Hello, at the beginning please tell us about your new album "Invidious Dominion", I saw that this CD was realised in Florida... How do you see the final result comparing to your previous works? We are all very pleased with the final product! Erik Rutan did a superb job and we as a band really came together and wrote some pretty solid songs. We knew exactly what kind of songs we wanted to write for this album and stuck to our plan...short, fast, and brutal!! This was to be our version of "Reign In Blood"!
What's new on this new Malevolent Creation album regarding the music on it?
There's not a whole lot of "new" going on...MC has always remained true to their sound and our fans can always rely on us for that. We mainly focused on writing short and catchy songs and we wanted it to be fast! Not all blast beats either! We grew up on thrash metal, so if anything that may be slightly different it would be a more thrashy sound.
What can you tell us about the lyrical concept behind it? The lyrics are individual stories or is there a whole concept behind it all?
No concept, but the main theme was malevolence or hatred. We live in a world fueled by greed, hypocrisy, and corruption and all that ends in a lot of hatred! Some are individual and some are just that...stories.
At the moment you're receiving this you're on a US tour, how is it so far?
COLD!! haha! No, its going pretty good considering the failing economy. Its good to get out to the fans and play some of these new songs. All the bands are cool and everyone is getting along too!
As tour supporters you had The Abscence and Beyond Terror Beyond Grace. Did you hook 'em up or was it the label/management who did all the arrangements? Were you familiar with their music before the tour? The Absence being a Florida band I guess you knew them before, but what about the Australians? It was all done through mgmt and booking agency. I personally never heard of the Beyond Terror, but they have a pretty twisted and unique sound...kind of like pink floyd black metal?!! I've known the Absence guys for awhile and we did the 70k cruise together as well.
Do you have any plans to visit Europe too in support of this new album?
We'll be there April 1- March 2!!!!
OK, let's back in time, I rememenber Malevolent Creation's concert in Warsaw, some years ago. Do you remember your gigs in Poland or Eastern Europe? I asked because I'm from Poland and I'm curious what do you think about metal fans from Eastern and Central Europe? What are the differences between European and American fans? And what about similar things?
Poland is great! As well as all European countries. Metal is most alive in that part of the world, in my opinion. Europeans seem to be more passionate and open minded about metal than Americans. People here seem to like whatever is currently cool...deathcore..
You're one of the pioneers of the Death Metal movement made in Florida. Back then the Floridian scene was the best in the World, or at least the most prestigious. How do you see it now? Do you think the new Florida Death Metal scene has the same power?
So much has changed since those days. Death metal has become much more global and America is only producing deathcore bands now. So I don't see it very healthy at the moment, but hopefully that can and will change!
Death Metal bands, and especially the old-school ones like Malevolent Creation seem fearless from every point of view, but really, what are your biggest fears as persons and then as a band?
For me...sharks! I was attacked when I was 17 and never really got over it! As a band, I would say loss of relevance.
How do you feel being backed up by two of the biggest metal labels in the World, Nuclear Blast and Massacre? How did you end up being signed on two major labels like that?
It's not a common thing. It has its pros and cons. It's easy to get lost in the mix with so many other and bigger bands, but at the same time NB has the money for support. Not sure how the Massacre thing ended up happening?
All of you are involved in different other bands, how come? Do you think this time split between different bands is helping Malevolent Creation's creative process or it's a necessary thing, not to get bored playing the same music? For me its just for artistic freedom. I like a lot of different music and it keeps me busy as a full time musician. I would say that it helps because when it becomes time to do MC, we are all fresh and focused.
I'm curious if metalheads are recognizing you on the street and stop you for autographs and pics? Do you get offended by that or it's a pleasure to talk with fans?
In the US, only at shows. It happens mostly at shows around the world I would say as well. Not too many death metal heads walking around...we seem to be anti social?! haha!
I've asked this because recently you were on the 70000Tons Of Metal ship, how was it to be surrounded by fans in a "natural" ambient? And how was it to play in such a line-up?
70k was a super cool experience and the fans were very respectful. We had GREAT time and hope to do it again in the future!
Your latest videoclip is great, bloody disgusting. How do you feel about it?
That was actually our first pro shot video and it was pretty cool I guess. We would definitely like to do more!
Thank you for your time, looking forward to see some more Malevolent Creation in Europe asap.
Thanks for the support and we'll see you soon!!
Answers by Gus Rios (drums)
Interviewed by Adrian & Vilcin
February 2011