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Usurper are a long-standing underground death metal band with a lot of old-school metal elements and sensibilities, influenced by the masters such as Hellhammer and, as logic would
dictate, Celtic Frost. Their alcohol-fueled metallic mayhem is as fun as it is frightening on their latest release, Twilight Dominion. Check out the following interview with guitarist and primary songwriter Rick
Scythe.
Interviewed by Al Kikuras.
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First and most importantly, your former website (http://www.usurper-necrocult.com/) redirects to a porn site called "Tina's Free Live Cam." Which of you is Tina?
RS: "Tina" used to run the usurper-necrocult.com website. We fired her and our new address is: www.usurper.us. I guess she wanted to keep that address for her own personal
use. As you can tell, her services aren't cheap!
Last time I interviewed Necromancer was right after Skeletal Season was released. At the time he told me that that all of the money Usurper generated was invested back into touring
with the band. Is that still the case?
RS: What money???
What is a typical tour like in the US?
RS: A typical US tour has always been a conversion van with a trailer and one roadie. We always make sure the venue can provide 1 meal and plenty of brew in addition to the cash
guarantee. We get paid pretty well for each show, between the guarantee and merchandise. We've been fortunate enough to be able to get hotels, extra meals, extra beer, and still come home with a little cash in our
pockets, but by no means do we become wealthy by touring.
Lay out a typical tour day for me.
RS: 6 sweatty guys crammed in the van, cranking metal, watching metal videos or the Simpsons or something. Jon and the roadie take turns driving, the rest of us just kick back, get
loaded... get to the venue, argue about not getting enough beer, complain about the shitty food. Then it's hurry up and wait.
Usurper has toured Europe as well. How different are touring conditions overseas?
RS: In Europe even for an underground band like us, it's always been on a tour bus. The venues usually give you 2 meals a day, a shower and alcohol. Conditions are much better, but no
matter what, the show is the most important part.
Was it an ugly break with Necropolis? What happened?
RS: Necropolis was great when we signed but to make a long boring story short, The direction that that label was going, and the business practices of the label were not what we wanted
to be associated with anymore. It was time to get off that sinking ship!
This is a picture of your labelmates Autonomy. If you didn't already know the band name, what name would you pick for them?
Autonomy
RS: Rage Against the Washing Machine.
The new album, Twilight Dominion, is split in to two Chapters: Total Metal Lust and Tales from the Chronovisor. Unfortunately, I don't have the lyrics for the release, so I
have to ask: are the songs that comprise the two parts tied together lyrically?
RS: The album is in 2 chapters to pay homage to the days of vinyl and tapes. Back then albums had 2 sides and the flow of the album
felt that way. We felt this album had the kind of feel of a real album with 2 sides so the only logical way to have a side 1 and side 2 on a CD was to divide it into chapters. There is no concept,
but we have some overall themes, as always. Many of the songs deal with hidden, obscure, paranormal topics. Events that happened in the past or legends from the past. A few others are
typical Usurper metal anthems. A Chronovisor, being a time machine, is a sort of window into past events, much like how some of the tales on TWILIGHT DOMINION deal with past events from
the dark hidden side of reality. TOTAL METAL LUST is our attitude and the life code we follow.
Typically, does someone come to rehearsal with songs written or is writing a collaborative effort?
RS: I write all the music and 50% of the lyrics. Basically I compose all the songs on a 4 track recorder, where I play all the
instruments and program the drums. If it is something I have lyrics for, I sing on it as well. Then I give the rest of the band a tape. The structure of song, and the riffs, and drum patterens are set in
stone. I then have everyone learn the songs and come up with their own drum fills, bass lines, some lyrics, solos... basically just let everyone take the final version of the song and put their own
mark on it, so it becomes very personal to each member. The General will sometimes give me full lyrics, partial lyrics or a basic concept. Occasionally the General will even direct how he thinks
the music should go. I suppose I am the Saddam Hussein of Usurper.
Ever find it easier to write when drunk?
RS: No. Occassionally stoned, but never drunk. Being drunk is better for the stage then writting.
How many beers does it take for you to get good and loaded?
RS: I suppose it is different for every member of the band. I am probobly the lightest drinker of the band. It takes me only about 8
-12 beers to get nice and buzzed. I usually only drink at rehearsal, and everyday on tour. I don't generally get too fucked up before I go on stage. 3-6 beers before we play, tops. I don't like to get to
the point where I get too out of control, for that I need something harder like Jagermeister. The General drinks at least 12 beers on an average day. He can't even get buzzed on less than that. On
weekends, tour, stage and rehearsal night he drinks between 20-24 beers a day. Jon Necromancer is about at the same degree as the General. He's an 8-12 regular day, 20 and up each weekend
day, tour day, stage, rehearsal. The new guitarist, Carcass Chris is the opposite, 12 and up on regular day. But only 1 or 2 beers before a show, or at practice, 8-20 after a show.
Ever get so drunk you couldn't pull off the music?
RS: I don't. I think you have to know your limits. I like to smoke a few hits before we hit the stage. General and Jon can't perform
WITHOUT being obliterated! They need at least 6 beers on stage per half hour of stage time, plus they both drink at least 12 before hitting the stage. This helps their performance. If they are too
straight they can't function. We all like to smoke quite a bit before we go on. We never played a show without some form of intoxicant in our systems.
Does Usurper attract many groupies?
RS: Just look at us... of course we do! How can they resist?
Rick Scythe
King Diamond did backing vocals on your last album, Necronemesis. In my opinion, his vocals on the title track
were more frightening than anything on the last few King Diamond and Mercyful Fate albums. What do you think of King's last few outings?
RS: I remember telling the King that I wanted his vocals to sound like the old Mercyful Fate style vocals, and he actually did it! I still
get a chill down my spine when I hear his vocals on our album! I liked 9 a lot. House Of God was pretty good as well. Abigail 2, wasn't too interesting to me. It seemed a bit too uninspired.
Rumor has it the classic Celtic Frost lineup is reuniting for a new album. Do you they will honor or disgrace the legend?
RS: I think they disgraced the legend on COLD LAKE, now it is just trying to save face. The magic is gone now... I'm glad I've seen them in the mid 80s.
How's it going with Earache so far? Did they let you raid the record cabinet?
RS: We beg them for "gifts" all the time. They've been very good to us too. We are a small fish in a big pond on Earache, but they
have been very cool with us so far. They have some people there that seem to be really behind the band. So far no complaints!
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RELATED LINKS:
Official Usurper Site
Earache Records
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