Hanna Tsepesh: Moro K.Tormentor! Thanks so much for accepting this interview and Welcome to THE GATES OF METAL! First of all: how are you?
K.Tormentor: First of all, pleasure is entirely by my side, so thank you for doing great job with THE GATES OF METAL. I truly appreciate your work. I have been quite busy and also little bit tired last couple of days struggling with schedules between my current job and school I went in recently (yes, I am a hairy adult and I don´t even know what the fuck I was thinking of) meanwhile giving some concentration on music too. Actually I have given myself a permission to take couple of next following days totally off and just relax, though already feeling guilt. But don´t worry, maybe I can live along with that, (laughs). That´s just the way I am. Total work-a-holic crook. Hope this rhythm does not lead to early cardiac arrest. This is actually pretty good time to do this interview, because there is a certain compulsion to have this little break, sit down and blow out a little steam.
Hanna Tsepesh: (laughs) I think you can live with that and thanks to take your time for this interview. For those who do not know the band, could tell us a little how it all started? You are searching for more band members?
K.Tormentor: Perdition Now is actually consequence of long-term musical vision I have been planning for a long time, born years ago. Active work with music and birth of this musical concept were given last December 2009. I started to invest money in recording equipment and better instrumental tools again since I spent approximately five years of total musical break while not touching a single instrument. The oldest stuff is made up decade ago or something like that, while I was playing with my former band. Music is absolutely natural creation mixed up with metal genres I favor the most like old way of thrash metal, old way of technical death metal and that little hint of more “blackened” music. I did not have any particular need to use MIDI-things, but once I tested things, it sounded exactly that complicated and “deranged” as I was dreamt about for a long time. This first one (release) contains only marginal amount of MIDI-things because I just wanted to create some certain atmosphere with those things and nothing more. I have always been in love with atonal, eerie and confusing melodies and Perdition Now is all about stirring powerful and hammering guitar tunes with spooky melodies. I have never stricken through an option to have other permanent members in line-up too. In fact, I tried to have some members in the beginning but soon find it difficult to meet someone with clear dedication and required interest. This is just dedication for music and only for music itself without any secondary values. So I made up my mind to go by my own. Maybe there will be some guest appearances in the near future, but if someone really is willing to have a permanent place in PN, there must be extremely strong engagement for the music and nothing else really counts. For example, playing skills are not so significant measure for me as I choose people around to work with. Everything starts from passion and helps with many things if man is filled with attitude.
Hanna Tsepesh: What inspired you the most to create the lyrics?
K.Tormentor: I have never been too complicated with the lyrics. Too unclear and twisted metaphors create unclear vision about the song, I think. If song is a heart, then lyrics are a head. Sense and explanation for all what you take in and process. I have always tried to be clear with this part without having any trouble to use English language. I guess things behind my songs are more clear with lyrics spoken out with easy expression as music itself is very complex and maybe too dissonant for some listeners. Lyrical themes are all about weakness of humanity and our lost opportunity to have “real paradise”. I take my biggest influences from common daily living, by reading daily news for instance, reading magazines, following dumb acts of people around. From the real and existing things if you see what I mean. The second big influence is psychological side of humanity. For example, envious and greed character, Egoistic way to see the world, opportunism to have always some benefit out of so called “friends”. Release is all about getting juice squeezed out from someone and then simply take trashes out. Who wants to be a toy for one play really? We are also very willing to label everything around us. If some highly educated fag sees you are crazy, then he signs an official document about it and no one asks you ever again what you really are. That´s the point around Diem Perdidi. Human fate of that story is locked out and labeled insane without possibility to prove anything against that “official” statement. Those things are and will be the main issues inside my music. I think no one expects “beautiful” melodies with those lyrical themes. I have never been attracted toward things that are distant and unfamiliar. That´s why there´s no any lyrics about explosions, massacres or killing, for instance. I want to be closer with my music and lyrics and “live inside songs”. Though music (in some ears) might be categorized as black metal, I want to underline that PN has nothing to do with that genre. I´ll never write about relations between god and satan or about other substances concerning religions, If there was no some other point of view why I end up writing something which can be linked in that subject. But still I want to make it clear that I don´t give a fuck about religions at all.
Hanna Tsepesh: What are your favorite bands? You have any musician that you admire the most?
K.Tormentor: There´s plenty of excellent bands. It would take about one century to figure out every band I really like representing very various styles of metal and rock music. For instance, I really love Katatonia´s new album. That gray shade of music to describe depressive things. Atmosphere on it was really something I liked a lot. Then I usually listen to old thrash and death metal bands like Slayer and Kreator. “Coma of souls” kicks really some ass. Still Sentenced is my very first and the biggest paragon. I was very shocked about Miikka Tenkula´s early death. That man was a genius with the guitar and I wish him the best of sleep somewhere there above our cognition, rest in peace man. Luckily I had an opportunity to see them playing during their funeral tour. But that´s the man I greatly admire. Remarkably outstanding musician. Anyway, I respect metal musicians having true dedication with music itself but that´s one individual above the others for me. I am happy Sentenced is buried with honor without any comeback-things. I am totally sick of this trend of “comebacks”. It is a straight lie towards fans around the world if you first announce “we quit” and then next year you do a tour or record a new album. Sometimes I even think it´s a trick to increase sales and nothing more. Old crooks are missing more their lost profits and not missing the music itself. But of course that ´s just what I think. Let´s just say I admire the people in these circles having greater values than money.
Hanna Tsepesh: And I also agree with you! So, we are two and I think more people think the same away! I would like to know if you had or have any guttural technique lessons?
K.Tormentor: Did it sound like I had one? Well, I have never ever taken any particular lessons. I think it´s a mix of natural form of throat and some learnt things like breathing right and storing some air in the middle of throat. I started to growl at age of 14, I guess. I growled in my first recorded demo when I was sixteen years old. Then there was almost ten years break without growling. I rehearsed only classic singing and thought it leaves me more options with music if I could handle both growling and clean singing. My goal was to have sharp and cutting but still depressed sound with vocals in promo. Actually, I did vocals pretty much in one row. Thus I wanted to have a natural expression instead of clean, overproduced and contrived shit. Listeners are of course the ones to tell me whether I succeeded or not. I think rehearsing growls would cause plastic, soulless and industrial-sounding result. So, I want to stay as natural as possible.
Hanna Tsepesh: Is not that (laughs) some people have some kind of training or something. Can you tell to our readers what they can expect from this promo?
K.Tormentor: It´s not easy material. I think some things may take some time to open up to listener. Anyway, it´s better off not to expect common structure in songs. Also, I have a feeling that promo is not at its best for those insisting beautiful, predictable and balanced melody lines or “guitar hooks”. Still these songs are quite simple and in some rational shape, so songs are not just fifteen consecutive riffs wandering aimlessly. So it´s easier to expect something odd and moody having still good touch of old thrash/technical death metal. Damn, how difficult it is to tell what to expect, really. Just clear your mind, turn off the lights, close your eyes and press play. That´s the way Perdition Now serves itself in its best. Was this expressed uncleanly enough?
Hanna Tsepesh: Can you tell to us how as the whole process to recording this promo? You do everything on this cd, it was a difficult process for you?
K.Tormentor: I found it pretty simple to work by my own with songs and recordings. I was very happy that nothing really rushed me during the sessions. I didn´t have any schedule at all. I kept reminding myself that nothing and no one is expecting this, so I have even one lifetime to do required things with required quality. Of course I wanted to draw the line for myself somewhere and thought I am satisfied if promo is recorded and produced before the beginning of autumn 2010. I did not want to have clinical and lifeless result, so my will was not at any point to have entirely groun and polished surface that sounds overproduced. I think scratches and even little technical mistakes is part of thrashing metal music as long as they don´t disturb entirety. Just think how fucked up album for example “and justice for all” would be without its stuffy and shredding sound? Think “Seasons in the abyss” without its angry and rebellious sound. I hope you really understand what´s my point in this. Anyway, I began to record guitars on march taking little steps ahead slowly but sure. Actually I have planned to track up total of five songs. In fact, I did track two more songs up but decided to drop both out from actual record later. Another song was actually good song but I was stricken with a feeling it ´s not honest enough. Another song was left behind in the end of productive work. I started to feel song is not good enough to be released and I couldn’t ´t release something that I don ´t stand behind one hundred percent. Even my friend that also designed artwork said that song is not good enough as he compared it with other songs. So I ended up working with three songs only. I am sure I made just right decision. Mixing and mastering sessions were my very first ones. Yet in this part I did last solutions with arrangements and basic sounds. I have to tell you it was not the easiest piece of this cake to rub elbows with those same fucking riffs every single day during the process. Sometimes I sat down for entire day gazing those fucking annoying waves from my computer ´s screen almost around the clock repeating exactly same lines hundreds and hundreds of times without any satisfaction. It took about two-three weeks to work with basic sound. Vocals took most of my time since I did all this work at my home and surroundings to create living sound were not the best possible ones. Then at the door of the hottest summer I made some test versions and sent them to my friend asking his opinion too. It was relieving to have other point of view and, by that move, perceive better direction I am dragging sounds to. Mastering was pretty much with the same formula. Having an exact and “pedant” mixing result, it was way more easy to move on for mastering that CD. Sound processing was ready in the middle of July. Artwork was ready too pretty much at the same time. Actually, if I want to be precise I did not work completely by my own because arts of record are a fine hand print of my graphically skilled friend. I told him what I am expecting and it took nearly one morning from him to take care of the rest, (laughs). That was not so long-term project at all. In fact, logo of band was born that same morning. I am glad he had no life that morning, (laughs). To sum it up, recordings were fun and processing the sound was not so fun, but I don´t see I had any particular difficulties. Maybe I am made for playing and not for knobs.
Hanna Tsepesh: If one of our readers wants to buy your promo, what they can do?
K.Tormentor: unfortunately, readers can’t do anything if reader wants to buy this. First of all, there´s no need to buy, because all the songs can be found online, including cover arts. If someone prefers more CD, then just go ahead and download the songs. Promo was literally meant to be uncommercial window for public relations. As it name also tells the same, promo is for promotional work only. I did not want to have the first touch to listeners with something that costs money, because I hate business-oriented thinking with arts, and I see music is a great shape of art that belongs to everyone who wants to enjoy it. I personally don´t give one single fuck whether I made a dime or two with this as long as I am entirely free to decide how these things go. I am just glad if I can offer a pleasure for someone by this art and I think I don´t show any disrespect to my music though I am not asking any money for it by now. I am not the servant of money. I have only three copies of original CD left in my closet and maybe I can give one copy to someone who really is willing to have it. So, I could maybe have a little competition for one copy through this interview. So readers: Send me your full physical address and hit me with couple of comments about my music via e-mail: perdition.now@hotmail.com . Most dedicated answer will receive an original print and I contact the winner personally. Remember, I respect sincerity, so you don´t have to praise the music. If you think music is shit, then explain clearly why.
Hanna Tsepesh: what is your favorite music in this promo and why?
K.Tormentor: I can´t classify those songs, because it would feel I have to rank my own children. I am proud for everything in promo and, as I said earlier, I did not want to release anything unpleasant. I stand behind everything I´ve done. Maybe it´s someone else´s job to rank them. I think this is quite usual answer you receive when you ask this.
Hanna Tsepesh: What are the future plains for PERDITION NOW?
K.Tormentor: Well, I am already composing new music. It´s too early to enlighten the musical direction, but I think I´ve pretty much found that style that pleases me the most. That´s a fact that next one will be produced with different tools and next time there is more than three songs. I have dream of having a full-length album as PN´s next release but time shows what´s coming up. It is more likely to have something self-financed and self-produced out. So, I am not chasing a record deal with blood and teeth. If I wanted to sign one, I would want to be sure label is dedicated to music. Of course I´ve approached some labels, but only those clearly having passion to right things. Now I am promoting my current release and waiting feedback. Then we will see how all things go.
Hanna Tsepesh: What is your opinion about the metal in your country (Finland)? It is easy to get some support?
K.Tormentor: I think we have an excellent scene and great future. Lots of talented bands around with very many-sided styles. Of course people around the world know our big heavy metal names the best, but then there ´s excellent death metal bands, some excellent thrash metal bands, some great black metal names too. I think we have very good communities for little names and excellent work with so called “underground”. It is simple and easy to stay updated with national scene. I think simple and in-your-face styled things are most popular things here in Finland when it comes to metal. Then there ´s some names doing little bit of more “disturbed” art and having a great support at the same time. But I see our metal scene is doing very well. Getting support depends on how much work one is ready to do to get support. If you stay active and maybe already know some people inside these circles, it is lot easier to get support than if you stay passive without an extra effort and don´t know anyone. This kind of one man´s inventions may easily be seen as a joke, so you have to convince that you are serious with things you do. There´s always a little doubt with things that are “new” and “odd”. In the end, you get that much support you deserve. I am not personally taking any pressure out of it.
Hanna Tsepesh: Do you want to send any message for the people who going to read this interview?
K.Tormentor: I think I´ve said quite much about the band. Check out the band and let the music speak. all feedback is very welcome and every feedback gets response too. Long live madness and metal!
Hanna Tsepesh: Thanks o much for your answers and time. I wish you a great success and I hope I can interview you about your first album in the future.
K.Tormentor: Thanks for having me here. I wish you a good luck too and keep up doing your excellent work.
Hanna Tsepesh: Thank you so much! All the best for you and you don't need to thank me, it was very cool to interview you.
By: Hanna Tsepesh
To listen to some PERDITION NOW music’s and for future information’s go at:
www.myspace.com/perditionnow
www.reverbnation.com/perditionnow
