The Metal Crypt - Heretic Soul Interview

Interviews

Interview with Erhan (drums) and Sarp (vocals, guitars)
Interview conducted by Michel Renaud

Date online: October 20, 2009

Hails! Since you guys are still a relatively new band, could you give us a short introduction on how the band was formed, and introduce the band members?

Erhan: Hey! Me and Sarp have been friends since we were 7, so we pretty much grew up together. At first, Sarp and I were guitar players, then we started to search new members to play our songs, but it didn't work. So I picked up the sticks and started to play drums. But already we were doing all parts of songs like drums, basses, guitars and everything. Well, we did some songs and recorded them in studio. Then we thought it's ok, so let's start play some local venues. We recorded Life Becomes Our Grave, had great reviews, then we said we must play at some European festivals. So that was the beginning. Everything went cool, and that in only two years.

Heretic Soul's music blends a few genres – Black, Death and Thrash for the most part. What are your main musical influences?

Sarp: Yeah it's a blend of the different types like Death Metal, Black Metal some thrashy sometimes and with core parts (breakdowns in most of the songs). It's because of me and Erhan I think, he's closer to Death/Black metal and I'm closer to Death Metal and deathcore so this describes our music I think: Aggressive fast songs with breakdowns and also some black melodies in it.

You recently signed with Rotting Corpse Records, who will release your first album in early 2010. How many albums have you signed for? What kind of support are you expecting from the label (merchandising, touring...)?

Yes, We're signed with Rotting Corpse Records. We considered the options and decided to sign with Rotting Corpse Records who was really interested in us. We'll release our debut album with them in early 2010. We've inked for one album recently. Also they gave us the artwork and maybe we'll have the chance for an US tour.

Have you started writing the album yet? Is it going to be in the same style as Life Becomes Our Grave? Do you know yet where it will be recorded and mixed?

We finished the recording and mixing, It's ready to be released now. We're into the artwork and waiting for the album to be released. It also includes some songs from the EP Life Becomes Our Grave. It was recorded in Ankara, Turkey at Midas'in Kulakligi Studios

What's your primary source of inspiration for the lyrics?

Most of the lyrics are about life and social problems in a nihilistic way of thought.

You recently played some dates in Germany. Was it as an opening band as part of a bigger band's tour, or is this something you set up yourselves?

It was a mini tour we set up ourselves. We played in some festivals and bar shows, like Waldbrand Open Air and Suffering Life Festival, and the reaction was pretty good.

How did the tour go?

It was pretty fun for us. Attendance was not so much in the festivals like big ones but was enough to destroy the places with moshpits, circles wall of deaths... The reaction was really good. They were a bit shocked to hear a band like this, nihilistic stuff from Turkey, a Muslim country. We drank a lot of beer of course and also visited places both north and south of Germany, that was pretty fun

Are you planning any other tour soon, or will you wait until the album is released?

Now we're waiting for the album to be released, and will tour Europe in summer, and it will be a bigger tour than last year including festivals in Germany and outside Germany.

You had a demo out in 2006, titled Everything is Meaningless and Grey, which I haven't heard. Looking back, how do you feel it fares against Life Becomes Our Grave?

It was an early experience for us just to record some songs and see how we can play, and it's really different from Life Becomes Our Grave, it was just an experience to see ourselves. As I said, a first try.

Over the past few years, it seems like the Turkish metal scene has been expanding – or at the very least, the bands have increased their visibility outside the country. What's your opinion on your country's metal scene, and what bands would you suggest our readers check out?

Well, we're not much interested with Turkish metal scene. There are many metal bands in Turkey (contrary to popular belief) but also they are still underground. Because there's no one, no company or no assocation to support hard stuff here. I think Moribund Oblivion are doing good.

A rather standard question that's nonetheless very actual: What are your feelings toward music downloads? I'm talking here about the "non legit" download sites...

Hard question. :) There were no mp3 download sites in the 80's and early 90's, and Metallica, Slayer and many hard stuff band sold millions. Then the Internet came to our lives and all the album sales went down. But also it was big chance for underground bands to introduce themselves. I think music downloading is not good, but not so bad. Maybe you can't buy 20 albums of 10 bands. But if you can download it and if you like it then you can get a festival ticket. So you can listen to all the great songs from 20 albums of 10 bands live in a festival. I can tell you about more than 50 great metal bands, and if you wanna check them all out, even you haven't much money. Then what should you do? I think some facts force people to download mp3. But... DON'T EVEN THINK OF DOWNLOADING OUR ALBUM!!! :D

That's all the questions I have. Last words are yours...!

Thanks for this great interview. You reviewed our last album and I hope you will like Born Into This Plague. We are looking forward to hear your words about our new release. Thanks to you and The Metal Crypt for supporting us and all the great newcomer and old school bands around the world.

Other information about Heretic Soul on this site

Review: Life Becomes Our Grave