SP:  Guitar &  Vocals
Ogrish:  Bass
Bes Trefoil:  Drums

Formed: 2003
Minsk,  Belarus
Label: Possession Productions
Genre: Death Metal

CURRENT LINE-UP:

Chris: Hey there, thanks for talking with us. First, I’m sure a lot of fans might like to know exactly where Belarus is and how is the metal scene there?

DISGOD: Hello! Well, I shall tell you about our homeland. Belarus is a country in Eastern Europe, to the east of Poland and to the west of Russia. Our territories are the heart of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania that in the 14th century developed into Rzecz Pospolita - a commonwealth with the Kingdom of Poland. During those times it was a powerful state and the biggest one in Europe; its territory spread from the Baltic Sea on the north to the Black Sea on the south. Later on, at the end of the 18th century, the political situation in Rzecz Pospolita extremely regressed and its territories were divided between three other empires: Austrian, Prussian and Russian. Our land was occupied by Russia. Only more than in a century, in 1917, the Russian Empire had fallen and during next year an independent Belarusian Peoples Republic was proclaimed. But there were really hard times and a year later another monster - a newborn communistic USSR - violently annexed our land. Therefore we had become a Belarusian Soviet Socialistic Republic and only in 1991 found independence after the Soviet Union`s break-up. Since then, there is an independent Belarus country on the world map. The name of a state - Belarus - is one of old names of our land, but it has other historical and authentic names as well - Litva (or old Lithuania), Kryuja. In square kilometers modern Belarus has a territory equal with Great Britain. Belarus is not a part of the European Union, but it borders on its participants: Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.

When talking about the Belarusian metal and underground scene, I wouldn`t talk about a big and influential world scene, but there are a considerable number of really interesting bands here. I hope you`ve heard of GODS TOWER - a pagan doom metal band, who has a cult status here in Belarus. Their albums “The Eerie” and “The Turns” are really worth checking out. The band had existed since 1989 and split up in 2001. There are also a number of original black metal acts here. PAGAN, KRUK, MEDIEVIL, DEOFEL are among them. In my convinced opinion there is a real outstanding figure in the Belarusian ambient scene - a dark folk ambient project called PRAGNAVIT with its real masterpiece, an album called “Svietacjam”. It`s worth mentioning the names of death metal bands that once existed or exist untill today - EXHUMATOR, EVTHANAZIA, DEADFALL, PATHOLOGIST DEPARTMENT, VELD, INCINERATOR, WARKRAFT.

Chris: After hearing Sanguine Scales I honestly felt the early 90’s U.S. death metal vibe throughout. What bands influenced your music?

DISGOD: Every member of DISGOD has his own taste, but adoring real old radical metal is what unites us. Of course I respect the old school scene very much. I don`t like modern mainstream “hard” music and enjoy living and pulsing old extreme metal, but not only old tapes created nowadays with enthusiastic people who are not just copying. (They are also) keeping and recreating the spirit and primitive power of real extreme, authentic metal and creating new and cool music on the basis of tradition. All of the old extreme metal bands, of course, have influenced our priorities in music. Sure, the names of all old-schoolers are well known for you and there`s no need to make a great list here. It was old school US death metal, mainly Florida residents with their strong traditions, old American and German thrash metal, speed-metal, excellent European death metal scene (Dutch, Polish bands) and of course heavy metal classics. Black metal is also respectful for me personally, mainly its Scandinavian representatives. The band that is strongly honored by all members of DISGOD is CELTIC FROST.

Chris: Your debut is out on Possession Productions out of Russia. How has the CD been doing for you so far?

DISGOD: First of all Possession Prod. is not a Russian label. It is old Belarusian underground label that has a cult status here and in all countries of the former Soviet Union. The label has been active since 1997 and its main specialization is dark art. But they had liked our music, found it very extreme and proper for the label, and we accepted the proposition of a full-length release.

Chris: On your MySpace it says that your live gigs are “…bright, barbarous power.” For those of us that have yet to see a DISGOD gig what is your typical live gig like? 

DISGOD: We play as a trio, using the minimal line-up. We are old school and don`t use any modern environmental things. Our music should speak with all its pressure and frenzy, I think. This is how we feel when performing live. But of course the best idea would be to see our show personally. Hope one day it will be possible for us to play in your country.

Chris: One of the things I noticed about your songs is that they’re shorter than the typical death metal track(s). Do you find it’s easier writing shorter songs or is it something you don’t think about and it just happens that way?

DISGOD: Yes, our songs are short, but they are full of ideas; they are overfilled with ideas. When writing music I give life only to evident, worthy riffs. We don`t have senseless riffs on the album. Well, many of them [might not] sound like much, but they have much to say. They say much! This is our philosophy. [We create] only rich, sensible music, no passing through riffs. We often don`t use the same riff several times during the same song; we often don`t get back to the same riff. We don`t permit our music to loop. The songs are not long, well, so what? They ride, they rush, they tear. There is no way to lay and catch your breathe at our site. Your heart will be beating only faster. Forward and forward.

Chris: I have to ask, what is the meaning (if any) behind the name Sanguine Scales?

DISGOD: We wanted to describe the idea of living music, life-giving like blood, based on blood. “Sanguine” means overfilled with blood and life; “scales” - like harmony or minor scales but sanguine, based on blood and raging, sanguineous living.

Chris: It’s usually a stock question for newer bands, but I’m curious what started your journey into music and heavy metal?

DISGOD: All of us have been adoring extreme metal for years; it`s a big part of our lives. Our bass player and drummer are really seasoned persons, who have been in metal since the beginning of 90`s. As for me, the motive was my inner state. Sometime in my early years I was on fire; I had really aggressive feelings and wanted to know the most aggressive and the most violent sounds in the world accordant to my feelings. So I got cassettes with metal from my friend, the future co-founder of DISGOD, therefore I became possessed by this music.

Chris: You have some festival dates in Poland coming in July with some pretty heavy bands. How has the crowd reaction(s) been for you guys? 

DISGOD: Usually we see that mainly old school people adore such music. And we like that. We prefer some really understanding audience, people who know what real extreme metal is than hundreds of stylish teen-agers.

Chris: What’s on the horizon for DISGOD? Will there be any new music coming our way?

DISGOD: As you know, we are going to play some shows in Poland soon. We constantly communicate with numerous underground ‘zines all over the world to share our music. At the moment all support is provided by ourselves so we don`t expect any rapid promotion. I think we can estimate the situation and we know exactly what we are and what we can. All in all we are an underground band. We work on new songs as well, but at the moment I can`t announce the date of a new album release.

Chris: Aside, of course, from successful careers in music, what’s the ultimate goal for DISGOD as a band?

DISGOD: DISGOD for us is not only playing extreme metal music, but some kind of a ritual, a meditation. We put much energy into the band's music and we feel its magic after all. We hope that this energetic source will not run out. Let it be our sure-footed domain, the re-transmitter of our ideas. DISGOD is a special refuge of our brutish essence that almost has no place in the modern world or in modern society.

Sincerely Yours,
SP of DISGOD

DISGOD

May 18, 2010

Interviewer: Chris

DISCOGRAPHY:

Contaminated Surgery (Demo - 2005)
Sanguine Scales (2008)

*Comments:

*By clicking "Submit" you agree to the following Terms of Use. You agree not to post any material that is obscene, slanderous, or threatening, or that may violate any law of your country of origin or the United States or of international law. Should you wish to restrict viewing of your email address by third parties, you must select "Hide My Email." You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Metal Psalter from any claims, actions, suits, damages, or other costs arising out of any breach of these Terms of Use.

Check out Chris' review of Digod's Sanguine Scales here

TO THE TOP