First of all, let’s talk about tours this year. How have they been so far?Robert: This tour was the only one we did this year [North America]. We also did a tour with Vader, exactly a year ago. That was a really cool tour with those guys. The only other thing that we did this year, besides this tour, was the Scion Fest in March.
Ross: Yeah, at Pomona [California] we did the Scion Fest. It was really cool.
Robert: That was really cool… like a mini “Euro” fest here in California.
Ross: We also toured Europe after the Vader tour.
Robert: Yes, we toured with Napalm Death the end of last year which was really cool. This year we have just been busy with “behind of the scenes” stuff because after we did the Pomona festival for Scion, they offered us to do a music video. So, we did a music video for the song “Glorious Epoch”, from the “Majesty and Decay” album. Right after that they [Scion] offered us an EP with the video and the tour, so we worked on writing and recording the music. Now we have been out promoting the EP. After this we are going to start working on a new record for Nuclear Blast. We will probably get to the studio around March and get a new record out the spring of next year and really do a lot of touring. We will probably be on the road for most of next year.
So, has this tour been good so far?
Robert and Ross: Yeah! Very good!
Robert: Small shows, anywhere from 60 (or so) to 200 or more kids. It depends on the place and the day. It has been a very cool tour because the bands that are out with us are very cool. As you know Jungle Rot is playing tonight but Gigan isn’t because John’s (the singer) father passed away, unfortunately, when we were in Denver so they couldn’t do the rest of the tour. But, all the people are really cool and we are having a good time. The “vibe” of the shows have been really good because all the fans are having a good reaction.
As you mentioned, you have released an EP this year (Providence) that was sponsored by Scion A/V. How did your relationship with Scion start?
Ross: They first approached us last year. We got introduced to these guys thru the guys who book our shows here in the US. They [Scion] wanted to do a show with us. They do tour sponsorships for bands, they do free festivals, they do lots of different things. So, we did this concert that they sponsored in New York City last summer and after that they offered us a tour sponsorship for the Vader tour we did last October [2010].
They give you tour support and you put out some of their booklets and stuff. It’s great for the bands because none of us make a ton of money on the road. It is just a little extra something, you know what I’m saying (laughs)?
So, they did that for us and then we got invited to do the Scion Fest in March, which was phenomenal. And from that, like Bob said, we did the video and then we got offered the EP deal.
I think that once we started working with them, they kind of liked us. We got along really well with them, we really saw that what they were doing was a really positive thing. This is the first time in our career that we were able to record stuff and just make it available for free. So, it’s good for us and it’s good for the kids, you know?
That’s pretty much it. We didn’t really know much about what they are doing since we started talking and working with them, back a year ago. It is such a good thing that we got involved with them. At the end of the day, we get lots of extra promotion, Nuclear Blast is working with them so, it’s a good relationship for everybody… It’s a win/win.
How is the relationship of your label (Nuclear Blast) and Scion A/V?
Robert: They are very supportive of each other. I think Nuclear Blast even helped them [Scion] with the layout of the EP. They worked together in the promotional area and in every aspect, really…
Ross: Scion was really respectful o
f our arrangement with Nuclear Blast. For everything that transpired between us, Nuclear Blast was in the loop, through the whole thing. I mean, they [Nuclear Blast] are ecstatic because we are getting more promotion, you know? Obviously they are happy about that. It was someone at Nuclear Blast who got Scion to do the first video for us. They all work together, so it’s great!You have released an album last year “Majesty and Decay” through Nuclear Blast. How different it is to work with them when comparing to the previous labels you worked with?
Robert: It’s been really good. I mean, we’ve had good people working at all the labels we worked with in the past. It is just that with Nuclear Blast it is kind of like having a small label, on a one to one relationship, on a really good way, but only with a label that it is really large. So, it has been really phenomenal. They have the capability to do so much and they are right on top of it.
The person who runs the label here in the US, you could pick up the phone and call him about the littlest thing, and he is the guy you talk to. They are so supportive, they are really good people. They have a really good team.
Ross: They are good people, their hearts are in it, and they are passionate about the bands that they work with. It definitely comes across.
Robert: It has been a phenomenal run so far.
Ross: Best move we’ve made.
This year you have released an EP (Providence). How different is it from your latest full length album? Which one should the fans buy?
Robert: I will tell you: the second one [EP] because it’s free! You don’t have to buy it. It’s a no-brainer.
Ross: I would say the EP is a strong one. It is the best produced album out of all of them and I think it got some of the strongest material. But you know, you will always hear something different: some of the fans like the second record or the third record… everybody has their own special album, you know?
Robert: I will tell you, the last EP and the last album… those are the ones you want to listen to (laughs).
Ross: I think they are the strongest, the ones that represent the band now.
Robert: We like our old stuff too but, I think as a band, we get better as we go, we kind of find tune of what we are doing and we still keep the essence of the band.
So, the fans should get the free EP and buy “Majesty and Decay”!
Ross: Free EP first, then they can go back to “Majesty and Decay” and then they can work their way back.
Considering that Scion is in the automotive industry … are there any type of criticism from your fans because they area a big company?
Ross: Sure.
Robert: Yeah, of course, there are a few. Not as many as you would think but we have noticed a couple of things online. But, you know… the bottom line is that these guys are getting the music out there, it is good for the fans, it is good for us… It is not like Scion is trying to get our music or change it. What we did on that EP (from the art work to the lyrics and to the music) it is what we would have done for our next record. Nothing was done differently.
Ross: No creative interference. They basically said: “we are going to giver you money, you are just going to write 5 songs. Do your best.” They don’t owe the music, they are not telling us how to write the songs or change anything. All they ask is that they can put it on their website exclusively, for one year, to release it for free download for the kids.
Anybody who has anything negative to say really needs to look at what they are saying. It’s a win/win for us and for the fans. We have EPs to give out at all the shows. They made them out for us.
There are a lot of people in Europe who want the hardcopies; they obviously can’t be at the shows here. We told Scion that some of our European fans were upset, so they offered to send the EP out to the European fans. They
said: “give us their addresses so we will mail it to them.” Who does that??? Really! So, anybody who says anything negative can go f*** off.You guys have “normal” jobs, besides working with the band. How does that work? How and when do you dedicate your time to the band? And also: do you think that this situation will ever change?
Robert: Well, we are realistic. We have been doing this for 25 years now, we are not going to make a living out of this tomorrow. We are going to have to work. And, you know what? I think that part of that is positive for the band, in a sense that we will spend most of the year working on our jobs, doing our thing (I don’t pick up an instrument for months at a time) and then we said “all right, we have to do this thing now” and we do a tour or we start writing. So, you take a brake from it and then you come back into it. It’s almost like you come back stronger every time. It’s exciting.
If we were doing this 24/7, everyday and practicing 3 times per week with each other, this thing would not have last for this long. Do you know what I mean?
Ross: We appreciate it more.
Robert: Yeah, we appreciate it more when we do the tours, when we do the albums, etc. We are just as excited about it as when we first started doing it 20 years ago. It keeps it fresh, so it’s good.
Ross: When I’m up on stage I think “ I could be driving a truck at Manhattan right now”, so… (laughs)
You guys have been using a lot more technology to compose and also to practice your songs. How useful was it (considering that some of you don’t even live in the same state)? And also: do you think that this is the future of any band?
Ross: Sure.
Robert: Well, I would suggest it to anybody who is not doing it because we didn’t do it for more than 20 years and believe me, now that we have used a computer to create the music, it just makes things so much easier. I can create a whole song, from beginning to end, with solos, overlays, multi-guitars and everything, send that to the guys, they can listen to it and criticize it.
One: it speeds things along. Two: since we live in different cities it makes it 100 x easier. The EP is a perfect example: I sent the songs to our drummer Steve (he lives in Ohio), he learned the songs and he sent us him playing to the stuff. We met at the studio, we had never played the songs together ever, he recorded his drum tracks, we recorded to that and the first time we played the songs together was like, the day before we got on the road (laughs). So, the technology helps a lot.
I would suggest to any band because it makes the creativity much better too. You may be able to be more creative with the computer because you can really hear how things are sounding and try different things that you normally wouldn’t do by recording it to a recorder. So, yeah… it definitely helped us a lot and I think that it was a key instrument in making our music the best it could be right now.
Talking about the future now: Is there anything that you guys would still like to do that you haven’t done yet?
Robert: Play in Brazil (laughs).
Ross: We never played there.
Robert: We played in South America once, in Peru, back in 1994. But that was about it. So, hopefully we will get down there at one point. It would be great to get down there with Krisiun… So, that’s one thing. We would also like to get to play in Japan and stuff like that. And of course, be more creative with the music.
Any messages to the SOM reader?
Robert: Check out the new EP, it’s for free, download at the Scion AV’s site [http://www.scionav.com/index#!collection/808/Scion-A/V-Presents:-Immolation---Providence]. And, anyone who knows the band and has been supportive over the years: we appreciate it. Thank you and hopefully we will see you at the next show.
Ross: Thank you and enjoy the EP, our gift to you with compliments of Scion.
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Interview done by Deesse_de_la_nuit
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