Interview with Michael of Anasarca by Jen

How is the music scene in Germany? Is there a lot of clubs to play?
I think there are a lot of clubs to play in, but the main problem is, that they only give you the chance to play, when you are able to get many people. If they think you aren't able to, you won't play, the contrary, they treat you like bloody newcomers. I think foreign bands mostly have the best chance to get gigs in bigger clubs. Bands like us, we aren't wanted that much. We have to play in youth-centres or things like that.
Your CD, "Godmachine" was released on Repulse records. What did they do wrong and Mighty Music do right to snatch you guys up?
REPULSE doesn't want us anymore, because we seemed to sell less albums than they expected. They had some financial problems and so they had to decide to drop some bands, one of them has been ANASARCA. MIGHTY MUSIC offered us a deal, as they heard that we are searching for a new label and they signed us, even they didn't know any new material, just the "Godmachine" album. We got some offers, but MM gave us all the things we wanted to have in the contract, and so we decided to join them.
Are you happy with MM so far?
Yes, we are. They are doing a great promotion for the album worldwide, so we try to help each other to become better known.
What is the difference between labels, if there is one?
I think there are labels from fans for fans. Every label tries to earn money of course, but some try to rip you off and others are just fair. My philosophy is, that a label has to get its expenses of course and everything else should be divided with the band, because the music is the product and that is made by the band. Unfortunately there are a lot of labels in the death metal underground that rip off !
When was Moribund released?
"Moribund" was released in March 2001.
Have you gone on any tours to support the album?
Yep, we have been on tour for 24 days with our label mates BEHEADED from Malta. Was quite good, although it was in July and the summerhole stole some people I think. The tour went through Europe, including Germany, Chez Rep., Belgium, Holland, Spain, Portugal, Austria and Switzerland.
What other releases do you have out?
We released two promo-CDs ("Condemned Truth"- 95 (5 songs) and "Godmachine"- 96 (3 songs)), "Godmachine" '98 REPULSE RECORDS and "Moribund" '01 MIGHTY MUSIC.
Give us some Anasarca history.
Founded was ANASARCA in 95, after our former drummer and me left our band VOMITING CORPSES. Three weeks later we recorded "Condemned Truth". Two guys from a local band called VAE SOLIS joined us and in 96 we recorded the "Godmachine" promo. Then we changed the drummer in 97 and recorded the "Godmachine" album in 98. We did a little Spain/Portugal tour with our label mates CENTINEX. In 00 we changed a guitarist and then recorded "Moribund" in 00.
How is Mighty Music spreading the Anasarca name around for you?
They did a lot of advertisements in magazines, sometimes together with buying time on CD- samplers. Many promos have been sent away and we got a lot of cool reviews and many interview requests.
Who are some influences of the band?
The whole early death metal scene is an influence and of course some newer bands. If I shall tell you which bands, it will probably be: (old) DEATH, (old) OBITUARY, (old) MORBID ANGEL, (old) EDGE OF SANITY, (old) GRAVE, POSSESSED, SUFFOCATION, HATE ETERNAL and stuff like that.
What is the band doing currently? Touring/writing new material?
We just made a short break after the tour and now start composing new material for the next album that we plan to release in 02. We just play a few single-dates between that and then we'll see :)
How often do you play shows?
We play as often as we can and we get offers. So in the years before our MM deal, we didn't play that much, because we had a lot of problems with our rehearsal-room, line -up probs and stuff like that. Now we try to be more active.
Have anything else to say? Plug?
Thanx a lot for the interview and your support. RACISM AND FASCISM SUXXX !!! Everybody should check out our albums and of course every other MM- stuff. Stay fucking brutal, you rule!
http://www.anasarca.de/main.htm
Anasarca: http://www.mightymusic.dk/anasarca.html
Mighty Music: www.mightymusic.dk