K.A.S.K Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
Hi, first of all, thank you for interest our band! We are K.A.S.K., we come from Poland and we play a death metal/hardcore. Guys has begun make noise in 2006 in Krasnystaw. They played a lots of local gigs, but they didn`t release nothing special except demo titled "Cactus Core".  I joined the band in 2010 and this year we released the first EP "Brutal Abstraction", which contains a 5 tracks of death metal/hardcore in vein Heaven Shall Burn, Job For A Cowboy, Carnifex, All Shall Perish for example. Current members are: "Kelso" - Kamil Michalak (guitar), "Wafel" - Sebastian Witkowski (vocals), Andrew "Satas" Stepniak (drums), Marcin "Kwiecio" Kwiecinski (bass/inhale vocals) and Peter "Peter" Sulej (guitar).

2. How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the demo and how it differs from the demo?
You mean the differences between first demo and EP? First demo was rather in other style- less brutal and intensive. Stylistically it was rather an amateur metalcore. The sound on "Brutal Abstraction" is more thick and professional of course. "Cactus Core" is the release, which is unavailable at the moment. We don`t want to spread this songs, because we are playing completely different now.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
We are the band, which puts the strong weight on lyrical side. We are writing mainly about the things on this world, which make us pissed. That perfectly fits with a brutal, agressive music. Generally our lyrics stigmatize hypocrisy and defects of mankind - stupidity and blindness, following the false idols, thoughtless materialism, lack of empathy in everyday life, religious fanaticism etc. You know, there are a lots of negative things to write about...Unfortunately.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
When the guys were forming the band, they were a big fans of the cactus juice (that`s why the first demo was titled "Cactus Core"). K.A.S.K. is a shortcut from "Klub Amatorów Soku Kaktusowego" - that means something like "The Club Of Cactus Juice Lovers" :) Ideal name for death metal band, right? :)

5. Has the band had any oppurtunities to do any live shows yet, if so what are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
Yes, we played a few concerts during these years. Personally I really enjoyed the gigs in Chelm (during the Chelm Rock Attack Fest), Jaslo and Gdansk. Chelm was great because we played in my family city in a new line-up the first time. There was a lot of people, who had fun during our show and we had many positive opinions. Jaslo, because it was the last concert of "Spring Defloration mini-tour" with Dust N Brush (check them out!) and in spite of there were not many people, but it was the time spent on a pleasant climatic atmosphere. I met my good old friends and we have a great party in a highland cottage of our organiser. Gdansk was an our the farthest gig. We were very excited that we could play at the sea.  We spent lots of time for sightseeing (we practically passed through the entire country ), so the trip was amazing. Club where we played was very dark, so the show was very atmospheric. We met a so many great, positive people on gig and we went with them to a pubs in city. At 3 am we were beginning going back to our cities. Driving after the two sleepless nights was a specific experience for me haha! I don`t know how our gig looks like, because I have never seen hehe. I think we are the solid death metal team without any special effects. We love playing live, so we have so much  fun. We try to move on stage a bit, because it is always something like an impulse to catch attention for audience.     

6. Are there any touring plans for the future?
Not yet, but we hope in autumn/winter we`ll play some shows. Not yet, but we hope in autumn/winter we`ll play some shows. It depends on the interest of organisers.   

7. Currently the band is unsinged, are you looking for a label and if so what kind of label do you feel that would be a perfect fit for the band?
Yeah, we are unsigned yet, but everything indicates that "Brutal Abstraction" will release Kuba from Sound Of Madness Records. He has an idea of releasing that stuff on very innovative data carrier. I can`t say nothing more, because we don`t know yet if this idea will works. I don`t know how should be a perfect label for us, because I didn`t think about that. We haven`t much needs and we would like to have an independence in some way. But if some label could provide a concrete release in good number of copies, some t-shirts and wide promotion of course, we would be very satisfied. 

8. On a worldwide level hoe has your music been recieved by death metal/deathcore fans?
We have got a lots of positive words both in our country and from foreign reviewers. They often write that we have a good sound, interesting forms of composition and great vocal parties. It was a big surprise for us and hope that our music have a chance to be liked by the some metal fans. We are especially excited when we`ve got a good opinions from maniacs from another, farthest place on globe. Internet is a power of communication and we use handfuls from that.

9. Are there any projects besides this band or is this a full time line-up?
I play in hardcore band named A.D.H.D. (www.facebook.com/adhdhcpl). It`s my first band which I formed with my friends in primary school:) Earlier we`ve had the name Self-Destruction and we played a death metal. So we can say that playing in K.A.S.K. is my "back to the past" hehe. Besides that, our drummer Andrew has his own black metal band - Morgh. They play the obscure and raw music in old-school underground style.

10. What direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?
We would like to compose the better stuff than "Brutal Abstraction". It must be more intensive, thought and interesting. I think that we will still go the path of brutal death metal with the elements of hardcore. We are conscious of disadvantages of EP and we will do our best to fight them :)

11. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
We are the big fans of american death metal/deathcore style in vein of Job For A Cowboy, Carnifex, old All Shall Perish, Suicide Silence, Despised Icon, Ion Dissonance etc. This music has a big potential. We love the brutality and energy in this genre. We are the big fans of german Heaven Shall Burn (we even play a cover of their song). Personally besides the metal I listen to lots of various types of music. I practically listen to everything- hardcore, grindcore, sludge, punk rock, dubstep, post-rock, old hard-rock, progressive, good pop, classical music (even now I listen to "Greatest hits of Mozart" lol). My favourite albums at the moment are: Collapse Under The Empire - Shoulders And Giants, Breakdown of Sanity - Mirrors, Dead Swans - Sleepwalkers, Omega Massif - Geisterstadt, news tracks of Abominable Putridity, Darkest Hour - The Human Romance.  But in a few days for sure it will change haha.

12. Outside of music what are some of your interests?
Lots of things too:) I am interested in history (especially World War II), society, religion/philosophy. Besides that I practice a various types of sports. I love travelling by hitchhiking.  Kels is a humanist too, he`s interested in philosophy and history. Wafel was studying a sociology if I well remember. Peter is interested in music engineering and he studies something connected with enviromental. Andrew has his own farm.

13. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Thanx for your time and thank you for reading! Keep supporting extreme and underground music! Check out:
www.facebook.com/kaskband
www.myspace.com/kaskband
kaskband.bandcamp.com