We played Las Vegas Death Fest and then did a short west coast tour which ended with playing on Bay Area Death Fest. We had a great time touring with Omnipotent Hysteria and Embodied Torment, as well as playing for and spending time with a lot of old and new fans.
2.You have a new album coming out in November, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
With CATACLYSMIC DESOLATION we've tried to wear all of our influences on our sleeve. We've got songs that are short, to the point, and straightforward brutality, like Walls of Flesh. Then there are also songs like Shroud of Hypocrisy that explore more melodic and grim territory with a longer running time than we're used to. We've always tried to focus on writing songs that have their own identity instead of just being a collection of brutal riffs, and we rotted to push that further on this album than we have in the past.
3.This is the first album to be released in 5 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?
After our first album we did some touring, played some festivals, and spent a lot of time working on what became this album. We were very lucky to be working with the amazingly talented James Lee (ex-Origin) as our vocalist, but unfortunately there were many circumstances that led to James and the band parting ways. With the album already nearly complete at that point, we decided to do everything we could to continue as a band, and were fortunate enough to find a new vocalist in Jesse Watson of Incinerate. Once he joined he wrote his own lyrics to the album and immediately hit the studio.
4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
Like a lot of death metal bands, we like to explore the depths of human violence and depravity, but we also try to focus on the inevitability of death and the destruction of humanity. We've got several songs that deal with how we're killing ourselves, whether that be individually with our own hands, or inadvertently through the technologies and social structures we've built.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Face Of Oblivion'?
We feel that a lot of the topics we're most interested in exploring force us to stare, without flinching, at the reality that one day we, our families, our cultures, our species, our planet, and even the universe itself, will cease to exist. Through our music and our lyrical themes we want to present, to anyone who is listening, the very face of the oblivion that awaits us all.
6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Some of the moments we're most proud of range from sharing the stage with our heroes in our favorite bands at huge festivals in front of hundreds or thousands, to playing to a small crowd on an even smaller stage in a town we've never visited before and still getting a massive response. We don't wear costumes or makeup or have any elaborate theatrics for our live performances. We just strive to play as well as we can and hope that you feel the music flowing through you as much as we do.
7.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
We're currently in talks for a few shows around the Midwest and elsewhere, but we'll hopefully be touring again as soon as possible. We love going out on the road and bringing our music to as many people as we can.
8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of brutal and technical death metal?
We've gotten a lot of great responses from friends and fellow death metal fans all over the globe. We've even had offers to play in several foreign countries, so we're hoping to take advantage of those opportunities sooner rather than later.
9.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
Jesse is still active with Incinerate, and I (Ogar) am always playing in and around our home state of Minnesota with my other bands Glutton for Punishment and Acanthostega.
10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We want to continue bringing the highest levels of brutality and technicality that we can, while also staying true to our other influences and our love of crafting coherent, memorable songs.
11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
We love bands like Gorgasm and Suffocation as a whole, and take a lot of influence from them and other extreme metal bands from Misery Index to Dark Funeral, but we all listen to a wide variety of music. It's not uncommon to hear us getting down to Immortal Technique, Portishead, Fleetwood Mac, Bruno Mars, and tons of other non-metal music.
12.What are some of your non musical interests?
Through the band, there are tons of other interests from cars and guns to comic books and body modifications.
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
I'd just like to thank anybody that's supported us in any way, whether that's coming to see us at a show, wearing a shirt or buying a CD, or giving us food and a place to crash on the road. We appreciate it more than we can express.
www.facebook.com/FaceofOblivionMN
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