As most of you know by now - Pestilence are "re-uniting" to put together a new album. Im a bit dev that Van Drunen has been excluded, as many Pestilence fans probably are, but im still excited to hear a new album from those crazy dutch bastards!
Recording Lineup is as follows:
Patrick Mameli - Guitars/Vocals
Tony Choy (Atheist, Cynic) - Bass
Peter Wildoer (Darkane) - Drums
Resurrected late '80s/early '90s death metal outfit PESTILENCE will enter Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark mid-October to begin recording its new album, "Resurrection Macabre", for a 2009 release via Holland's Mascot Records. The band will record a total of 14 songs during the session — 11 new tracks and three classic PESTILENCE cuts as chosen by the fans.
To vote for your favorite PESTILENCE song for the band to re-record, visit www.pestilence.nl. The three tracks that receive the most votes will be re-recorded in the studio. Voting ends October 10, 2008.
Joining guitarist/vocalist Patrick Mameli in PESTILENCE's current recording lineup are Tony Choy (ATHEIST, CYNIC) on bass and Peter Wildoer (DARKANE, NON-HUMAN LEVEL) on drums. Patrick has previously described the band's new material as a modern fusion of "Testimony of the Ancients" (1991) and "Spheres" (1993), but even more technical and brutal.
There was also an interview I found with Patrick Mameli talking about it - ill post it once I refind it again. What are your thoughts on the reunion?

Here's the Interview I was talking about:
"PESTILENCE NEEDS TO BE BRUTAL LIKE WE DID ON “CONSUMING IMPULSE” AND “TESTIMONY OF THE ANCIENTS”."
Written by Ron Salden on Thursday 28 February, 2008





Everyone into metal will have heard that Pestilence has been resurrected and pretty much everyone will have his own opinion about it. Obviously we at VM wanted to do an interview and Ricardo soon touched base with main man Patrick Mameli. Being the asshole journalist that I am I couldn’t resist shoving some bitching questions in Patrick’s face but he took up the challenge and did some shoving too haha. So read all about Pestilence and find out what their current plans are!
So what have you been doing after the Pestilence split, besides musically working on C-187, in order to make a living?
-I don’t know if it is of any interest what I do for a living. You know, I’m a father, have a family and I work an office job. Nothing too crazy. Just your average guy. The C project really started 1/5 years ago. Before that I wasn’t really thinking of a comeback and was just working a regular job.
The reunion (or resurrection as you prefer) has met mixed reactions which is not that unexpected since you’ve expressed some disliking of metal fans in the past. Obviously a musician feels the needs to evolve and wishes that the fans would evolve with him but especially with metal music this rarely is how things go.
-You are talking about stuff that happened like 8 years ago. Metal fans rarely evolve?? You say it in a way that you don’t think that metal music and fans can evolve? Why not? I don’t understand that.
I love metal music that evolves but other metal fans often have a very strict expectation pattern which they apply to new albums from their favorite bands. AC/DC and Bolt Thrower are prime examples of bands that fans adore exactly because these bands do not change their sound that much.
-I’ve encountered some bad situations in the past and I reacted to that. Somehow people don’t want me to say what I feel is my truth. Don’t forget, we were doing this for many years and the whole band was fed up with the scene. I just was the most outspoken guy. Some call that arrogant. That’s so bull. But this is really why I quit the scene in the first place. People keep stirring up shit that happened in the past. I let the music do the talking now.
Do these mixed reactions make you feel even more motivated and focused on making a great comeback album?
-I really don’t need external input to be motivated at all to create music. I want to make great songs and a good Pestilence album. This time I don’t want to show people how good we can play our instruments, but to just make some brutal and heavy stuff. This is where I think I went wrong back then. Pestilence needs to be brutal (like we did on “Consuming impulse” and “Testimony of the ancients”).
To go into some details concerning some of comments: many considered the fact that you resurrected the band without any other former Pestilence member and your statements about not wanting to play with musicians who are not on the same prowess level as arrogant.
Have you had any contact whatsoever with any of the other former Pestilence members before deciding to bring the band back? Or did you decide early on they would not fit your high demands and left it at that?
-Except for Martin, none of the other guys are involved anymore in the music bizz. What I meant with everybody being on the same level was: everybody needs to have the head in the same direction. People were asking me why I wasn’t gonna work with Martin. On blabbermouth someone just said it right. He’s more of a straight forward kinda musical/singer. I like the more off time of stuff. That’s just the way it is. So why can’t I resurrect Pestilence? Chuck Schuldiner was Death and he used a bunch of different guys to reform Death. So I feel I can compose new Pest songs executed with new people and form Pestilence. Well, Tony C. already participated on “Testimony of the ancients” so….
I’ll spend a separate question on Martin van Drunen since many fans still consider his vocals as the ultimate Pestilence vocalist. Perhaps you meant to say that Martin and you differ like day and night when it comes to your sense and feeling for music that it’s entirely impossible to even be in the same band together. Am I right or am I way off here?
-No. That’s a very good statement. But really, yes, he was on the first two albums, but we’ve done well without him too. Don’t forget that “Testimony of the ancients” was more successful than “Consuming impulse”. We (Martin and I) worked together in the past. That’s it. This was years ago. People need to let it go and rest. If they want to hear him sing and perform, go to watch him with his band. Quite simple.
I don’t know if you’ve heard Hail Of Bullets or the new Asphyx song but I assume that that kind of death metal is totally uninteresting to you, right?
Note that I’m not trying to get some sensational answer but simply want to know. I’m sure you’re happy for Martin that he’s doing his thing with those bands.
-Who cares what I think of it. Everybody just needs to do their own thing. I hope they will sell a lot of albums and make lots of fans happy. I hope there will be some fans digging the new Pestilence stuff as well. But no, I haven’t heard their songs.
Somewhat related to the previous question: can you still grunt/scream? Since you’ve been working on jazz and fusion for years it’s rather hard to imagine you still practiced your grunt in the shower. If you’ve started to practice recently, does your voice sound different than it did on “Testimony”/”Spheres”?
-I don’t have to practice my voice really. It’s like riding a bike. The technique stays the same once you get it. Of course I can still grunt. When I was concentrating more on the instrument doing fusion or jazz, that doesn’t mean I can’t grunt. It was just not necessary in that context. I will try to top the stuff I did on “Testimony of the ancients” or “Spheres”. Be more aggressive and brutal.
Have you kept up to date with all the developments and trends in the metal scene during your absence as an active metal musician? If so, are there any bands or genres that sparked your interest?
-Just some bands really got my attention. Yeah man, I like stuff like Hate Eternal, Dim Mak but also Devourment or Abominable Putridity. Anything fresh and original. But I try not to listen to too much music in the death metal style so I don’t get too much influenced by them.
Last year the debut album of C-187 was released; a project which you’ve been working on for years. Again the reactions were rather mixed. A lot of people considered it being musically well played but that it lacked soul. Also the image/lyrics didn’t go down too well with many people.
It’s not really an image; I just needed topics to go with this type of haunting music. Somehow it needed those reality topics instead of talking about god, evil, carnage or the devil. Lacked soul??? We all played with putting all our soul into it. You can’t tell me Sean and both Tony’s didn’t do a great job!!
It is just not Pestilence. You can’t compare the two. I find the vocals and lyrics fit perfectly!
Do you consider this album to be a successful product after all these years of ripening?
-I made the album for me in the first place. Mascot wanted to release it because they totally dig the material. But somehow my name is still only related to Pestilence and so people were disappointed because I wasn’t playing Pest stuff. Crazy, because the riffing is just the same. I feel that the songs are really good and don’t get the recognition because of the Pestilence stigma.
By the way, how did you get in touch with Peter Wildoer and how did you persuade him to be part of the resurrected Pestilence? I think no one will disagree about him being a more skilled musician than Marco Foddis. He’s not afraid of filling in those big shoes that Marco left in having been an integral band member for so many years?
-I didn’t have to persuade him of anything. He just said that it would be an honor for him to participate on this project. I saw some footage of him on YouTube and right away knew he could do the job. So why can you say that he’s more skilled than Foddis but when I say stuff like that, I get heat and am too arrogant again hahahaha???
Well I’m just a metal journalist, who the fuck cares what I say? :-)
-But yes, he’s very skilled and I need people like Peter around me to create the best possible songs.
Peter is also in a bunch of other bands of which Darkane is probably the most active one. Will he have time to tour with Pestilence?
-From what I understand he will be a part of the monster yes! We will not be touring for months as we all have families so we will try to plan as good as we can. But this release will be pretty big from what I understand from the reactions so far and the interest from all over the world.
When you released the statement about the resurrection you said the new song material would be “more tech and way more brutal than ever before”. Those are some pretty big words and since Pestilence never was one of the brutal death metal bands people take these comments with a big grain of salt. Could you give us an example of another technical death metal band that is similar in terms of the brutality you referred to?
-So we weren’t brutal on “Consuming impulse” or “Testimony of the ancients”? What type of brutality are you aiming at then? Like Morbid Angel, Napalm Death or old Carcass or what? The new material is just heavier and more brutal than the old Pest stuff. It will sound like Pestilence, but for example, we will also incorporate blast beats. Something that Marco never felt comfortable in doing. So we left it alone. Of course, we’ll do it with taste. But on the overall, it can challenge some of the new brutality that’s out there nowadays.
How does the song writing take place? You’re in the Netherlands, Peter is in Sweden and Tony is in the US. E-mailing back and forth a lot? Are you taking the lead or are Peter and Tony also allowed to come up with song structures?
-Through the internet this will happen. Like in the old Pest situation, I will compose the songs but I will have some hard time coming up with some good lyrics. Marco was very talented in that way. I feel though, I want to leave the whole textual concept that was on “Spheres” and “Testimony of the ancients” but go back to basics. More a “Consuming impulse” kind of thing. Song titles like “Hang Man”, “Fiend”, “Hate Suicide” and “Resurrection Macabre” can give a good impression.
How much new song material have you writing so far? Are you aiming to write a certain number of songs or will you write a whole bunch and then select the best 10 (or whichever number) out of those?
-About 4 songs. I have until October to come up with some crazy brutal shit. So I will keep on composing until I have about 45 minutes of the good stuff.
By the way, have you heard Obscura (http://www.myspace.com/realmofobscura) featuring Jeroen Thesseling? That’s some pretty brutal, technical and catchy stuff!
-Yeah, I heard some of their stuff just out of curiosity. Hope they will do well. I didn’t know Jeroen was into that kind of music…..I can’t hear the bass guitar though…
In recent years a bunch of re-issues and live recordings have been released. Displeased re-issued “Malleus maleficarum”, Roadrunner did the 2-on-1 re-issue of “Consuming impulse”/”Testimony of the ancients”, and Metal Mind Productions re-issued “Mind reflections” and finally Metal War Productions released “Chronicles of the scourge”/”The consuming rehearsals”.
Were you in any way involved with any of these releases, did you see any royalties from the sales of these CDs? Since you often state only to look forward when it comes to Pestilence’s music; do you even care?
-I was not involved whatsoever and get no royalties from them. I really don’t care too much for these releases. Like you said, I will only focus on the new upcoming release.
On the forum of Dutch metal magazine www.zwaremetalen.comyou stated that when doing Pestilence shows that you’d also want to play some C-187. However, you’re contradicting yourself with a previous statement concerning the reason why the C-187 tour was cancelled. You said that was because you couldn’t get all the original band members for the tour.
Then why would you play some C-187 material with Pestilence where you would only have 2 of the C-187 members on stage? And who would do the clean vocals?
-Why do you want to make it look like there is another reason for me cancelling the tour? You say I contradict myself? I always said that I would only want to tour in the original line up because of the high standard of the material. It’s not possible to replace Reinert for example, nor the singer or bass player. But, I’m free to play C songs on a Pest tour, am I not? Now that it’s a Pest tour, people realize it‘s not C so they don‘t expect the original line up.
The resurrection statement made it known that Pestilence is now a 3 piece which is fine for studio recordings since you’ll be able to records all the guitar tracks. However, I’m sure you’d want a 2nd guitar player when doing shows, right? Since you were planning to work with Tymon Kruidenier for the C-187 tour he would be an obvious choice. However, he’s recently been recruited by Cynic for some studio recordings as well as for shows where he would handle guitar duties and grunts. So if you are planning to use him will there be no conflict of interest?
-On tour we will have him as the second guitarist yes. There will not be any conflict whatsoever. I know he wants to do it so….
The next question is obvious and standard but people would start sending me hate mail (which I love btw) if I wouldn’t ask it. Pestilence fans want to know whether you’ll play any old stuff and by that they mean stuff from “Consuming impulse” as well. Additionally, if you will play old stuff, will you revise them like you did on the “Spheres”? As you’ll remember people were not amused by the “slaughtered” revised versions of the old songs.
-I don’t want to get ahead of this because I feel the new material is sooo good, so…. But yes we will play some oldies. We will not slaughter them like you mentioned. But they will be executed better with this new line up though.
Have you already been offered festival shows or perhaps even some tours? Will you focus on the new album for now and start thinking about shows later on? I’m sure you won’t be interested in doing a few festival shows playing just old stuff. Most likely you’ve had such offers already, from Wacken Open Air perhaps.
-Yes, like a lot of offers I had already, but since we’re still in the composing stage and the other guys have their own thing going on, I will focus on the new material and the upcoming recordings for “Resurrection Macabre”. I don’t feel much for just playing the old stuff. I still love songs like “Level of Perception”, “Soul Search”, “Process of Suffocation” and so forth.
What long term plans you have for Pestilence. Will you release one album then tour and called it quits or do you envision more albums and more tours?
-You tell me, but one thing I know for sure: nothing lasts forever. And I can’t predict the future. Let’s first see what happens with this release. If people dig it, we’ll do another one. Simple as that! But it’s nothing like some reactions I’ve heard. Shit like, you cashing in doing a reunion and call it quits… Hahahaha, what cash man, show it to me, show me the money. You can’t make big money with this type of music, that’s why I have my regular job….
Are you prepared for all the tour tribulations? Like touring in a bus which officially has room for 6 guys but in reality has to take on 8 guys? How about dealing with tour bus antics like when you’re sleeping some drunken dude shoves his sweaty balls in your face because he thinks that’s funny? Are you prepared for all that?
-Strange, you use sweaty balls as an example…. You like??
As the Living Colour song goes: “everyone loves you when you’re bi!” haha
-This will not happen in my case. We’ll have a blast on tour though. I know the guys around me are all cool and relaxed. We’re too old for that shit. The grandpa tour hahahaha.
I take it Mascot Records will release the upcoming album. Have you signed any contract with them concerning Pestilence? If so, have you signed for more than one Pestilence album?
-From what I understand, just for one album, but I can imagine, if this one blows up I will get some nice offer(s). But I like Mascot because they have always been right there for me to support.
Here’s a personal question which I don’t think is prying and definitely not meant as an attack. But it seems that you’re one of those persons who causes some controversy every now and then. Obviously because you say what’s on your mind without really caring how others will react to what you say. And if I remember correctly you’ve stated that you do it on purpose.
As a result I know many people who rather dislike you and have cursed the resurrection of Pestilence. If you’re interested in specifics, some words coined to describe you are arrogant, wigga, douche bag, etc.
So here’s the question: if you’re really more like a nice guy then why do you like to stir shit up? Now that Pestilence is back you have to deal with all this hatred from old fans which would be better to have avoided. Or do you disagree?
-First off, I’m not scared to give my opinion. I don’t feel that when someone bought the album that they have the right to judge me personally, like you know me. Yeah man, I like to stir up shit, just like you do right now with your questions man.
True, because it often leads to better interviews :-)
-Wigga?? Just because I said I like gangsta rap??? Dude, how lame is that. You make it sound like people are so fragile and can’t take some stuff I say. You don’t have to like me and I don’t have to like you. Too bad, you don’t have an album out so I can judge your personality. Shoot!!!
There’s an official C-187 website but I couldn’t find an official Pestilence website. Will you or anyone associated with you make one? Btw, are you in charge of the self-proclaimed official MySpace site: http://www.myspace.com/consumingimpulse?
-In the near future I will start thinking about an official Pestilence site. But the one to visit now is a polish fan site (http://www.pestilence.fan.pl/). This guy likes Pest a lot.
Since you post on the Zware Metalen forum wouldn’t you like to have an official Pestilence forum?
-Nope. Don’t have the time.
Well Patrick, if you’ve made it this far and still don’t hate my guts for making such a lengthy interview then kudos man haha.
Thanks for doing the interview and good luck with the band; I hope you prove all of us wrong by releasing another brilliant Pestilence album!
-Prove all of you wrong? Again you make it sound like this will be shit. Now I really want to record a shitty album just for ya’ll to be right hahahahahahaha.
Well some folks would say you already did with C-187 haha.
But no worries Patrick, I’ll be the first one to admit it if I like the new Pestilence album :-)

Im excitred because Peter is doing the drums, but i was also really disapointed on C-187, so im gonna just wait it out and hear it when it comes out. Im also not that excited because Spheres and Testimony are my least fav Pestilence albums.

Im glad I havent listened to C-187...sounds horrible. Ive heard its like gangster rap metal or something...what were they thinking?
Agreed that Testimony and Spheres are my least fav Pestilence albums also - but I still like them. Mameli has written some killer riffs, so I guess ill give him the benefit of the doubt. Im hopeful - but pretty skeptical also.
I also sincerely hope that 'Hang Man', 'Fiend' and 'Hate Suicide' are not really the titles of any tracks, haha!

Bring on the old skool Dutch brutality!
Can't wait!

pestilence fucking rule.

I'd say I'm interested to hear how this turns out rather than excited. The C-187 album actually gives me some hope, it would have been very easy for Patrick to put that out under the Pestilence name for the extra recognition but he didn't because I think he knew the adverse reaction that would get. I'm fairly confident he knows what's expected of a Pestilence release... though I'm not too impressed with him saying he might play C-187 songs at a Pestilence show!

there are two videos on youtube of Peter recording the drums for the new album, sounds pretty cool, cant be bothered to look for the links now though, haha.

Pestilence - Resurrection Macabre


Pestilence is currently finishing up their first record in 15 years. Expect more brutal, heavier and faster songs than any old Pestilence album. The album, entitled Resurrection Macabre, features eleven new tracks and the limited edition first print will include three re-recordings chosen by fans. Out Of The Body, Chemo Therapy and Lost Souls were voted most.
The songs are lyrically more in the vein of "Consuming Impulse". Meaning, they’re more “reality-style” than religious or philosophical. Some songtitles are: "HangMan (Into the mind of an executioner)", "Synthetic Grotesque (Trying to create through cloning)", "Fiend (Drugaddiction)", "Resurrection Macabre (The return of the Pestilence)", "Hate Suicide (Last hours of a suicide-bomber)" just to name a few.
Expect a new track to be added to the band’s myspace www.myspace.com/pestilenceofficial before the end of this year.
PRE-ORDER NOW! DELIVERY AROUND RELEASEDATE!

Out: 16/03/2009

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeettt

Cynic, Pestilence.... not the Atheist one is what we're waiton on now. Kelly says its great though