DYING FETUS
The Sound and the Fury
By: John Mincemoyer
The current Death Metal scene is huge... And quite competitive. As strange as it may be, the current Death Metal scene, and its myriad sub-genres, seems to be bigger than Death Metal's supposed "golden era" of the late 1980s and the early 1990s. Of course, this does not always mean better, but today's respective players are getting faster and more extreme every day. Every month now you can read a current article describing some band ready to "usurp" Death Metal's mythic "throne". (I for one would like to know where this throne resides, but I digress…) To do more than just survive a band must be unique, and I am not talking about the visual aesthetic. Sure, you can look scary as Hell, standing up on stage drenched in gratuitous gore, screaming about fucking your sister's dismembered and decomposing corpse, but if the band's sound does not come close to the image -- forget it. Technical precision, mercurial dexterity and the sheer level of brutality have become the new standards that separate the best bands from the flailing.
DYING FETUS are a unique band that combines all of the aforementioned elements (precision, dexterity and brutality) into one lethal package. DYING FETUS have always pushed themselves to be better, faster, more complex, and more brutal than other bands claiming to be Death Metal. This dedication is recognizable in all of their work, but it is clearly evident with their newest, and best, work to date, the appropriately titled Stop at Nothing.
I had a chance to question founding member/guitarist/vocalist John Gallagher about re-building DYING FETUS, the new album and what drives him to make such extreme music. Mike Kimball, DYING FETUS' second guitarist and main lyricist, also provided an answer to the question of DYING FETUS' atypical lyrical approach.
I have also included random personal notes, when appropriate, as a way to show the reason for the specific question. Enjoy...
Were you already working on Stop at Nothing before you found suitable replacements? How quickly/slowly did they enter the picture?
(This may seem like an odd question to begin with, but I wanted to establish the new line-up and their contributions to Stop at Nothing. For those of you that are unfamiliar, two prime members of DYING FETUS, including co-founding member Jason Netherton, left DYING FETUS after the release of their last album Destroy the Opposition.)
John Gallagher: I am always working on new material so as soon as Destroy... was written I was technically writing for Stop... Everyone in the current lineup played a role in contributing to Stop at Nothing. I have to hand it to Mike Kimball for composing the lyrics for the majority of the album. I am not a lyricist. I am useful in coming up with song concepts, song titles, and vocal patterns, but lyrics are not my forte.
Tell us who they are and where they came from?
(This is an obvious and possible stock question, but if does further establish the new band members and provides further information.)
JG: Vince Matthews (vocals) and Sean Beasley (bass) used to be in Sadistic Torment from Maryland. They started in the same scene and at the same time as Fetus did. They hooked Fetus up with our first show back in 1993. I grew up with them, so we know each other well. Erik Sayenga (drums) actually first jammed with Fetus in 1996. He played drums on our first U.S. tour. We opened for Monstrosity and Kataklysm. He had to leave the band in 1997 because his job would not allow him to tour full-time. Mike Kimball (guitar) joined last year. We ran auditions by posting our toughest and most challenging tablature on our website and required applicants to send in a video performing the songs. Mike's video outshined all others, and we flew him down from Salt Lake City, Utah to audition. He blew us away, and he got the job. He nailed out some killer solos on "Stop at Nothing", especially on "Abandon All Hope." We both have solos on that song that came out well.
What were your thoughts when Jason Neatherton and Kevin Talley left?
(Bang! Ask the tough questions. Getting to the controversy is what many writers attempt to do for many different reasons. But this question is important because not only did Talley, an amazing drummer, leave, but also the co-founding member! This usually spells the end for most bands. The subsequent questions are self-explanatory.)
JG: I knew it would be imperative to find suitable and fitting replacements. I felt pretty bummed when Jason left because we created FETUS together. Hey, all things must change eventually, and you have to roll with it. The most important thing is that everyone is doing well, and doing what makes them happy. I think MISERY INDEX are incredible and I give them props. Talley is one of the best ever. He helped FETUS get where we are. I just saw him in Atlanta when we played down there and he is doing well. Jason and I are planning some fishing this spring and summer. So, we have remained friends after DYING FETUS. We were in a Heavy Metal band called DAMNATION before DYING FETUS. It sounded like OVERKILL meets METAL CHURCH. We did a 3-song demo, but nobody liked it, so we eventually said, 'Fuck this,' and started putting together a death band.
Did you not build DYING FETUS all over again?
JG: Yes, but fortunately everything has fallen into place nicely. I have found some exceptional people to work with and I am having a blast.
Did the thought of killing off DYING FETUS ever cross your mind?
JG: Yes, for a hot second, but fuck that. I have spent too much time in this... as long as I have good people like Relapse Records behind me, the fan support, and the desire to still play vicious brutal music I will push on.
What about going on under a different band name? Did that ever cross your mind?
(How many of you have ever listened to the BAD BRAINS? A lot of people thought that when H.R. (vocalist) left, that they should not keep touring as the BAD BRAINS. He was such an integral factor to the BAD BRAINS sound. They eventually changed their name to the SOUL BRAINS, but even that was too close to the original for many. And that was just one member! You can make many arguments... LED ZEPPELIN called it quits after John Bonham died solidifying their legendary mystique, but AC/DC didn't when Bon Scott left this mortal coil and went on to produce the biggest album of their career. Mr. Gallagher lost everybody from DYING FETUS...)
JG: I came up with the name, and have been a major part of this outfit since the beginning. I would have gone under another name if I was intending on altering the sound and direction of this band. I hate when bands do that. I realize some of the older FETUS fans will not accept this line-up or whatever, but I have received so much support I can't do anything but continue on with FETUS. It would be a shame to retire all those killer songs and not give people an opportunity to hear them live who have never seen us before. After the line-up change, we performed in numerous European cities that had never before been soiled by FETUS, and we were also able to exhibit our skills in Japan. It was truly a remarkable experience for us, and an honor to hang and tour with SODOM and DIMENSION ZERO.
I notice that for the first time DYING FETUS has a dedicated singer? Is he providing most of the vocals or is his role more of a support to you?
(Well, I thought I was trying to be smart, but Mr. Gallagher corrected me quickly.)
JG: This is the second time we have had a dedicated singer. Jason left the band for a brief period and we had Chris Apelites on high and mid-vocals for that short period of time. FETUS has had many line-ups since 1992. Vince sings half of the vocals as Jason did. I hired Vince because he complements Netherton's vocals very well. I wanted to keep the second voice as close to Jason's as possible. As a matter of fact, back in the day, Vince was one of Jason's vocal inspirations. This is one of the reasons that are very similar in tonal characteristics. A dual vocal assault is crucial for DYING FETUS' music. This is one of the aspects of FETUS many enjoy.
What did the new members bring into the studio?
(Here I wanted to establish the new member's professionalism, but Mr. Gallagher blindsides me with some rather deadpan humor... Ultimately, Mr. Gallagher's answer is excellent because he starts talking about the nut-and-bolts of how he goes about things in the studio...)
JG: Well, Mike brought in his guitar rig. In the past we recorded with an Ampeg solid state head, which I still use live. For this session we used a Randall tube head with a Digitech processor and an Ibanez tube screamer for a little bit of extra bite. I used my 1985 Hamer Scarab 2 with Hamer custom passive pick-ups, to record the rhythm tracks. We ran that into Randall cabinets equipped with Celestion speakers. I feel this worked great for getting a crunchy, well-rounded guitar tone. Sean's bass playing follows the guitars more closely with sweep arpeggios and two-handed hammer-ons, which has added a new dimension to our sound. Erik has added some intricate fills and ultra-fast blast beats. Vince has introduced several new vocal elements into the new material.
How has the response to the new line-up been live?
(Another question, possibly well-worn, but if Dying Fetus is to succeed, then they've got to perform live... As we all know, when it is live, it is put up or shut up...)
We have been performing well together and the crowds have been very receptive. We just completed a full U.S. tour with HATE ETERNAL, KATAKLYSM and INTO ETERNITY. GOATWHORE jammed with us at a few of the gigs as well. All are great bands and very cool people. The west coast gigs went great for us. We were able to play in a few cities for the first time, like Seattle and San Diego. By the end of the tour we were working like a well-oiled machine. We are scheduled to do a European tour with HATE ETERNAL, DEEDS OF FLESH and SEVERE TORTURE this September. I believe it is going to be a six-week run of pure metal!
Elaborate further on the album title... Was this sort of a mantra for you to continue DYING FETUS?
(I think this is a good question that opens up discussion about the new album. And if you think about it, Stop at Nothing is quite a slogan. Nike has "Just Do It". DYING FETUS has"Stop at Nothing. And no, DYING FETUS were not influenced by Nike as you will see, I'm just drawing a parallel...)
JG: It's definitely inspired by our hardcore influences -- the song itself is about doing your own thing whether or not it happens to follow society's norms, and not letting anyone obstruct you, especially out of mere conforming to the crowd. But its connotation for the album is about fighting oppression as a whole -- whether it appears in the form of peer pressure; or a religious figure; or a government; or the whole socio-economic system of your particular country. It also represents DYING FETUS' achievement and perseverance in keeping true to creating quality extreme metal for over ten years.
Where do all of those riffs come from?
(Of all the brutal Death Metal bands out there, DYING FETUS continually pens the most interesting, and catchy, Death Metal riffs...)
JG: I practice on the guitar almost everyday, and part of my routine is improvising and experimenting with scales and rhythmic patterns. When a sequence catches my ear I will record it. I go through and review my tapes and arrange the riffs into songs. I have the vocal patterns and drum beats in mind immediately after composing the riffs. I also carry a micro-cassette recorder, and if I hear a cool riff in my head I will hum the melody or drum beat into the recorder... Then later, conform it into the real thing. Some of my best stuff started out as a mere hum.
Which is more important, the riff or speed?
(I originally posed a question like this to Matt Pike of HIGH ON FIRE, because of the unique riffs he conjures. And with HIGH ON FIRE, the riff is all-important. DYING FETUS combines not only amazing riffs, but threatening speed as well. I should have expected it, considering my love for the riffs he creates, but Mr. Gallagher's answer surprised me...)
JG: The riff -- definitely. Speed is very exciting and we love it, but speed isn't everything. A good riff is a good riff, regardless of the tempo. The trick is to find the right speed for each riff. We love jamming at say, 220 bpm, but it might get boring if that were all we ever did.
The album is rather short. Going for most impact or economy?
(I don't know, Death Metal albums seem to be getting longer and longer these days...)
JG: Some of my favorite albums of all time are about the same length as ours. We wrote eight songs, and they vary in length between three minutes, and six and a half. Obviously we aren't trying to meet any arbitrary number of minutes of running time. We want each song to have strong impact and a meaning behind it, so we do whatever works best for each song. This album is the second longest DYING FETUS CD. Destroy... is longer by a little over one minute.
How do you feel about the outcome of Stop at Nothing? The song "Schematics" is amazing. That high-pitched hammer or harmonic at the beginning (Sorry I'm a writer not a guitar player) just cuts right to the bone...
(Kissing up? Maybe, but not really. There is nothing wrong with giving Mr. Gallagher credit for writing an amazing song as long as one does not go overboard. The first part of the question stems from the fact that most artists, especially musicians, never seem to be completely satisfied with their work... something else could have, or should have, been done...)
JG: I am very happy with it. I spent a lot of time, as we all did, scrutinizing the material and working on our tones in the studio. I concentrated intensely on assembling quality riffs that coincided well with each other. I tried to keep the continuity flowing and revive some of our older slammier [sic] styles. I feel some of the material on Destroy... is a bit sterile and somewhat predictable. I tried to throw in a couple of twists on this album and hit you when you're not looking. Yes, the song "Schematics" came out rather well, thank you, I enjoy playing it live because it fires people up and gets them nice and violent! This kind of reaction is what keeps me going and makes me want to continue to play and perform extreme music. My favorite high is when a crowd is going sick, and the mix onstage is gratifying, and everyone is having a great time fucking each other up in the pit.
What drives you to create this style of brutal Death Metal?
(I ask this question frequently because I want to know what makes people tick...)
JG: I love the aggression of death metal and the fact that death metal has no limitations. There are no boundaries that confine me to writing one particular style or staying in certain timings or tempos. We explore many beats and use all sorts of guitar techniques such as string skipping, two hand tapping and arpeggiated scalular runs. On the new song "Onslaught of Malice," I incorporated a 4-finger tap with a bomb blast -- it sounds sick. But on the slower, heavier side, I use creeping mosh riffs to counterbalance the intensity of thrash and blast beats. It is all about dynamics and how you formulate styles and tempos to achieve proper dynamics. I aspire to compose music that internally moves people and allows one to vent their daily aggravation and frustrations through it. This is what I look for in a band.
DYING FETUS has gotten away from the normal tripe that passes for Death Metal lyrics. Please explain.
(I was not expecting to get this answer from Mr. Kimball, but it was much appreciated. Regarding the "normal tripe" comment, I was talking about the fact the DYING FETUS' lyrics, for the most part, are more socio-political oriented instead of gory...)
Mike Kimball: Well, it takes a lot of time and effort to take a concept in your head and lay it out into tight little lines whose syllables match a bunch of notes, and still say what you want to say. Somehow I suspect I would be disappointed at being described as "tripe that passes for Death Metal lyrics" after all that work. I write lyrics that express my feelings, or imagination, or both. I'm sure the rest of the band feels the same, as many titles and concepts for this album came from them. Ultimately, we want to create music we would want to hear, and that includes having good lyrics. When the whole package is there, to make you feel or visualize something along with the melodies, and to give you conviction in performing the music and lyrics, the songs are so much more exciting.
What is your opinion of the current Death Metal scene?
(I do not know if this is a fair question or not, but recently all I've been interviewing are Black Metal bands who have this weird love/hate with their current scene, 'I hate the current scene, but there are some killer bands here and there, and I'm still making music, so I don't really know what I'm talking about.' I thought it would be interesting to get a Death Metal perspective, which is more cut-and-dry, or rather, to the point.)
JG: I feel the musicianship is by far better than it was back in the early 90s when Death Metal was more popular. The drumming has gotten faster and better executed. It is almost ridiculous. But this in my opinion doesn't make current Death Metal any better. Death metal to me has lost a lot in the memorable and creative department. Some bands I like today are: SWORN ENEMY, SEVERED SAVIOR, DECREPIT BIRTH, SKINLESS, MALEVOLENT, PREMONITION, pretty much all of the Unique Leader bands, and MISERY INDEX.
After all that has transpired, would you change anything?
(You might think this a silly question, but consider everything that Mr. Gallagher has endured to get Dying Fetus to where they are now... To completely rebuild the band and follow that up with producing their best album to date is a testament to his professionalism and creative desire...)
JG: No. Let the past be the past.
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I have no idea how many of you out there are visual people, but a band's visual presentation is just as important, in some ways, as the music they produce. With Death Metal bands the publicity photos are pretty much the same: four or five, non-smiling guys wearing black band t-shirts, standing around with clenched fists at their sides or arms crossed over their chests...
Okay, so the publicity shots might be lacking a bit. Most people though, never see those shots. For most people, their first impression, especially if they do not read magazines or surf the Internet, is the art. Think back upon all the great albums you've bought and the accompanying artwork. In today's society many times all you've got to go on is the band name, or even less, the artwork (I know about MP3s, just bear with me...). And speaking of less, with the CD format, the artwork is even smaller!
It takes quite an eye to create something visual that is not only appealing, but makes a statement as well. So, I thought it would be interesting to speak with Relapse Records' Jon Canady about his involvement with the instantly recognizable, yet visually profound Stop at Nothing artwork. -- John Mincemoyer
Since DYING FETUS has joined the Relapse roster their logo has changed. It is bolder and easier to read. Were you a part of this?
Jon Canady: I just made it a little cleaner and the outline bolder so it fits with the band's sound more. I always try to subtly improve logos if I can get away with it.
With Destroy the Opposition and the Uncle Sam image, and now Stop at Nothing, it seems that DYING FETUS' artwork are influenced by propaganda posters. Would you agree or disagree?
JPC: Propaganda posters definitely had an influence on this design. I really liked the use of these images in the design of Destroy the Opposition so they were a starting point for this cover.
Concerning Stop at Nothing, who came up with the concept, and how were able to capture it? Were you just given the album title and told to elaborate as you pleased or were you given specific guidelines, ideas, etc.?
JPC: John Gallagher from DYING FETUS suggested that the cover should convey the idea behind the title track, which is basically self-determination. I ended up integrating that idea with the band's other lyrical concepts to make the final cover image.
I find it interesting that you were capable of wedding the album title with the idea of labor. Were you, and the band, trying to make some underlying socio-political statement or am I playing the forearm barcode up too much? Nice touch by the way...
JPC: You are absolutely right. I am normally not the type of designer that attempts to push a message or agenda... Usually I'm just happy if a Relapse or Release design is just well executed (And it doesn't hurt if it has some gore and/or tits on there.). For this release though it seemed appropriate to follow the message of the lyrics with the design somehow. The central figure represents the average worker who is a slave, or a piece of merchandise in a way, and capable of struggling against the evils of our system of government. Again, I'm not a political person, but I know that I have a love/hate relationship with being a part of the American consumer society. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in the world, but I sometimes get depressed about the evil and stupidity that our government is capable of. This design is a reflection of that frustration in a way.
The main focus of the album cover is the man, he has a certain movement (maybe expectation), but is also static? What made you choose this central image? I also notice that you have continued the ribs of the bolted cover he is working on outwards which frames the other images.
JPC: My other answers address some of what you ask here. Besides the meanings I mentioned it's just a great, powerful image. It's a famous photograph from 1925 called "Powerhouse Mechanic" by Lewis W. Hine.
Considering the hanged people on the CD bottom tray, Stop at Nothing applies to any level, or type, of task, from "normal" everyday work to killing? Do you think that would be a correct summation?
JPC: I think what I was going for is that all the images that extend off of the machine in the center are the "evil bi-products" of our American system. America is a great place to live, as I said before, and I love my country, but it seems that, unfortunately, part of having the freedom and privilege we do is that bad shit happens. Terrorism, greed, war, etc., could be considered the costs of our American way of life.
The artwork has a certain early NAPALM DEATH /Streetcleaner-era GODFLESH grittiness to it. Did these early albums provide inspiration? Please explain...
JPC: It's funny you say that because I got the composition idea from NAPALM DEATH's From Enslavement to Obliteration. The grittiness was just a way to unify all the images.
The internal CD booklet artwork is more graphic and politically charged. Explain further... Did you just choose these images because they fit well with the lyrical themes of the respective songs?
JPC: Each image is intended to represent the lyrics on the same page. I just thought it'd be a great way to give the people that bother to read the lyrics something to tie it all together in their minds.
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