Postmortem has in the last two years established themselves as one of the biggest Death'n'Roll acts in Europe. Their new album "Repulsion" and the re-release of their "Screams Of Blackness" will confirm their position in Europe. We contacted Postmortem for an update and Matthias took time off his busy schedule to return the answers. Due to changes of computers and a damaged floppy disc, we also lost the interview sheet, but we managed to recover the questions. This interview actually make sense.



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

- Here is our biography: POSTMORTEM started their way in Berlin 1991. Immediately they recorded their first tape "Secret Lunacy" , which was released in November 91, it sold nearly 500 items. First concerts followed in the local scene of Berlin and around. In May 1992 the band won the Ludwigshafener underground - contest, for instant against bands like Pyogenesis. In August 1992 was the second tape "Last Aid To Die" recorded and now Postmortem became a real good resonance in a lot of fanzines and mags. Airplays in different countries (also in USA) followed. That was the point when Postmortem got local and nationwide popularity. Short time later came the first deals/offers from some record-labels, and two years of the very beginning, Postmortem signed their first record - deal. The recordings to the debut-CD "Screams of Blackness" took place in the famous studios of Harris Johnes (former producer of Sepultura, Sodom, Helloween, Kreator...) in Berlin mid - August ´93. CD - release was the one year later, in cause of problems with the distribution- agency here in Europe. The material got good vibes everywhere and during the release – month the band was live on screen. The most important Mags "Metal - Hammer", "Rockhard"and "Horror Infernal" gave best notes to "Screams of Blackness". And in Nov. 94 voted the Berlin radiostation "Fritz" Postmortem to the 6st best Metal - Band of the year.
In the end of 1995 Postmortem decided to break the deal with "Husky Records" ,as the financial support was equal to zero. Against all anticipation; "Screams of Blackness" sold good. One reason was surely that Postmortem secured the respect of people and critics. In Oktober 1996 Postmortem signed by MORBID RECORDS. The Maxi - CD "Der Totmacher" And the longplayer "The Age of Massmurder" was released in Dec.96 and April 97 worldwide. These outputs promoted 1997 on supports- shows for CRADLE OF FILTH, SODOM, D - AGE, TOTENMOND.
In October´99 the 3rd Album was released. "Repulsion" is now the current attack against humanity and still the most matured work of Postmortem. From the beginning till now Postmortem played over 250 shows for instant with MORBID ANGEL,CREMATORY, RAMMSTEIN, IN FLAMES, CRADLE OF FILTH,HYPOCRISY, ATROCITY, SKYCLAD,... . Some of them as tour - support for the Summer - Meetings 96 with MORBID ANGEL, CREMATORY - Germany - Tour 95 and the ATROCITY - Blood - Tour in 1994.

2. If I am not mistaken; "Screams Of Blackness" was your first album. Please tell me more about this release. Which record label was it originally released on ?? This album has now been re-mastered & re- released with some previous unreleased tracks. I am a bit confused when it comes to who actually re- released it. Was it PostMortem, Morbid Records or both ??

- Yeah, "Screams Of Blackness "is our first album and we released it under a other label and now we got the copyrights back. Many people wont to buy this piece and it was not possible in cause it was sold out, some maniacs paid nearly 150,- Marks for this CD. So we said "let´s re-release it". And in respect to our fans we put 3 previous unreleased tracks from our Screams – era on the re- release. Morbid Records and we think it’s better to put the promotion- money in one campaign. Together with the „Repulsion" promo campaign. Originally "Screams Of Blackness" released on "Husky Rec." A small sucker- label.

3. How did you get in touch with Morbid Records ??

- After our split with Husky we searched for a new deal, we had some offers and we decided to go for the best and most fair underground label. There we got our money and nobody say us what we have to do or to play. And on the other side, we know the Morbid guys since a long time before. They are also fans of good beer !

4. Your album " The Age of Massmurder" was released a couple of years ago through Morbid Records. Please tell us more about this album. For example the recording, the lyrics, the writing process and the featured tracks.

- Ya, "Der Totmacher" and "The Age of Massmurder" was products of the 2 years between Husky and Morbid. In this time we tried to play more groovy or more straight. We had composed many, many songs which we kicked in the dustbin, in cause of our changing style. So we kicked all the death like songs, now I think it must be a complete album which landed in the dirt. We always make only this music what we all can accept. Under us is never a compromise. We hope the listener can hear it, that our songs comes from the belly and not Paradise Lost or Moonspell, they are the Judas in the metal-scene. It would be more honest to change the band-name with those radical cuts. Then it was my idea to make an concept about serial-killers on this album. The cause was that I interested in serial-killing since a couple of years especially the Germans. And so was it a short way to write my lyrics only about the real crime, abnormal souls and perversity of real killer-persons. It was very easy to find lyrics in the biographies of people like Henry Lee Lucas or the horror-house West´s in England. That´s real life-horror not fantasies. After the release came a lot of critics and said Postmortem are glorificators of violence. But we are a metal-band and not whimpy pussys. We think metal is a hard music and must have hard lyrics. "The Age of Massmurder" should be a journey through a psychopath’s brain and told some true stories of damaged minds. But in the first stand always the music and after that the lyrics.

5. Your song "Der Totmacher" from the MCD with the same name, are one of my all-time favorite tracks. Please tell us more about it.

- Thank you for the compliment, when you put "Der Totmacher" into your all-time faves. This MCD was our first new strike after the long break and should shown the world we are back with these new tracks. We recorded these tracks together with the album tracks during the "The Age Of Massmurder"- studio-session. You must see both CD´s as one, big and little brother, in cause the lyric-concept is the same as on "The Age Of Massmurder".

6. Your album "Repulsion" was released this autumn through Morbid Records. Please tell us more about this album. For example the recording, the lyrics, the writing process and the featured tracks.

- In contrast to our other release reveal the new tracks more variety and power. We want clear and simple song-structures linked with straight guitars. We tried to mix the easy Rock´n Roll feeling with some death-elements. Last week said one critic "Repulsion" is Death´n Roll! From all sides we heard now positive things. And our feelings were much better as we played our record-release-party in front of a furious crowd of 600 people here in Berlin. We hope we can give the Death Metal-wave a little new inspiration or so. The songs on "Repulsion" about various things, but always about the dark sides of humanity. The album title means that religions sucks, especially the Catholics. Now one step before the year 2000 it can´t be that ugly, fat popes told the mankind what they have to do. And on the other sides are the church responsible for the biggest mass-killing in all time and also today people kill people for their god. We are not antichrists or believe in Satan, we´re only atheist and we see in the world not only the beautiful sides, we digging in the wounds (Better Beware"), in the dirt("Gutterballs") and make the hate to our new god.

7. How would you compare your three albums ?

- I see the 3 albums like the growing up of a child, our first baby "Screams of Blackness" was our first steps there are Postmortems first cuts of aggression. The next outputs "Totmacher" and "The Age of Massmurder" are more considered our kind to compose songs has changed and our kind to see things in the music. And now "Repulsion" is definitely our best work and reflect all our good sides the raw power and speed linked with groove and melodic hooks. That´s in cause we know now our strength and our weakness. We can hope other people or the listeners can see that in the same way, that would make us proud. Yeah it say it, I would prefer the label "Death´n Roll" for the new Postmortem sound. But that must decide other people like you !

8. Earlier this year; you wrote a song for a soccer club in Berlin. Please tell us more about it.

- We were asked in the summer this year as the club 1. FC Union Berlin was financially trouble the looked for bands who can write a new hymn for the club. The PR-manager knows us and asked us. Now is it so that we put our song on a tribute to Union sampler with some other bands, because the official hymn has been written by Nina Hagen. She was the bigger name for the publicity. Our song is not a pure Death Metal one, it’s more rocking songs with enough power and melodic to sing in a stadium.

9. What is your view on the Metal scene in Germany contra Europe ?

- I think the metal-scene is in Europe not a other like here in Germany, we heard from the Skyclad´s in U.K. is it very bad for metal?! Very sad in cause England was the birthplace of all metal. Now is the time of a hard market a lot of bands and a lot of labels fight for the rest of the metal fans. Many of fans changed to the hardcore scene and industrial stuff. So is it very difficult to play concerts or tours. The bigger bands play also in front of not many fans. We hope the good times like in the Judas Priest area comes back and metal will rules and blow the gaymetal ala Moonspell or Tiamat away !!!

10. What are your plans for the coming months and year ?? Any tour plans ??

- In the beginning year we will go on a promo-tour with Manos or we become a support on a bigger tour. Our label and a booking agency working on it. Now this year we play some club shows there and there.

11. Do you have a merchandise list ??? From what address can the band be contacted ??

- Yeah, we have some merchandising for instant a very good Vodka called "Totmacher" (comes in a special wooden box), you can find our stocklist on the morbid-sites in the web under

Morbid Records

You can contact us under the email-adress:

106605.2446@compuserve.com

or from our address

Postmortem
Postfach 4002 06
12632 Berlin
GERMANY

Thanx and much luck for your mag in the future, I hope my English was´nt so bad indeed.

We wish Postmortem good luck in the future.