One more reunion, by these great Tampa based outfit, which released a classic album called "Emblamed Existence" back in 1993. Basically this is quite boring interview, but... Let's see what founding-member John Astl gets out his stomache. Check out there MySpace site for a new track!

Hello John! One of the biggest surprise of this year the comeback of Resurrection. After 13 years silence you have risen from your ashes. Whose idea was to reform the band? What have we to know about the antecedents of the reformation?
I have been talking about re-forming the band for many years now but because of our work situations and schedules, it could not happen. We all got together last august and decided to do it now that we are all able to.

Have the comeback of SUFFOCATION and OBITUARY had an effect on you? They are nowadays working as well and they have released cool albums. Have you listened to "Souls To Deny" and "Frozen In Time"?
Yes, I am aware that they have new albums out. I think that that it's great.

As far as the line-up, you haven't got a bassplayer and the drummer is your brother Kevin. Why didn't take part in the
reformation former basser Dave Scott and drummer Alex Marquez?
We have a bass player now, his name is Scott Murdick. We did not want to include Dave Scott, because we parted on bad terms and his bass playing was sub-par. Alex was never a full time menber of RESURRECTION.

Was at that time Alex a permanent member in the band? He has played in lot of bands, like DEMOLITION HAMMER, MALEVOLENT CREATION or SOLSTICE. Do you know his own band APOCALYPSE RISING?
Alex was never a full time member of RESURRECTION, he rehearsed the songs with us for the "Embalmed Existence" album.

Resurrection was in 1991 established, but earlier you were known as Roadkill. Why did you change your name into Resurrection?
ROADKILL and RESURRECTION were two seperate bands... After ROADKILL broke up Dave, Steve and me formed RESURRECTION with Charlie Haines (g) and Paul DeGolyer (v). ROADKILL was not the same band with a name change.

How old were you at that time? Which bands were you main influences? Couldn't you avoid/evade the effect of death metal, could you?
Ha ha! I was 20 when we recorded "Embalmed...", I am now 34. I have way too many influences to mention.

In Florida were also power and thrash bands as well, like SAVATAGE, ICED EARTH or the mighty NASTY SAVAGE. Did you like them too? Did they also play an important role in the scene?
Jon Schafer and myself are good friends (I was in his wedding) and we hung out alot. I love him like a brother. Jon was a very important person to me not only musically, but we were able to talk business together. We practiced next to one another. I like NASTY SAVAGE very much as well.

At that time were another band they called RESURRECTION from New Milford (NJ), in Los Angeles were a RESURRECTION as well, but they played black metal. Didn't the fans confuse the RESURRECTIONs with each other?
No, not really. RESURRECTION from NJ never really did anything.

In my opinion, it's not lucky, when more bands use the same name, do you agree with me?
It happens sometimes!!

You have recorded your first demo in 1991 and it contained four tracks: "Smell Of Blood", "Contortion", "Ritual Slaughter" and "Disembodied". Could you tell us detailed about this tape? Didn't you have to record more songs, only these four ones?
We only recorded the four songs. We distributed it to anyone and used it to shop for a record deal.

Did you have already earlier studio experiences?
With previous bands, we all did.

In 1992 was released a four-way split 7" on which were RESURRECTION, HYPOCRISY, AFFLICTED and SINISTER. On this record you were featured with track "I Die". Was it a newer song compared to the tracks of the first demo? Do you still remember about this
compilation?
Yes I remember the compilation and still have a few copies on red vinyl. This was recorded after we lost our original drummer Steve and was recorded for a couple of labels that were interested in signing us.

What kind of purposes did this four way split serve? Were you and the other bands at that time still unsigned?
When the 4-way was released, we had just signed with N.B.

In the same year - a little bit later - you have recorded another demo with the tracks: "Rage Within" and "Embalmed Existence". What can you say about this tape?
The songs on this demo were: "Rage Within" and "I Die" not "Embalmed Existence". "I Die" was renamed "Test Of Fate" when we recorded "Embalmed...". This tape was used to shop to the labels that were interested in signing us.

Do you still remember, how were you signed by Nuclear Blast? Did they offer a good deal? Did they care much of the band? I mean, promotion, advertisement, tour supporting etc.
Really, they only cared if it was in their best interest. We got fucked on a couple of tours, etc...

At that time was Nuclear Blast - along with the English label Earache - the home of the death metal bands. They released a lot of death metal albums they became later classic. How do you remember about it? In your opinion, why did Nuclear Blast later become a trendy label?
I didn't realize that NB was a trendy label. Back then, there were only so many labels that would sign a death metal band.

When did you start recording your debut album "Embalmed Existence"? How many time did the recordings take? Were you in a good mood in the studio?
We recorded "EE" the month of November in 1992. It took the whole month.

When did you write the newer tracks "Torture Chamber", "Eyes Of Blind", "Test Of Fate" and "Pure Be Damned"? Were the songs ready, when you entered the studio? At all, how were at that time the RESURRECTION songs written?
"Eyes Of Blind" is the same song as "Contortion" that was on our first demo. "Test Of Fate" is the same song as "I Die" on our second demo. Both songs were re-named. All of the songs were
written before we entered the studio. Alex learned the songs and recorded the drum tracks. Writing the songs was mostly done by myself and Charlie with our drummer.

Could you speak us detailed about the songs?
Listen to EE, thats all there is to say.

Why didn't you put "Ritual Slaughter" on the album?
"Ritual Slaughter" we felt was not so good, we may however re-do it for the next record.

The cover version of "War Machine" from KISS became awesome. Whose idea was to do the song? Are/were you big KISS fans?
We all grew up listening to KISS to some degree... It was actually Alex's idea for "War Machine".

DEATH have covered "God Of Thunder" from KISS in 1991 and their version became almost better, than the original one. Did you listen to it?
Yes, great track!

Is "Embalmed Existence" a concept album? Is behind the lyrics a connected story?
Somewhat a concept album. The lyrics were written and the story teller used them to create another story between the songs.

All the songs, except "Pure Be Damned", have a spoken introduction, done by "Mark the storyteller". Who was this guy? Why did you use intros before the songs?
Because the story teller connected the songs.

The intro of "Rage Within": "I rest in my home, eating human waste and drinking the urine from my dog. I feel insane when I do this, but I like it". It sounds a little bit bizarre ha ha!
You should hear the entire story!!!!
As for as the lyrics, e.g. "Rage Within" or "Smell Of Blood" were against christianity and religiousness. Can you tell us the lyrics more?
Not really, Paul is the one who write them and lyrics/vocals is his instrument... He would be best to tell you about them.

Lyricswise would you compare RESURRECTION e.g. to IMMOLATION or ACHERON?
No, not really.

What would you say about the organized religions, about the fuckin' religious sects? Are there many ones in the States?
Yes, there are many everywhere. What ever you believe is your right.

The album was recorded in the Morrisound studio with Scott Burns. Didn't you think about to record the album in another studio with another producer? Why was Morrisound and Scott so popular at that time? Were you satisfied with the sound?
Morrisound is a great studio and at the time there were not too many studios that could record of that quality. The vocals on "EE" were a little too saturated - I mean not as raw as the tracks themselves.

The cover was done by Dan Seagrave, who has painted an excellent one.
We liked it, and it fit.

Were you on tour after the releasing of the record? Can you speak us about your gigs?
We did tour in the states. We had three European tours get cancelled. They were great for the most part.

What kind of reactions did you get at that time? Did the fans like the album? How many items were sold from it?
We sold a good amount of records, we feel that the fans of death metal liked it. Some people did not like the storyteller though.

Although "Embalmed Existence" is a great record, I would say, it was released a little bit late. In 1993 wasn't death metal so popular and in this year were released only few death metal albums. What would say about it? Why did death metal go out of fashion?
I don't feel that it was released too late. Death metal is an underground style of music, there is no fashion.

Why and when did you split up? What did you the after the splitting up? Did you remain in the music
business?
We split up in 1994/95. We all went different directions. We all have still been active in the music business to some degree.

Did you follow the developement of the death metal scene? Which bands do you often listen to? What do you think about the present death metal scene compared to the early '90ies one? How much did it change?
Brutal music will always be around. I listen to lots of music from COB to Billy Joel and everything inbetween, My passion is brutal metal. I have been a metal head since I was 9 and will be forever.

During the '90ies was the metal scene almost dead, grunge and pop/punk music became popular. How do you remember about that period?
Again, death metal is underground, not mainstream.

At the late '90ies ca. 1996/97 popped up more and more melodic death metal bands, like AT THE GATES, DARK TRANQUILLITY, IN FLAMES etc. Have you heard about them? Didn't you think that these bands have made death metal a commercial style? Can you imagine to mix death metal with melodies?
Personally I like melodies, but I prefer raw hard in your face riffs. I like most of the newer bands that are out today.

In your opinion why only few bands could survive the '90ies as for as the death metal bands? I mean, MORBID ANGEL, MALEVOLENT CREATION or CANNIBAL CORPSE could work continuously, they have never done a break.
That is in part a decision and lifestyle that they choose. If they are happy good for them. I like all of those bands very much and respect the shit out of them.

In your opinion, why was Florida the center of death metal?
The heat cooks our brains leaving only the sickest metal.

As I as know, nowadays you are writing new material. Do you have already some songs? How often do you practise?
We practice as often as we can working around all of our work schedules, which is 2-3 times a week. We have 5 songs written and they are heavy. Not as riffy as EE and a little shorter, but brutal.

When do you plan to enter the studio and to record a new album? In your opinion, do still the fans remember about Resurrection?
Yes, we still have fans and they still like us. "EE" has become quite a cult classic and death metal fan favorite over the years. We will record 3 songs in July or August.

Are you again by Nuclear Blast or are you searching for a label? Didn't you think about to release the new record as self financed one?
We will shop our songs to all labels interested in signing a death metal band. We would like to sign for 2-3
albums. We would also like to play many festivals in Europe next summer.

When will be "Embalmed Existence" re-released? It would be a good idea to re-release that classic with some bonus songs.
We will probably rerelease "EE" after we get our website up and running.

Ok, John I think so, that's all, I wish you all the best and good luck. Anything that you would like to add?
Thank you for the interview and we hope that the underground will again give Resurrection as listen. We are glad to be back and we have lots of unfinished business!! Hopefully we will see everyone next summer. Cheers.

Interview: David Laszlo (2006)

more infos about RESURRECTION