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Interviews

Immolation - Ross Dolan

20/11/09  ||  Kampfar

Due to me being a part-time idiot, and full-time wanker, Immolation-Ross had to wait circa a decade on these questions of mine. I know excuses are shit and puke in one, so fuck me, for here comes a semi-one: after asking Lord K to ask Immolation for an interview, and getting a green-light, I suddenly realized I didn’t know very much about this band, nor their music. Sure, I’ve heard their name mentioned since I was born, roughly put, and I’ve known their game to be death of the proper kind ever since. And that’s about it…was, I mean.

Global Domination: Hello and welcome, Ross, and once again sorry for being a slow bastard. I reckon you haven’t spent many calories wondering exactly when this interview would arrive, and that’s good, so I’ll cut to the bone already. Before Immolation there was Rigor Mortis. Or was there? In other words, is it true that Immolation is, was, and will forever be a direct continuation of Rigor Mortis?

Ross Dolan: Before I begin, I just want to clarify for the readers that the Rigor Mortis you are referring to was not the thrash band with the same name from the South that had released a few records around that time. This was a totally different band, and the New York Rigor Mortis only released a few demos before disbanding in the late 1980’s. Rigor Mortis was formed sometime in 1986, and was one of, if not the only death metal band here in New York at that time. Rigor Mortis was made up of Bob (guitar), Tom (guitar), Dave (drums) and Sak (bass vocals). Without giving everyone the long boring version, Sak left the band in early 1988, and I stepped in as his replacement on bass. So that was the first Immolation line-up. We began writing new material that was much different than what the guys were doing in Rigor Mortis. Rigor Mortis had a very old school death metal vibe, heavy and slow, with heavy vocals. The new material was going in a newer direction, focusing on a more haunting sound, more dynamics and a variety of feelings within the songs. We felt it only made sense to change the name at this point, especially since Sak decided to continue on with Rigor Mortis. Since we were all still good friends with Sak, there were never any bad feelings; it was just a matter or musical differences and a conflict of direction. So is Immolation a direct continuation of Rigor Mortis? Absolutely not, we just happened to share some of the original Rigor Mortis line-up at the beginning. The direction, style and vision of the two bands were totally different animals.

What inspired you to pick up the bass? And related, did you always intend to do both vocals and bass?

I picked up the bass sometime in the early to mid-80’s thanks to a good friend of mine back then who played bass. He showed me the basics and we would get together and try to figure out early Iron Maiden songs, among other things from that time period. Steve Harris was a huge influence on us at the time, and this is what got me started down the path. I always liked the sound and feel of the instrument, and I liked the fact that it was more of a foundation for the music, like the drums, and was never a flashy instrument, that was more my style. Years later when we started Immolation, I was only there to play the bass. I never had any aspirations of singing or being a front man, the bass was what I wanted to play and that was all. Two weeks before out first show as Immolation in May of 1988, our guitarist Tom, who was originally going to sing and play guitar, decided he needed to focus more on his playing, so I was voted the guy to handle the singing duties. It was not something I wanted to do, nor did I really want to do it, but I did it because we had no other choice. So I wrote the lyrics and began practicing playing and singing, which was really hard for me because I wasn’t really that good at either one. But, what I lacked in talent I made up for in drive and devotion to the band, so I made it work and the show was a great experience for us.

Which company is responsible for making the worst bass-guitar you ever laid hands on? And the ones providing the opposite would be?

Well, my first bass guitar in 1985 was an Ibanez Destroyed X-series, which was a sleeker version of the original Destroyer. Before that I played an old no name brand I bought off a neighbor for like $30, but the Ibanez was my first real bass, and I have used Ibanez basses ever since. After the X-series Destroyer, I bought Sak’s old original Destroyer, and then years later in 1989/1990 I purchased a Soundgear Series bass, and I have been using these ever since. I really only played Ibanez basses since the beginning and I have been happy with them, so there really was no need for me to try anything different.

I just found out at that your debut, that being “Dawn of possession”, isn’t far from how Sweden’s Therion sounded back in the days. Not very interesting, but I wonder: when recording your first album, where you aware of the fact that people in the whore-ridden North already made death with the best of them?

It wasn’t until after the demo was out in the summer of 1988 that we really began writing and trading tapes with other band from around the world. We were in touch with many great bands and people from Sweden, including Nihilist (and later Entombed), Dismember, Carbonized, Therion, Treblinka, Grave, Unleashed and At The Gates to name a few. We came to visit Sweden in 1989 and hung out with all of these bands and even got to rehearse with Entombed right after they recorded their first demo. Those were really great times, everyone was so cool and excited to get to know us and share stories and music. Most of the people we met on that trip we still see from time to time and still consider them good friends and brothers.

“Stepping on angels… before dawn” is a nice title indeed, but judging from the cover it should rather have been named: “Kidnapping old angels… from a retirement-home”. Fucking hell, it looks like the cover of an old Nintendo game or something. Not that you guys are renown for sporting shit covers, quite the opposite really, so I’d like to add that I had a medium-hard time picking me a favorite. But I managed, “Unholy cult” being it. And your fav would be?

The artwork for “Stepping on Angels” is actually the original artwork for “Dawn of Possession”. We didn’t use it for obvious reasons, but since The “Stepping…” CD was only a compilation of our demos and some early live songs, we decided it was fine to use for this release, since it was really only a release for the die hard Immolation fanatics. Of all our covers, I still would have to say “Dawn of Possession” is my favorite. The whole vibe and feel of that cover is perfect for the music and band, and it really illustrated what the band was all about at that time.

Why did it take 5 years from your debut to “Here in after”? Are we talking a proper fucking hiatus, or did you do gigs, other bands, you name it, during those seemingly inactive years? Also, do you think I have a point if I claim mentioned album to be the one where you defined your style?

This was a very strange period in the band’s existence. It was probably our lowest point moral wise, but at no point during this period did we ever considering quitting. We were active during this time to a degree. We did play shows in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada, South America and some shows in the United States as well, so it was certainly not a period of in inactivity. We were writing material for the second record, which we recorded as a three song demo, and we put together and released the “Stepping on Angels” CD. But the main problem was that we were in between labels, so this was the main problem for us, not having a label to put out the second release. This was solved when we signed with Metal Blade, and with that released “Here In After”. I would agree that this album was certainly the first step in defining our style and sound, but it has been an on going process that is still evolving to this day.

I’d like to know how a typical Immolation tune is made. Are we talking jam-sessions, or do certain members bring stuff which the others add to? How ‘bout the lyrics, are we talking a main-writer?

Well, things have changed a bit in the last few years, but more drastically for this new record. The dynamics have always been the same with Bob writing all of the music, myself writing most of the lyrics, and all of us pitching in with ideas and suggestions for arrangements and such. In the early days, we would rehearse almost 5 times a week, and it was always an ongoing process, but since Steve and Bill became permanent members, it just not possible to rehearse as a full band like that anymore because of our geographical locations. For this last album, Bob wrote the songs, recorded them at home with mock drums and leads, and we then e-mailed the songs to Steve, who then worked out his drum parts and knew how the songs were put together. Then, after a few weeks of this, Bob and I would drive out to Ohio on a Friday, review the songs with Steve, and decided on tempos, and worked out all the kinks before returning home on Sunday. We did this for about 4 weeks, and then we were in the studio. This was the first time we had a proper pre-production where everyone had a good idea of what the songs would sound like. Prior to this, it was a four track recorder, a boom-box and tons of cassette tapes, not to mention many hours working out drum beats with Steve at his house. The process now is much easier and less stressful.

What would you say is the worst song Immolation ever made? And the best?

I tend to enjoy playing the newer songs as opposed to the older songs. I never really gave any thought to a worst or best, that would have to be up to the fans, not me. I don’t think I could say there are honestly any songs I don’t like because if we didn’t like them, they would never have been recorded in the first place. I can tell you that there are definitely some songs that just don’t go over well live, maybe a little too involved or complex to allow the live audience to fully absorb and appreciate them in a live setting, or maybe some just lack that natural “punch” you get with certain songs. I don’t know what the reason is, but since we have played every one of our songs live, we can really narrow it down to a list of “do’s” and “do not’s”.

Do you agree “Failures for Gods” to be the weakest, aka least good, Immolation album of ‘em all? I’m not sure which one of your platters I like the most but I do know for sure that the one mentioned is my anti-favorite. My main gripe is with the production, it being really rather weak and sort of pissing on the music. Your thoughts?

There are a lot of things about that album, in retrospect, we feel could have been better. There were many great ideas and individual parts on that record that really got lost in the arrangements. Parts came and went so fast within the songs that they really didn’t have time to develop and breathe, and the listener didn’t have time to appreciate them. I think the music was good, just the arrangements were a little too busy and long winded for their own good. The feeling was there, but it just needed a little tweaking in my opinion. I think there were lots of great songs on that album, that we still enjoy playing now, and there are some Immolation fans who would argue that this was our best effort, but that is the great thing about music.

Once upon a time, circa around “Death is just the beginning pt. II”, Nuclear Blast was the most awesome label existing on the face of Planet Piss. They aren’t anymore, fucking far from even, but signing you guys certainly helped a bit. Do you think they signed you in fear of having their metal-license revoked if not? A bit more serious, how did all of this happen?

I always thought Nuclear Blast was a good strong label that was always dedicated to the underground metal scene. I used to write to them back in the late 80’s and they were always committed to the underground scene. We were fortunate that our deals with Century Media and Listenable ended at the same time, which allowed us to seek out other offers and interest. Nuclear blast contacted us immediately, and since we’ve known many of the people here in the US office for years, it helped in our decision making process.

So, when will ye release your first album for said Germans? Will it be any good?

We are actually in the studio now finishing up tracking our basics. We should be wrapped up by the end of this weekend, and then it goes off to be mixed. The album is scheduled on an early March release, provided we get the label everything they need by the end of November. The only thing that would hold us up would be the artwork, so that is what we are shooting for. As for whether it is good or not, that will be up to the fans to decide. It has already passed the harshest of critiques, and we all are happy with it.

Speaking of albums, how many have you sold all in all? And now a question I often ask: since stealing music became easier than robbing candy from a dead baby, has there been a dramatic decrease in (record) sales speaking Immolation? How is the situation on merchandise?

Wow, I actually have no idea. But I can tell you not enough to quit our day jobs. We do this because we love the music and every aspect of being in this band. It has been a great experience and one I would not have traded for anything else in the world. I definitely think downloading has hurt record sales across the board, but I think metal fans are more inclined to download something, and then actually purchase it if they like the band. On our level, I think it may actually help us in the long run by exposing us to a bigger audience thanks to the Internet. Merchandise is our life’s blood on the road, and what usually pays most of the bills!!!

How many days a year do you tour? Roughly will do. Also, what’s the nicest place you ever visited whilst spreading your patented gospel of death? And the worst would be? Fucking hell, I’d also like to know when it was best to travel the world and do gigs. Best now or better before?

We try to do two full tours per album, minimum, for both the US and Europe. So roughly about 120 to 170 shows per album, if you factor in festivals and one-off shows. We have been to so many great countries and met so many great people, it’s hard to say which one is the best. We have been in some scary situations while abroad, but in the end it’s the fans that always treat us like we are home. They always make us feel welcome, and no matter how bad a show or situation on tour becomes, the fans always remind us of why we are out there making music.

Is there a song in particular people scream for when you perform live? If so, are you tired of that song already?

It varies from show to show, from year to year. People really like to yell out songs from the first album, “No Jesus, No Beast” is another favorite, “World Agony”, “Father You’re Not a Father” is usually a favorite, “Unholy Cult”, “Harnessing Ruin” gets a lot of requests, so, as you see, it varies and spans the whole catalog.

Is there a festival, venue, bar, whatever, you haven’t done but would very much like to do before dying? And how about the current situation, is there a massive campaign planned to support your forthcoming album? Fucking hell, once again, for I’d also like to know where you do most of your concerts. Home or abroad?

We are interested in going to new countries we have never been before. Greece, Japan, Australia and Russia would be on the list of places we must visit before we call it quits. We start touring in January in support of Nile here in the states along with Krisiun, Abigail Williams and Dreaming Dead, then we plan on doing a headlining run in Europe in March. I am sure there will be more to follow, and we can’t wait to get out there again and debut the new material. I would say we play equally as many shows in Europe as we do in the States, although, sometimes more abroad.

When was the last time you did Yonkers? And by the way, is bonkers in Yonkers a common expression over there? If or if not, can you bring any news from the New York metal-scene? Is there one to speak of?

We have never played in Yonkers. It’s better for us to play in New York City because it attracts people from the entire area and not just the outskirts. Hahahaha, never heard of bonkers in Yonkers, but it might fit! New York has a great metal scene with lots of very dedicated fans and bands! Shows are always usually packed, even on weeknights, which is nice to see and it makes us proud to be from New York.

What’s your take on the Norwegian one? Ever toured with a band from here? Speaking of Norway… your thoughts on black metal would be?

We have only played in Norway a handful of times over the last 21 years, but every time has been really fun for us and always a great show. The people are extremely friendly and have always made us feel welcome. Can’t wait to return. We know and have much respect for the Immortal guys and the guys in Enslaved, and are fans of some of the other Scandinavian black metal bands as well.

How has your taste in music evolved over the years, you softening up?

I have always had a very eclectic taste in music, ever since I was a kid. It hasn’t changed, so if you looked in my iPod, you would find all sorts of stuff from soundtracks, to jazz and blues, to classic rock, all forms of metal, from classic to extreme, some pop stuff, some world music, etc. There’s not too much I don’t have in my collection.

Do you often think about the maggots lying in wait, or are you planning to get your corpse burned perhaps? I am, but it would be even better if someone hacked me up and served the chops to wild life – preferably to wolves with rabies or bears with A.I.D.S.

Haven’t given it much thought honestly, and don’t really care. When my time is up, that’s it. I have more to say and do, so I try to focus on what matters and not things I have no control over.

What’s your opinion on the current world situation? Do you see a world in turmoil, one shaping up well, etc.? And how about Obama, has he saved you yet?

We can only hope things in the world will start to get better, and I try to be optimistic about it, but the pessimist in me sometimes gets the best of me and I get all twisted thinking about it. I think as long as we still have religion and that type of fanaticism and archaic way of thinking, I don’t ever see an end in sight… and that’s just a start! As far as Obama goes, he is trying to do the right thing, but he inherited a real mess thanks to eight years of our other friend in the Whitehouse, so he has a lot on his plate and I think peoples expectations of him are much higher now that we actually have a president in office that can articulate a sentence on his own.

How united are the states of America, more united than EUrabia you think?

There are very different and distinct areas of the United States, but I think people are people and most people want the same thing. Sure, there are many differences in opinions, beliefs and ways of life in every city in every state, but that what makes the US what it is. Being from New York, we have been exposed to all sorts of religions, ethnicities, cultures and people of all sorts, so it really was a great place to grow up.

Christianity is indeed a pest, most religions are, like Islam also is. So I wonder, would you mind if Mecca and the Vatican where blown up in sync on live television?

Not at all. I know this, you know this, and millions of others like us know this, but it’s the other portion of the world that has to realize this, and until this happens, we can only hope of a better world.

If forced to chose, would you label yourself a philanthrope or misanthrope? And related, how long can a misanthrope claim to be a misanthrope without either killing himself or others?

Definitely a philanthrope, but there are times when I could easily live with out the rest of the human race around me except for my family and those close to me, hahaha.

Very much thanks for your time and effort.

Thank you for the great interview and thanks again for being patient!!!!!

Interviews