| Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: After remaining together for 15 years, what moments in the bands history do you feel best sum up "Cannibal Corpse" and what do you feel counts for the bands longevity? Jack Owen: I think our continuous cycle of writing recording, and touring for so many years is a testament to the fact that we are in this 110% and have stuck to the blueprint we designed in the beginning. We wanted to be the band that we ourselves wanted to hear. And we wanted to never sway from our vision like most of our heroes and influences did. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Your last album "Gore Obsessed" did extremely well when released. Did you find it difficult when writing for the follow-up "The Wretched Spawn" and how do you feel this album surpasses previous releases? Jack Owen: There is always pressure to surpass the last album, so we all take the burden upon ourselves to bring in the best material we can when we start the writing process. Not only that, but we try to top everything like production, artwork, and total presentation of the material. I went to bat and wrote four songs with lyrics, so I feel like I stepped up. I wanted to write the whole album, but my writing process is quite slow. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: It’s been stated that when writing for “The Wretched Spawn” or other Cannibal Corpse releases, the writing is mostly inspired by fictional gore and in part, pure imagination. There almost seems to be a theme or short story. What was the concept when writing for “The Wretched Spawn”? Jack Owen: I can speak for myself and my songs and say that I dug deep for the best music I could write, and took upon my self to write the lyrics as well. For songs like "Nothing Left to Mutilate", and "Decency Defied", I looked to friends for ideas they had. "Decency" was based on a friend who had a nightmare that her tattoos were being torn off while she was still alive. "Nothing left" was based on ideas from a friend who was studying pheromones in college, and told me all about how a woman's scent drives men crazy. So if my imagination doesn't kick in, I draw from other things. "Slain" was based on the Eastwood film High Plains Drifter. And "Festering in the Crypt" is my own idea of dealing with the finality of death. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: For "The Wretched Spawn" the band has once again brought in long time producer Neil Kernon to lend his experience. Since he has worked in every musical genre possible, what do you feel he has brought to Cannibal Corpse a death metal act that may not have been done with past producers? Jack Owen: He definitely opens up our sound and makes it bigger. There's so much going on with death metal, it's hard to get that production where you can pick out every instrument much like the old Iron Maiden albums. Not to mention he's the easiest producer to work with. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: I am just curious as to why Colin Richardson, someone of whom the band has had a prior relationship with in another release decided to back out of the project last minute. Can you explain? Jack Owen: Colin is always looking for the next Slipknot, which is fine by us. We would rather plug along and keep our career going than try to jump genres. So far his gambles haven't paid off with bands like Five-Point-O and Spineshank. So good luck to him, he'll need it. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Off the album, which track do you think will hit the audience the hardest and are you satisfied with the overall outcome of the album? Is there anything you would change? Jack Owen: It depends on the audience of course, but I think “Decency Defied” should go over good. I always try to write with the live environment in mind. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: For the fans anticipating this release, can you describe what they can expect musically and with the album as a whole? Jack Owen: It is an album of variety that's for sure. There is something for everyone. Old school Corpse, new elements, and speed, speed, speed! Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Being in the industry for all these years, how does Cannibal Corpse look at the business aspect and their experience with it, especially since the band never changed labels, which is extremely rare nowadays? Jack Owen: Metal Blade has treated us quite well, and they are the biggest independent out there, so jumping to another label wouldn't make sense for us. We would only last one album on a major. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: With one more album being the last on Metal Blade’s contract, where will Cannibal Corpse go from there? Jack Owen: We might sign on for another one, which would then leave us with 2 after The Wretched Spawn. Then we'll be like 40 years old, and I don't know how much our bodies can take. I'm out of here if I have to go to the Chiropractor like George and Alex. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Cover artist “Vincent Locke” has worked with the band throughout the years and did an excellent job at bringing the title track to life. Was there band involvement on how the artwork was to be conveyed on the cover or was the cover art conspired by Vincent solely? He’s an amazing artist! Jack Owen: We usually give him song titles and he sends us sketches, and we go from there. He's very easy to work with. We like the Derek Riggs kind of relationship we have with him. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: “15 Year Killing Spree” box set. Why did Cannibal Corpse find that “now” was the right time to release it and for the people that haven’t purchased this yet, what can they expect to find? Jack Owen: We've been trying to compile stuff for a box set for years. It almost made it at the ten year mark, but we waited and gathered more things to make it killer. We included our greatest hits and video stuff like our very first show, a Moscow show from '94, and all kinds of rare audio shit like demos, and cover songs. Hell, everybody probably has it by now, so let's move on. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Cannibal Corpse is forever on the road with another heavy touring plan about to embark. Do you guys breathe? (Laughs) How do you or the band handle the constant touring without burning out and always playing at 100%? Jack Owen: Well, by now, we have friends everywhere that make it like a trip to see family and stuff, and we love to travel and see new places, so that's how we look at it. And every band we tour with is easy to get along with, so it's a big party. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Being that your forever touring, I ask every band I interview at least once this question, do you have any good, funny or bad tour stories that you’d care to share with your fans? And don’t say, “There’s too many to mention”! (Laughs) Jack Owen: Well, our first U.S. tour was in the winter of '92, and we went to Montreal where it was negative 50 degrees or something. Someone slammed the door on the van, and the window broke. So we taped it up to no avail, and drove down to New York, and the trailer fell of the van on the way to NYC. We were ready to pack it in, but when we hit the south and the great weather, we new why we were doing this. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Thanks for the interview! I really enjoyed “The Wretched Spawn!" Keep doing what you do best which is never letting up or conforming to change! With that said, do you have any final words for The Metal Web!? Jack Owen: Thanks for the time, fight censorship, and stay brutal! OFFICIAL SITE "CANNIBAL CORPSE": http://www.cannibalcorpse.net HOME |
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