Krabathor has been one of Europes best Death Metal band in the last five years.
This band has toured Europe in the last years and released four brilliant full- length albums. And still they have not got the recognition they fully deserve.
Hopefully; their new album "Orthodox" (Morbid Records) will give Krabathor the recognition they deserve. Krabathor come from the Czech Republic; one of Europes fastest growing economies and a EU member from year 2002.
We caught up with Cristopher through e- mail at the Morbid Records HQ.
This is the history of Krabathor in his own words.
1. Could you give us a brief biography ?
- We started in 1984 by me and in 1986 Bruno joined the band and we are
just two old members of the band. In 1988 we have released our three demo
tapes called BREATH OF DEATH, TOTAL DESTRUCTION and BRUTAL DEATH. It was
recorded in hard time in the Czech Republic/Slovakia because it was through
the communistic totality and government donŽt liked hard bands because they
were afraid about it. We havenŽt had good possibility go to the studio and
we recorded it just in the rehearsal room only. We have played our first gig
in 1988 in the Prague (Czech rep) and we have played on the DEATH METAL SESSION
in front of 1500 people and it was our start with the playing. In 1991 we
released demo called FEELINGS OF DETHRONISATION and than we decided to find
a label for our CDŽs. We have found label called MONITOR REORDS and we have
released in 1992 a CD called ONLY OUR DEATH IS WELCOME... and in 1993 a CD
called COOL MORTIFICATION. We decided to leave the label because they have
distribution in the Czech Republic and Slovakia only. We have done three
songs promo tape, by the way we released it later as 7"EP called THE RISE
OF BRUTALITY, and we have got offer from MORBID RECORDS. We have released
under them LIES CD, MCD MORTAL MEMORIES and our new CD ORTHODOX.
2. Your first two full- length albums "Only our Death Is Welcome" and "Cool Mortification" was released on Monitor Records/EMI in the Czech Republic and I believe they are no longer available. Could you tell us more about these two albums ? Is there any plans for re- releases ?
- As I told those CDŽs were distributed just in the Czech republic and Slovakia and not so much people from foreign countries have had possibility to heard it, expect a few copies distributed through us and our friends. We are playing a few songs from old CDŽs on the gigs and of course we would like
to re-release it and show it to people which ones have not had possibility to hear it. We and Morbid records we have big interest to do this but we have some problems with the contract with old label Monitor records. WeŽll see what will happen with it but I have to tell you that we are working on
it.
3. In my view; "Lies" is one of the best albums ever released by a European DM band. Could you please give us your view on this album and the follow up MCD "Mortal Memories" ?
- The LIES album was as like our first step to the world underground. In the past, we have had some personal problems to with the line -up and we had to do some changes like cleaning up the band and we decided to put to our music new ideas with more powerful and brutal music. The MCD MORTAL
MEMORIES was just as the piece to show our old roots because we have those roots in our body and mind and you can find it in new CDŽs or new songs too. We did not want to wait or fans so long time between LIES and our new CD and we decided to do this way through the MCD. We have included there three old songs together with two new songs, one of them called ORTHODOX was as a
advance before of our new CD which one have the same title.
4. Over to your new album "Orthodox". How would you compare it to "Lies" ?
- On the new CD ORTHODOX we have used some changes wit the recording
because we are just three members of the band and as a back ground under the
solos we have done just bass guitar lines. It is good to be on the record the
same like on the stage. We have used for the new CD some themes like
dangerous things around us. For example fascism, communism and things like
this. We have used the lyrics about the feeling or about the mind of the
people too. Some people can the same feeling as we have and can it find in
in our stuff. I guess that we are still on our way of the Death metal
because we do not like falling down from our way. It is like in normal life
to. People can change everything because money and can to change complete
life or kill. In the music is it the some some bands can change their style or
kind of music because to be more popular and they are bringing to the
underground some trendy or commercial influences. Here is just one way for
us, to stay be orthodox and than people can believe us.
5. You toured South Africa earlier this year. Could you give us a tour report ?
- We have been playing there three very good shows. We have played in towns
Johannesburg, there was about 500 people, in Vanderbijl park (300 people)
and last gig in front of 350 people in Bloemfontein. People from South
Africa are a little bit hungry about the music because there is not any good
possibility to see bands live because this so far away from America and so
far away from the Europe and so on... People were enjoyed our show very
well and they were very wonderful because we have in booklet of MORTAL
MEMORIES photo on the snow and all most no body have had possibility to see
snow falling down and they were asked us about it. We have had a lot of free
time in the South Africa and we visited typical African places and
things too. All and all it was so fine play in the such Sunny South Africa
in such cold days here in the Europe.
6. We have in this magazine pointed out that the metal scene in the Czech Republic and Slovakia are very strong at the moment, but it does not get the recognition it fully deserve. What is your view on this scene ?
- I can just agree that scene here in Czech republic/Slovakia is pretty
cool and big. Here is a lot of bands and lot of people which one to do
support of the underground by the magazines, zines, by the labels. Here are
so often gigs or some underground festivals too! I have just tell you that
underground from here have to go more to the world underground and that it
will be fine.
7. What is your view on the World Wide metal scene ?
- I guess that on the scene is a lot of bands , a lot of records and some
time is it hard to find which ones can be good for each people. If IŽll
speak about the world underground, some time is bad that to the underground
some bands bring so much trendy or commercial influences, it can be
dangerous for the underground. From the other side is good that underground
have the possibility to show something to general public. WeŽll see what
the future will bring...
8. What is your plans for the rest of 1998 ?
- First we would like to do good support and promotion for new CD ORTHODOX.
WeŽll be touring with CANNIBAL CORPSE over whole Europe and this is fine for
us because weŽll go visit countries which we never have visited
before. For example weŽll play in the England, Scotland, Croatia and
Slovenia. We have done video clip for the song taken from ORTHODOX called
"LIQUID" and we would like to broadcasting it everywhere where it is possible.
Thanx a lot for this interview.
Cristopher also informed us about the fine selection of Krabathor merhandice you can buy from Morbid Records. For example T-shirts and their brilliant records (CD/LP) LIES, MORTAL MEMORIES and ORTHODOX.