[ DEVAST ]

Wenn brutaler und technisch extrem ausgefeilter Death Metal genau Eure Baustelle ist, dann sollte für Euch kein Weg an DEVAST vorbeiführen! Obwohl ich persönlich solcher Mucke eigentlich eher skeptisch gegenüber stehe, konnte mich die auf DEVAST's Debüt-Full Length "Art Of Extermination" dargebotene Mischung aus Technik und Geknalle, Progressivität und Brutalität, Atmosphäre und Blast schnell in ihren Bann ziehen. Kämen DEVAST aus Amiland, dann wären sie garantiert "das nächste große Ding" (wie man so schön sagt) und schon bald schwerstens angesagt. Doch die Band ist in Algerien zu Hause und hat wohl deswegen zunächst erst mal einen gewissen "Exotenstatus" inne. Traurig aber wahr, doch so scheint es nun mal in Szenekreisen zu laufen. Jede noch so kleine und unbedeutende Amiherde wird wie Bombe abgefeiert und den Rest lässt man links liegen. Völliger Bullshit! Nicht zuletzt auch um dagegen ein Zeichen zu setzen, war ein Interview mit den Nordafrikanern einfach mal Pflicht und (Dank der zügigen Beantwortung meiner Fragen) schnell im Kasten. Nun liegt es an Euch, DEVAST eine Chance zu geben. Ich kann Euch nur dazu raten! (Gerste, Dezember 2008)

1. Hello and welcome to our CAMPAIGN FOR MUSICAL DESTRUCTION! What's up and what are the latest DEVAST news? Please introduce your band and the current line-up to our readers.
- First of all we greet you, as well as all your faithful readers. lets start with presenting the band:
Devast is an Algerian (north Africa) technical brutal death metal band formed in 2006 formed by Idir (Morbid Desecrator) on Guitar/vox and Hellspawnblaster (Drums). Few months later A.Aziz joined the band as an official bassist. During these two years, there was many changes in the current line up and in early 2008 Redouane Aouameur; bassist-vocalist of Litham and Carnavage (Algerian grindcore band) integrates DEVAST as well as Ramzi, our drummer actually.
Its very cool for us at the moment, we try to promote our album "Art Of Exetermination " produced by Deep Send records and our recent video clip "Fidel sacrifice" and also preparing our first Europen tour in collaboration with our freinds form the french brutal death metal/grindcore band "Savage Annihilation".

2. How would you best describe your music to those who've yet to experience your band? What and who inspires you guys to play this style of music? What are your favorite bands/records of all time?
- We received a lot of good critiques from differents webzines/magazines like metalreviews, Teufel's Tomb etc...however most reviews dont converge to describe our influences but most of them agree to say that Art Of Extermination is an original album.
in fact we try yo make it brutal first and original.
- Aziz: the metal were first of all a good way of self expression, we have been influenced like most young of our géneration by Litham; the first death/dark metal band in Algéria.
personnaly my principal source of inspiration remains Cannibal corpse in addition to many ohter kinds of music like prog metal, trash, jazz etc... my favorites bands are cannibal corpse like i said before,deeds of flesh,nile,necrophagist,death,krisiun,origin, symphony x...too many to list them. ink complete, vile, individual thought patterns, In Their Darkened Shrines, the divine wings of tragedy, Informis infinitas Inhumanitas are my favorites records.
- Idir: Like Aziz said Litham was for sure a principal source of inspiration, i was also inspired by Morbid angel, necrophagist, cannibal corpse, death and some guitar heros and jazzmen like john coltrane, Yngwie Malmsteen etc... my favorites records are Formulas fatal to the flesh, Onset Of Purificationn,vile, annihilation of the wicked,King Of All Kings...

3. What's important and/or interesting to know about the bands/projects you've played in before DEVAST was founded or you still play in besides of DEVAST?
- Idir: personnaly i collaborated with several bands such as as SACCARAT (2003); DEADSTONE (2005), THE CULT OF SATANACHIA (2006) but actually i dedicate my self to Devast. Redoune is also basssit/vocalist of Litham and Carnavage, and our drummer Ramzi have a side project called Swan (death metal).
- Aziz: as for me, i was one of the founding members of Vomygore (Brutal death) few years ago.

4. Could you list your official discography to date? How many copies of each release were pressed and by which label? Please give your personal critique of each DEVAST release. What do you especially think about your newest CD "Art Of Extermination" that saw the light of this rotten world in 2008? Are you satisfied with the final outcome?
- "Deluge of hate" was our first self-produced demo in 2007 on Rectalized records (FR), split CDR 5 ways ( 100 copies). This demo remains our first exprerience as a record, we were in an musical research. we have performed evolution since that.
"Art Of Extermination" first full length in 2008 on Deep Send Records (USA), 1000 copies were pressed. This album represents before any thing a musical research, the collaboration between aziz and I even allowed to look days to a product which has (according to our opinion) its own personal touch and It was exactly the desired effect.
yeah sure, we are satisfied, Deep send made a very good work on Art of extermination and we would like to take this opportunity to thank Graham landers for the accomplished work.

5. How are the reactions to "Art Of Extermination" thus far and how did the recent deal with DEEPSEND RECORDS from the USA come about? Has your new album allowed you to reach many newer fans who didn't know about DEVAST yet?
- Art Of Extermination was very well welcomed, and we have more and more visitors on our myspace page from day to day. As regards Deep send, we would not have been able to hope better as label for our first album. They are of a remarqualbe efficiency and witj an amazin roster. We hope to work on another project togheter in future. Effectively this album allowed us to reach new fans All around the world, what is of in part left to the good name of our label.

6. Unfortunately I'm not really familiar with your lyrics but the bandinfo says that your lyrics are dealing with apocalyptic themes and dark topics. Typical death metal stuff, right? But why not. Whatever, can you give me a little more info about your lyrics? Are the themes based on pure fantasy or reality? What do you wanne express with your lyrics? How important are the lyrics for you as a band anyway?
- The lyrics are of a major importance for Devast because more than a means of communication, it's one truths means of expression of deep thoughts. Our lyrics are based on the reality,it treat in general the human nature or rather the truths human nature and the devastating effect which she can have on our world. Oppression, vengeance and devastation are the subjects of our lyrics.

7. The "Art Of Extermination" CD also contains a really nice looking artwork. Who's to blame for this piece of death metal art and what's interesting to know about the atist who created it?
- Indeed, the artwork which was made on the CD is impressive, the work was confided by our label to Remy Cuveillier "Headsplit design" which has surpassed himself and made a very good job (thanks' again man). Remy collaborated among others with Unearth, Lecherous Nocturne, Porphyria, Exitium, Victory Records, Willowtip Records, Deepsend Records, Ferret Records, Haemophagia and many more...here is the the link: www.headsplitdesign.com

8. I guess the Algerian metal scene is not very well known here in Germany. The only band from Algeria that I know is the grindcore outfit CARNAVAGE, who released a MCD via APATHIC VIEW PRODUCTIONS some time ago. So could you give me a little scene report about the Algerian scene please? What are your thoughts about the Algerian scene in general? Any particular bands, labels, distros and zines you'd recommend?
- It's true that the metal scene in Algeria is not really active and even less since 2006 were was held the last edition of the lelahel fest (the most important metal event it algeria).
Indeed, there are many other bands in algeria playing different kinds of metal, and we are proud of the algerian web zine "Depravity" founded by our freind kamy (evilspell) in collaboration with idir, but infortunately zines and distro are rare in Algeria but as one said there is a beginning in everything.

9. Do DEVAST gig regularly? What can the crowd expect from a typical DEVAST gig? Are there many venues/locations supporting extreme music in the area you live in? You also played at the LELAHEL FEST in 2006, right? That's the biggest metal festival in Algeria. How do you remember this particular gig and what's interesting to know about the LELAHEL FEST in general?
- Not realy, these last years we have two or three gigs a year. A Devast gig is first of all the brutality and an unhealthy atmosphere for the rest..you have to come to see by you own eyes. The metal community in Algeria is small but faithful, we are supported in each of our gigs.
Lelahel fest was a memorable moment, it was indeed our first gig, we had participated in the fence of three days of the fest in sides of Bloody sign (Fr) and Litahm, the public had come massively, we made a good show this day..some videos are disponibles on youtube. As we had said it previously, lelahel fest is the biggest metal event that Algeria known, his organizer Redouane Aouameur immortalized the tradition for years so allowing many bands to participate in the metal scene, however since 2006 the fest has to stop existing what had a direct impact on the Algerian metal current, let us hope that one find the means to put back on foot a new edition soon.

10. What about today's social and political situation in Algeria? Who rules the country and what do you think about the government? What are, at least in your opinions, the biggest problems Algeria has to deal with today and why?
- In fact we dont carry and we are not interested by the politic, the social situation is in progress in every domain. The government does not grant enough attention on his artists and not their accorent not enough means so that they can evolve in an atmosphere convenient to the work and the evolution.The metal is even more marginalized and is not recognized at its just value. Algeria necessarily has to open even more to the world so that each can find its place and its vocation in this her society.

11. Ok, back to DEVAST again! If you were offered a split release with a band of your choice, who would it be?
- Carnavage or Savage Annihilation.

12. Do you see zines as offering a valid means of spreading your band's music and message? What do you think about webzines and the internet (especially MySpace)?
- Zines are for us an excellent means to make speak about a band especially for the underground metal scene, myspace is the most blatant proof, it becomes a children's game to make listen to its music in the other part of the world. We would have difficulty without these various tools of Web.

13. What are the future plans for DEVAST? Are there any new releases, gigs or touring activities planned in the near future? I heard that you prepare an European tour in February 2009 together with SAVAGE ANNIHILATION, right? What do you expect from that tour?
- We try at the moment to concentrate on our next European tour in February 2009 however we began the composition and the writing of our next album which will be born we hope for it at the end of 2009. This tour is very important for us because it's an excellent opportunity to impose our name somewhere else and also live new experiences and frequent new metal scenes.

14. Ok, that's all! Thanx a lot for taking your time to answer all these questions! Any last words? This space is yours...
- We thank you for the interest which you carry about Devast as well as to the Algerian metal generally. We hope to have answered with clarity to your questions and have allowed to your readers to learn more about Devast. -idir

Bandkontakt: www.myspace.com/devast, Devast_band@hotmail.com