First off, thanks for taking the time to talk with us at Music Anvil! “More Insane” promises an unhinged death metal experience. What pushed you to create such an aggressive album, and how does it reflect your current mindset?
First off, thanks for taking the time to talk with us at Music Anvil! “More Insane” promises an unhinged death metal experience. What pushed you to create such an aggressive album, and how does it reflect your current mindset?AJ: We’re always trying to one-up ourselves and push this thing forward however much we can with every new album. I wouldn’t say that our mindset has necessarily changed too much between the last album and this one, but we’re just as determined as we’ve always been to deliver something that honors both the rich history of death metal and our own personal approach to it.
“Brandish the Blade” is an anthem for death metal. Can you describe the most intense moments in the studio while crafting this song? Any near meltdowns?
AJ: No near meltdowns or anything even approaching a meltdown – sorry to disappoint haha. We’ve had that song written for about two years now so by the time we finally got in the studio to track it, it was a fairly painless process. Might have been a slight pain in the ass to perfectly map out some of those tempo changes, but pretty smooth sailing. That’s a fun one.
Working with Mark Lewis, a legend in death metal production, must have been intense. Any unforgettable moments or disagreements that shaped the final sound?
AJ: Working with Mark was great. He’s absolutely a legend, like you said, and I was definitely a little intimidated when we first started recording just because of the caliber of other vocalists that he’s worked with. Mark is such a hilarious guy, though, and as hard as he works you to deliver the best possible performance you can give, he still makes sure you’re comfortable and having fun the whole time.
Your lyrics delve into the grotesque and macabre. What’s the most twisted inspiration for “More Insane,” and how did you channel it into music?
AJ: Kyle was delving into a lot of Bloodborne lore and listening to a lot of Suffocation when the track “Disputatious Malignancy” was written. That song is all about some fucked-up cultist figure shoving worms and other parasites into his brain so that he can communicate with an ancient deity. The thought of someone shoving worms into their brain through their ears makes me cringe more than most lyrics about killing and dismembering people haha.
Matt Browning’s artwork completes a trilogy with “More Insane”. What’s the story behind this cover, and are there any hidden Easter eggs fans should hunt for?
AJ: We’ve been zooming out further and further with each album cover. “Lesions” shows a decapitation scene in a cave, and then “It’s Time…” zoomed out to unveil that the cave was just a small part of a much larger battle sequence. Now, with “More Insane”, we’ve zoomed out even further to reveal that the whole world of the previous two covers exists within a cracked, decaying godhead floating in a soulless void. Pretty death metal!
Touring with bands like Kruelty and Gates to Hell sounds like a death metal fan’s dream. What’s the wildest tour story you’ve experienced, and how do you maintain that chaos on stage?
AJ: Off the top of my head, one story that I still find particularly funny (and doesn’t implicate anyone) is this: We played a show in Atlanta on a tour that we did with the Black Dahlia Murder back in 2022. It was our first real U.S. tour so we were partying a little harder than usual the whole time. We all got pretty drunk, and then REALLY drunk after our set, just in time for the rapper B.O.B. (the guy behind that “Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars” song that was absolutely everywhere in America like ten-plus years ago) to turn up completely out of the blue. Turns out he’s good friends with my buddy Senam, who convinced him to come out to the show. I drunkenly introduced myself, to which B.O.B. responded by peeling off $200 from a massive wad of bills and told me to “put it in the band fund”. A truly bizarre night.
Your fans are known for their intensity. What’s the craziest thing a fan has done to show their loyalty, and how does that energy fuel your performances?
AJ: We’ve had people drive for 8 or 9 hours one way just to come see us, which always blows my mind. We’ve also had people fly to our shows and that’s just crazy to me. We always give it our all on-stage, but that kind of dedication and intensity makes all of us want to give it that extra little oomph.
Death metal has a reputation for its extreme themes and sounds. How do you balance pushing boundaries without alienating new listeners?
AJ: I think alienation is the last thing on any of our minds when we’re writing new music. I always envision our goal as being to bring as many new faces as possible into the wild and wacky world of death metal. We want our music to be intense to listen to, of course, but we also want it to be fun and memorable so that people want to keep coming back to it.
Undeath is spearheading the old-school death metal revival. How do you stay true to the genre’s roots while injecting fresh brutality?
It’s easy for us to stay true to our death metal roots when the classics are still the main stuff that we listen to! We’re all massive fans of bands like Cannibal Corpse (obviously), Carcass, Bolt Thrower, etc., so that influence comes out in our music whether we intend it to or not. Beyond that, we try to draw from plenty of other sources beyond classic death metal to keep things interesting.
After “More Insane,” what’s next for Undeath? Any side projects, collaborations, or unexpected musical directions?
Just wait and see!
Your fans are die-hard. What’s the one message you want to deliver to them as they prepare for “More Insane”?
AJ: We sincerely appreciate all of the support that you’ve given us since we started the band 5 years ago. We know that More Insane is by far the best record we’ve made so far, and we hope you fuck with it as much as we do!
If you had to describe “More Insane” in one sentence to someone who’s never heard death metal before, what would you say?
AJ: Sick as fuck death metal for sick fucking death metal freaks.
With the current digital age, how do you think platforms like social media and streaming services have impacted your reach and connection with fans?
AJ: They’ve made it way easier to communicate with our fans directly, which has been huge for us. I’m all for doing away with any artificial barriers that separate artists and fans, as our shit is all the same color at the end of the day, to put it crudely. However, please stop DMing us about the status of your merch order. We aren’t in charge of that! It’s in the mail, I promise!
Can you share any rituals or routines you follow before hitting the stage to deliver such high-energy performances?
AJ: Try to drink just enough.
Thanks for hanging out with us, Undeath. Any final words for the readers of Music Anvil and your fans worldwide?
Thank you for the support and thank you for supporting motherfuckin’ DEATH METAL!
