VIRGIN SNATCH

Through fight they grow

Being a metal musician in a country like Poland is not the easiest work. Trust me. I know what I'm saying from my own experience. If you'd like to attract at least a little attention you have to be really focused on your passion, determined and dedicated to what you do. But even those factors – of course connected with high quality of music - do not guarantee that you'll have a chance to record and release an album. And after all it's even harder to find a label which will really support it. I don't know. Maybe it's a question of luck. And what is most important here VIRGIN SNATCH have had that luck. So they were able to break that vicious circle and today once again we can enjoy their high octane, ass kickin' thrash. If such names like: TESTAMENT and EXOUD make your flesh creep go and buy “Act of Grace” in local record store, turn your amp on ten, have a dram of the most famous Tennessee Whiskey and I'm sure you won't regret. If you're still the inconvinced one join Zielony – VS vocalist – who will lead you thorugh the corridors of thrashin' madness.

- Hello Zielony. First of all please explain how did it happen that such a great bassist - Novy (ex-BEHEMOTH & VADER) - decided to join VIRGIN SNATCH crew? Did you need a lot of vodka to force him to sign a pact with the devil?
We didn't need vodka...Novy is not the biggest man in Poland so all we had to do was telling him that he's going to get his ass kicked in if refuses :). But seriously...After Novy left VADER he didn't have anything to do so when we asked him (and he asked me first) to play he (we) agreed immidiatelly. We're happy to have him with us even though he's a little retarded but so are we:).

-Did Marcin contributed in any way during the writing process of new songs? Btw did that process differ in any way from those from the past?
When the Marcin jointed VIRGIN SNATCH, whole music was already done now Marcin only play of basses in some fragments…

- Let's focus on the main topic. "Act of Grace" devastates my ears for few weeks. Simply beacuse it's fuckin' great record. I wouldn't be surprised if that album will finally be a breakthrough in your career - especially outside Poland. Do you think that there's a real chance that VS will get international respect. What are your expectations connected with a release of your fourth studio effort?
Maybe but you can never be sure...We had signals a couple of times that something might turn out but in the end nothing happened. All we can do now is wait and hope that “AOG” will convince someone that VS is a band worth interest and that we can do something not only in our country. Or work is presenting the new material during concerts, wherever only there is such possibility. Stuff is recorded, so our part on this level ends… The rest only time will tell :)

-Some people used to classify VS as a Polish answer to last TESTAMENT records. And however I must admit that when I listen to "Art f Lying" I would agree with that, but today it's too narrow definition of VS. How would you describe your music to those who didn't have a chance to listen to VS at all?
Sure, “Art Of Lying” could remind the American school of thrash like TESTAMENT we aren’t ashamed of this. But we've begun to create our own style with "In The Name Of Blood" I think that the “Act Of Grace” is the style which I may name the style of VIRGIN SNATCH. The construction of the arrangement is different: solos, guitars, very varied vocals. This is specified mix of new and old, very brutal and a little melody sometimes. Not like popular band from USA because VIRGIN SNATCH is more death metal with modern thrash influences. And after all who records ballads now...?

-It'd be a crime not to mention the quality of guitar work. The power of tight and precise riffs and quality of arrangements is those of the world class. You have two very talented guitar players in your band. How would you describe - not only musical - differencies between Hiro and Grysik?
These guys are two various persons as Flip and Flap (he, he) Grysik is rather metal rockman with the approach to playing al'a Jimi Hendrix. Hiro is the man machine: mathematician and rather conservatist. What is interesting, Hiro was first Grysik’s pupil years ago… Grysik adores Yngwie Malmsteen, SteveVai, Andy LaRocque or Rocky George. Hiro peeled for idols musicians like: Chuck Schuldiner, Patrick Mameli, Paul Masvidal but also Jason Becker… This is explosive mixture, exploing in VS!!!

-Another thing worth mentioning is an extraordinary quality of guitar solos. Do you pay a lot of attention - I mean not only guitarists - to that component of your songs?
Most of the solos on each of our albums are composed in the studio after everything else is ready...Hiro & Grysik need about 2 days to get all of them ready. Of course we care about the quality but we think that too much payed attention makes music less natural. If you try too hard and too long you've got more time to fuck things up :). It works well in case of VS so we don't have any good reason to do it different way:). Besides, it's Hiro and Grysik who decide how they want to work. If they find it comfortable and they don's screw it up, it's ok.

- I'd like to ask you about the vocal parts. I must admit that quality of your work is stronger than ever. Especially when we talk about clean vocals. they're much are better then on previous records. Are you satisfied with results of your work? Btw why did you decide to record your parts in Studio Gorycki & Sznyterman – while the rest of tracks were recorded in infamous HERTZ studio?
Thanks for nice words. I am also satisfied from the final effect. I recorded vocals in Gorycki & Sznyterman studio from several causes. First: the studio is in the Cracow now I could record my parties and checked what was recorded. You know I had the time on analysing already recorded pieces. Second: I would not manage to do this in Białystok because deadlines were ruthless… No time to vocals by then… Third: the work at "Act Of Grace" in Cracow gave me such “valve of the safety” if you know what I mean: less stress, more ideas..

- If you'd have a chance to invite a famous singer to sing a song with on VS album. Who would it be and why Chuck Billy ;) ?
Sure, I like Billy’s style and he is one of the best singer ever in my opinion but… I think I have the own style, though in some moments similar to this what Chuck does.. mean similar timbre of the voice… but the same like Chuck? Fakk of man!

- I must admit that the album is quite diversed and we have a lot of different emotions here. One of the best examples of this diversity is "Daniel The Jack" which rocks like hell. Why did you decide to dedicate the song to the water of the gods? Btw don't you think that 12YO Scotch single malt - for example the unique Glenfiddich or good old Irish whiskey - Bushmills rulez! - also deserve such a tribute?
“Daniel The Jack” had to be different because this track tells about the love of rock’n’roll to booze and vice versa. This is ideal synthesis and it can not be differently! Why Jack Daniels? The answer is simple. I love it !! Mamy whiskies deserve such a tribute but Jack tastes me the most, though can be replaces by Jim Beam for example... Btw Jack is the icon of red-head beverage. This is the right way !!! I’m not a boozer but could you imagine rock’n’roll without whisky? Bullshit!

- When I listen to that song I think that you wink at us with a little AC/DC tribute. Am I right? Btw what do you think of their new album and when talkin' 'bout the most discussed come backs of 2008 - what is your opinion on "The Formation of Damnation" and "Death Magnetic"?
If you talking about AC/DC context of this song it’s very nice for me ‘cause I love AC/DC and the new “Black Ice” album of course!! Although the best times for AC/DC was these, with Bon Scott – the best voice on the world!! New Metallica is good but only good, nothing more… I’m very happy that guys still record and exist but still waiting for ‘new first 5 albums’ "The Formation of Damnation" is fucking good stuff, one of the best TESTAMENT releases ever !!! Yes- its true!!

- When we talk 'bout thrash legends. What do you think about re-recording of old classic albums? Don't you think that there's no big sense in releasing such albums like „Let There Be Blood”, „The Final Sign of Evil” or „First Strike Still Deadly”?
Re-recording trend has no sense because the first records always win!! New records of old classic, never sound, not neither a bit better!! They are more modern obviously and adapted to present standards as technology is newest, condition of studios and work there is much better but the spirit of those times runs somewhere away… The same when it comes of remasters. I don’t like this…