1. We recorded the new album back in September 2019... immediately after that in October/November we did a massive 5 week tour of USA/CANADA supporting CANNIBAL CORPSE. Other than that not much new activity until the new album is released at end of March. But now with the COVID plague thing happening there may not be live show activity until later in year.
2.You have a new album coming out towards the end of March, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
2. Not so much different. It is a collection of new songs that are every much as relative to the past works of the band as they introduce maybe some new things that may not have been as much present on past releases... it is the same I try to do with every new release to relate to the past and keep a uniformity of sound but offer new elements to keep it from becoming repetitive or boring even to myself.
3.This is also your first full length since 2015, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?
3. I've never wanted to rush on any new music. Never wanted to feel like it was some sort of commercial machine to grind out a new album every year/etc... I like to let the development of new songs be natural and evolve at their own way. Also, there were a few distractions that somewhat sidelined activity such as the 2016-2017 ANGELCORPSE live reunion shows/etc... But i think allowing some time between new releases gives a chance for new things to develop through reflection on what had been previously done also. Through whatever madness is employed in creating new songs, after a few years of living with them after completed, you can more objectively get your head around what it is you really had done previously and maybe apply some of the best of that towards what comes later.
4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer release and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?
4. Similar range of subjects as always. Apocalyptic stuff, deadly acts inspired by deluded occult understandings, horrid legacies of "messiah" types, Regimes that practice "Disappearing" and torture to control, and even some topics that are very old in metal such as "Elizabeth bathory", and Gilles De Rais" finding there way into songs topics... I've tried to never stray too far from the relative subjects that can be identified as part of what PERDITION TEMPLE has been known for.
5.Some of the lyrics you have written on some albums also show a hatred for Christianity, can you tell us a little bit more about your hatred for this religion and also does this hatred also expand into other Abrahamic Religions such as Judaism or Islam?
5. I guess it could be aimed at any form of a "christ" or messianic figure/deity/etc... My concern has never been with the illusory fantasy of ANY faith/doctrine, but more with what sort of extreme realizations are done by fanatical followers of ANY of those paths. Most often revealing how distorted the human mind has been and continues to deteriorate into these modern times, leading to bloody chaos and death.
6.You have also showed some references to Satanism and Occultism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?
6 Really the same feeling in my normal life about those things as I might make topics of in my lyrics. I have interest in observing the extremes of followers of that stuff for whatever inspiration it may give me for lyrics or my viewpoint of other humans around my life in all areas/etc...
7.How would to you describe the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
7. I asked the artist to give a surreal representation of a lifetime of vile acts and abominations leading to a sort of ranking or achievement at the end of ones existence, hence the aged figure being graced with some sort of adornment by the demon. I alsi like the fact that the image sort of reminds of HELLHAMMER and SLAYER ancient classic album covers a bit!
8.All of the band members all have a background in the war, black and death metal genres for more than 20 years, do you feel these genres have lost some of the raw aggression over the past years that was presented on the early releases?
8. The quality of this music has not weakened over all these years, it is just that since the music of low standards has almost equal visibility as the great stuff, it becomes hard to find the cream of the crop. For sure over the last years some new favorites of mine have emerged like ASCENDED DEAD, OMEGA VORTEX, BEYOND, MAGNANIMVS, VITRIOL to name a few.
9.You have also done a Blasphemy cover on a past release, what was the decision behind doing your one version of one of their songs?
9. I had been a fan of the complete chaos of BLASPHEMY music for many years since my teens when in 1990 that 1st album of theirs came out. It was like a horror version of fusing the noise of NAPALM DEATH early stuff with the evil of BATHORY "the return" album. Since we had the opportunity to do a 7" (Sovereign of the Desolate e.p.) I felt is was a great opportunity to do a tribute to my fandom of that great stuff.
10.The last 2 albums where released on 'Hells Headbangers' , how would you compare working with them to your previous label 'Osmose Productions'?
10. OSMOSE is a great label, many legendary releases through them over the decades. But communication sometimes a bit hard since a France based company and we are a USA band. Since 2014 we have now been with HHR and they are a USA company with vast distribution into every part of the world, yet they still serve in a way a very underground type of grassroots type of approach to some things which I like as well. So the relationship is quite good for us.
11.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
11. Great fests here in USA like MDF, CDF, and DESTROYING TX, mass destruction atlanta fests are all great. And of course this last October/November we did a massive 5 weeks tour supporting CANNIBAL CORPSE through the USA/CANADA. We don't have so much stage dressing at all... really just the same stuff you would see us ever wearing/etc.. Our stage show is really a gathering ogf maniac musicians displaying absolute chaos through our music and we dont require a "look" to make it work.
12.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
12. Some plans... but keeping silence until all this plague epidemic stuff dies down... plans are for 1st time for PERDITION TEMPLE to visit Europe!
13.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your newer music by fans of black and death metal?
13. I think fans who understand what it is that PERDITION TEMPLE or similar bands do are just as enthusiastic as they have ever been, just like quality music of this sort has never really gone away either. I still have fans that chat with me about how the approach to songs/riffs or the complete "educated" chaos of solos/etc has moved them in some way. So it is still a great feeling being part of this musical movement, and my activity within it makes me still have the feeling of being still 16 years old when in the real world I am 47 now. haha!
14.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
14. For sure I can say that I am very deep into the writing of new songs already! And for sure the sort of progression that has happened musically from me for over 2 decades now between all my past projects to now is not changing at all! And for sure it may not be a 5 year space between records the next time!
15.What are some of the bands or musical styles you are currently listening to these days?
15. bands I mentioned earlier for sure, but i dont exclusively listen to just black/death metal stuff. I listen to a lot of late 60's music, crazy prog rock guitar stuff from then, some doom stuff. I like many early 70's metal/rock like CAPTAIN BEYOND, BUFFALO, TRACTOR, COOL FEET(germany), GROUNDHOGS, just to name some things off the top of my head... but so much more, and it all contributes to maintaining a fresh mind about the how and why things can be ANY WAY in what one creates through their music in whatever genre form.
16.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
16. Thanks for the massive support with the interview! And prepare for the horror storm of the new album coming out in a few weeks now!
