Interview: Undead Creep (Italy)

We are back! This is the Interview with this great Deathmetallers from Italy... Undead Creep!

1.- Firstable could you tell us your names and positions in the band?
- Hi there. Well, the line-up consists of David (drums), Sandro (vocals), Maso (bass and backing screams) and myself (Giorgio) on guitar and backing growls.

2.- Some of you are part of Haemophagus (Kick Ass Band!), how do you decide to create Undead Creep?
- Thank you for the nice words about Haemophagus, amigo! Actually there were many reasons for us to create such a band. David had thought about it for quite a long time, and when he asked me to join the project I just said "sure, I'm on it!". We’ve always shared a huge passion for that old-school swedish vibe, the early "sunlight studios" era dödsmetall bands and all that stuff: the first cover we’ve ever recorded as Haemophagus was Hypocrisy’s “Osculum Obscenum” on our “Into the Mortuary” demo, so, in a way, Undead Creep can be seen as the natural consequence of this passion. Moreover, we all wanted to focus on certain aspects of death metal that we couldn't fully develop with our other bands and projects. Our only aim here is to play obscure, straight-ahead death metal the way it was meant to be. It's a simple yet very clear basis.

3.- You have the classic old Swedish Death Metal sound, they are your most important influence?
- The old swedish sound and Ekeroth's mind-opening book have both played a major role in our decision to set up Undead Creep. Anyway, our main influences are Carnage, Nihilist, Grotesque, Nirvana 2002, Evocation, early Therion and Unleashed, but the list goes on and on. Primordial black/thrash gods like Bathory, Slaughter Lord, Merciless and non-swedish bands like the almighty AUTOPSY obviously have also had a strong influence on our music, as you can hear on certain downtempo breaks.

4.- Was the band already named Undead Creep at the time? Did you come up with the name? What inspired the band's name?
- I came up with that name and that's the only one we ever had. I thought we needed something conceptually horrific and easy to remember at the same time. It had to reflect the band’s purpose so we just needed something quite minimal and primitive, max. two words. Usually, long band names are so fucking lame…



5.- The two songs in your myspace from your demo "Undead Creep" sounds killer, with who worked in the recording of this demo?
- The recording process was handled by our common friend and producer Spadino, who recorded all the songs in our filthy rehearsal room. I think the demo has a really “live” feel, although we’ve recorded all the tracks separately. Apart from a few guitar solos there haven’t been extra overdubs. We’ll never record something we can’t actually play live.

6.- How many time did you take to wrote and make the music? And in the lyrics what is your main influence?
- It didn’t take long for us to write the songs and the lyrics. The whole writing process was completed within three, maybe four months, and once we had all the material together we just rehearsed as much as we could until we felt the songs were ready to be recorded. As regards the lyrics, they deal with the most classic death metal topics such as apocalyptic visions, occult and the living dead etc. with an ubiquitous gloomy twist. Gore as we know it is not my main goal when writing the lyrics to a Creep song.

7.- Talking about foreign bands, with who do you like share stage or record some split?
- There would be a million, and most of them aren’t existing anymore, but if possible I’d love to share the stage or a 7” split with Kaamos, Death Breath, Dead Congregation, Tribulation, Necros Christos or Bombs of Hades. In my opinion they’re all killer bands and they have a quite personal approach to old school death metal, especially Necros Christos.

8.- How is the Italian scene at the moment?
- I can’t really say our scene is alive and well. We only have a few great death/black metal acts, bands like Horrid, Eroded, Voids of Vomit and Blasphemophagher, but it seems like death metal (the way I mean it) will forever dwell in the dark corners of the Italian underground.



9.- I understand you already sign with Dark Descent Records and Dark Blasphemies Records, how was the contact for work with this guys?
- It all started when David got in touch with Dave of Dark Blasphemies recs. for an Haemophagus-related trade. David told Dave/Dark Blasphemies about this new project coming out and he was immediately interested in it. We sent him our demo as soon as it was finished and a few days later he offered us a non-written deal for a full-length album, co-produced by the American Dark Descent recs. Both labels seem to be really good at what they do, so I hope it’ll be a smooth collaboration.

10.- Could you describe in your own words Death Metal?
- To quote an excerpt from “Into the Grave” ‘s liner notes: “If aliens came down from space and asked me what death metal is, I would put on this record and say this is it, GRAVE.”

11.- Now are you working in new stuff? Maybe a Full Lenght album?
- Yes, we’re currently writing some new shit for our first full-length album. We already have four songs, so it is realistic to say that the album will be recorded by the end of the spring so it can be eventually released in the middle of 2010.

12.- Plans for this 2010?
- Our first demo will be soon re-printed on tape by an Italian label called Unholy Domain records. I’d also like to play some gigs here and there when possible, but it’s getting harder and harder to arrange a good death metal concert down here as we may also have to tour or play live with our other bands.

13.- Anything to add or ask?
- Again, thanks a lot for the kind words and for the opportunity you gave us, your Zine kicks ass! ONLY DEATH IS REAL…

You can check this guys on:
www.myspace.com/undeadcreep666