DEMO REVIEW: Käptör - Thräshättäkk (2024)

Käptör – Thräshättäkk

Estonia

Gatekeeper Records

 

There’s no denying the quality of the Estonian underground scene, with killer bands like Goatsmegma, Lein, Skullfukk SS, Koffin, Thunraz, etc. Käptör is another band worthy of adding to the list, having just released their bone-crushing debut demo, aptly titled “Thräshättäkk”. I haven’t heard any thrash bands from Estonia prior to reviewing this demo, so it’s always cool to hear new and upcoming bands, particularly from Northern Europe.
 
The demo consists of three tracks and has a playing time of about twelve minutes, and in that short time you get to hear a healthy dose of methamphetamine-induced street thrash reminiscent of bands like Slayer, Dark Angel and Overkill. For a first demo, the band shows a lot of promise, though I have a feeling they will explore their arsenal a bit more on future releases in terms of finding their identity. I like the raw approach and fast riffing, along with the totally analog sound of this recording, which almost sounds like a rehearsal.
 

The vocals have a crossover feel to them and are effectively executed, while the drums are energetic and non-stop. The riffs are pretty deadly and one of the band’s strong points. There’s definitely something special about these guys: I mean, just look at the artwork – it’s cool as hell and screams ‘80s thrash worship, while the song titles like “Speed & Pöwer” and “Förce öf the Käptör” are simply badass and say a lot about the band’s attitude. All in all, Käptör’s first demo is a solid entry into the world of thrash and shows a band with a lot of potential, so let’s hope they stick around for a few more releases so we can follow their progress. Solid effort.

DEMO REVIEW: Lein - The Call of Grief (2024)

Lein - The Call of Grief

Estonia 

Gatekeeper Records   

 

“The Call of Grief” is the debut demo by Estonian black metal quartet Lein (Estonian for “Grief”) and was released by Gatekeeper Records on cassette format limited to 100 copies.
 

The band hails from the city of Tallinn, which is one of the snowiest cities in Europe and known for its beautiful medieval architecture, so it makes sense that such a setting would produce a band whose music conjures up images of forests and snow-capped mountains.
 
The demo opens with a somber intro that perfectly sets the tone for this release, followed by “Light”, a mid-tempo track with majestic riffs and hateful vocals that are rather mid-ranged and bestial, as opposed to the higher-pitched shrieking that you often hear in black metal, though I feel like this sets them apart a bit and actually fits the music very well.
 
Production-wise, the album has a rather simple approach and feels organic, especially the drums, which are on point and eminently well-executed. The third track “Öö Langeb” goes into darker territory and features a series of deadly riffs reminiscent of Dark Fury, which are perfectly layered over the vicious screams, while “Parasite” shows their knack for more bestial rhythms, including some epic guitar solos to boot.
 
"The Call of Grief” is packed with icy riffs and a melancholic atmosphere, but also has a verily gritty edge, including some excellent leads on the last track called “Last Winter” (no pun intended). Truly, this is a thoroughly excellent demo through and through and since it’s just starting to get colder in my country, it’s a rather fitting listen.
 
Fans of bands like Dark Fury, Hate Forest and Graveland should not miss out on this release, as everything on this demo is extremely well done and shows a band with a lot of potential and a penchant for excellent craftsmanship.
 
“The Call of Grief” consists of five compositions with a playing time of 26:26 minutes and is black metal at its finest. Highly recommended.

Album review: Thunraz - Borderline (2023)

Thunraz - Borderline

Self-released

Estonia

Thunraz is a death metal project from Estonia (Northern Europe), consisting of Madis Jalakas, and “Borderline” is the third album (and the fifth release overall) under the project’s name.

It’s worth noting that Thunraz released two albums in 2023: “Revelation” and “Borderline” So how does “Borderline” compare to “Revelation”, you might ask? Well, “Borderline” hits every bit as hard as its predecessor. If anything, the album sounds heavier and more chaotic, with nine tracks of devastating and soul-crushing death metal that also incorporates influences from hardcore and doom.

The recording has a murky quality to it, yet everything sounds comparatively audible. On the previous album, Jared Moran (Acausal Intrusion, Psionic Madness, etc.) played drums, but on this recording Madis pretty much handled everything himself, from bass to guitars to vocals to drums, and did an excellent job.

The guitar rhythms are tighter than Rambo’s headband, with exceedingly heavy riffs that maul you like a spiked whip, coupled with flexible bass riffs and pugnacious vocals that range from martial growls to hellish screams. The inclusion of clean vocals makes the songs more interesting and even reminded me of Dax Riggs from Acid Bath. The sludge influence is obvious due to the slow-to-mid tempos, although it’s interesting how the songs manage to sound so discordant even during the slower segments.

The atmosphere on this release is exceptionally dark and melancholic, often bordering on black metal, although it’s not impossible to assume that there’s some black metal influence given the hopeless and negative texture of the music. If anything, I'd say Thunraz is in a class of their own as they combine an array of influences and yet miraculously make it work with relative ease as each composition is cohesive, succinct and straight-to-the-point.

Some bands that come to mind while listening to Thunraz include Immolation, Acid Bath, Soilent Green and Godflesh. These reference points should more or less give you an idea of what to expect. Every track on this album is killer, but some highlights include “Monument”, “Weight of Time” and “You and Me” (unarguably the apex of the album).

Thunraz is an underground extreme metal project that categorically puts out great releases for the style they play. This being said, “Borderline” is a solid offering from beginning to end, with 30 minutes of deranged Death Metal madness that will make all pretenders leave the hall, as the music on this release comes from a sincere and dark place.

Interview: Thunraz

 

THUNRAZ from Estonia play hard-hitting, hellishly heavy Death Metal/sludge that hits you like a freight train at 1000 MPH. Their penchant for innovation and writing quality music full of emotion sets them apart from some of their peers. If you enjoy a somewhat original approach, like some of the bands mentioned in this interview (Immolation, Today is The Day, Godflesh, etc.), then I recommend you to check them out. I consider myself a fan and have enjoyed albums like “Revelation” and “Borderline” (both released in 2023). So without further ado, here is my interview with founder/mastermind Madis Jalakas.
 
1. Hello there! Can you tell us how Thunraz was conceived and what the band is all about?
 
Madis: Greetings. Thunraz was started in 2017, after a period of significant emotional struggles for which I needed an outlet. It's become a way for me to process certain realities by aggressively confronting them. To establish some freedom in what feels increasingly like a locked cage.
 
2. Can you elaborate a bit on your sound and influences?
 
M: The initial spiritual and musical impetus for the project was the band Bölzer from Switzerland. I liked how they were a two-piece that sounded huge, and tried in my own way to emulate that. You'll hear their influence mainly on Hinterland in the tracks Stronghold of Fire, Invocation and Dysgenesis. Other influences would quickly seep in from bands such as Immolation, Godflesh and Neurosis. Some lesser known names like Cattle Press and Starkweather would inspire the approach to slower tempos, and bands such as Kobong and Meshuggah, as well as chaotic hardcore/metalcore from the 90's, would inspire the angular riffs and rhythmic diversity.

To me it's just heavy, pissed off metal without boundaries. Past my initial attempts, there has scarcely been a moment where I consciously decided what to write.

3. Why isn’t your band signed? Do you think that geography and the fact that you are not gimmicky plays some sort of factor why some labels won't work with you? 

M: There actually was a signed contract for Hinterland, but beyond some other minor collaborations, it has been difficult to find interested parties. I would say that the nature of modern social media marketing plays a big part. There are algorithmic reasons why it's harder for original material to push through. Greater content saturation also means greater competition and a need for labels to hyper-specialize. Same applies to bands.
That said, it is a bit amusing to be told, "Yes, it's good, but I don't know how to sell this". At some point all the bands that everyone considers as genre classics were doing something new that nobody knew how to market. I wish more people took a chance. Not just labels, but music fans in general. There are many cool projects out there that deserve your attention.

4. Thunraz released two very solid albums in 2023, although we will dissect them one by one. First, Revelation: This album is pretty sick and I love the diverse influences that went into it, from old-school death to chaotic hardcore to some pure black metal riffs. What was the overall vision and approach to “Revelation”?
 
M: "Revelation" was born from a collaborative effort between me and creative madman Jared Moran (Acausal Intrusion, Speed Ritual Records, etc.). He created the drum tracks based on a few keywords from me (OSDM, technical sludge), which I then improvised on top of in a quite intuitive fashion. I'm glad you enjoy it!

5. The follow-up, entitled “Borderline”, is even more manic. I feel like this album is heavier, and I love those moody clean vocals. Where did the idea to utilize clean vocals come from? Are you by any chance a fan of Acid Bath? How do you feel “Borderline” compares to “Revelation”?

M: I am actually a huge fan of Acid Bath, although Dax has more of a blues influence to his singing. Some other bands that mixed vocal styles and inspired me are Today is the Day, Section 8, and Demanufacture-era Fear Factory. Honestly, even bands like Deftones and Helmet. How it compares? I think the noisecore/metalcore influence is more obvious. "Borderline" is much more musically diverse than anything I've done before.

 

6. What are some of the themes you explore with Thunraz and where do you draw inspiration from?
 
M: Usually there will be something I'm dealing with, whether it be a personal problem, a philosophical question, or some socio-political topic that is making me mad enough to write lyrics about. I'm interested and passionate about many things, so sticking to one or two themes could never sustain my interest and would stifle a project that's meant to be freeing. Quite a few of the songs deal with several subjects. The first lyrics I actually felt strongly enough to sing had to do with the death of a close friend and the perpetual misery of nearly everyone around me. If there is an overarching theme, it's my refusal to quietly tolerate the daily horrors of existence.

7. The track ‘You and Me’ from “Borderline” has some of the sickest riffs and is easily one of your best songs. A pure masterpiece. Can you give us some insight on what this song is about?
 
M: Thank you! "You and Me" details what can happen if two thoroughly traumatized people meet each other and try to build a life together, with way too many obstacles in their path. For me it forms the emotional and thematic centrepiece of the album.

 
8. The music of Thunraz is dark, chaotic, and depicts real emotion, whereas most extreme metal acts lack any sort of emotion or feeling. Would you describe your music as angry, misanthropic, and do you think original bands are in short supply these days?
 
M: I wouldn't say that most extreme metal acts lack feeling, but death metal in particular might not be seen as the most appropriate vehicle to deliver these super personal expressions of pain. Black metal is a bit better suited for it, but even in that context the expressions seem to fit a certain character that becomes predictable after a while (like in DSBM). I enjoy a lot of these bands nevertheless, but I want absolute creative freedom, no matter who it displeases.

How angry or misanthropic my music is relative to others is up for the listener to decide. I can only say that if I truly believed there were no solutions, I'd be dead. Within every cynic is a disappointed idealist and all that.

There are still original bands, but they are often lost in the sea of mediocrity and label-backed releases that follow an established pattern. Jump into the sea and try to find those lost treasures.
 
9. Would you mind telling us more about the band's current line- up and who does what? I believe Jared Moran played drums on “Revelation”, but what about “Borderline”? It's safe to say he's one of the most prolific musicians I've ever seen, and most of his bands are killer.
 
M: With the exception of Revelation, all the music of Thunraz has been written and performed by myself. I don't think this setup will ever change, but I might work with a different drummer at times. Working with a new drummer right now in fact. Very talented guy.
 
10. If I’m not mistaken, it is winter there right now – is the weather a good inspiration for songwriting and does it influence the psyche somehow?

M: It is winter, but not a particularly cold one. The coldness of the people is the greater inspiration. That and the legacies of the Soviet period which still litter the landscape.
 
11. In light of all this global instability - with the ongoing war in Europe, famines in Africa, and current situation in Israel - do you think we are heading for disaster?
 
M: I doubt I know any more than you, but things certainly don't look great. Anyone can see the massive divisions in society and what that is leading to, but few are willing to extend the olive branch. Too many are focused on the wrongs of "the other side" and unwilling to examine their own corruption. Total unity shouldn't be the goal. If an uneasy truce is all we can manage, it's still better than total chaos. How very un-metal of me.
 
12. What are 10 albums you can’t live without?
 
M: These are off the cuff and subject to change slightly, but right now, and in no particular order:
1. Bathory - Hammerheart
2. Today is the Day - Willpower
3. Immolation - Close to a World Below
4. Cattle Press - Hordes to Abolish the Divine
5. Godflesh - Pure
6. Swans - Children of God
7. Cocteau Twins - Head over heels
8. Jeff Buckley - Grace
9. Drive Like Jehu - Yank Crime
10. Agents of Oblivion - Self-titled
 
13. How do you envision Thunraz in 10 years? The fact that some serious labels haven't discovered your talent yet shouldn't discourage you from creating music. If I owned a record label, I would sign your band pronto! Hails to you!
 
M: I can't even envision myself in 10 years, but I hope I'll still be creative in some way. No one should be discouraged from making music due to outside factors. I know it still happens, but honestly, speaking as a listener, I don't want to hear from you if your motives are anything other than pure self-expression. I'm glad if people make money, but if you see your band primarily as a business, it's time to pack it in.

My most infernal hailz to you, bro. Thanks for the interview!

Album review: Thunraz - Revelation (2023)

Thunraz - Revelation

Estonia

Independent

Thunraz is the musical entity by sole mastermind Madis Jalakas, and “Revelation” is the second full-length (and fourth release if you include the two EPs) released under this wholesome project. I find it interesting that this is labelled as “Industrial death metal” since to my ears, it follows a distinctly traditional approach, although by no means cookie-cutter in any shape or form; in fact, Madis Jalakas seems to show a penchant for some extremely juicy hooks and ideas, something I don't typically hear in death metal, giving off the impression of outsider influences. I suppose the hint of industrial comes from the riffs, since the guitars have a knack to be overwhelmingly chaotic and dissonant at times. The compositions are drenched in nihilism and show a great deal of depth. A range of excellent vocals - from hoarse howls to savage growls - complements the music along with an organic production, a feature I always appreciate in metal. I’m actually dumbfounded as to why this project isn’t signed to a credible label, as it rightly should be. Overall, “Revelation” is a wholly enjoyable album with a myriad of interesting ideas. Highly recommended.

EP review: Pime - Avanemine (2020)

Pime - Avanemine

Estonia

Self-released (bandcamp)

Pime is yet another solid entry from Estonia – this time a quartet featuring members from black/death squadron, Süngehel. The EP in question, “Avanemine,” was self-released by the band and is basically a re-recording of their first demo from 2010.

Now I haven’t heard that demo, but I guess the band deemed it necessary to revitalize the material (maybe as a promo?) All I can say is their sound is quite antithetical compared to the other bands the members play in. It’s a familiar style of melodic black metal that brings to mind bands such as Taake, The Stone, and MGLA, but not in a shamelessly rip-off sense. The music is certainly quite refined, yet rich in atmosphere, and features a plethora of razor-sharp, epic riffs that will make you envision standing on a mountain somewhere enraptured by the elements of nature. Scandinavian sensibilities are all too prevalent, but elements of uniqueness do shine through. I’m particularly fond of the more sombre segments, which blend in well with the atmosphere. There’s no doubt about the quality of this output – the execution is tight, well-produced, dark, melancholic, and emphatically merciless.

Overall, I find the band to be an interesting prospect, even though there’s much room for improvement, as this is merely a demo that’s been re-recorded and invigorated with honed musicianship. A solid representation of some well-played dark metal madness from Estonia. Favourite track: Olen Jääs (HT)

Interview: Sküllfükk SS (2021)

Estonia's Sküllfükk SS are all about bringing the booze and keeping the tradition of speed/black/thrash alive, as their most recent release, "Uncut Speed," can attest to that. So brace yourselves, ladies and gents, as we get down and dirty with the Black Death Speed Metal commando that is SKULLFUKK SS!

To inaugurate this interview, please introduce yourselves and tell us the story behind how Sküllfükk SS was conceived.

Vödkamizer: I am Vödkamizer, guitarist and co-founder of the band. The band came about in late 2017 during a depression-fueled bender I was on. I met Motörbreath online some months before when trying to sell some of my guitar gear since I was dirt poor and needed rent. I got drunk one night during the winter and sent him a message simply asking if he would be interested in making some kinda old school black / thrash metal project (originally thinking in the vein of Deströyer 666 and Gospel of The Horns). He said yes and we met up and started jamming around, though I was more shit on guitar than I am now so it did take a while in the beginning. Some time during 2018 I had been drinking with Beerhämmer and offered him the position as drummer under the false pretense that we would sound like Chrome Division. He and I went way back so I figured lying was the best way to go about getting him involved. We didn't start rehearsing together until the beginning of 2019.

Motörbreath: Motörbreath is the name, pretending to be able to sing and play my instrument is the game. I moved to Estonia in the summer of 2017, some months later I saw Vödkamizer selling his amplifier and I was interested in it. Didn’t end up buying it but as he mentioned before he contacted me to form a black/thrash band and I was quite hungry for creating something new since I wasn’t busy with anything. After a bit of beer and some rockin riffs we wrote our first song Alkopökalypse Now.

It’s my first official role as a bass player so it was quite fun for me moving from my usual guitar duties. I had some experience in playing and singing at the same time but never in this fashion, I’ve mostly done growling in the past in a death metal band called Urðun.

How did you come up with the name Sküllfükk SS, and what is the connotation behind it? Have you received any backlash from snowflakes due to your name? Furthermore, do you think metal has become too safe and rife with political correctness?

Vödkamizer: I had originally come up with the name around 2013-2014, something in that area. I was playing in two local black metal bands at that time and had an idea to make a thrash metal band as a creative outlet. It never really went anywhere but when Motörbreath and I started jamming I suggested the name and we gave more depth to it. I think he was the one who suggested the umlauts and we also had the idea that the SS should stand for "Satänik Slüts" as our lyrics largely revolve around drinking and fükking. (more so fükking)

We haven't actually had too much trouble with it. Mostly from random people online who don't know what we are all about. I think the most trouble we have had was with a compilation we were supposed to be on, a drummer from another band (I don't even remember the name) had said that we have to use our full spelled out name "Sküllfükk Satänik Slüts" because he doesn't like the SS part since he is an antifa or something. Usually I would be fine with compromising and using the full name if it was an issue of simply being worried about the label getting flak since the world we live in these days is hard to be edgy künts in but this seemed more personal so we said fükk it and backed out of the compilation.

I would definitely agree with the idea that metal has "become too safe and rife with political correctness". When you look at the bands in the 80s/90s and the underground scene from all over the world, they all sing about some pretty over the top stuff that is definitely offensive to someone who is not really into that music and scene. It is supposed to be offensive. Metal has always been about pushing the limit, musically and lyrically. We live in a pretty desensitized society these days and political correctness seems to have this "all inclusive" agenda, where everyone from everywhere with every belief has to be accounted for, regardless if they are your target audience. You have to cater to their wants and needs and to deviate is the cardinal sin. Metal's broad genre has become all inclusive and safe and that is fine because there will always be some underground bands of ässhöles who are going to push the limits and tell everyone to fükk öff and kill themselves.

Motörbreath: As Vödkamizer said, it was mostly his idea with a lot of riffing around and mucking about. I feel the SS part has more connections to the Italian heavy demons of Death SS if anything. The reason for a double K as opposed to correct spelling comes from the love of pure 80s-90s kvlt cheese like Sadistik Exekution for example. I don’t really think we need to explain ourselves too much, it’s just for fun. Like Frank Zappa’s music, either you get it or you don’t. Not that we’re anywhere as musically talented, but I digress.

Your band plays a mix of thrash, speed, and old-school black metal, but in your own words, how would you describe your sound and what are your biggest influences?

Vödkamizer: While we haven't existed for very long, I would personally say our style is constantly evolving with every song we write. The genre name that we have called BDSM (black/death/speed metal) is more just a funny gimmick name than a literal descriptor of our sound. I would say we are some kind of bad street metal punk mixed with glammy skümmy speed metal. The biggest influences on my songwriting, especially lately, have been Abigail/Barbatos, Tank, Angel Witch, Shitfuckers, GG Allin and The Jabbers, and Billy Idol.

Motörbreath: It’s like an amoeba, always changing. The musical fundamentals always stay with street/speed metal and first wave black metal is best black metal. Rest is gay and boring. Personally I take great inspiration from most of which Vödkamizer mentioned including Midnight, Venom, Bootsy Collins(Fünk is also cool fükk you), early-Helloween, Manilla Road, Thor, Tygers of Pan Tang, Tiger Junkies, Manowar, Exciter and a myriad of other bands. I could go all day name dropping good shit but best keep it simple for the time being. ÏA ÏA - All hail the Time Being!

What can you tell us about the Estonian metal scene? There seems to be a myriad of killer, yet underrated bands from your country. Which bands/’zines/labels can you recommend us?

Vödkamizer: The Estonian metal scene is extremely diverse. I have been living here around ten years and have seen a lot happen in those few years. The scene is always getting bigger as far as the bands go and right now there seems to be a population boom with the younger audience, a lot of teenager skümbägs getting into the Devil's music. The scene is relatively small in Estonia and very interconnected as opposed to other places where metal scenes are separated by genre. We are too small to do that and won't really survive if we all become elitists in that way so you will find concerts that have very different bands performing together and it is great because everyone gets hammered and parties hard, regardless of what shitty music they play.

I would recommend the bands Koffin, Ziegenhorn, Süngehel, Goatsmegma, Langenu, Form, Deceitome, Paean, Tankist, Urt, Herald, and Tharaphita. Just off of the top of my head. As for labels, Trash Can Dance and Hexenreich Records are the main two I would recommend. They both are one-man operations and focus on MC releases. The only zine I have read that comes out of here is done by Motörbreath, called Morbid Writes and it is heilarious and great.

Motörbreath: I feel the Estonian metal scene is often very disjointed because I feel as if there is a lot of misguided rivalry that comes across as some sort of jealousy and unwillingness to cooperate. I’m not speaking in absolutes of course, I feel that here in Tartu there is some sort of cum-radery. It can be a bit different between the capital area and the rest but that also felt that way in my home country as well.

Some good things mentioned by Vödkamizer but you should definitely check out the bands Aggressor, Igor Mortis, Forgotten Sunrise, Discrucior, Nekropol, Hymenotomy, Loits, Thrashless, Tankist, Nihilistikrypt, Rattler, Degeneratör, Winny Puhh, Catafalc, Mortified, Skydancer, Intrepid, Necro Strike and I recommend the labels Warhorn Records and Lyndanise Coven. As for zines, go read Taud and Offense Zine. I’m sort of fed up with doing Morbid Writes for now.

How has the response been towards your latest demo, “Uncut Speed”?

Vödkamizer: I have seen a few reviews online. One seemed pretty mild, others have seemed pretty enthusiastic about it. But I would say that the brunt of our listeners have really loved it. The demo is just most of our old songs recorded and got out of the way so we can focus on newer material. I hear people blasting it at the local drinking park once in a while so that's neat. Our tapes sell pretty fast and have been getting more and more international fans since the release, big thanks to Corrupted Flesh Records and Karl Korts for being great at doing promo since we are cavemen and can barely ooga chaka. It's been cool to see people tagging us on Instagram and Facebook, blasting our shit while getting hämmered.

Motörbreath: I haven’t been paying much attention to it to be honest, with my previous bands I used to check if any reviews were made all the time but I’ve become very passive about it. Not that I don’t care, I’m just not thinking about it since it’s mostly about my own musical expression anyway. However, contrary to that, I do love some constructive criticism. If you say some shit like “it’s okay but I prefer Iron Maiden” you can miss me with that noise.

Who is the woman on the cover of your demo, and why did you opt for a pink cover?

Vödkamizer: Her name is Faye Reagan and she is a pornstar. I could lie and say we commissioned her for a photoshoot to get that perfect picture but no, I found it on Google and sent it to Motörbreath to do his magic on. We were originally planning to do a drawn or painted album cover and that photo was going to be used as reference but it was already just so perfect and how can you emulate those tits? 

As for the pink cover, I can't really remember how we came to it. I think I originally was talking with Motörbreath about doing black and white with a pink casing for the tape but we eventually decided to just go for the pussy pink look. It stands out. We have naked ladies in our art and we sing about sex so we can get away with it. Corrupted Flesh Records even released pink versions of the shirts which just look so sexy. All the -2 women reading this, go buy one.

Motörbreath: I think we decided to do pink covers because the idea of a “püssy pink release” sounded funny. Pussies are cool. But please, the more chicks digging our shit, the better. Would be a great change from playing in front of aging desperate sweaty male alcoholics. So ladies, without further adieu, bang your head up from the dead, intense metal is all that you need!

The production on your demo has a very raw, yet killer sound. Can you tell us a bit more about the type of sound you were going for, including some details about the recording process? Are you satisfied with the result?

Vödkamizer: We wanted to have an old demo sound like the bands we listen to had so we were going for that "we're 17, poor and have no idea what we're doing" sound which is pretty close to our reality, but ten years late. We recorded everything in the rehearsal room we used with whatever gear we had available to us. I used my cheap little practice amp for the guitar.

Motörbreath: Yeah same, but instead we’re 27, poor and have no idea what we’re doing. We are more or less happy with it, restricting ourselves to what we have at hand is an exciting task. There were some minor fuck-ups while recording some of the instruments causing inconsistencies but whatever, we didn’t bother re-recording. It’s just a demo. Technically long enough to be an EP though!

Some of your photos show the band with alcohol. Do you consider yourselves to be hardcore drinkers? One might get the impression that Skullfukk SS is a “fun” band, although that’s probably a ludicrous assumption.

Vödkamizer: While I am less of an alcoholic these days due to responsibility and health issues, I still drink fairly regularly and sometimes to extremes, though not like I used to. When we started the band I would say I was at the peak of my alcoholism. I would say we are fun. We put the "fun" in "funeral". I think the main thing that drives us even doing this band is the fun that we have when doing it. I really love playing alongside Motörbreath. Beerhämmer and I go waaaaaaaay back to when I first started playing in bands in Tartu in 2013. If we aren't enjoying ourselves in rehearsal, recording, on stage, what the fükk are we even doing? And I think this attitude has a way of transfering to the fans. We have developed our own weird language with using umlauts in like... everything possible to where the fans will start using them when sending messages or doing posts about us which is pretty fünny. During our first public concert, we had a promotion that would give a discount to anyone who showed up wearing BDSM gear and a surprising amount of people did. Our music is high energy, fast, and aggressive and lends itself more to the types of people who wanna get fükked up, headbang, moshpit, and then fükk someone after the show. I would say that all three of us are fairly humorous and it is impossible for that to not leak into our music.

Motörbreath: It’s just an image for the band. I don’t drink a whole lot at all, in fact I’m not even into partying! I do like some beer and good whiskey on occasions. Big fan of Nikka whiskeys, single malts and craft beers. So fucking expensive though. Music-wise it’s all about putting the fun in the bun if you know what I mean. So not a Luda-Chris assumption at all. What you gonna do? Act a fool!

What can you tell you about your live output and what people can expect from it? Do you guys drink before you go on stage, or are you one of those bands with a ‘sober before we play’ policy?

Vödkamizer: We play fast. We play loud. And we will -definitely- fükk songs up on stage. I drink a bit before playing, mostly for the nerves and to get into the zone, but I have made the mistake in the past too many times to get too fükked up before getting on stage and not being able to properly play the songs, mostly in previous bands. These days if I drink for at least 2 days straight then I should be fine but my health does suffer from it quite a bit. I think that recognizing your own limitations physically and mentally is very important if you are gonna be drünk or sober on stage. I can't play entirely sober, I just can't get in the mood.

Motörbreath: In real life I’m quite reserved but live I can put on a persona to let off some steam and break a good sweat. I like having a couple of bevvies with the boys before playing to loosen up because if I’m all relaxed, the performance goes much smoother in my opinion. I once played a bit drunk but realized that I sounded like shit so I kept it at reasonable levels after that. If you want to be sober while playing, you do you. Unless I have to drive after, then I don’t drink. Obviously, drunk driving is for losers.

What’s some of your favourite records of all time?

Vödkamizer: Where do I even begin... Iced Earth's self titled album and Blind Guardian's "Battalions of Fear" were the two albums that really got me into metal as a kid. "Unchain The Wolves" and "Cold Steel For An Iron Age" by Deströyer 666, "Forever Street Metal Bitch" by Abigail, "Abigail" by King Diamond, "Don't Break The Oath" by Mercyful Fate, "Angel Witch" and "Frontal Assault" by Angel Witch, "Painkiller" by Judas Priest, everything with the "Speed Metal" label released by Banzai Records, "Hall of The Mountain King" by Savatage, "The Underground Resistance" by Darkthrone, "Heavy Metal Maniac" and "Violence & Force" by Exciter, "Court In The Act" by Satan, "Shellshock" EP and "This Means War" by Tank. Shellshock specifically has to be the EP version. Not going to bother listing non-metal because it would go on and on... Those are just a few off of the top of my head but I could go on for hours...

Motörbreath: Now this list will be a bit diverse. Thin Lizzy’s “Bad Reputation”, Büdi Siebert’s “Hmm…”, Thomas Dolby’s “Aliens Ate My Ferrari”, Frank Zappa’s “Sheik Yerbouti”, Morbid Angel’s “Thy Kingdom Come” and “Altars of Madness”, 1986 Omega Tribe’s “Another Summer”, Judas Priest’s “Sad Wings of Destiny”, Masayoshi Takanaka’s “Alone”, King Diamond’s “Abigail”, Death’s “Individual Thought Patterns” and Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of the War of the Worlds. I could go on and on, this list changes from time to time of course. Funny enough I don’t even like Motörhead all that much despite people saying we’re kinda like a diet version of that.

What’s your preferred format in regards to physical releases? Are you one of those people that seek out every possible format and edition of your favourite albums?

Vödkamizer: Cassette tape > Vinyl > CD. I am too broke so I usually buy tapes because they are cheap and small. If I had a ton of disposable income I would probably buy... more tapes. Maybe some more vinyl. I only get CDs really if it is the only option, not that I have anything against them, I just like the process involved with tapes and vinyl. There is a certain added element of appreciation I get when I go through the effort to care for these products and their players. 

Motörbreath: I’m not that type of die-hard fan collector. I know a few mad collectors, like a friend of mine who has almost every single piece of merchandise, music releases and re-releases by Necromantia. I haven’t bought a CD in years now. For some reason I’m mostly drawn to cassette tapes. My fascination for them started a couple of years after I started buying a bunch of vinyl records, around that time I stopped buying CDs. I mostly just buy shit I like, don’t fancy having it in multiple formats though. I think it’s just so much more of a fun “ritual” listening to music in a physical analog format like that. Call me a hipster and retarded but I don’t give a damn, I enjoy going whizzing up some black wax metal madness or getting a juicy tape to listen on my Walkman EX-39. However, if I am to be compelled to buy a CD, it has to be something special, like the CD surface would have the shiny parts glare through. Doesn’t hurt to have a good looking layout. When it’s said, don’t judge a book by its cover, I think that’s irrelevant when it comes to albums. It’s the first thing you notice! Check out releases from Awakening Records, they’ve got some beautiful eye-catching CDs.

When will we see a full-length materialize, and what’s your future plans with the band? Do you have any merchandise available?

Vödkamizer: We are currently finishing the conceptualizing and writing for our full length. Sadly, it could be the last big release we do for the foreseeable future as Motörbreath will be moving away in about a year from now. So we are just putting as much effort as we can into that release to make it something special for us. We are constantly pumping out limited t-shirts, tank tops, patches, tapes, etc. You just have to follow us online or know us to be able to get some. Corrupted Flesh Records also carries some limited designs for shirts and patches, though the tapes have sold out already. You can contact us directly through Instagram or join our private Sküllfükk Satänik Slüts group on Facebook if you want something.

Motörbreath: The full-length album might be out sometime early to middle of next year. Can’t tell for sure though. It’ll be good regardless of when it’s released, that’s a Sküllfükk prömise. Before that we’re releasing a split EP, total sleaze bangers from us called “Kamikaze Slüt” and “Tokyö Püssy XXXtreme”. The other band will be the mighty Barbatos from Japan. Very excited about this.

Thanks for answering my questions! And for a last question: tell us about some of your interests outside of playing music – are any of you guys into sports, artwork, hiking, or anything like that, or do you prefer drinking yourselves into a pulp until you barf your lungs out?

Vödkamizer: I love doing long cycling and camping trips as well as nature hikes but haven't had much opportunity for it lately. Hopefully in the near future. I dabble in writing stories and am working on a couple of table-top roleplaying games for myself and my friends. If they come out cool then I might release them to the public but that is a long way off for now. I drink a lot and enjoy organizing events when possible, sometimes concerts or festivals or simple group camping type things.

Motörbreath: I wish I could say I’m into sports, been meaning to get fitter for years but lethargy and laziness is killing me haha. I fucking love cooking interesting tasty meals. I also watch a shitload of films, quite enjoy watching some horror b-movies with my wife, TROMA reigns supreme. Kino stuff is always appreciated as well, The Lighthouse was amazing for example. I also do a bunch of artwork as my dayjob, which is also my hobby. 

Check it out @skadvaldur on Instagram and Facebook! I make b&w illustrations and paintings for extreme metal bands. If you have a cool band and you need a logo/motif/painting/drawing hit me up on social media or email me at skadvaldur.art@gmail.com

Drinking in bars often is too expensive, just get fucked at home!