Sascha Knust (Obscenity)

 Interview with Sascha Knust of Obscenity  

Sadistik Witchfukk webzine, 

24th of March, 2013

Questions compiled by Georgius and Sorin Necrotrooper 

Obscenity, from left to right: Sascha Knust(drums), Christoph Weerts(guitar), Jörg Pirch(bass), Hendrik Bruns(guitar), Jeff Rudes(vocals)

Hail Sascha! Welcome to the zine. Because this is the first interview with you, tell us about all the bands you've played in!

- Hi. I started with Obscenity in 1989, and after I've left the the Band in 2000, I played in the band called "The Now Noise" as a session drummer. Later I played in two bands: the first one is called "The Awakening" and the other called "Sethnefer"! The Awakening was another session project, but Sethnefer is the band I played in from 2001 to 2009. In 2011 I returned to Obscenity and I will never leave again!!!!

How did you get interested in rock/metal music, and what were your influences back in 1989?

- The big brother of a friend was a metalhead back in 1982, and he taped me all that cool old-school metal stuff like Accept, Kiss, Maiden, Metallica...etc. Later when the metal got harder, my top bands at that time were Slayer, Kreator, Testament, Exodus !!!

The biggest influence was the record "Beneath the Remains" from Sepultura....still love it.

Obscenity started in 1989. Were there another names for the band back then?

- Yes, we had names like Triangle and Artificial Intelligence in the Mid 80's. But we changed the name in Obscenity when we got the date for studio to record our first demo that was later called "Age of Brutality". I came up with the idea and draw the first logo.

(my Obscenity-sticker, what sent me Henne of Obscenity in 2012-G)

You played old-school Death metal on every release. What do you think of melo-death bands or tech-death bands who tried to go mainstream?

- I like bands like Monstrosity or Malevolent Creation for example, with a great combination of everything! We don`t care about mainstream and stuff like that, because the music we play is far away from mainstream and I don`t give a fuck about metalcore or this frognoise death metal so many bands play.

For us one of best Death metal releases of 2012 is your album, "Atrophied in Anguish". How was its reception in the metal press?

- Thanx a lot! It looks like the press loves our release!!! All the zines wrote good things about the recording and gave fantastic notes!!! It`s a good feeling, because we worked hard on it to make a recording that really kicks ass!

(my Obscenity CD '"Atrophied in Anguish" and a kind dedication from Henne/Hendrik Bruns) 

We checked out on YouTube some videos about Your shows last year. Would you be so kind to tell us about live-activity?

- We played some great shows last Year and we will do the Same this Year!! On may 25 we kill the Extremefest & on July 27 we'll play Stonehenge Festival in the Netherlands.

But these are only the bigger shows. We have a lot single gigs within Germany also.

But we´re in song-writing mode at this time and you all know both activities are very hard to handle at the same time.

You were signed to the German label Apostasy Records. Share with us please some informations about this label.

- The label is a very new one, existing sice a one year. Tomasz, the owner, is a well known booker in his past years and we played a few shows for him. He came up one day and asked about interest in his new label. At this time we had the demo recordings for “Atrophied” and send them to a couple of labels around. Some of them were very interested but our decision was Apostasy because our homebase is quite near to the labelbase.

You made an excellent old-school clip to the track "From Heroic to Depraved". Enlight us please about clip-making process.

- A good friend of us is a photographer and camera operator, and he filmed us in our headquarter during Our rehearsals! He thought it was funny to make a Video from this shoot and I think he made a good Job! We will do a video with him again!!!

What other German metal bands can you recommend us?

- Wow, there are so many great bands in Germany like Blackshore !!!

We have played a few shows with the guys. These guys rocks. Black metal mixed with rock! But of course, we recommend all of our label-mates from Apostasy. Hey, and not to forget Tombthroat. We had a show with them a couple of months ago and had to talked with the guys.Cool ones! Especially Björn Köppler (also known as "Mladie"), he is very involved in the metal scene.

Your 10 all-time favourite albums are?

1.Kiss - Creatures of the Night

2.Motörhead - Overkill

3.Sepultura - Beneath the Remains

4.Monstrosity - In Dark Purity

5.Malevolent Creation - In Cold Blood

6.Judas Priest - Unleashed in the East

7.Terrorizer - World Downfall

8.Deicide - Legion

9.Testament - Demonic

10.Carcass - Heartwork

What bands from Hungary, Ukraine and Romania do you know?

- Hmmm... this is a very unknown scene here in Germany. And I am very sad to say this. But most of the bands we know here are from US , Sweden and Germany. But hey. One name I will remember is Castrum! I think they are from Ukraine, isn´t it?

(Cornelius of Castrum and me, supporting Obscenity, 2.XI.2017)

Could you please recommend to the readers some German food and drinks?(especially from Your region)

- Grünkohl mit Kassler und Pinkel This is kinda cooked green cabbage served with a special sausage. This is very well known in this region.

Do you have any special hobbies?

- The music is my hobby, because we are all hard working guys in our band, so I spend my free days with playing Drums !!! The other guys have hobbies like going fishing or martial arts. But the same hobby we have is doing metal!

Share the readers your plans for this year (new tracks, festivals, or a DVD).

- Henne & Chris are working on songs for a new CD, and in the near future there will be a new video.

Danke schön, Sascha! Your message to old-school Death metallers….

- Thank you guys for having some time on us and stay Obscene!!!

facebook.com/Obscenity.DeathMetal/

Hendrik (Henne) Bruns and Christoph Weerts

Interview with Hendrik Bruns and 
Christopher Weerts

Hail Henne and Chris, very Hellcome in my small blog again! First of all my best wishes and congratulations to Obscenity for your new album, called Retaliation. Tell us more about your new album, I mean about songwriting process, lyrical themes, cover-artwork etc.

- Thank you Georgius, good to talk to you again.

The birth of Retaliation was a long process. The Songs were arranged beforehand by Christoph and me and later finalized in collaboration with the whole band. We have discussed a lot about the lyrics, which are deeper cuts into personal matters. Finally Tobias was responsible for the realization of the lyrical themes. Cover artwork was painted by Paolo Girardi. We have sent him individual text fragments of Retaliation and thereof he created this spectacular artwork. The Recordings were partially made in the studio (Art temple) and at Christoph's home. Stefano Morabito (16th cellar studio) was committed for the mix and mastering of the album, since he has convinced our ears with his earlier productions such as Apophys, Fleshgod Apocalypse and Hideous Divinity. The result speaks for itself.

I think it’s an awesome feeling for you as Trevor of Black Dahlia Murder recommended Retaliation album. Would you be so kind to share some thoughts about it? Enlighten us please about your common shows with  Black Dahlia Murder in October, 2015. Any memories? What about your latest live-performances since 2014?

- Trevor is a cool guy. I don’t know anybody who knows about the scene. Unfortunately we had to cancel the tour, because of difficulties in the line-up. We played less show lately. The reasons for that were, above all, the recordings for our last album. But hey, now we’re done.

Obscenity changed label, you are at Kolony Records right now. Tell the readers more about this new  Infernal alliance.

- It took us a long time before we actually decided to sign with Kolony. The label made a serious impression and came up with our expectations. We finally recognized that everything ended up in Italy. Funny, isn't it?

I’m absolutely fascinating about your solos since early Obscenity- stuff. Where did/do you get inspiration from? Have you any favourite guitarists from past and nowadays?

- Oh, thank you. Solos are an important content of a song in my opinion. It reflects the soul of a song, and on the other side it can be a standalone within the song. I am playing for more than 30 years now. I started playing as an autodidact by hearing  and playing. I had no notes or YouTube videos at this time. Had some guitar lessons and that's all. I just like these harmonic minor tunes like for example James Murphy did. He is actually one of my faves.

What are your plans for Summer (live shows) and later, this year? Maybe we could see Obscenity in Slovakia or/and in Hungary?

- At present, we are in a planning phase as to upcoming shows. Our first show will be in September at the Nemossos Festival in France near Lyon. We are planning to play some more shows across Europe and will keep you guys updated. At this time we are also  in contact with a booking company . So, let´s see what the future will bring for us according touring and live playing.

Have you any plans to make a new video or two for the Retaliation?

- Yes, why not. We already thought about that. Perhaps for the 10th anniversary album.

Btw, Kolony Records made us a small Lyrics video for Retaliation and maybe there will be a second one . It depends on the label. Sure we know that videos are a very important sign for a band, but for Obscenity as a small European band it is not really affordable. Maybe there are some guys out there who wants to do some video stuff with us, hahaha..

OBSCENITY "Whore Of Secret" [Lyric Video - Official]:

youtube.com/watch?v=xc8VjPX9USY 

Since our last conversation ”Suffocated Truth” and ”Perversion Mankind” could be re-released through Dutch Vic Records in 2014. How was the reception of re-released  these old gems among fans? Roel and you put there any special bonuses? 

- VIC Records made us an offer to re-release Suffocated Truth. Of course we noticed the interest in previous works. Suffocated Truth simply got the new band logo and some liner notes, apart from that nothing’s changed. 

Indonesian Smoke Merchandising Company and Obscenity had/have a great co-operation of Obscenity T-shirts. What should we know about it? 

- Smoke Merchandising, a small Indonesian handcraft manufacturer, contacted us to create some nice old-school long-sleeves. He also produced some shirts for Benediction and Brutality with a really great design. His shirts are only available in a very limited edition. Will be 35 pcs worldwide strongly limited , only . I guess they are already sold out now..

Retaliation album is also available  at the Sevared Records (that was founded in 1997 and is based in Rochester, NY, USA), let’s speak about this Hellish pact, please.

- It’s a kind of collaboration between Kolony and Sevared Records. Sevared Records seemed perfect for us to open up the US market. As you already mentioned, he’s in the business since 1997. That’s quite convincing. 

What are your favourite releases yet this year and which bands would you want recommend us? (not only from Germany).

- I’d like to summarize this and the last year: It’s really good to see that the old guard is still that active. There were a lot of good outputs the last two years. Among these are

Malevolent Creation, Firespawn, Sinister, Cut Up and Suffocation to name a few.

Danke schön/thanks so much Henne and Chris, it was my pleasure as always to make with you an interview and  perhaps you know, I’m a big fan of you since early ’90-s, so You will be welcome in my small Archangel’s Lantern always. Send some Death metal Retaliation thoughts for complete this conversation...

- Thx Georgius, it was a pleasure for us as always, man! For everybody who is in classic Death Metal, try out “ Retaliation” and you won´t be disappointed strong and honest piece of shit... Taste it! Stay obscene......

Chris / Henne

Official Obscenity Facebook-page: facebook.com/Obscenity.DeathMetal 

Hendrik Bruns

Interview with Hendrik Bruns (Obscenity)

Georgius: Hail Henne! First of all I would to congratulate you on your 25th Anniversary of Obscenity. Tell us please about the beginnings briefly! When did you become a metalhead?

 

- Hi Georg, first of all thanx for the wishes and the interview.

It was in 1983 when I was in the age of 13 , I had the first contact with my all-time favourite band Kiss! Got a few LP´s of them and afterwards I was interested in WASP and Mötley Crüe.. A couple of years later I heard of Accept and Helloween, Slayer and stuff like that. Slayer was totally new for a boy like me. This music was hard to understand for me at first.. but the more I heard that stuff, the more I liked it. Venom, Exodus and Destruction followed and a few years later the first Death Metal Bands came over to Germany. One of the first I heard were Monstrosity and Morbid Angel...

I have to admit that Monstrosity are one of my biggest influences in playing metal music...

Barbara (Northern Ireland): Which band or bands influenced You in the early years and why?

 - I had several bands before we started with Obscenity. But as we started we were musically  influenced by Sepultura, Morbid Angel, Monstrosity and Deicide. In the late 80's we don´t have much bands in this genre and we didn´t have much information outside Germany and Europe. We had magazines and Radiobroadcast to inform who these bands are and where they come from. There was no Youtube and no Facebook. Internet was not existing!

This was one the main reason the metal scene was developed very slow but intense.

Sorin (Romania): For the debut LP you signed with West Virginia Records, and you release only one album with them. How did you signed with them and why the "relationship" lasted for one album only?

 

- Right, it was our first deal in 91. We sent our demo “ Age of Brutality” to all Metal Labels in Europe. Soon we had an offer from WVR Recs. We met them and signed the contract for one long-player. Had a cool time with them, and like to remember the recording time when we met Andy and Sabina Classen, Venom´s Cronos and all the other guys who were on the label..

After a few Years later the label split up .. but don´t ask me about the reason. We had no information.Maybe a bankrupt or a split, I have no clue...

Sorin: Well, your debut "Suffocated Truth" is my favourite Obscenity release. But, for some reason it is very hard to buy it and a 2nd copy is very expensive. Do you plan to re-release it someday?

- Yes, Suffo and Perversion will be re-released by a Dutch Label called Vic Records. The release date is unknown but I guess it will be late 2014. 

Georgius: After the release of the 2012 album, ”Atrophied in Anguish” (Apostasy Records), (where Jeff Rudes did a hellish good job, as vocalist) Jeff has been replaced by the new one, Tobias Mueller. Share us about it some information: where did You meet him and did he play in any band(s) before?

- Jeff did well, in fact. But his private situation did not allow him to go on with making music. Our bass player Joerg came up with Tobias. They are friends for more than a decade now. We already knew some of his former work with other bands and invited him to join us for a rehearsal session. Well, what could I say… a couple weeks later we played the ExtremeFest altogether and we´re pretty sure he´ll kick your asses on the new album as he did at the shows since he joined us. 

Georgius: Would You be so kind to tell us about Your latest live shows? Maybe You will come to play to Hungary in the near future?

- Our last shows took place in Hamburg, Leipzig, our home town Oldenburg, there also was an open air session in Bavaria and the underground remains open air in Goettingen. All went pretty well and we´ve had a lot of fun playing these gigs. For Hungary, that would be totally awesome! I hope someone reading this gets in touch with us and we´ll get the opportunity to play for you guys sooner than later!

Joanna (Poland/Germany): You made a great video in 2012, called „From Heroic to Depraved” with Matt Knust, do you have any plans to do another one with him? 

- Yes, definitely! It´s still too early to say what we´re going to do or even which song we´ll be using. But there´s a video to come to support the album as soon as it´s done, we promise. And Matt is our very first choice to help us realizing it.

Joanna: Is there any plan to release an Obscenity-DVD or something special one for the 25th Anniversary? 

- That would have been great, but we´re too busy with working on the new material and playing shows. So, unfortunately there won´t be a DVD or something like that in the near future. We hope the next record will compensate this lack.

Georgius: What is the situation with the new Obscenity tracks? It would be great to listen to some new ones of Obscenity soon.

- We´re doing good at writing new songs and a good deal of work has already been done. There´s no exact recording date yet, but it´ll be around the end of the year probably as we´ll also play some shows in the mean time. So don´t worry, we´ll be up with new stuff pretty soon.

Innominandus (Ukraine): it is a bit hard question, I know but what are your favourite Obscenity-tracks and why?

- The songs I wrote. They contains all ,a good song needs ..hahaha. No, there are a lot of songs I like. For example “The Arrival”, "Alien Hand Syndrome", "Die Again", "Infestical Plague"... I can name a few more. It is hard to answere, you know. I like these kinda songs who were fast and static with a good melodic solo. 

Georgius: Your 10 all-time fave albums are?

 

KISS- the complete stuff

 Sepultura – Beneath the remains

 Monstrosity – In dark purity

 Loudness -- Lightning strikes

 Bad Religion – No Control / Suffer

 The Exploited – Beat the bastards

 Exhorder – Slaughter in the Vatican

 Pretty Maids- Pandemonium / Motherland

 MP – Bursting out

 VoiVod – Angel Rat

Innominandus: The German metal scene is an excellent one since 80’s.... Would You be so kind recommend us some newcomer bands from Germany, maybe from your area?

- Hmm, there are no well known Bands around here. Only a few demo bands ..I really don´t know their names, I am sorry.  But I can recommend “BlackShore”, a Black Metal band with much different  influences. Good guys we often played with. Check them out!

Georgius: What bands from Hungary and Ukraine do You know? Have you ever been in Hungary? 

- Ektomorf and Tormentor are from Hungary, I guess. And if I´m right, there´s Fleshgore from Ukraine.

Tobias has been to Hungary for a holiday trip, he once told us, but I really don´t know if he watched some metal shows back then.

Barbara (Northern Ireland) : What is your favorite place to holiday and how do you do stress?

- I have been travelling to France / Metz, the last 2 years. And we had a gig many years ago in a small cellar club. I love this old city and the river Moselle. When the weather is good , go and drink some red wine and watch out for the sunset. It is really relaxing !

Georgius: Vielen dank, Henne! Wish you all the Be(a)st with Obscenity and please, put your message to the readers of Archangel’s Lantern.

  

- Ok, George. Thanx for having us in your mag. Stay tuned and watch out for the next album. The songs are already written and arranged. The cover is in progress. But I did not reveal the album title,haha. Make ready for some changes, guys. It will be a Death- feast ….Stay obscene !

Interview with Henne has done by Georgius, Necrotrooper (Romania), Joanna (Poland/Germany),

Barbara (Northern Ireland),  Innominandus (Ukraine) 

a conversation with Henne in Encomium, 2012: 

http://www.castrum.com.ua/encomium/obscenity.htm

Official Obscenity: facebook.com/Obscenity.DeathMetal/