serious, do you think the sophomore aural rape is, in a sense, more accessible? You know, no doubt it's still the same ass-hacking sludge/raw music, but, in my opinion, few new elements give the new album a breeze of freshness and diversity. You took me by surprise and I love it most of all!
Shit, I covered alot of this in question #1, but I agree with the "freshness/diversity" thing you mentioned. It had alot to do with the fact we spent alot more time in the studio getting it done the way we really wanted to. Our guitarist Vince opened his own studio. He's been recording alot of local and not-so local bands’ demos and such. He's quite good. If we had to do it over, "southern apocalypse" would've been done differently. There's nothing wrong with the original version and we really dug our time with Steve Austin. But there is shit you can do with yourselves over the course of 2 months that you can't do in any studio over the course of a weekend. The new shit does catch alot of people off guard, expecting sludge for the sake of sludge. There's plenty of that sort of thing. But more than enough to fuck with some folks.
Is your mental war with our favorite hippies still going on? I hope you're constantly against hanging out with flowers in your hair!
Ugh. Fuck it exhausts me to waste time on people who aren't willing to spend time cleaning themselves. The pseudo-hippie of the 90's/00's are a useless and non-inspired breed. It's about fashion at this point. But for the few who stick to their guns and believe the rhetoric are of no use to me. "Love everyone", "peace has a chance" all them moonbeaming motherfuckers can shove their "love" up their ass. It can fit alongside their flowers. Love/Kindness doesnt belong in metal. Keep that in mind.
Your opinion on welfare and charity, please. Isn't it lovely to help the homeless and infirm? Yeah...
You're trying to bait me into ripping minorities arent you? I ain't going to do it. The word "give" is a favorite in the English language (ie: "give me a quarter"/"give me a cigarette", et al...). As you know, I'm firmly against any free ride and support the "every man for himself" theory. If you cant cut it in the REAL world, with jobs and such, and you're hungry, I have no sympathy. Human beings are the only group who drag their "weak" behind. A group of buffaloes who travel across plains, the unwilling/unable to contribute are allowed to struggle behind the herd and eventually are killed. Thus allowing the best of their kind to carry on. A bit more use of our primal instincts would do mankind a great deal of good.
I assume it may be surprising, judging by what you create, but I know you're a fan of black metal as well. What's rolling in your CD-player right now? As well as I recollect last time it was Swedish Panzer Division. Besides, I have a feeling you're not that much into death metal as a true American ought to be. Man, you out there boast of the genre as fuck! You seem to act contrarily.
I am completely into death metal as well. I hope I didn't confuse you. My philosophy is that I enjoy the top 10% of bands in each genre (death/black/grind/doom/crust/etc....) I've been a metal head since I was 12 and devoted since 14 or so. I'm now 30. I've seen every trend come and go, I seem to go in 6 month cycles, enjoying one genre more than another. Right now I'm listening to everything from Fornicator and Meatshits to The Rubes. I like good music. I like good metal. I think we fall in that category.
What's the worst thing about Yankees present-day? Do they still consider themselves as the fucking trendsetters?
Shit, I better be ginger here. We are aiming to play some northern shows shortly. Their way of life smacks of hippie dripping spuzz. New York is drenched in multicultural mess. Take 1 step forward, then two backwards. Trying to be everything to everyone. It's a battle that can only go on so long and appease so many. Overall I detest the manor that they portray the Southern USA on their fucking television programs and such. Presenting their lack of any specific loyalties to be a grand thing. We are one United States and I'll support them over any outsiders, but that goddamn overwhelming attitude is unrelenting and I have little use for my time amongst that style of human.
Your debut was produced by Steve Austin. It changed on the new record. Nevertheless, I feel " The Last..." is even better done! Who is behind the production masterpiece this time?
I covered this also. I think the total recording style changed everything this time around. From new/different equipment to one of our own guys working the knobs. It is alot better, but that isn't a crack at Steve. We had little time to do our part and he had less to do his. It was a crunchtime scenario. Best wishes to Steve and Austin Enterprises, but I cant foresee any reasone we'd ever record outside of Vince's Sniper Studios at this point. When BBtP is long gone, I believe that Vince will continue on with his studio, he's always been sort of a "sound geek", unhappy with this or that. Now he's got the bull by the balls and if he doesnt like it it aint on the record.
Last time when we had a verbal encounter, you told me that there's a possibility for you to do a split with Blessing The Hogs. Has this become a reality? To be frank, I haven't heard of the CD ever since.
No, I suppose that one fell through. It happens. I was jacked about it, but no-one on that end seemed to be. I heard Billy Anderson, super producer/BTH member is the proud owner of a BBtP shirt. Maybe the it was a label thing. It was never more than a verbal thing. It didnt happen, whatever. We'll move on. It would've been cool, but there are new opportunities coming up regularly. Maybe BTH would be into it one day. We'll be here.
You often say - "take it easy". Is this your way of living down there in the plains of South?
I dont know if that's a southern thing really. It's just another way of saying "goodbye", I suppose. And when I've enjoyed someone's company for any length of time, I genuinely hope they "take it easy". That's about it.
Once you said - "the scene here is pretty shitty". I guess you don't give a shit about trendy pussies, then why?
It was more a statement about the lack of venues locally. But for the record, yeah, most local Southern Virginia bands are terrible. All jump metal or just plain shit. Mugwart just broke up. Now it's us and Stank that still wave the banner of whatever it is we do. We are still low on venues but that will be on the upswing. Mainly because I've been doing all the legwork promoting shows and making sure they come off.
I read that throughout the years you have been being banned at some venues. Where's the problem? Thought you ain't bother of that sort of issues. You don't rip sluts in your lyrics!
Early on I did alot of bloodletting on stage. Some clubowners didnt dig getting their equipment covered in that. I went for a more over the top live show. Breaking every bottle I got ahold of. Fortunately for us, some bar owners recognized our fans as serious drinkers and wanted them as customers. At that point we could do no wrong. I dont think lyrical content had anything to do with anything. In the tune "Syphilis" some pretty unsavory things are said. ha. Typical death lyrics are tiresome and I personally believe I can never be shocked by a songtitle again. That is no longer a bar of measure.
Don't you think BBTP is a band which one either loves or hates and nothing in between? Personally, I think it's an exceptional privilege of bands who dare to be themselves.
Absolutely, I believe that to be true. We dont fit into any stupid category, be it death or sludge or whatever. If someone believes that buying a Hate Eternal album, listening to 35 mins of regular brutal death metal, not remembering a single riff and claiming to be their biggest fans, is the way to go, then we aint your band. We believe the musicality in (metal) music has gone to shit. What's wrong with a 12 
string passage with a clean vocal that has a killer metal payoff at the end. That's songwriting. Not piecing together 10 riffs, in no particular order, and calling in "track 3" on the record. It has never been our intention, but our songs seem to cross alot of lines, from the black/death purists, to the stoner crowd, to the rock and roll guy in the corner of the gig. That's just how it is. Nothing has ever been planned that way. It's my belief that anyone into death/sludge/doom/southern rock/ or just well played rock and fucking roll, could dig what we do. But if they don't. Fuck em.
Let's focus for a moment on the acoustic passages. I really appreciate it has nothing to do with country music. Has this anything in common with presumable MTV Unplugged exposure?
Just because we are southerners, make no mistake, I HATE country music. Fucking mindless drivel. I'm glad you realize that those two things have nothing in common. I have never watched an MTV unplugged anything. I'm familiar with the concept. I'm not fascinated by it enough to even tune in. You presumed too much. It has nothing to do with that. Alot of older tracks (Sabbath/Tull/Cooper) will chuck in an eerie acoustic part, that is alot more relatable with the shit we do, when we do that shit. MTV? Fuck no.
I hate talking on lyrics, for it feels like editorial lack of ideas, even though I'm really anxious about the songs entitled "Syphilis". What the hell the one deals with? Bad experiences? Ha, ha, ha!
The song title existed long before the actual song. I jot down shit that I think might be cool, and that was from way back. We did the track on the demo, and rerecorded it with Steve Austin. We weren't real happy with the way that one specific track came out, so we didnt use it and saved it for this record. It's a good song. No personal experience with syphilis. I've had the clap twice. That's bad enough for me. I never tried syphilis on for size. I imagine it's fucking not the way to go.
I like also the instrumental ejaculation in "Carry Me Back To Old Virginny". Isn't it the most dynamic track on the album?
I dont know, Mr. Reviewer man, you tell me. I could easily be the most dynamic tune. When it was being created, I just told the guys that it was gonna be a bitch to come up with stuff for this song and recommended it as a possible instrumental. Vince liked the idea and really went for it. I think it came out really cool. It's the one track I dont listen to myself on, so I can really just enjoy it. Expect another one on the next album. Nothing has been written yet, but it gives the fellows a chance to really let their musician muscles flex. I think it's killer.
What new can we expect on your further musical war you’ll be waging with glam rock and jumping wannabe trendy assholes?
Damn, the new record just hit the streets and we just started writing new shit. I wish I had more insight, but so far there isn't any specific route we've been testing out. One tune in progress is a total leap. Fuck it's cool/sick. We'll see how it turns out. Right now it's way to early to call.
Before I stop thrashing out I have a polite request/question to you. What can I do to become your honorary southern brother? Is a long beard a necessity? Any diploma or something?
Well, being true to your word is the number one thing. If you say you're gonna press 1000 albums and us and every band involved are promised 50 per pressing, than live up to your end of the bargain. That goes to all label runners out there. Chris has had a multi-year history of being straight with us. We don't expect anything unreasonable from a label his size, but we do expect the letter of the law. He's maintained that trust, implicitly. You are a proven great guy Bart and we appreciate your support of both albums. If you have a really long beard, we'll think about it. If you go to www.beatenbacktopure.com, that'll help alot too. Take it easy man.
Bart Donarski
