Chad Bowar: Your new CD Above wasn’t originally supposed to be a Samael project?
Vorph: We worked on it thinking it would be a side project. That’s why it’s so different from the last two or three albums. It started with three songs. We just wanted to do something straight metal, fast and aggressive. We did that to see how it would go. Then from song to song we had enough material to do an album. We didn’t want to interfere with the mindset we had at the time, so we thought we’d call the project Above and build a concept around it. But when we were listening to the stuff just before doing the mastering we thought some of the songs would be fantastic to play live, and if we do a side project that won’t be part of our setlist. So we called Nuclear Blast and explained the whole project to them. They were thrilled about it, and we decided to do it (as a Samael CD).
When we made the decision, we thought about reworking the songs a little bit. If it’s Samael we should spend a little more time on it. But if we did this, we’d lose the edge of spontaneity we had. It might be a little bit better, but not as exciting as it is now.
Did you produce the album yourselves?
Yes, we did the production. The project we had in mind was just to have fun. It wasn’t a big deal, so we didn’t feel like we needed someone from the outside. We knew where we wanted to go and what we wanted to do. There’s no real experimentation there, it’s just what we know.
Fredrick Nordstrom (Opeth, In Flames) did the mixing for the CD. Were you there to supervise the process?
Yes. Xy (drummer) and I went to Sweden with Fredrick. Our guitarist Makro had two albums from his band mixed there. He told us Fredrick was the perfect guy for this kind of music. He was right. He’s very fast and has a different way of working than the people we’ve worked with lately. He gets a live sound.
Since this was designed originally as a side project, were the lyrical topics any different than a typical Samael album?
Not really. I didn’t prepare anything for this one. I just wrote what came to my mind and then I worked on fitting it into the song. The topics are pretty much the same as the last three albums. The words I’m using are a little more crude, a little less metaphorical. It’s saying the same thing in a different way.
You’re doing some U.S. shows with Carcass. Were you a fan of the original incarnation of the band?
Yes, I have their first two albums. The first one I bought because the cover was so disgusting I had to have it. I like their second album Symphonies Of Sickness very much. I didn’t go further than that.
What are your other upcoming tour plans?
When we get back we have shows in Switzerland. Then we’ll do some festivals this summer, and then we’ll see. We may do a proper tour for Above, hopefully in Europe and America. If the opportunity doesn’t happen, then we’ll start working on new material.
Where haven’t you played live that you’d like to get to?
There are plenty of places. South America would be one. We played in Mexico, but never in South America. We’d like to go Japan, Australia and many other places.
What was the first metal concert you attended?
It was Iron Maiden and Michael Schenker on the Piece Of Mind Tour. It was a great concert, and I have good memories of it.
Had you started playing music yet when you went to that show?
I knew I wanted to something to express myself in a creative way, but I didn’t really figure out what it was yet. I was 14 then, and started Samael three years after that.
Was Samael your first band?
I had another band, but we never did anything. We just rehearsed together for a year or so. When I had the opportunity to start Samael I took it.
Do you remember the very first show Samael played?
I remember it vividly. It was in 1987. It was a German band Living Death, a Swiss band Messiah, and we opened. There were only two of us on stage. It was quite an experience. There was no bass. Until the recording of the first album there were only two of us in the band. I was playing guitar, but it has a splitter that would go to the bass amp, and it had an equalizer to make it sound dirty and deep.
Did you think you and your brother would still be in the same band together 20 years later?
I tried to enjoy the moment. I never looked too far ahead. I just kept doing it and taking whatever came my way.
What’s the metal scene like in Switzerland these days?
I think it’s getting a little bit better. It’s a small, wealthy country and there are plenty of ways to make money in a regular job. A lot of people don’t want to sacrifice to go for the musical thing where you never know what’s going on tomorrow. It’s a risk that not a lot of people want to take. We took it.
Are you able to make a living off music, or do you need to pick up side jobs when you’re not on tour?
We’re cool. After 20 years we’re doing okay.
What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the music business in your 20 plus years as a part of it?
We started early enough that there was no internet. That was quite a revolution, to say the least. Back then we were trading tapes, sending flyers through the mail, and trying to get some attention from the underground. That’s been the biggest change.
