Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Dead Remains (Germany)

 

Dead Remains (Germany)

The Germans of great trajectory Dead Reamains bring us their album “Conscious Cremation” , an album that at the beginning is a blow in the direct and dry face, an old death metal school and without leaving the genre, each song is falling like a gravestone after the another, remember that this active band from 1991 to 2012 and now active since 2017 after its recess, is a necessary reference for each follower of this genre. Recall that Dead Remains is operating from the cities of Neubrandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and belonging to the Morbid Generation Records label, are a fundamental pillar of the style in this country. Conscious Cremation of 2011 is the most recent they have recorded and from its first track Through the Halls of Insanity going through Hiding Under Corpses, Morbid Needle Twist, Interitus Is Victis, reaching the middle of the album with the brutal Through Fire and Dust we can see as the album is balanced as far as the extreme and never monotono and never gets off the accelerator foot as never leaves the context of death metal, continues with Awoken in Flames to end up with The Skinner, Revenge of the Zombie leaving in clear the importance of this band for the German underground.


T: Why did you name the band DEAD REMAINS and in wich year the band was founded?

Thomas: Hi Tchort. Thanx for having us! Please let me introduce myself. I‘m Thomas, Lead Singer and last original member from the very beginning, so let me bring some light into the darkness about the origins of Dead Remains. Here we go! Dead Remains was founded in 1991. Back then it was more of an idea in the minds of young teenagers, to express their love for extreme metal in the first place. We have‘t had any training on real intruments or any proper instruments anyway. Nethertheless i had a name for this coming-soon-band. Try to imagine what will be left after mankinds total self-annihilation? Just dead remains! So it did fit perfectly to name a band of vicious „black-sheep-teenagers“!

T: What was the reason to change the name from Sarcopharg to Dead Remains?

Thomas: The Name „Sarcopharc“ was awesome as well! On one hand. On the other hand, Dead Remains felt way better to discribe a certain feeling. Beside of that, i discovered the band Sarcophago from Brazil, so the name was obsolet.

T: Who are the members of the band?

Thomas: Let me introduce us, downward to the lenght of membership in the band. Ladies first! So there‘s Nina, our youngest member. She joined the band in 2017. Nina is keen on guitar, multiple bandexperienced and she is pushing serveral projects on her own. Denny, our drummer. Blackest humor, awesome drumskills, broad range of musical preferences, the face of an angel and the smile of the devil. Mix it up and he will be the outcome! He is indispensable for us and joined in 2010. A proper blueprint for a smartass with a heart of gold on one side but the right feel for convincing underground music, talent for organisation but a lack for any talent to be an asshole on the other is our man Mille. Since he joined in 2004, he is essential for the band and as a friend! Hank Scheuermann, the general, he is the the man responsible for the bands clear conscience. He rides, shoots straight and speaks the truth always. In case one of us is too far from reality, overacts or annoys someone, he will bring you down! Beside of that he has an awesome feeling for pounding basslines and gladly i can reveal he‘s my brother! Hank joined the band in 2003. I am responsible for the frontshow, the lyrics, the details and final decisions. I dislike blind conformity, plastic art and plastic people. I try to keep myself out of the forms of society but love my weirdo-friends and Heavy Metal that cuts through my soul.

T: Mille is also playing in the band Inflammare. What can you tell us about this and the latest recording „In Memory Of“?

Scheuermann: In fact, Mille was just a sideman in Inflammare. The band started in 1996, when a bunch of young, drunken people formed their own band, for having fun, playing gigs and sit aound in the rehearsal room. Some years later the shit gets serious but guys leaving the band for jobs or to move away for study. Some years later, the original guitarist of Inflammare  recorded „In Memory“ in his own home studio, with some help of some of his friends. At this time we had the idea to bring back the band on stage. The sad thing was, that no one of the old band mates where available. Just the drummer and me. So we deceided to fill the open instrument slots with Mille on guitar and two other guys. We only did two gigs. That´s it...

Mille: In the late 90s Inflammare was one of the sickest bands in our area. Strange shows with a lot of alcohol, chaos and partys in the rehearsalroom, scandals in the local newspapers, trouble with the justice... For the scene it was a sad situation that Inflammare  stopped their activities. I was glad about Scheuermann´s plan to bring Inflammare back on stage did get part of this. We played two awesome shows and had a lot of fun while practising for it. But in the end it felt kind of curious with only two of the old members. So we did freeze the band again. It was not the same. Clear decision!

T: What do you remember about the recordings of the demotape „The Unloved Stepsons Of God“?

Thomas: Good, innocent times!! 8 track recorder, friends helping out each other. Doesn‘t matter if recording rooms, time, driving from place to place ( it was recorded at different places), food, advises or equipment, friends from different bands have been involved back in the time to make it happen. Nethertheless the endresult lacked a bit of professionality, it was wonderful to witness the solidarity back in the years!

T: Do you consider that your old school death metal is influenced a lot by old Cannibal Corpse?

Thomas: The only C.C. reference and similarity seems to be the cover of that band. At least in my point of view. Sure, we are fans of this early 90‘s US Death Metal style but when you listen to our tape, you‘ll find references from european Death Metal as well. Don‘t forget, our skills were not too keen back in 1998, so most of the time we used to play inside of our limits, sounding accidently like no one else.

T:How much work did it cost to produce your first full lenght „Deathless Torture“? How was the reaction of the zines, radio and fans?

Thomas: Haha!! Shitloads of work! I exactly see what you would like to ask! „Why this CD sounds so poorly, yet crappy?“ The drums where recorded at a different place than the guitars. Bass and vocals was been recorded at the practiceroom. The mixing was done at my appartment. All of this efforts needed to be done by a minimalistic budget and one of the first generation digital recording programm. All in all, analog won, digital failed, soundwise back then. Needless to say the reactions have been overwhelming! Seriously, as this record was released, we where glad to have our first CD done but as far as i concern, we havn‘t gone to the max as we should.

T: Who in the band is in charge to write the music and who the lyrics?

Thomas: None but everybody at the same time. Right now Mille wrote some sick riffs. It is his domain. Denny will add insane drums and so on. Every member is welcome to put in ideas. And we do. Lyrics are my way to express myself and to bring the icing on the cake if you will. In case we can‘t agree on particular ideas the democratic way, the eldery council of the band decides about „hop or top“.

T: On your second CD „CONSCIOUS CREMATION“ you consolidate with an old school death metal style in the line of Cannibal Corpse or Suffocation. Do you believe in this comparison?

Thomas: First of all, thanx for this evaluation! I think it depends on everybodies personal perceptions. For me we are supposed to sound old-school because we are contemporary witnesses of the times Death Metal conquered the earth. For us it feels natural to play this sound. No trendy fake, just pure passion! I was influenced by different bands as well like Benediction, Napalm Death („Harmony Corruption“ era) Macabre, Autopsy, early Unholy , a neverending list of names and so on and on…. You hear Cannibal Corpse and Suffocation in our sound? Cool thanx!!!

Mille: As we wrote the material for Conscious Cremation, Maschine was still a member of the band. You can also hear a lot of his riffs in these songs. Many different bands did influenced us. For sure. If you listen to music excessively you can do anything against. But in the end with a guitar in your hands, you play those shit that flows through your fingers, brain and balls. I do not think about what I´am playing. If there is an interessting riff or a brutal groove we take it. I´am not the one to care about what people say I sound like. Anyway, a comparison with bands I really like is a kind of compliment I can agree with. I guess Maschine also would. Thanks!

T: Can you tell us more about the lyrics of the songs? Is there a special concept?

Thomas: So far the lyrics dealt with topics like how humans treat humans. No matter if at asylums, in war, society, your personal life. During all history and culture some insane, wrong educated, mostly religious driven individuals in minority terrorized the majority. But the majority terrorizes the minority as well. So people are fucked! This has been the quintessence of the lyrics by now. Next time something different will come up! There is so much more twisted evil to sing about!

T: Which bands do you consider as your influences for Dead Remains? Which bands would you name for your 10 bands personal playlist?

Thomas: It‘s hard to name influencial bands. Each and everybody would pick different. We‘ve never had rolemodels that we would sound like. It‘s tricky also to name just ten influencial bands. Not cast in stone but back in the years these bands (most of them forevermore) made me going nuts: Benediction for their pounding groove, awesome riffing and the vocals. Edge Of Sanity for their variety. Overkill for their Thrash anthems, bad ass live performance and the unwillingness to compromise. Kreator one of the maininfluence for the band back then. Napalm Death „Harmony Corruption“ offered monster vocals. Macabre for their insanity and speed. Unleashed for their simplicity and drive. Motörhead for their authencity. Pungent Stench for thinking out of the box. Death for beging brilliant.

Mille: Let me name Zyklon for their cold and mechanical riffs. Cannibal Corpse for their incredible brutal sound, Obituary and Bolt Thrower for their tight groove. Krisiun, Azarath and Deicide for their amazing Tempo. Not to forget about old Vader. They sound like a injured wild boar raging in the brushwood. Unleashed and Dismember for defining this style of scandinavian old school Death Metal I prefer. There are much more Death Metal bands I could name. But I´am also influenced by scandinavian Black Metal, some old school Thrash, Stoner and Occult Rock and lots more of different genres. It all is part of my way of playing and thinking the guitar, but you won´t hear all this elements in Dead Remains.

T: What´s the biggest difference between „Deathless Torture“ and „Conscious Cremation“?

Thomas: This seems to be quiet obvious: everything that „Deathless Torture“ don‘t had to offer, you can find on „Conscious Cremation“. On the second CD we had a different line up and our technical skills evoled. The Songs where even better. We where able to afford a proper soundstudio wich was stocked with top gear. For ten days we worked like maniacs to get everything done as good as possible so we could be proud on this record forever.

Mille: I entered the band in 2004 so I was not involved in the recordings of Deathless Torture. But in my opinion the biggest difference is, that the complete process of writing and recording Conscious Cremation was more professional. The songwriting is much more compelling. It took some time to finish the material and prepare for the studio session. The studiosound itself is only the high gloss polish of the whole process. But a great one anyway. The style of the music did also changed some kind of. Only Thomas and Maschine still were members of the Deathles Torture lineup. As Thomas said, everybody of us is putting in his own style and personality. This does another difference.

T: Which concerts you remember the most and why?

Thomas: To many to mention. Almost everytime it is awesome to play in different countries. Places where we‘ve never been. Poland for instance. We used to play at a venue in a small town. Fife bands to go. People did not know us and our origin. Shortly before showtime we talked to some people in the audience. These guys did found out we‘re german and told us never before a german band played in this town and where excited. As we came onstage and                startet the first song, the crowd moved the security fence including the guards back and forth      through the entire place! This was sick!

Mille: Not easy to name all of them. The Rock In Somma Festival 2012 in Italy was amazing. A stunning crowd and a crew that did everything to keep us comfortable. Also some shows in Poland with a raging crowd and bizarre aftershow partys. The B.O.A. Metal Open Air 2008 in Germany was a night to remember too. But in the end it´s impossible to write them all down.

T: Can you tell us where our readers can buy DEAD REMAINS merchandise?

Thomas: If you guys are interested in Merch, just find us on facebook and contact us!

T: Some final words for THE LEGION OF TCHORT zine and compilation #15?

Thomas: Thank you big time for having us! Stick to your guns, always!
Mille: Thanks a lot and risen horns to the Legion of TchorT. Keep on rotting and your metal brutal!
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