Obtruncation has been a well kept secret in Holland in the last ten years. But Damnation Records has finally unleashed Obtruncation on the rest of this world and the result is the awesome "The Callous Concept" album. We contacted Martin.Steigenga for the latest news.




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

Obtruncation was formed around 1989. In 1991 we recorded the demo "Sanctum's disruption". In 1992 we recorded the second demo "Sphere of the rotting" which was very good received by the underground as well. Late 1994 we recorded the master for " The Callous concept" but we were ripped of by the label (Sludge Recs.) we had signed at that time. So the master-tape stayed unreleased. Not long after that we split up (somewhere around 1995). First of all our vocalist Lawrence left and not much later Frank (our second guitarist) also left the band because of other interests. A few months after they left we decided to lay down all the activities for the time being and went our own way. After a while Luc and i (Martin) again had contact and i heard that Luc had continued making new guitar-riffs, we got contact to a bass-player (who's not in the band anymore) to jam around with the old and new songs. He also knew a very good guitarist and vocalist and we started considering about reforming Obtruncation.

2. What do the band-name means ?

The name Obtruncation means execution by ripping of the head.

3. Please tell us more about your demo tapes.

As I mentioned the first 5 track demo was released in 1991 and we got very good comments about it, although the production was a little bit clean we made name in the underground to be one of the fastest death-bands. The next demo "Sphere of the Rotting" (also 5 tr.) had a very heavy sounding and was also very good received by the underground. Both demo's are completely sold out for years now.

4. In the promo letter; it was referred to an unnamed French label which ripped you off. Please tell us more.

The label, for I think was a one man's-business, contacted us first around 1993/94 and it was very positive about our demo's. He wanted to do a cd with us and gave us good conditions about it. The finance should be split in to halves, first he sent us the first halve, we went into the studio and sent the goods but he didn't sent us the second halve because of a so called lack of money. It's a long story but we didn't come out of it that bad after-all.

5. Has it been difficult to keep the spirit high in the ten years the band has existed and struggled ??

You can say that!! As it is hard for every death-metal band it sure was for us.
The reason why we still keep on going is that we stand for the music and we like to play this kind of music. We don't have to make a living out of it so we can do what we want. Although it's much easier to go the commercialized way, we just are not that way (we have our honor). For us it's o.k. when we can play live now and then and when we get good reactions from the right people.

6. How did you get in touch with Damnation Records ?

By coincidence in 1998 after Jeroen from Damnation called me to get in contact with our former guitar-player Frank and we came to the subject of the still unreleased recordings.
I sent a tape and they were enthusiastic to release the material, so we signed for the release of that CD which is out now.

7. Please give us a full insight to your album "The Callous Concept". The recording, the tracks, the concept, the line up on the album and the art- work.

We recorded it in 1995 for it was our main goal with Obtruncation. We didn't had that much time for it (finance) but it was really fun. After-all, when we heard the CD at first time we recognized the points we have to work on next time but it definitely was an experience to us.
At that time we didn't have a bass-player so we asked our former bass-player Roeland Boot (who was with us at the time of the first demo) to play the stuff. He did a real good job for someone who was not in the band anymore for a couple of years.
We put (except for one song) all the songs from the demo's on the CD because for us it was a statement.
A professional photographer did the cover-artwork, a friend of our former vocalist did the original booklet, it was up-dated by me and a friend of ours made the back-cover.

8. Please give us an insight to your lyrics.

The lyrics on the Callous…… are dealing with the hatred between the church and the underworld, we like writing and reading about that and we like to stay at the concept where the music stands for.
The new lyrics have a more splatter character coz this is a more favorite subject of our "new" vocalist.

9. According to the promo letter; you are currently preparing seven new songs. Please tell us more about these new songs and what we can expect.

Yes… last month we recorded a 6 tr. tape (which is now pressed on CD) in a 8 track studio. The CD will be send to several record companies for we hope to get a good deal for the second CD (maybe Damnation will do the job). Musically the newer songs have a more straight character I think and technically they are more in the same vein as the most technical tracks on The Callous Concept.
We are working on two brand-new tracks so then we have 9 tracks, we like to have 10 tracks for a CD, so we need some more time. We hope to get a good deal to take more time for the recordings of the songs to get a more blasting production of the newest songs than we did on The callous Concept.

10. How would you place yourself in the European Death Metal landscape? Which bands would you compare yourself with?

From the old days we all had in minds to be one of the most brutal, fastest and raging bands in the world. In certain ways I think we succeeded in that somehow, but in all-round technique there's still a lot to learn. I don't like to compare Obtruncation to other bands, but you can place Obtruncation in the list of fast, fast and faster. Also we like slow and medium speed parts along with a strong emotional melody, but the over the top fast parts make Obtruncation the way it was made for. We have our influences by many bands of the late eighties but i think Obtruncation which was formed also in that time has also original character.

11. What is your view on today's Death Metal scene ?

The death-metal in Holland still does a reasonable job, worldwide it's also not that bad although you can hear a lot of bands copying themselves time and time again. New bands will get it much harder because the music has grown out of its skin. The formula is originality, variety and an interesting or emotional melody!

12. What is your political, religious and philosophical views ?

We are not that interested in politics but I notice we have a liberal view on things, we don't like extremeties.
Religious: nothing interesting stuff to tell.
Philisophical: there's only right and wrong.

13. I guess Obtruncation is not your day-time job. How is the lives of the members of Obtruncation ?

It sure is not (we would be dead by now).
Obtruncation is nice a hobby an a good way of sports (ha, ha), for me drumming is the main hobby of my life (I do this for more then twenty years now and it still doesn't bother), I think I can say this for everyone in the band. We all have daily jobs with enough money to make a good life out of it.

14. What is your plans for 1999 ?

For now our main aim is to get a good deal for the second CD and then it's the recording of it. Hopefully we get things done this year. Also we hope to do a show each month but we have to see.

15. Where can Obtruncation be contacted ? Any web sites ?

We are busy at a site, we already have something, but it cost a little time to get something good out of it. Hopefully next month you can find us on the net as well.

16. Any final comments ?

Thanks for the interest in Obtruncation and I hope a lot of people will go listening " The Callous Concept", come to the shows and look out for the next CD !!


Obtruncation can be contacted at Martin.Steigenga@avr.nl, Steig@wishmail.net or Steig67@hotmail.com.