INTERVIEW WITH SIMONE TEMPESTA (DRUMMERS) OF SLAUGHTER DENIAL (DEATH/THRASH – ITALY)

Slaughter Denial was formed in September 2009. They are one of the new stars of death / thrash scene from Italy. And their style is an explosive mixture of thrash metal riffs markedly with the brutality of death metal mixed with groove and melody enough to make it all work as original. With assets of EP ‘Eyes Of Madness’ and live on-stage with bands such as Dew-Scented, Grave, Misery Index, Arsis and many others, the band is preparing to get out with the new album ‘Treachery’ still process that will see light to the end of 2011 due to ‘Crash & Burn Records’ for the European market and with ‘Horror Pain Gore Death Productions for the US market.

This time, Simone Tempesta ‘drummers’ of Slaughter Denial gave me chance to do an interview for Busuk Webzine and he replied so quickly and good answered too, so I don’t need long time to waiting hahaha. Ok lets check it our new interview here.

John Yoedi : Hi there. Thanks first of all for agreeing to this interview. And I Hope you are well there. Kieran James (Australia) and I share for this blog. Anyway, How are things going at the moment for Slaughter Denial camp? And who will be answer for this interview.

JY : First off . I’d like to start by talking about ‘Treachery’ Lp, although I know it released last year but It’s full of creativity and ideas. What was the starting point for “Treachery”? 

ST : First of all, I thank you for the space of the interview. We have left to develop Treachery, after to have turned Italy with live dates. We have concentrated the ideas on a album that it had all the one which a death/thrash metal fan looks for. We have put almost a year of songwriting and we are many satisfying of what it has exited outside.

JY : How has the response been on ‘Treachery? Have you received bad reviews from media’s or fans so far ?

ST :To being sincere, we have not received negative critics. In some cases, we expected ballots higher than those which at the end various webzines they have given to us. But we are happy that the people that follow to us are themselves shrewder of large potential one of this album.

JY : And are you satisfied with your early material or are there certain things you would like to have changed ?


ST : We know that it has been a great evolution between our first material and this album. We are however satisfied and we would not change nothing of what we have written before 'Treachery'.

JY : For this Lp “Treachery”, you’re signed on Crash & Burn Records from Italy. How did you get in touch with them ? Are you satisfied with things like promotions, merchandise and such ? 

ST : As soon as we have published 'Eyes of Madness', we have sent much CD to various record labels. Between many proposals, we have received that of Crash and Burn Records. We have considered the proposal very valid and have quickly signed with them. The promotion could go very better on all the points of view, but we know the limits of our label and in order now we try to make them to go well.

JY : Are you looking for an independent label or a major label ? Are there great labels/records from Italy nowadays ? because I don’t know much about some labels/records is there.

ST : Sure now we think to promote the most possible our album, above all with concerts and tours. When we will begin to think to the successor of 'Treachery', sure we will look at consideration. In Italy there are many labels, but unfortunately, the market is not so healthy and therefore finds least space.

JY : Could you please give us a few words on each member's personality? And how did you guys meet or how did you get together as a band ?

ST : We are formed in September 2009, I play with Fabrizio Losapio (singer) in several band and after some fail bands, we have known Alessandro Trotto (guitarist) and has been quickly strike. After little time, on band have joined Roberto Castorrini (second guitarist and growl singer) and Claudio Colantoni (bassist). We have very various personalities but at the same time things join us truly many. If you will have the fortune to know us, you will be able some to notice personally sure.

JY : Are there any members in Slaughter Denial playing for another band ? Or you are all just focusing to Slaughter Denial ?

ST : For sure, Alessandro Trotto plays on Elarmir with his girlfriend Eleonora Buono. They play a symphonic death metal and they are a very good band. Claudio Colantoni plays with SOIL, another very good band. While I and Fabrizio, between working engagements and others things, are just focusing on Slaughter Denial.

JY : Would you like to describe ‘Slaughter Denial’ in one sentence?

ST : Family, Not there is other to add.

JY : Your music is fairly diverse. It’s not just a fast guitar riffs with aggresive picking style, technical, and lightning fast solos contest from start to finish. What makes a good death/thrash metal song or music in your opinion ?

ST : This depends very also from what we listen. We like a lot the fast riffs properly of thrash metal as we like the brutality of death metal. But we have always tried to make something various, more ours, than more staff. Trying to weight down all and not to always fall in blast beats. Too much common things in death metal today.

JY : The artwork from ‘Treachery’ Lp was looks pretty sick. Eliran Kantor is good artist. Who’s made on specific idea from the band ? 

ST : Eliran Kantor is one of the best producers of artworks that we have in heavy metal. We have viewed some of his works for bands like Testament, Sodom, GWAR and he has quickly made an impression us. It has made for us what we wanted without we asked it too many things. We are most satisfied.

JY : And how important do you think the artwork is ? Should there be a certain synergy between the artwork and the music ?

ST : The artwork is fundamental in a music album. Many of the people who listen to our music are very interested to the album if it has a fantastic cover. It is not a beautiful thing, at least not completely. But if you make a genre that the artwork reflects your music, you will have made strike.

JY : How did you get the inspiration to do music ? Any bands or albums that did it for you ?

ST : The are few bands in metal that we have inspiration. Death Metal bands like Cannibal Corpse, Dying Fetus, Death, Revocation, Suffocation but also thrash metal bands like Destruction, Sodom, Metallica, Slayer. We are lovers of the classics bands.

JY : Mostly death/thrash metal bands writing lyrical themes about warfare, corruption, politic, injustice, madness and etc. Did you write the lyrical themes as I said before And who’s responsible for writing the lyrics ?

ST : Initially, we wrote many splatter lyrics that spoke about destruction, madness and death. Lately, we have grown a lot also under this aspect. We have begun to give a sure importance to psychology of serial killers.

JY : Did all the band members throw ideas into Slaughter Denial music or did you have one uniform concept from which you built the picture up gradually ? 

ST : All of us have a role in the band. We have developed the job of writing album uniform and own for this not is things that dont like us in what have written. We always try to work together and is what we will make also in the next intense activities.

JY : I heard lots of great band from Italy such as Hour Of Penance, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Vulvectomy, Putridity and etc. So what do you think of Death /Thrash Metal bands in Italy nowadays ? Are there big metal fest in your area ?

ST : Yes, Italy is becoming an optimal country where to listen death metal in the world. Hour Of Penance, and Vulvectomy are our close friends and very good band. But also Fleshgod Apocalypse, Eyeconoclast, Putridity, Subhuman (and many more for sure...) are bands that they are making to see the world that death metal in Italy is optimal.

JY : What gears do you use to record and do you use the same amp/guitars etc for live shows ?

ST : Personally, my dream would be to touring at least once in a life with Symphony X. The dreams of Slaughter Denial are touring on several dates with bands like Dying Fetus or Cannibal Corpse. With Suffocation already we are succeeding. But also find a record label that it believe in us and supports to us indeed in order.

JY : And whats the funniest / worst thing you have ever experienced when playing live ? 

ST : The things more funniest is to see the madness of people under the stage that is amused when we play our songs. The thing worse is when not there is support and there is little people to look your concerts.

JY : Are there any places that you haven't played that you would love to visit someday ? And would you like to explain us about you wouldn't came to Indonesia for Hammersonic Fest last April 2012 ?

ST : North America, for sure. Would be great to play in this country for us. We had to come to play on Hammersonic Festival in your country. But we have not more been able to come because the tickers of the airplane were too much expensive and we had some logistic problems to reach Indonesia. We hope in future of being able to come to play in a crazy country like yours.


JY : Just a side question, what do you think about 'Busuk Webzine' ?


ST : The support that you make to heavy metal of your country are an example to all. We compliment to you for the job that you carry out everyday and hope of being able to have you mentality a day.


JY : Like many musical genres, thrash had its own regionally-based scenes, each of which had a slightly different sound such as Bay Area Thrash Metal, East Coast Thrash Metal, Brazilian Thrash Metal and Teutonic Thrash Metal. Are there in Italy have different sound like them too ?


ST : Thrash/Death Metal Mafia, hehehe ! Besides the jokes, in Italy, Death/Thrash Metal scene is growing day after day. We have incrideble bands that they want to exit outside from anomity. Slowly, I creed that we will conquer a place of relief in the scene of thrash/death metal.

JY : What are your plans for immediate future ? Touring ? Working on a new album ?


ST : We touring across the Europe with Suffocation and Origin in July. Even if still we have not announced nothing. We touring on Russia and Ukraine in September with Brazilian Death Metal band Lacerated and Carbonized. After all, we play several Italian dates with our friends The Modern Age Slavery. We have not still thought to a new album, even if we have already two new songs.


JY : That's me all out of questions. Thanks for your time and for answering this interview. Best of luck for your band. Anything you wish to add to to conclude this interview ?


ST : Thanks for you John and Busuk Webzine for this interview. It has been truly a pleasure to be able to answer to your questions. Follow Slaughter Denial on Facebook, Twitter and through our website (www.slaughterdenial.net). Support your local scene and THINK SLAUGHTER !


(Interviewed by John Yoedi, July 11, 2012)