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With the release of their new album, World Funeral, I thought it was time to find out some more about this extreme metal band from down under. Vocalist / guitarist Decaylust gave us an insight into the past, present and future of Denouncement Pyre and his thoughts on the metal scene in general.
Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions for Ice Vajal! So, could you tell us how Denouncement Pyre came into being?
Ave, the beginning of Denouncement Pyre goes back to early 2003. We formed the band as a 2 piece, a black death entity that was in line with both the extreme music & ideology we were delving further into at the time. As we have ventured further along this path there has been line up changes, plus the release of demo's, EPs, a mini-album, split LP, and finally we are unleashing the first album World Cremation, through Hells Headbangers (Aug 2010).
If you had to describe Denouncement Pyre's music to someone who had never heard a metal band before, what would you say to them?
BLACK DEATH CHAOS! From the bowels of the cosmos, spiritual in essence, occult in practice, defiant in nature.
Who designed the Denouncement Pyre logo?
A local from Melbourne. He has also drawn artwork for Gospel Of The Horns and Ignivomous (logo).
Are you happy with the new album, World Cremation? Did you approach this recording any differently to the EPs you've done in the past?
This is definitely the recording I am most satisfied with so far. It is a positive step forward and so far has been received well through interviews, reviews and general feedback. We did try a few new things in the studio this time and the approach was slightly different. I wont give much away about what went into the back end of the recording, I think the final result speaks for itself.
Can you pick a favorite Denouncement Pyre release or are they all just as important to you?
I would definitely say World Cremation. This is the closest to what I have always envisaged of Denouncement Pyre, and although each release has a certain quality that I like, this is by far our strongest to date.
Is everything going well with the Hell's Headbangers deal?
Absolutely. Hells Headbangers are a very professional & reliable label. They have provided an avenue for us to move forward as a band and their support has surpassed all expectations.
I notice you have stated that you have no plans to play any shows in the near future. Is this because of personnel problems or do you just not wish to play live?
There are various reasons that have stopped us playing live since 2007. It is a mix of my personal attitude (which is not a 'problem' so to speak more a matter of preference) and that the circumstance surrounding the band have not allowed this (line up changes, focus on the completing the album, etc). It may be something we revisit in the future, but only if we can properly carry the essence of the band from the studio to the stage. A lot of people have been asking when this will happen and the interest in only growing. To all I say keep your eyes open!
What's the metal scene like down under? Any other Aussie bands you would recommend?
Something that is uninteresting to talk about. There are a heap of bands, many of which do not appeal to me on any level; the few that I like include Gospel Of The Horns, Hunters Moon, Nocturnal Graves, Cauldron Black Ram, Portal, Funerary Pit, Vomitor. Of course there are all the old classics that are widely known through the underground but most have been inactive for some time (Hobbs, SadEx, BWarlust, Slaughter Lord, etc).
Deströyer 666 are probably the most famous Australian extreme metal band. Did they have any influence on your music? Which band has had the biggest influence on you as people and musicians?
D666 is a great band for sure. However, we don't take influence as much from other bands as we do from our own self-centered agenda and goals. I am mainly influenced by things outside of the metal genre, whether it is experiences, philosophy, ideals, these sort of things that are expressed through the music we create. After all, music is a powerful tool, one that is recognized universally and is an art form that can be used as a mighty weapon when the energy is harnessed a certain way.
Simplifying it to say that the influence is mainly other bands we listen to undermines how powerful music can be, and what it reflects of its creator beyond the mundane world. Of course we listen to black & death metal, as well as other genres of music. All that one encounters will have some kind of influence on them, but I don't really consider what others are doing when writing music.
What are your thoughts on the extreme metal scene at the moment?
There are plenty of killer bands and of course many more who exist for no purpose that appeals to me. It's good to see that many bands are trying to use their music to convey a greater message than the typical drink, fuck thrash kind of themes that hold no weight. I mean here that more than just the riffs is becoming of great importance to the artists and the listener. The overall sound, package, lyrics, themes, message; etc especially in black & death metal is taking on a life of its own. There is a difference between this which is expanding the essence of the music, and the capitalist type labels that load releases with irrelevant crap or limited numbers in order to sell more or so that a release gains that superficial 'cult' status that some seem to hold so high. There is definitely a dark current that is expanding through the underground and the future of extreme music within these circles is very promising.
What do you think of downloading music? Do you think sites like Myspace, Youtube and Last.fm help or hinder the metal scene?
I'm not into downloading music, the main reason is that I don't have the time to listen to every release and I never listen to music through a computer. I couldn't think of anything worse than collecting shitty quality mp3s that are played through shitty computer speakers. Occasionally I will check out a preview of a song for a band or release that really interests me, but that's rare in itself. I don't know that these sites you mention hinder the metal scene, they are so widely used that they have just become apart of it. It has definitely dented some of the old underground activities like tape trading, though even this is still happening if one chooses to partake. We as a band don't rely on these sites, they are there, but I don't really care either way.
What is the plan for Denouncement Pyre for the immediate future?
We are already working on the 2nd album, most of which is already written and shaping up to be a complete beast compared to World Cremation. Not much else to reveal for now. All in good time.
Thanks again for answering these questions. Good luck for the future and stay brutal! Anything else you would like to add?
Thanks for the interview. Album is available from www.hellsheadbangers.com
With the second album under way it hopefully won't be too long before we hear more from Denouncement Pyre!
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