Tears Of Decay Fastandblastundergroundeathgrindmonsterfromgermanyarebackbuyordie
Tears of Decay comes from Emden (East-Frisia in Germany) and exists since 1997, however, the current team was formed in 1998. The main reason for founding the band was to make some heavy noise, to hang around and, of course, to have lots of fun. The very first session of the band was an excessive orgy. The founding members Henne (guitar), Michael (vocals) and Dirk (drums) were inspired by this experience and call it the ’main reason’ why they wanted to carry on with the project.
A little time later Steffen (guitar) joined T-o-D. Steffen and Henne knew each other before due to their former band Mistrust (R.I.P.). From now on they decided to rehearse seriously in order to terrify mankind with a mixture of death/grind and groove.
After many irregular sessions and a completely chaotic first year Jörg (bass) from Bochum joined the band. First they met at Wacken-Open-Air (one of the biggest Festivals in Europe). Jörg suddenly appeared at the camp site of the band. They had lots of talks and it was found they have the same preferences. Soon the five musicians became best friends. A unity was formed.
The results of the sessions became better and better. The songs took shape and the members` thoughts and feelings turned out into musical brutality and aggression. In February 1999 the first gig took place with two other bands: ANASARCA and SANITYS DAWN.
The response to this event was very great. Therefore, Tears of Decay decided to record their first MCD.
The recording took place in Time Warp Studios (now: Audio Check) and their first MCD was called: ’Redemption’. Some songs are also available on the following samplers: Deadly Art, Eternity, G. U. C., Ablaze, etc. The band was satisfied with the results of the MCD. The following reviews (published in magazines like Ablaze, Eternity, Legacy etc.) and opinions were very positive. Furthermore, many gigs took place with participating bands like INCANTATION, KRISIUN, FLESHCRAWL, PROFANITY, ANASARCA, SANITYS DAWN. Also Festivals like FUCK THE COMMERCE III, EAR TERROR FESTIVAL I, DEATHFEST – Ludwigshafen I, MOUNTAINS OF DEATH I etc. were terrorized by Tears of Decay. For more details, please, check out www.tears-of-decay.de.
In April 2000 CUDGEL AGENCY took over the distribution and “Redemption” was released anew
In January 2001 the band was finally contracted by Cudgel Agency. Their debut record called ’Saprophyt’ is planned to be released at the beginning of 2002
interview with Michael on 27-4-2002
Please give us a short introduction of yourself?
My name is Michael Eden, I`m the vocalist from Tears of Decay. I’m 29 and married and my wife will get a baby. I also write for the german printmag ’Necromaniaczine’ and for the german netmag. www.possessed.de. I have a radioshow called Mähdrescher, too. I like to hear Death/Grind/thrash and to play tabletennis.
Why did you choose the name ToD?
We have take the name on a party, We were all drunken and so, we got it.
Your first session was an excessive orgy. Which whom?
It was a excessive orgy, but without woman, only with drinks and smokes,
hehe. There was no sex, hehe, but it was funny, too.
Do you have sexual preferences? Girl, two girls or guy?
No, I like sex with my mic in my ass, hehe. No, I like the
standardthings.
Why did the band became serious?
We think, something must change in our band. We drink not so much beer for a gig and the rehearsal was better and better and we wrote nice songs. It was the natural way to get serious.
Did you choose the genre on purpose? Or was it something natural?
No, from the beginnig from Tears of Decay, we know all: We want to play Death/Grind. We wouldn't play something else. If you hear some other shit from us, please tell me that, so we must split the band, hehe.
Is this the same style you listen to yourself?
Yes, Death/Grind or brutal Death Metal is the stuff, what I hear everyday. I like it. I like Thrash and Grind, too. I rose up with bands like Kreator and Death etc, but today, I hear more and more the fast death metal, like Cryptopsy, Suffocation, Dying Fetus etc. That's my life.
Who does write the songs? Do others have influences?
Henne, our gitarrist, write the riffs. If we rehearsal, we hear his stuff and say our meaning about it. Then we play and all together write the song. We are an absolut democritical band. That's the way for Tears of Decay.
How does a song start? Any ritual to compose a song?
No, we try to begin every song in a new way. And the songs, too. We don`t want everytime the same things to make. The important things, are fast, brutal and a little bit of groove.
Where do you get inspiration from for the lyrics?
I hate the religion and I write about this situation. I read books from Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, Feuerbach and from the nice frenchman: Sartre. We write about the society and the religion . Kill, Fuck, Die is a song about the death metal and our Undergroundfans from Switzerland.
How do you pratice your vocals? Any liquids that help?
No, there are no helps. Practise, practise and beer, hehe.
Why did you started singing? Unable to play an instrument? Or wanted to stand in the frontline?
Yes, I'm not a musican and I can't play any instrument. So, Henne ask me, if I want to sing and drink, and I say, why not. Tears of Decay is more than a band, is a little family for me. We are all friends.
Which musicians do groupies like most? Singers, guitarist?
I think, the vocalist, hehe, but our guitaris and our basser have had the most girls. hehe. I'm married, so I can only drink on concerts, hehe. But we make the false music for more groupies.
Was ’Redemption’ totally self financed? Hard to get the money together?
I paid the production and get the money back from my friends. We sell some CD's and T-Shirts, so in that way I get the money back. A friend made the booklet for us and the freaks from a studio had correctly prices. It was hard, but that was the only way to do it. Later, Cudgel Agency made a new version and they paid all the things. That was good for us.
Is every invested penny paid back? Glad Cudgel Agency took the distribution? Why?
Meanwhile, I get the whole money back. Yes, it is great, that Cudgel does the distribution, because they reach more people as we. They send more as 100 promos worldwide and we get a deal for two cd's. It's better, when a label does you distribution, because we have not a lot of time and so, they do the things for us. The guys are really freaks and we are proud to be on this label.
Get many responds from fans over the world of this MCD?
Yes, we get many responds worldwide and I try to answer every letter and e-mail. I think, people, who llike the ami-death, like us, too, and that a lot, hehe. Fans are very important. I'm a fan too and I'm happy, if bands answer my questions.
Still in contact with some of them? Important to have contact with fans?
I think, the contact to the fans is very important. I think, we have many contact to them, but it`s not important for us, if they like our musik. We talk to everybody, if they are real and not a sliming person. There are many cool and nice people in the underground. I think, the maniacs from Switzerland are the best and we have a good contact to them, yeah. Kill, Fuck, Die.
Of which bands are you fan yourself? Trying to get in touch with them?
Yeah, I love and like a lot bands. I like it fast. Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse, Incantation, Immolation, Deeds of Flesh, Dying Fetus, Monstrosity, Brodequin, Pyaemia, Disavowed, Napalm Death, Krisiun and the hole brazilian style. There are many nice bands. At the moment, I like Pyaemia/Disavowed and Brodequin. very much. Through my work for the mags, I get in contact with many bands. I`ve made interviews with Incantation, Krisiun, Deeds of Flesh, Aborted and many more. We played with Incantation and with Krisiun and that was very funny, yeah.
With what bands did you grew up? Do you remember your first album you bought?
I grew up with bands like Kreator, Death, Incubus, Exhorder, etc. I had no money, to buy me some LP`s or CD`s. I think, my first harder LP was Exhorder : Slaughter in the vatican or Incubus: ’ beyond the unknown. I can't remember, sorry. I hear metal since 15 years. First bands like Helloween, Pretty Maids, Accept, Iron Maiden, then Metallica, then Kreator/Sodom/Death and it get more brutal and brutal, yeah.
Tell something about the new album? Will it differ from the MCD?
The new album called. Saprophyt. There is an intro , an outro and 8 songs of brutal death/grind with groovy elements. It's in the vein from our MCD, but with more technic and more brutality, but you hear, that it is a Tears of Decay CD. It's our way of brutality, yeah. People, who like the MCD, will like the CD, too. I think so. The production is better,too. Kai from Harmony Dies mixed it and Pluto from Poserslaughter Records has mastered it.
Are the videotracks on it an extra selling point? Why should we buy the disc?
The videotracks was an idea from Cudgel Agency. There a two songs from our Fuck the Commerce gig. I think it is a good idea. Good promotion for us and for Cudgel. The sound is good, so why not. The CD don`t cost an cent more. You should buy the CD, because we are all poor guys, hehe. I think, it’s for all the undergroundfreaks outside, so if you think, you are an undergroundfreak, you must buy it. If you like brutal and serios music, you are on the right side by Tears of Decay.
Do you like to do promotion for the band? Spent a lot of time on it?
Yes, indeed. I do my best. but sometimes I have no time for it. I must write
15 reviews in this week and I must make the promotion, but when you get a good feedback, it's a good feeling for me.
Think Feyenoord will win the UEFA cup football on May 8th in stead of Dortmund?
No, I'm a Bayern Munich Fan, but I hope, Dortmund will win the cup. It's
good for the german football. Without Holland, we drive to the
worldchampionchip, hehe.
Do you have some fav sports? Practice some yourself?
I like to watch sport. Football, Handball, Table Tennis, Biathlon,
Ski-Jumping. The most sing with a ball, hehe.
I play table tennis and mak fitness.
Your chance to promote Saprophyt’.
Fastandblastundergroundeathgrindmonsterfromgermanyarebackbuyordie.
Last rites?
Thank you for the support, Twan. Sorry for my englih, it`s very bad I know.
Support the underground, Fuck to all fascism. In united we stand. Kill, Fuck, Die
