HEAVEN SHALL BURN

Iconoclasts Revolt

It’s no use in making inventive introductions here. Grab good chilled beer, turn the amplifier’s knob on full and give “Iconoclast” a play. I guarantee that after a few minutes you won’t have doubts why we publish a talk with Maik Weichert who turned up on an interview on behalf of HEAVEN SHALL BURN.

- Hi Maik. I won’t beat about the bush. Your newest album is a fucking bomb! Adrenaline injection just in the heart. From the opening riff to the last sounds “Iconoclast” was kicking my ass only to leave me bleeding on the floor after all. Man, it’s a slaughter! A premeditated murder??
Well. We didn’t have any special plan. Maybe it’s just a result of our long perfecting the tracks on rehearsals. We can rule out all imperfections. When we’re in a studio we know if a given track is good enough or it lacks something. Thanks to the fact that everything is checked we get aggressive and kicking ass stuff, I guess. We also spend much time on recording so that the final sound is good enough. And all that starts in the point of putting our hearts in it. That’s where our music comes from.

- You freely juggle with music conventions within heavy playing. You mix death, thrash and hard core elements. In your opinion, can HSB be called a leader of modern extreme?
Wow. Dude, if it’s your opinion I’m honoured. I’m definitely not the right person to state if we create something unique either in terms of music or sound. If someone thinks about us in this way, it’s a great thing for us and we’re proud of it.

- Talking about the extreme I must mention the vocal side of „Iconoclast”. As opposed to the hordes of popular artists you don’t use tearful melodic vocals. Markus bawls that it’s sometimes painful to hear. On the other hand he stays surprisingly clearly audible. But taking your great success into consideration I was wondering when the music business bosses will break you and we’ll hear a clear voice on your albums?
I don’t know what the future will bring. It depends on the track. If we’ll make a song in which such solution will impose itself, I don’t see any problem. We haven’t felt such need so far. I think that something like this would snatch a bit of aggression from our music. I’d rather imagine the whole track sung with a clear voice. But mixing aggressive riffs with clear vocals – as other bands do – is not our style.

- As you mention riffs – it’s hard to wave them aside. You did a fucking good job. The quality of guitar massacre is really impressive. Man, where did you get those riffs from??
It’s very easy. All you need is to sit, take your guitar and start to play (laugh). Besides, it’s good to listen to other great guitarists and bands sometimes just to get inspired with their playing. But the easiest way to make sure if a given riff kicks ass is to turn the amplifier’s knob on full and make some noise in your rehearsal cubbyhole.

- A propos getting inspired by other artists, who are your favourites?
I’ve always loved the style of guitarists from such bands as CARCASS or IRON MAIDEN. I can’t omit EARTH CRISIS as well, they have remarkable guitarists. These bands influence is definitely the most important for me.

- Well, now I understand where this riff in „Like A Thousand Lies” comes from. Similarity – or actually identity – to “Heartwork” doesn’t look like coincidence now…
Of course it’s CARCASS riff. You’re absolutely right. I don’t have any problem with it. It’s so damn good band and I’ve always loved this song so I decided to put one riff in our stuff. It’s our tribute to this amazing group.

- So maybe when Jeff Walker hears it he’ll introduce you on common touring with reactivated CARCASS?
It was the first thing that crossed my mind when I heard about their reactivation. It would be great to play with them. But soon I realized that we stole their riff and that they might not necessarily be satisfied with it (laugh). But I’m totally glad that I will be able to see them.