Interview with: Charlie Aggression from INFERNAL DEATH

No problem, I thank you for your interest in INFERNAL DEATH.

Yeah, most tribute bands do stuff from many different albums. That is what separates us from other DEATH tribute bands.

We decided to do the debut because the four of us in the band believe that album is a truly groundbreaking one and it was our only logical choice. As far as adoring the whole discography...we all love Chuck's music. Some of us like different releases by DEATH. The reason, as I have said before, why we do the first album is because it is a groundbreaker and a defining moment, not only in American Death Metal but for American Metal as a whole. Our whole reason we do this is to spread the music and the magic from the first album to the old-schoolers that have never gotten to see DEATH perform as well as the people who have seen them but never got to see them in the beginning, as well as opening the eyes of the younger Death Metal kids who want to know where it all started.

Mike and I talked about the idea of getting together and doing it in January of 2008 and we finally got the lineup solidified by June of 2008 and we started learning the 10 songs from the album plus the 2 bonus tracks, Beyond The Unholy Grave and Land Of No Return.

We all came from different bands. I was playing bass in a Thrash band from the 80s for the past 7 years called LETHAL AGGRESSION and I was also playing for a Colombus, Ohio Black Metal band called THE CONQUERING and now I'm the drummer! Mike plays guitar and sings in INFERNAL DEATH. He is currently in the Cleveland band RINGWORM as their bass player and also plays guitar in a Colombus, Ohio band called THE C.O.A.S.T.; Jason, our other guitarist, plays in a band with Wes, our new bass player, called SCUMLOT...They are top notch and sound like old 'first album era' ENTOMBED. We are definitely a band that is going to stick around.

I don't think we are going to do anything but the first album and maybe a few selected MANTAS demo songs. We are a specialized tribute band. We are the only Scream Bloody Gore tribute band in the whole world and we are fully authorized by the estate of Chuck Schuldiner as well as his family.

I think that we sound very true to the original album. Mike's voice sounds so much like Chuck at practice that I get a little chocked up sometimes. We practice once a week, usually on Thursdays.

We are going to record the whole Scream Bloody Gore album with the Schuldiner family's blessings on December 11th †13th and it should be ready for release around the end of March 2010.

As far as making the tracks on the album more brutal or technical? Nope...The original album is raw and brutal enough therefore we will do nothing different, except maybe produce it a little better.

I can't speak for everyone in the band, but I can say for myself that the gigs are very spiritual and I can always feel Chuck's presence watching over us. I think we all make sure we go into the crowd prior to and after the gig just so that we can talk about how much the music means to us. That in turn brings the crowd closer to us.

I got to talking to Chuck's mother Jane and his sister Beth and told them of our intentions and that we are not in any way trying to make money off of Chuck's legacy or family. We figured if we make some money to pay for the recordings then we would cover our costs and try and make enough money for the next project and still donate monies to them. We are working very closely with the estate to make sure everything is legally right.

The Schuldiners along with their lawyer, and close personal friend, Eric Greif gave us their blessings and the go ahead.

At first I thought that they wouldn't think I was serious but that was not the case at all...Beth, Jane, Chris (Chuck's nephew) and Eric were extremely down to earth and very awesome to us. I am in contact with the Schuldiners at least 2-3 times a week. They are wonderful people!

I think the fact that he was a human being that cared so much for his music and for other people as well as a great musician with an extremely constructive mind that took Metal to a different level show the attributes that make him stand out among his contemporaries. He may or may not have started what is now known as 'Death Metal' - along with the great Jeff Beccera from POSSESSED †but here it is over 20 years down the road from the release of the first album and the legacy he left behind when he died 8 years ago will always live on as long as there are bands like us that keep his spirit alive.

I definitely think it was a natural progression for him to get more technically advanced on each album but still staying true to the heaviness. I don't think he would have been happy if he stayed within the realms of Scream Bloody Gore and Leprosy and not challenge himself...I love the first two albums...I also love the 5 ones that came after them!

I would have to say POSSESSED without a doubt.

I know everyone in INFERNAL DEATH loves European Death Metal. We love bands like ENTOMBED, VADER, PESTILENCE, HAIL OF BULLETS. I think that European bands kick major ass!

I would ask him if he would change anything in his life and ask him what he thought of our tribute to his first album.

I got to meet him several times. The first time I met him I worked at a club called The Anthrax. DEATH played with BLOODFEAST...Chuck was very cool to me every time from then on out. I saw them play at The Brick And Wood Cafe in New Haven, Connecticut with DARK ANGEL and several times after that. Mike and I also saw him at the merch table at the 'Milwaukee Metalfest' on the very last tour they did...He was very nice to Mike and me as well. Chuck was a very genuine person, indeed...

Thank you so much for the interview! If anyone is interested in writing us please send us a friend request to www.myspace.com/infernaldeathtribute or you can write me directly at charlieaggression@yahoo.com. The album should be available by March of 2010 and it is fully sanctioned and authorized by the estate and family of Chuck Schuldiner. Stay fucking Metal!!!