Since my last chat with Chris Black of Superchrist a lot has changed again, and therefore we agrees to do a small update-interview on the things that happened. In the mean time a ‘real’ CD has been released (the live album “Heavy Metal Tonight”, through Bestial Onslaught) and a new album as well as a 7″ is coming up. And last but not least a mini tour with some great bands, so, reason enough to kick Chris behind his PC to answer my questions… Enjoy!
Hey Chris, good to talk to you again. Where have you been up to lately?
Felix, great to be talking with you and Vampire-Magazine again. Just getting ready for a little mini-tour in a couple of weeks and working on our new album, which is called Headbanger.
You are currently busy with all things surrounding the fifth album, right? In what stadium are you now?
I’m working on my vocal tracks right now for the new album. Vocals are fun, because along with the guitar solo(s), they form the melody for the whole song. But recording vocals can also be tedious, because I record three matching tracks for each song. Also my voice only “peaks” for about an hour per session, so I have to allow myself several days to really concentrate. Or weeks, as was the case with South of Hell.
And, man, fifth album in very few years. How do you manage to keep up with such a tempo?
SUPERCHRIST is our favorite band. Listening to our old songs makes us write new ones. And not because we don’t enjoy the old albums. On the contrary, they are very inspiring to us, in the way that Diamond Head once gave me an air guitar. Also, we record in our rehearsal space with the shitty equipment that I own. We are never in the position of waiting for a studio to become available or for an advance from the record label. But we are willing to sacrifice some production value to be able to do it by our own rules.
Anyway, can you already announce a few details on what the album will be like etc.?
A few surprises, for sure. This album marks the first time we did not include any old, unused material. With South of Hell, a couple of songs were older. Like “Brown Eye Sees All” was from the old lineup, and “Drink or Drown” actually was recorded for the previous album but didn’t make it onto the final cut. With the new album, everything is fresh! And we are taking a couple of risks on this album also. Not to say we have a ballad or some shit, but I feel the songs are a better variety than before. One passage even reminds me of Candlemass, while another is pure Show No Mercy. Naturally, we still have the rock and roll elements in our sound, but Headbanger is just what it says.
You already put a press-statement out saying that you won’t use any guests nor you would record any covers this time, what’s the real reason behind this?
Our last two studio albums each had two cover songs, and we had plenty of our own material this time. So we’ll give the covers a break for a while, except for b-sides and of course gigs. Actually, we just did our first gig ever without any cover songs. It wasn’t planned, it just happened. On Halloween we’ll do a whole set of Motörhead songs, and that’ll be no accident!
Prior the release of this new album a 7″ single EP will be released through Famine Records, what will this contain and is this a real appetizer or what?
Famine Records will issue a single of the song “Ladycutter”, which is on the new album. The b-side will be a cover of “No Class”, and I believe it will come with a poster. I think the single will make people really curious and interested in the full-length album. “Ladycutter” is a completely different song from anything we have done so far. There isn’t another SUPERCHRIST song to compare it with. But there will be in the future when we write one!
You will leave shortly for a short tour with Japanese Sabbat as well as The Chasm. How are you looking forward to this event, and will this open doors to perhaps more shows and maybe abroad too?
Just to be able to witness Sabbat twice is enough. But fuck me! We’re going to actually play with them? And The Chasm? It’s a great opportunity for us and a great honor as well. We are friends with the guys in The Chasm as they live in the same city, but we never had the chance to play on the same bill. So we must travel 1,000 miles to do it? No problem. It will be two unforgettable nights of international heavy metal hell! Actually the Chicago gig with Sabbat has an incredible lineup, with Usurper, Deceased, Destructor, and even more bands, but we will be on our way to the New York show on that date. But we trust the Chicago maniacs completely to give Sabbat and the other guests the ultimate metal welcome.
And what about Pharaoh, your other band? Any progress on the new album? Can you already announce the guest guitarist that will play on this new record?
The album is coming along slowly. Since all the Pharaoh guys have normal jobs, they can only work on weekends. And like with SUPERCHRIST, it’s the vocals that take the longest. So we are making steady progress and still hoping for a release before the end of the year. I can’t announce the guitarist’s name yet? almost.
Ok, this was it for this short while, we’ll definitely talk again when the new album and the 7″ will be released and reviewed. Cheers Chris, last words are yours (again)?
We’re spending lots of money on Headbanger? So you should too! If not, spend it on someone else’s record!
