Andy: So we`re speaking to Coffinworm here. Who`s who, and who plays what?
Dave: I`m Dave, I play the throat, write the lyrics, and am a full-time drunkard.
Carl: I`m Carl and I play drums. Not present in this interview are Tony (guitar), Garrett (guitar), and Todd (bass).
Andy: Let`s get this right up front and out of the way, shall we? You`ve just released a new album, it`s called When All Became None, but the song titles are off the hook. "Spitting In Infinity`s Asshole", "High On The Reek Of Your Burning Remains", who comes up with this stuff? Seriously???
Dave: That would be me. What can I say, I have a fertile imagination. Besides, when you write lyrics about huffing the radiated ashes of both God and the rest of the populace as a whole, and the buzz it would give you, a title like "High On The Reek Of Your Burning Remains" seems most apropos.
Andy: The lyrics too, those are even MORE off the hook. Who writes them, and what the hell is going through your head? What inspires this level of blasphemy and perversion?
Dave: Again, guilty as charged. I don`t think of them as being that blasphemous or that perverse. When given such a canvas as these songs, I just allow myself to be consumed by the music, and whatever comes out, comes out. I try my hardest to do the music justice with both the lyrics and my vocal arrangements. I suppose you could chalk much of my writing inspiration to being a product of the Cold War, as well as having a latch key kid upbringing, which allowed me to soak up as much sleaze, in its myriad forms, as I could and wanted to. I also have entirely too much retail experience on my resume, and who doesn`t fantasize about having a mass slaughter permit under such conditions?
Andy: I`m assuming you`re heavily into horror movies, perhaps I`m wrong, but what kind of stuff do you dig the most, zombie/gore flicks, serial killer/mass murderer films, or supernatural mindfucks?
Dave: Of course, I personally worship horror movies, but I am also a fan of general 70`s exploitation, the Giallo genre, anything depraved, and of course anything that revels in sleaze. Favorite directors would have to be Fulci, Bianchi, D`amato, Lenzi, Martino, and Vibernius. Abel Ferrara is another of my all-time favorite directors, though his movies are very far from horror (save for The Driller Killer). Any gorehound who is unfamiliar with him needs to check out Olaf Ittenbach, as his movies are unrelenting brutality with the best chunkblowage one could ask for. Fuck juggalo cinema, and fuck Hollywood remakes.
Andy: Speaking of mindfucks, you guys are from Indianapolis, and it seems like there are a fuckload of good bands coming from that area right about now. Can you tell us a bit about the scene out there, and what it`s like being a part of it?
Dave: My man, there has always been good bands from here, they just tend to languish in obscurity. Only the punk/hc bands until recently seemed to have left any impact outside of ephemeral diggers of outdated media. When The Gates of Slumber, and later on Demiricous and Apostle of Solitude, started to gain recognition people started to dig a bit deeper and see that we have a pretty high caliber of bands, and I think this still holds true. As for my thoughts on being a part of the scene here? I couldn`t be happier to call this place home.
Carl: Dave`s synopsis of the Indianapolis scene is dead on and I concur that I couldn`t be happier to call Indy my home. Thankfully, the music scenes here are (generally) insulated from worthless trends and "hip" culture. Indy goes in waves as far as activity, but in my opinion there`s always a level of quality maintained. I think one of the better things about the scene here is that it`s not as saturated as bigger cities. People are supportive and there isn`t a high level of pretentiousness.
Andy: Alright then, down to business for a bit. You recorded the new album with Sanford Parker, and it sounds amazing. Where was it recorded, and what was it like working with him?
Dave: Thank you for the compliment. It was recorded at Semaphore, his own studio, nestled lovingly in the Ukranian village in Chicago. The entire experience was pretty surreal, if uneventful as far as extra-curricular shenanigans are concerned. Sanford made us feel both at home and at ease, and it was really pretty stress-free. Give us a liquor store in walking distance and we will make a pen work underwater. If left to our own devices, we would prefer to only record there again in the future.
Carl: To me it was the perfect recording experience. Sanford provides a relaxed environment and working pace, and he gets great tones. Semaphore is full service with sleeping quarters, full kitchen, etc. so we were able to post up during our session and stay focused. There was little reason to leave, aside from runs for more booze or to re-up on food. Working with Sanford was incredibly easy and he was very encouraging and helpful in regards to filling out the sonic space after we did the basic instrument tracks.
Andy: Profound Lore put the album out, and if you don`t mind my saying so, they have an amazing roster of heavy, forward thinking bands. They kind of remind me of the modern SST in a way, in that you don`t really know what a Profound Lore band is going to sound like before you hear them, but you know that there are going to be weirdos involved, and I mean that in the best of ways... How is working with Profound Lore, and what`s it like knowing that you`re keeping that kind of company?
Dave: It has been a complete and utter dream come true. He gave us carte blanche to just do what we do, and his involvement granted us a sense of legitimacy that we wouldn`t have recieved otherwise. If he hadn`t have released When All Became None, hardly anyone would know or give a fuck about us. Being fans of his label, it was of course a no-brainer to sign the dotted line, and we regret nothing. Chris` faith in us, and his full backing, helped us to concentrate solely on making the best album we could. And I feel we did just that. Internet armchair critics might not agree, but their post-counts and forum activity doesn`t pay our rent, so fuck em and their fat cunting mothers.
Carl: Being a part of Profound Lore is perfect in every way in my opinion. Chris only seems to work with bands that he likes and that`s the best way to keep the quality control high. We were all fans of his label for some time before he offered to work with us, so we couldn`t be happier about the situation.
Andy: Who are some of your favourite bands on Profound Lore right now?
Dave: Vasaeleth, Impetuous Ritual, The Howling Wind, and Portal.
Carl: A few of my favorites are The Howling Wind, Portal, Ludicra, Vasaeleth, and Yob.
Andy: You played the Profound Lore/20 Buck Spin SXSW showcase this year, correct? How did that end up going?
Dave: It was awesome. The drive was fucking insane, but once we arrived it was all to the good. We played 3 shows while in Texas, and each of them possessed their own charm. The showcase itself was for sure the highlight, and it was great to be surrounded by strangers, winning them over with our live onslaught, and generally clowning. Salome, Dark Castle, Hatred Surge, Yakuza, White Mice... we were in good company that`s for sure. And the trip was worth it just to meet Chris Bruni, Kim Kelly, the Salome and Dark Castle folks, Mala Suerte, and to eat at Taco Cabana and the Vietnamese joint we kept frequenting. I am pretty sure we all drank our body weight in beer as well, and in collectivity we emerged unscathed, even with the propensity of hipster dicknecks permeating Austin.
Andy: Do you have any other plans for hitting the road and touring, or any other big appearances at shows or festivals?
Dave: Not at the present time. We will most likely do some time-honored weekend trips, and continue to play live locally whenever an offer we can`t refuse is presented to us. Don`t expect to see us at Scion Fest, or Ozz Fest, or Paris Hilton`s annual pool party any time soon.
Carl: We have nothing grandiose planned, but we should be making a quick jaunt out to NYC to play a few shows before the end of the year, as well as doing some regional dates.
Andy: Do you have any more recording plans? What are the plans for Coffinworm at this point, for the upcoming year? What`s the general game plan for you guys?
Dave: We have some plans to do one or two split releases, and we`ve already resumed writing new material for those and beyond. Our plans at the moment are just to continue doing what we do, constructing new hymns, playing live, and generally living the dream. Plus clocking in each and every fucking day at our shit jobs, and hopefully an awful lot of getting our balls licked when we come home each night.
Andy: The cover art for the new album is awesome. Who did it, and what`s going on there?
Dave: Our friend Josh "Chubbz" Schrontz painted/drew the raw elements, and my paramour Liz drew the sigils. We gave Chubbz some overarching themes and ideas, and the result is what you see. He just got high as hell, listened to the album, and spent about a month making it happen. I play in another band with him, we`re neighbors, and I generally just love the hell out of him, so it was an obvious choice to go to a talented friend rather than an oblivious stranger. Obvious props must of course go to executive graphic overlord Bob Peele for reigning in the chaos and bringing unity to the disparity. As for what is going on, I would say it`s the raining down of plague, and all becoming none.
Andy: Musically, you guys remind me a lot of Unearthly Trance. Are you guys fans of that band, and would you consider them an influence? Who would you consider your primary influences?
Dave: We do like them, and in fact our first show ever was opening for them here in Indy. I really don`t consider them an influence per se, I just think we both draw from a pretty wide influence pool, with an emphasis on the darker musical undercurrents. Personally I am a bigger fan of Thralldom and The Howling Wind, but UT are a great, great band.
Carl: I`d agree with Dave`s assessment. I think in a lot of ways the parallels between us and UT are that we draw from a wider range of influences to enhance the sludge/doom roots of our sound, as do they. They`re a favorite of mine, though, as are The Howling Wind and Thralldom.
Andy: The main difference between you guys and Unearthly Trance for me is that I hear a real strong old school death metal influence in your sound. Am I just imagining things? If I`m not, what are some of your favourite death metal albums of all time?
Dave: That`s fine by me. I would also add that I am simply unable to sing in a melodic fashion, and that I prefer deathgrunts, so perhaps that is another point of distinction. My favorite death metal albums ever would be: Demigod-Slumber of Sullen Eyes, Purtenance-Member of Immortal Damnation, Carnage-Dark Recollections, Entombed-Left Hand Path, Dismember-Like An Everflowing Stream, and Cianide-A Descent Into Hell. Other mentions would be Excruciate, Impetigo, Utumno, Lord of Putrefaction, Derketa, Sorcery, Phlegm, Blasphemy, Crematory (Sweden, duh), Disembowelment, Blood, Liers In Wait, Traumatic, Cenotaph (Mexico), early Therion, God Macabre/End, Macrodex, Putrid Offal, Multiplex, early Pungent Stench, early Convulse, Pyathrosis, Divine Eve, Magus, Acrostichon, Pan Thy Monium, Seance, Vomiturition, Funebre, and Mordicus. And of course JVC Force.
Carl: The death metal influence is bound to creep into the music we create. My favorites tend to be mostly Scandinavian (with some exceptions), but a few would be: Entombed - Left Hand Path, Demigod - Unholy Domain demo, Grave - Into the Grave, the Projections of a Stained Mind comp. LP, Darkthrone - Soulside Journey, Grotesque - In The Embrace of Evil, Dismember - Like An Everflowing Stream, Nirvana 2002 - The Awakening Of... demo, and then obviously Autopsy`s first 2 albums.
Andy: Are there any current bands out there that you guys have heard that just made you think, "man, we`ve got to play a show with them!" Who out there is really floating your boat these days?
Dave: I really enjoy Abysme from Pennsylvania, and it would be awesome to play with them. Eviscium would rule, Cianide would be a dream come true, and of course the above mentioned Profound Lore bands. Lord Mantis and Father Befouled are also fucking fantastic, and the last Claws album is unreal. Really, we`d all just love to open for Ghostface Killah.
Carl: Definitely Cianide, much of the Profound Lore roster, as well as Lord Mantis. That Kerasphorus record `Cloven Hooves...` has been crushing my skull lately and playing with them would be killer. It would rule to play with Asunder.
Andy: Okay, you`re given a modest budget to make a horror movie, the only stipulation is that it has to be called "Coffinworm." Give us a brief plot synopsis of the movie, and also, who would you cast in it?
Dave: Brief synopsis: 6 attractive ladies, in seperate scenes and locales, listen to When All Became None, whilst violently masturbating. The phone rings pre-orgasm, and they all hastily answer. The voice on the other end simply says "I`m in the buildin."
Each asks "who is this," "where are you," "why are you doing this" etc. The voice only responds "I`m in the buildin." They continue to dip their fingers in their proverbial rivers Styx, and with each inquisitory probing of the beef sheets the phone continues to ring. They answer again, each at their climax, again only to hear "I`m in the buildin" and then they spontaneously combust, preferaby in time with the denouement of each song. Stars? Hmm... Nina Hartley, Francesca Le, Gianna Michaels, Lil Kim, Debi Diamond and Edwige Fenech.
Andy: If you could travel back in time and kill off one historical figure for the good of humanity, for personal gain, or just for the hell of it, who would it be, and why?
Dave: Varg Vikernes, post-Mortem and Old Funeral, pre-killing Aarseth in his underwear. Or perhaps all of At The Gates before they released Slaughter of the Soul, thus saving us from metalcore. Why? The betterment of humanity, and of course saving us from metalcore, respectively.
Andy: If you could pick a fight with one celebrity who is currently alive, who would it be and why? Would you win or lose the fight?
Dave: Probably Quentin Tarantino, for talking his ass off during the interview with Enzo Castellari on (the original) The Inglorious Bastards DVD release. He barely let the dude complete two sentences in between his constant bellowing forth of hot-air and fanboy-isms. Who would win? Depends on how much coke he had at the moment. But then again, I only play the games that I win at, so we would see.
Andy: Cool, let`s wrap this up for today, if you`ve got anything you`d like to say to the readers of Stonerrock.com, speak now, or forever hold your peace...
Dave: Tell your mom to lose my number, and RIP Chas Balun.
Carl: Thanks for the interview, Andy. Cheers!
Check out more on Coffinworm at www.myspace.com/coffinworm
