Avenger (Czech Republic): Feast of Anger/Joy of Despair

Avenger (Czech Republic)
Avenger has done their part of the bargain with a great release, Feast of Anger/Joy of Despair.
The problem is getting metalheads to check it out. Once you do, it will be an attractive proposition, and a difficult one to turn down.
Here’s an argument for it. The band, who are well versed in classic metal/death/black, have a tremendous ability to utilize their own creativity/feeling/atmosphere: through their use of the tympan (which gives their music a solemn tone of classical heaviness), well-placed melody/catchy riffs while retaining a decidedly traditional black/death metal sound, the solid sound quality of the recording, and a certain Avenger-ness, like talent and songwriting ability, that makes the band click; plus, guitar catchy solos, the combination of uptempo, blasting and midtempo patterns. They certainly have made a serious effort and it shows very well.
How good can it be? It’s got the metal tradition, memorable songs and a creativity that is not be taken lightly or to be dismissed.
Hear the song “Vitriol” on their myspace and just think about it. Is it generic guitar playing? Does it sound like it has no feeling? Or does it suggest something else? Are they actually that good? Their release answers in the positive. And yet here they are, waiting for the metal-hunters to discover Avenger.
Honza (guitars and vocals) answers the questions.
www.myspace.com/avengerofficial
www.myspace.com/deathgasmrecords

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Congratulations! Feast of Anger/Joy of Despair is very good!
Hi, Mauricio thanks for nice words.

Has it improved your situation in the Czech Republic?
We have received mostly very positive reviews in the Czech metal media, a few interviews but that’s all. As with every album, you can find people who like it and people that don’t. We haven’t watched any great increase of fans interest in our band. But at the same time, we are not complaining about it. Our Dark Metal path has been always for those who wanna discover emotions and harmonies that are deep and obscure and are not attractive for the uninitiated. The past 17 years have proved that we are probably never going to do a music for the masses.

And what about the rest of Europe?
Our last gig outside CZ was I think in 2002 or 2003. We would like to set up a small tour over Europe in 2010. But its only a plan so no idea if it really comes to reality.

Your lyrics are in Czech. What are the concepts for “Voices of Delirium” and “Ritual of Wrath”?
Yes, Czech is my native language that’s why I can use it much better and more effective or maybe even poetic way, simply much better than English for me personally. “Voices of delirium” is an instrumental track, full of sounds of alcoholic delirium halucinations sounds. “Ritual of wrath” is about letting wrath go its own way without any limits or moral borders. If you wanting to kill, why not to do it. If you wanting to eat human flesh, why not do it. It’s also parallelly compared to sonic brutality, flaming nails, hammers whatever. Any ritual that helps you handle your anger in your fantasy is cleaning, liberating, washing stress away.

You have a tympan player: Jarda. Is this an inspiration from Master’s Hammer? Celtic Frost has some moments like that on “To Mega Therion,” too. Does Jarda come from classical music?
Ha ha, no, he is not a classically skilled musician. He is normal metalhead like all of us. This guy first appeared in Avenger as a session bass player. Adam, our that-time-bassist was a professional soldier and he went for a mission to Bosnia for 6 months. So Jarda took it as his replace for a few gigs. When Adam came back, we were too sorry to let Jarda simply go as he proved himself as very good friend and mate. So we bought tympans and he has kept playing with us since then. Yes, the inspiration is of course coming from Master’s Hammer. But generally the sound of this instrument is the most fucking diabolical it could ever be. So we have always longed for having it in a band.

Avenger is a band since 1992! How has your musical philosophy changed from 1992? Do you have day jobs?
Yes, of course, we have daily jobs. One has to live out of something. I’m probably the most lucky guy, I have built a recording studio that earns me for living. But all the other guys have jobs totally unrelated to music. Our music path has been less or more still the same all the time. We are dark pilgrims. That is probably what made us form the band back then.

Do you have other bands or is it just Avenger?!
No, I’m the only creative power in Avenger since 2002. In the past Ramus was also writing lyrics and/or a few riffs but life is life and sometimes it keeps you more busy with other things than just hobbies and music. We will see with the next album, maybe Ramus will join the process again. But I have always been very majoritarian music author in Avenger and I think it will always remain so. As for my other bands, I’m at the moment member of these: Panychida, Radiolokator, Oblomov, "25". My past is also connected to bands as Maniac Butcher, Darkstorm, Judas Iscariot, Nargaroth, Krieg, Morrior, In Articulo Mortis. About 30 bands in total.

How has the economic situation affected you? Less concerts?
Strange question, to be true. I don’t know what to say. Is it a politic question or a music question? Because I’m not able to tell you something serious about economic situation (maybe except that I do shopping today for what I earn yesterday, with no fucking reserves ha ha :-) Generally, yes, there are maybe not so many gigs in here like it was in 98 - 2002. But I think money is not the only thing in the background. I was so lucky to give intensive gigging when not so fucking too many bands were in here. Today the amount of bands in unbearable so people are overloaded and lose their interest. That’s why gigs and everything ends in shits. But I guess this is not a problem of just Czech Republic.

How can people get your other albums, like Godless? And you have a DVD, too?
You can check www.avenger-cz.net or www.myspace.com/avengerofficial where you can check our news, merchandise and/or find a contact. First 2 albums are sold out, we have a few last copies of Godless album, and the DVD is a half profi recording of our 15 years anniversary gig. It was shot on 3 cameras, the sound was taken by 2 condenser microphones in the hall. Anything can be ordered also directly over email: ramus.avenger@tiscali.cz .

What else do you have to say to readers of Metal Bulletin zine?
Thanks, Mauricio, for this intie. CHAOS AND DARKNESS FOREVER!! DARK METAL RULES! H. THE END.