Metal Shock Finland (World Assault )

David is the founder and composer of the two Italian doom-oldswedeath Bands, Horrid (1989) and Tethra (2008). His eight album plus  the mini cd “At The Gates Of Doom” were released the 2 November 2010  for the Occultum Production of Ossian, distributed in Italy by Masterpiece.

Some days ago, I had a chat with David, trying to figure out who he is and what he’s thinking about certain things …

Hello David! Welcome to Metal Shock! How are you today?

… a bit better thanks, tonight I was not very well but now I’m ready to begin another day ..

First of all, tell me briefly who you are, a short “David in the nutshell” …

mmm .. briefly it’s tough, I can tell you that I’m a man who has a respect to his humility and consistency lifestyle ..

When and how did you find the music? and why did you choose the guitar as your instrument?

Well, already at teenage I felt the music in me, because I was already fascinated by very specific genres, such as Jean Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk, Rockets, Vangelis, ELO, and many others, not to mention all the Italian progressive, then after I finished the military I worked in Zurich in a club where passed all the historic rock bands in the underground metal, and after I had seen Hellhammer playing live I realized, what was my way and the instrument to play.

Tell me about your first experiences in the metal world, that is, how you found it?

After the period in Zurich I came to Milan and there I got to know Max, and with him I decided to form Horrid 1989 (which original name was Rites Of Death), at the beginning I was completely influenced by Hellhammer slowlydoom type sound, but as soon as I started to follow the Scandinavian oldschool vein, from there Horrid has not differed anymore.

Tethra and Horrid … tell me the main differences of these two groups.

If you listen to the first demos of Horrid, you may notice that my compositions were already a bit of doom influenced. But after “You are mine” of ’94, I realized that to express what I felt in doom key, there must be something different. Horrid was synonymous with “oldswedeath” and it had to remain such. For a long time I wanted to create a doom band, but I wanted different people in the band, and now, better late than never, I found them.

How does a new song of Tethra and Horrid sees the daylight? where’re coming from your inspirations?

The compositions have always been sudden inspirations .. a state of mind and events .. special moments in life that bring you certain emotions, the Tethra members help me a lot to enhance them, but unfortunately, in 20 years of Horrid only a few have been able to appreciate what I’ve given, for this reason it was time for a “general cleaning” ..

You are one of the cornerstones in the Italian death metal history, as the founder of Horrid (1989)… I’ve heard, in fact, about a recent cleaning up inside the band, tell me about it… and then another thing, what was the reason that after “Rising From The Hidden Spheres” (2005) there’s been no other work of yours coming out?

… since the demo “Eternal Suffering” (1992) I have always done hell of a lot of work  to compose good music and give the passion and soul to Horrid, each single component that has joined the band has always had “carte blanche”  to give the maximum of his expression, and the conclusion is that in 20 years only a few can boast of having given something very real and sincere, and above all, to have respected the work of who creates. … too many people with a constant complaining, who didn’t do a fucking really useful. If I have to nominate positively somebody it’s Draughar, he was our original drummer, but he left because of “bad apples” in the band, and it still hurts me if I think of that moment .. however, after “Rising …” new session members entered into the band, and as “session members” they have proven for what they are … mercenaries! In fact, they’re better off, where they are now, it’s their negativity that has pushed me into the idea of creating a side project with the right people, serious, little useless talk but a lot of professionalism. I’ve had enough of “fancazzisti” (the italian term means more o less the “unproductive persons”) who exploit the name of the band to make the cool, saying “I play in Horrid” and then they expect to find “all done and ready” without giving a shit .. first I composed only music .. but recently I had to think also about the music, the lyrics and graphics .. and then??  Enough is enough, in the Horrid there must be the same serenity and the right professionalism as I have now in Tethra .. I do not have more time to waste with certain people, so that’s why the total cleaning up …. however, soon will be released a new album, containing 4 new songs plus the mini-cd called “Basphemic Creatures” from 1998.

I see that the name Tethra, in 2 years, is achieving already a good success, where do you think it will arrive to?

When you finally work with serious people, who respect what you are, what you do and the passion you put into things, it can only take you very far, a singer who finally writes the lyrics .. a bassist with great ideas and arrangements, a drummer as well as a longtime friend, who never forgets a riff, not to forget the rest… … they’re not complaining or doing a shit, but they always give more than 100 per cent of their capacity, and they have a talent that I’ve seen in very few people: “the humility” .. and believe me, with this feeling you can get anywhere! …In Italy there are too many fuckin’ “rockstars”!

Besides we see you on stage to play, you’re also in the entertainment world. Is it a hobby or what? and how did you get in there?

It all started in 2005 when the director Dario Piana wanted us for a Spot “Cornetto Freemusic Festival” (Algida) and since then, occasionally, I still do something, the last one is a short film “Thriller Agony 2 “, shot by director Stefano Visentin, with whom we have shot Tethra’s latest official video “Everyone must die. ”

What are your future plans?

Bringing Tethra as high as possible…  working hard with the guys, so I think it is the dream of all of us, and they deserve it .. and I wanna ensure that Horrid returns soon … but with the humble and with the spirit of sacrifice.

Where we can listen to your music?

…it’s enough to look for Horrid and Tethra on Myspace, Reverbnation, Facebook and on Youtube.. however, here’s the link to Tethra’s latest: Everyone Must Die

Talking about the metal scenes and venues in Italy, how do you see them? and how do you think they will develop in the coming years?

It’s the mentality that will never change .. the generations will change but not the mentality, unfortunately we have too many “rockstars” in Italy..  you know, I’ve played with people like Dismember Master Sinister, and I tell you that we have much to learn.. Humility is not something that does for us, we only are able to criticize others, but instead of that, we should look at ourselves.

… and finally, what would you say to our readers?

Be always yourself, try to give the most in what you believe in all things, just doing so you can be proud of what you do.

Thanks David, it was a pleasure speaking with you! See you on the road, Heil!

Tarja, thanks to you and the whole team of Metal Shock! Hails!!

Interview by Tarja Virmakari – For more info about Tethra – Horrid, please go to: Myspace – Facebook – David’s Facebook – Belfagor Horrid Tethra Guitar – Horrid