Total Hate is a German Black Metal outfit that was founded in 2002 by band leader Adrastos as a side project. Throughout the years the band released several demos and EPs, and before a full-length was released, the band even managed to get on a European tour with acts like Elite from Norway and Blodsrit, where I first learned about the band and their music.
Earlier this year their debut, ‘Depopulating Planet Earth’, was released on Agonia Records. Okay, it may not be the most original metal (but which band is today), but it convinced me in every way, both regarding the band and the fact that there are still strong acts that translate the legendary Norwegian legends from the mid-nineties to 2008 within their music. Total Hate is a pure, raw Black Metal band and so we mailed band founder and guitarist/vocalist Adrastos to tell us more about the band and the album…
It has taken the band six years since the start to come up with a debut album; was that a deliberate move from the band to get all the things right, or is it a sign of how hard it is to get a decent record deal in today’s Black Metal scene and the world of downloading?
There were offers for a full-length a short time after we started Total Hate, but at that time I thought that it was too early to make an album. I don’t see any reason why a band should start with an album. I prefer the classical way to make a band known: releasing demos, EPs and, when the time is right, a full-length. I think it’s not very easy to find a good record label and so far we are really glad that Agonia Records has released our album and our mini CD.
In the review I state that when it comes down to chaotic Black Metal, Total Hate is on the right side of the balance; what is your view on that opinion made in the review?
Hmm, I don’t know if chaotic is the right word. I think it differs if you’re a listener or if you wrote the songs. I would say it’s just raw and hateful Black Metal.
What are, to you so far, the most surprising reactions to ‘Depopulating Planet Earth’?
I was not really surprised about any reactions so far. It seems that a lot of mostly underground people like the album and I read a lot of positive reviews.
When playing raw Black Metal there is always the discussion of originality versus conviction in performing the songs. How does your band cope with that eternal dilemma?
I read in a lot of reviews that we are not very original, but I really don’t care. We don’t want to be original and we don’t want to create something new. We want to bring back the spirit of the early nineties where Black Metal was about darkness, hate, misanthropy, war and Satan.
In the review I draw comparisons with old, ‘true’ Norwegian Black Metal, especially Urgehal. Coincidence has it that you are both on Agonia Records. Do you believe that the fact that Urgehal has been on Agonia since 2003 has made it easier for Agonia to sign Total Hate, the label that has released your material since 2005?
Well, I signed a deal with Agonia Records for the last ‘Seeds of Hate’ album when Urgehal were still on Flesh For Beast Records, so I don’t think that it was essential for us that Urgehal are also on Agonia Records. Indeed we have nearly the same influences as Urgehal and they are really a great Black Metal band and, of course, a source of inspiration along with some other Norwegian and Swedish Black Metal bands from the nineties.
The album has been out for a while now; what is the most satisfying aspect of the album for you and, if you had the chance, what would you like to adjust at this moment?
I’m satisfied with the raw, aggressive and hateful atmosphere of the album. That’s exactly how I wanted the album. Of course there are some things which I would adjust now, but I don’t believe in a perfect album. There will always be things which I’d like to adjust weeks or months later. Concerning ‘Depopulating Planet Earth’, maybe I would turn up the volume of the guitars a little bit more, but it depends on where I listen to the album.
Of course there is always the automatic accusation of especially German Black Metal bands and political incorrectness, which is often, like with Total Hate, an idiot accusation. Let’s put the joke back on such people: can these often leftist people, who know shit about the scene, be regarded as a kind of inquisition of this age, judging on the basis of an ignorant and non fact-based judgement?
Yes, it’s really like a kind of new inquisition here in Germany. Stupid children sitting behind their PCs and posting shit and spreading rumours about Black Metal and Black Metal bands. Of course there are enough bands who started mixing Black Metal with politics, but there are still enough bands who don’t give a shit about politics and so do we. Black Metal is a weapon of Satan. It’s about darkness, hate and the destruction of mankind and not about fucking politics.
Is that perhaps also a reason why so many Black Metal artists have a nickname, so that their personal life is not unjustly influenced by ignorant opinion-makers, instead of sheer traditional reasons for using stage names?
No, that’s not a reason why Black Metal artists have pseudonyms. Bands like Venom used pseudonyms and at that time there were really no political witch hunts. It’s a tradition and, concerning me, I would say that my pseudonym is the name of the inner demon who breaks out on stage or when I write new songs.
Since the demo from 2002 only the band’s title song has made it to the album; why haven’t more songs from the demo survived? Is it a matter of growth or a desire only to come up with recent material?
Yes, the new material is much better than the old stuff and it makes no sense to record old songs again and again. So far I re-recorded three tracks and the reason is very simple.
The first time I heard about Total Hate was on the road with Elite and Blodsrit two years ago. What were the major lessons or influences you took from that tour?
We had a great time with Elite, Blodsrit and Insignium and we still support each other, but it was also hard for me because we played every night and I was also the driver, and that was very brutal. We also made some miscalculations and so I lost a lot of money because the whole tour was more expensive than I expected. The best shows were in Poland, Holland and, in Germany, I would say Weimar. It was an interesting experience and I would do it again at any time, but without being the driver.
In six years of metal I see only very few live performances: one small tour with Blodsrit and Elite in 2006, yet for the rest only some individual shows. Can you tell us why Total Hate does so few live shows?
There are different reasons. Maybe we would play a bit more shows, but our drummer lives about 400 km away from us and so it’s not very easy to rehearse. We play just shows which are worth doing. It’s too much effort to play in front of just 20 to 30 people and besides this, I don’t want to make people bored seeing Total Hate everywhere again and again like other bands. A Total Hate show is a special event. At the moment I think it’s more important to record new albums. Maybe we get a chance to play a small tour again, but we will see.
When a band does so few live shows, isn’t it tempting to operate as a one-man project, where you can decide on everything by yourself? Such projects are not uncommon in the Black Metal scene.
In the past years it seemed that Total Hate was a one-man project, yes, but it also depended on how far the other members were interested in writing new songs too. In the meantime Erebos started writing a song for our second album and I think this won’t be his last one. The normal procedure of how a new song comes into being is writing, recording an advance track with a drum computer and possibly discussing improvements.
One last question, a hypothetical one. If you got the chance to play on five metal albums (not just Black Metal), which ones would those be and why?
– Wasp – Wasp
– Darkthrone – Under a Funeral Moon
– Morbid Angel – Altars of Madness
– Emperor – In the Nightside Eclipse
– Megadeth – Rust in Peace
But to be honest, I’m glad that I don’t play on those albums, because it’s a big difference if you are listening to an album just as a normal fan or as the musician who is part of that album. All the named albums inspired and helped me very much in my past life, so that’s the reason why I chose them, but I could also name a lot more.
What can we expect from Total Hate until the end of 2008?
I hope that the split EP with Norwegian Stillhet will be released in some months and besides this we are currently working on new songs for our second album. We need just one more song and maybe album two will be released even this year. Our drummer leaves Germany for a while and as it seems we are not able to play live shows in 2008 or maybe even in 2009.
Anything I have not asked yet that you want to be written down in this interview?
I have nothing more to say, thanks for the interview and support.
