Dementor

Every Death Metal fan with some self-respect has heard about Dementor from Slovakia. But their music has been very difficult to find, due to very poor distribution of their earlier material.
But 1999 is the year when Dementor are getting the exposure they richly deserve. First the brilliant "The Art Of Blasphemy" album on Quabalah Records (Repulse Records) and then the news that Dementor has signed on Osmose Productions for two albums. In other words; justice has been done. We contacted the band for an update on the situation. Rene answered our questions.

1. When and where was Dementor started ? Could you give us a brief biography ??

DEMENTOR started its existence as a three member band in 1988. I joined the band in 1991. We recorded our 1st official material only in 1992. It was our demo tape entitled "The extinction of Christianity". One year later came out 2nd demo "Morbid infection". On the basis of this tape we receive an offer for recording an official album from young Slovak label IMMORTAL SOULS PRODUCTONS. Unfortunately this material called "The church dies" was not edited like CD but only on MC format. This tape brought us the first popularity all around the world. I. S. P. was satisfied as well so they edited our 1st CD "Kill the thought on Christ" in 1997. This was very good step to world death metal scene but we are not very satisfied with very slow tempo which this material contains. We wanted to record very fast material but we were successful just partly. In 1997 we had said bye to our drummer and took another one who is 10 times faster. With this maniac we record next stuff "The art of blasphemy" in 1998 which was offered to some European labels. We received quite good bid from Spanish QABALAH PRODUCTOS / sublabel of REPULSE RECORDS so we signed the contract to them. Short time later had connected us French OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS and we signed the contract to them for two next albums. This is the most important point of our career and it seems to be very promising.

2. Please tell us more about your earlier demo-tapes and participation on compilation albums.

The first demo "The extinction of Christianity" contains 10 tracks of fast and technical death metal influenced also by old bands like Pestilence or Death. This tape is sung in Slovak. It was recorded in 4 tracks studio but the sound is quite good. It were very good times of our old line-up. The next demo "Morbid infection" was recorded in 1993 with new vocalist. This material is more brutal, heavier and contains 6 songs which are sung in English. We were participated on many compilation tapes and also on CD compilations. In the past it were mostly tapes and this does not have big importance for us. Now we are appearing on some magazine CD compilations.

3. Please tell us more about your debut album "Kill The Thought Of Christ" on Immortal Souls Production.

This album came out in 1997 and was sold out in number approximately 2000 copies. The label is preparing the next edition but there is very long delay. We await this edition pretty long time because people are still asking for "Kill the thought.... This album contains 8 ways to kill Jesus Christ and one cover song of our Slovak rock band called TUBLATANKA. Our version sounds like death metal and it was compared to Hypocrisy by many people. We got mostly positive response and reviews from all around the world however how I said before we are not very satisfied with slow tempos. This album prepared for us quite good position at death metal scene.

4. What happened between the release of that album and your signing on Quabalah Records ?

We created new material and we were ready it will be edited by I. S. P. again but we came to an agreement that we will try to ask some foreign labels. With respect to I. S. P. we sent only 5 promo CDs to European labels we liked their work very much. We started negotiations with LISTENABLE records and also with QABALAH. After some phone and fax discussions LISTENABLE gave up and QABALAH offered us quite good conditions comparable to those ones from I. S. P. thus we decided to sign to them. Short time after this act we got the information about the interest of OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS in DEMENTOR. They wanted to record "The art of blasphemy" because they really enjoyed it. Unfortunately it was too late to change something because the contract was signed and the production of CD was already running. We signed the contract to OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS for next two albums.

5. Why did you sign on Quabalah Records ?

Very good question. I told we had very good conditions at I. S. P. and conditions offered by QABALAH are not much more better. The first reason are some stupid people in Slovakia they always spoke that DEMENTOR is edited under I. S. P. only because of my friendship with Juraj Harin of this label. Of course we could ignore this primitive words but we wanted to prove that DEMENTOR is good enough for foreign labels too. The next reason is that we think that our album edited by good and serious label abroad can help to Slovak death metal scene in generally. Our bands are very often considered as weak and very low quality. Now I can watch that the situation is turning and some Slovak bands achieved good deals at good labels. For example THALARION / Mighty music, TYPHOID and AMORBITAL / Shock wave as well as DEMENTOR / QABALAH and currently OSMOSE. Here are also next very good bands like DEPRESY, SURGICAL DISSECTON, STAGNANT, MENTALITY or ACOASMA.

6. Please give us a full insight to your new album "The Art Of Blasphemy". The recording, the tracks, the concept, the line up on the album and the art- work.

This material was recorded in Slovak studio PRO ART. This studio is very good quality (24 tracks).
We attained sound according to our imaginations. We are satisfied with this chapter. This album contains 10 tracks. The 6th song is made only on keyboards. This "Requiem to the cursed lust" was written by our friend living in Moscow named Emily. We asked her to make something on keyboard for DEMENTOR and she agreed. This material is finally that what we exactly wanted to do always. It is fast and brutal according to our wishes. DEMENTOR was always anti-Christian oriented and we continue this way of lyrics at this album too. "The art of blasphemy" was recorded in this line up: Rene - guitar, vocals, Roman - guitar, Kerut - bass and new drummer Holloshman. The last mentioned man is total maniac. He is very fast. He is the real engine of DEMENTOR. The cover art work was painted by our friend Jan Sakmar. He is also the author of our previous albums artworks. There is a priest devouring intestines of Jesus Christ on the cover picture. It seems to be very easy to explain the meaning of this picture however it has some deeper meaning. It shows that representatives of Christian church just use ideas written in the bible to achieve their personal targets. These targets are mostly the power, the property and control upon the people.

7. Dementor is, together with Krabathor and Vader, regarded as the pioneers of the Eastern Europe Death Metal scene. How is the scene now, compared to 6- 8 years ago ?

Thank you very much for this compliment.. It is very interesting to make a sight to the past and compare it with the present. When DEMENTOR was starting its existence in Slovakia existed a fever called death metal. In our town were about 5 bands playing this style. It was after the fall of Communism thus we were free and could play what we wanted and sing about everything. The worst was that Slovak bands did not have good contacts abroad and in Slovakia were not our domestic labels which could be able to help us. If I compare that situation with the present one I am very pleased by rising interest in Slovak bands. Finally starts the time that foreign labels are opened to accept Slovak bands.

8. Probably a stupid question, but I am a stupid idiot so will give it a try: What effect, if any, had the split between the Czech Republic and Slovakia have on the metal scene in these two countries ?

Do not excuse ! You do not have to be informed about the situation on our scene. According to my opinion this act has not had any influence upon Slovak and Czech death metal scenes. We cooperate with a lot of people in Czech. The contacts were not broken. The only problem is with traveling across the borders. When we travel for concerts to Czech republic we have to execute every necessary customs formalities.

9. What is your plans for 1999 ?

In this year came out our 2nd CD "The art of blasphemy" and we would like to support this album with concert activities in Slovakia, Czech republic and in another countries according to our possibilities. We prepared little tour in Slovakia and Czech in September. We are also creating new songs for our next album which will be recorded for OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS probably in summer 2000.

10. Where can Dementor be contacted ? Any web sites ?

You can find DEMENTOR on I.S.P., REPULSE web sites. Some mention about us could be on OSMOSE web site as well. You can also mail us. My address is:
Rene Blahusiak
Vajanskeho 154
020 01 Puchov
SLOVAKIA
Phone: 00421 825 4677590, 612603
fax: 00421 825 612710
(state the name ROMAN CALPAS on the top of fax sheet if you decide to send us some message).

Contact us. We will appreciate your interest.

11. Any final comments ?

Thank you very much for this super interview. Greetings to fans of DEMENTOR in your country. You can order our CD "The art of blasphemy" at my address. Send well hidden 12 USD in registered mail to get it.

KEEP THE BLASPHEMY !