Interview with Korgull The Exterminator 2013

By Bradley Smith

Your new album, Metal Fist Destroyer, was just released.  Can you give me some insight into its creation?  What did you want to do differently on this album than you did on the previous albums?  How do you feel this is a progression from your earlier material?  For me the same spirit is there, but the riffs are more memorable.

MARK: Hail brother! It’s a pleasure for us to be featured here!!! Yes “Metal Fist Destroyer” has been just released this May, and vinyl release will follow soon. As far as I remember, we started to work on this album as soon as we finished the recordings of “War Of The Voivodes” and we had no song left from that sessions. Every song on the new album is completely new stuff after that record. We worked the same way we use to for this release… Joe  and I work on some riffs and complete the songs at home, then show to the rest of the band in our rehearsal room and finish all the details there altogether until we’re completely pleased with the final result. We use to work a couple of songs at the same time and don’t start another until they’re finished. We never think about anything to do in a song before composing it, so we really didn’t want to achieve anything different from the other albums, we just let them flow in a very natural way! Even I should say we definitely didn’t want to make anything different, as we think we have now our Black/Thrash Metal style very defined. Obviously as we go on with more years working together the songs become better structured and more straight and heavy than our earlier works, but as you say the same spirit is there and it will always be! We enjoy worshipping the old classic Metal gods and putting lots of our influences into our stuff, being it classic Heavy or Death Metal, and specially European Thrash Metal and the first wave of Black Metal. Everything’s allowed in Körgull The Exterminator as long as it’s classic and old, no new shit nor evolution allowed!!! 

Such a cold, harsh and raw sound, that's what I hear every time I put on a Korgull The Exterminator album.  How do you get that sound and what effect are you trying to achieve with it?  What album to you has the best guitar sound ever? 

MARK: I’m fucking glad you get that vibe from our sound because that’s exactly what we look for! We just want to sound straight, not overproduced, aggressive, raw and violent! We always say that we want to sound on albums as close as possible as our sound on stage or in our rehearsals, that should be the attitude! Fortunately our producer Javi Bastard from Moontower Studios is in our same fucking way and together I think we really achieve to express that natural and violent feeling. The most important thing to get that sound is the song itself. As far as they have that raw vibe the rest is easier. We record the album without using amounts of pedal distortions, so the sound is more natural from our amps and instruments, and of course that wonderful reverbs that bring you back to the fucking 80’s, the golden age!!! The best guitar sound ever? Fuck, that’s an impossible question to answer man… I mean I’ve always loved the sound of Running Wild’s “Death or Glory”, not only the guitar sound but all the entire production, but of course that wouldn’t fit in Bolt Thrower, Scorpions, King Diamond or Sodom! Hahaha Kreator’s “Pleasure To Kill” is another production I particularly enjoy… or the raw and classic sound of Onslaught’s “The Force”… There are fucking amazing productions out there, but every band and style deserve theirself! What I detest are artificial and overproduced productions…

Korgull unleashed a live album in the recent past called War Over Genova.  What made you decide to do a live album and why did you choose that particular performance?  And why did you choose not to mix it or anything?  How do you think it captured Korgull's live atmosphere?  What is your main goal when you play live?

MARK: We wanted to record a couple of live shows in order to have some extra stuff to use as bonus tracks or so… There was the chance to record that one in Genova and we did it. It was recorded with just an ambient microphone and, of course, the sound isn’t the best, but it’s total raw and after the second song it begins to sound really well, and the crowd that night was fucking great with us, total craziness! A friend of ours, Iñaki (Machetazo/Moho/Dishammer/Maniac/Looking For An Answer) started the new label Discos MeCagoEnDios and told us that He was interested in release anything of Körgull. We didn’t have any new stuff or plans to record so we offered him that live tape and He thought it was a great idea. It was senseless to mix and work with the sound for such an underground release… We thought it was the best option to offer it completely raw! We also recorded another gig in Barcelona in a more professional way and some of that stuff will be used in “War Of The Voivodes” vinyl edition as bonus tracks. The only goal we have when we play live is to play fast, play straight, play violent and let the audience have a fucking great time! We prefer attitude rather than playing perfect so that’s what we try to offer, attitude!

Korgull does a lot of splits it would seem.  Can you tell me about how the 7" with Deathhammer came about?  What about the split with Graveyard?  How did you select which songs of theirs you would cover?

MARK: We started with a Split with the band Morbid Yell, that was our very first release, and maybe the blackest one! Then it came Deathhammer’s one right after “War Of The Voivodes” was released. We’ve been in touch for a long time, as they are really Körgull fans and we are also totally into Deathhammer stuff! We talked about the idea of making a split together and shortly afterward came the Live Evil gig in London, so we took some pics there to use in the booklet. That’s a fucking great release and when we met Einar from Duplicate Records (now on Demonhood Productions, the label behind “Metal Fist Destroyer”). Those two songs were composed exclusively for that 7”. And about Graveyard’s one, both bands are close friends and their guitar player, Javi Bastard, is also our producer, so I guess that’s something we had to do in any time! Hahaha It will be 12” LP released through Doomentia Records, and called “La Germandat de la Nit Profunda”, something like “The Brotherhood of The Deep Night” in Catalan, our native language. It’ll include two new songs recorded during “Metal Fist Destroyer” sessions, a re-recorded one from our first Split “Devoted To Death” and a cover of a Graveyard song, as they’ll include also another of ours. They are one of the best Death Metal acts from nowadays so we chose the “punkiest” song off their first full-length “One With The Dead”. It was funny to bring that song to our sound. It should be out after summer we hope…

One of the aspects that one immediately notices about Korgull is the bestial Vocals.  They are so unique that Fenriz (of Darkthrone) mentioned something to the effect of them having the spirit of the original black metal sound/individuality.  Do you agree?  And what do you think makes Lilith Necrobitches' vocals so powerful?

MARK: Well, She’s been into Black Metal scene from the early days, and of course you can hear that Black Metal vibe in her voice. I totally agree with Fenriz, as I think Lilith’s voice is nothing but impressive! She has a natural aggression and violence in her voice and that fits perfectly with Körgull’s way to play Thrash Metal! That voice is, of course, a landmark of our band! And also the lyrics She writes for us are total demential and insane… That’s the way!

I know you call Barcelona home.  Having visited that city I must say it was one of my favorite I have ever been to.  I love the artistic flavor of the city, especially the impact of Gaudi on the character of the city?  What do you think of Barcelona in general and if you had a friend visit for the first time, what would be some essential experiences you would show them?

MARK: Barcelona is, of course, one of the best cities I’ve also ever been. Although I was born and grown up there I don’t live any more in Barcelona… In fact none of us do! Hahaha But we used to attend all the gigs and parties there so it still keeps an important place for us. As you say, Gaudi’s impact is huge here, and all the architecture of the city (especially in the city center) is simply amazing. But what I’ve always liked the most in Barcelona is that it conserves that town flavor. I mean Barcelona is formed by neighborhoods that were singular towns in the middle ages and on, and it’s amazing how it still conserves that feeling, even being a very big city.  Also the fact that we can enjoy in the same city the sea and its beaches and the mountains just taking the underground half hour makes it very attractive. I think that someone that visits Barcelona for the first time should go to the city center and enjoy having a walk in the older part of the city and then, of course, visit all the Gaudi’s buildings, temples and parks spread all over. And the food! Of course!!!!

Recently the metal underground witness the death of Jeff Hanneman from Slayer.  Did you have any special connection to Slayer?  If so, what did that band mean to you?  And what do you think of the method of his death, slowly from a spider bite 2 years ago?  What way would you like to exit this world?

MARK: Of course I had connection to Slayer! They were one of the first Thrash bands I ever listened to and I still remember the impact that have on me when I listened to “Hell Awaits” for the very first time! So many years banging our heads with their classics in our pubs dude… Jeff’s riffs have inspired a lot of the best Thrash and Death Metal bands ever. And about his death, it was sad to hear that because those are news one never wants to hear, but I don’t give a shit in their work since “Seasons In The Abyss”, and Slayer for me doesn’t exist no more from ages… But their first works will always be there and that’s the best gift Jeff could leave for us… We’ll meet him in hell! Honestly, I don’t give a shit about how I exit this damned world, but I wouldn’t like it to be caused by a spider bite! hahaha

Being from Spain I wanted to get your take on the tradition of Bullfighting and Pamplona's Running Of The Bulls?   Have you ever read the classic book The Sun Also Rises by Earnest Hemmingway which takes place in these surroundings?  If so what was your impression of this piece of literature?  

MARK: I definitely hate that traditions man… Also I should say that I feel deeply offended when someone relates my country (that it’s not Spain, by the way… hahahaha) with that fucking animal torture. Just a brainless ape can enjoy such an atrocity, and that’s what I definitely think about anyone that supports it! Supporting those stupid traditions is not just a Spaniard thing, by the way… Fortunately there is plenty of Spaniards that also detest that animal killing. Although I know He’s a classic writer I’ve never read any of Hemmingway’s books dude, I’m sorry…

One of the things that has struck me in the recent past is the large number of high quality Spanish Horror Movies such as REC, The Orphanage, Julia's Eyes, Pan's Labyrinth, etc.  Do you agree?  What do you think gives Spanish movie makers such an original style in their movies and what makes them so impressive?

MARK: I’m glad you enjoy that! Yes, great Horror Movies are being made here in the recent past… It seems that with films is happening something similar than with Metal, Spain is aiming high now and achieving international attention, and that can be only a really good thing. It’s true that movies and cinema is getting of better quality lately. You should consider that Spain’s rising from a dictatorship situation not so long ago, and those were years when culture was really strucked here. Of course the situation in the streets doesn’t even remember those days, but the culture was really damaged and it’s finally arising. I specially enjoy the work that Jaume Balagueró is making as film director.

What is the difference between a Catalonian and a Spaniard?  Which do you consider yourself?  Who thrashes harder?

MARK: Hahahahaha Well man, that’s a very “dangerous” question to answer if one tries to be honest! I’ve never thought myself a Spaniard, I’m definitely Catalan. But the fact that some people in Spain doesn’t seems to understand is that these feelings doesn’t mean that a Catalan hate Spain or shit like that… I have good friends in Spain, I have great times when I go to Spain and I even can say that there a lot of things that I love in Spain! I think that Spain is a great country with great people… But I don’t consider myself part of it, what’s the problem? It’s not a matter of what is different between us, it’s just a matter of feelings. The most notable difference is that we have our own language and our own culture, and feel it as own, not as part of Spain. Hahahaha don’t know who thrashes harder… There’s been a tradition way of thinking years ago that Madrid was more into Hard Rock and Barcelona more into Thrash, Black and Death Metal… But nowadays I guess you can find the same thrashers in Spain than in Catalonia.

What are some of your near-term plans for Korgull The Exterminator?  What specific events do you have planned to celebrate the release of Metal Fist Destroyer?  Any other new recordings or special concerts we should be aware of?

MARK: Right now we’re preparing the set-list for our next shows. We have one confirmed in Barcelona with Deströyer 666 and expecting some promoters to call us. We want to present “Metal Fist Destroyer” in all the places we can! Passed summer we’ll prepare a proper release show in Barcelona and Madrid with some friends. We’ll also start to work on our “War Of The Voivodes” vinyl release, which will include those live bonus tracks I told before and a couple of covers we recorded specially for that release. And of course wait for the release of our Split with Graveyard. And as for new stuff, we’re now working on new songs that should be included in a very special underground release. I imagine that next year we’ll enter again the studio to record the fourth full-length, but that still has to be done!

Thanks again for the interview!  Utter your Chant Of The Reapers upon us before it's Time To Die!  In other words, final statements by you!  Thrash hard!!!!

MARK: Thanks to you for supporting us and helping us spread our shit Brad! It’s been an honour for us! And to all your readers, beware the Metal Fist Destroyer… it’ll punch you hard!!!!!