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KRABATHOR

Interview with Christopher (Vocals/Guitar)

Was there any particular band that inspired you to form Krabathor?
Christopher: In the past, we have been influenced by bands from the 80s. As for example: Venom, Celtic Frost, Kreator, Sodom, Slayer, Possessed, Destruction, and many, many others. We have influences by bands in the death/thrash from this age and this feeling we have forever, and you can find it in the new songs too. Now we are more into the death metal bands like Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Vader, Malevolent Creation, Sinister, and a lot of other bands.

So when will you be recording the follow-up to the "Orthodox" CD?
C: I think we haven't enough time for now. We have some other ideas for stuff. Orthodox hasn't been out so long and we haven't been thinking about ideas for a new CD, probably we'll do something with videos or old stuff.

Any new song titles? What will the new songs be about?
C: I can't tell nothing about that. I have some ideas in mind but I don't like to write about them because I have to complete it and of course we have to do it together with the rest of the band.

Will there be any difference in sound between new material and what was heard on the "Orthodox" CD?
C: I can tell that we'll not change something with, for example, to be more commercial or to do softer things. When we started with the band we decided to do hard kind of music and we like to do it forever. Our kind of music isn't poseur because our creativity is the kind of music we like best and when we are on tour, we are living as a band with this kind of music. All and all we like it and we'll do it forever. If not, it's better to stop with the band.

Are you planning on releasing CDs with CD-Rom capabilities like on the "Mortal Memories" CD? How was the response to that? Who actually did the work on the CD-Rom?
C: Of course, this is a way to show people something more about this band. We had this idea for "Mortal Memories" to do this and we spoke with Morbid Records. They agreed and it was good. People have had the possibility to see our video through (the CD-Rom). Probably for the next CD we'll try to do it again.

Mark from Groinchurn was the one who recommended your band to me. Did  you know the guys in Groinchurn before you toured with them on the Mortal Memories Tour? How did you meet them? Mark had nothing but good things to say about you guys.
C: Before our "Mortal Memories" tour together with them, we have been in contact just through letters and we have exchanged some stuff with each other. I have liked their stuff a lot and when Morbid Records told us that they will support us on the tour I was very happy. We have toured with them twice. Second time it was on the South African Slaughter Tour in South Africa. They are a great band. I hope that we'll have the possibility to play with them again.

What so far, has been your favourite release that Krabathor has put out?
C: I like all our stuff because each one has included a piece of my mind and feelings. The first CD from 1992 helped us to do something with death metal here in Czech Republic/Slovakia. Our CD "Lies" from 1995 under Morbid Records helped us to open the door to the worldwide underground. Our "Orthodox" CD is the first one which is being licensing in the USA.

What is life like in the Czech Republic? What is an average day like for you?
C: Living here isn't a problem. Of course you can find everywhere something that you would like to change but I was born here and I'll live here. I  like, for example, lands a Holland or South Africa but home is home. Through the day I have to work and the rest of the day I like to be at home. Sometimes I like to drink beers but I don't go to the pubs often. Maybe over the summer I'll go more.

Is it harder to gain fans, outside of the Czech Republic, for your  music living where you do?
C: We have a label from Germany and I have to tell that fans from Germany have respected us well too. We haven't any problems with fans but you know not all areas are the same. We have played a lot of gigs, about 400 shows, and if people like the band and music, then it's okay.

I've heard that there's quite a large metal following in the Czech Republic.  Stories of huge crowds showing up for concerts. Is this true?
C: Here in Czech Republic the scene is pretty cool and big. Here is a lot of people who support the underground scene here. They have some labels, distributions, and so on….You can find here so often
underground gigs or festivals. Of course here you can find some bad things, some parasites and some good things too. Here is a lot of pretty cool bands I like, for example: Pandemia, Scabbard, Coward, Martiryum Christi, Fleshless, and a lot of good bands. People have supported bands so well, here are often some gigs. Not just underground bands from Czech Republic but from all the world. Of Course now, there's more and more gigs and people haven't money and time to be going to them all but there's still big support from the  fans.

Have you ever played a show in North America? How would a North American show compare to one in Europe crowd response and crowd size-wise?
C: We haven't yet played gigs there. Now we have license through Pavement Music and we hope that we'll go there to play. Sorry I can't tell more about it.

Do you have any amusing or strange stories to tell about while you were touring?
C: On tour you can have a very good time with bands and  people and we have a lot of great memories, of course we have some bad experiences too. Very good memories we have from the tour with IMPALED
NAZARENE. Mika is crazy and he does a lot of funny things.

What do you have available in the way of merchandise?
C: We have a lot of things you can find through Morbid Records in Germany and as I told we have license through Pavement Music and they will have a lot of our merchandise too. We have some CDs, tapes, a lot of kinds of t-shirts. The best way to get them is at the gigs. There you can find all things, but that's hard. I hope we'll very soon tour through America.

What does the future hold for Krabathor?
C: We have booked some gigs and maybe we'll try to do something with our old stuff. We'll see what the future will bring…..

Any final words?
C: I hope that we'll soon go touring through your land and we hope that we'll have the possibility to show our music live to our fans. Thanks for the great interview!!!

KRABATHOR  c/o Christopher, Nemcove 1183, 686 01 UH. HRADISTE, CZECH REPUBLIC