Bob Bagchus, drummer and founder of Asphyx, chats with me, The Pitgoddess, about the new album, Deathhammer, the Netherlands and Maryland Deathfest! Check out Live Death Doom (DVD), Deathhammer, and the upcoming split with Hooded Menace!
The Pitgoddess- Hello Bob, I hope I find you well. How is life in the Netherlands with Asphyx?
Bob Bagchus- Yes, all is well here. Life in the Netherlands is expensive so we just have to work harder. As far as Asphyx goes, we're currently busy working on our new album called Deathhammer. So far we've recorded 3 tracks, "Reign of the Brute," "Vespa Crabro" and "Minefield."
PG- Van Drunen was on the last release, what qualities does he bring to Apshyx?
B-His unique voice fits in Asphyx perfectly, like it did in the past as well. Martin feels exactly what kind of lyrics a new song needs and we know exactly where the vocal lines will be. When Martin joined Asphyx in 1990, he felt at home right away. We shared the same vision and that was/is: making brutal, simple and straight forward doom/death metal and not thinking of what anyone else might think of it. It's all about the right feeling. Very simple.
PG- Asphyx was on Maryland Death Fest last year (and the year before!) Do you just really love MDF? Do you have any good stories from MDF?
B-Yes we were and it was great again. Of course we love MDF! A great fest with great bands and a great atmosphere! Good stories? Hmm, it all was good except for the awful Budweiser "beer"...
PG- What does Asphyx currently have in the works? You know, we Americans would love a US Tour, have you considered doing one?
B-Like said, we're busy with Deathhammer ,our new album.So far 3 songs have been recorded and in a few weeks we'll record another 3.The drums and vocals will be recorded in the good old Harrow studio(were we also have recorded The Rack and The Last One On Earth) and the guitars and bass will be recorded in our own Wasteland Studio. The mixing and mastering will be done again by Dan Swanö. What can I saw about the upcoming album without being cliché or something? Well...it's cliché but Deathhammer is going to be the darkest, heaviest, doomiest and most apocalyptic album Asphyx ever had made, for sure. And if I say it, you can truly believe it. We love the new doom/death tracks a lot and that's what counts for us. Asphyx will be Asphyx(of course) but darker then ever before. A US tour? Well, Asphyx doesn't do an tours anymore but we'll play in the US again for sure since we love the US! I personally also really like the country itself. It's a good thing that there is an open gun-law in most States, since I love guns. Also the trespass-law is great as well! You break in ,you get shot .You don't need to get on my property. Here in Holland,if someone breaks into your house, the only thing you are allowed to do is call the police and in the meantime watch how they steal your possessions. Hit the criminal and you'll be the one who gets busted and prosecuted! It's ridiculous! I sometimes wish that my family and I would live in Texas, or Florida. But I believe I'm getting carried away a bit from your question...
PG- Why did you decide to start a death metal band in the first place? How has that decision affected other aspects of your life?
B-Since I always loved bands as old Venom, Messiah, Slaughter, Necrophagia, old Death, Hellhammer/Frost, so when I was still at school and listened to those bands I thought it was time to start my own doom/death metal band, which I did in 1987,the year of my graduation. We played covers of Death's-Infernal Death ,Celtic Frost-Nocturnal Fear,Mayhem-Necrolust, Venom-Countess Bathory. The desicion of starting a band affected me so far that I didn't continue going to school any longer. I started to focus on Asphyx and got my own network. Euronymous(rip) of Mayhem helped me quite a lot back then. And so did Metalion of Slayer Mag, Norway. I owe them quite a lot. But as said,doom/death metal was the only goal for me then and I didn't care about the rest.
PG- How has metal evolved since Asphyx started?
B- Well, today's death metal scene is not getting any better I must say. It seems that there is a contest going on of who can play the fastest and most technical songs(if you can call it that)......10000bpm drumming, freaky guitar playing,1000 riffs in 1 song...blluurghh!!! It's awful!!! And in the end...WHERE THE FUCK IS THE SONG???? I can't remember 1 good riff or rhythm or whatsoever! What was that all about!! For heavens sake..go back to your mom and bore her with your awful freakyhypertheblasterspeedtralalalookwhatIcanbieppiep so called death metal! Get the fuck out!!! You're NOT death metal! Those fuckers don't understand a thing about death metal! Go back to the real metal school and listen to Hellhammer! THÁT IS DEATH METAL! So, no, I'm not too excited about the evolvement, you can say. But there are new great bands like Hooded Menace and Necros Christos!!!!! They rule!!!
PG- Van Drunen has a lovely silver mane. Do you happen to know how he keeps it so sleek and shiny? Inquiring minds want to know.
B-Yes, he has. Shiny? Hmm, don't know if can tell you that though.....
PG- You guys have played tons of fests and shows, what is the best audience you have ever come across?
B-Hmm, difficult to say since each country has different kind of audiences. But we have had crazy shows in Germany, Italy, Greece Spain, Switzerland, Poland and of course in the US on the MDF! We love to play on the MDF again, someday.
PG- Got any last words to share? J
B-Thanx for this interview!! And remember, If You Won't Face Death...We Will.
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