FROM THE BLIND GUARDIAN IMAGINATIONS GATECREEPER INSTUDIO THE OTHER SIDE
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KRIEG CIRITH UNGOL AUTOPSY FUMING MOUTH SADUS GRAVESEND WITCHING RID OF ME
DECEMBER 2023 // No. 230
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December 2023 [R 230] decibelmagazine.com
A Celebration COVER STORY COVER AND CONTENTS PHOTOS BY SHIMON KARMEL
upfront 16 dopelord Poland is doomed
30 fuming mouth Living to see the sunset
10 metal muthas Stuffed with love
18 witching Fuck it, they’ll do it live
32 autopsy No time to kill
12 low culture Artificial desemination
20 gravesend NYC’s gory days
34 cirith ungol Reign on this parade
13 no corporate beer Brewed to brood
22 heavy load The storm returns
14 in the studio Gatecreeper are happier playing outdoors
24 sadus No deathrash shade
36 q&a: krieg Mainman Neill Jameson may not have anything to complain about, but dammit, he’ll do his best
8
news
features
Caffiends for coffee
26 rid of me A little less lonely 28 melancholia Now, we’re no big city sludge band
40 exclusive:
black metal: evolution of the cult book excerpt A blackened kingdom rises in Norway
reviews 44 exclusive:
decibel magazine metal & beer fest: denver 2023 preview Our new home away from home
48 the decibel
hall of fame With heavy metal falling out of favor in the West, Blind Guardian find success in the Far East with Imaginations From the Other Side
73 lead review Let’s be frank: Suffocation’s latest album Hymns From the Apocrypha is a damn good death metal album 74 album reviews Records from bands that are planning their finest evening wear for future Decibel cover appearances, including Mortuary Drape, Triumph of Death and Vastum 80 damage ink Smile and Eugene smiles with you
Decibel (ISSN 1557-2137) is published monthly by Red Flag Media, Inc., P.O. Box 36818, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Annual subscription price is $34.95. Periodical postage, paid at Philadelphia, PA, and other mailing offices. Submission of manuscripts, illustrations and/or photographs must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Postmaster send changes of address for Decibel to Red Flag Media, P.O. Box 36818, Philadelphia, PA 19107. © 2023 by Red Flag Media, Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN 1557-2137 | USPS 023142 Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.
2 : DECEMBER 2023 : DECIBEL
Even though they only split a paltry six years ago, according to a recent interview that ex-vocalist Greg Puciato conducted with an online webstore, the Dillinger Escape Plan have been routinely offered “astronomical amounts of money” to reunite and perform at major festivals. Though this claim was later debunked by former guitarist Ben Weinman, in an effort to assemble the finest lineups for our own major festivals, we’ve carefully thrown together a “totally legitimate” offer for the mathcore heroes (although we’ve yet to hear back). Dudes, text us. We can even brew you a “Sugar Coated Sour.”
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December 2023 [T230] PUBLISHER
Alex Mulcahy
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Albert Mudrian
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Patty Moran
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tim@redflagmedia.com CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS
Chuck BB, Ed Luce Mark Rudolph
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The Dillinger Escape Plan for Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest: New Jersey
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Emily Bellino Adrien Begrand J. Bennett Dean Brown Nathan Carson Liz Ciavarella-Brenner Dillon Collins Chris Dick Sean Frasier Nick Green Raoul Hernandez Addison Herron-Wheeler Jonathan Horsley Courtney Iseman Neill Jameson Kim Kelly Sarah Kitteringham Daniel Lake Cosmo Lee Jamie Ludwig Shane Mehling Justin M. Norton Dutch Pearce Forrest Pitts Greg Pratt Jon Rosenthal Brad Sanders José Carlos Santos Joseph Schafer Kevin Stewart-Panko Eugene S. Robinson Adem Tepedelen Jeff Treppel J Andrew Zalucky CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
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To order by phone: 1.215.625.9850 (10 a.m. – 5 p.m. EST) To order by fax: 1.215.625.9967 To order online: www.decibelmagazine.com Decibel (ISSN 1557-2137) is published monthly by Red Flag Media, Inc., P.O. Box 36818, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Annual subscription price is $34.95. Periodical postage, paid at Philadelphia, PA, and other mailing offices. Submission of manuscripts, illustrations and/or photographs must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Postmaster send changes of address for Decibel to Red Flag Media, P.O. Box 36818, Philadelphia PA 19107. Copyright ©2023 by Red Flag Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. PRINTED IN USA
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Kevin Diers Seattle, WA
You work at a harp and hammered dulcimer company. What’s that like?
It’s pretty awesome! I work in the shipping department and the company is fantastic. It’s a small family-run business, but they create some beautiful, incredible instruments. Though I don’t play the harp or hammered dulcimer, it’s really neat knowing that these instruments I ship out will be loved and cherished by a folk musician somewhere in the world.
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Believe it or not, YES! I host a radio show called Metal Shop on 99.9 FM KISW, and it’s one of the longestrunning metal specialty shows on the air. There are clips on YouTube of the original host, Steve Slaton, interviewing Queensrÿche from back in 1982. So, it’s a huge honor to carry on the heavy tradition. On any given weekend I’ll throw on some Devourment, Xibalba or Hulder alongside all the classics like Iron Maiden and Slayer. I make all my own playlists, but, of course, I give priority to listener requests. You’re also a ring announcer for a Seattle wrestling organization called DEFY Wrestling. How does one land such a gig and are many of the wrestlers legit metalheads?
I have worked in some capacity with DEFY since they first started back in 2017. I’ve done social media and backstage interviewing, but my main role with them is the host of their podcast, The Defyant Ones. From time to time I fill in as a ring announcer, and it’s an absolute BLAST! I have been
a lifelong fan of wrestling, and it’s been amazing to be involved and help out. The way I got involved was just an offer to help in any way they needed and just continue to hustle, adapt and be consistent. There are a ton of wrestlers that are metalheads—Brody King in AEW sings for the hardcore band God’s Hate, Matthew Justice is a huge fan of bands like Crowbar and Down, Edge loves Slayer, and ECW legend Jerry Lynn is a serious death metal head who used to wear Dying Fetus shirts to the ring.
I host a radio show called Metal Shop on 99.9 FM KISW, and it’s one of the longest-running metal specialty shows on the air… it’s a huge honor to carry on the heavy tradition. Your Facebook profile still links your Myspace account in your bio. Without looking, name three people in your Top 8.
Oh, man—that’s pretty embarrassing. I would imagine my old college radio show Dead Air is in my Top 8, along with my friend and radio co-host Ian and… Tom?
Chuck BB is the illustrator of the graphic novels Black Metal, Vol. 1, 2 and 3 . For more info and art, head over to chuckbb.com
PHOTO BY WEST SMITH
You’re also a DJ at a Seattle rock station. Do you have any leeway to play anything legit heavy/extreme, or do you have to throw your hands in the air and act like Riki Rachtman in 1991 when viewers wrote into Headbangers Ball asking for more Napalm Death videos?
CONCEPT CAFES
TOMB OF THE CONCEPT CAFES’ death metal and coffee collabs deliver a relentless beaning
THE
vision behind made-to-order coffee company
Concept Cafes is pretty simple: creating the most brutal coffee in the world. No big deal, right? Although this Orlando-based operation is quite young, they’ve managed to line up some impressive collaborators from the metal world, developing private labels with Cannibal Corpse (organic Bali Blue Moon), Max and Iggor Cavalera (Brazilian beans, of course), and Chris Garza of Suicide Silence (a Mexico-Java blend to celebrate his podcast). The company always strives to roast and ship the beans within seven to 10 days of ordering to ensure maximum brewtality. “Our mantra is to always swing for the fences in everything we do… you only get so many times at bat,” explains co-owner Michael Tonsetic. ¶ Concept Cafes was incubated during the early phase of the pandemic, while Tonsetic was self-medicating with coffee and death metal. His enthusiasm for the genre has been unwavering over the last 25 years. “I think death metal, and metal in general, is in a renaissance, and I feel like what we’re doing with Concept Cafes is being inspired and fueled by that music,” he observes. “We’re only about a full year into committing to all of this chaos, and the way death metal is exploding around the world, we’ll still be roasting from the grave.”
8 : DECEMBER 2023 : DECIBEL
Tonsetic is quick to point out that the artists who have chosen to partner with Concept Cafes are 100 percent involved in the selection of the single-origin beans or multi-bean blends for the coffee, and immersed in the packaging design to boot. It’s a highly collaborative, iterative and sometimes slow process, owing to the artists’ schedules. Case in point: “Beheading & Brewing,” an official Cannibal Corpse coffee (now also available in 12 oz. nitro cold brew cans), with input from the band on the sourcing of the beans and roast level, plus super-sick graphics from longtime Cannibal Corpse cover artist Vince Locke. “We are very adamant about never subjecting the fans to some random generic licensing bid,” notes Tonsetic. The private label beans/blends currently on offer on the Concept Cafes website are a fraction of the concepts that the company has pitched out, but Tonsetic is fiercely loyal to the artists that have chosen to work with them thus
far: “This is always about the fans first, and, in turn, the artist. It’s a responsibility we take extremely seriously, hence we are very meticulous in making sure everything is in line with how the artists want to present themselves to their fans around the world.” Partnerships are also key to maintaining agility, with a sister company (Coterie Coffee Co.) that roasts the beans, allowing Concept Cafes to develop and produce the private labels under one roof. Tonsetic acknowledges the challenges of giving an organic, fairtrade, ethically sourced makeover to a conventionally marketed consumable, particularly when it comes to paying a little more as a consumer. “Of course, we don’t expect the fans to blow $100 on a single bag of coffee,” he adds. “We think of the Concept Cafes labels as limitedrelease vinyl pressings, something that allows you to immerse yourself in an entire experience.” —NICK GREEN
NOW SLAYING Wonder what Decibel world HQ has been rocking for the past month? Well, here are the records that we spun most while being genuinely moved that the oooh-wah-ah-ah-ah guy got his dog back
Because not all of us were spawned in the darkest recesses of hell
This Month’s Mutha: Cathy Schultz Mutha of Carl Schultz of Action! PR
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am 79. My husband and I raised four boys and parented another for several years. We have four grandchildren. After the boys were all in school, I worked in elementary schools, where I ran the computer lab. I love to cook, read, grow flowers, play word games and, in recent years, have enjoyed sewing again. My granddaughter and I have recently tried and had fun with basic quilting. Did Carl have an affection for heavy music at a young age, or did he develop that later?
Looking back, I guess he sure started early! He came home from first or second grade with drawings of Ratt and KISS logos. I told him they bit the heads off bats, but I guess that didn’t deter him! He and his friend made cardboard guitars and “played” them to their favorite songs. When he was a young teenager, his dad took Carl and his brother to their first live metal concert. It was a learning experience for all! What were some of his non-music interests as a child?
He loved horror movies, video games, comic books and his Monday Night Football games. Halloween was and still is his favorite holiday. Even the adults in the neighborhood were impressed with the haunted woods he and his brothers set up! He could read at 4 and was very good in art. He 10 : D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 : D E C I B E L
played baseball and soccer. We had many memorable moments watching him as goalie! One of the most beloved albums your son performed on is called Frozen Corpse Stuffed With Dope. Thoughts?
Even though Carl loves this music, I am not really a fan of it. But I appreciate the creativity in the titles! Your son runs a PR company with some of the biggest names in extreme music as clients. Was this career path a surprise to you?
Not really. He was always good with words! I knew he loved metal music and dealing with people. He could carry on a conversation at 18 months! He worked at Streetside Records all through college and was well known for his knowledge of heavy metal music. What accomplishment of Carl’s are you proudest of and why?
Well, he moved away and left all he had known to pursue his job at Relapse. That was gutsy! Then later, he started his own PR company, which was a big and brave step. It’s always difficult leaving that which is routine and familiar for new horizons. That takes courage. I am also proud that he is such a kind and upbeat person. He enjoys the little things in life and always sees a silver lining in the clouds. —ANDREW BONAZELLI
Albert Mudrian : e d i t o r i n c h i e f Cruciamentum, Obsidian Refractions Autopsy, Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts Sleater-Kinney, Dig Me Out Disguised Malignance, Entering the Gateways Beyond Dawn, Longing for Scarlet Days ---------------------------------Patty Moran : c u s t o m e r s e r v i c e Bathory, Bathory Slayer, Seasons in the Abyss Sepultura, Beneath the Remains D.R.I., Thrash Zone Bl'ast!, It’s In My Blood! ---------------------------------James Lewis : a d s a l e s Agalloch, The Serpent & the Sphere Suffocation, Hymns From the Apocrypha Panopticon, …and Again into the Light Cruciamentum, Obsidian Refractions Terrorizer, World Downfall ---------------------------------Mike Wohlberg : a r t d i r e c t o r Tomb Mold, The Enduring Spirit Baroness, Stone Blood Incantation, Luminescent Bridge Antichrist Siege Machine, Purifying Blade Fuming Mouth, Last Day of the Sun ---------------------------------Aaron Salsbury : m a r k e t i n g a n d s a l e s Tomb Mold, The Enduring Spirit Various Artists, Kuma’s Corner Indy Presents: Wise Blood Records 2022 Compilation An Albatross, We Are the Lazer Viking The Locust, Plague Soundscapes L.O.T.I.O.N., Desert E Remix Lathe Cut 7-inch
GUEST SLAYER
---------------------------------Jake Murphy : f i n a l g a s p Deru, We Will Live On Dead Heat, Endless Torment The Ruts, The Crack Innumerable Forms, The Fall Down Greet Death, “I Hate Everything”