Interview with EXXECUTOR
!!!BLACKENED SPEED METAL FROM GERMANY!!!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine
Tell us a few things about EXXECUTOR (Members, Starting Year etc).
Exxecutor started as a one-man band from Germany of me, Collin. I was 15 the time I home recorded the four songs in December 2023 and published them as a Demo EP one month later in 2024. I played /sang everything incept of the drums, those were programmed. Tho the quality was pretty good, I didn’t want to call something with programmed drums a finished EP, so I wanted it to be just a demo. It was a long time looking for members, especially for a drummer WHO doesn’t play in 5 bands already. In Summer I recorded two new Demos, but never published them because the shitty programmed drums bothered me. I knew a guy who had contact to Stallion’s drummer Aaron, so we asked him if there’s a good Drum Plug-In useful for Speed Metal. He listened to the demo and told me he wants to play the drums himself, something I never saw coming. At the same time, we had Sebastian joining us on Bass. That was the day Exxecutor became a trio.
In 2024 you have released your demo ''Exxecutor Demo''. What was the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
At the beginning, the Feedback was pretty “normal” for an underground Speed Metal demo on YouTube of someone people never heard about. Not much Feedback, but there were a few people who really liked it and bought a self-pressed CD. Only later, when I also published it on Spotify, people all over the world started to ask me for tapes and shirts, stuff I didn’t have unfortunately.
You are going to release your debut album. Tell us a few things about it.
We’re all really excited to show some stuff of it soon! Everything was recorded at Scumlight Studio in Memmingen a month ago. There’s still some work to do, so it will take a few months till you can blast it. The style of the songs is similar to the demo. Ripping Speed Metal with black metal vocals and now even some traditional Heavy Metal elements and high screaming. There will be two songs on it you already know from the demo. The rest are songs I wrote 2024 and in the beginning of 2025.
Are you in searching for a record label? What do you prefer, Label or DIY and why?
I can’t say much about this right now, but we have one in mind. The DIY demo was really fun to make of course, learning how to record and everything, but for our Debut Album, a label will bring us as a band more opportunities, and for the fans of course too.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
The whole studio recording situation was funny because we only had two days to record haha. It was also the second time Sebastian and me met Aaron, because he moved to Spain a while ago. So we never had a single band practice before, everything happened digitally. While seeing our drummer for the second time and being able to spend time together for the first time, there surely were some funny moments at the recording weekend. One of them was posing like three idiots on a graveyard in the morning and having to lean a phone against a tree because we didn’t have a tripod.
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
I think I speak for the whole band when I say that vinyl is the best of all. It just has the best sound and it’s how bands do it since the very start. It’s nearly impossible to survive as a band without having your music on digital platforms, but going to a record store or ordering a new record and being excited about finally being able to listen to the record you’ve been waiting for is something streaming platforms can’t keep up with.
Your music style is Black/Speed Metal. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
The usual for this genre. Motörhead, Slayer, Sodom, Venom of course... All three of us are big fans of traditional Heavy Metal too, what may be hearable in the coming record.
Which things do you think a band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your band?
A lot of time of course. But this never was a big problem because music is the main hobby of all of us.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
Our debut show will be in September in Dornbirn, Austria, so we can’t talk about Exxecutor live experiences yet. But bringing energy on the stage and showing the audience your passion for what you’re doing is maybe the most important thing. If you don’t have fun on stage the audience wont either.
What do you think about the rise of AI in music production?
It’s sad seeing bands with potential using AI for their covers and promotion. Promoters using AI pictures for show posters sucks too. Of course it’s your own decision to use AI or not, but it’s sad to see a big part of the metal scene losing creativity because of AI. You used to be creative to write metal songs or draw designs, we miss the times when there was no other solution.
What attributes do you think that a new Speed Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
Just do your own thing. Of course your music can be as fast as Slayer, but if it’s the only thing your music brings, it isn’t really unique. Every band member bringing their own visions into one song though we live in two different countries is what makes our coming record special.
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Speed Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its work?
Digital Platforms definitely helped Exxecutor in the beginning when it was still a solo project. Even now, there are still new people discovering the demos on streaming devices after more than a year. We want to share our music with everyone and not just people who are able to buy records in stores.
From your experience in the music industry, what would you tell to a new Speed Metal band to avoid or what to do?
There are no rules every band should follow. Every band finding their own path is what makes them special. But most important: try! Record a demo and publish it or look for support gigs and just have fun. No matter what genre you are.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Germany (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
We have a lot of sick underground bands here. The club shows are awesome and you see faces of all ages. The audience is definitely there, you just have to give them good metal. There’s one place we all really appreciate, a metal merch shop in Mannheim called Blasphemer. The passion and effort he puts in this shop already connected so many people here, it’s crazy.
What does Metal means to you? And give us 10 metal albums that run in your veins.
It’s hard to really define Metal. Aaron says that Metal to him means dedication to the craft and connection between like minded people. I think that sums it up pretty good. I asked everyone for their 3 favorite albums to name a few favorites from us:
Collin (Faceripper):
- Tank, Filth Hounds of Hades
- Sodom, Persecution Mania
- Motörhead, Iron Fist
Aaron (Aplastor):
- Sepultura, Arise
- Electric Wizzard, Witchcult Today
- Death, Symbolic
Sebastian (ElBasso):
- Skull Fist, Head of the Pack
- Dio, Holy Diver
- Sick Of It All, We stand alone
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
No, unfortunately not! We never really had connections to the Greek Metal scene yet.
What are your future plans?
Releasing our Debut album and a music video this year and playing a few shows and festivals. At the moment we’re all really focused on finishing this album.
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Thank you for having us! We had much fun looking back at what happened in that short time. Cheers!
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
EXXECUTOR CONTACT:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573091290680
https://www.instagram.com/exxecutorspeed/
https://exxecutorspeed.bandcamp.com/album/exxecutor-demo
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2xnL36RCoZ27YmyWw9MtNM