Banishment
Wywiad przeprowadził Wouter Roemers
California has given the death metal scene lots of worthwhile acts over the years. From pulverizing brutal acts as Disgorge and Deeds Of Flesh to technically brilliantly accomplished combos as Brain Drill, Decrepit Birth or Vile. Los Angeles-based Banishment deliver a more old school approach to the California sound, being firmly rooted in the foundations laid down by long-standing genre institutions as Immolation and Incantation. Debuting recently on Czech Republic's Lacerated Enemy Records with the formidable "Cleansing the Infirm" Masterful Magazine caught up with guitarist and main composer Billy Clapp. He was eager to talk about the debut of Banishment, their deal with Lacerated Enemy Records and the American death metal scene in general.First off, I'd like to thank you for taking time to speak with me today. Since this is your first time on Masterful Magazine, would you care to introduce Banishment to our readers. The sort of brief history, kind of thing, you know?
Thank you, bro! This is the first interview we've done and the review you gave "Cleansing the Infirm" was awesome! It sounds like you understood our approach to writing the kind of death metal we do. Anyway I'm Billy, the guitar player, Imer is on vocals, Jorge is the drummer, but unfortunately he has to take a break from playing due to personal stuff, and Dave is on bass. Basically, I've been playing with Jorge for about 7 years now and Imer joined about 4 years ago and we've been writing songs and playing since then. Dave came in to play with us about 2 years ago but has really been more of an excellent manager for the band than anything, haha.
Tell us something about the concept and the meaning of the title from this debut album, "Cleansing the Infirm"? How long was the process of putting the album together, as far as writing the music, the concept and arrangements is concerned?
The album was actually ready to be recorded back in 2006, but at that time I was on my way to go to school out in Colorado, so it got postponed for a couple years unfortunately. I wrote all the songs with Jorge over a period of about 4 years and Imer came up with all the lyrics and the overall concept of the album over that time. Most of the songs are actually about 5 years old now, so I am very sick of hearing them, haha. I still think they're great songs and all, but the new stuff I've been writing is on a whole other level.
With the album finished and available worldwide, what do you regard as the most accomplished song in hindsight?
Personally, I am most proud of 'Obscure Benevolence' and the title track. I think 'Obscure Benevolence' is the most well written track on the album. It's the perfect length, the structure and arrangement has a great flow and it is a pretty dynamic song for the album, I'd say. 'Cleansing the Infirm' is great because it is just a constant onslaught of brutality, but it still flows really and it has a good amount of range in the riffing.
"Cleansing the Infirm" is a great US death metal album on all aspects, one that doesn't fear to slow down when the song calls for it, resulting in a creepy and evil atmosphere. Although, I must say, the significant lack of shredding leads/solos does leave a void. Why weren't there any leads/solos done?
I honestly felt that the songs were written with no room for leads. I think a solo should only be put in a song when it's called for or else it just sounds forced and can sometimes really ruin the flow a song. I mean there are a couple lead parts on the album, but no actual solos. In the new stuff I'm writing there will be a lot more lead work and some actual solos here and there. overall the guitar playing will be much more dynamic on the next album.
The album is graced with an incredible organic and warm sounding production that is very easy to listen to while retaining enough grittiness. I take it you are satisfied with the studios you've worked with to produce and mix this record?
Actually, the production has been a big issue with a few members of the band including myself. I think the mix we ended up using is way too dirty and the drums and guitar tone just sound like shit. But a few days ago Adrian, the guy who recorded us, called me up and was pissed that we ended using a bad mix. There was actually another one that for some reason we just didn't end up using in the end. So, now I have a much better mix of the album and hopefully we can have the next pressing be with this better one.
The stunning artwork of "Cleansing the Infirm" is courtesy of the very popular Pär Olofsson. Did he manage to translate your ideas, themes and concepts to the canvas? What in particular has drawn you to the art of Pär Olofsson?
He did an amazing job on the artwork and I am still blown away whenever I look at it. I think it's one of his best. We honestly couldn't have asked for it to be any better or spot on with translating our obscure idea we had for an album cover to begin with.
This new album is a perfect little death metal record that harkens back to the genre's earlier days, yet it does manage to surprise here and there. Do you use a lot of time on trying to vary the music or is it something that just comes naturally?
It all just comes naturally from the heart and soul, but back when I wrote these songs I still spent time trying to perfect them. I would never go pick up my guitar and try to write a song though, it would all just come from messing around and soon a riff idea would come up and then I would spend a lot of time developing the riff to its fullest potential. I'm really glad to hear you say it's reminiscent of the early days of death metal because that's when the genre was at it prime. My main influences when writing the album were mostly Morbid Angel, Suffocation, and Immolation, but I also took a lot of influence from a few modern bands like Disgorge, Decrepit Birth and Deeds of Flesh.
This record comes to us by way of Lacerated Enemy Records. Are you happy the way they handled the record, regarding distribution, marketing and promotion? How has the label been accommodating the band's needs?
Zdenek at Lacerated Enemy Records has done so much amazing stuff for us. He truly has done a great job in every aspect of marketing and promotion. He's a very cool guy too and we can't thank him enough for being so patient with us, haha. We signed with him back in 2006 and he had to wait 2 years for the album!
What are your views on the state of the death metal scene as it stands today? A few years ago it was really stagnating, but now it seems to be slowly on the way up. Would you agree?
Very good question! Yes and no. I think the genre of death metal is recognized a lot more these days, but I think it's getting recognition for the wrong reasons. Most new death metal bands that come out nowadays are way too focused on how technical they can make a song sound or how fast they can play and totally forget the importance of songwriting. A lot of new stuff I hear sounds like a bunch of crazy riffs just thrown together with no emotion or flow in them and in the end it's just going to get old after a while. I'm not saying technicality is a bad thing, but music shouldn't be technical for the sake of being technical, but if it comes naturally that way than that's great. A good example of this is the band Spawn of Possession or Martyr. Both of those bands write the most technical music I've ever heard, but they still have well written songs with catchiness and memorable parts. I can tell when listening to those bands that it's just the way they naturally write music, it's not a forced thing. All the timeless death metal releases are so timeless because they have good songs, not just riffs, but full well developed, catchy songs. To name a few: "Covenant" by Morbid Angel, "Here in After" by Immolation, and "Pierced from Within" by Suffocation. Not to say those aren't technical albums because they are. Death metal in general is one of the most technical styles of music, but you can tell when it comes naturally or when it's forced. I could seriously go on forever about this topic, so I'll stop before I end up writing a whole essay on it.
What do you think make a good death metal song? Is it the speed, the groove, the extremity, the catchiness or something entirely different?
I pretty much answered this in the last question, but yea the most important thing to me is that a song is well written and well structure. Catchiness a very important too because that's an element that makes a song the most memorable.
The death metal scene in California has become quite famous over the years, with bands such as Brain Drill, Flesh Consumed, Odious Mortem and Decrepit Birth alongside veterans like Deeds Of Flesh, Disgorge and Vile. Are there any new bands you think should be mentioned?
Only other one I can think of off the top of my head is Severed Savior. Their newest album "Servile Insurrection" is really good. California definitely has some of the best and most influential brutal death metal bands out there and all the dudes in Decrepit Birth and Disgorge are some of the coolest most laid back guys in the whole scene!
Now with an excellent debut album under your belt can the audience expect you on stage through out Europe soon?
I would love to tour Europe so much! If that was a possibility right now I would drop everything else I'm doing and hop on a plane. Our drummer Jorge is taking a break from playing music because he has a family to take care of and support, so we haven't even been jamming lately. I've recently started working with a new drummer who's a good friend of mine and whenever he learns the album we will start to play some shows.
What are your nearest future plans?
Right now I'm writing a lot of new material so hopefully we can record a promo of new songs with the new drummer within the next few months and play some damn shows already!
Thanks for the interview! Good luck with all your future endeavours. I would like to extend my praise for a killer debut album. The last words are yours.
Thank you, bro, for asking a lot of great questions! I'm glad you like the album! Take care!
Info/booking: www.laceratedenemy.com
