Interview with Damian "Sfenson" Bednarski
(Unborn Suffer, Kontagion)
Hail Damian, you are welcome to my humble underground blog. Introduce to the readers your horde Unborn Suffer in brief. What’s the latest news of Unborn Suffer? When could we listen to new album from you?
SFENSON: Welcome friend! I’m happy to be here. Well, UNBORN SUFFER is a horde I am part of for 23 years now, we specialize in mixture of Grindcore and Brutal Death metal, we just released our first ever DVD entitled “XV XX” and are in the middle of recording our 8th studio album. I think it will be out at the end of this year / beginning of next year.
I watched a few days ago your 20th anniversary show ‘XX’, you released last year and recorded in 2021 in Bydgoszcz, Poland. I really enjoyed every moment of that massive live performance. What are your impressions and memories?
SFENSON: A lot of work and preparations paid off with a great attendance and a good gig. The DVD I was talking about a second ago contains that concert. I can’t actually believe it’s been 23 years and we are still here. I am so humbled and privileged to have this, to be a part of this.
With Unborn Suffer recently in 2021 you unleashed a very killer stuff, namely “Covered In Grind”. Would you be so kind to tell us about it more?
SFENSON: The idea for this cover album came about during the COVID-19 pandemic. The whole world slowed down and was closed down, band could not play gigs, we just released our studio album “Commit(ment to) Suicide” and the idea for a cover album came out of boredom. First, we just wanted an EP, a couple of covers but other songs kept turning up and we ended up with a full album with bands we love and that are huge inspiration for us.
Unborn Suffer is very active with live shows. Where did you play last time? What are your plans for 2024?
SFENSON: We do what we can, but it’s hard to get hold of decent gigs today. It always was but COVID changed it for the worse. We just played 2 gigs in Częstochowa and in our town Bydgoszcz when we helped gather money for medical care for 2 sick boys. Right now, we are concentrating on recording the new album (I just finished day 1 in the studio with my vocals today) and the only gig we have planned for the moment is in Plana, Czech Republic on 02.08.2024.
You are involved in another band, Kontagion. Let’s talk a bit about it. How do you characterize your style? I listened to “[R!Ekovery]” and I liked a lot your covers, especially from Sodom and Kreator. How did you choose those tracks?
SFENSON: Nice of you to mention KONTAGION, this band is very special to me. We came into existence at the end of 2007 as a one-off project and wanted to play in the style of 80s/90s bands we loved like Fear Factory, Godflesh and Nailbomb. Over time the project transformed into a regular band, we recorded a couple of albums and in 2022, in celebration of our 15th anniversary, we released “[R!Ekovery]”, a cover album that encapsulates all the inspirations we have today in our music, from industrial rawness of GODFLESH, through the sludginess of CROWBAR, melody and progressiveness of SOUNDGARDEN and HELMET and the thrash energy of early SODOM. Also, a lot of our musical friends appear in this album, I really encourage readers to check it out.
Your another band is Sfenson 6669. Share with us all the important information about that.
SFENSON: Yeah, my solo project was a one-off thing back in 2013, I just recorded a very personal EP to vent my frustrations of what was going on in my life back then, but the music I written did not suit UNBORN SUFFER of KONTAGION back then (but now I believe it would be very suiting for KONTAGION 😊). Nowadays I just use the page of this project to promote my studio work, I record my bands and other local bands as well.
When and how did you join metal underground back in the day? What was your very first band? Which musicians and albums influenced back then?
SFENSON: I think I became emotionally attached to hard music when I was 10 or 11 years old, so that must have been in 1992-1993. The first hard/heavy band I fell totally in love must have been TESTAMENT and their debut album, and later on SEPULTURA.
Name us your most preferred albums. Which materials are your favourites from 2023 and so far in 2024?
SFENSON: Two local bands released killer albums in 2023 that I listen to and speak about regularly. First is a sludge band PARH and album “Disobedience”, and another one is LESHY and their latest album “Knieje”. I really encourage everyone to follow them and check these albums out. A lot of good stuff is going on in the underground and they are a great example.
Poland a long time ago has an awesome underground scene. What can you tell us about old days and how do you see current Polish movement? (Especially in Bydgoszcz?) What Polish bands are your recommendations?
SFENSON: So, I just recommended two great Polish underground bands, go check them out 😊 Also, there is a great Hardcore / post hardcore band from Katowice – FORESIGHT. Nowadays I listen to more alternative and core subgenres of music than metal and FORESIGHT totally bought me with their energy and positive attitude.
As far as Polish underground goes, I’m not very attached to it. Too much black metal and I don’t dig it. I’m a more “core” guy then metal 😊 But we (the bands) in Bydgoszcz all know each other and respect ourselves, we try not be divided by subgenres of music we’re playing and be nice to each other 😊
You have been as a guest musician in a lot of different hordes last year, for example Bleeding Forest, Antypatia, Lunacy and Morlord if I’m not mistaken. How did happen these collaborations?
SFENSON: Most of these bands recorded in my studio so, during recordings, they asked me if I would like to appear as a quest in various positions. I’m a chill out guy so I always say “Yes”, It helps out the band and promotion of Kontagion and Unborn Suffer. Lunacy did not record in my studio but they asked me if I can sing in one track on their new album, I recorded my parts and got the bassist of Kontagion to sing on another track. NICE!
Unfortunately I’ve never been in Poland so far. What interesting places, local foods and drinks could you recommend me?
SFENSON: The thing is – I’m not a sightseer myself. I travel a lot to play gigs but I don’t go out from the club usually 😊. But what I can say – you should check out our sea on the north (preferably GDAŃSK/ GDYNIA / HEL) and our mountains on the south. As I am not an alcohol drinker I cannot recommend any %%% beverage 😊
Dziękuję bardzo/Thanks so much Damian, wish you all the best with all of your bands. Send some thoughts in the end to complete the interview.
SFENSON: Thank You for your time, it took a long time but we finally made it haha. To all the readers – be FANS AND SUPPORT THE UNDERGROUND. Buy merch – CD’s, vinyls, T-shirts, DVDs, go to see shows. It has become very difficult to bands like us to exist on this scene today so every support, every like, every subscription counts. Thank YOU!
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