For over three decades, DETERIOROT has remained a pillar of underground death metal. We spoke with Paul Zavaleta about their Slayer cover, their latest album The Rebirth, and their unwavering vision for the genre.
1.
DETERIOROT has always had a strong presence in the underground death metal
scene. What made you
choose Slayer’s “Read Between the Lies” for a cover, and how did you approach
making it your own?
Close to 25
years ago we were asked to be a part of a tribute to Slayer album and I always
thought of DETERIOROT being an underrated band so I chose a song from what I
believe is one of their most underrated albums "South of Heaven".
After Reign in Blood being mainly such a high octane, speed album from start to
finish I believe they wanted to show a different chapter and prove their
heaviness isn't just speed. Fans didn't really praise it as much as it deserved
and I totally understood the thought pattern and process. So, I chose their
most underrated song from their most underrated album.
The tribute
album came and went around 2022/2023 and I thought it would be cool to bring
that song up again and have a new, more modern version and update to it. We
have only ever recorded another cover before and when we did we want it to
sound like us, like DETERIOROT.
As a kid I
remember listening to Metallica doing some covers like "Am I Evil",
"Breadfan", "Helpless", and they always made these songs
sound like METALLICA songs. So, I took the same approach as a producer.
2. Your
version of the track brings an unmistakable old-school death metal edge to
Slayer’s original. What were the biggest challenges in adapting it to fit
DETERIOROT’s sound?
I think the
most challenging part is probably during the vocals, the guitar style that goes
along with those vocals are challenging to play on guitar and sing at the same
time but of course it isn't an issue in recording since it's done separately.
But making it sound like a DETERIOROT song to me was natural because we already
have a drum pattern to our music that focuses on bringing the same drum
dynamics, with builds, and drum fills which is very similar to how Lombardo
tells a story with the drums and his knowledge of dynamics. Our guitar tone
blend is always unique to us and I take the vocals and just do it with my own
formula, my own vocal patterns that make me sound like me. So it comes across
in this song. It's the first thing people say to us is that it really sounds
like a DETERIOROT song. So that's a big win. It shows you how traditional Heavy
Metal to Thrash is the origin of our development and it continues to be.
3. “Read
Between the Lies” has a strong anti-religious theme, which aligns with much of
death metal’s lyrical history. What significance does this song have for you
personally and as a band?
Personally,
to me and maybe for some in our band I think it's ok to question things and
know there's more to things. It's not about religion to us but about everything
in life in general. Read Between the Lies can be the media, politics, it can be
about relationships or whatever it may be that can be personal to you.
Statistically, most people are programmable and if they weren't then we
wouldn't have such a thing as the billions of dollars in advertising,
propaganda, and the countless people arguing with strangers and friends on
social media over politics. I'm sick of it.
4. Your
latest album, The Rebirth, has been receiving great reactions from fans and
critics. How does this record compare to your earlier work, and what does it
represent for DETERIOROT in 2024?
I think a
lot of people just really miss that original sound (Pre-Florida Death Metal) of
what many traditionalists consider True Death Metal. The sound before Deicide
and Cannibal Corpse became the trend and the blueprint for others.
Especially
the newer fans, newer younger generation of Old School Death Metal Fans
"OSDM" that just really taken to the demos and ep's of many forgotten
bands, a forgotten sound. And many form bands that mimick this sound and take
that as their identity rather than being influenced by it.
This record
shows us doing this and doing it naturally as this is my writing and the love
and passion for the original sound of True Death Metal is what I will bring to
you completely devoid of contemporary influences. How it compares to past
records? The classic formula still works today. This album shows and proves
this writing can be timeless and compete with anything else today. We don't
have to do what everyone else's is doing. It's more important to become a brand
than just a band following and taking cues from others. A brand has something
that is recognizable, and that's what brings you success and longevity.
I rather
have us be standalone than part of the pack because we can single ourselves out
with our sound and fans notice it. We don't have to be an incredibly
progressive or tech band with 10,000 guitar exercises identifying as riffs to
be impressive. Storytelling through music and psychology will always win.
I think
what sets this apart from our past records is that this one took more of what
worked in the more compact vs complex songs which seemed to be the songs on the
other records that garnered the most attention vs the ones that were a bit
longer. On our 2010 album "The Faithless" a lot of people liked
"Into The Abyss of Sorrow" "The Bataan Death March"
and "Restless Spirits" and those songs had more of a classic Judas
Priest British Steel style of structure which brings you a song around the 3
and a half minute mark and I thought it would be a good idea to have almost an
entire album with this formula and it's something I hadn't done before and it's
become our most successful album of all time.
5. The
video for “Read Between the Lies” follows the release of “Return to Rot.” Can
you share some insights into the visual direction of these music videos and
what fans can expect from the third one?
We like to
capture the energy of a live performance as we enjoy playing live and playing
to our audience vs shooting a video in a studio. Not ruling out we might do
that too at some point. But for these at the moment we wanted to display the
live essence and showcase in our past and future videos some more connection
with horror movie film scenes. Our next one we will do something a little
different and it will be released to the public soon for viewing. This has some
more original film scenes in it and not horror related. It's pretty cool. I'm
looking for people to see it.
6.
Having been a force in the NJ/NY death metal scene since 1989, how do you feel
the underground has evolved over the years? Are there any new bands that excite
you?
I was very
disappointed with how it evolved after 1992 and forward. It really wasn't until
this past decade for me that I have enjoyed newer bands and newer releases from
these fans that love and worship the True Underground Death Metal sound so much
that they have created bands and a whole new scene of The New Wave of Old
School Death Metal and I'm proud to see and hear this direction from a style
that was long forgotten. I definitely enjoy Phobofillic and Festergore as some
newer bands.
7. Your
music is often compared to titans like Immolation, Autopsy, and early Amorphis.
How have these influences shaped your sound, and what elements do you think set
DETERIOROT apart?
I think
DETERIOROT has a formula that is unique to its own and being from a time during
the 1st Generation, First Wave of Underground Death Metal even before Florida
type of Death Metal became the forefront. We had fans like myself and many
others that were huge fans of what was coming out from Finland, Sweden, The
U.K. where you had Atmosphere, Spooky Riffs, Huge Suspenseful Drum Builds and
Dynamics. A lot of influences from Autopsy transcended to Europe and back to us
in 1989/1990 and this style is what influenced me to write music that has this
Haunting, Scary Vibe. Abhorrence (Finland) pre-Amorphis, and Amorphis
(Privilege of Evil) for sure took a big part of my attention to notice and say
this is an element of what I like to produce as well.
You get
inspiration from many areas and I find a way to combine it all. Autopsy
(Severed Survival) and Immolation (Dawn of Possession) for sure can be an
example of bands that were my contemporaries at that time and I listened to
them and loved them as a fan as well and can be inspired of what they do. Same
can be said for early Bolt Thrower when they did Realm of Chaos. Carcass
(Symphonies of Sickness) But to take it back to the beginning it will be
Metallica, Black Sabbath, and Judas Priest for me. It comes down to those
were my lessons and they were my teachers of songwriting structure and
psychology.
8.
You’ve worked with labels like XTREEM MUSIC and FAITHLESS ENTERTAINMENT for
this release. How has that partnership influenced the promotion and reach of
your music?
It's really
been a great partnership as we have Faithless Entertainment for our domestic
retail sales and distribution, advertising, promotion, music & merch
licensing, and then there is the event planning, booking, artist development,
pr side.
With Xtreem
Music we have a great partnership for the Global and Domestic wholesale
distribution along with the European Retail Sales and Distribution. It works
very well hand in hand.
9.
What’s next for DETERIOROT? Can fans expect more music, tours, or other
surprises in the near future?
We have
some more music videos in our next series of 3 more. We have some upcoming U.S.
Dates that start up in the first weekend of May 2025. But the most exciting is
for some more new music. That we will wait for a formal
announcement.
10.
After decades in the scene, what still drives you to create and perform death
metal? What’s your ultimate vision for the band moving forward?
The one and
only thing that really drives me are the fans. I have had long dormant times
for years and more than once I thought it just was over. Usually, it's hard to
find good dedicated musicians that can all put the time in to do this so
whenever our previous drummer would take time off then it would mean we all
take time off as finding a drummer that can play builds and dynamics is a lot
harder then finding a drummer that just blast at anything.
Usually
during these periods it's been the fans that bring me back to doing this.
Either a festival offer to travel overseas, or just so many fans and peers
reminding me that I have a gift and a good position in the scene and music
industry that many would love to have that spot and a reminder that I should
come back and keep it going.
It's been
very inspiring to be able to play again to the fans and to bring a new album
after so so many years and to have the album "The Rebirth" be so well
received amongst fans and critics have been such a huge plus!
The
ultimate vision is to be able to continue doing this while also not being a
slave to the music industry. Being able to travel abroad to play shows,
continue making new records, all while at the same time being able to do those
things on our own time and being able to balance and enjoy our family, our home
life, and taking care of our responsibilities. Our vision is to do this as an
Entertainment Company and Brand vs a band. Meaning we are not relying on
others. I'm business minded to be able to run and manage our operations as
owners of our own music publishing, as owners of our own events without having
to deal with a middle man or asking to be on someone else's tour or shows. We
run it all with our own agency, label, management, and pr team partnerships.
Thank You
so much for the interview and we hope we get to see many of you. Thank You all
for the great reception we've received with "The Rebirth" album and
next comes our "Awakening"
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