So guys, your last release "Slaughtering Thoughts" came out in 2000, what do you recall from the recording sessions? Did you have a decent budget to record the material?

It was a cool time, and we had a lot of fun, I believe... it is too long ago to remember all details. Our budget was ok for this recording.

Would you say, that this record offers forty minutes of intricate, technical death metal roughly in the style of American acts SUFFOCATION and DEEDS OF FLESH?

I think it sounds not too much like SUFFOCATION and DEEDS OF FLESH. Of course we like the American Death Metal, but it is not our main influence. Our new stuff sounds more and more like our interpretation of Death Metal.

Do you agree with that, the band have been playing consistently world class death metal for over more a decade now?

World class Death Metal... wow, sounds cool. I agree that we play our vision of Death Metal since 1993 and with each record we came our style nearer.

Distorted guitars squeal their way through a veritable maze of chromatic phrases and pinch harmonics, accompanied by drums that roar
alongside at a hundred miles an hour, accentuating with percussive stabs and controlled blasting passages and these blasting sections, employed tastefully to reward active listening, vary intensity across the length of a phrase, with guitars shrieking forth the occasional atmospheric atonal solo, how do you see it?

Ahh ... yes ;)

The overall effect is a seething wall of sound in which vocals are of secondary focus, acting more as commentator to the music than leading narrative voice, is that correct?

Yes and no. We gave the songs not too much vocals all the time. It is boring to hear from the first second till the end vocals. A good mixture between music and vocals is what we like, maybe more music than vocals. In the new songs we gave the vocals a little bit "better" positions.

Do you think, that the production seems to recognise this, quietening the vocals in the mix to occasionally rear their head in the form of a bestial-scream exclamation point and overall it's a reasonable job?

Of course it is a reasonable job, this is our music it is how we like it.

Can you give us still some details about the record? Perhaps a song to song description?

Sorry we are keeping it all under wraps.

Why didn't you put a newer track instead of "Drowned In Dusk" on the album, since it was appeared on the "Drown In Dusk" 7"EP in 1999? Did you use all of the tunes you had written for the album?

We recorded this song again because we put some little new details in it. On our new album we will record another "old" song with many new elements again. It is like our speciallity.

Do you agree with that "Slaughtering Thoughts" is an interesting death metal album played with dedication and understanding, and Profanity are not only an excellent band but also one of the last to approach this style with a measure of class?

Yes, this album is interesting for all people who like extreme music. I think there are many bands who play there music with class, and those bands will never go down.

What type of reviews did you get for the record? Was it more successful than the first record "Shadows To Fall"?

Yes, we get more and better reviews than on "Shadows To Fall". We have promoted "Slaughtering Thoughts" by many many shows, so we get more contacts to zines, labels and the main point: the freaks.

"Slaughtering Thoughts" was released by Cudgel Agency, weren't other bigger labels interest in the band back then?

Yes, but at this time we were satisfied with Cudgel Agency and we saw now cause to split with them. After touring with Cryptopsy we have decieded to go seperate ways.

How much support did they do for the band and the record at all?
They did a good job and used what opportunities they had.

Your next release was the "Humade Me Flesh" 7"EP, what can you tell us about this material?

"Humade Me Flesh" is a long song that is faster and more technical. On this 7" we have covered DEATH's "Zombie Ritual". Death is one of our main influences, we love Chucks songs and his idea of Death Metal.
As far as the title track, was it written during the recording sessions of "Slaughtering..." or was it done especially for this release?

The title track was done only for the 7" at this time. We will record this song again with new themes and other little compositions.

In the same year, thus in 2002, you toured Europe with Cryptopsy, Heamorrhage and Spawn, how did the whole tour go? Did you get on well with the other bands? What kind of experiences did you gain during the tour?

On one side the tour was a great experience for us, and on the other side it was good to see all the business. There is not only top, behind the scenes there is a lot of business, and to see this is sometimes very "boring". With CRYPTOPSY, HAEMORRHAGE and SPAWN we had a cool time.

Was it your longest tour at this point?

Yes, at this point it was the longest tour.

You played a lot of gigs and festivals like the Fuck The Commerce, PartySan Open Air, Mountains Of Death, Obscene Extreme, Hell on Earth, Ludwigshafen Death Fest and many, many more, what do you recall from these shows? Which was the best performance of Profanity?

I can't say what was the best performance, because we try to give our best on every show. All these gigs and festivals were very cool, maybe the shows in Switzerland were a little bit more intense. The swiss maniacs have a wonderfull underground spirit, they are fantastic.

Were these shows to support the record?

Not only, cause we love to play live. Of course we support all our releases when we play live. We play from each album songs and live it is always the best feeling to show the power and energy of your own music.

At the end of the year (2002) you quit Cudgel Agency, at which point and why did you leave them? Did you part ways with them in a friendly term at the end?

We split in a friendly way. Sometimes it is time for working together, and sometimes it is over and you have to go different ways. We thought it was time to go separate ways.

Does the label still exist? How do you view their releases as a whole?

They became distributers. They released cool underground
stuff.

In 2004 you got the opportunity to play in the USA for the first time: a gig in New York and one at the famous Maryland Death Fest followed, what about these shows? How did you feel playing in the States for the first time?

It was very cool to play in the States. It was our first time in New York and the show was good, but on the Maryland deathfest it was better. The jetlag was heavier than we had thought. It was great to meet so many friends from Europe at the Maryland Deathfest and find new contacts.

Would you say, that it was an important step for you, because you had the possibility to be get introduced the band for the American fans?

Of course, yes. The american freaks are open minded, I think more than the europeans.

Around this time reformed both SUFFOCATION and OBITUARY, what do you think about it? Are they the survivors of the last 80ies/early 90ies death metal album, although they didn't work continuously?

They are the founders and influence for all newer bands. Their songs give the whole scene so many inpulses and ideas to play similar music. It doens't matter that they didn't work continuously because they are still around.

What do you think about their comeback releases? Are they on the same level, league with their classic releases or...?

My personal opinion: no. The classics are classic and are better than the new stuff.

We haven't heard anything of the band for a while, so sum up please what happened with the band exactly?

The band is still alive. We have the complete material for "HateRed Hell Within" and practice to enter the studio. After the shows in the states each of us needed time to go new ways in our jobs and private lives. We love our music, but we saw there are other important things in our lives too.

Did you start the recording of your third release
"HateRed Hell Within" at all?

In 2008 we will start the recordings for "HateRed Hell Within".

How did/do you approach this record what's a crucial stage in any bands career?

We recorded it when we thought after such a break without a release, we wanted to make this album.

Where, with whom was it recorded, how did the recording sessions go with this album at all?

The old stuff was recorded with Bibber from Brickhouse Studios. For our new album we will change the studio. When time for recording is near, we will searching for studios who give our songs more transperency and more volume.

Both musicwise and lyricswise, do you develope compared to the first two records? Did you become better and more experienced musicians?

Playing year from year it is normal to become better.

Can you name us some titles and do a description about the record?

Not at the moment. We have a concept we are working with.

It took eight years to come up with a follow up album which is quite a long time for an underground band, what do you think about it? Didn't you fear, that the fans will forget you?

Yes, it is a long time, but we don't think about it. We had played so many shows and get still many offers to play or people ask for the new album. The real underground remember bands they like. We are very relaxed because we record the new stuff mainly for us, and when others like it too, than it is cool and without stress.

What about the German death scene as a whole? Are you familiar with bands, such as Defeated Sanity, Defloration, Sufferage etc.?

Germany has a very cool Death scene. We have friends since long time with many bands, and it is cool to meet them and
talk about the "good old times", haha. It is cool to be a part of this scene.

In your opinion, how much did death metal change or develope during the last two decades? Do you always keep an eye on what's going on in the underground scene?

Death Metal has a special "spirit", a special "feeling" ... it has a soul! I think it is good and necessary to create an own style, to experiment with the music and use new technics, but the soul must be allways the same. For sure we are watching the scene, but not so intensly as years ago, because we have not the time now.

Thanks a lot for your answers, anything to add what I forgot to mention?

Thanx for all your questions and support. It is cool to get an interview from someone who knows about the band, who we are and what we do. Best wishes to you and all friends of extreme music!

Interview: David Laszlo (February 2008)