Belgian death metal veterans Fractured Insanity celebrate 20 years with their crushing new album, Age of Manipulation. We discuss their evolution, intense songwriting, and the brutal reality behind their themes.
1. Congratulations on
your 20th anniversary and the upcoming release of Age of Manipulation!
How does this album reflect your growth as a band over the past two decades?
Well, it’s
a kind of comulgation of all we learned in those years. And since
it’s the first we did without previous guitarplayer Kenny, it was a
little liberating to write the songs really fast. We wanted to deliver ten well
finished songs that had their own vibe, their own atmosphere and identity. We
came up with the actual songs quite fast and that was very invigorating. By now
we know what works and what doesn’t. So if you compare this album to the other
four we feel it’s a logical evolution. We wouldn’t rehash “When Mankind Becomes
Diseased’ and maybe some people were hoping for that, but we can’t think of a
better or different album that we could have made right now
2. Age
of Manipulation features both unrelenting brutality and intricate creativity. Can you
share some insight into the writing process behind this album?
We just let
it go! Some ideas we had for a long time and before we knew it, we had 10 songs
ready to record. It was a great situation of “gut-feeling”. When riffs
work, let them work! And with some of the weird songs (like “Fear; the Ultimate
Weapon” or “Psy-K.O”) we just went with the crazy idea rather than trying too
hard to mold it into a standard song. So we surprised ourselves a little as
well. Yet it’s still Fractured.
3. The
album opens with "Exaltation of a Fallen Glory," which sets a
powerful tone. Why did you choose this track as the opener, and what message
does it convey?
Because of
that creepy blackmetal intro. Perfect intro. Builds very nice. And
when the first riff kicks in, we got you by the balls!
Stefan: It's
a warning. don't be fooled by populism. Don't be misled by the us - them story.
History has proven several times that this only leads to extremes that do not
end well.
Because it’s more of a reality than anything you could write about today and actually more terrifying. Everywhere you look, these things are happening in hidden and a lot less hidden situations. If you look at the world today most conflicts, wether it’s war, economics, politics, food, even music (let’s hear it for fucking Live Nation…), it’s all about power and control. And granted, these things have always existed, but now with someone like Musk, who unabashed buys the white house, it’s getting so in your face, it could be considered a blowjob…
5. Songs
like "Divide and Conquer" and "The Hangman’s Chair"
highlight your technical precision. How do you balance technicality with the
raw aggression of death metal?
With some
trepidation. We’re not going to lie, Fractured got where we are because of some
of the technical music on our first three albums. And that music gets you
respect, but doesn’t get people headbanging. So we walk the tightrope between
technicality and aggression. And we’re not looking for that
next Necrophagist-sounding-riff anymore. When we have one of those and it
doesn’t fit the song, it’s gone. But we could.
6. You
worked with Hertz Studio for mixing and mastering, a studio known for its work
with iconic death metal bands. How did their expertise shape the sound of Age
of Manipulation?
All of it!
We wanted a really nasty old school vibe for this record and they really
delivered. So thanks to the brothers!
7. The
title track, "Age of Manipulation," is described as crushing and
weighty. Can you talk about the meaning behind this song and how it fits into
the album's overall narrative?
Stefan: it
is the summary of the entire album. as long as humanity exists, present, future
or past, manipulation will always be there. With moments very clear, other
moments well hidden. So that the few can enrich themselves against the many. In
the past, religion was often used for this. Today that is the big money.
Because the big companies own or sponsor social media, so they determine the
message we see.
8. Your
music draws comparisons to legends like Deicide, Nile, and Hate Eternal. How do
you balance honoring the genre's roots while pushing its boundaries with your
own style?
We don’t!
Honestly! We write more and more from a gut feeling. You might want to say it’s
our most diverse album yet. There’s the majority of
brutal deathmetal in there, but there’s some black metal, there’s
sludge, there’s jazz, there are so many little twitches from other influences.
As for pushing boundaries… No thanks. We’re not the band who wants to play 401
bpm, because Archspire does 400. We’re happy doing it in our fashion.
We never though of writing a song like “Psy-K.O.” so that’s pushing our own boundaries.
But we’re not interested in the competitive “harder, better faster, stronger”
with anyone
9. After
20 years in the scene, what challenges have you faced as a band, and how have
you overcome them to remain a dominant force in death metal?
I’m gonna steal
a quote from Karl Sanders: “It’s hard work to make people care about
you”. Yes, you can make amazing music. But you have to go out
and play. And nobody is going to give you anything, because all the other bands
wants that spot as well. So talking, asking, networking. That’s a LOT of
mails and calls right there. Also keeping a band together is not as easy as it
sounds. After “Massive Human Failure”, long-term guitarist Kenny left and that
was someone who wa s in the band for a loooong time. And
when Ignace said he wanted to stop drumming, that’s a
major assfuck without any lube. You’re not only losing a vital part
of your band, you have to find someone who can play that shit (which isn’t
easy) plus someone who will happily get in the van with three others for a
couple of days.
And you
have to play the crappy gigs. A lot of them. You have to find the energy to
drive to a remote location for a couple of hours, play for people who are not
there for you, and convince them you are worthy of their time. We played some
amazing festivals, but those are just a couple of them. The others are not as
fancy or goodlooking on your resumé, but you have to play them all with the
intention that you will nail them!
So we have
overcome the setbacks. We faced the challenges. Now we have a new line up and
we’ll just do the same stuff and see where we end up!
10. With Age
of Manipulation set for release, what are your plans for promoting the
album? Can fans expect tours, music videos, or special events in 2025?
We’re
working on some stuff. We have a couple of possibilities in the future, but
we’re waiting for confirmation. We’re doing the UK in march, promoting the new
album in Belgium, Holland and Germany and are talking to some bigger bands for
a tour in the fall, but nothing is clear for now.
But we want
to do them.
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