This interview was first published on www.emofag.net
Just give one single spin to the “Waterloo” split and the fact that there are fuckin’ killer bands in Spain shall be definitely printed in your mind. Among them, Another Kind Of Death is about to release their long-awaited debut album and finally get the attention they deserve. Catchy HxC Metal combining Noise elements, inventive drumming and devastating vocals parts, here’s your new favorite Metal act from Spain or wherever… Before they get too damn hype we ask them a few questions to which they kindly replied… I think you should read.
emofag: I know that’s a boring question but could you please give us the “Where-Who-When-Why” about your band… In other terms, please introduce yourself…
Another Kind Of Death: The band was born in early 2000, in Madrid. Three of the current members of AKOD had a band in the style of Neurosis/Breach which was called Make My Day. They were also interested in bands such as Converge, Poison The Well and Morning Again, so they started a new band with a different drummer and vocalist. The current vocalist joined in 2001, so the band consolidated its line-up and started to work as a real band.
e: I think I’m right to say you have this album in preparation… How is it going? It seems that the release date has been postponed, why?
AKOD: The new album is called ”Sleepless Every Night” and it is being mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music right now. It was planned to be out in September, but both the recording and mastering studios couldn’t give us earlier schedules, so we had to postpone the album release for a couple of months. It is the good thing of not working with major labels: we can stretch the delivery dates!
e: What’s the musical & lyrical orientation on your upcoming album? Things seem to be a bit more groovy than in the past no?
AKOD: We were fed up with complicating things just because, so we wanted to make brief songs and to gain intensity. Maybe we have learn that you don’t need fireworks to sound crushing. The lyrics used to be gloomy in the past, and they still being gloomy, but
the are more aggressive an colorful now. Love has been repaced by hatred, but always from an intimate point of view.
e: I think you have a quite cool band name… Who came up with it? What’s this another kind of death you’ve experienced, some kind of
brutal hangover?
AKOD: The band’s name was taken from one of the first songs that the band made. It was written by the former vocalist and we don’t really know what he was talking about. We think he took it from a book, but when we are asked about it, we use to say that we
prefer people to find their own meaning of another kind of death.
e: However you have to keep in mind that the name sounds Emo in some way… Maybe this Emo touch in Metal bands is typically spanish? Look at Looking For An Answer, the name’s Emo and they’re fuckin’ Grindcore (NB: Was just kidding here)…
AKOD: When we started, it was in to call your band something long and meaningful, like Skycamefalling, Poison The Well or Morning Again, and to play guitar pointing to the sky, as if you were killing birds. If we started a band now, we would call it The and something that sounds rocking. Concerning Looking For An Answer, we think it is a name that has a politic tone, about animal freedom But it is best to ask them about it.
e: Do you have any good label(s) offer(s) to release the album? Who’s payin’ for the studio? When I started to play music I thought the
label you’re on always pays for the studio but I’m afraid this only happens with major companies…
AKOD: We are going to release the album with Underhill Records, who are doing a great job. We are interested in working with Red Cobalt Industries too. It is a Doom/Sludge label and distro, but it is not possible at this moment. We think you are right about the labels: we have to pay the studio, the merch production
It seems that everything is becoming
a little bit more professional now, but it stills being underground. It is really hard sometimes. Anyway, were still feeling lucky of being able to release what we do.
e: At that time I was fourteen and used to play air guitar in front of my bedroom mirror while blastin’ Iron Maiden’s “Live After Death”… Were you also possessed by this strange behaviour?
AKOD: Of course! But we used to think that we were Kurt Cobain instead of Steve Harris.
e: Who were the bands who gave you the passion for music and the will to make some? Are they the same you’re listening today?
AKOD: We still listening a lot of bands that influenced us. If you listen close, you will find so many features from bands such as Helmet, Botch, Breach, Dead Guy or The Cure (lyrics) in our current style. We listen for lots of new bands today, but the good bands keep being good through the years.
e: Last album you bought?
AKOD: Carlos: Guana Batz: “The Very Best Of”
Victor: Hella: ”There’s No 666 In Outer Space”
Mario: Lucky Dados: “Crash’em Out”.
e: Spain’s really got something going on these days with kick-ass bands in the DIY Metal Hardcore scene… How do you explain that? Are you friends with most of them?
AKOD: Everything is some years behind in Spain, and especially the musical press. The new bands don’t have any support from press, so they pass by without recognition. When the press discovers them, it uses to be late. There are amazing bands that have been in the underground scene for years, and press is paying some attention to them now. We are lucky to be friends of most of them: Adrift, Moksha, Moho, Vortice, Ictus and more!
e: What’s your opinion on the french scene? Any bands of your choice in our country?
AKOD: We used to listen to french bands like Dead For A Minute, Submerge (we shared the stage with both of them), Ananda, Tantrum, Undone and some of us liked the french Screamo, but the truth is that we don’t know very much about them. It is a pity that even though we are neighbours, it is so difficult to get french music (european music in general) in Spain. It have to change!!
e: As I alreday told you, I discovered your band through KMBT Radio hosted by the mighty Scott Kelly (and by the way, have a look on the interview we did with the man)… How did you manage to get played? Did you send any drugs and/or money?
AKOD: Someway he got the ”Waterloo” split album, but we don’t really know how. It was absolutely surprising because we didn’t think he would like a band like ours. We have been Neurosis fans for years and it was a truly honour. In fact, we met at a Neurosis show in Madrid, from the ”Times Of Grace” gig, before the band was started.
e: When the album will be out, did you plan any tour schedule? Will you come to France? Have you ever played there? Where did you play so far?
AKOD: We have some shows scheduled in Spain, and the label keeps working to get more. We’d love to go to Europe, and France would be a certain destination. Do you know anybody who can get us some shows in France? We have played around every Spain and Portugal. We know it is not too much, but spanish bands dont have too much support
e: Your definition of a good AKOD gig?
AKOD: When your van gets broke, only ten guys are watching your show, nobody pays you an AKOD gig.
e: Do you drink or smoke pot before takin’ the stage?
AKOD: Not really. We are all abstemious (somebody used to call it straight edge some years before) We think it is hard not to fail the playing even when you are completely sober, so we can’t imagine how it would be when you are stoned
e:Your definition of a bad AKOD gig?
AKOD: When your van gets broke, only ten guys are watching your show, nobody pays you an AKOD gig!
e: I’ve noticed you use a very well crafted artwork for your band’s image… Is that someone in the band who takes care of that? Do you think the aesthetics of a band are definitely part of its music?
AKOD: Our vocalist Mario is who takes care of that. The image of a band is important when it involves an added value for the band’s concept, but it is not an essential requirement. There are amazing bands with an awful image and great designers supporting awful bands.
e: Lemmy says all musicians come to music to get laid… Do you agree this statement?
AKOD: If Lemmy said that, it must be true! But we might choose the wrong style
e: What’s your favorite Alex De La Iglesia movie?
AKOD: Anyone. We would rather like films such as ”Los Sin Nombre” by Jaume Balagueró or ”¿Quién Puede Matar a Un Niño?” from Chicho Ibáñez Serrador. Fortunately you didn’t ask us about Almodovar!
e: Well that’s it… Thank you for answering my questions… The last comments are yours…
AKOD: We would like to thank you your interest. We’ll keep rocking for so many years, so we’d love to play in France and with french bands sometime. For those about to rock, Another Kind Of Death salutes you!!!
Another Kind Of Death
OFFICIAL ANOTHER KIND OF DEATH WEBSITE:
http://www.anotherkindofdeath.com/
OFFICIAL ANOTHER KIND OF DEATH MYSPACE PAGE:
http://www.myspace.com/anotherkindofdeath
You can also check the Underhill Records website in our links section…