Abscess – Chris Reifert (vocals/drums)

Does Chris Reifert really need an introduction here? Of course he doesn’t! The guy played on the first Death album, and his work in the legendary Autopsy has been well-documented throughout the years. But never one to rest on his laurels, Reifert has been churning out bile death metal with ABSCESS since the ’90s, and their latest album, The Dawn of Inhumanity, proves that they haven’t gone all modern on us. The songs on the record sound as twisted and dirty as ever!

SMNnews caught up with the San Francisco area vocalist/drummer, and asked him about all-things Abscess.

First off, The Dawn of Inhumanity is being released by Tyrant Syndicate Productions, which is Darkthrone’s imprint through Peaceville Records. This is your second release with them, but how much does Fenriz and Nocturno Culto get involved in the entire creative process?

In this case, they graced us with some atmospheric screams and ranting to surgically place within the album. In general though, they are deeply immersed in the supportive process, and are right there in the metal trenches, making sure we get what we need to make the album we want to make. Cheers, sickos!

It does seem like you and Fenriz from Darkthrone share some of the same values when it comes to music. You both have been critical about the way people treat music, almost as if it’s disposable these days.

I guess it comes down to being a music fan. Speaking for myself, I have been an obsessive music fan since I was a little kid. I have a genuine love for music, in its many strange forms. It’s not unlike a serious drug dependency in a way. I always crave for more and more sounds to stir up the brain juices (laughter).

I know you’ve been friends with people like Roy from Necroharmonic Productions for over 2 decades now. Are most of the people you met in the death metal early days still around the scene?

There are some fellow old timers still burrowed in the death metal world like ticks in fresh flesh. There are a lot of newer ones, and some acquaintances, who seem to randomly dip in and out of the community too. The metal flows regardless.

At this point in the game, it’s obvious that playing the kind of music you do isn’t really a viable way to make a living. Was there ever a point in your musical career that you felt differently?

This is what separates people who are serious about this music from folks who find the life raft and jump into it at the first sign of instability. For me, the obsession with the music comes first, and the rest takes care of itself. I will only say that if you persist when it seems like the most ridiculous thing to do, amazing things can end up happening. Your true intentions will be made clear and apparent.

Danny Coralles has been playing with you since the ‘80s. What about your personalities draws you together?

We both have that brain defect that makes us do insane shit like play death metal. There’s never a sign of it wavering either. Danny is a hardcore die hard, and so am I. We know what we want from music, and the mission has been given to us. Besides that, he can appreciate the goofy things in life, which is important too.

When you go into the writing process for a new album, how do you approach the lyrical side of it? Are you the kind of person that is constantly writing lyrics, regardless if you’re in pre-production or not?

Personally speaking, I always have my lyrics ready way before recording time comes up. Though they might mutate, and change titles, until they are just right. For sick, crazy, disgusting lyrics, there is an actual thought process behind it all.

What are your favorite moments on the new album?

I love everything that happens from the start of it, all the way to the end. It flows like a solid, creepy, deep, dark, bizarre beast. It is easily the best album we’ve recorded to date.

What is your take on file sharing? Do you think it’s helped death metal?

It is what it is. I’m not sure if it’s much different from when people dubbed band demos, or recorded their friends albums onto cassette tapes. I can only speak for myself, but if I really like a band, I will try and get their albums so I can have the full experience of seeing the art, lyrics, and any notes that might be there. I then can take it to the bathroom with me when I take a dump (laughter).

All of those things make it more than a song or two that I lift off to put on my iPod, or whatever. Plus, there’s no substitution for hearing the actual album on a home or car stereo. I don’t care what you say about crappy, little speakers jammed into your ears, it always sounds like shit. All of that babble aside, if the death metal gospel is getting its message across further by file sharing, then fuck it. Just make sure you buy out album anyway.

Will Abscess be touring The Dawn of Inhumanity at all?

Abscess is not a touring band by any means. We’ll leave that to bands that have the desire, and capacity to do so. A select gig here or there is much more likely to happen, so keep your eyes and ears peeled. How did you enjoy that stock answer? I guess I have to change my wording on that one of these days, but that’s the gist of it.

What in the hell ever happened to John Hand?!

You know, I really don’t know. But I wish him the best wherever, and however he may be.

The Dawn of Inhumanity is available now

By Carlos Ramirez