Long way back one of my good friends tried to push Incantation upon me, I didn't really like what I heard back then, though he never gave up. A bit later I got hold of the band's debut album "Onward To Golgotha" and it slowly started to grow on me. As the years went by and the more releases by the band I got and listened to, the more fond did I grow of the band. Today I really enjoy their heavy doomy and blasting death metal and do consider them one of the best and credible death metal bands out there. In connection with Incantations latest release "Decimate Christendom" on the French label Listenable Records, were I offered and email interview with them. I quickly jumped the oppertunity and to my joy all 3 band members took part in the answering of me questions. Founder and mainman John McEntee, bassist Joe Lombard and drummer Kyle Severn all added their flavour to the interview. [Please note that this interview was conducted on the 17th August 2004]

Hi there, how are things right now?

John: Fucken Killer! We are just getting ready to do a European tour this fall, and are working on things for the US and South America for next year.

You have just released your new album "Decimate Christendom", how has it so far been received?

Joe: It seems to be getting good reviews from what we've seen, so that's cool. It'll be released here in a couple weeks or so, we'll have to wait and see.

How do you feel about the album?

Joe: We're real happy, we all put a lot of hard work into it. The record labels are working hard at promoting it, so we're expecting good things to come our way once it's released, like good tours, like the one coming up in October in Europe with Krisiun and Behemoth.

What do you think "Decimate Christendom" offers compared to other new death metal releases?

Joe: It has pretty much what every other Incantation record has to offer, the biggest difference is John McEntee now is the vocalist, which is very cool. Compared to other new death metal releases, "Decimate Christendom" has that old school sound, and feel to it. A lot of the newer releases from the newer death metal bands have that blasting fast riffing the entire time, Incantation has always used a lot of doom riffs mixed in with the blast riffs, so if anyone wants a break from the newer trend of one tempo fast riffing, they can check out the new record, along with every other Incantation record.

You are one of the oldest and strongest death metal bands out there today, how do you keep the flame alive?

Kyle: At times it sure as hell isn't easy. Well for starters John has always had the most dedication and determination that I ever have seen anyone have. we have integrity in the music that we create and play. We really love what we do. Even through the rough times we just tough it out. When we look out and see 10 or 1000 people getting into us playing, it makes it easier. If we are selling records, then we know people are enjoying the blasphemous, brutal death metal we play , so we have to keep writing and playing.

Where do you find inspiration for your music?

Kyle: For me , it just flows from inside. I release a lot of the pressures of life through my drums.

John: We just pour all our hatred we have for everything into our music!!! When we play we always give it 100%.

Do you write music the same way today, as when you started the band?

John: For the most part yes, we have always been a band to just do what we want and not care about trends!! It's easy to write music if you just write true to yourself. It's not as much trying to write songs but it’s more just let them flow out of our mind.

What have kept you going through all the years?

John: Because we like what we do. We play death metal because we are into the music. When you are true then there is no reason to change or stop.

How often have you thought about giving up the band, it's hard to say the career of Incantation have been easy going, due to line up changes etc. . . ?

John: Not a lot, There were times that I really thought about stopping, but really to stop Incantation it would be stupid because I would just start another band that sounded like Incantation and why have 2 bands that sound the same?

What line up constellation do you see as the strongest in the history of Incantation?

Kyle: We have the strongest line up since 1993 that I've seen. John McEntee - guitar/vocals, Joey "Fingers" Lombard - bass, and myself Kyle Severn - drums. I'm a huge fan of the first two records, but obviously there were some line up issues that I wasn't around for. I've been here for 10 years and this is Incantation!!!

John: It depends on how you classify strong, I can say that the line up now it very strong and we all work together better then any other line up a can remember. That is why the 3 of us have been working together for so long. We have had a lot of great line ups but most didn’t last for one reason or another.

What album do you see as the strongest?

Kyle: My favorites has to be "Mortal Throne Of Nazarene" and "Decimate Christendom".

The metal world has always been kind of divided when it comes to Incantation. A part thinks that Incantation is one of the best bands out there and there's the other part which thinks Incantation is boring and generic. How do you look upon that?

Joe: There will always be those people that hate Incantation, and that's cool. There's obviously people out there that are into the band, that's been what keeps the band going. The people that think Incantation's music is boring, probably like music that we think is boring, to each his own. You can't please everyone, there's people that complain that Incantation never changes, or "grows" musically, but if we did change, then the die hard fans would be pissed, and rightfully so.

You have now been going strong for 15 years, but have never really received the deserved breakthrough, even though Incantation has released one great album after another. Do you think you'll get out of the darkest underground?

Joe: The band will always be underground, unless all of a sudden top 40 music became blasphemous uncompromising death metal… Haha

John: We don’t write music for people to like, we make music that we like and people that think the same way we do.

How much has the change to Listenable Records meant for the band and the promotion of Incantation?

Joe: It's night and day compared to what Candlelight Records did for the band. There's a reason we left Candlelight, and Necropolis, they did nothing for the "Blasphemy" album. They barely released it, of all the touring we did to support that record, and all the cities, I only saw "Blasphemy" in one, or two record stores. It has to be the most obscure, hard to find record the band ever put out, and now it's already out of print!! Listenable is kicking ass so far!! We're real happy to get this new start.
 
What do you expect from Listenable?

Joe: We expect to actually see "Decimate Christendom" in record stores!! Haha… What a concept!! They're committed to doing a great job with releasing the record, they already sent out the promos to the right people, and are doing good at promoting.  Necropolis didn't even know what a promo was, they sent none out, and expected to sell records with no advertising.

Is there a concept behind "Decimate Christendom"? I haven't read the lyrics, but judging from the song titles it seems like a concept album?

Joe: Not a concept album, but it has the same theme of anti-christian, anti-religion, and blasphemy. It's what the band has always stood for.

John: A few tracks have lyrics that have to do with the ancient Empire of Nero and his reign on the christens. And one track has to do with the religious fundamentalist in the Middle East. It's a real anti religious album.

Will you tell us about the initial idea behind the album, what was in your mind when you started to write the album?

John: The album is about how religion sucks and people should just be true to them selves and not just sheep. We just hate people that judge you because you don’t follow the same religion they are. Along with how fucked up the world is because of religious fundamentalists.

Will you tell us a bit about the lyrical side of the album?

Joe: The lyrics deal with everything from anti-christian topics, including talking about the ancient christians, and leaders that persecuted, and put christians to death. There's also some lyrics that may deal with other religions a little, basically anti-religion, any religion, all religion, but for the most part christianity.

Is "Decimate Christendom" the best Incantation album this far?

Kyle: Yes!!!!!

John: It's for you to decide not me.

Will you share your 3 all time favorite albums with the metal heads?

Kyle: Well of course this is always the toughest question. here's 3 of my favorites
Slayer - Hell Awaits
Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath
Black Sabbath - Vol. 4.

John: This is an imposable question to answer!

Thanks a ton for answering my questions and for delivering killer death metal through all the years, keep it up!!! The closing remarks are yours!

John: Hail and thanks for the killer interview! Thanks to all the death bangers out there that have supported us over the years. Keep the real death metal alive!!!!! Check out my other band Funerus at: Funerus website along with my label Ibex Moon Records at: Ibex Moon Records website. Kyle also plays in Acheron and Wolfen Society so check them out too at: Acheron website and Wolfen Society website.