Interview with Greg Shaw of Truth Corroded 2012

By Bradley Smith

Your new album Worship the Bled is pummeling eardrums in the underground right now.  Can you tell me how you feel it is a progression from your previous works?  What sort of emotions run through you from the time you start recording up until the actual release of a new work?

It is a progression from our previous albums in that it is a more extreme album-both in terms of heaviness and speed. The previous album Upon The Warlords Crawl established our sound in terms of both song writing and production, so when it came to writing for this album we wanted to use the last album as a template. We looked at what we wanted to develop – and then expand on – and with Worship there was an approach to take the speed to a new level, bordering on death metal, and bring more of a heaviness to our rhythms – a more driving sound to juxtaposition against the speed. In addition to that we wanted to bring other dynamics to our scope. This led to songs such as Scavengers, The Great Waste of Flesh, Summon Abyss and Leave Nothing Alive.

In terms of emotions it is a mixed response – initial creative energy, to developing an understanding between the song writers ( Mark and myself ) and other members of the band, through seeing a complete picture and then the natural changes that occur during the recording process – when the picture comes close to completion and new views come into perspective on how the song should sound – this particularly occurred on this album following the final versions of the songs we got back from Kevin Talley. So a lot of excitement, inspiration and frustration comes into play.

Worship the Bled is your fourth proper full length album (along with some demos and EPs), so how does it feel being such veterans?  I mean, is everything really smooth, like a well-oiled machine since you have been at it so long?  And what are some of the biggest lessons you have learned during your journey as a band?  Any key advice you have for upcoming artists?

It has seen an extensive period of development, and then once the band reached the point of understanding what it is to be Truth Corroded – like around 05 for us – then looking at how we wanted to develop the sound further within a clear view of ourselves as a band. It was not for many years a well oiled machine – far from it – and we are always learning. But I think in the writing for this album it was the most clear visioned point in our development as a band.

The biggest lesson is that it is important to remain true to the influences that got you into being a band in the first place – those are the influences and the sound that are the spark behind the momentum. Truth Corroded had a journey getting back to that point – so my advice to upcoming artists is to stay at the sound that inspired you to start an instrument or a band – don’t lose sight of it – but always to look at how that sound can grow. Don’t follow trends – just stay true.

Lyrically there is a bit of a slant towards more personal topics rather than just political ones.  Why is this?  Did you just want to broaden the band’s horizons or is there some other motivation at work here?  And what is the meaning/concept behind the title Worship The Bled?

It was a point in time – particularly for me, when the lyrics I wrote had a more personal background rather than just political as had been the case for the previous two albums. But that is not to say that was the complete picture, because many of the songs still have a strong political edge to them.

The title Worship The Bled describes the point where the unquestionable belief in the dominant religious and political doctrines had been bled –and yet continued to be followed unquestionably, though it had been bled of meaning.

I see Truth Corroded is from Adelaide.  What’s the scene like there?  I know that one of the authors of the legendary Butt Face zine and Glorious Times book is from there, but other than that I am relatively clueless?  What do you think of the Australian scene in general?

Adelaide has produced some successful heavy music bands over the years –of note are bands such as Day of Contempt and I Killed The Prom Queen –both bands from the hardcore originated scene. But while these bands were right time and right scene bands – no other heavy music bands from Adelaide have really broken from the local and national scene to take their music to an overseas following.  As such, we are fortunate, and we hope other bands from our state can do the same.

Australia has many awesome bands that need to be heard beyond our shores. It is a country that is starting to bring forth some internationally recognized bands in the heavy music genre – The Amenta, Psycroptic, Parkway Drive are but a few prime examples – I think it is a country to expand that far further and we look  forward to doing our part.

The underground seems to be obsessed with trends and there are so many sheep following them.  Why do you think it is so easy to steer people?  With proper marketing and such, fans will gobble up the latest piece of garbage rather than seek out true art.  Do you think in general people are just too lazy to be bothered?  Or do you think that in general there is just a lack of time for people to focus their energy on doing the research on their own?

I have seen over the past decade a far more trend driven heavy music scene – and that is mostly the product of major record labels, advertising trends, market tie ins with trend product endorsements reaching a point in which it directs the sound and image of bands, through to the large package trend market tours which lead younger bands to believing that the best way to go forward is to follow the lead of the bands that have not got to a level of popularity because they are innovative, but because the machinations behind them have put them there.It becomes more about the image and regurgitating the same ideas without the inspiration to develop these ideas further or forge an identity of the bands own making.

But while this is the majority in this day and age – what is always inspiring is that heavy music continues to find those that stand against the majority and seek the true forms – and it is those people who drive you on.

On a related topic, I read that the band’s moniker, Truth Corroded, has to do with how “truth is subject to the designs of the powerful.”  This makes me think of that saying that “History is written by the victors .”  Do you think enough people question their government and what they are taught in school and in the books they read?  Why do you think people in general are so accepting of what they are “fed?” 

Fear.  Feed the masses fear and you will have obedience – servants to the economic prevalence, the social imperative, the nationalist indoctrination. History is truly written by the victors while truth is buried with its martyrs. There is no questioning by so much of the mass because it is feared that to do so would lead to persecution, of employment, faith, or social standing. Or in the extreme – to disappearance, re-education or execution.

As I understand it, several members read “The Road” before this album.  I haven’t read the book yet, but I saw the movie and it was incredibly bleak.  But it got me wondering what are some of your favorite movies and/or books regarding the end of the world and why do you think humanity has this obsession with its own demise?

I think this relates to my previous answer – it is fear. It is fear of the other – and how humanity has evolved to protecting against the other through creating ever greater weapons to fight against the fear. From this it has led to weapons of imperialism that are vastly destructive – outside of the most far reaching example – nuclear weapons – could it be argued also that the damage caused by the development of other economic /scientific imperialism also led us to the facing the end of days ?

That is the ambiguity behind The Road –it never offers a complete picture of what happened – only the consequence, the severing of the ties that hold human kind together.

Do you think that your proximity to Asia gives you a different avenue to gain fans and a different perspective towards metal fans in general as compared to American and European acts?  How do you feel that Australian and Asian fans/scenes differ from those in the aforementioned locations? 

Absolutely. We are really fortunate in that we had the opportunity to tour Asia as our first steps outside Australia. It most definitely expanded our perspective and experience of heavy music fans and the incredible bands that are out there that need to be heard. I feel the band has been incredibly fortunate in this regard.

The Asian scene differs in that the bands there –even far more so than Australian bands – really find it hard to get recognition outside their own country. We recently toured Japan with a band that were far beyond equal to their European counterparts but had been in existence for almost 20 years – and were unknown outside Japan. Like wise in many parts of SE Asia. It is encouraging to see bands from the dominant U.S and European markets start to tour in Asia – the scene is incredible and we always look forward to touring there.

I read that the members of Truth Corroded appreciate beer, perhaps too much, but I was curious as to which country you thought made the best beer and why?  When you are drinking a beer for taste, what flavors are you seeking?  I mean what really sets certain beers apart for you?  What do you think of Australian beers?

Ahhh – a great and well researched topic haha. My favourite beers are European – particularly German, Belgian and Czech beer. Good wheat beer, strong in malt flavours, or a strong dark that combines a balance between bitterness and sweetness is a big win. European beers manage to have great flavours that accompany food, and will get you on your ear in little time at all. We just finished a three day stint in Prague – so I can definitely attest to that.

Regards Australian beer – it is for the most part absolutely awful –total piss! But it is undergoing a revolution and there a few smaller brewers that are producing some incredible beer that is very European in character. My favourite Australian beer is made by a company called James Squire – it is totally outstanding – you would never touch a Becks or Heineken again after drinking it! It is world class – I deserve an endorsement for that haha

Where do you see your music expanding to in the future?  What other influences/styles could you see incorporating in to your songwriting?  What do you think is the most important aspect of your current sound?  I think the overall intensity is what grabs me.

If that is what grabs you then you will not be disappointed with our next output. Our sound is about the extreme and how we can deliver that in the context of what the band has accomplished so far. We will not look to change our direction, only expand on it with a measured approach. There is a clear direction that we will continue to pursue as a thrash metal act, but taking that forward with a broadening of the nuances we have already established with our past two albums.

I know you have an Upcoming tour of Europe with some prominent extreme bands.  Can you tell me about this tour and what are some other near term plans you have for Truth Corroded? 

We start the tour tomorrow with Malevolent Creation, Krisiun and Vital Remains. We start the tour in Eastern Europe, then West and the U.K. It is our first European tour and we are really looking forward to it. In particular it is very awesome to tour with Malevolent Creation who were a major influence on the band with the Ten Commandments and Retribution albums.

Our next aim will be to return for the summer festival period in Europe and we are currently working on that possibility right now.

Thanks for the interview, Any Final Words you wish to pass on to all the metalheads worldwide?  Thrash hard!!!!

If you have not heard of the band then please check us out at www.truthcorroded.com – if you like what you hear then please spread the word and get along to a show if we are touring in your region. Cheers!