Proving that extreme music is a language that’s spoken in every corner of the world today, FLESHGORE has risen up from the Ukraine with a devastatingly powerful new album, “May God Strike Me Dead.” Sid, the band’s vocalist, provides us with some excellent insight into the inner workings of what is undoubtedly one of the most promising metal acts to emerge from a former Soviet nation to date.
Death Metal Report: First of all, it’s interesting to note that Fleshgore hails from the Ukraine. What have been some of the challenges you’ve faced in bringing your music before your countrymen and the world?
Sid: I think for everyone, it’s not a secret that the economic and political situation in ex-USSR countries is terrible. Why? For the most part, the peoples of these countries are not enjoying their lives, but just trying to survive. As for the Ukraine, for fifteen years we’ve seen how year by year, the budget of our country has been stolen. So, to live and play under conditions like this is almost not possible. From the beginning, Fleshgore has tried to do our best to work toward performing shows in Europe and other continents. We are working very hard for it. It’s great that for today, we have accomplished what we have.
Death Metal Report: This Dark Reign has just issued your third release, “May God Strike Me Dead”…
Sid: Yeah, This Dark Reign Records just released our “May God Strike Me Dead” album, and they released it not only for US, it released by them for worldwide distribution. Also after deal for “May God Strike Me Dead” album we singed the contact with This Dark Reign Records for our previous album – “Killing Absorption”. Fleshgore sing to This Dark Reign Records only half a year, but for this time we are satisfied with their work and looking forward for cooperation with them. We’ll see how it turns out...
Death Metal Report: You made a debut video clip for the track “Passion.” What were the reasons for choosing this particular track and what is it that you most wanted to get through to fans with the video?
Sid: Work for our debut clip for the track “Passion” was finished in May of 2006. We choose this song based on our fans’ opinion. It’s one of the best tracks for a video on the album. So if our fans want it, we will make it for them. The decision to shoot in black and white and the dynamic construction of the well-aimed shots expose the main theme of the work, the internal fight of man against standardizations of society and depreciation of individuality due to limitation of democratic rights and freedom of speech.
Death Metal Report: “Passion” contains an intensely melodic introduction that mixes really well into the heavier, primary riff. Do you set out to incorporate melodic parts within your music or is this something that just comes naturally for the band as a part of the songwriting process?
Sid: You know, we always try to mix different styles and different veins of music. We try to make music that will be interesting for different people. I think that the main idea is to get it across to brutal death fans – brutal death, for hardcore fans – hardcore, for old school metal fans – old school death metal, the same for melodic metal and progressive fans …etc. It’s very important for us to create and produce our music on a professional level. As far as I can see, everybody likes it, which is great!
Death Metal Report: “Day Of Doom” stands out as being one of the heaviest tracks on the new record. Tell us a bit about how the inspirations behind the creation of that particular track…
Sid: All of the themes for Fleshgore lyrics, as well as “Day Of Doom” track, were taken from our lives, from the things around and alongside us. Our lyrics are full of the social and political problems of our region and of the world on the whole. Inspirations? You know, when we see everyday pensioners and old men that ask for you for any money for bread as they only receive cents from the state, it’s not as state hasn’t any money, it’s that politicians are stealing all of the budget… these are our inspirations!
Death Metal Report: The band will be playing some major summer metal festivals including the highly prestigious Wacken Open Air. Are you excited about getting your music out there in front of the fans on such a large scale?
Sid: This summer we’ll be playing on some great, major festivals. We are really glad to be the first Ukrainian band that will play on the same stage with a lot of legendary bands like Motorhead, Whitesnake, Saxon, Morbid Angel, Celtic Frost, Scorpions, Kreator, Ministry, Annihilator, Dimmu Borgir and others. Of course, for us it’s an obvious success, as we see that people enjoy our music. People want to see our live shows and we are proud of the fact that being artists of such a young age, with our origin stemming from such poor regions as ex-USSR countries, that we have achieved such a level. I want to say big thanks to all the fans that have supported us. We’re looking forward to seeing them at the summer festivals!
Written By: Wizard of Gore
