The Eyescream Metal Fest V will be next Saturday October 18 at the Circo Volador.
Cattle Decaptation, the Deathgrind band would originate from San Diego California will return to Mexico to be part of the cartel that integrates the Eyescream Metal Fest V, which also includes bands like Exodus, The Agonist, The Faceless, Havok or Legion of the Damned.
In interview for Summa Inferno, the guitarist Josh Elmore He tells us about his return to the country, the band's next new album, his life as vegetarians and even the conflict between Palestine and Israel.
Cattle Decapitation vuelve a la Ciudad de México en días en que los ojos del planeta están sobre el conflicto entre Israel y Palestina. Ustedes tienen en el tema del genocidio un tópico recurrente en sus canciones…
Eso parece ser una lucha sin esperanza. Son dos grupos que históricamente se han odiado entre si y cualquier alto al fuego es solo temporal, pues solo tomará cualquier acción un poco agresiva para que vuelvan a enfrascarse en la pelea. El asunto de Israel / Palestina es solo un incidente que puede llamarse “genocidio” dentro de nuestras letras. De hecho, mucho depende en que parte del conflicto estés. Los que para unos son genocidas, para otros solo se están defendiendo; por el otro lado, tenemos un grupo que pareciera que está siendo exterminado, pero que para otros son “terroristas”. Nuestras letras toman un aspecto mucho más amplio y no hablamos de un conflicto en particular – como el tratado en este momento – sino que hablan de la humanidad en general, y la fuerza destructiva de la Tierra como planeta, el medio ambiente terrestre y nuestra propensión a auto-aniquilarnos. ¿Será que escribimos moralejas?
Another very touched topic in his songs is animal rights. In Mexico City, the use of animals in circuses was recently banned; many activists continue to fight bullfighting with very positive results. Do you think consciousness is finally winning the battle?
Para que las sociedades progresen deben alejarse de artefactos del pasado que los encadenan a un estancamiento. El ver este tipo de pasos en sociedades en las que cosas como las corridas de toros son algo arraigado, obviamente es algo positivo. Aunque yo no como carne, comprendo que su consumo es lo que sostiene la vida de quien si lo hace. ¿Pero la tauromaquia? ¿Cómo pueden justificarlo? Es un deporte de sangre, donde el teatro romantico del baile de Matador evitando la muerte a manos [¿o cuernos… pezuñas?] del toro, el cual termina muerto; con la desaparición definitiva de un animal que pasa sus últimos minutos enfurecido y asustado. Que bueno que los activistas estén logrando esos resultados y que mas sociedades estén despertando a la realidad.
And while we're at it, what do you think of GMO foods?
The United States is apparently governed by the need for convenience. Unfortunately, that often means that you have no choice but to eat the vegetables that large wholesalers provide you and that are genetically engineered. You can always buy organic, but it's generally more expensive. The way to eat 100% organic is to harvest your own food. For a time, in my last house, we planted a garden and ate from it. But it was only a supplement, because we kept buying vegetables in the store, but it was a step forward. In my opinion, the less chemicals in your food, the better. But in this modern world, the only way to get it is to do it yourself, which takes time and sadly is too expensive.
I remember that they played with extraordinary power in Guadalajara in an edition of the Heaven Metal Fest, and now they are back for another Mexican Festival, Eyescream Metal Fest. What is your opinion of the Mexican audience and what do you expect from the show?
Mexican fans are always very supportive. We have many and very pleasant experiences playing in your country throughout the years. Concerts in Cabo San Lucas, Tijuana, Mexicali, Guadalajara, Leon, San Luis Potosi and Mexico City have always been deadly. We really hope that the Eyescream Fest beats them all.
Pocos meses antes de su show en Guadalajara, hubo fuertes rumores de una supuesta separación de la banda…
Is not true. We are halfway through composing our new album and we will be in the studio early next year and we want to release it in late summer. We already have about 10 songs in preparation and we can't wait to get together and play this new material for everyone. Brutal themes!
For people who don't know other bands that get close to their sound, what bands do you recommend that influence you?
Todos nosotros ponemos sobre la mesa un montón de influencias distintas. El que pueda discernir sobre cualquiera de las influencias individuales es cuestionable. Puedes escuchar elementos de la época sinfónica de Carcass, Enslaved, Emperor, Dark Funeral, la mitad de la carrera de Death, Napalm Death, Anaal Nathrakh, Voivod, y muchos más… Creo que esas bandas son las que tienen una gran influencia en nuestros estilos individuales, pero que no afectan el proceso de escritura de las canciones. No importa el escoger los riffs que puedan hacer reminiscencia de alguna banda, sino que nos inspira la atmosfera que generan.
Later you already commented that in 2015 they will release a new album. Musically, what can we expect from this new album?
Los fans que disfrutaron Monolith of Inhumanity estarán muy satisfechos. Ni siquiera hemos terminado de escribir las canciones del disco, pero los temas ya parecen empezar a perfilarse en un “entra / sale” de ritmos. No esperen largas canciones de Grind, porque no estamos haciendo temas épicamente largos. Creo que estamos en nuestro mejor momento cuando escribimos canciones de 3.5 o 4 minutos, con un montón de cambios de ritmo y eso es lo que estamos haciendo. Las canciones son muy pesadas. No en el sentido de cuando las bandas dicen “este es nuestro disco más pesado a la fecha”, pero si en vista de nuestro pasado inmediato. Pedazos de de esas canciones tienen grandes pasajes de agitación. También estamos invirtiendo mucho esfuerzo en poner a las cuerdas al mismo nivel que la batería. Queremos progresar y mejorar muchos elementos de nuestro material previo.
According to various Metal specialists, ‘Monolith of Inhumanity’ It is his most melodic album and this change was well received by critics. Was that the intention when writing it or was the music just flowing?
Nuestra intención era simplemente escribir las mejores canciones que pudieramos. Esa era la única intención. No queriamos competir con las bandas super técnicas o las de “heavy” metal, solo queriamos hacer un gran álbum dentro del contexto de nuestro estilo al momento y como hemos ido evolucionando. Nuestro nuevo disco está siendo escrito de la misma manera. Las letras van primero.
As we already made clear, they are vegetarians. In Mexico we use a lot of chili, but for many foreigners that is not good for the stomach. Do you like spicy food and our gastronomy in general?
Como vivimos en una ciudad fronteriza, estamos acostumbrados y nos gusta la comida picante. Las taquerias son practicamente una religión en San Diego, así que tenemos nuestra versión de la comida “mexicana”. También nos gusta la comida India, Thai y otra que tienen elementos muy picantes, por lo menos más que la comida estadounidense promedio. ¡Así que nosotros le entramos al chile y a la comida mexicana!
And well, finally, a message for your fans in Mexico?
Get ready to rape your ears and hit your faces! We are deeply honored to be part of such a brutal LineUp and look forward to leaving our Blackened Gore brand in Mexico City. See you there!
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Cattle Decapitation returns to Mexico City in dates that the world has his eyes on the Israel-Palestinian conflict. We know you have many songs to make mention of topics like genocide. We want to know your point of view about this event.
It appears to be a hopeless struggle. These are two groups who have historically hated each other and any cease-fire or peace agreement is only temporary as it will only take one aggressive action to plunge the two back in to tit-for-tat conflict. The Israeli / Palestinian situation is just but one incidence of what can be referenced as “genocide” in our lyrical content. Granted, it depends which side of the conflict you are on. One group's genocide is another group's self-defense and one group's attempts at not being wiped out are another's "terrorism." Cattle's lyrics take a more broad approach and are not in any way directly addressing the Israeli / Palestinian conflict. The terms in which we speak are aimed at mankind in general and its destructive force on the Earth as a planet, the terrestrial environment and its propensity for annihilating itself. Perhaps we are writing cautionary tales?
Another recurrent topic in your songs is the animal rights. In México City recently have been prohibited the use of animals in circus, and many activists are fighting in the world against the tauromachy with positive results, Do you think finally the conscience is winning the battle?
For societies to progress they must evolve away from artifacts of the past which chain them to stagnation. To see these steps taken in cultures where traditions such as bull-fighting are ingrained is a positive step. Even though I am not a meat-eater, the consumption of it sustains life for the consumer. What does the bull-fighting sustain? It is a blood sport where the romanticized theater of a matador's dance to avoid death at the hands (hooves, horns?) Of the bull culminates with the torture and ultimate demise of a scared and enraged animal. Good for activists to achieve these results and that more people in these societies are waking up to the reality.
Are you agree or disagree with the use of transgenics in vegetables?
America is seemingly ruled by the need for convenience. Unfortunately, that usually means you are relegated to vegetables that are brought to you by that major suppliers which more than likely participate in the use of GMO-laden items. You can always buy organic, but that is usually more expensive. The only way to be 100% positive about your foods is to grow it yourself or get it from a trusted organic source. For a while, at my last residence, we planted a garden and ate from that. It was just supplementary and we still bought vegetables at the store, but it was a step. My opinion, is that the less chemicals in your foods the better, but in this modern world the only way to guarantee that is to do everything yourself, which is a very time-consuming and sadly, expensive undertaking.
I remember you playing with an extraordinary power in Guadalajara at the Heaven Metal Fest, now you return to Mexico City at another fest (Eyescream Metal Fest). Which is your impression of the Mexican audience and what you expect of them to that show?
Mexican audiences and fans are always extremely supportive. We have had many positive experiences over the years playing all over the country. Shows in Cabo San Lucas, Tijuana, Mexicali, Guadalajara, Leon, San Luis Potosi and Mexico City have all been killer. We can only expect that the Eyescream Fest will easily measure up to the country's history of killer metal shows.
Some months after your show in Guadalajara, we heard the rumor that Cattle Decapitation was going to dissolve. It was true?
Not true. We are in the midst of writing our new album and will be hitting the studio early next year for a tentative late spring / early summer release date. We are about 10 songs deep in the writing process and we cannot wait to have everything together and play these new tunes for everyone. Killer stuff!
For the people that don't meet another bands with a sound like yours: Which bands do you recommend and which bands influenced your sound?
All of us bring different influences to the table. Whether one could discern any of our individual influences from listening to Cattle records is questionable. You may hear elements of Symphonies-era Carcass, Enslaved, Emperor, Dark Funeral, mid-period Death, Napalm Death, Anaal Nathrakh, Voivod, and on and on… I think these groups have had collective influences on our individual playing styles which cannot help but bleed over onto the songwriting. It's less of matter of picking out riffs that are reminiscent of any of the above band's styles and more of the atmosphere that is imparted.
You said in another interviews that you are working in a new record that going to be released in 2015. What we can expect for your upcoming album?
Fans that enjoyed Monolith of Inhumanity will be pleased. We aren't even done writing the record yet, but already I am seeing the songs shaping up to be fairly compact 'get in / get out ”types of affairs. Do not expect minute long grind songs, but there most likely will not be any epicly long tracks either. We're at our best when we write 3.5-4 minute songs with lots of movements and drastic mood / tempo shifts and that's what we are creating. There is a lot more heaviness to the songs as well. Not in the sense like when bands say “this is our heaviest record yet,” but relative to our past output. Portions of these songs contain lots of churning and grinding passages. We're also spent a lot of effort getting the strings (myself and Derek) locked in with Dave's kick drums as tightly as possible. We will progress and improve upon every element of our previous material.
According to the metal specialists, “Monolith of Inhumanity” is your most melodic album and this change was taken good for the critic. That was your initial intention when you record the album? , or only the sound flows like that alone?
Our intention with MOI was to write the best songs we could, flat out. That was our only agenda for that record. We weren't trying to compete with super technical bands or “heavy” bands, just make the best record we could within the context of our style as it was at that time and where we saw ourselves evolving towards. Our new record is being written the same way. Songs come first.
As you said before, you are vegetarians, and in Mexico the use of chili is very common, but not all the people of other countries have stomach to handle with that. Do you like that hot spicy and the Mexican gastronomy in general?
Since we live in a border town we are all used to and enjoy spicy food. Taco shops are practically a religion here in San Diego, so we get that version of "Mexican" food. We also enjoy Indian, Thai and other cuisines that rely much more heavily on spice that standard American cuisine. Our opinion is to bring it on both in regards to spice level and Mexican cuisine in general!
Finally, can you give us a little message for your Mexicans fans please?
Prepare to have your ears raped and faces snotted upon. We are honored to be part of such a sick lineup and we are anxious to bring our brand of blasting blackened gore to Mexico City! See you at the show!
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