Interview with Zsolt

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-Did you ever have some problems because of your name? Suffocate...you are probably not the only band with this name...

We didn't have any problems yet, but people are often asking, why is the name of the band so similiar to Suffocation. We also don't know the exact answer, it was thought out by guys, who don't play with us anymore. We wanted to change name many times, but it didn't happen. When people know us as Suffocate, it's hard to make a change & continue with an other name. We haven't heard of any band with this name...

-How are you satisfied with your last demo? When do you plan new?

We take it like, that in that time, when we were writing & recording the songs, we could do what's on "Exit 64". We put there stuff, that we thought is good & that we liked & we tried to record everything as good as we could. After a while there is always something that could be done different, better, but this knowledge will be used on the next material. We would like to record it in summer & it should be out on fall '99.

-Unfortunately, I haven't heard your previous demo. What can you tell me about it?

Previous demo "Unborn Suffer" was released in year '96 & it was recorded with an old line-up. Since then we have changed the bassguitarist & the drummer. It was a shorter stuff, complete lenght abou 20 minutes. Also there are fast & brutal songs, we play some of them on the concerts also today. People are still interested in this old stuff.

-Don't you think that the label DeathGrind isn't very suitable for you? I'd say Death/HC...

We don't like labels, we want to play, what we like, that's fast & brutal music. Everybody found our previous demo as Death metal or Grind core, arguments about HC started after the release of "Exit 64". We didn't think in the rehersial if the current riff, song is Grind, Death, HC or something else. We used everything, what we liked. The limits between styles can't be defined exactly. We use the label "Brutal Death-Grind" on our leaflets very long, since our 1st demo, because elements of these styles definitely are in our music. It's something like an information for people, what kind of music can they find on current material. I think that there are also Grindy parts on "Exit 64".

-...by the way, what do you say on today quite trendy modern HC? I like the old bands more...

I'm not a specialist on HC, I don't even know which are trendy modern HC bands. Mostly I like Death metal & Grind core & I prefer this kind of bands. From HC I like fast, aggressive, mainly old bands, I don't listen to hip-hop, rap crossed with HC. I don't think I can judge HC bands, I better leave it to HC fanatics.

-Dunajska Streda (a town in the south of Slovakia, where is a big Hungarian minority) is full of people who are claiming themselves more to Hungary than to Slovakia, or to the Hungarian minority...it looks like also you (because of the names)...what do you say on the chauvinism of SNS (Slovakian National Party...chauvinistic assholes, who'd like to get rid of the whole Hungary) & other assholes?

Our band doesn't claim to Hungary, we live here & we want to be a part of the Slovak scene. Chauvinism is an unofficial, but very important part of programm & activities of some parties, newspaper & magazines (I'm not talking only about Slovakia). It serves for this kind of politics & parties, to create useless conflicts within citizens & to get them more adherents for their parties. Then, these parties & politics "solve" these problems, that were created with their strange, but well thought out statements. ...& they of course "protect" the rights & interests of nation & citizens before "enemies".

-How did you like playing with Sinister?

It was great playing before Sinister, we take it as a great honour, that we got the possibility to play before one of the best European Death metal bands.

-What do you like most: vinyls, CDs or tapes?

I'd prefer CDs, because they are the most proffesional, if they weren't so expensive. Now I only buy CDs of my biggest favourites. Vinyls have its enthralment, because of their big & coloured covers.

-What was the last thing that you find amazing, on the extreme (& maybe other) scene?

There is lot of good stuff today. A lot of good stuff is continually released. The problem is to choose from the lot of albums. The last big experience for me was the concert of Deicide in Brno (CZ) .

-I don't think that you make your living from music...so, where do you work ?

We of course don't make our living from music, I'd say that we sponsor the band with our wages, because that we don't have any sponsors. Only two of us work, employers are various Duslo, Volkswagen, a bank, two of us are currently unemployed.

-What's your opinion on racism/fascism?

I definitely frown on racism & fascism, I don't agree with any racistic or fascistic opinions.

-What do you think of feminists, who think that men are absoulutely useless?

I don't care & I don't even know the opinions & activities of feminists. It's their own business, what they think.

-On the other side, what do you think of the rights of women in the Islamic society?

It's also very incomprehensible for us, how it would be difficult for people from the Islamic society to live in here. But I'd like to know the opinion of the Islamic women on this theme.

-Would you kiss the ring of pope, if he'd give you his hand?

I don't visit meetings, where representatives of church are present, so the meeting with pope is not very likely. I wouldn't kiss the ring of pope in any case.

-Do you have some words at the end?

I greet, in the name of the whole band, all fans of extreme, brutal music & thank you for the interview.

SUFFOCATE (SVK) -Exit 64 demo '98- Very interesting stuff. Death metal meets HC with some Grindy influences. Mainly fast music with lots of blasts...read the whole review here...