Interview with BEAST

!!!BEAST METAL FROM GERMANY!!!

We had a conversation with Julian (Drums). Enjoy!

Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.

Tell us a few things about BEAST (Members, Starting Year etc).
BEAST is a traditional heavy metal band from Osnabrück, Germany . The members are Philipp Rethmann on Vocals & Guitar, Thomas Petersmann on Guitar, Kai Mindrup on Bass, and Julian Kröger on Drums. We know each other already for quite a while because we all grew up in the same region of Germany. Every one of us had different bands and musical projects from different genres before, but in July 2019 we decided that it's time for us four to start a new heavy metal band, worshipping the traditional elements of heavy metal we grew up with and keep the flame of steel burning for the next generation.

You are going to release your debut album ''Ancient Powers Rising''. Tell us a few things about this project.
We started jamming and writing first songs in the second half of 2019 and once we were ready to enter the stage for the first time in the beginning of 2020, the corona pandemy kicked in and stopped our development flow from one day to another. Once it became clear that live shows and even rehearsals had to be paused for a while, we decided to record some first tunes in our homestudios and put it all together remotely. The reactions from our friends were kind of positive, so we decided to keep on moving and after live shows were possible again in 2022 we hit the stage immediately to check the live vibes of our songs. After that also worked out fine, it was finally time to enter the studio which we ulitmately did from May to July 2024. We are happy that everything went smoothly and our producer Matthias Lohmöller of DocMaKlang studios Osnabrück did a great job on the sound. On November 15, 2024 the album will released on CD and all streaming platforms and on December 13, 2024 the vinyl edition will be released via German underground labels My Ruin & Koloss.

The cover artwork has a great atmosphere! Tell us a few things about it.
We are proud that the artwork was crafted by Giannis Nakos from Athens, one of our all-time favorite designers for metal artworks. His style combines fantastic elements and always has a deeper view on the landscape with many hidden details and awesome mysterious vibes. Moreover, he knows how to create awesome beasts. The artwork and the title could not fit any better to our lyrical approach. We especially like the creature on it that looks like the Balrog of Khazad-dûm as we are big fans of Tolkien‘s lore.

And what about the lyrics?
Our songs are about fantasy kingdoms and worlds beyond our imagination. There are dragons, warriors, sorcerers and demons and with our music we try to embrace all these elements and put it into a raw yet melodic heavy metal framework. In the end, it is pure escapism from all the bullshit in the real world. We simply like to tell epic stories with our music.

What do you prefer most, label or DIY and why?
For us as an underground heavy metal act both approaches have their positive sides. We are totally happy that we finally found an underground-established and yet very professional label with My Ruin in cooperation with the German skateboard apparel brand Koloss. They give us 100% creative freedom and let us do our musical thing, however they have many ideas how to push our band and especially the release of our record to the next level, so that as many people as possible can experience our music via different channels and beautiful vinyl and apparel products. In a way, it‘s like having a label with a strong DIY-approach and that perfectly fits to us.

Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
Nothing worth to mention here. Seems we are not really a funny band after all ;)

Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
All formats have their raison d'être. Digital formats make it easy to check out new bands and for us as a new band, this is a blessing as people from all over the world can experience our music without borders. CD is still important in the whole promotion process of a release and especially in the metal sector, it's still a relevant medium for many people. Vinyl is in our view the most romantic format as the cover artwork can be viewed in a huge print and it has some nostalgic flair to it. Especially our music which is strongly linked to the traditional heavy metal sound of the 80s can be explored in it's full character on that medium. Tape has some old-school vibes to it and if you drive an old car, this might be the right medium. Maybe we will also release a tape in the future, just because of the cool retro-feeling.

Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
Our biggest influences are the harmonic twin-guitar leads and gallopping rythms of IRON MAIDEN, the raw energy of early METALLICA, the mysterious atmosphere and dark groovy vibes of BLACK SABBATH, the immortal hymns of MANOWAR and, on a more contemporary note, also the occult catchyness of GHOST. The epic storytelling of BLIND GUARDIAN and the enchanting melodies of HAMMERFALL are also a big inspiration for us. Also, we admire many acts of the so-called New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal such as NIGHT DEMON, TRAVELER, RIOT CITY, ETERNAL CHAMPION, SUMERLANDS, STALLION, HAUNT and VISIGOTH.

Tell us 10 Metal releases that have "entered" your blood.
Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast
Metallica - Ride the Lightning
Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle-Earth
Manowar - Hail to England
HammerFall - Renegade
Ghost - Prequelle
Night Demon - Darkness Remains
Eternal Champion - The Armor of Ire
Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys
Sumerlands - Dreamkiller

Which things do you think a band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your band?
If you are running a band it‘s all about setting the right priorities. In the best case, all the bandmembers have the same priority level for the band. If you want to play live shows, rehearse new songs and record them in the studio, you need a lot of commitment and even more important, you need a lot of time. We already played live shows at own birthdays and we of course sometimes miss private events from our friends. This is in our case the biggest sacrifice we have to make. But as we are having the band as a hobby, family and jobs will always come first.

Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
We like shows like last weekend when we played as support act for NIGHT DEMON and TRAVELER in a small and packed venue where already we as an opener have a crowded place in front of us even if it‘s still early with raised fists in the air, headbanging and pushing us to the limit. It can create a supernatural energy in the room and a deep connection between the band and the audience. We love those heavy metal vibes.

What attributes do you think that a new Heavy Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
We try our best to combine well-established trademarks of the genre with new ideas and our very own musical identity. Of course, we are honouring our metal heroes with references here and there but in the end it‘s our own approach, our own style of writing and playing and our own creativity that makes it a unique piece of music.

Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Heavy Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its work?
We think that digital platforms open a door to the wide world for new bands. However, it is not easy to stand out from all the huge variety out there. However, even still today, the most important thing is to have great songs, to know how to play them live in a tight way and how to perform a good show that people enjoy watching and listening.

Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Germany (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
Specifically in Heavy Metal, there is a huge underground scene. To name just a few, festivals like Keep it True, Hell over Hammaburg or Iron Fest keep the flame of traditional heavy metal burning since many years. Furthermore, there are many small clubs where the owner itself our the institution behind are supporters of the underground heavy metal scene. This is where heavy metal magic happens throughout whole Germany every week. The list of those great locations would be too long to mention here. Luckily, there are still a lot of active webzines which are in many cases driven on a non-profit basis by idealistic heavy metal fans who make an important contribition to the scene as they also give a platform to small underground acts like us. And last but not least, there is also a bright professional press coverage for heavy metal by the big magazines such as RockHard, Deaf Forever, Legacy and Metal Hammer.

Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
We are proud that we were able to work together with one member of the Hellenic metal scene as the designer of our beautiful album artwork is Giannis Nakos from Athens who has done designs for many famous international metal artists before. Moreover, we of course know the legendary UP THE HAMMERS Festival where world‘s best and most hyped bands from the traditional heavy metal scene play every year. And then there is of course the label Remorse Records which is well-known for many great releases of internationally aclaimed heavy metal acts.

In the last 4 years, worldwide in the world, we have faced many dark, strange, and new situations in our everyday lives (covid, lockdown, etc.). Did all of this affect you positively or negatively?
As already stated earlier, the pandemy stopped the starting movements of our band in the beginning, but we have overcome this challenge and used the time wisely, so it did not stop us from doing what we love. However, it was a tough time personally for many of us and the negative impacts on the scene and it’s infrastructural surroundings are still there, so that especially small venues and festivals still struggle with the aftermath. We all can show our support by buying tickets in pre-sale and going to local shows.

What are your future plans?
Play live as much as possible and promote our new album ANCIENT POWERS RISING. Luckily, there are still some shows left for 2024 and already more and more shows are entering our tour schedule for 2025. A next goal would be a gig on some of those awesome underground heavy metal festivals. Let‘s see if that works out. We are ready to hold up high the flag of traditional heavy metal for the next generation.

Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Thanks for the interview. Webzines like yours are an essential part of the heavy metal underground. Keep up the good work and hope to see you one day to celebrate the beauty of heavy metal together! 🤘

By Steve the Filthy Dog.

BEAST CONTACT:

https://www.facebook.com/beastmetal666

https://www.instagram.com/beastmetal666/

https://beastmetal.bandcamp.com/album/ancient-powers-rising

https://open.spotify.com/artist/04ZVIS2ddUi839E6MuxKR5?utm_medium=share&utm_source=linktree