Warhead. As pleasant a bunch of fellows as the name implies! Their debut album, Raping of Angels (Elegy) is a superb disc, blending death metal and black metal to a perfect end. Read on and find out what went down when Al Kikuras and Warhead mastermind Gautam Kar smashed their heads together for a spell.
Interviewed by Al Kikuras. The lovely lady sprawled throughout the page is the amazing Jill Kelly.
Al Kikuras: When and how was Warhead formed?
Gautam Kar: Warhead was formed in the summer of 1996. My previous band, No Restraints, had just broken up, but I had some material that I wrote just as we broke up. I wanted to put those songs on a tape, so the other two members of Warhead and I went into the studio and made a four song demo. At that time we really didn't consider ourselves a band, it was just something I was doing for myself. When Abazagorath was recording their album for Elegy, Chris, their drummer (and also our drummer), played our demo for Rob of Elegy records. Rob liked what he heard and wanted to put an album out by us also. It was really then that we came up with a name and decided to be a band. That's basically how the band came about.
A: How would you classify Warhead's music?
G: I would classify our music as straight ahead death/black metal. We use a lot of melodic chords, do some guitar harmonies, and keep the music fast at most times. I also like to keep our sound pretty raw at the same time, by not using keyboards, or too many clean guitar parts. We're not a band that wants to break new ground by incorporating a lot musical styles into the death metal format, we just like to write good fast, heavy songs.
A: Do you think neo-nazis insist on working on Jewish holidays?
G: Considering that they're probably not smart enough to get jobs, I'd have to say no.
A: Are you a fan of pornography?
G: Did John Holmes have a big dick? A: I guess so! Any favorite movies or stars?
G: I would have to say The Dinner and Lady Gourmet have to be two of the finest pieces of cinematography ever filmed. As far as a favorite movie star, when I want to wax the dolphin, any fucking cum lapping, ass eating whore will do.
A: You quote DeSade's Juliette in the inlay card on Raping of Angels. Are you a big fan of his works?
G: I am a fan of De Sade. I seem to agree with a lot of his philosophies, especially regarding guilt and conscience. The quote that is in the inlay card is basically how I try to look at life. You shouldn't let guilt and conscience get in the way of things you want to do. It's tough to live completely that way because everyone feels some sort of guilt for some of their actions, but people shouldn't let the morals of religion or society dictate their own actions. If you feel naturally inclined to do something, then you should do it.
A: Is "Carnal Mutilations" inspired by DeSade?
G: "Carnal Mutilations" wasn't inspired by De Sade. "Carnal Mutilations" was inspired by an article that was in the Village Voice about four or five years ago. The article was about a serial killer, but I can't remember who.
A: Is the Chris (drummer from Abazgorath and Warhead) a full time member of each band?
G: He is full-time member of both bands. Rich, our other guitar player, was also a member of Abazagorath for a while, and I've also played live with Abazagorath a couple times. We've all been associated with Abazagorath one way or another.
A: Have you written any material since the debut?
G: I have written three new songs so far, for our next album. The next cd will be heavier than the first, but the music will still be a combination of death and black metal. The songs on the first cd were primarily fast the whole way through, but the new songs have more slow heavy parts. One of the songs is an instrumental, which has a mid-paced tempo throughout the whole song, and the other two songs are typically fast, but do contain some slower riffs. The new songs are more melodic than the ones on the Raping of Angels. I want to incorporate more melody on the next cd, but the songwriting is still going to be straight ahead death/black metal.
A: Has Warhead played live?
G: Unfortunately, Warhead has never played live. There are a lot of things I want to do for a Warhead show, like have video or slides in the background, but right now our drummer is recovering from a couple of serious injuries, so I don't see any live shows anytime soon.
A: What is your opinion of Christianity?
G: I wouldn't know, we're all Jews.
A: Who is your favorite member of the A-Team?
G: I pity the fool who don't say Mr.T.
A: What are your personal religious beliefs and how important are they to Warhead conceptually?
G: Personally, I don't place too much emphasis on religion in my life. I definitely don't agree with or like any western religions. They are too constrictive and, I feel unnatural. Eastern religions have a broader sense of interpretation, so some of their philosophies are ok. I can agree with some ideas from eastern religions. As far as Warhead, lyrically I do put like to put down religion, but conceptually it is not one of the main focal points of the band. Conceptually, Warhead is more about being a true individual and doing what you feel is natural. Not letting other people's opinions affect how you live.
A: What is your opinion of the current state of black metal?
Jill Kelly. SOOOOOOO fine!G: Right now, it seems like black metal is dying down a bit from the oversaturation it was going through in the last couple of years. It seems like people are starting to get back into death metal more now. Music is very cyclical. Thrash was big in the 80's, and then died down when it got oversaturated. When thrash was dying, everyone started listening to death metal. Death metal became oversaturated, and black metal became big. Now black metal is oversaturated, and people are starting to go back to thrash and death metal.
A: Are you a Manowar fan?
G: I like Manowar, but I can't say that I am a big fan of that band.
A: What albums have impressed you lately?
G: Not too many. The last Dawn album was good, the last Naglfar album, and the God Dethroned album was also good. i've been listening to a lot of ambient music lately, so I haven't bought many death, black, or regular metal albums recently.
A: Tell us about the concept behind the song "Seven Nights."
G: "Seven Nights" was originally a poem i wrote for one my creative writing classes in college. it was originally about the seven sins, and how, in my opinion, were not something people should be afraid to commit. I re-wrote the lyrics somewhat for the album, and made them more general. i've said this in a couple of the other questions, so everyone's probably tired of reading this, but the song is about individuality. One should not be afraid to do something that they feel like doing, based on other people's judgements. You should also not be afraid to not do something because everyone thinks you should. Do what you want or don't do what you don't want to, regardless of other people's opinions. "Seven Nights," specifically, is mostly about indulging in actions that society disapproves of.
A: It seems that in the underground when a band achieves some level of commercial success, even if they do not change their style, they are considered to be "sellouts." Do you feel popularity can be equated with selling out?
G: If a band does not change their style and becomes popular, then i think it is unfair to call them sellouts. In some instances popularity can be equated to selling out though. No matter what genre of music you are in, to become popular in that genre, your band is going to have to please the mass audience of that genre. This probably means changing either your music, or your image to please the people. In those cases you are selling out.
A: In your opinion, is the ideology of black metal as important as the music?
G: In my opinion no. Personally, i listen to music for music. If i happen to agree with the ideology of the band, then that's good. but i don't go out and buy an album because of the band's political or social views. since most of my ideologies are radical compared to the average person's, i do seem to agree with a lot of the ideologies of the bands that play extreme forms of music. but, i do own albums of bands that have conservative philosophies, because i like their music.
A: Each member of the band is credited with vocals on the CD. Is there one primary vocalist or are the deep vocals and the screams all done by separate people?
G: There are two primary vocalists in the band. Myself and Rich, the other guitar player. I do most of the screams, and he does the deep vocals. We all did background vocals in some of the choruses, so that's why everyone is credited with vocals.
A: Sex or violence, which do you prefer?
G: What's the fucking difference?
A: What do you think of the recent retro-thrash and retro-metal trend going on in the underground right now?
G: I like the recent retro-thrash and metal bands coming out now. I used to listen mostly to the thrash and metal bands in the late 80's, like Helloween, Testament, Flotsam and Jetsam, and Forbidden, so I'm all for the ressurgance of this trend. I'm thinking about doing a retro-thrash side project myself.
A: Have you seen the movie Weird Science?
G: I saw Weird Science a long time ago.
I think I've figured out why so many bands don't send me pics...A: Do you identify more with Gary or Wyatt?
G: I'd have to say I identify with Chet.
A: What is the shittiest album you have ever heard?
G: The Lady Gourmet soundtrack.
A: Thanks for the interview! Any last words for our readers?
G: Go rent Lady Gourmet and The Dinner, you won't be disappointed.
Contact Gautam Kar via email.
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