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Interview
Deutsche VersionInterview mit Gorod (22.07.2009)
HH: How are you doing after having done you new record Process Of A New Decline?
Mat: Well, enthousiastic I guess. The record process has been quite short and the only thing we worried about was how it will be released and by whom. Our two past albums have gone unnoticed here in Europe, and for this new record we really wanted to get the best promo and distribution, what Willowtip couldn't achieve by himself. His regular dealer here (Candlelight) can't make for us the same work he usually does for his own bands, so we inked a deal with the French label Listenable Records to do the job. So now we're very relieved because we know that this album and the Gorod name will be spread correctly in Europe, and in France particularly.
HH: You received very good reviews for your previous record Leading Vision which was released in 2006 as far as I can see. Did this put some sort of pressure on you when you started writing new songs?
Mat: Of course. Opinions of listeners are always interesting to know, especially the negative ones, even if there are only a few. I know that for most of the bands, people are usually disappointed in the first place when they hear new material. The more you make albums, the more people are hard to please. If you make a similar record, they say that you repeat yourself. And if you take the risk to make something different, they're lost or confused. So, when I started writing the first song, which was "Disavow Your God", just after the release of Leading Vision, my aim was just to make some new Gorod songs, neither similar nor different, in the straight and logical following of our previous releases. I just tried to improve the structures of the songs, to make them more understandable or memorable, because it's a lack in our music and in modern technical death metal in my opinion. Also, I wanted to write songs which can be performed live as it is on the cd, with minimum arrangements and additional guitars, and technically playable on stage with fluidity, ease and energy.
HH: How are the reactions on Process Of A New Decline so far? A you pleased with the feedback?
Mat: Yes, the reactions are very positive so far. Why shouldn't we pleased with these? I hope this will allow us to tour more around Europe. Last week we did a small tour with Immolation which was a great experience. We've met lots of people who haven't heard anything about us before, and who reacted positively as well. That's what's important to us. If the music reaches people on shows, there's no better reward.
HH: I like the good blend of songwriting and technical skills you show on this record. On the one hand you show an outstanding instrumental performance, on the other hand you manage it to still write traceable songs! It seems to be important for you not to do just one riff after another and not to show one technical masterstroke after another, isn't it?
Mat: It seems that you make questions and answers yourself... haha! Yeah, exactly, the point is to find the balance between intricate and boring. Many bands called "technical" just want to show off with unremitting asymetrical patterns and dark or dissonant melodies. It looks like they want to create a permanent oppressive feeling that might loose the listener rather than keep his attention. On the other hand, we play with "easy" or catchy melodies, and easy to follow grooves. Most of the riffs/patterns are standard four beats per bar, so anyone can bang his head all along the song. It's important for us because when we play live, we prefer to perform in front of headbanging crazy people rather than sluggish guys that have just come there to watch how our fingers move. Death Metal should not be elitist, we try to make understandable music for musicians, but also for common people that don't care about how fast we play or what special lick we use.
HH: What topics do the lyrics deal with?
Mat: We have developed a SF story since our second album, Leading Vision, that continues on Process Of A New Decline and that will end in the next album! This is a classical SF/anticipation story about the evolution of humanity into which we put an extra terrestrial species who created a secret society "Obsequium Minaris" in parallel of ours. When mankind will fall after its own destruction this secret society will lead the few who survive to rebuild a world based on better values with the help of a guide, Adam, made with the mix of greatest technology and the greatest brains of Mankind. But in fact it's a cover to put the rest of humanity into slavery... The lyrics treats about this story through its differents aspects and points of view. On Process Of A New Decline we treat on the decline part of the story, when people realize the trickery and rebelling, and when the machine/god Adam is crumbling on himself.
HH: How is the cover related to the title and the lyrics?
Mat: The cover shows the machine/god/city in the desolated and sterile environment it created itself.
HH: Where do you see the biggest difference between Process Of A New Decline and Leading Vision?
Mat: As I said, the new album is more direct and is a logical evolution of what we did with the two older albums, but it's also an improvement. Sound is more powerful, drums hit harder, music goes faster! Song structures are more direct, efficient, where the older maybe were too convoluted. I tried to get the songs immediately understandable, so that the listener shouldn't be lost at any moment. Of course, we haven't made any compromise or tried to follow the mainstream, this album is pure Gorod and we still do Death Metal. But sometimes when you hear Death Metal, especially Technical Death Metal, you can't bang your head and you have to be focused on the music to get it. Where is the pleasure? So we're done with asymetrical patterns and unremitting tempo changes. On the new album, there's way less riffs or parts, but they are more developed. The sound on this album is the best we ever had and the best I ever produced, it's very accurate and chirurgical but "wild" and natural at the same time.
HH: In 2005 you changed you name from Gorgasm to Gorod. How did the name Gorod emerge and what does it mean?
Mat: In fact we recorded our first album Neurotripsicks under the name Gorgasm on a "poor" french label in 2004 and in 2005 when Willowtip re-released Neurotripsicks, we were asked to change our name to avoid confusion with the american Gorgasm.
We chose Gorod because we liked how it sounds and it was possible to make a similar logo. Gorod means a city in Russian and that was a good coincidence, because the lyrics in Neurotripsicks took place in an ethereal city where everything is possible!
HH: Your debut Neurotripsicks was released under the Gorgasm and the Gorod banner. Was it your decision to release the record a second time or was it just bussiness stuff?
Mat: It's just the way things have gone. Just because of the band name change, Willowtip had to re-release it with different artwork. The album is exactly the same but there are two bonus songs on the american version. Moreover, Willowtip offered a good deal for the next two albums so it was logical for him that every album should be released under the same monicker and label.
HH: Imagine Process Of A New Decline is a French wine. Which wine would it be and why?
Mat: Oh, I'm not really into French wines...sorry! I rather talk about strong alcohols like Vodka. Process Of A New Decline goes directly in the head and drives you mad, like does Vodka. You have to drink it on ice, so that the melodies and grooves can reach your mind. But be careful not to drink it too quickly, not to get addicted! As bands like The Gathering or Nightwish, French wine is world known and famous, and people can masturbate themselves just talking about it. But finally they'll just vomit because the human body can't assimilate such overrated renown and vacuity. Actually, these kind of bands and French wines produce the same result on me!
But... I know that our manager is a wine addict... and he told me that Process Of A New Decline could be comparable as a Pauillac or St Estephe: Dark, for the strong lyrics, really good and complicated structure as for the whole album, and a lot of flavour in your mouth as it can be for Process Of A New Decline and your ears!!!
Hahaha... you have to be in this kind of shit to say all this nonsense... I know he's in Scotch whisky too... haha, I think our manager is an alcoholic!!!
HH: What kind of music do you currently enjoy?
Mat: I listen to a bunch of different styles, from traditionnal Eastern Europe music, through 70's Latin/Funk/Jazz, to 90's Thrash/Death Metal. About the modern stuff, I recently discover Mastodon, which is my favourite by now, as they mix the different styles I'm into, such as rock, metal, 70's psycho, etc... Also I really enjoy the last Cynic album Traced In Air, that I've expected for a long time! So good to hear new songs from them!!
HH: Thanks for your time and good speed! Any last words?
Mat: Thank you for the support! I hope we'll tour in Europe soon and we'll come to Germany. People, don't be afraid to come and see us live! Our shows are intense and energic. We really enjoy performing, even playing Tech Death, we are not focused on our hands or static. So, book us!!!