Necrodemon are back with a new album called “Rise of the Supernatural” and it is one ass kicking death metal release that everybody should pick up. Here is an interview I did with band member Rob Elliott:
So were you always into music even at a young age or did music come later on? Did you always live in Indiana and what were you like as a kid?
I always have been into music. As long as I can remember. As a kid I always wanted new music and the heavier, the better! Headbanging was a hobby. I have always worn metal t-shirts forever! I have always lived in Indiana. Northern Indiana is a great place to grow up in but once you get older it becomes like any other place. The winters here are brutal and so is the heat in the summer. We get both ends of the extreme. I wish the metal scene here was better. We are kind of lone wolves up here ha ha ha!
What were some of the early bands that you heard and are you a fan of any of those bands even to this day? What was your reaction like the 1st time you heard a heavy metal song?
Slayer, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, KISS, Mercyful Fate, Venom, Exodus. I am a fan of most of them still today but a lot has changed. The first time I heard a heavy song I felt alive like never before and wanted to make that my life. I believe it was “War Pigs”. I heard Alice, KISS, and Sabbath in the late 70’s. Early 80’s was nothing but metal for me! Once the thrash metal movement started I was sure of what I loved and wanted to do!
At what point did playing a guitar enter your life? Did you ever have any desire to play bass or drums at all? Did you take guitar lessons at all and what is your opinion of yourself as a guitar player?
I began playing guitar as a teenager. I have played Bass and Drums in a few project bands. I do enjoy playing other instruments occasionally but I love guitar. I never really took professional lessons except a few guitar classes in college. Most of what I have learned has been self-taught or from watching people play. I consider myself a great rhythm guitarist and good at writing songs. I consider myself an intermediate soloist. I still have room to improve. I try to set the bar high. If you plateau, you might as well walk away from it and do something else.
At what point did the actual idea of forming a band come along? Were you in any other bands before starting up Lordes Werre?
Starting a band was always in the plan since high school. I was in two bands previous to Lordes Werre. LW was the first one to actually do more than demos and actually start playing shows. I took it very serious.
Now at what point did you know you wanted to sing and also play guitar? How would you rate yourself as a singer?
I think I am a great vocalist. I can reach a lot of ranges and I have been working on it for a very long time. I try to make my vocals as haunting and as vicious as possible.
Ok tell me how Lordes Werre formed? Looking back what are your thoughts on the band? You had 3 actual releases and a best of release. Do you still like any or all of these releases and would you ever consider doing a Lordes Werre cover tune as Necrodemon?
Lordes Werre formed in 1992. We were THRASH METAL! The band formed because I and Ben Elliott wanted to make thrash metal. It was all we cared about. I still love the songs and releases. I know I have grown past the writing and playing since then but it is nostalgic. Necrodemon has played a few LW songs occasionally for fun. We have been discussing this as of late. We may do an old LW song.
How were the reviews and stuff for Lordes Werre and did you share the stage with any other killer bands?
LW did play with Usurper and Skullview. Those were the killer shows. The rest of the time we shared stages with local bands. Reviews for LW releases were for the most part good.
So now take me through with what led to the break-up of Lordes Were and the formation of Necrodemon. How many members from Lordes ending up joining Necrodemon? In the early stages of the band was it hard leaving Lordes behind? Did any leftover tunes from them make their way into the Necrodemon camp?
The breakup of LW was because of a lot of things. We were too aggressive towards each other. A lot of fights were beginning and we were just out of control. A lot of alcohol abuse and jail time. Doing coke didn’t help out either! Ha Ha. Ben Elliott, Ben Meyer, and I get along nowadays but didn’t for a long time. Everyone else that was in the band can fuck off. People have asked us to reunite but it won’t happen. The label we were on didn’t make things easy for us either. They stole all my music and lyrics. LW was great but Necrodemon is my true band.
In 1999 Necrodemon released your “Deadly Demo”. Was that an actual release or more for labels and stuff? What was the reaction to this like?
The “Deadly Demo” was for labels and was a release for the metal community. We wanted to unleash the infection of Necrodemon! I had to prove that just because LW was gone it did not mean Rob Elliott was. It was a revenge release. It was faster, heavier, and better than my previous music.
What would you say the biggest difference is in the 2 bands?
Necrodemon is a lot bigger and better. Necrodemon is darker. Lordes Werre was good but Necrodemon has achieved way more and always will. Ripping Black Death!
Also in 1999, you released a full length called, “Haunted Eons”. What are your thoughts on this release these days?
It was a good album. Of course we have done way better since then but that is what is supposed to happen. A band is supposed to progress and grow. I love “Haunted Eons” and am proud of it for its aggression and at the time it was our best work. It was the progression of LW turning into Necrodemon! It was another revenge release. Ha Ha kind of like the whole Dave Mustaine vs. Metallica story ha ha.
In 2001, you released an Ep called “Non-Divine”. How as this release received by the underground and at this time did you feel the band was starting to get its own sound so to speak?
It was received well. Yes this is when we were forging the Necrodemon sound. It was more or less a demo for “Allegiance to the End”. We recorded it in a dark and foreboding basement.
How about line-up changes? Were you going through many members at all?
As with any band, members come and go. I remain. The old days were very metal with Chuck Feldman and Jeremy.
A single came out in 2004 called “Server of the Damned”. Was this on a 7” or just like on a comp cd?
It was a song written for a movie called, “Internet Fear”. It is on the soundtrack and on the Internet. It is a very old school sounding song. Very thrashy.
In 2006 you released “Ice Field Of Hyperion”. What are your thoughts on this release these days and was going into the studio getting to be a pretty comfortable experience by now?
“Ice Fields” was the album that really put us on the map. We had a lot of good feedback on it. It was also the first time that the band was on iTunes and available digitally. We also had some pretty good backing on it with distribution. You can buy that album at Best Buy!
In 2009 another Ep came out called “Reclamation of the Stygian Throne”. What are your thoughts on this and at any time was it tough getting new songs together and how does a new song come together?
This release was very aggressive. We focused in on hate and anger. It is very dark and dangerous. Feral and Unbound is the featured song on it.
Now just recently a new full length is out called, “Rise of the Supernatural”. How did the recording go for this and how easy was it getting all the songs together for it?
I was a very particular bastard about "Rise of the Supernatural". I wouldn't settle for anything. It had to be monstrous and headbanging! All members of Necrodemon have become better musicians and we needed it to show. We did not use references either; we relied solely on our own sound. Necrodemon has branded its own style. We are Ripping Black Death!
Now is all your some of your old stuff still for sale and I understand if a label wanted to re-issue some of your old stuff you would be willing to let them am I correct?
Yes. We’d love to re-release a lot of our old material. It needs to be unleashed properly!
Why should somebody buy your new album?
Because it kicks ass. It has something for all metalheads. It is very dark and very fast.
Please plug any websites and/or merchandise you have for sale.
www.metalcorefanzine.com/Necro, itunes.apple.com/us/album/rise-of-the-supernatural/id828481748, www.facebook.com/pages/Necrodemon/127346597307321
Any last words for the readers of Pest Webzine?
Don’t let society tell you shit. Metal is the life! Thanks for the interview.
Interview by Chris Forbes
April 2014