Some bands just don’t need to be introduced! And when Immolation keep releasing great albums, you’ll be finding a new interview after they’ve released another new album! Guitarist Robert Vigna was kind enough to answer our questions, check it out.
You’ve just released your fourth full-length album, how have the reactions been so far? Are you still satisfied with the production, artwork and songs now that it’s been out for a while?
The reactions have all been outstanding! This is the best album we’ve made and it is starting to show in the feedback! The production is strong and powerful, the music is catchy and intense, the artwork is phenomenal and the whole album just flows from beginning to end non-stop and does not let you go!!!
I heard that John McEntee played the guitar parts of you (Robert Vigna) for the new album, why couldn’t Robert do it himself?
No, I played my own parts thank you! Hahaha! John is a good friend and helped us out when we were on tour, so he filled in for Tom who can’t come out on the road now due to the fact that he runs his own business. Hopefully John will join us again soon, or we will have another guitarist help out.
The thing which was, at least in my opinion, not good about your previous album ‘Failures for Gods’ was the production. The balance wasn’t good as the guitars were way back in the mix. Do you agree or do you still think that that production was the best you had till that moment (as I read in Dutch Aardschok)? What’s your opinion on it nowadays?
The production was good, but it could have been better. It was Paul’s first attempt at this kind of music, but seeing how ‘Close to a World Below’ came out, it was worth going through a few rough spots, because Paul made a very powerful and big production that really kicks your ass this time!!! Hahaha! He is a great producer!
What tours did you do to promote ‘Failures for Gods’ in America and Europe? How were the audience responses?
We did two headlining tours in the States and one headlining tour of Europe, then we supported Six Feet Under in Jan/Feb of 2000. We also destroyed both the March Metal Meltdown and the Milwaukee Metal Fest this year!!
The covers of all your albums are part of one concept, each new cover tells a further step of the story. ‘Dawn of Possession’ was the invasion of heaven, ‘Here in After’ was the continuation of the battle between good and evil in the hereafter, ‘Failures for Gods’ marked the victory of the evil forces and ‘Close to a World Below’ pictures the burning in Hell of angels and saints. At least as I interpret the covers. What does the white pigeon encircled by flames on the back cover of ‘Close to a World Below’ mean? For how many albums can you continue this concept, I mean what comes after the burning of all good forces? Will you start a new concept?
We always try new things. This album we wanted a more abstract and different artistic way of doing it as the artwork uncovers itself the more you look at it. The dove represents the holy spirit, you can look at it in many ways… One way to look at it is that organised religion has spilled the blood of generations of people through its wars and its child abuse, etc, and you can say the blood of the innocent is on the church’s hands, or in this case the body of the Holy Spirit. But you can perceive it in more ways than even that. There is no wrong or right, it is whatever it means to the individual, we like to be meaningful and symbolic in our artwork as well as our lyrics so people can look deeply into them and whatever relates to them is what they see.
Your lyrics are and have always been very anti-Christianity. Aren’t you getting bored with this subject or do you still get inspiration occasionally? What’s your opinion on Satanism, isn’t that just the same as Christianity?
Yes it is, and we don’t promote Satanism. We actually can relate to parts of the teachings of both, but do not follow or push either. We feel people should believe in themselves.
What ever happened to former band members Andrew Sakowics, Dave Wilkinson (he’s Thomas’ brother right?), Neal Boback and Craig Smilowski? Are they still active in the metal scene in any way or are they settled down with their families?
No not really, but most of them do still appreciate the music. Actually Craig has started his old band Goreaphobia again, so we’ll see how that shapes up.
In 1995 (if my memory is correct) you released an extremely cool compilation album called ‘Stepping on Angels… Before Dawn’. This album contained your demos, stuff from Rigor Mortis (the band before Immolation), live songs, old flyers, reviews etc. How do you look back at the album and the stuff on it?
It’s great! That is an awesome release for what it is. It’s just a look back/history thing, but it is obviously not an actual album. Anyone who is interested in how we started, that is the CD to get. We actually will probably be releasing a new version of that at some point soon.
What tours are planned to support ‘Close to a World Below’? Will Metal Blade try to get you on a No Mercy festival?
Well they tried, but it’s not going to happen! Haha! So we will do something else, we will get over there as soon as we can, probably in the earlier part of next year. You can keep an eye on our website for details.
About Metal Blade, are you satisfied with their work and support for you? Do you agree that they are far more metal and less trend-followers than Roadrunner?
Yes, but I think we are still proving ourselves with each album. The big guys at the top need more convincing it seems, but we’ll keep pushing forward, hopefully this album will get some attention. The European office does all it can and the US is actually starting to make ads for us, so we’ll see.
To what bands do the band members listen to, is it mainly metal or also jazz, pop music or maybe Britney (Pierced from Within)? By what bands is Immolation influenced?
We like all kinds of music from Tori Amos to Ulver, from Slipknot to Billy Joel, from Incantation to The Dave Matthews Band, from Bjork to Portishead. We are fans of lots of different kinds of music and are inspired by it all!
Could you give me a top 5 of your favourite albums of all-time and a top 5 of your current favourite records?
Immolation – Dawn of Possession
Immolation – Here in After
Immolation – Stepping on Angels… Before Dawn
Immolation – Failures for Gods
Immolation – Close to a World Below
Hahahahahaha!! What an asshole I am! Hahaha!
What’s your opinion on the internet? You also have a website, will you try to update it more often?
Yes we just changed the look of the whole thing recently. The computer is a very important tool and a great source of communication to the world!!!
I read on your website that you’ve already written or are already writing new songs! Are you trying to make up for the time between your debut and second album or are you fast writers?
Yes absolutely!!! We are fucking around this time! Hahaha!
At what point would Immolation be these days if the time between ‘Dawn…’ and ‘Here…’ wouldn’t have been so long, according to you?
Who knows. I mean the more we have to struggle the better we get, so I think this has all done us a lot of good and only strengthened us for the long run!!!
In my opinion many of the old Death Metal bands like Immolation, Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Bolt Thrower etc. have their own sound which you recognise even after a couple of seconds. Many new bands don’t have (yet?) developed their own sound. However some of them have, like for instance Cryptopsy, Dying Fetus and Nile. What’s your opinion on the Death Metal scene nowadays and on the new bands in particular?
I agree, but as you mentioned there are some really good ones out there. The bottom line is that people should try and be more original and try new things rather than copy what’s been done. Develop the music, don’t just sit on it!
What’s your opinion on Black Metal? Are there bands you like and some you don’t like or do you hate them all, musically, production-wise and band-image?
Some are really good and some are really bad… it’s just like everything else. We definitely can appreciate certain bands that do it right.
Are there any cool drinking experiences or other bizarre stories you would like to share with us?
No… Hahahaha! We drink water! We’re boring! Haha! We do like to eat though!!! Haha!
Okay, that was all I could come up with, here’s some space for mentioning anything I forgot, love statements or whatever you want to say. Thanks a lot for doing this interview!
Thanks a lot for the cool interview and support!! We appreciate it greatly! Look out for ‘Close to a World Below’!! See you on the metal road!! In the meantime you can visit us at www.ImmolationDirect.com or email us at Immolation@ImmolationDirect.com!!!!
