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Interview
Deutsche VersionInterview mit Ravens Creed (18.01.2010)
HH: HeyHo and the best wishes for a hopefully metalized 2010 from the entire heavyhardes-Crew to Ravens Creed. My respect and congratulations for the superb output Albion Thunder. Anytime I listen to it the word or maybe the term "Blast" comes to my mind.
Steve: Happy new year to you also, and many thanks for your kind words, I like your use of the blast to describe us, that was the intention, like short blasts of machine gun fire.
HH: Another decade is history and this one definitely saw the resurrection of Heavy Metal in various incarnations. Mostly all of the nonsense that appeared in the 90s vanished in haze and only a few combos with a solid back-bone that were founded back then managed to survive (e.g. Monster Magnet, the Norwegian Black Metal-bands like Mayhem, Emperor or Enslaved, The Deftones or even Tool, Pearl Jam or Marilyn Manson). I believe one of the diferences is that nowadays the Metal-fan indeed still has some kind of outsider-status, but when you walk up the street wearing a Sodom-Shirt you are not encountered with the same haughtiness and disrespect even by younger people like in the 90s. Have you had similar experiences? Is that a good or bad progression and is it different in England?
Steve: Well they sell Motorhead and Maiden shirts in department stores over here, and Led Zep US tour 74, pre-torn and distressed for that 'rock' look, I saw a photo
of Peaches Geldoff wearing a Slayer shirt and hanging round with her wanker friends in some trendy London shithole, I still find it weird that everybody knows who Metallica are too. When I was a kid, being into rock/metal was seen as a bad thing, outsider culture etc, trends will pass and these cunts will be wearing dayglo orange jumpsuits if
that's what a magazine tells them to wear.
HH: Today Heavy Metal frankly celebrates its roots and they without any doubt lie in the 80s. Ravens Creed is an excellent example for that. I do not really believe that this is something like a trend. In my eyes the 90s were some kind of necessary time-corridor for Metal-musicians and fans to walk through and experience, and finally wake up with a differentiated and more objective view on the 80s. And that specific view lead to the re-discovery of early Death Metal, foremost Thrash and even Sleaze Metal as we see it today. Would you agree?
Steve: Yeah, I think everybody went a bit musically mental in the 90's, some bands using Industrial influences, some adopting a Fear Factory take on things, some Swans, Killing Joke, Big Black etc. People look back on the 80's with fondness as it was the genesis of so much great music, I remember the pre-Venom days when the heaviest stuff you could get your hands on was The Rods, Twisted Sister, Anvil and the like! As for old bands being re-discovered, that's great, so many great bands never got a fair crack of the whip for whatever reason.
HH: I believe that the description of your musical style mentioned in the promo-material (Thrash Metal/Death Metal) does not really get the point. Of course you can hear a portion of Sodom, Whiplash or Kreator in the songs and referring to Death Metal early Entombed, but if you would draw a line (although I am not a friend of nailing a band to a special genre-cross) Ravens Creed could be seen in the tradition of the First Wave Of Black Metal and bands like Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Venom or Satan. I do not see many bands today playing that particular kind of Metal, but I think Albion Thunder is one of the records with that certain spirit. Was it a decision on purpose to play that kind of style, did the background of several members play a role and do you think that there is a special reason for it that not many bands can be counted playing like the mentioned inventors?
Steve: Chuffed with the Whiplash reference! They were a big influence on me apart from the obvious Venom/Frost, I think if we were around in the 80's we would have been called 'death thrash', the rest of the lads have loads of influences, Frazer loves his prog rock and at the moment is Pantera mad, Jay loves his Exodus and old Slayer and Ben has a love for Sabbath and dirty Black Metal, but we all love Venom, we didn't set out to sound like them, it kinda just happened.
HH: Attitude-wise you hear a loud "Fuck Off" in every song on Albion Thunder which leads me to the point that 3rd-generation Punk Rock like The Exploited, Discharge, Subhumans or even the UK Subs or the Kennedys played and play it has much in common with early Black and Thrash Metal. Two sides of one coin. Any influences from this direction? Is there still a vivid Punk-scene in your hometown and do they mix with the Metal Heads?
Steve: I love fuck off punk bands like The Exploited, Discharge had a big influence on me, when I first heard them I was shocked at the awesome power and the shouting vocals. Punks and metallers didn't mix very well when I was a kid, punks thought everybody with long hair was a hippy and would kick their head in (this is what it was like where I grew up in Staffordshire) Nowadays everybody gets on and has a shared hatred for the kids!
HH: "Albion Thunder" is a pretty cool title for your record - almost poetic. Who had the idea and who wrote the lyrics? Have there been lyrically premises for Ravens Creed-songs before before writing down the words?
Steve: I had the idea, I write the lyrics mostly too. Albion Thunder sounded like a cool album title and I'd like to think it's in reverence to all the genre starting bands that have come from this overcast and rainy island.
HH: In my eyes one of the main topics the lyrics deal with is war, warfare or the devastations combined with it. You find these themes in Heavy Metal-songs throughout the last thirty years - just to mention Bolt Thrower, Sodom, Jag Panzer and of course Slayer and Tank. But I think the combination always was a strange one. On the one side you got the powerful words like "force", "artillery", "destruction", "firepower", etc. that perfectly match with Metal as a form of art, but on the other hand I do not know many Metal Heads who really support "war" as a political weapon. The metaphor is the essential. What is your opinion on that?
Steve: I agree, they go hand in hand, I write the lyrics about several war subjects,usually in the same songs too, Vietnam, WW1 & 2, tribal wars, ethnic cleansing. I think what drives a person to be capable of such cruelty? What force takes over rational thinking in order to commit these acts? Man is a warrior and naturally likes war, think of all the films, documentaries, books, websites etc there there are on war, man delights on seeing his enemies vanquished, be they a different race, country or religion, it's fucking crazy, but it has never stopped since a caveman first bashed another cavemans head in with a rock.
HH: I always liked not to long songs that quickly attack the listener. Was it your intention to write numbers just as "Bloodbath", "Stand And Be Cunted" or "Peace Through Superior Firepower" in that format?
Steve: Yeah, everything should be around the two-minute mark, apart from "Power Of Spite", and as we had 'gone beyond' the usual short time we thought we may as well
run with it (like rhinos with broken legs in a muddy field).
HH: Another point is the very short playtime. Yes, the album is without any doubt compact and consistant and from a personal view this means no negativum. It's a kind of a raid. But some fans may (because of only 30 minutes) think twice before buying it. Was it a deliberate decision to keep Albion Thunder as short as possible, did you write more tracks for it, do you have future plans to stay with this release-strategy and (again) do you think that a rather Quick One is more capable of spreading a certain attitude?
Steve: Yeah, it was never gonna be over half an hour, if you can't get your point across in thirty minutes then go home and cry on your bedroom pillow, as for people thinking twice before buying it, this does not bother me, same as peope downloading it for free, if they like it they will buy it. The attitude was get in, play, get out.
HH: "Butcher Of The Whore" and "Storm The Gates" are only two, but the most obvious tracks that cover the listener with some Celtic Frost. Martin Eric Ain, Tom Gabriel Fischer and Co. redefined Heavy Metal when they started back in the 80s and still there is a certain weird, dazing spirit surrounding the band and its legacy. What did you think of the reuinion, Monotheist and do you believe it was more a loss for the younger fans or the right decision for them - not to scratch on the legend - to go separated ways again?
Steve: I love Frost, they are a MASSIVE influence on me, apart from Cold Lake which I am still in shock about. Monotheist was a bit of a let down for me, I loved their new sound with the detuned guitars and massive drums, I only like 3/4 songs of it though, they were great live on the tour though (it was a 20 year gap for me seeing them live) Tom G's new band looks interesting.
HH: I am far away of calling Ravens Creed some kind of an allstar-project, but any member has had a great reputation in the scene before founding the band. So can we consider Ravens Creed as a project or (hopefully) a band?
Steve: We are a full time band, only Ben has another band, as far as reputations, I only see what a person is doing now than the past twenty odd years, yesterdays today is todays tomorrow!?!
HH: How difficult is it to combine Ravens Creed with your other musical activities and what priorities do you have? And furthermore how do the future-plans for Orange Goblin, Sabbat (I think a Best Of is released these days) and Cerebral Fix look like?
Steve: It is very difficult!!! I have no other priorities apart from work really, Ben has Orange Goblin and a family to keep him busy and Jay is away a lot doing crew work, Frazer runs a t shirt printing business, it's hard to combine free time for the band and this has resulted in us only playing live once last year! The year before was cool, we did a UK tour and played a few festivals, let's see what 2010 brings, Cerebral Fix seem to be on hold these days, shame, great band, Goblin are recording a new lp this year too.
HH: How are things going in Nottingham? Is the Rock City still a No.1 Metal-address to go to during a trip to England?
Steve: Nottingham is great, plenty of good bands around, some great places like the old angel, Rock City? I have not been there in a while, I'm sure it's a great night out if your are drunk out of your mind.
HH: The average reader always likes lists in which the musicians point out their particular faves. Would you please assemble a list of your favourite ten First Wave Of Black Metal-records.
Steve: Venom first three albums, Bathory first two albums, Celtic Frost first three albums, Dream Death: Journey Jnto Mystery City, Slayer - Show No Mercy
HH: Not only I am hoping to see Ravens Creed perform "Insignia", "Spy On Your Swine", "Unholy Force Of Extraordinary Magnitude" or "Neon Parasite" live in Germany. Any plans for a club-tour (maybe with one of your other bands!) or festival gigs?
Steve: We would love to play in Germany, nobody seems to want to book us though!! As I mentioned earlier it is difficult for us to get together to rehearse (even though three of us live in same city!) but hopefully a window of opportunity will appear and we will be with you soon!
HH: I am sure you have heard about the Keep It True-Festival (April) and the Headbanger's Open Air (July) in Germany. Even if you're not playing I think this could be something for you because these are the places to visit if you like 80s Metal. Candlemass, Whiplash, Tygers, Fifth Angel, Satan's Host, Savage Grace or Demon are playing in April and Icon, Jameson Raid, Raven, Blood Feast, Culprit, Jag Panzer or Battle Axe in July...
Steve: I would love to play those festivals, Battle Axe!!! "Burn This Town" is a classic song, Tygers too! I wonder if they play the early neat records stuff?
HH: I really felt privileged to have the chance to do this little interview with you and hope that Albion Thunder was just the beginning. The last words are reserved for you:
Steve: Thanks for the interview, you know what Ravens Creed are all about, I always thought Germany would be chuffed with our dirty barrage of cultish reverence, we are demoing new songs for some split releases and for the next lp (A Conspiracy Of...) which will be out on Doomentia records, hopefully we will get to play for you soon, Cheers, Steve
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