Bloodsoaked
Wywiad przeprowadził Wouter Roemers
With a new album "Sadistic Deeds...Grotesque Memories" due April 17th via Comatose Music Raleigh, North Carolina one-man death metal act Bloodsoaked has reason to be proud. With its debut album "Brutally Butchered" getting favourable critics and having had a regional tour in support of it, Peter Hasslebrack is a man dedicated to his craft. "Sadistic Deeds...Grotesque Memories" is another sanguine platter of skull-pounding death metal in its most pure and traditional form. Masterful Magazine recently sat down with Peter Hasslebrack to discuss his new album, the shooting of the band's first promotional video clip, his love for Obituary and the state of the extreme metal scene in North Carolina.
Hi Peter! Thanks for doing this interview with us! What are you currently up to?
Well, the new CD has just went to press and I have a few upcoming shows before the 18 date "Slaughtering The South III" Tour. After that I have a bunch of other single shows as well as some festivals I will be playing. I am also going to Mexico to play for my first time outside the USA.
Bloodsoaked consists of only yourself doing vocals, guitars, bass and drum programming. Was the one-man set up a decision taken out of sheer necessity due to the fact that no suitable musicians could be found or was the band a studio project at first?
When I first started Bloodsoaked I looked for band members for about 6 months, I tried out a few people and I just did not find anyone that fit where I wanted to go with Bloodsoaked. It then became a studio only project that has now progressed into a full blown touring band.
Comatose Music released and distributed the first Bloodsoaked album "Brutally Butchered". Were you friends with Steve Green (Atrocious Abnormality, Lust Of Decay) prior to signing with the label?
I knew Steve from when I used to run Bloodsoaked Promotions as well as Bloodsoaked Records, but we never met. We did some trades and I did some promotions for his releases with Bloodsoaked Promotions early on.
"Brutally Butchered" was a great exercise in hulking and dark old school death metal, pretty much influenced by Death's early records, (early) Cannibal Corpse and (classic) Morbid Angel. Do you feel that this brand of death metal is slightly forgotten these last years?
Yes, it seems like death metal keeps going more and more extreme and technical than it was back in the late 80's, early 90's. Seems like everyone wants to be the fastest band or be able to play 1000 notes a second. I love all styles of death metal but my true love is for old school death metal that is solid and catchy. I try to pay tribute to the old death metal bands with my music.
Your new album "Sadistic Deeds...Grotesque Memories" is due April 17th via Comatose Music. In what ways do you feel you have improved compared to your debut from a couple of years ago?
The first thing you will notice is the production is massive in every way from the guitars, bass, vocals and the drums, the production on this album is crushing! I have also become a better song writer over the past two years since "Brutally Butchered" was released and it shows on the new album. I also spent time writing with Brent Williams (drummer for Atrocious Abnormality) and Pete Stroupe (Lust of Decay, Novgorod, Infensus Inferi) for a few songs on the CD and it made me break out of my box for a bit and try different things, and it paid off.
The playing on this new record is once again impeccable. It being both highly technical while remaining relatively accessible in song structures and the programmed drums sound very organic. Have you ever considered hiring a studio drummer and taking the drum computer for on the road?
I have thought about working with a studio drummer but working with the programmed drums just works best for me. I can tweak and tweak and tweak everything till it is perfect. On this album I worked with Shane Mcfee (producer/engineer) and he did the actual drum programming for this album. Shane and I would work the drum patterns together and then he did the actual programming. Shane also mixed and mastered the album and did a tremendous job.
This new album also features a cover of Obituary's 'Gates to Hell' from their 1989 milestone debut "Slowly We Rot". The band's name is also derived from a track of Obituary's "Slowly We Rot" record. I guess it is safe to assume you are somewhat of a fanatic of these Florida death metallers?
Yes, Obituary is one of my favourite death metal bands of all time. They are still releasing classic death metal 20 years later. 'Gates To Hell' is my favourite Obituary song and I always wanted to cover it so when I was writing the new album I knew I had to do it and I feel it turned out great!
This is the second record you did for Comatose Music. The label seems to be growing and expanding with each consecutive release. What was so appealing about Comatose Music for you to sign Bloodsoaked with them?
Comatose Music has been a very solid death metal label since the very beginning and has released a ton of good albums. I have seen Comatose Music grow each year for the past 6-7 years and just felt it was a perfect fit. Steve has supported Bloodsoaked from the beginning and I could not be happier!!!
Recently a video was shot for 'Rotting in Filth', which was directed by Blake Faucette and Jesse Knight. It appears to be shot in some derelict warehouse. Tell us something about the making of this video.
This was the first professional video I ever shot and it was a weird but great experience at the same time. I hope to do another one for the song 'Existence Denied'. Yeah, it was shot in a warehouse and the cut-in scenes were from a horror movie that was never made. I am very proud of this video, the result was better than I ever expected.
You have taken Bloodsoaked on the road twice already, on the "Slaughtering the South" tours in and around your area. Has there ever been any interest from Europe to bring you over to some stages here?
I have had some interest from a promoter in Europe and I am hoping to work something out for 2010 but that is still a while away. I would love to get overseas and play, that is a big dream of mine.
I can imagine touring has to become a lot less stressful with no other people travelling along, compared to bands in the traditional set-up. Have you experienced any downsides on being a one-man band on the road?
There has been no downside to being a one-man band, I would never change it. There is no stress and I can decide when and where I play, I make all the decisions so I love it, Bloodsoaked will always be just me!
I'm curious what the future will bring for Bloodsoaked. Could you tell us about future plans, shows and projects?
My main focus right now is promoting the new album and playing as many shows as I can. I hope to keep pushing Bloodsoaked to get bigger and bigger and keep growing my fan base one fan at a time.
You hail from Raleigh, North Carolina – is there much of a metal scene? South Carolina is quite a hotbed for extreme metal with acclaimed acts as Lecherous Nocturne, Nile, etc.
There is not much of a death metal scene here in Raleigh or anywhere else in the US for that matter. There are small pockets of places that seem to have a good amount of death metal fans but there does not seem to be a place where death metal is thriving in the US. There are tons of good bands it's just a matter of getting people to know about them. Death metal is underground and it always will be…..No doubt about it!
Do you have anything to say or add? The space below is yours.
I wanted to thank Masterful Magazine for this interview. I would also like to thank all the Bloodsoaked fans from all over the world, with-out you Bloodsoaked is nothing!
Info/booking: www.comatosemusic.com
