Thanatos...An illustrious name that has been haunting the Underground Metalscene since 1984... After several demo tapes and line up changes, they released two classic Death/Thrash Metal albums, ‘Emerging From The Netherworlds’ and ‘Realm Of Ecstasy’, in the early nineties and shared the stage with bands like Kreator, Sepultura, Death, Napalm Death, Bolt Thrower, Autopsy and Death Angel to name but a few. Because of several internal and external problems, Thanatos split up in 1992 and was reformed by founder member Stephan Gebédi in 1999 featuring a new line up that included members from Sinister, Houwitser and Cremation. The third Thanatos album, ‘Angelic Encounters’, was released in 2000 followed by more shows with bands like Vader, Dying Fetus, Exhumed, Cryptopsy, Krisiun, Destruction and Necrophagia. Despite great reviews the band was not totally satisfied with this album. Two more line up-changes lead to the present line up: Stephan Gebédi – guitars/vocals, Paul Baayens – guitars, Marco de Bruin –bass/additional guitars, Yuri Rinkel – drums.
In 2002 the band recorded four new songs and two cover songs in a small 8-track studio to attract some interest from record companies. Baphomet Records released these recordings as an official mini-CD. In 2003 Thanatos signed a new recording deal with rising Greek label Black Lotus Records. The first result of this co-operation is the band’s fourth full-length album entitled ‘Undead.Unholy.Divine.’ which is scheduled for a June 2004 release. The album was recorded and mixed in the Excess Studios in Rotterdam, Holland and mastered by Attie Bauw in Amsterdam. It features the band’s strongest, most aggressive and heaviest material so far. Ranging from fast and furious blastbeats to slow, grinding doomparts, this album is a well-executed combination of ‘old school’ thrash influences and modern death metal. The strong anti-religious and Italian Horror-inspired lyrics are the icing on the cake.
interview with Stephan Gebédi on 5-7-2004
Please give us a short introduction of yourself?
I’M AN OLD, BALD GUY TOTALLY DEVOTED TO METAL. TO SOME PEOPLE I’M THE GODFATHER OF THE DUTCH DEATH/THRASH METAL SCENE…THEY MIGHT JUST BE RIGHT ABOUT THAT, HEHE…
SERIOUSLY MAN, I DON’T THINK I NEED AN INTRODUCTION AT ALL, EVERY METALHEAD IN HOLLAND SHOULD KNOW MY UGLY FACE BY NOW, HAHAHA!
Describe your gratitude for this 2nd intie. Do you like answering questions in general?
I REALLY CAN’T DESCRIBE THE FEELING WHEN I RECEIVED THESE QUESTIONS FROM YOU, MAN! IT’S A GREAT HONOUR TO BE DOING ANOTHER INTERVIEW FOR THE MIGHTY BRUTALISM ZINE!!!! I DON’T MIND DOING INTERVIEWS, IT’S PART OF THE GAME AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE COME UP WITH INTERESTING POINTS, BUT AFTER HUNDREDS OF INTERVIEWS THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS IT’S NOT ALWAYS THE GREATEST THING TO SPEND YOUR TIME BUT HEY, I AM NOT COMPLAINING…
Are there some questions you refuse to answer? What is the most stupid question ever asked to you?
I REALLY GET FED UP BY QUESTIONS LIKE ‘HOW AND WHEN DID YOU START THE BAND, TELL ME SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR EARLY INFLUENCES, I MEAN THAT’S 20 FUCKING YEARS AGO MAN … CONCENTRATE ON THE INTERESTING THINGS…STUPID QUESTIONS CAN BE FUN AS WELL, SO I DON’T MIND STUPID QUESTIONS. A REAL STUPID QUESTION IS ‘WHY DID YOU CUT YOUR HAIR?’ THAT’S TOO OBVIOUS… BECAUSE IT BECAME TOO THIN AND LOOKED LIKE SHIT… WHAT OTHER REASON COULD THERE BE?!
An obvious question is what drives you to keep Thanatos alive? Hope to get recognition after all those negative critics 20 years ago?
I DON’T KNOW. I GUESS I STILL HAVE THIS FEELING OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS. I MEAN AFTER ‘ANGELIC ENCOUNTERS’ I KNEW THIS COULDN’T BE THE LAST ALBUM, CAUSE IT WAS A PRETTY WEAK ALBUM; THE PRODUCTION WASN’T VERY STRONG, THERE WERE SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE DRUMMING ON THAT ALBUM. THE NEXT ONE JUST HAD TO BE BETTER, SO THAT KEPT ME GOING THE PAST THREE YEARS FOR EXAMPLE. SOMETIMES I GET SICK AND TIRED OF THE METAL SCENE, BUT AS LONG AS I HAVE THE FEELING THAT I HAVE SOME COOL SONGS TO RECORD I WILL CARRY ON. I CANNOT SEE MYSELF AS A 45 OR 50 YEAR OLD GUY STILL PLAYING DEATH METAL ON STAGE, BUT MAYBE I’M RECORDING AND WRITING THAT SHIT IN THE STUDIO WHEN I REACH THAT AGE, WHO KNOWS?!
BY THE WAY, WE DIDN’T ONLY GET NEGATIVE CRITICS THE PAST 20 YEARS. WE’VE HAD A LOT OF GOOD REVIEWS IN THE PAST AND THERE’S A LOT OF RESPECT FOR THANATOS, BUT OF COURSE THIS DOESN’T COUNT FOR HOLLAND… EVERYBODY OVER HERE THINKS THEY’RE SO FUCKING IMPORTANT , TOO IMPORTANT TO PAY RESPECT TO OTHER PEOPLE…
I used to have "Emerging From..." on vinyl but I sold it years and years ago. Why do I regret this?
BECAUSE YOU SOLD ONE OF THE VERY FEW DUTCH METAL CLASSICS, I GUESS…
Your first releases were on Shark Recs. Also Wehrmacht was signed. Ever met those guys? Do you know their Spazztic Blurr project?
I WAS IN CONTACT WITH THOSE GUYS BEFORE WE SIGNED TO SHARK RECORDS; BRIAN LEHFELDT -THE DRUMMER- WAS ONE OF MY PENPALS, I MET THEM ONCE OR TWICE, COOL GUYS! AND SPAZZTIC BLURR FUCKING RULES! AWESOME RECORD!
Do you get backorders for your early vinyl releases? Are they searched on Ebay? Do you have copies for yourself?
AS FAR AS I KNOW THEY’RE NO LONGER OFFICIALLY AVAILABLE & YES OF COURSE I STILL HAVE THE VINYL VERSIONS MYSELF. I REALLY LIKE VINYL, HOPEFULLY WE CAN RELEASE THE NEW ALBUM ON VINYL AS WELL LATER THIS YEAR, WE’LL SEE ABOUT THAT.
You also write for a Dutch Mag. Did they ask you and why do you do this? Not afraid to be too objective?
I ALREADY USED TO WRITE FOR AARDSCHOK IN THE LATE EIGHTIES AND WHEN I HEARD THEY WERE IN NEED OF NEW WRITERS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I OFFERED THEM TO START WRITING AGAIN. I ENJOY WRITING REVIEWS OF CONCERTS AND GIGS, MEET AND INTERVIEW BANDS. I TRY TO BE AS OBJECTIVE AS POSSIBLE AND THANATOS IS NOT ON MY MIND WHEN I REVIEW AN ALBUM. IT’S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THING, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE PEOPLE WHO CRITISIZE ME BECAUSE I PLAY IN A BAND AND WRITE FOR A BIG MAGAZINE, BUT TO BE HONEST I REALLY DON’T FUCKING CARE WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT THAT… WHY SHOULD I?!
What is your daily job? How much satisfaction does it give?
I WORK AT THE ‘U.W.V.’ AS A REINTEGRATIE DESKUNDIGE; SOMEONE WHO HELPS UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN ILL TO FIND NEW JOBS AND I KICK THEIR ARSES IF THEY DON’T TRY HARD ENOUGH… TO BE HONEST A NORMAL DAYTIME JOB LIKE THIS DOESN’T GIVE ME ANY SATISFACTION, IT’S SIMPLY A WAY TO MAKE MONEY BECAUSE I CAN’T LIVE FROM WRITING FOR AARDSCHOK MAGAZINE AND PLAYING IN A DEATH METAL BAND OF COURSE… DAYTIME JOBS SUCK ANYWAY…
Ever thought of perform in a catholic priest dress?
ALREADY DONE THAT SEVERAL TIMES… NEXT TIME I’LL DRESS UP AS A GAY IMAM AND SPREAD THE WORD OF THE QU’RAN!
Lyrically you are anti religion. The album title also refers to it. Why are you against religion?
BECAUSE ORGANISED RELIGION IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CANCERS IN TODAY’S WORLD… LOOK AT ALL THE SHIT CHRISTIANITY HAS CAUSED IN THE PAST AND LOOK AT ALL THE SHIT THE ISLAM IS CAUSING NOWADAYS. IF SOMEONE BELIEVES IN A GOD, NO PROBLEM, BUT ORGANISED RELIGION IS THE PITS; THESE BRAINLESS SHEEP DO EVERYTHING THEIR RELIGIOUS LEADERS TELL THEM TO DO… IT WOULDN’T BE THAT EASY IF THESE PEOPLE COULD THINK FOR THEM SELVES AND DIDN’T HAVE A RELIGION TO DECIDE FOR THEM…
Are you bald (the others are long haired) to let everybody see you are the bandleader?
YES, OF COURSE!
What priveleges do you get as one of the Dutch death metal pioneers in the scene?
EVEN A FAT BALD GUY LIKE ME STILL GETS ATTENTION FROM ALL THOSE HORNY YOUNG DEATH METAL CHICKS HANGING OUT AT SHOWS… (???), SOME PEOPLE GIVE ME FREE BEERS (OCCASIONALLY, NOT OFTEN ENOUGH) AT CONCERTS, DRUNK PEOPLE AT SHOWS SHOUT ‘THANATOS!!!!’ IN MY EARS, AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE PUT ME ON THE GUESTLIST AT SHOWS… THAT’S ABOUT IT I GUESS…
What is yor fav spot in Rotterdam? Why?
ROTTERDAM IS RAPIDLY BECOMING A FUCKED UP PLACE TO LIVE; A LOT OF CRIME, TOTALLY AGGRESSIVE AND UNCOOL PEOPLE, SO THE COOLEST SPOT TO HANG OUT IN ROTTERDAM IS PROBABLY MY BEDROOM… WE USED TO HAVE A FEW COOL PLACES LIKE ‘DE BLOKHUT’ BUT SADLY THEY CLOSED IT DOWN. THERE ARE SOME COOL CONCERTS AT BAROEG NOW AND THEN BUT IN FACT IT’S NOT A COOL SPOT TO HANG WHEN THERE ARE NO BANDS PLAYING.
And do you know where you can find the G-spot?
YES I CAN MY MAN, OCCASIONALLY, HAHA… BUT I’M STILL SEARCHING IF I CAN FIND SOMETHING SIMULAR ON MY OWN BODY… STILL SEARCHING THOUGH.
When does the historical DVD sees the light of day? What secret material do you have?
YOU MEAN THE DVD WHERE I DISCOVER MY OWN G-SPOT? IT’S STILL IN THE WORKS….
Besides the horror movies and metal what else do you collect? What other interest do you have?
THOSE ARE MY TWO MAIN INTERESTS I GUESS, THE REST OF MY “SPARE TIME” IS TAKEN BY SURFING THE INTERNET IN SEARCH OF EXTREME SEX ACTS AND BESIDES THAT I’M A REAL FAMILY MAN; I HAVE A GIRLFRIEND AND AN 8 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, WHO WILL BE TRANSFORMED INTO A METAL CHICK WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS…
About what can we talk when meeting at the bar at a gig?
ABOUT THE GIG I GUESS, HEHE!
Next time you put me on the guestlist?
OF COURSE NO PROBLEM…I HAVE VERY FEW FRIENDS SO NO-ONE WILL BE UPSET….JUST CONTACT ME.
Some shameless promotion you wanna spew?
NO MAN, JUST WAITING FOR THE GODDAMNED RECORD COMPANY TO FINALLY SEND ME THE FINISHED PRODUCT OF OUR CD!
Last rites?
EVERYBODY MUST SIMPLY BUY THE NEW THANATOS CAUSE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS PEOPLE WILL CONSIDER THIS ALBUM AS ONE OF THE ULTIMATE CLASSICS IN DUTCH METAL HISTORY ALONGSIDE ‘EMERGING FROM THE NETHERWORLDS’, ‘REALM OF ECSTASY’ (BOTH THANATOS) AND ‘CONSUMING IMPULSE’ (PESTILENCE) HUH HUH….
VISIT OUR SITE, SPEW YOUR VERBAL ABUSE IN OUR GUESTBOOK. STAY BRUTAL STAY SICK! WWW.THANATOS.INFO
