Angstridden,
the fourth album by COMMANDER, pushes death metal boundaries with brutal riffs
and mature arrangements. The band delves into themes of excess and decency,
offering a cohesive and dynamic musical experience.
1.
"Angstridden" is your fourth full-length album and is described as
having a rough and brute death metal framework. Can you elaborate on the themes
and inspirations behind this new album?
The first 3
albums are death metal but mixed with a lot of thrash metal riffs melodies and
drum patterns. The goal for Angstridden was to create an album with riffs
rooted more in extreme metal/death metal. All in all, it was a natural process,
especially because we worked on the songs in the rehearsal room, something we
hadn't done in many years. Most songs got their title early in the writing
process and our drummer Flo then wrote the lyrics.
2. The
title-track "Angstridden" has been released as a lyric video. What
made you choose this track as the first single and how does it represent the
album as a whole?
It was the
first track we wrote back in 2016 (2 years before we released our 3rd album
Fatalis (The Unbroken Circle) in 2018), when we started writing songs with our
then new drummer Flo. It’s a fast catchy song with a huge chorus and represent
the new Commander sound very well.
3.
COMMANDER has been active since 1999. How has the band’s sound and
approach to music evolved over the years, especially in this new album?
In my
opinion the riffs are sounding very mature these days with a more “in your
face” attitude. In the past our arrangements were a little bit “death metal
101” (4x Verse, 2x Pre-Chorus, 2x Chorus, Solo, Verse, end). We tried to break
this mold and followed our instinct by jamming the songs as often as we could.
This way we arranged more naturally, whatever the song needed.
4. Can
you talk about the recording and production process for "Angstridden"
at the Sick Of Sound Studio with Michael Kraxenberger? What was the experience
like and how did it influence the final product?
Michael is
like our fifth member. He has been with us since 2018 as a stand-in drummer for
Flo (when he was not able to play shows) and nowadays as our producer. We
started in February 2023 with drum recordings followed by guitars + bass during
the spring/summer 2023 at Steffen’s home studio. I started recording vocals in
September 2023 and the last song was finished before Christmas 2023. In January
2024 Michael finished the Mix & Master. We are very happy with the result!
5.
"No Compulsion To Live" is highlighted as the climax of the album
with a growl choir featuring 10 different growlers/screamers. How did this idea
come about and what was the process like coordinating so many vocalists?
I’m a big
fan of progressive rock/metal. And when I saw The Neal Morse Band live
in 2018 or 2019 with all 5 members singing like a choir it inspired me: I
thought it would be a cool idea to invite different singers for a death metal
choir. That was the initial idea for the song “No Compulsion to Live”. We
recorded the choir in 2 quick sessions were everyone was really well- prepared.
Only 1 singer (Lukas Haidinger, Endonomos, Distaste, Nervecell, Profanity)
recorded his part in his own studio as he is the only one who’s not located
close to Munich.
6. The
album features a mix of furious blastbeat songs and groove-oriented elements.
How do you balance these different styles within a cohesive album?
Hard to
say. You always start with an idea and then work out the rest.
There are
exactly 2 songs where we had a precise idea.
"Scorched
Earth", where we kept the whole song at one groove-heavy tempo,
"Vanity
is the Death of Decency", where it was clear from the start that this
would be by far the fastest Commander song ever, with a big breakdown at the
end.
7. With
over two decades in the metal scene, how do you keep your music fresh and
relevant while staying true to your roots?
Commander
is and will always be a death metal band. We always try to create music where
we push our boundaries (and sometime the genre’s boundaries as well). I mean,
you can’t really create something new or different nowadays, but you can always
try to write catchy good songs.
8. The
track "Vanity Is The Death Of Decency" has a particularly evocative
title. Can you delve into the lyrical themes of this song and its significance
within the album?
We live in
a time of excess. Many people have developed a certain arrogance fueled by
boundless vanity, and in doing so they forget about decency. The political
elite in the world in particular tend to fall into this trap.
9. How
has the reception been to the pre-released title-track "Angstridden"
so far, and what feedback have you received from your fans and the metal
community?
Fine so
far. I mean, the track was just released so we haven’t received that much
feedback yet.
10.
"Angstridden" will be available on CD, limited digipak, and vinyl.
How important is it for you to offer physical formats in today's digital age,
and what do you think it adds to the listener's experience?
This is the
part of the business and as a band you’re in need of physical formats as well,
especially vinyl. Music lovers always want to hold a CD or record in their
hands or to collect band merch. You are always more connected to an album if
you could feel it and read the lyrics and liner notes while listening to it.
11. As
veterans of the death metal scene, what advice would you give to younger bands
trying to make their mark in such a competitive genre?
The biggest
concern I have at the moment is, that there are no young players showing up in
the scene. I had a chat yesterday with the drummer of Fleshcrawl about this
topic and to be honest, I’m pessimistic for the near future. I’m not sure what
is the cause for it, maybe the pandemic. But the advice I always give to other
bands is, go out and play shows. Shows will push you as musicians and as a
band.
12.
Finally, what are your plans for promoting "Angstridden"
post-release? Can fans expect any tours, music videos, or special events in
support of the new album?
We will
play a lot of shows, festivals. There will also be more videos. Regarding
touring, we’ll have to see what kind of offers are coming in and what is
possible.
OFFICIAL COMMANDER - Death Metal Munich (commander-metal.eu)
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