We made an interview with Frank from German Death Metal band ‘Baleful Abyss’ !
- Salutes! Let’s start our converstaion! Can we learn some info about Baleful Abyss?
Hi Cenk, although the band‘s name just came up in 2019 the band itself was established in 2008 as Zombieslut. We are four friends living in the area around Sinsheim in Germany and love playing Death Metal. We have released two full length albums and one EP as Zombieslut and one album as Baleful Abyss. We did the name change during our show at Heidelberg Deathfest (with Unleashed, Misery Index, Illdisposed, Deathrite and many more) this year.
- You guys made some solid albums as Zombieslut, then changed your name into Baleful Abyss,simply why? Any story behind this change?
We started as a trio and came up with the name Zombieslut out of some very drunk session. We do and always did play Old School Death Metal, but as time passed the name more and more sounded to us like some porngrind or fun-metal band we never were or will be. Since Joe joined our ranks our music began to grow a bit more complex since there is much more power in two guitars and also the lyrics developed from horror-stories to more political and sociocritical subjects. So we needed a new brand to represent this style – that is Baleful Abyss.
- Your sound shows some killer mid-tempo grooves as first impression.How can you name you brand sound or style?Can you explain your sound and music?
We brand our style „Obscure Massive Death Metal“. It basically still is old school Death Metal with lots of obscurity and doom and also a very heavy and deep sound straight from the abyss of the human soul.
- You played in Turkey before and reactions were really cool.Do you know any reactions to your band’s new album from Turkey?
Playing in Turkey was a great time for us with lots of good memories and many nice people we met who keep metal alive. We had a good feature about us and an interview with Hamdi in Kanli Teneke Zine. Otherwise reactions have been very positive but we didn‘t receive much feedback all in all – feels like starting over at zero, maybe the change of our name is the cause.
- What do you tell us in ‘’Death Propaganda’’ album?
It has become an „anti“-album: anti-religious, anti-nationalist, anti-rightwing, anti-capitalist and so on. It is a dark album for our dark times.The album concentrates on the threats represented by right-wing idiots and autocrats and on the lies they use to manipulate people to come into power. It is also about the massive abuse of our earth and its inhabitants.
- What are your future plans as Baleful Abyss?
We have already begun writing new songs for the next album and want to start recording in 2020. We also have a few gigs on the schedule. If someone wants to book us – just ask! 😉
- After 2010, Death Metal as style have been growing with globally and it has blended with other extreme metal music genres and tunes in the last decade. What do you think about this? Is Death Metal popular in underground and mainstream metal music scenes nowadays?
Of course! There has been a big death metal renaissance in the recent years – with great new bands emerging and also great old ones coming back.
- What music festivals do you like in Europe and Germany? What are your faves? Which fests would you like to play? What do you think about big festivals?
Our favourites are Party.San Open Air (and yes…we would like to play there very much one day) and Stoned From The Underground, both taking place in Thuringia. These festivals are perfect: not too big and a timetable that allows you to watch every band you like to see. Other cool festivals are Void Fest and Keep It Low. I also would like to mention our very cool regional festivals like Heidelberg Deathfest, Rhein-Neckar-Metal Festival or Waldpark Open Air. The best festivals are made by fans for fans.
- How do you see the life and world if you check the reality surrounded us? (Wars, corruption, rich thieves, rise of the conservatism and right wing etc.)
As I already said concerning the message of death propaganda: times seem to grow darker around us so therefore we all have to stand up and shout. Too many people are jealous and feel disadvantaged and blame it all on some weaker groups who are not to blame at all, for example refugees. The right-wing, autocrats and nationalists all over the globe use this to gain momentum. So there can be no unpolitical position. Either you are against right wing, rich thieves, wars and corruption or you are not. And we are.
- I have no idea when you are answering this interview, we are in the end of days of 2019.) I would like to know what are your besties as bands and albums in 2019? (I am appreciated if every member can answer this question.)
There have been lots of great outputs in 2019 – we have assembled a few in alphabetical order:
- Atlantean Kodex – The Course of Empire
- Bellrope – You Must Relax
- Bodyfarm – Dreadlord
- Candlemass – The Door to Doom
- Chelsea Wolfe – Birth of Violence
- Martyrdöd – Hexhammaren
- Monolord – No Comfort
- Nocturnus – Paradox
- Possessed – Revelations of Oblivion
- Sentient Horror – Morbid Realms
- Strigoi – Abandon All Faith
- SUNN O))) – Pyroclasts
- Teitanblood – The Baneful Choir
- Temple of Dread – Blood Craving Mantras
- The Neptune Power Federation – Memoirs of a Rat Queen
- Thronehammer – Usurper of the Oaken Throne
Wolfbrigade – The Enemy: Reality
- I am really appreciated for your time and cool answers. What would you tell to the fans and Extreminal followers?
Be kind, love music, hate fascism. And don‘t forget to RocknRoll!
