Vulsellum interview in Zero Tolerance!

[Keerin]

Hey all,

After having a track on the covermount CD two issues ago, the good staff at Zero Tolerance thought it fitting to interview us for this month's issue as well as review our 'Face' EP.

Here is the review along with marking scheme they use:

Originally Posted by Zero Tolerance Magazine, Issue #24, page 110

Grinding death from a quartet which, quite frankly, ripped your truly a new arsehole when witnessed live a while back. There aren’t enough bands from the East of Scotland doing this type of thing for my liking: early carcass, Brutal Truth and crust all get a look in, gloriously evoking the stench of one of Dundee’s finest piss-and-vomit-drenched alleys. Exactly the kind of hyper-blast grime the Scottish scene needs at the moment.

Calum Harvey 4 (out of 6)

6 – Masterpiece
5 – Exceptional
4 – Commendable
3 – Solid
2 – Second Rate
1 – Firing Blanks
0 – Sitting Duck

We're quite chuffed with this review as it is our first review in any type of media and also because Zero Tolerance is actually a really good magazine!

The interview is a bit cut n paste but it is not bad and will hopefully give us some exposure to metal fans around the country. Below is the interview:

Originally Posted by Zero Tolerance Magazine, Issue #24, page 74

Steve Earles dons his surgical robes and asks Vulsellum to pass the forceps.

Vulsellum lay out their grind manifesto for Zero Tolerance. “Vulsellum forceps are a medical instrument used in operations,” drummer Kieran explains the meaning behind the band’s moniker. They look like scissors with evil hooks at the end! If we were trying to be smart, we could have picked a better name to represent what we sounded like, as we don’t really have any sharp hooks!” Bassist Kate interjects: “Except from my left hook!”

Hooks or not, Vulsellum’s sound still has the ability to floor you. Where does the power come from? “Rick’s throat-ripping vocals give off exactly what the band is about,” Kieran muses, “raw and honest, which matches the lyrical subject matter.” There’s also Vulsellum’s independent spirit, something Rick stressed passionately. “We released the EP ourselves as Scum Killer Records. There is a big advantage of getting better gigs and tours with a label, but it would have to be on our terms. Personally I’m quite disconcerted by what I’ve seen recently where some of the bigger extreme labels have had one or two bands become particularly successful and other lower-status bands have left to release stuff on smaller labels; it just shows how quickly a label can go from being all about the music and the bands to being just another business as soon as they catch the scent of money.” Kate also sees strength in Vulsellum’s location. “Any sense of isolation we have felt has fuelled our determination. We have had such a great feedback over the internet! A kick in the face is a good way to describe us!”

On Face, there’s doomy grinding aplenty, much like Napalm Death circa Scum. Kate Nods, “definitely a major influence – we’re flattered with the comparison. Eibon from France and Iron Monkey inspire the doomy side of our music that we are writing at the moment, too.” Lyrically, Vulsellum are reality based, a point Rick is quick to make. “'Face' is about mass media as religion, 'Sheep in Wolves Clothing' is about people who project a superficial image of being non-conformist, 'Manufactured Apocalypse' is about people in power in both the West and the East who believe that the end times are approaching and that God has given them a role to play in beginning the process. How fucking stupid and arrogant must someone be to believe that there is an omnipotent god, but despite having all that power, their god needs their help to bring the day of judgement?”

[origin.dundee, scotland.formed.2005.current release.face ep.band url.www.myspace.com/Vulsellum]

[bobby]

well done!

how'd you get that on the go anyway man? might give them el hollero and find out if swordmaster are sitting ducks or masterblasterz.

[Keerin]

Cheers!

We sent them our CD for review and they liked it, offered us a place on the covermount cd, reviewed us and asked us if we were interested in an interview for the Rapid Fire section of the magazine (the bit with the unsigned bands or the bands coming back from a 10 year hiatus or whatever). It was fairly lucky tbh because Calum Harvie is the editor and just happened to see us at the Westy on eother our 1st or 3rd gig (think it was Man Must Die and Slit maybe?) and liked us enough to give us an interview.

Seeing that there are people other than ourselves that like our music has been a big kick up the arse though, for me especially.

I'd imagine "metal as it used to be, minus vocals" will certainly be an attention grabber for a magazine who quite strictly cater for fans of "the sonically unnaceptable"!