[ Infest ]

Hier also endlich mal wieder ein nagelneues Online-Only Interview! Diesmal musste die französische Grindcore-Herde INFEST dran glauben. Dass die Wahl des Bandnamens mehr als "unglücklich" (um es mal vorsichtig zu formulieren…) ausgefallen ist (nennt es Blasphemie und/oder Majestätsbeleidigung - ganz egal, ihr habt auf jeden Fall Recht!), darüber brauchen wir uns wohl nicht zu unterhalten. Trotzdem solltet ihr deshalb nicht verschreckt (wenn evtl. auch etwas verärgert, was verständlich ist!) von dannen ziehen, sondern der Formation eine Chance geben. Insbesondere Anhänger/innen späterer Nasum und von Formationen wie beispielsweise Afgrund, Splitter, Gadget oder The Arson Project dürften ihre helle Freude an dem INFEST'schen Getöse haben und auch wer/welche HC-Subgenres ohne Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzungen mag und dabei up-to-date Grindcore-Klängen nicht abgeneigt ist, sollte bei den Franzosen die Lauschlappen auf Empfang stellen. Doch nicht nur mit ihrem aktuellen Album "Moshroom" und ihrem geilen Beitrag zum "A Tribute To Nasum"-Sampler können INFEST überzeugen. Auch live gehen sie ab wie Nachbars Lumpi! Davon konnte sich die CFMD-Crew schon beim 2007er "Soul Grinding Festival" (R.I.P., schade drum!) in Frankreich überzeugen. Also dann, gebt Euch einen Ruck und testet INFEST an. Verdient haben sie's allemal! Last but nor least noch ein herzlich "Merci!" an Flow, der so freundlich war, sich durch meinen Fragenkatalog zu kämpfen. Und los geht's! (Gerste, Januar 2010)

1.: Hi Flow! What's up and what are the latest news concerning INFEST? Did you have a good start into the new year? What do you expect from 2010 anyway?

- Hi Gerste, yes, new year has start as well with some good news for the band and I expect a lot of beer and grindcore for all extreme music fans. Hope it will be a good year for you and your zine too.

2.: I usually have a request at the beginning of each interview to get a presentation of the band and the person who is answering my questions. Why should it be any different this time? So let's get straight into this interview with a little introduction of yourself and your band.

- I'm Flow, guitar player from INFEST a grindcore band based in Bayonne in the Basque country southern france. We play since 2003 and we just release our second full length "Moshroom" via Metal Age Productions Slovakian underground label.

3.: INFEST released their latest album "Moshroom" under the banner of Metal Age Productions in summer 2009. In my opinion "Moshroom" contains the fastest, tightest and most intense material you've recorded until now. Do you agree with me? Please describe in your own words what all the musical terrorists out there can expect from this album. Oh, and by the way: what's the meaning behind the nice title? Do you want to express with it that this is the right stuff to turn the listener's livingroom into a "moshroom" (ha!) or what?

- I agree with you, this album is more faster and brutal than the first "Feel the rage" released two years earlier. I think that we have work better on the vocals. This album contains 20 grindcore tracks for 30 minutes of extreme sound. The title of the album "Moshroom" is a combination of the two words and it's represented in the cover of the CD. You become mad listening the music on your room so it's become a "Moshroom". Difficult to explain… you have to listen it !!

4.: How are the reactions to "Moshroom" thus far? Has your new album allowed you to reach many newer fans who didn't know about INFEST yet? How did the recent deal with Metal Age Productions come about and for how long are you actually signed with them now? Are you satisfied with the label's work and what the Metal Age guys did for INFEST so far?

- Reactions concerning the album are really good. All reviews are available on our myspace profile www.myspace.com/infestbaiona. For sure this album helps us to reach many new fans. Concerning the label we sign with them for 3 albums and they make serious work for the band. They know their work.

5.: What's interesting to know about the "Moshroom" recording sessions? Where did the recordings take place, who managed it and which equipment did you have on your hands? Are you satisfied with the final result (I'm sure you are because the sound blows away everything in sight!)?

- This album was recorded at the "Châlet Romuald" Studio with Paco Etchevers and Inaki Plaa (Le Nak) two sound engineer from our country. We work with them for a long time and recording sessions were pretty good. We're very happy concerning the final result because it sounds like we expect. Brutal and powerful at the same time.

6.: The album was mastered at the well known "Cutting Room" studio in Sweden by Mats Lindfors. I mean it doesn't happen too often that the recordings of a grindcore band are mastered at this famous studio. So please tell us a little bit more about it!

- Before the beginning of the recording we thought about some studios in order to make the mastering. It's an essential part of the creation of the CD. After many discussions we decided to make it in Sweden. For us Swedish scene is very rich in grindcore. So we speak with the famous "Cutting Room'' studio and with Mats and he was interested in making it. I heard that some grindcore bands make some mastering there.

7.: Would you agree with my opinion that the INFEST sound is strongly influenced by the works of Swedish grindcore godfathers NASUM (please note: No misunderstandings here! I don't think that INFEST is sounding like one of the countless NASUM-copycats out there but a strong influence can be heard definitely!)? I'd also recommend INFEST's music(k) to people who are into newer, or let's say "up-to-date", grindcore acts from Sweden (such as AFGRUND, SPLITTER, GADGET or THE ARSON PROJECT) and who like extreme hardcore subgenres with a grinding edge as well. What do you think about that?

- I totally agree with you Gerste. We like all mentioned bands and we listen its. We are on the same vein but we play all our own grindcore.

8.: Your passion for NASUM can also be heard on the "A Tribute To Nasum"-Compilation. How and when were you invited to be part of this tributesampler and how does it feel to share a record with some real heavyweights like COLDWORKER, MISERY INDEX, DEATHBOUND, ROTTEN SOUND, AFGRUND, MUMAKIL... (to name only a few)?

- We were in contact with Power it Up records and when I heard about a tribute to NASUM it was so cool. We are very proud to take part on it and to share it with 52 others grindcore bands. It's an historic release for sure !!!

9.: You did a killerversion of NASUM's smash hit "The Everlasting Shame". Any special reasons why you covered this particular song? What is your favorite NASUM record and why? What do you think about the sudden and unexpected death of Mieszko a couple of years ago? The scene was really shocked by this tragical event and it seems that the wounds are still not healed until today...

- We decide to choose this song because I think it's so close with INFEST style. My favourite NASUM record is the "Shift" abum but it wasn't possible to choose songs of this record due to copyright I think. Concerning the death of Mieszko…. Nothing particular to say !! So tragic for all his friends, family and the entire grindcore scene worldwide. R.I.P Mieszko.

10.: Ok, back to INFEST. I saw you live on stage at the legendary "Soul Grinding Festival" (R.I.P. - sad but true!) that took place in Strasbourg in February 2007. What can I say? I was really impressed how you destroyed the stage with your killer live performance! So I thought "You better keep that band in your mind!" and I checked out your debut album "Feel The Rage". Well, it's a pretty cool release but let me be honest: I was a little disappointed though, because it didn't kick my ass as much as your gig in Strasbourg. When I'm listening to "Moshroom", now I can REALLY feel the rage (if you know what I mean) and INFEST's whole energy as well! What are your thoughts when you compare "Feel The Rage" with your latest album "Moshroom", how do you remember the INFEST gig at the last edition of the "Soul Grinding Festival" and what do you think about this festival in general?

- First I would like to say that INFEST is a live band. We like play shows!! The gig of Strasbourg was very brutal yes. It was difficult for us because our singer wasn't at 100%. Some days before the beginning of the tour he was at the hospital due to a violent car crash!!! But we made it and it wasn't so bad !! Concerning the "Soul Grinding fest" I think that it was one of the best fest of grindcore of Western Europe. Organisation was great, public so mad etc etc. INHUMATE guys are making many things for the scene and we would like to thanks them for their support!! Last word about our both album. I just think that they are different. "Moshroom" is more brutal and perhaps a little bit more old school than "Feel the rage". To be honest I don't listen a lot INFEST productions. Readers of CFMD webzine have to listen both and post me some comments on our myspace.

- 11.: When it comes to gig and touring activities, INFEST seems to be a pretty active band! Do you agree? Last year you toured together with your "grindcore brothers in crime" (hehe!) TREPAN'DEAD, if I remember it correctly. What are your most memorable impressions concerning this tour? I also heard about some problems and because of that you had to cancel some shows during the tour. Is that correct? What has happened?

- We like touring and it's right we tour last year with TREPAN DEAD … it was so brutal like you can imagine!! The most memorable impression?..... The Grind the nazi Scum fest in Torgau was pretty good ! Many bands and many beers !!! German beers of very good comparing to French's !! Thanks again to all German fans that came to our gigs during this tour. On the other hand we had to cancel some shows in Poland and Czech rep due to mechanic failure. It's the life …. We are so sad.. But we promise to come back as soon as possible!!!

12.: I heard you even shared the stage with SEPULTURA last year. Is that right??? I'm asking you that because this band belonged to my heroes a long time ago and when it comes to thrash metal, "Arise" is (without any doubt!) one of my alltime faves! Well, since Max left the band, SEPULTURA is on the downward spiral I think and their last full length "A-Lex" is (by far!) one of the worst albums that came out in the last couple of years! Total bullshit if you ask me! What do you think about SEPULTURA, how was their gig, how did the crowd react concercing the INFEST performance and how did the SEPULTURA guys behave (maybe like "rockstars" or were they cool?)?

- Sepultura guys are pretty cool. Professional musician with a lot of technical conditions but good guys. When we open for them the crowd was very enthusiastic because it was at home and with a lot of INFEST fans. A fucking great show !! You can check some pics of this gig on our myspace profile.

13.: Can you tell me why your lyrics aren't printed in the booklet of the "Moshroom" CD? I think that INFEST isn't a band that has absolutely nothing to say and that the songtitles are pretty interesting. That's why I picked out some titles for you, that grabbed my attention. Please give your personal comment to this songtitles, the lyrics and (last but not least) the songs itselves. Are you ready? Let's start:

- Ok man.

a.) "Peace, Love, Freedom & Flowers" (haha!, back to Woodstock or what?, I don't think so!)

- Respect for all the people all other the world. Not so far from Woodstock !!

b.) "Murphys Law" (do you like Charles Bronson (R.I.P)?, I do and I also like the band (also R.I.P.) with the same name!)

- A brutal song concerning all the problems which could happen to one man in one day !!

c.) "Future Is For Us" (do you really think that the future is in our own hands?, I'm not so sure about that...)

- The oldest song written for the "Moshroom". Just a simple track because yes future is for us Gerste.

d.) "C2H5OH" (somehow reminds me on the robots "R2-D2" and "C-3PO" from "Star Wars", hehe!)

- No, no, it's the Chemical formula of alcohol !!!!

e.) "Shoot The Pope" (not the worst idea if you ask me...)

- A song against all the religions war and problems. We respect all the humans choices but no making war for this !!!

f.) "Polype" (the last song on "Moshroom" and a real crazy one)

- Polype is a throat infection I had after our Spanish and Portuguese tour. It's a crazy song. All band mates and sound engineer sings on this song. It's a great track to close the album isn't it ?

14.: Ok Flow, before we come to the end, I have to ask you a really delicate question that burns under my nails since I heard for the first time that in France exists a grindcore band named INFEST! Here we go: Why the fuck did you guys choose EXACTLY THIS NAME for your band??? I mean didn't you know that once upon a time there existed a really well known HC band in the USA with the same name that (until today!) influenced a shitload of other bands with it's attitude, sound and classic records like for example the "Slave"-LP or the "Mankind"-7"? Did you ever had problems because of your bandname? What about the reactions of the die-hard fans of this US-band?

- This is a permanent question and I totally understand the reason. To be honest when we start the band, we don't know anything about this US famous band. We start to make promotion and to spread the word about our band and finally record our first full length. After this we know about US band existence. We apologize if some die hard fans of them don't understand our choice. But it's not really important I think. We assume this choice…

15.: Last but not least: What can we expect from you guys in the near future? Is anything planned as of yet (gigs, tours, new records...)?

- We're at the billing of the Brutal Grind assault festival in Geneva. After that we'll prepare a split with friends of TREPAN DEAD and UTOPIUM from Portugal. Hope we'll release this stuff this year. We have some gigs in Spain too, and normally play in UK in may. Perhaps a big tour in September but I'm still waiting for more informations. I will check you when I'll have news !!

16.: That's it, man! Thank you very much for answering all my fucking questions! Sorry for my not so good English and I also hope that I didn't bore you too much with this interview. All the best and keep on grinding! If you have something to add, this space is yours...

- Thanks a lot Gerste for this interview. Don't hesitate to ceck us at this address : www.myspace.com/infestbaiona for more information about the band or about our last album. Long life to your zine and continue to support the underground !!!!

Kontakt: www.myspace.com/infestbaiona