Spiral Madness lifts the mug

The germ of SPIRAL MADNESS appeared in 1996, when a band called VINEGAR (existing since 1992 in Warsaw) had been on decline. After breaking up, Zephyr and Lysy (Baldhead) were left alone and tried to reactivate the band. They met Chmura (Cloud), had a pint and almost reached an agreement, but due to a bad fortune they didn't play together. After three years, in the beginning of 1999, Chmura and Zephyr talked things out about the music style and that’s how MORGENSTERN was born. But bad luck made us split again. The project fell, but the songs composed weren’t forgotten. Some time later, in the second half of the year, Chmura persuaded Jack - the drummer, to form a band and to compose some music. He called Zephyr and SPIRAL MADNESS has been brought to life (the name comes from Lysy's lyrics) and it absorbed the ideas born in MORGENSTERN. We played in trio: Zephyr (v, b), Chmura (gt), and Jack (dr). After a year of playing we composed 10 songs and recorded a demo called GRAVELAND. In June 2000, Jack left the band. We wanted to play concerts - he did not. So we started to look for a drummer. In the beginning of 2001 Zephyr met Viking and second guitar joined us. Deny - ex-drummer of CLAYMORE (the band had already fallen apart then) surprisingly appeared, willing to make music with us. So we met all together: Zephyr (v, b), Chmura (gt), Viking (gt), Deny (dr) on a rehearsal and the decision to make music was made. The result was difficult to describe, generally quite slow death metal with a bit of cheerful tunes. After a year we recorded a demo entitled DEATH&ROLL - that's how we used to call our style, because it was hard to classify it. The demo was made to allow any promotion to the band, as the GRAVELAND demo wasn't suitable for it due to low quality of recording. Although DEATH&ROLL also didn't have the best quality, it had its specific atmosphere. In October 2002 Viking left the band. The beginning of 2003 is the time of changes. Seler (Celery) - the second guitarist, joined the band and Deny was replaced by Wielebny (Reverend) - both are the former members of the band MARTIAN. The 2003/2004 period was when THE BERSERK CROWNING was made - the crowning of efforts of the band and everyone who had played in SPIRAL MADNESS. The album includes 14 songs plus the additional track - KOSZMAR as a bonus, because of its specific, different atmosphere. It wasn't supposed to be included, but as it was recorded we decided to add it as a bonus track... The old songs were reinvented. The bonus track's lyrics were written in Polish. WORLD IS ASH is a cover of a song made by the previous Zephyr's band - VINEGAR, as he wanted to thank the people from the band for the time spent. The song was composed in '94. THE BERSERK CROWNING is the mixture of thrash and death metal... but there's no need to babble, just listen to it. THE BERSERK BROWNING was recorded by: ZEPHYR (voc, bass); CHMURA (gt); SELER (gt); WIELEBNY (dr), but the band has been weakened since, as CHMURA decided to leave us after 5 years of playing in SPIRAL MADNESS... In April 2004 Twarog (Curds) joined us as a second guitarist...

interview with Zephyr on 14-09-2003

Please give us a short introduction of yourself?
Hi there, I'm Zephyr from Spiral Madness. I'm 26, I'm married and I have a beautiful daughter. I wear long hair and I've been surrounded by metal for 14 years. I've started playing metal 12 years ago in a grind - death metal band called Vinegar. Later, this project turned into Spiral Madness. Our music changed a little bit, and now it's the typical death metal based on the old patterns of classic death metal.

Any need to say some spicy things about the other members?
Spicy Things? There's nothing spicy here. We're just normal guys, I have a common metal family, my wife is keen on black metal, and the rest studies. We don't stand out of the society, we like having fun, the parties, concerts, just like everyone else does.

What was the reason you started to make music instead of listening?
The willing to create, to put our visions, our ideas into metal music, which we've inherited from the great ones.

How did you hear metal the very first time? Can you remember it well? What did attract you in metal?
I was in my buddy's home somewhere when I heard Iron Maiden and Slayer.
I was attracted to its atmosphere. Frankly, I was never able to find myself in pop crap played by medias and then I've found something, which reflected my psyche. That's how it has started. Death, Obituary, Dismember, Entombed and the whole death metal followed. That was my fulfillment.

Did you dressed up with leather, patches and spikes in the beginning to show the world you were a metalhead?
No, don't exaggerate. I had a leather jacket once, but spikes? The world doesn't have to see that I’m a metalhead, it is rather about the views. But on the other hand I look good in black...

How is the metalscene in your area? Treated as outcasts? Easy to show your commitment? Talk about it? Etc.?
The scene is all right. And I think the matter of treatment depends on the individual. If one sinks very deep into the metal environment and considers metal in a very extreme (yet positive) way then probably yes. I don't see it that way, I have a lot of various friends. Talking about views, it's hard to speak about it here, to speak aloud. Polishmen are generally much intolerant, so wrong words, inproper behavior can easily cause violent acts or simply hatred. I don't mean to say that everyone keeps its mouth shut, we try to control it, keep the balance as much as we can, however sometimes it's good to watch your mouth.

What is your opinion about censorship in the music business? What musical style makes you sick? And why?
I personally haven't come across the censorship in my metal area. I think this is a quite hermetic group and people from the outside don't try to attend. Noone drills the topics of metal lyrics or violence of this kind of music in general.
If talking about genres, I hate pop-rock crap played by media, but unfortunately we're all condemned to hear it - it's everywhere.
If you simply want to listen to news on the radio, you have to go through few songs of this kind. The worst are the bands like Wheatus or Blink 182, which tend to be rock stars playing extremely heavy and kinda show off. You know, I have a guitar so I rock, I believe that's their way of thinking. But anything that is created with that kind of attitude has to be shitty.

What makes you happy when people listen to your songs? Just because they listen? Giving only their opinions?
I guess so. What do you want them to do? To destroy the cementary or to cut their wrists?

It is easy to get airplay in Poland? On TV and radio? Are there metal shows on TV or radio? Are there magazines that write about metal?
It depends. If you're talking about TV, there's no metal at all. From time to time you can see a small part of a clip, but this happens only with the top shelf bands or nu metal. It's more likely to hear metal on the radio, especially on small local stations all over the country. You can find there few metal programs and people who may play your songs. It's a lot better with press and internet magazines. They're much better organized. Unfortunately, the access to internet in Poland isn't too good, and yet is quite expensive, so very few people can afford it.

Do you feel the presence of catholic leaders in government? What about the polish pope?
Yes, they're shouting very loud, but can't do a shit, because they lost the elections. That's the extreme Right I'm talking about. Generally, every politician is all about money and power, it doesn't matter whether he's right or left, Catholic or atheist, they're all the same.
And the pope - he's one of the biggest authorities in the world, our national pride... of course it's a different matter that people don't listen to him, but - who knows - maybe he's right...
And I like vodka, if you ask...

Do you say a prayer before you go asleep?
You must be kidding. I know that Poland is believed to be extremely Catholic thanks to the pope and Solidarność, despite the fact that there are maybe about 20% of true believers. So as you can see not everyone keeps his faith.
I'm an atheist, so I usually pray to my wife before we go to sleep - you know what for...

Having interest in some sport? Fanatic supporter or practice?
I like soccer, but I wouldn't go to the stadium. I don't want to be hit with a bench or a rock. You know, we have quite a nice zoo on the stadiums nowadays...
I also like riding on a bike, but my favorite sport is lifting the mug with cold beer to my mouth.

Is it fair that top players earn so much money and still parts of the world who have hunger? Do you give money to chairty?
Frankly? - no, because the lion share of it goes to the pockets of the chairmen. However, if a man knocks to my door and asks for bread or clothes, I will help - and those kinds of situations aren't rare. We have a lot of problems with unemployment. People come from door to door looking for help.
And whether it is fair or not - I'm not the one to judge.
Probably not.

Do you know why there is so much violence in the world? Is it all about religion? About oil? What kind of violence do you approve?
I don't know. Maybe it's because every day men fight to survive?
And religion is an organization, which needs funds and fights for believers...
Oil is also an important matter. The world's industry and economy is based on oil. So who has more opportunities is the one who earns more.
That is why Americans fight Iraq not for peace, but for oil, to possess money and power....
I approve violence in self-defense only.

Did you serve military duty? If yes what did you think of it when it was over? If not would be happy to join?
No, I didn't and I won't, because of health problems. But I know that army offers much attraction to young men such as mental abuse. I believe that nowadays army produces only thieves and criminals. Unemployment only makes it worse.

What is your favorite food? Can you cook it yourself or only your mother?
Some time ago, when there was this fast food boom - like McDonalds, it was kinda cool to go there, but now I prefer traditional homemade dishes, especially that I cook a lot by myself. I also like the food my wife makes.
I rarely eat food prepared by my mother, I don’t live with her, and I’ve got a flat, were we live alone...

What kind of education did you have? Much work to find or lot of unemployment? Do you have a dream job?
I finished technical secondary school with maturity exam, I'm a mechanic. People with average education are probably the majority here and the opportunities to find job are still decreasing, because the whole Polish industry fucks up. That is why many people don't work at all. Unemployment - about 20% in the country but I think the 20% is the number of registered unemployed. The ones who didn’t would make another 10%. Great, don't you think?
Dream job? - any that is highly paid.

Anything to say before I ask the last question?
Yeah, best regards for the whole Brutalism.com! Listen to Spiral Madness!

Last rites?
Last rites? I don’t like a cat's meat or cat's blood... Its joke J. SEE YA.