Neurotic Machinery (Czech Republic)

Interview with Kristián (bass) 

https://neuroticmachinery.bandcamp.com/

Neurotic Machinery was established as a death metal band in September 2006. The band has played around four hundred concerts and released six albums. With the release of their latest full-length entitled A Loathsome Aberration the band has delivered way heavier expression than ever before. The new album is definitelly the darkest effort of band’s discography. Recently I met up with the band’s bassist Kristián to talk about the new album, past and future of this hard-hitting band from Czech Republic.

Metal Revolution: Hello Kristián, thank you for talking to the readers of our webzine.
Kristián: Hello, thank you for having me.

MR: For our readers still unfamiliar with your band, would you be kind and give us a short introduction to the band, something about the foundation of your band?
Kristián: Well, Neurotic Machinery was formed in the year 2006, as of today we have released 6 albums and 1 EP, at the start of our music career we played mostly death thrash but later on we picked up a more progressive technical death metal style. Since Nocturnal Misery we’ve been trying to make our image and sound more fitting to the style of technical death metal.

MR: Neurotic Machinery is a cool moniker for a death metal band. What made you choose this name?
Kristián: It was difficult coming up with a name that no one’s using yet, we poured quite some time into researching if certain bands are already called certain things and we ended up landing on Neurotic Machinery, we were quite happy with that name and seeing as it was so far not used by anyone, we went with it.

MR: Last year you released your sixth studio album entitled A Loathsome Aberration. For someone who still didn’t have a chance to hear it, would you be kind to introduce it?
Kristián: Loathsome Aberration continues in the more complex and difficult style of technical death metal that we established on Nocturnal Misery, but I think that unlike Nocturnal Misery, A Loathsome Aberration pays a bit more mind to atmosphere and soul.

MR: There’s 11 tracks on the new album, do you have any personal favorites?
Kristián: “Transcendental” has to take the #1 spot out of them, it has everything that a modern metal song should have in my opinion, fast complex riffs, syncopated breakdowns, great atmosphere, guitars that compliment each other along with some other things like the amazing saxophone solo and some slower parts that are absolutely drenched in melancholic atmosphere.

MR: Can you tell something about the recording process? Have you utilized any new recording things this time, or just ‘business as usual’?
Kristián: The album was recorded mostly through re-amping. Guitars and bass were recorded through re-amping, the drums were sampled through midi and the vocals were recorded normally.

MR: How does the creative process go in your band? How long does it take to create a song? 
Kristián: It depends, “Aberration” took us 3 months and had 3 separate versions meanwhile “Transcendental” took us about a month and a half. The creative process mostly depends on how everyone is feeling it, if the guitarist is unhappy with the drums we try to accommodate for that and vice versa.

MR: A Loathsome Aberration has been released on the fellow Czech ‘Bizarre Leprous Production’. Is it first time you work with this longest-standing cult Czech label?
Kristián: Yes, this was our first time. We were really grateful that they picked us up because they have a way wider scope of fans.

MR: Are you pleased with the reaction from media and fans? How was the general reaction to A Loathsome Aberration? 
Kristián: Over all we are very happy with how our fans have responded to the album.

MR: What does the artwork on A Loathsome Aberration signify and how does it tie into what is being expressed musically?
Kristián: Well the background is supposed to signify the 4 elements, and the amalgamation in the middle is actually a showcase of the human spirit, how through thick and thin we stick together.

MR: What are your main infuences? Do you listen to death metal at home, or do you find inspiration in other genres too?
Kristián: Our biggest inspirations would have to be Fallujah, Humanity’s Last Breath and Rivers Of Nihil, I am confident that fans of these bands will be able to hear some aspects of those bands in our music as well. Other than that our more genre based influences would have to be black metal.

MR: Have you been active, playing alive, in order to present your latest record to the wider audience? 
Kristián: Yes we set up a tour called Aberration live, with which we travelled across the country.

MR: What’s been your most memorable live experience to date and why?
Kristián: It is hard to narrow down but so far every festival we played in Germany yielded some great crowds and memories.

MR: What is your knowledge of Denmark and the (death metal) scene here? Have you ever been here or are you planning to perform here any time in the near future?
Kristián: We know Hatesphere, Mercenary, Cabal, Mnemic, The Arcane Order and, despite them not being death metal, Mercyful Fate. Sadly, we have not had the opportunity to play in Denmark yet, but we would be very excited to try it if the opportunity arises.

MR: What’s your favorite activity outside of music?
Kristián: Fishing and drinking.

MR: What about your long-term and short-term plans for the future? Already recording a new album? What do you want to achieve with the band? 
Aleš: No short-term plans as of now but our long-term plans are to start working on new material, try and make ourselves more visible and play more shows.

MR: Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview! Would you like to add anything to the readers of Metal Revolution? 
Kristián: Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak to you here and we hope that we’ll get the opportunity to play in Denmark at some point.