Paganizer
Paganizer, Ribspreader,
Carve and vocals for Edge Of Sanity's latest album reveal an overproductive
and workaholic person and this is no other than Rogga. Rogga is the mastermind
of Paganizer, whose latest release "No Divine Rapture" is an excellent
example of old school death metal. So, below you'll find what Rogga told
us about the band, their releases, Dan Swano and many other intresting
issues.
1.WHICH ARE THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS OF PAGANIZER?
WHICH ARE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT MOMENTS AS A BAND?
I THINK THAT WE HAVE MANAGED TO RELEASE
FIVE ALBUMS, A SPLIT EP AND SOON A BEST OF ALBUM IN SIX YEARS COUNTS AS
QUITE AN ACHIEVEMENT FOR US IN THE BAND. ALSO THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
MOVE A BIT FORWARD BOTH MUSICALLY AND PRODUCTIONWISE WITH EACH RELEASE
ALSO FEELS REALLY GOOD AND JUDGING FROM REVIEWS AND ALL OTHER FEEDBACK
OUR LISTENERS SEEMS TO FULLY AGREE WITH ME ON THAT POINT TOO. MOST IMPORTANT
MOMENTS IS A BIT HARDER TO PINPOINT I THINK... THE FEW TIMES WE?VE HAD
A FULL WORKING LINEUP AND PLAYED LIVE MUST BE ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS ANYWAY
AND EVERY TIME WE RELEASE A NEW ALBUM AND NOTICE THAT PEOPLE ENJOY WHAT
WE DO IS ALSO SOMETHING I COUNT AS VERY IMPORTANT MOMENTS.
2.I BELIEVE THAT "NO DIVINE RAPTURE" IS A GREAT
SAMPLE OF OLD SCHOOL SWEDISH DEATH METAL, HOWEVER I 'D LIKE TO KNOW THE
CREATOR'S POINT OF VIEW. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH IT?
I AM VERY SATISFIED WITH THE SONGS AND
AS A GROUP WE ARE ALSO VERY SATISFIED WITH THE WAY THE RECORDING AND PRODUCTION
CAME OUT. THIS TIME AROUND I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT I'VE WRITTEN THE
MATERIAL COMPLETELY DISREGARDING WHETHER THE RIFFS SOUND BASIC AND BRUTAL
OR NOT, I PRETTY MUCH USED ALL STUFF I CAME UP WITH. THE RESULT MIGHT NOT
SOUND VERY DIFFERENT THAN OUR OLDER MATERIAL TO MANY BUT TO ME IT SOUNDS
AS WE'VE MANAGED TO EVOLVE AT LEAST A BIT, HAHA. A SONG LIKE "ON YOUR KNEES"
WOULD INDEED HAVE SOUNDED EVEN SIMPLER AND WITH LESS PARTS IF WRITTEN TWO
YEARS AGO FOR THE "MURDER DEATH KILL" ALBUM.
3.THIS IS YOUR 5TH RELEASE. IN WHICH WAYS AND
FIELDS HAVE YOU PROGRESSED AND WHICH ELEMENTS HAVE REMAINED THE SAME?
WE'RE STILL AN OLDSCHOOL DEATH METAL BAND
LIKE WHEN WE STARTED IN '94 (UNDER THE NAME TERMINAL GRIP) AND ACTUALLY
WE SOUND QUITE MUCH LIKE WE SOUNDED BACK THEN ON OUR FIRST DEMO. HOWEVER
WE HAVE OF COURSE BECOME BETTER MUSICIANS EVEN IF MOST OF US STILL SUCK
AND WE HAVE BROADENED OUR MUSICAL VISION A BIT BUT BASICALLY WE'RE THE
SAME NOW AS THEN. DOESN'T BOTHER ME THOUGH AS THIS IS THE MUSIC I LIKE
TO WRITE AND PLAY.
4.WHICH TOPICS INTRIGUE YOU TO TALK ABOUT? WHAT
INSPIRES YOU LYRICWISE?
ON OUR SECOND DEMO WITH TERMINAL GRIP WE
HAD A SONG CALLED "RELIGIOUS CANCER" AND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS WRITTEN TEN
YEARS AGO I CAN?T SAY I'VE STRAYED TOO MUCH FROM THAT SUBJECT THROUGH THE
YEARS. HUMANS ARE STUPID AND THIS MANIFESTS ITSELF EVERYDAY ALL AROUND
ME
AND PROVIDES ME WITH HEAPS OF SHIT TO SPEW ON IN MY LYRICS, AND I'M SURE
IT'LL KEEP PROVIDING ME WITH INSPIRATION LONG PAST THE DURATION OF PAGANIZER
OR ANY OF MY OTHER BANDS.
5.ROGGA, PAGANIZER'S MASTERMIND IS ALSO THE VOICE
BEHIND EDGE OF SANITY'S LATEST RELEASE "CRIMSON II". HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT
IT? DO YOU INTERPRET THE SONGS OF EACH BAND IN A DIFFERENT WAY? HOW DO
YOU "FIND" THE MOST SUITABLE VOCAL LINES?
AS FOR "CRIMSON II" DAN SWANO HAD ARRANGED
MOST VOCAL LINES IN ADVANCE AND SENT ME A WEEK PRIOR TO THE RECORDING TO
STUDY. THEN I HAD SOME SUGGESTIONS OF MY OWN WHICH HE LIKED BUT BASICALLY
HE KNEW HOW HE WANTED ME TO GROWL SO THAT WASN'T A PROBLEM FOR ME AS I
DIDN'T HAVE TO USE MY HEAD MUCH ON THAT RECORDING, HAHA. AS FOR PAGANIZER
AND RIBSPREADER I PRETTY MUCH SING WHERE I FEEL IT'S FITTING, AND IF THE
RIFF IS TOO HARD TO SING OVER WHEN PLAYING GUITAR AT THE SAME TIME I SIMPLY
DON'T. I DON'T THINK I HAVE ACTUALLY ARRANGED THE VOCALS IN ANY GREATER
SENSE ON ANY OF MY ALBUMS, IT JUST COMES NATURALLY WHEN LAYING DOWN THE
VOCALS IN THE STUDIO OR REHEARSING THE MATERIAL.
6.ROGGA IS ALSO A MEMBER OF RIBSPREADER. WHICH
DIFFERENT ARTISTIC NEEDS DOES EACH BAND FULFIL? WHAT DO YOU "EARN" FROM
EACH BAND?
ACTUALLY IT?S SIMPLE AS I'M WRITING LOTS
AND LOTS OF SONGS ALL THE TIME AND TO RELEASE THEM ALL WITH THE SAME BAND
WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE. I MEAN, NO LABEL WOULD FIND IT ECONOMICALLY VIABLE
TO PUT OUT LIKE TWO OR THREE ALBUMS A YEAR WITH THE SAME BAND SO INSTEAD
OF THROWING SONGS AWAY I FIND IT MORE FUN TO RELEASE IT UNDER DIFFERENT
NAMES. BASICALLY THERE IS NO MUSICAL DIFFERENCE AT ALL IN PAGANIZER, RIBSPREADER
AND CARVE EXCEPT THAT THEY DON'T SOUND THE SAME DUE TO DIFFERENT MUSICIANS
AND STUDIOS BEING INVOLVED IN THE RECORDINGS.
7.YOU WORK WITH DAN SWANO A LOT. WHAT KIND OF
PERSON IS HE? DOES HE HELP AND OFFER HIS ADVICE?
DAN IS A GREAT GUY THAT PROBABLY WILL DIE
YOUNG FROM STRESS BROUGHT ON BY HIS WORKLOAD, HAHA. HE?S A COMPLETE WORKAHOLIC
AND I'M JUST HAPPY HE FINDS TIME TO HELP ME OUT NOW AND THEN, LIKE IN RIBSPREADER,
AND I'M ALSO HAPPY HE LIKES MY WORK AS WELL. DAN IS GREAT WHEN IT COMES
TO TECHNICAL SUPPORT TOO, AS HE'S WORKING AS A SOUNDENGINEER SINCE HE WAS
LIKE FIFTEEN YEARS OLD SO IT'S PRICELESS TO BE ABLE TO CALL HIM WHEN YOU
NEED TO KNOW SOMETHING IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
8."NO DIVINE RAPTURE" WAS RECORDED AND MIXED AT
SOUNDLAB STUDIOS FROM MIZESKO TALARZYCK (NASUM) AND MASTERED BY DAN SWANO.
WHY DID YOU GO TO SUCH RENOWNED STUDIO AND PRODUCERS AND DIDN'T SELECT
LESS KNOWN PEOPLE? AREN'T YOU AFRAID YOU MIGHT HAVE ACHIEVED A SOUND TOO
SIMILAR TO OTHER BANDS?
I DON'T THINK WE SOUND LIKE ANY OTHER BAND
RECORDED AT SOUNDLAB, AT LEAST NOT THAT I CAN THINK OF RIGHT NOW. ACTUALLY
THE MOST FREQUENT THING MENTIONED IN REVIEWS IS HOW MUCH OUR SOUND REMINDS
OF SUNLIGHT STUDIO, WHICH INDEED IS NOT INTENDED AS WE BASICALLY JUST ENTER
SOUNDLAB AND RECORD AND MIX IN A FEW DAYS. TO BE HONEST WE'RE JUST USING
THE TALENTS OF OUR FRIENDS WHEN UTILIZING MIESZKO AND DAN, AS THEY ARE
ALSO THE CHEAPEST AND MOST FAST WORKING PEOPLE IN THE SCENE OVER HERE.
I'D LOVE TO SPEND LIKE TWO WEEKS IN A BIG STUDIO AND HAVE A PRO MASTERING
DONE AT SOME MASTERING FACTORY JUST TO SEE HOW PAGANIZER WOULD SOUND BUT
AS IT IS NOW WE'RE WORKING WITH THESE GUYS MAINLY BECAUSE THEY ARE GOOD
AND GIVES US A LOW PRICE AS WE'VE NEVER HAD ANY BUDGET IN THE SIZE THAT
OTHER BANDS HAVE WHO ARE ON BIGGER LABELS.
9.TELL US A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE COVER ARTWORK
AND ITS CONNECTION WITH THE ALBUM'S TITLE? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SUGGEST?
DON'T KNOW REALLY, HAHA! ACTUALLY I HAD
THE TITLE SET AND TOLD TURKKA (THE ARTIST) AND ASKED HIM TO COME UP WITH
SOMETHING FITTING. HE SENT ME A COUPLE OF SCETCHES AND I REALLY LIKE THIS
ONE SO HE STARTED WORKING ON IT AND IT TURNED OUT REALLY GREAT TO SAY THE
LEAST. AS WE HAD NO MONEY AT ALL TO USE ON ARTWORK/LAYOUT FOR OUR LAST
ALBUM IT TURNED OUT SOMEWHAT BORING SO THIS TIME AROUND I REALLY WANTED
A DRAWN PICTURE AND NOT SOME PHOTOSHOP STUFF. ANYWAY, I THINK IT TURNED
OUT REALLY COOL AND WE'LL MOST LIKELY USE THE SERVICES OF TURKKA NEXT TIME
AROUND AS WELL.
10.DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS FOR TOURING OR LIVE SHOWS?
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO OFFER TO THE METALLERS?
NO PLANS AT ALL ACTUALLY... WE'VE HAD HEAPS
OF TOURS, GIGS AND FESTIVAL APPEARANCES BOOKED AND THEN CANCELLED ON US,
OR CANCELLED BY OURSELVES DUE TO SOMEONE IN THE BAND QUITTING AT
THE WRONG MOMENT, SO NOW WE'VE DECIDED TO SKIP ALL PLANS WE'VE HAD FOR
THE REMAINDER OF THIS YEAR. WE'LL TRY TO SOLVE THE LINE UP PROBLEM
ONCE AND FOR ALL AND WHEN DONE WE'LL REHEARSE A COMPLETE LIVE SET
WITH SONGS FROM OUR LAST FOUR ALBUMS BEFORE ACCEPTING ANY NEW GIGS. HOPEFULLY
THIS WILL WORK OUT AND WE'LL BE READY TO START PLAYING LIVE FOR REAL SOMETIME
NEXT YEAR. IT FEELS LIKE WE'VE RELEASED OUR SHARE OF ALBUMS FOR A LONG
TIME NOW AND THE NEXT STEP IS TO PLAY LIVE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
11.IF YOUR MUSIC WERE AN EMOTION, WHAT WOULD IT
BE? IF IT WERE A PAINTING, WHAT WOULD IT SHOW?
HAHA, NICE QUESTION. IF IT WAS AN EMOTION
IT'D PROBABLY BE FRUSTRATION AS THAT'S MY MAIN EMOTION AND I WRITE THE
SHIT. IF IT WOULD BE A PAINTING IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A PICTURE DISPLAYING
PURE SICKNESS.
12.IF YOU COULD INVITE FAMOUS MUSICIANS TO PARTICIPATE
IN YOUR MUSIC, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?
WE'VE ALREADY HAD J?RGEN SANDSTR?M (EX
GRAVE) DOING SOME GUEST VOCALS ON THE "DEAD UNBURIED" ALBUM, AND DAN SWANO
PLAYS DRUMS AND SOLOS ON THE RIBSPREADER ALBUM SO ACTUALLY I'M PRETTY
CONTENT. HOWEVER IF I COULD CHOOSE FREELY I'D HAVE DAVID VINCENT DOING
SOME VOCALS WITH ME ON THE NEXT ALBUM AS WELL AS PETER FROM VADER AS THOSE
GUYS ARE THE BEST VOCALISTS THERE ARE IN THE DEATH METAL SCENE. ROKY ERICKSON
COULD DO A SOLO IN THE CRUST SONG WE ALWAYS INCLUDE ON OUR ALBUMS, AS HE'S
A FUCKING GENIUS. I WOULDN'T EVEN CARE IF THE SOLO FIT OR NOT, AS LONG
AS HE DID IT.
13.WHICH WORDS DO YOU THINK CAN DESCRIBE YOUR
MUSIC? WHICH PHRASE CAN SUM UP IDEALLY PAGANIZER'S HISTORY?
ONLY DEATH IS REAL... THAT ONE ALWAYS WORKS
WHEN YOU HAVE NOTHING TO SAY, HAHA. IT'S CLASSIC AND IT SOUNDS COOL TOO
AND IT ACTUALLY SUMS UP OUR MUSIC QUITE WELL.
14.WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH PAGANIZER?
WHICH IS YOUR WILDEST DREAM?
ACTUALLY I HAVE NO NEED TO ACHIEVE ANYTHING
MORE WITH PAGANIZER, EXCEPT MAYBE DO A TOUR OR TEN. MY WILDEST DREAM HOWEVER
WOULD BE TO WAKE UP SANE ONE DAY. WOULD BE A NICE EXPERIENCE BEFORE I DIE.
15.THANK YOU! THESE LINES ARE YOURS...
WELL THANK YOU FOR NOT BORING ME! I ENJOYED
YOUR QUESTIONS A LOT, AND I'D ENJOY IT TOO IF SOME PEOPLE WOULD BUY THE
ALBUM, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT THEY'D LIKE AT LEAST HALF AS MUCH AS I DO.
Christine Parastatidou
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