Interview With: INSECT WARFARE

DEATH TO FALSE GRIND: INSECT WARFARE

Kim Kelly for Hails & Horns Magazine
2/2009

Grindcore is ugly music for ugly people. Filthy production, merciless blastbeats, broken glass, razor-edged riffs swiped from your worst nightmare, and throat-shredding anti-everything lyrics about why the world is fucked – no breakdowns, no bullshit, just vitriol. Suicide Silence fans, chicks that listen to Daughters and pierce their septums, dudes with swoopy hair, and guys that wear tight pants (unless they’re filthy and covered in Dropdead and Assuck patches) need not apply. Yeah, I’m talking to YOU. You think you’re into grind? You can fuck right off, because chances are, you haven’t got a clue what you’re talking about. Do I seem overly hostile? Good.

Do you own Scum? Do you really, really wish Nasum were still around? Have you seen Brutal Truth, and if not, do you hate yourself for it? Were you super bummed when Repulsion dropped off MDF last year? Have you heard of Seige and Deep Wound? Do you dig powerviolence? How about noise? Do you know why Japanese bands rule?

No? Well, listen up, maggot - Insect Warfare are here to tell you exactly how much you suck, then rip your fucking face off for good measure. Earache’s reissuing their 2007 blasterpiece ,World Extermination, this spring, which means that shit will be available everywhere. Buy it or suck. Consider yourself warned.

First off – are you guys broken up or what? I remember hearing that the band was done, but you keep releasing material. What the fuck is going on?

Yes, the band is now completely over. See, the advantage of recording everything in your house is that you can record everything. We have tons of unreleased material, that’s why new stuff keeps coming out. Kind of like how Tupac manages to keep releasing records though he has been dead for quite a while now. Almost everything is released at this point now though so we can finally put this fucking thing to rest.

What other releases do you have coming up? I know you recently released material with Japan’s FID and with Agoraphobic Nosebleed.

Well, the only 2 things we have left are the Earache Records reissue of World Extermination on both CD and vinyl formats. There is also a 53 song noisecore session we recorded that will be released as a 1 sided LP on 625 Thrashcore around April.. Its 53 songs of pure noise that fans of Arse Destroyer, early Anal Cunt, 7 Minutes of Nausea, and World fans might appreciate. No Guitars, no bass. Just drums, vocals and noise. It should bum a few people out, which is good.

Can you give me a brief history of the band and provide some background info for those who are unfamiliar with Insect Warfare?

The band was basically formed to play the more traditional style of noisy grindcore, not this modern bullshit that is happening now. We also were fascinated with the Japanese scene and wanted to emulate the bands we listened to. Once we went to Japan, we felt no reason to carry on with the band, so we called it a day.

Who came up with the band name – why “Insect Warfare?” Is it seriously in reference to the pseudo-grind band the Locust? I really hope it is.

Rahi (singer) came up with the name. No, the shit with the Locust came later. The name was just something stupid he came up with and it was better than some horseshit like "this autum day girls die flowers".

How would you describe Insect Warfare to someone that had never heard your music before (besides the “elitist asshole grindcore band” tag, of course)?

Primitive, raw, and distorted grindcore that hails to the days of the early Earache releases.

I know you guys don’t tour or play shows very often; is there a reason for that beyond the usual scheduling issues that come with having a job/life outside of your band?

Because for quite sometime we hated being around people and hated the process of playing shows. We are pricks. We make no efforts to try to be hip, cool, part of the scene people. I don’t give a shit about that. I’d rather stay at my house and listen to noise than buy into some false idea of a large grind community. Give me a fucking break. Either you saw us live or you didn’t.

Earache is re-releasing ‘World Extermination’ in a few months. How did you hook up with Earache?

A few labels wrote with interest of doing a reissue but i blew them all off because to be honest, I didn’t give a fuck. I was more concerned with making noise/punk records on my little label than dealing with some label with reissue nonsense. Then Digby wrote me and it kind of stopped me in my tracks because he really was such an inspiration with his label by releasing so many great early titles that were integral to my musical upbringing. That made me reconsider, and here we are today.

What can you tell me about World Extermination? How does it differ from your earlier releases, and can you trace your progression as a band from your early days up to this last chapter in Insect Warfare history?

Well, I was feeling my most alienated, depressed, and angry during the sessions that produced that LP. That discontent echoes throughout the record and that’s why it sounds the way it does. Every other record was written with idea of "hey, lets make 10 more songs for a split". With World Extermination I was trying to channel the same power I got from such records as From Enslavement, Teen Ass Revolt, Ulterior, Anticapitol, and Kings of Punk. I am very happy with how the record came out.

What was the writing/recording process like this time around?

Pretty intense. We would practice almost every other day up until the recording working on trying to make the songs as fast as possible. I think that training paid off because we recorded the record in like 2 days and the intensity/speed was there. Then we overlaid the noisetracks, which alot of bands were not really doing at the time and thats what made it sound so scratchy and gritty. Thats why i like the record. There are parts of songs that arent even riffs, just noise.

What sort of subjects do you touch upon in your lyrics, and what is the meaning behind the album title? I mean, it seems pretty obvious, but I could be missing something.

Nope, just typical alienated hating everyone type themes. We are not a political band. We could care less about that kind of shit. There is no message other than one of just being unhappy with certain personal situations.

Why the fuck does Texas breed so many slam-death goregrind br00tal bands? Wasn’t Devourment enough?

Don’t really know. I don’t follow any of the scenes down here unless its noise or raw, 70s sounding punk rock. Anything else doesn’t hold my attention.

What upcoming albums, if any, are you most looking forward to in 2009?

The only thing that comes to mind is Rusted Shut's new LP on Load records. As far as grind goes: whenever RED says they will complete a new LP I will have something to look forward to.

What’ve you guys got planned for the rest of 2009?

Well, since the band is broken up there are no plans. I am going to spend lots of time at the local leather bars doing unspeakable things and making noise music.

Any parting thoughts?

If you don’t like Arsedestroyer then don’t bother writing me a letter.


*Some of the most fun I've ever had writing a story. Cheers, you assholes.