How many Death Metal bands are still active in the underground scene after nearly 20 years of existence without betraying their early roots ? No that much in fact, excepted for NUNSLAUGHTER. I can't number the amount of songs this band has yet written, probably more than Motörhead and they're still deep into the abyss of Death Metal. Just imagine they were here in early '87 when so many well known Death Metal combos who started at the same time no longer exist anymore. Answers from Don Of The Dead (vox), May 2006.

Hail Don, what's the very fresh news from NUNSLAUGHTER ?
We are always working on new material and many different 7”. Currently we have about 10 more records slated for release this year.

Did you try to get sex with nuns in your childhood; I guess that could explain your band name ?
I am not sure what the nuns look like where you are from (they're fucking sexy in France, can and check them – ed) but the nuns here are not very good looking. I did not have sex until I was 15 years old but she was really good looking.

NUN SLAUGHTER has been existing since nearly 20 years as you started in 1987, you Don are still the former member of this combo, how do you see the past years within the band ? What are your best the worst memories and ?
It has been both frustrating and rewarding; most of the time frustrating. Dealing with people in the band and out of the band. Having to fire some people and seeing some good friends leave. Writing good music and recording it well and writing bad music and recording it poorly. Playing great shows in excellent venues and crap sows in shitty places. Al of this adds up to a wild ride. NUNSLAUGHTER has enabled me to express myself in an artistic and vile fashion. I have worked at NUNSLAUGHTER over half my life and I guess it has been rewarding.

In 2007 NUN SLAUGHTER would existed since 20 years, is there anything special planned ?
Yes we are planning a tour of Scandinavia.

Have you even felt tired fighting for NUNSLAUGHTER and old school D.M ?. I mean it'd have been much easier to play a kind of soporific Vader or Behemoth clone music…you'd had many bucks now…..
HA yes that would have been much easier but then again those bands are doing what they think I right. They have families to support and financial goals to be met. I am unfettered by these constraints. I have a descent job and I do not look to NS as a source of income. I do this for the music and nothing else. That is why I have the luxury of doing what I want and not what will sell records.

NUN SLAUGHTER discography is rather amazing as you've released none less than 60 EP, 14 vinyls, 15 compacts disc, 16 tapes and one DVD. I'm not even sure that Motörhead have as much materials than you in their 35 years of career. How does it comes you release so much materials ? I'm not certain all fans can success in following you through all these productions ?
I did not think it was that many but maybe you are right. There are lots of NS releases out there and they have been released in many parts of the world. The music exists and that is what I am concerned with. If people what to hear something they can trade tapes/CDR’s for it. I am not concerned with appealing or appeasing everyone only myself. If I want to do a 7” with only 50 copies then I do it. I/we answer to no one.

In NUN SLAUGHTER discography there's a gap between 1993 and 1995 as nothing was recorded, how does it come ? Does it mean you were all playing in a disco band and wanted to stop D.M during these 2 years ahaha ?
Between 1993 and 1995 I was moving around a lot and I wanted to work with Jer (from the first demo). We tried time and time again to meet and work together but one of us was always busy. It took a while but in the mean time I met Jim who recorded the Face Of Evil demo with us and who is still in the band today. So it was worth the wait.

 

How does it come you unleashed two live albums in 2001 "Devil Metal" and "One Night In Hell" ? Furthermore, many bands release live after publishing many full lengths, but in 2001 you only had one real full length….
NUNSLAUGHTER fury is mainly felt at our live shows. Our studio LP did not show that side of NS. We have some live shows sitting around and when we toured Europe in 2000 a European label asked to release a min LP. We gave them Devil Metal. It did not get release in time for the tour so we kept it for a few years and released it with another live show. The "One Night In Hell" is just so fucking good it had to come out. Recording full length LP’s is over rated and frankly it bores the hell out of me.

"Guts Of Christ" 7EP cover is rather fucking cult and nice looking for exited women ahahah. It reminds me a lot Profanatica materials, was it done willingly ? Do you think Profanatica was one of the only real B.M from USA with a completely insane attitude back in the 90's ?
Thank you for the compliment on the "Guts" cover. I think it is upsetting. I would say that Profanatica is defiantly one of the most extreme BM bands to come out of the USA. Paul had and has some very creative ideas in the way that he presents the band. I respect him and his creations.

I read in an old interview that you were waiting a lot from the deal with Repulse Records, so now looking back, are you satisfied with their work and support ? Do you think that they helped you getting a larger fan base ?
Actually I was never satisfied with them at all. Repluse never did anything for NUNSLAUGHTER except delay the release and sell the contract to Revenge. Basically they profited from NUNSLAUGHTER and never put anything into the band.

How doesn't it comes that "Goat" release included a cover o Running Wild "Preacher" ? It's rather astonishing seeing a D.M band covering old school German Speed Metal. Are you that much into the 80's German Thrash scene, which releases are masterpieces according to you ?
"Goat" needed to be re-released and the label wanted to add something to the CD. With that line up we did not record very much so our choices were limited for bonus tracks. The Running Wild cover was done for a split 7” and 10” we did with Centinex called “Hail Germania”. I think that the first 2 Running Wild LP’s are excellent. No I did not like the German 80’s Thrash movement that much. Jim Sadist is a big fan of that style. I prefer Death Metal.

I've to admit the cover of Running Wild fucking kicks ass, you didn't destroy it with awful vocals or over gained guitars. Do you know if Rock And Wolf listened to your tune ???
Thank you for listening to the song. We believe the best way to pay homage to a great song is to attempt to be as honest to the song as possible. We did standard tuning just like RW and tried to mimic the song as best we could. I am proud of it. I highly doubt if anyone from RW heard the song.

Jeff Becerra wrote lyrics from "Thou Art In The Kingdom Of Hell", was it you who asked him to do such lyrics ? Is there any plans for new lyrics from other D.M "stars" ?
Yes I was in communication with Jeff at the time we were writing the "Goat" LP and I asked if he could contribute. He ripped those words out fast and they fit perfectly. I was honoured to sing his words. We do not have plans to have anyone write lyrics but you never know.

Don, you never used any effect on your vocals, not even reverb. How does it come ? I mean even the oldest D.M bands used some effects…
I do use some reverb on my voice but it does not over saturate the sound of my voice. On a few songs we pitch to voice and change it up but again it is subtle. Some people have a poor sounding voice and need to cover it up.

According you me your vocals really sum up the D.M concept, rough and tonsil. You're one of the most brutal singer when it come to this genre. I think that singers such as Jeff Becerra and you are one of the best one in the genre even though you don't have the same vibe. By the way, who inspired you for the vocals ?
That is a huge compliment and I thank you very much (you're more than welcome, you kick ass period !-ed).
My main influences were Cronus, Jeff Beccera and Kam Lee. All 3 of these voices have a distinct sound and epitomize the Death Metal sound. I like to understand the words and hear to blasphemies. I hope that is what comes through in our music.

It is known that being the front man in a band bring many women in arms after show, is it the same with you and your rotten denim jacket ahahah ?
As much as I would like to say that happens it does not. This music is offensive and if you can't even offend a woman then you are not doing your job.

How could you define the D.M concept and how should a perfect D.M band sound ? Do you think that when band such Obituary or Sepultura, for instance, coming with concept about pollution or forest protection they were still into D.M ?
Death Metal to me is reckless and unapologetic. Social commentary is mostly left to hardcore / punk bands. Discussion about Satan and the dead is for Death Metal. I am unfamiliar with those bands anti pollution albums. They do not interest me.

How do you find inspiration for all the composition you wrote, don't you think that you're sometime always dealing with the same topics all along your lyrics ?
Stories of the devil and the dead are endless and boundless. Since death is a topic everyone understands I think it is an easy topic to convey.

Don you're into Metal since so long that I'd like to know how did you see the raise of early D.M combos with bands such as Merciless, Repulsion, Possessed, Death/Mantas, Nihilist, Master. Which were the early releases that blown you away ? And by the way do you equally enjoy the early American D.M scene and the early Swedish one ? What are the differences between the two scene according to you ?
The Mantas/Death demos were great as well as Massacres music. Of course the first Possessed was amazing as well as Repulsion. I was also taken with the Hellhammer demos.
As for the Swedish scene….Well I really was a big fan of the first few Bathory LP’s but that later stuff like Nihilist and Grave etc etc. did not interest me that much. I thought it was OK but I like the dirty Metal that is poorly played and a bit sloppy. Those bands had a high level of musicianship and it did not click with me although I did enjoy "Left Hand Path".

I'd like to tell us some words about your own musical taste : when did you start jumping into the music of the devil. Who brought you the first record and how old were you ? Did you immediately understand that Metal was your music ?
Kiss was the first band with a somewhat devilish attitude. After that I was quite take with Black Sabbath and their take on delivering the devil through my speakers. It seems to be a topic that I genuinely connected with at an early age.

NUNSLAUGHTER members seem rather brutal and sick live and on recordings, but who are they in their everyday life ?
We live and breath Metal but that does not mean you need to be an idiot. We all have regular jobs and continue with a relatively normal life. We are not drug addicts or thieves. We don’t kill people or dig up graves.

What is your regard on the beginning of B.M and all church burnings in Scandinavia and now the fact that this scene is a huge marketing circus ?
The downfall of Christianity will not be brought to bear through violence or vandalism. Religious zealots use these undertakings as fuel for the Christian fire. The only way to quench or quell the Christians is through education and the explanation that God is a myth. With that said….everyone has a different way of dealing with oppression. Just because it is not my way does not make it wrong.


Chicago D.M scene was pretty strong some years ago with bands such as Usurper, Scepter, Cianide. If I'm not wrong you were living in the same state some years ago. How was this scene, as all the bands were pretty brutal and rotten into real Metal ?
I did not live in Chicago/Ill. But I am familiar with the music coming from there. Lets not forget the mighty Macabre !!!

NUNSLAUGHTER is more or less linked with your own label Hell Headbanger Records, but didn't you get an offer from a larger label in the early 90's, you could have ended with Earache, Century Media or Nuclear Blast in the early 90's as they were signing all the D.M bands….?
We did not receive any offer from any of those labels but for the most part I can not see why I would have accepted any offer. We did not need them to make music and lets face it most of the bands that signed with those labels fag out. Those labels are the last place a band goes before they die.
As it stands now (and for all the years) We do what we want when we want. I tour with bands I want to tour with and we release records when we want to. NUNSLAUGHTER owns all our own artwork and music. The way I see it we are more powerful than virtually any other band because we have no one to answer to

Through all the NUNSLAUGHTER's productions you never used the same logo, I've a bunch of 7EP from you and the logo is always different. Can't you finally choose one and definitely use it ahahah ? Which one the best to you ?
I never understood why bands needed or wanted only one logo. If I meet an artist and they can draw a cool NS logo then we use it. NS does what NS wants to do. We do not follow trends. At this time I do not have a favourite logo.

In many aspect, I found connections between NUN SLAUGHTER and Sabbat from Japan. You both release an amazing quantity of 7EP, you're both into the market since ages and you're both considered as "cult" underground bands. Have you ever noticed that and do you enjoy Sabbat ?
Yes there are some similarities between NS and Sabbat. We got the chance to play with them when we toured Japan in 2005 and it was a grand experience for all of us.

Honestly speaking, if you were not part of NUN SLAUGHTER, do you think you could still follow a band like yours in all his discography ? I mean you've so much materials that is nearly impossible to buy them all and some of them are not "useless" but let say a bit repetitive, don't you think so ?
I would not be a collector of NUNSLAUGHTER because there are way to many releases to follow. But I do not know of any repetitive ones.

As you've printed so much vinyls I guess it's your favourite format for Metal. But let's speak a bit about your private vinyl collection, which are your jewels and the vinyls you fought hard to find ? Where do you buy your records and which one is the oldest ?
I relish my bootlegs and 7”s. I do not collect legit LP’s so it is difficult to say. I guess some of my oldest records are from the early 80’s. I mean I have Black Sabbath LP’s that are older but for boots they start about the 80’s. The 7” I looked for and finally found is Blitzkreig’s 1st 7”. A friend of mine Oliver got it for me.

Among all the split EP you did, is there a band you really like to share a 7 inch ?
Sure I would like to do a Hellhammer or Massacre split 7”

I've to admit your web site is rather well-done and contains plenty worth information and cool videos to download. One of your video was shot at Tokyo, how was the reaction of the crowd over there as I know they're much more into German Heavy Metal and bands like Stratovarius than anything else ?
Difficult to say about Japan. I found some people that like gore grind or punk or Death Metal. The people of extreme music from Japan are into music. I don’t think they are concerned about labelling it like the rest of the world. Thanks about the website. I design and update it myself and I think it can be better.

Could you give details about your gear, you sound so much old school these days. Each time I listen to a new NUN SLAUGHTER song I feel like it's been recorded 15 years ago…I guess you record everything through analog process ?
The way to the sound we get is through using totally shitty gear and different ways of recording. We use only cheap mics and we record anywhere anytime. NUNSLAUGHTER does not have a unique sound but rather the feels is septic. I thank you for noticing.

Which bands impressed you the most in their crazy and fuck off attitude ? Do you think that the 80's bands such as Motörhead, Venom, Celtic Frost, Sodom were much more evil than any new combos ? The only bands I found insane now are Sad X and Nifelheim with their such unpredictable attitude….
It seems most bands are looking to make music a career. This is where they fail because to make a living at music you need to bend over and take the music industry dick right in the ass. Since this does not appeal to me I avoid it by making music that might not sell very much but I stand behind all my music. I do not make money from the band so I do not care how many records we sell or if I make friends at record labels. We do our own thing and I am rather proud of that.

Thanks Don for your time, don't you think now it's time to stop playing D.M and have a nice engineer life, mum would be proud of you at least ?? ahahah
At this time I think NUNSLAUGHTER is producing some of the best music we have ever done. I have lots more to talk about the devil and the dead. I do not know how long NUNSLAUGHTER will last but I will do it until I can not produce the same fire.