Infernal greetings to the rotten horde of Putrid from Hungary! First of all, thanks for appearing in Tales of the Morbid Butchers fanzine, and I am glad I am the first one to present the chaotic attack of Putrid to Hungarian fanatics. Any other contacts beside me from my country?
Hail Satan! It is a pleasure indeed answering this interview and no, we don’t have any other contact in Hungary but we know that your country is pretty well armed regarding Black Metal!
Then, I'd like to thank you for the trade. I am glad I received your debut stuff ”The Triumph of Impurity” on tape. Congratulations, it is an excellent material! Your split CD w/Lethal Infection is also a pleasant one to my aberrated soul.
Lethal Infection is a band which had heard our music and I was in touch with Mhitsio who proposed to do an split with us. We accepted because we do always try to release stuff by any means necessary because this is the most evident way that the work of a band can be plasmated. We’re very pleased that you have enjoyed that stuff.
How much is the tape format important to you? Do you try to release all your stuff in this format? Will the materials that were not out on tape yet be released in this format in the future?
I know that TAPE format is very popular nowadays and the most spreaded one. However, when I was younger, I had everything on tape but many things were lost just because they were on tape. I know that many people like that format , but I do preffer CD and Vinyl.
Well, then let's start from the beginning with the most general things. From whose sick mind came the creation of Putrid band and what's the story behind the band name, why did you choose that particular word? Did you want an English name by all means?
Inhuman, our former vocalist, named the band. In reality we were coming from other bands which were splitting up with time and at the end he told me if we could do some noise. I think that the name is alright for the kind of music we do perform. I don’t care if the name is written in english or whatever, it is the band which must give it a meaning when it comes to the music and we do think that we do a Putrid Metal, In such a case, the name is perfect.
I really like the logo of the band, the human monster corpse on the inverted crucifix and chains look spectacular. Who did this? There are bands who do not deal with such stuff just simply put the band name on the cover while there are bands that use more logos. I do not see the point in that one. How much is the logo important for you?
The logo was done by Alan Corpse and it is in fact a cadaver of a new born baby. About the crucifix, it denotes our despisal for religions. The logo is what represents the band, it must be important for a black metal band that the logo carries inverted crosses and Satanic Propaganda.
You vomit your lyrics in English. In my opinion it would be more killer and wild to spit forth the curses on your native tongue. What do you think of this? Do you find important to use English in order to be understood worldwide? How much is the message of lyrics important beside the music of Putrid? What themes do you deal with?
We do write lyrics in English for a matter of convenience because in such a way they are easily understood. But yes, native language would be a good option. We’re not restricted to the idea of doing it that way and regarding the message of the lyrics of Putrid; these are direct, Satanic, Antichristian, there is nothing beyond that and we’re represented by the lyrics of our band as individuals.
Your first demo titled ”Mountain of Megiddo” was out on Peru's Pantagram Records in 100 copies. Do you know the label personally? I can see more of your releases were out by them. Who found the other party in this cooperation? How was the reception of the demo and how much are you satisfied with it now?
The owners of Pentagram records are my friends. They are Luis Guillen (A young Gandalf the Grey) and Oscar Cabrera (Bilbo Bolsom) and I do also have a band with them (Diabolous 666). I do fully trust them and I think that they are one of the most solid labels that exist in my country. The demo was released during 2010 and we’re very satisfied with the label’s work.
Your next move was a split recording entitled ”Vitae Delendam Vita Est” with Diabolus 666. A member of Putrid is also involved in this band. What should we know about this horde? How was this cooperation born? What songs of Putrid are on this release? Any special concept for the stuff?
I’m the member who plays in Diabolous 666 and my participation in that band was because our former guitarist wasn’t very commited to the project which Sharack and Mutilator were working in, so my participation was easy in that sense. The songs of Putrid on that CD are some tracks which we were working for the album, as I remember, but we were taking a lot of time on that so we put them in there. At the same time I had to write the material for Diabolous666 and it was something difficult for me to to go through that process because I had to split my brain for 2 different bands. Regarding the concept, the general idea was death and entrophy.
You have also made pacts later with other bands (such as Impure Consecration, Lethal Infection) so I think you'll release such stuff in the future also since such unholy covenants express best the mutual respect between bands with true underground attitude. I think you agree with this, right? Why there are no such releases in the mainstream world?
We’ve been accepting all proposals from bands within the Underground which carry the same standards as ours. As long as they’re friend bands, we’re happy to accept proposals of that kind. I can imagine that this isn’t common in the mainstream because this goes beyond comradership and it is centered in making money. In such a sense, all bands are subjected to do something with the approval of a label or manager, which is shit.
So you have cooperated with several bands like Peruvian Grave Desecrator or Vlad, Impure Consecration from California or Chilean Lethal Infection. Tell us about each contact, how you made them, whose idea was it etc.
Regarding the bands which are not from our country, the contact came from their side. They invited us to do an album together, so we agreed, because we enjoyed what they were doing as well. Both are very good bands in their country and we are very happy with the work we did with them. With Vlad and Grave Desecration the matter came from the side of Pentagram records which in the beginning were going to release two 7”eps between Diabolous666/Grave Desecration and Vlad/Putrid, however, when the tracks were ready, they (Pentagram records) decided to do just an album with all four bands, which I do think it is one of the best compilations released over the last years. The work from Vlad and Grave Desecration is brutal and we’re very proud to have contributed with something.
2016 saw the release of your debut album under the title ”The Triumph of Impurity”. Again, thank you for sending this tape to me and congratulations it is excellent! The CD version was out on Lord of the Flies Records, while the tape was put out by an, for me, unknown label called Tahuantinsuyo Records. First, please tell a few words about both labels.
Cristian Collona is the owner of Lord of the Flies records. I wrote him sending a demo with 4 tracks which we had done for the record and he liked them. It was almost an instant proposal and we signed with him. Erick Condori is the owner of Tahuantinsuyo records. He wrote me when the album was released telling that he was interested in releasing it on tape so we immediately agreed. Both of them decided to go for the band and therefore we infinitely thank them.
Now let's dissect the album a bit. First of all, I cannot praise it enough for being so perfect! It has everything that makes me wet. It's wild, raw, aggressive, visceral, oldschool, far from any modern influence, only on the way of the Ancients. For how long did you ripe the material in your bunker? How much time did the songs take to get their final form? Did you work fast or slowly?
Composing the whole album lasted for less than a year, with members coming in and later departing from the band which was the most complicated issue all along the way, besides that the rehearsal room where we were preparing the album closed its doors from a moment to another, so we didn’t have a place where to compose everything. Therefore I decided to arrange a rehearsal room in my home with just a few things and trying to have at least the minimal stuff to play and arrange properly our songs. At that point this was decissive for the leaving of the drummer, who puts obstacles to go and advance the tracks and he mixed too much his personality towards the rest of the band. At the end, when we decided to throw him out of the band and tell him that we were already playing with some new drummer, he just left without saying a word. With the rest of the Putrid members I can have a beer and laugh, I can’t deny that we have had some arguments between us, but we have been able to solve them; however with this gentleman we have never had an attitude of emphaty at all. I would never help him out.
Did you have any preparations for the album? I mean did you sit and discuss to prepare your best material? Anyway, I think that silly, you should just play in a visceral way and there would be no problem, things should not be overcomplicated. What do you think of bands precisely planning all their steps?
I coordinated everything with Inhuman, who was the vocalist. As a matter of fact the procedures were very simple. During night time I grab the guitar and start playing the rifs that I have on my cellphone, then I create an scheme of a song and then I teach that to the rest of the band, after that, the lyrics are written and then the arrangements. That’s my system and it has always worked. Regarding the bands which plan everything, well anybody is free to do what they please with their band, but I do think that the feeling of the band is lost if done in a wrong way.
Do you play the entire material, in this case the album, in the rehearsal room before going into the studio? Where did you record it? In a real studio or at home?
You are right! We have a rehearsal room named as „Putrid’s Bunker”, in fact here sometimes come few bands which I lend them the place, such as Grave Desecration, Hadez and Vlad. All of them being friend bands. The album was recorded in ECO studio with Camilo Uriarte as engineer who has understood the sound of Putrid, even he is a damned usurer with the price, but even so we’ll charge him back with beers hahahah. That’s a joke, it is a great studio for playing and recording Metal (a big Hails to Camilo!!!)
The greatest thing is that I cannot really pick out any songs because all form a massive, infernal mass, a total sexual rape against the world. The brutal drumming, the insane guitar solos, the rabid blood vomiting of the vocalist and aggressive riffs evoking the '80s in 666 % cause constant ejaculation. Now tell me about what feelings the individual songs evoke in you
Thanks a lot for your words, that’s very important to us. I think that we could have done something more, but we had time against us. From the tracks that I do like the most you have Alive in Decay, I do also think that this track was one of the first we’ve done for this recording as well.
There are 2 bonus tracks on teh tape, one of which is a tribute to Hadez. Of course, I can understand why them. What does Hadez mean to you? What other Peruvian legends can you mention that had an impact on you?
Hadez is one of the oldest metal bands in my country: Particulary, I’ve been involved in a Hadez tribute album some time ago. The influence of Hadez is very important for Putrid in the same way that is Mortem, another legend band from my country.
How was the album received in your country and world-wide? Do you deal with promotion yourselves, or do you leave that for labels?
The distribution here has been quite slow. Even if all copies were sold out, it is also real that if you want to be part of something you must have people supporting you and we are not very good making new friends. We’re not worried about it either, it is what it is.
The cover is also great. Whose work is that? What were your ideas and how much are you satisfied with the result?
The cover was authored by Jose Gabriel Alegría, he is a very sought for artist nowadays, he does artwork for albums and ours was one his first works. We are very happy with his work, his style is very baroque and we liked that. The ideas were given to him by Inhuman when he was in the band. As long as I know, the important thing was having a disillusioned angel from his own condition and corrupting himself. That’s the idea of Putrid As well.
What do you think of the fact that many bands record stuff with drum machine in the studio to have a simpler process. In my opinion this is shit.
Pure and absolute shit. They’re worth nothing.
There are many bands in Lima. What bands are you in contact with? Is there a brotherhood between bands or animosity is more characteristic?
There are many bands in Lima, lot of them are very good. I can’t say that there’s a great brotherhood, but there’s interest in new bands. There are many bands which have a lot of potential, the problem is, there’s not a broad diffusion for Metal music here in Peru itself.
Recommend Peruvian 'zines to which I can send tapes of my label Fekete Terror Productions. Also, please recommend some bands as well to get in touch with.
Definitedly you should check out Psicoterror zine and Crypts of Eternity, those two are the best from my country. Regarding bands, you should listen to Megatherion from Arequipa, they are like a steamroller.
How much do you play live? Do you play every week, or more rarely to have it magic to it, a solemn touch to it. How is the stage in a Putrid gig? What is the feeling in the audience? Did any of your gigs end with a mass fight? Is stagediving allowed?
We play as much as we can, but it is more difficult each time. The thing is that the bands from abroad are monopolizing all the metal market in my country and that goes in prejudice of the local bands. Regarding our stage performance, we do always try to do it brutal and obscure with nails, bullets and what not. Usually, things do not end up with fist fights, but there’s always a fight somewhere. Here everything is allowed, so always there are people who end up with their heads broken.
On 24 October 2017 you played with Thornspawn, Tunjum, Bastard Christ, Vlad and Diabolus 666 in Lima. What experiences do you have of that gig?
It was a very satisfactory show because during its course there were many details which almost made it crumble. However Thornspawn were great. Blackthorn is a great guy a real banger very much like Hella. Regarding our band and myself, I was tired as shit because I played on three bands (Putrid, Diabolous666 and Tunjum) that night but it was something satisfactory and I do hope that the organizer won’t do that again (hahaha)
You also appeared on a Slayer tribute album, ”Reigning in the Abyss: A Tribute to Slayer”. What should we know about it? What other bands appeared beside you? Why did you cover ”War Enslemble”? And why such a famous track? Wouldn't have it be more exciting to go for a less well-known song? What does Slayer mean to you? Until which record do you follow them? True that they lost their underground form but they keep releasing good albums to this day I think.
It was organised by Sara Garcia from Spain. I was in contact with her and she agreed to include us. We knew that it was a very ambitious project which was released on digital format. I can’t remember exactly which bands were included as well, it was a long time ago. Regarding our track, it was proposed by Sara, but we didn’t have a problem doing it because we like it a lot as well, so it was everything alright.
Slayer is one of my main influences. Everybody talks shit about them by saying that they have sold out already, and that they do not sound like Hell Awaits anymore and some other similar things. I don’t give a flying fuck about what people talk about them for several reasons. The first one being that, anyhow, no one of those who talk shit about them knows them enough in order to say that they have sold out their music. Second, everything I buy from them, records, vinyl etc is bought with my own fucking money, so screw them.
The members of Putrid are also active in other bands. Please tell us about these bands and their plans. This is a general phenomenon in the underground. Is it because of fanatism, simply?
At this time only Rick and I do play in other bands and the truth is that everybody are doing this for mere pleasure of playing metal.
Several big bands started in the underground but, for success, made compromises etc. What do yu think of this? Some people work for a lifetime to become a successful musician to be able to live off the music, but due to that the true value, freedom gets lost from the music. What is your opinion about this? Would you bear a manager in the band?
I am a lawyer and I had to study something besides music because I won’t make a living out of music. You can either decide to stay underground or not, but I think that, in itself, the concept of underground is very tied to the fact as to what extent you deal to be accepted in some kind of group.
Regarding a management, I don’t think that’s a thing for Putrid at all. We are a very small band for that.
Most of your releases are available on the internet. Do you find that important? I know it cannot really be controlled because all stuff gets spread in no time but really I don't know what for this ”share to be available for everyone” attitude. If the band approves this, then be it although I do not agree with that myself, and even more so if it happens without the band's approval. What do you think?
It is very difficult to control all that, I mean, if your record is released on CD then probably you’ll be able to download it after two weeks of its official release. Of course this is something fucked up for the band, but I’m not worried about it, because it is inevitable. However, this happens mostly before the band could do anything about it. I remember that I’ve downloaded myself the Putrid album from a blog because I didn’t have it on mp3, it was so stupidly weird.
I remember that back then videos had prestige but today it worth almost nothing despite the fact that some bands still have this kind of propaganda. Do you see any potential in this? If you would do a video, what would it be? I like videos of rehearsals and gigs without any artistic stuff.
Yeah, but it should be very dark and with a matter of sense. We have recorded a HELL SESSIONS which is a youtube program in which the bands go out and play. That’s good, because everybody now spends more time in front of the computer instead of the TV. This is the link to our presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvqsE8P_0ss&t=10s
Any chance for gigs in Europe in the future? In which countries would you like to play best? Did you receive any offer from Europe maybe? With what conditions would you agree to a tour or one gig?
Yes, we would like to play in Europe of course. The conditions would be the usual, plane tickets, food, a resting place, beer, cigarettes etc. We had talked to people from Spain, but things turned out to be difficult over there so it never happened.
A current topic is the migrant crisis in Europe. From that part of the world, how do you see this? There is a lot of things coming up with this issue what's your standpoint in this?
I think that many people from Europe is very unconfortable with this subject. I do have friends in London who tell me that nowadays it is impossible to go out for a walk without feeling safe anymore and it gets worse with time. I can’t understand how governments allow exposing their own people to danger in order to help foreigners. It is evident that there’s something very dirty behind all this.
What do you think of the fact that mankind exploits the Earth in an aggressive way because there is overpopulation and multinational companies would do anything to satisfy luxurious desires? This is also a complex issue but I'd like to hear your opinion. In your country the oil sources mean a big problem.
It is a little bit contradictory, because nowadays adult people do not want to raise kids anymore with excuses such as: why should we overpopulate the world, this world is crap already and such things. I do believe that these are issues more justifiable instead of argumentative. I mean, if you don’t want to raise kids because you’re more confortable being single, then well, good for you. But if you are going to look for poetic arguments regarding that behaviour then I won’t believe it. Now, regarding luxuries, that depends on how much you’re connected with the exterior and how much you do allow it to influence you. Usually I do neither watch TV, nor read newspapers because I’m not interested in what they do offer to me. I don’t think that multinational corporations turn me into a better individual who is pending from the changes they do, this bores me to death instead. Regarding Oil, the only problem here is the lack of education.
How much time does mankind have on Earth in your opinion? Will it destroy itself or is there a radical change coming that will change the world significantly?
This shit won’t let be killed that easily. This planet will devour man even before he thinks about it.
What are your future plans with Putrid?
Well, the next two plans are the split with Grave Desecration and the split with Pathetic from Canada. After that I’ll start composing the second Putrid album and the first album from Diabolous666.
Thanks for your patience and answers! I am proudly presenting you to the Hungarian audience. The last words are yours! HAIL PERUVIAN OBSCURE MADNESS!!!
KILL FRANCISCO POPE!
Interview by Dr. A.
