TERROR

Still hard, still dangerous

If you're open minded enough to accept bands that create really powerful and heavy music even if they're not metal, for sure you'll appreciate TERROR's work. For most of our readers L.A. and California associates with classic thrash metal glory days. But it's also a home for great Hardcore bands, too. „The Damned, The Shamed” - the fourth full-lenght TERROR's effort is teh best example and leaves no doubts about it. Ladies and gents here he comes – completely untouched by the global crisis – Mr Martin Stewart, the axeman of TERROR.

-Hi Martin! Your new album have devastated my ears. I guess that you must be satisfied with the final shape of "TD TS". Or maybe there's something that you'd already make different, something that maybe could be done better?
In my eyes, and I’m sure I can speak for the rest of the bands eyes, the album is perfect. I love everything about it. The song writing, the recording, the artwork and layout. Everything is so satisfying. I hope anyone that picks up the record can share even a fraction of the enthusiasm that I hold for it.

-Energetic potential of your new songs equals the 20 megatons atomic bomb. How did you work on those petards - did you jam at the rehearsal room or rather work on songs which were already written by band's members? Btw. how big was ypur influence on the writing process?
The songs for this record were written while on the road touring. Nick our drummer would come up the riffs and then program some fake drums in a recording program and then usually I would record some demo guitar tracks over that. Eventually after many changes and rearrangements the songs that you hear on the record all had demo versions far before we were heading into the studio. When we got home from tour we just got into a practice space and started finally playing the songs in a live setting. By the time we went to the studio to record we had played the songs together so many times that the actual recording process went so smooth and there was no stress of not knowing what to do with the songs. I can say that the biggest influnce of writing songs for this band is just hardcore music in general. Aggressive riffs, energetic live shows and a genuine love for what we do. The rest is just details.

-How would you describe the recording process. Did you try any new solutions during your work with Zeuss this time? Btw don't you think that the perfect way to capture TERROR songs' energy would be recording your music 100% live?
Like I said, the recording process was very smooth and relaxing. A lot of that has to do with the great attitude that Zeuss has. He makes you feel so comfortable and welcomed. That dude is a total genius and a great party partner. There was a couple of things done differently in the recording process this time versus when „Always The Hard Way” was recorded, but nothing major. I guess recording the record live is a good idea but it’s much more fun and involved to do it track by track. I think it makes you feel more accomplished doing it that way also.

-How many songs did you record during the session. Are there any hidden treasures waitin' for album's limited edition or maybe another EP? Didn't you think about recording a cover song. Btw. If you would have to name the one song that you'll like to record in TERROR's interpretation – which one would it be and why?
There was 14 songs recorded in total and 13 of them are on the general release of the record, so there’s still one song that’s just kind of floating around right now. I’m not sure where it will end up but I’m sure it will make use for something. I think every hardcore band thinks about doing a cover song when recording because we love to pay hommage to our roots. We didn’t do it this time around and there’s really no certain reason for that. It just didn’t happen. I’ve always wanted to record a WARZONE song and put it on an album. I’ve been in bands in the past that have covered some of their jams live, but never anything that was actually recorded. I would just love to be able to put my appreciation for that band on wax as a permanent memento for my own personal satisfaction.

-In one of the interviews Barney from NAPALM DEATH said that perfect extreme metal song must be no longer then 2:30. When I listen to "TD TS" I think that you'd say that it refers to hard core, too. Btw. didn't you ever think about writing an epic colossus? Acoustic final part in "Betrayerr" and the little SLAYEResque beginning of "March to Redemption" sound quite promising.
2:30 sounds about right. I wouldn’t say that it absolutely has to be that way but if I think about it, all of my favorite hardcore songs range around that time. I think that „Betrayer” has just the right amount of „epic” to it without being too much. We always say that it sounds similar to „Find My Way” off of „5 Deadly Venoms” by MERAUDER. It’s probably the main inspiration of the music of that song.

-Your music combines the energy of old school hardcore and heaviness of thrash metal. Which genre seems to be more important for TERROR as a band and for you? And when talking about hardcore influences do you feel more connected with old school or rather modern bands?
Not to take away from any other style of music that me or anyone in this band listens to, but Hardcore is what matters most to all of us. We’re all hardcore kids in this band that also listen to lots of other types of music. I can’t say that I’m more connected to the past or the present because I love them both equally. I appreciate them both on the same level. Of course I understand the importance of the past but without the bands out today there would be nothing. I love it all just the same.

-Which bands representing HC and metal scene started the fire and forced you to found TERROR? If I'd mention SICK OF IT ALL and SLAYER I guess that I'd be not far from the truth.
I’ve never really been a fan of SLAYER but I love SOIA. I wasn’t in the band when TERROR first started but we’re all like minded in this band and I know we all have the same influences. I think that just the urge to want to be an active part in hardcore by starting a band is what drove TERROR to form.

-I think that metal influences are particularly strongly present in your sound. In one of the interviews Doug said that Terror "sounds like all of the old metal bands I used to listen to. It's just not crazy Swedish metal or something, it sounds like old thrash." Would you agree with that?
Yea, in a way. TERROR probably resembles some old thrash but I don’t think that anyone is actually trying to mimmick that sound. Thrash, Hardcore, Metal, Punk etc. are all aggressive styles of music and all share similar charactaristics.

-You're coming from LA which is not as famous as New York when it comes to hardcore scene. Is there any silent rivalry between bands from those towns? Btw. which NYHC bands you'd describe as the most important for hardcore scene?
I wouldn’t say that hardcore music is not as famous in LA. Some people might say there’s a rilvary, but the only time I feel any kind of rivalry is when someone tries to tell me that one is more important than the other. Even by saying that one isn’t as „famous” as the other makes me want to snap back. It’s all hardcore and it’s all important. BAD BRAINS are good but so are BLACK FLAG Know what I’m saying?

-Could you be so nice and explain the meaning of album's title. Who are "the damned" and who are "the shamed"?
We are. This band, the kids at shows, the people around the world. We’re all messed up to an extent to be able to be involved in this scene that we’re involved in. It’s not normal to be excited about what we get excited about. Thrashing ourselves, jumping off of stages, slamming around. It’s crazy.

-Did the current economic downturn, the rise of unepmployment in US and credit crunch influenced your creating process in any way - I mean both music and lyrics? Btw what do you think about the stimulus which passed the Congress few days ago?
Nah man, politics do not influence this band. And no offense, but I don’t like talking politics with people especially when we’re not governed by the same political organization. It’s just a personal preference of mine.

-You come from cash-strapped California which has been hit by the housing crisis and falling consumer spending. Did you feel the crisis influence in your own lives. What do you think about your governor's work so far? Seems like even the Terminator was too weak to overcome the crisis ;)
No.

-"The Damned The Shamed" is your first album released under CENTURY MEDIA flag. How did it happen that you've decided to start your cooperation with German label? Btw aren't you a little affraid that signing with a mostly metal label may be seen as kind of betrayal for some orthodox HC fans?
Century Media has CRO-MAGS, MERAUDER, SUB-ZERO, EARTH CRISIS, DESPAIR and plently more on their roster. If signing to Century Media effects someones perception of this band then I think that’s just weird, especially if it’s seen as a betrayal. That’s just a bit excessive and over dramatic in my opinion. I’m not at all afraid of that though. We decided to work with them because they have such a strong world wide prescence. We tour the rest of the world if not just as much than more than we do the United States so we needed to work with someone that has the connections everywhere else in the world.