Interview with TOUGHNESS
!!!DEATH METAL FROM POLAND!!!
We had a conversation with Bartosz Domański (Guitars/Vocals). Enjoy!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine!
Tell us a bit about TOUGHNESS - how did the band form, and who are the members?
Hello! We are a polish death metal band founded in Puławy in 2020. Currently, the Toughness' line-up consists of: Bartosz Domański (guitars/vocals), Łukasz Wójtowicz (guitars), Maciej Gransztof (drums) and Ziemowit Chalciński (bass). We are guys who want to play our own extreme music, but in the spirit of the 90s and early 00s.
You recently released your album "Black Respite of Oblivion". What kind of feedback have you received from both fans and the press?
We are surprised by such a good reception of our new album. "Black Respite of Oblivion" has received very good reviews and opinions both from the fans and the press. We are very satisfied with the large number of views on the Internet and the ongoing live offers. It's gorgeous that there are still maniacs hungry for extreme music and that this style has its own interest.
How did your cooperation with Godz Ov War Productions occur?
Via social media - before our debut album "The Prophetic Dawn" was released. At that time, Godz Ov War received material from the first album, together we have finalized the details of the release and it was published and released in 2022. A similar situation occurred with "Black Respite of Oblivion", even though we have already gotten to know each other from Godz Ov War and gained mutual trust. First, we defined the direction we would go next, then we talked about what to focus on, the band recorded the material and sent it, Godz Ov War set a release date and finally "Black Respite of Oblivion" was released in physical and digital form. It was a very good cooperation and I am happy with its results. Of course, I hope we will continue to work together in the future.
Which are the differences between "The Prophetic Dawn" & "Black Respite of Oblivion"?
There are a lot of differences between these albums, but I like both of them - just like my own children. So, "The Prophetic Dawn" is the entrance into complex death metal, shaping our own character and a large dose of raw sounds. "Black Respite of Oblivion" is a logical continuation of debut album, featuring a more professional sound, catchier structures, more brutal drums and an even better bridge between technique and conciseness. "Black Respite of Oblivion" shows what natural progression is and that the barriers from its predecessor can be freely moved.
Any funny or memorable stories from the recording process or live shows that you'd like to share?
Yes, I can share a few. First, I remember a funny and very memorable situations from recording "Vile Unrelenting Miscreancy", last song from "Black Respite of Oblivion", that had an irregular rhythm. In order to play it with the greatest dynamics, everyone in the studio clapped and pretended to play with the drums. The second was a story from a gig in Lublin in 2022. One of the fans stood in front of the stage with a beer, and when we started playing, moshing began. There were no barriers between the stage and the audience, so we were afraid that someone would push this guy right into us. We remained extremely careful throughout the concert. Luckily, this guy was quite big and nothing bad happened to us.
When it comes to music formats, what’s your preference - Vinyl, Tape, CD, or Digital? And why do you prefer that format?
Mostly I prefer CDs, because I grew up with them in my teenage years. My dad had a huge CDs collection and even when digital came along, he and I still enjoyed going back to them and buying more. I also like cassettes because of their old-school vibe and "closeness" to these recordings, as well as vinyl, which impresses with its large format and excellent sound quality. However, I would be lying if I didn't mention the digital format. I don't always have a way to take my physical records with me, so I use Spotify or YouTube to always have music somewhere close to me. So as you can see, all formats are fine for me.
Your sound is rooted in Death Metal what are your main influences? Which artists or bands do you consider your favorites?
I consider a lot of artists and bands. My favorites are definitely Lykathea Aflame, Atheist, Voivod, Anata, Mithras, Cynic and Akercocke, but I assure you there are even more. Did I mention pure classics like Death, Morbid Angel, Suffocation, Slayer, Immolation and Incantation, as well as newer, great stuff like Blood Incantation and Tomb Mold? As you can see, there is a lot of it. Also, I listen to a lot of much less extreme/technical, but still awesome artists like Godflesh, Katatonia, Type O Negative and Aghora, so I think that also influences me as a musician. At this point, for me, all of this comes together to create my own vision of heavy music.
What do you think a band has to sacrifice to truly succeed? Have you personally sacrificed anything for the betterment of the band
Yes, I had a situation like that and it was about keeping the band going. The wrong people came along and stopped Toughness from continuing our activity and a decisions had to be made. These were not pleasant moments, but without them we could not take the next steps in our development. So I think the band needs to invest in time, equipment upgrades and skill development to achieve real success, but also all members need to be fully committed to the band's functioning. If this isn't there, the band simply won't work. Well, it can't assume that playing extreme music is the job or routine, it has to come out honestly as a true passion. Success is important, but to get it you cannot think about it all the time, you have to enjoy playing, find your means of expression and put your hearts.
How do you envision the perfect live show for TOUGHNESS? Have you ever experienced that ideal performance?
I have experienced performances in a perfect-like vibe. The first one was at the community centre in Opoczno, where we had a huge stage, professional conditions, good reception and general atmosphere like from the peak of death metal times. The second one was when we supported Left to Die in Warsaw - we were seen by a lot of people. But honestly, I don't think about the perfect live show for Toughness. Every live show is equally important to me. At each concert we want to give our maximum, have the best sound, share energy and have fans/maniacs right in front of us. It's also very important to reach new places with my music and get to know new cities.
In your opinion, what does a new Death Metal band need to stand out and create a unique identity?
I think that as a new death metal band you will stand out when you try to mix proportions, put a lot of emphasis on the atmosphere and natural production, you are not afraid to add lesser known solutions and the label supports and understands you. The first three features probably will give you your own identity, while the last one will help you get promoted, stand out and reach a larger audience. Of course, this is not a rule, as every death metal band functions a bit differently, but the above things can create interest. Well, the joy of playing extreme music is one of the most important thing here, and if it's there, an identity can be created. Another issue is that you have to be quite lucky in this activity. As I mentioned, there must also be people who will help you, understand you and pass on the right information about your music. These elements could probably make you stand out.
Do you believe digital platforms are beneficial for up-and-coming Death Metal bands? What do you think is the best way for a band to promote their music in today's landscape?
In my opinion, a good solution is to upload the music to a streaming platform and then look for a label who will promote it and release it in physical form. Despite the current times, CDs, tapes and vinyls are still extremely important for the band's activity and live presentation. People still buy the physical format because they know it will help the band functionality, which is great. Of course, the requirement of this process is to record it with the right sound, ideas for riffs, melodies, atmosphere and add interesting graphic designs and general look of the band. Digital platforms can be beneficial for up-and-coming death metal bands, but they don't guarantee 100% success. If you want to be beneficial, you have to perform live and - indeed - have a physical format of your releases.
Can you tell us about the current Underground Metal scene in Poland - any standout bands, zines, webzines, or metal clubs?
The current underground metal scene in Poland is very strong. We have a lot of great and unique bands from many different subgenres. I mean black, death, thrash, doom, heavy, grind, progressive metal - take one's pick. A lot of records are released here every year and people still eagerly want to listen and play metal. So yeah, I can give some short examples. Of course, we have our excellent and well-known representation in the form of Vader, Behemoth, Decapitated, Mgła and Hate, but when it comes to bands from the underground metal scene, there are for example great bands as Betrayer, Pandemonium and Mentor. Zines/webzines are Codziennik Metalowy, Metal News Polska and Oldschool Metal Maniac, and clubs are e.g. Voodoo (Warsaw), New Vegas (Lublin) and CSK (Wrocław). I assure you, however, that there is a lot of it and if we were to list it, we would not have enough space here. Our community is active, open and increasingly appreciated.
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
Yes, I have already known quite a lot. I know bands like Dead Congregation, Rotting Christ, Septicflesh or Necromantia and I keep finding more great names. Especially "Graves of the Archangels" and "Promulgation of the Fall" by the first of the mentioned bands had a big influence on me as a guy involved in extreme metal. I listen to them very often and I love this concentration of evilness, brutality, surprising riffs and gloomy atmosphere. Great stuff that many believe - and rightly so - brought back the death metal revival to the same level as it was in the 90s. I also like the other three names very much, I have their albums and I appreciate their precision in creating a mystical atmosphere.
What’s next for TOUGHNESS? What are your future plans?
Concerts, concerts and more concerts. And maybe tours too? Anyway, we want to take the Toughness name to new places and spread our music wherever we can. We have started promoting our latest material "Black Respite of Oblivion" live and we want to keep this cycle going for a long time.
Thank you so much for your time! The floor is yours for any final words or shout-outs.
Thank you very much for interesting interview. Greetings to Greek extreme metal fans. Stay abstract.
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
TOUGHNESS CONTACT:
https://www.facebook.com/ToughnessOfficialPL
https://www.instagram.com/toughnesspl/
https://toughness.bandcamp.com/music
https://open.spotify.com/artist/273Si2lYtCLFy7j4AXhU6U