It was a couple of months back that The Pete Flesh Deathtrip’s debut album, ‘Mortui Vivos Docent’, arrived in my inbox. Immediately, this band’s brand of blackened death metal assaulted my senses as scorching riffs from the pits of hell alternated with blasts of morbid atmosphere, bringing to mind the classics of Bathory, Dissection, Unanimated and so on. Put simply, the album was a winner from the start, and one which I’m glad to report has become darker still with age. In order to understand more about the concept of the record and what inspired a statement of such neck-breaking proportions, we at Ave Noctum contacted Mr Flesh himself to reveal all about his latest musical incarnation.
AN: Hey Pete! First off, I would like to send a big hail for the cracking ‘Mortui Vivos Docent’.
PF: Thank you, really appreciated.
AN: How pleased are you with the album, and how does it measure up to your past endeavours? What has the general response been like so far?
PF: I´m pleased, and in my opinion, it’s the best release so far. Not saying that the others are bad, lots of songs that are as good as on the new one, but as a whole the new one is more interesting and has a better structure through the album. So far the responses have been good in general. It´s always satisfying when you have worked really hard with an album for your own personal goals and then some people really listen to it and understand the expressions and what you try to do.
AN: I have to say that your new name is certainly distinct for a death metal band, and not one that will be easily forgotten. What was the precise reasoning for changing moniker from Flesh to The Pete Flesh Deathtrip?
PF: When I stopped being the creative force for DECEIVER and THROWN and decided that I only would do this solo project I came to the conclusion that FLESH, like a natural evolution, would get more personal and also would have a bigger range of influences. I wanted to create something that was the total core of me as a person and my dedication to creating music; simply to include everything that serves my purpose. That is also why I decided to go with this moniker, THE PETE FLESH DEATHTRIP. To do it more personally.
AN: Did working without your former Flesh band mates feel strange at all or was it rather a liberating experience to be able to put all of your own creativity into ‘Mortui Vivos Docent’? And how did the recording process go with Andreas Jonsson on drums, along with your guest vocalists?
PF: Well, Flesh included less people, only me and a session drummer, that I changed to Andreas (Vinterland, Tyrant, The Black) on “Mortui Vivos Docent”. Flesh and The Pete Flesh Deathtrip is the same thing, I have only developed it and for this album I decided to work with Andreas and then Micke (Unanimated) on guest vocals on half of the album. I wanted to do a different album to my 3 previous albums, and working with new session members was really liberating as some of my ideas got new forms of expressions. The purpose when I started Flesh was that this will always be my project and I will always be able to have the option to do changes in the session/guest line-up.
AN: The album has a really dark, horrific atmosphere. What impact did producer Peter Bjärgö have on this aspect of the record, and was the objective always to combine the essences of death and black metal in such a way?
PF: Bjärgö had a really big impact in the sense that he always understood my ideas and what kind of atmospheres all kind of expressions needed. You know, when I have worked with other producers they did not always understand the visions and some details in songs have been left out. Bjärgö had the skills to fulfil that for me. I think the other albums have the same grounds as the new one, the same darkness (to name one essence) over them. But to succeed with all of your ideas and make a whole album right and interesting all small details must be there. This time I succeeded with that because I worked with someone that has the same kind of background as me, not just when it comes to the music, but life in general. That goes for Andreas and Micke as well. The objective throughout the whole process of making this album was not any special genre thinking, just do music and songs that are the essence of me creatively. Let’s say that there is a part that I can hear is a clear 70ies Alice Cooper influence. Let’s say someone has never heard his brilliant work from that era, then that part probably will come out as Black Metal for him/her. I have grown up with all kinds of music and that of course reflects on my music.
AN: I would like to ask what the meaning of the album’s title is, and also to know whether there is a unifying concept running through the record?
PF: “The Dead Teach The Living”. A better album title than that is hard to find for me considering that most of my topics are about death and the dead. Some would say that it’s maybe lame and predictable, but for me, these are topics that have followed me since I was a kid and before I even was introduced to Metal. I just try to be personal about reflections towards those subjects. Some dwell in the dark and are attracted to it because of different reasons, that have a deeper meaning than just trying to be “evil” (regarding them who dwell in the light). The knowledge is endless, as long as you can reflect on it all from different views. No, not any special concept in that sense that it has a story. I am just trying to create different atmospheres for different subjects, emotions and situations.
AN: Are there any particular tracks that stand out for you – musically or lyrically – as emblematic of The Pete Flesh Deathtrip?
PF: “The Suicide End”.
AN: The ripping Swedish death atmospherics on ‘Mortui Vivos Docent’ are excellent. Who were the bands that originally inspired you to pick up instruments?
PF: Kiss, Wasp, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden etc. The usual stuff. Then it continued with bands like Slayer, Bathory, Mayhem, Dismember, Merciless, Grotesque etc.
AN: How do you feel about the abundance of new bands going back to the old school style right now? Are there any newer acts in general – death metal or otherwise – who you appreciate for furthering the cause of darkness and evil in music?
PF: I don´t feel anything about it, they do what they will. The term old school is a bit strange to me, I started to play music one day and have not stopped, today it´s called old-school. The only reflection I get is that I´m getting old. I usually have one or two new bands that I can appreciate, but have not heard any new stuff the last year that would fall under that moniker.
AN: Presumably you chose to go with Pulverised Records due to their track record of releasing quality death metal. How has the relationship been so far, and do you envisage staying with them for future releases?
PF: The relationship between us is solid and easy. I´m a realistic person and understand the situation that the labels are in today, so I don´t have any unrealistic demands. I don´t think I´m a big prior act on the label, so after every release I´m satisfied with the fact that they want to release one more. If there will be one more on Pulverised after “Mortui Vivos Docent” is too early to say, I guess they want to see how the response is first.
AN: Speaking of future releases, do you have any new material in the works? Can we expect any side projects or will The Pete Flesh Deathtrip be your absolute priority?
PF: I have some new material in progress and it is written for The Pete Flesh Deathtrip. As it feels right now there will never be any more side projects or bands. Yesterday I did this kind of doom Sabbath sounding riff that would have been put in Thrown, but there was no problem for me to make it fit into this as well. I have found my way where I best handle my craft in creativity, and I will not go back from that.
AN: Are you intending to tour in support of the new album and if so, who will be completing the line-up of The Pete Flesh Deathtrip? Are there any bands you would give your left nut to tour with?
PF: No tours will be done to support this album, the reasons are many. If possible, I will try to do some single shows. My plan is to have a full live line-up after the release of one more album. I hope of course that Micke and Andreas will be able to do it, otherwise I will try with some others. You know, if I do this I must find people that I can really work with, I´m fed up with the usual nonsense with playing in a band.
AN: Now I have to ask you about the artwork to ‘Mortui Vivos Docent’. Who created this monstrous scene, and what was the inspiration behind it? I have to say that when I first saw those characters on the front, it reminded me of the time I went to Mallorca and was surrounded by similarly pasty, brain-dead tourists…
PF: – Of course the prior inspiration to the album cover was the album title, the dead teach the living. Erik Sahlström (singer in General Surgery, Crycifure etc) that has done the cover/booklet has done artwork for a lot of albums through the years. This time he wanted to do something different and use a craft that he never had used before, watercolour. It was ok with me as I´m a bit fed up with the fact that most covers of today are done in the same way. One other inspiration for him was the famous Swedish painter Carl Larsson who did a lot of stuff in watercolour and was inspired by Chinese artwork from 1600-1700. I know that some think the cover is terrible, which is strange to me. Just like the music it expresses something more than plastic. But I must deal with the fact that most people of today rather reflect through the eyes of computer made crafts. Anyway, in long terms, it’s always better to find something original, either people love it or hate it, you get remembered.
AN: Going off on a slight tangent, why do you think Sweden has traditionally produced so much of
the best death/black metal? Is there something in the water, or is all this creative aggression inspired by your country’s inflated alcohol prices?
PF: I have no clue at all. Do we really have that much good stuff? Maybe we have.
AN: Finally, do you have any words for the readers of Ave Noctum?
PF: Support the underground…….push like buttons on Facebook and make Satan happy.
AN: Cheers for taking the time to answer these questions, Pete, and good luck with getting your message out there!
PF: No problem Jamie, thanx for the interest in T.P.F.D.T.
Interview Jamie Wilson
https://www.facebook.com/peteflesh
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