Interview with BLACK CUDGEL
!!!EVIL WAR METAL FROM THE USA!!!
We had a conversation with Nate (Guitars). Enjoy!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about BLACK CUDGEL (Members, Starting Year etc).
In late 2023 Jacob (vocals) asked me (Nate that is, on guitar) - if i wanted to start a war metal band. Me and Ted played in a band called Goat Coffin which was about to conclude as our frontman was moving a few hundred miles away.. so we signed up for it, as we love this style and generally consider having an active metal band at all times to be important. I'd been in a band called Non Serviam with our drummer Dylan years before and fortunately for us he also was down and available to do this band with us. We started making riffs and called it Black Cudgel.
You have recently released your demo ''Angel Killer''. What is the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
I think one guy left a positive review on bandcamp. We like it. So far so good.
Label or DIY and why?
DIY is just the default. If someone wants to make and produce physical media for us that would be great.. if that doesn't involve a bunch of compromise or paperwork or getting ripped off or roped into impractical commitments. But we don't expect to quit our day jobs, and can and will make these things ourselves so DIY it is.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
Our first show some guys got in an actual fight in the moshpit during our set which i guess was noteworthy. Dylan told me there was a fight as i was unplugging my amp and my first response was "Good!!" and then I realized actually this just meant I had to kick my (now former) friend out of our show spot. So that actually kind of sucked, but it was notable. Otherwise it was a great show though, as all our shows have been so far. We got to play with Pig's Blood in October, who we really like and I could actually count as an influence for us so that was cool.
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
I guess I prefer vinyl for the sound quality and size of the art. I think tapes are fairly stupid despite owning a lot of them. I started collecting CDs again because it's great not depending on the internet to play music in the car. Digital is of course the easiest to release and access. We will most likely make tapes and CDs soon - vinyl is just too expensive for now.
Your music style is Bestial Black War Metal. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
Old Sarcofago, Revenge, Archgoat, Black Witchery and so on.. mentioned Pig's Blood earlier. Been enjoying Blood Chalice a lot.. I don't know how much these things directly translate to our music, we just like to make evil sounding primitive death metal.
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?
Well, the bodies and souls of the pious of course.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
Anytime we played well to some people who gave a shit, I guess. Which we've done and will do again. It wouldn't hurt to play better and for bigger audiences and more noteworthy lineups and get paid more, but you can always say that. We'd definitely rather play for ten true maniacs than for 1000 poseur dipshits at a deathcore fest or something... but fortunately the latter isn't something we really have to worry about.
What attributes do you think that a new Black War Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
Don't be a nazi or nazi apologist and make some actual riffs behind all that blasting.
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Black War Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its work?
I have no idea how to effectively promote things. It would be ridiculous to say that the internet isn't useful though.
Do you see any differences between the US Metal Market & the EU Metal Market (Labels, Bands, Fans etc)?
I was just watching a video of Rotting Christ playing a fest in Poland last year - and the size of that audience compared to any show I've ever been to here... including Slayer and Judas Priest - its a notable difference. I'm sure Rotting Christ plays smaller shows than that in Europe - but I guarantee they will never play a show that size here. At least not in our area of the country.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Columbia, Missouri (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
We've been running a diy venue/collective practice space called PDM for the last 11 years. Mostly punk and metal shows happen there but often other kinds of music too. It's actually probably more important for our local music community now than ever before as the other local bars in town largely stopped hosting music regularly and the two "real" venues in town are livenation venues now. I know some younger people do house shows but I haven't heard of any doing any metal or punk shows - just indie and shoegaze and other music that's pretty irrelevent to me. So for things we like - this old auto shop we rent out really is the place. And it works surprisingly well, touring bands are always happy and they come back too. There's a few other bands in the area we like but none that's quite our genre. My favorite local band is kind of a sludge metal band called Littered With Arrows. In the wider state of Missouri I really like Invictus Infernal, Ares Kingdom, Final Atomic Battle, Unspeakable and Cockatrice amongst others. Our friend Garrie has a really good radio show - Call from the Grave - on the community radio station.
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
Definitely love Rotting Christ, Varathron, Thou Art Lord etc. I don't think I know any war metal from the area but the distinct Hellenic sound I do know I really like. I'm sure I've heard some more recent bands from there but I cant say I'm really plugged into it.
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?
Honestly I didn't mind staying away from social activities that much. At our diy space and the ones we ran before it i'd been semi obligated to be at shows helping or running sound 3-5 times a month + my own bands activities for my entire adult life.. plus work, and I'm married now too I'd say it was nice to stay home but actually i just got really into bicycling - but that's definitely a positive for me. I can't speak for everyone else in the band but it seems like they also made it through alright.
What are your future plans?
We are looking forward to playing with Tyrant's Might January 11th in St. Louis - and Skullbasher here on January 13th! and like I said earlier, we need to make some tapes and CDs - and new shirts too!
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work!
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
BLACK CUDGEL CONTACT:
https://www.instagram.com/black_cudgel/
https://blackcudgel.bandcamp.com/album/angel-killer-demo