INCANTATION – Back to death metal basics

Incantation og John McEntee har vi vært borti tidligere her i Eternal Terror, både når det gjelder plateomtaler, konsertomtale og intervju. Intervjuet ble gjort den eneste gangen bandet har vært i Norge og det var etter slipp av Decimate Christendom. Sist høst slapp bandet nok et album i Primordial Domination og etter å ha omtalt skiva, sendte vi over noen spørsmål til denne sympatiske amerikaneren. Svar kom, om noget forsinket, og nu er tiden inne for å høre hva John McEntee har å si om ståa i Incantation leiren pr 2007.

ET – Hello, and congratulations with your latest album; "Primoridial Domination". I'm quite sure you're pleased with it yourself, could you perhaps try to describe the album with your own words?
John – Well, the album came out pretty much the way we wanted it to. We were looking for a dry distinguishable but heavy and aggressive sounding album. And we feel we got what we were looking for. We really just wanted it to sound like true Incantation. So yes we are very satisfied with "Primordial Domination.

ET – And how has the response to the album been so far? Any negative reviews at all?
John – For the most part it has been getting great reviews. We know that not everyone will like the album or style because we don't fit into any of the current trends. But we are happy with the album and the true old school death metal heads are into it so that is good enough for us. We play music for ourselves and not for trendies and critics, but really over all we are very satisfying with the response to the album.

ET – How will you say that "Primordial…" differs from your previous album(s)?
John – I don't know, really each album is very much an expression of us at a time in our lives. I just think that we really mastered the production aspect of the band on Primordial Domination; if anything this album is more of a riffy album also maybe more heavy then some of the past few. The difference is more for you to decide, we just play the music we like, and the other stuff is for you to decide.

ET – What does the title refer to? Is there a red thread going through the album?
John – We chose the title Primordial Domination because we felt that is was a very back to death metal basics album. We really felt the fire that we had when we started the bands. We wanted the album to be primordial and not very modern. We are proud to be apart of the old school fundamentals of death metal and with our own style we will dominate and kill all the posers. 

ET – The promo which I received contained these little "surprises" from the label in every song. Do you agree with me saying that this is quite irritable, and may in some cases lead to a bad review somewhere?
John – I think the over dubs are cool, for me it's more funny then irritable. We all spent a lot of money on the recording and Listenable didn't want to have it released on the internet before the release dates. Either way I don't care, I know if I like an album I will buy it, and if someone is cool enough to do an interview for the band then I will be more then happy to send them a free copy of the album without over dubs. .

ET – The music that Incantation plays is a bit different from what the rest of the American death metal scene is doing, it's darker and more atmospheric; any comments on that?
John – We are just playing the music we are into, we don't care about trends or anything. We are old school dudes just playing with the feeling we have always been into. We really don't care what other bands are doing when we play, we do things our way!

ET – Although you've been playing for some years now, could you perhaps tell our readers a little about yourself and the band? What is your musical background, other bands you have played in etc?
John – My first serious band I played in was Revenant that was the band that really opened me up to the underground. That was back in about 87 and I really learned a lot working with them. There was a point when I started to go in a more death metal direction then the rest of the band so I left and started Incantation. I also played with Mortician for about a year. I was helping them out until they were able to find a permanent guitarist. In around 1999 I filled in for Immolation on Guitar after Tom left the band, I did it when I had some down time from Incantation. In 2001 I restarted Funerus with my wife and I have been doing that for a wile now. We are working on a new album this year. Now I do both Funerus and Incantation along with my record Label Ibex moon Records, things with the label have been going well, we have some killer bands like Bloody Sign, Estuary, Thornafire, Incrust, Hell-Born, Denial Fiend, I'm even working on releasing a old Massacre Recording. So over all things are going good.

ET – There's no secret that Incantation is a band that has been through a lot of line-up changes, is this album's line-up one that you think will hold?
John – I never say never, at the moment, we are on tour now in Europe with Jim Row from The first two albums on drums because Kyle has some business issues to take care of, but he still in the band. Also Joe left the band pretty much right after the recording of the album. We have been working with Roberto from INFINITUM OBSCURE on Bass for a lot of touring. But for the European tour we are working with Reyash from Supreme Lord.

ET – You've been around for quite some time now, is there something that you feel haven't been fulfilled in your life as a musician?
John – I don't know; there are a lot of great things that have happened for me from the band. So it has been very fulfilling. The band is a very important part of my life but I do have other things that are very important too, like my wife and my 2 Akitas also the label is very important to me.

ET – You're signed on Listenable, which in my opinion has one of the most impressing lists of bands in their stall that I've ever seen. Are you happy with them and the work they're doing for you?
John – Yes they are great. We are happy to work with them. I have been friends with the owner for a while so it's cool to work with them.

ET – When will we get the chance to see you perform in Norway?
John – We hope to play there again soon, we only played Norway once. So it would be great to return!!! 

ET – What is your opinion on the death metal-scene these days?
John – it's getting better but it's different, the internet has really changed things, sometimes for the better but sometimes for the worst. The big problem is that music is not as sacred as it once was because it's too easy to get anything you want over the net real easy. When I first got into the scene we had to mail order everything and wait months to get the stuff we ordered. 

ET – Pick your all time Top 5 death metal albums and bands.
John –
Autopsy – Mental Funeral
Possessed – Seven Churches
Morbid Angel – Alters of Madness
Obituary – slowly we rot
Paradise Lost – Lost Paradise                  
And many more……

ET – That's about it; any famous last words?
John – Thanks for the support! Keep real death metal alive! Thanks for the interview and sorry for the long delay. We look forward to returning to Norway and playing for all you true old school death metal maniacs.