Interview: Anasarca - "We love playing live and we’re a killer live act..."

 

Your latest album called "Achlys" was released in April. As you state, its main theme is grief. You dedicate this project to all your family members and friends who have passed away in recent years. Well, you’ve never shied away from difficult topics in your music. However, given the significance you’ve attached to this album, was the process of recording it a challenge for you?

The deaths of family members and friends were, ultimately, the inspiration behind the concept. We experienced firsthand just how hard and heavy that loss is, and how much pain it causes. I believe that since this happens to everyone at some point, it represents the most real horror a person can experience.

I knew the pain I felt myself, but I wanted to show listeners what people go through when they lose parents, children, partners, or even beloved pets. That’s why I set out to find texts written by people in their grief—words they penned to process their loss.

During production, recording the vocals was actually the biggest challenge; when you’re growling the songs—fueled by adrenaline—you feel an even deeper connection to the material. The emotions would come flooding back, and with some of the lyrics, I could—as a father—empathize so intensely with someone who had lost a child that I couldn't hold back tears while growling.

 

An excellent example of the album’s main theme - which we have already mentioned - is the track "In Memoriam" which deals with death and the passage of time. The depth of your lyrics prompts me to question about their origins: are the themes you explore are the result of collective reflection, or is there a leader among you who sets the direction? Pave a lyrical path for the other band members?

No, the lyrics and concepts have always been my responsibility. The other band members—except for Carsten, who was also involved in the "Survival Mode" album—have never done this kind of concept work with their other bands.

Since I’m the one singing, I clear the general theme with the others, but from that point on, I handle it the way I see fit. All lyrics I use are written from other people, I only adjust them to the songs.

 

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve come across information that the word "Achlys" comes from Ancient Greek and  it means "dark mist". Perhaps that isn't what you had in mind while recording the title track, but if we look at life through the prism of this dark mist, what is the meaning of our existence? Do you see any light at the end of this tunnel, anywhere, that may offer hope to people?

I am an atheist, so such thought experiments are merely fiction. I like the idea—and would love to see it that way—that when people yearn for a figure like „Achlys”, or a „God” in general, and find calm or overcome their fear through that belief, it actually works. But it doesn't.

I know my father was cremated, that he ended up in the sea and isn't coming back. My mother thinks he sends her signs in certain situations. Who is better off? Me—having found closure and now dedicating myself to my own life, trying to be a good person, partner, and father—or my mother, who goes through phases where she believes the deceased are sending her signs or even trying to protect her like guardian angels? I think everyone processes death in their own way, and everyone should do so as they see fit, provided they don't offend others in the process.

Do I have hope for humanity? No. On the contrary, I hope that humans eventually die out and—being the parasites they are—let the planet recover. As long as I’m alive, I try to be a good father, partner, and friend to the people I like and love; what comes next is beyond my control. I can only promise that I’ll keep writing death metal songs for a few more years, and then, eventually, that’ll be it. I’ll turn to ash, be scattered somewhere, and then I’ll be history.

You celebrated the band's twentieth anniversary a year ago. Yet, nearly a decade has passed since the release of your previous album. What was the reason for this? Let’s be honest, fans of your music have had time to grow older in the meantime ...

It’s actually been 31 years. After recording "Survival Mode," we ran into some issues with our rehearsal space; then our drummer at the time, Dirk, had health problems and eventually left the band. So, we had to find a new rehearsal space, fit it out completely, find new members, and write songs. And—bam—eight years had gone by.

We’ve actually had the new album in the can for nearly a year now, so I only count an eight-year gap. Our fans and we have aged, but I look at it the way I do with fine wines: they don’t just get older—they get better.

 

Those thirty years on stage offer a great opportunity to take stock - to evaluate what you’ve achieved and what you might regret as a band. So, what are your fondest memories from the history of Anasarca? Which event, or which performance, stands out as a truly "golden moment" in your collective memory?

The best moments were the ones I experienced before my current lineup came on board. That’s not a reflection on the guys, though—the current lineup is the best I’ve ever had. But it was things like the first tour, the first record deal, the first merchandise... all those new experiences were awesome. We certainly still have memorable experiences today, like our performance at Netherlands Deathfest...

What have we achieved? To be honest: Nothing or let’s say not that much. Except for releasing a lot of good albums. We were never a "big" band; we didn't play many shows, nor did we ever get many offers to do so. It’s still difficult today. I believe "Achlys" is Anasarca’s best album to date, yet there’s hardly any interest from festivals or concert promoters. We find that a shame, because we love playing live and we’re a killer live act—as you can hear on our new live album from 2026, „Three Decades of Pure Death Metal”.

And what about your regrets? For instance, I regret that you release albums so infrequently. Do you have similar thoughts?

No. We all know bands that release a new album every year or every other year. But I often get the feeling that they sound pretty much the same—that they don't really have anything new to say... We’ve always needed time to get good songs onto an album, to find and work on good lyrics, and so on. Yes, eight years—or the thirteen years before that—between albums is a long time, but we take the time we need. We’ll probably manage to release a sixth album before we retire— we’ll see. ;)

Let’s get back to your new album. It was released by the Polish record label Selfmadegod Records. How do you rate this collaboration, and how did it come about?

We contacted a huge number of labels once the album was finished—nearly 50. Fourteen of them got finally back to us, and Selfmadegod were the first to respond, immediately including a good offer. Since Karol is a long-time fan of the band and we knew he had released a lot of cool acts, we didn't really have to think about it for long. In the end, we had three interesting offers on the table and decided to go with SMG.

The opportunity to release the album abroad opens up new promotional possibilities for you. I am curious, however, about your expectations regarding the premiere of "Achlys". Is the fact that you are returning after such a long time a sufficient reward for your efforts, or has your appetite grown as things have progressed?

So far, we have always released all our albums abroad, never through a German label—Spain, Denmark, the USA, and now Poland. We don’t really have any specific demands on our end, either. We just want to see the agreements honored. That’s really all there is to it.

I’d love for us to play live more often; we had somewhat hoped that Eastern Europe, in particular, would show a bit more interest in us now, given that we’ve "only" played in the Czech Republic so far. But unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case yet.

 

Speaking of appetite - do you still have that hunger to create new things and push the boundaries of your own creativity? The new album seems to mark the beginning of that process. Are you back for the long haul?

We’ll have to see how things unfold. I’ve written around 100 death metal songs in my life, and I’m still really passionate about it. But Alf (drums) and I are over 50. At 36, Carsten is the youngest member of the band. When we’ll retire—and whether he’ll carry on then—we just don’t know. We haven’t reached the end of the road yet, though; there are new ideas—even if we’ll never change our style. You’ll always be able to tell it’s Anasarca. For now, we want to see how the response to „Achlys” develops and whether we get the chance to play a few more shows or festivals.

Let’s wrap things up the way we started. What is the greatest challenge for Death metal artists these days? While the forms of communication with audiences are multiplying, are these new standards are fully acceptable to old-school musicians?

A major issue for many bands is that they have become more alike, and as a result, many unfortunately end up sounding monotonous or indistinguishable from one another.

Nowadays, any band can record albums at home, even though the results often sound very clinical or digital. We, for instance, recorded our guitars and drums using analog gear—something I think you can actually hear on "Achlys". There are far more bands applying to play festivals, seeking reviews, and so on.

Personally, I can’t really get into brutal, technical death metal. I need proper songs—not just tracks made up of 25 different riffs... I need a cohesive thread running through the songs, something memorable... AI poses a major risk; we already have "metal projects"—I hesitate to call them "bands"—that I find problematic. But then again, I’m an old guy. I resist using in-ear monitoring systems, I prefer recording in analog... so I’m not exactly representative of the norm.