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Hello Kitty, how are you? I'm Ricardo Salvador from Maracaibo Alterno I'm very thankful that you've agreed for this interview. So I shall start.
Hello Ricardo, I'm doing good thanks and very much looking forwards to our first visit to Venezuela and the Invasión Thrash shows with Hirax! Thank you for helping us out with spreading the word and for introducing Decadence to Venezuela.
Some people may get confused about the origin of Decadence, some people say the band was originally called Dekapiteria, but that was another project right? Tell us a little bit about that band; did you ever release anything under that name?
Exactly, Dekapitera was another band that never got started, it was a plan and an idea but it didn't go further than that (no releases or recordings). I didn't want to wait until the other member decided what to do with it so I joined another band instead. That band is what I later named Decadence and this is what we are now. Actually, the song Heavy Dose in its initial stages was written for Dekapitera but I took it with me to Decadence instead. The original version can be heard on our first demo Land Of Despair and the final version is on our first full-length album Decadence.
The first demo Land Of Despair was released in 2004 and a year later two full length albums were released. Obviously 2005 was a great year full of inspiration for you but, was it hard releasing two full lengths in one year?
The whole year of 2005 is something that will stick in my head for a long time ahead. It was a chaotic year, but as you say, a very inspirational one as well. When the demo was released in 2004, it was a relaxed and calm period. We had no clear goals with Decadence and it was only a garage project that could basically go in any direction. That changed in 2005 however, first with a line-up change, a new album Decadence, a big self financed concert, problems within the band, health issues from my part and all that finally lead to a point where I had tell the others to go. Kenneth Lantz (lead guitar) and I sorted out things and I faced the decision to fight once again or to leave Decadence behind. As you know, the choice I made was to keep going and that's when the new line-up with Erik Röjås (drums) and Joakim Antman (bass) was formed. The product of this 'afterwork of violence' that many reviewers refer to is our second album The Creature which was released only a couple of months after the storm. So you ask me if it was hard to create two full-length albums in one year. Well, many things were hard that year but writing and releasing these two albums was not.
Maybe in 2010 we'll have two more Decadence albums?
I would have nothing against that actually! But, things have changed a little since that time of working independently without any labels. The good thing then was that we were free to release things whenever we wanted and however we wanted but the good thing now with having a distribution is that you guys can actually hear what we're doing as well! *Laughs*. Decadence is not however owned by any label, I personally work at the label HTI Records which in turn licenses our music to various other labels such as for example Spiritual Beast / Universal and Massacre Records. So it is never a question of giving our work away, it's just that we have a different schedule now than before.
Your dream when you were 12 was to become a guitar player, instead of that you became a singer. Tell me, when you decided to left behind the guitar and grab the mic? Or would you like to play and sing at the same time sometime?
Becoming a singer was a total impulse and coincidence. I never thought much of my vocals and I still don't think it's near as fun as playing guitar. Actually, I can listen to instrumental songs and not miss the vocals at all. I started singing when I joined Decadence. Actually, I had never even stood in front of a microphone prior to that. Starting playing guitar again crosses my mind every now and then, but Decadence simply takes up too much of my time to get the full and total motivation to start shredding again. I do play when I write songs but it has been a while now since I stood on stage with the axe, my black and white Gibson Explorer. I also have Jacksons here, but the Explorer is my first choice. It's not impossibility though, it is on the contrary very tempting but I have no plans for it as of yet.
One of your major inspirations is Metallica; what would you do if James Hetfield calls you right now and proposes you to support Metallica on tour?
Indeed, Metallica is my major inspiration with James Hetfield as a guitarist, composer and lyricist. I'm not the kind of person that would start screaming and running around from joy but I would be extremely happy and honored so what I'd do, as most people who know me would probably agree on, is to calmly nod my head and say: "e;Thank you James, we will be there."e; *Laughs*
Besides Metallica, do you have any other influences?
Well of course, the whole 80's Bay Area Thrash is my influence! Certainly there are also more bands from for example the German Thrash scene as well as some Death Metal stuff as well! To mention a bunch of bands that I listen to in general (besides Metallica) I can say: Death, Testament, Megadeth, Kreator, Vader, Cannibal Corpse, Behemoth, Annihilator, Pantera, Xentrix, early Iced Earth, Volbeat, The Exploited, Sodom, Slayer, Exodus and many more.
You will share stage soon in Venezuela with another thrash metal legend, Mr. Katon de Pena from the band Hirax; how do you feel about that?
As both I and Kenneth Lantz (lead guitar) who are the main song writers in Decadence, have been listening to Hirax since way back and appreciate their music a lot it makes it an honor for us to share the stage with them in Venezuela. Looking forward to it very much!
The Thrash Metal is a world 'ruled' by men basically, do you feel intimidated for being a female singer in a Thrash Metal band?
We're all metalheads so for me it doesn't make a difference. I don't spend time thinking about if things are harder or not because I'm a woman fronting and managing a band. If things are hard, they're hard and the reason for that is of less importance. The important thing is to stand up for what you're doing. For me it's about the music – Metal – and I'm working and doing what I want from that perspective.
Triton Enigma, is the other band where you do the vocals right? How that project was born?
A common misunderstanding is that Triton Enigma is my band which is not true. I am not even a member of them, only the guest vocalist so all I did was to enter the studio and sing all vocals for them. The project was born as Ronnie Bergerståhl (Grave, and many more bands!) and Thomas Nilsson (Julie Laughs No More) had ideas left from their old band Julie Laughs No More that they couldn't/hadn't used. Triton Enigma was their way to bring those ideas to life. Thomas Nilsson produced the whole album and he and Ronnie Bergerståhl played all instruments. I and Ronnie B have had good contact ever since the chaotic year of 2005 and the big self financed show (that I talked about earlier). Ronnie B was the drummer of Centinex (now split up and formed Demonical) who I had invited to play on that show. We have always appreciated each other's work and so he asked me to sing for Triton Enigma. At the time I thought that it was a demo project with only a couple of songs but as it turned out, it was a full-length album which also got a release.
Any plans for the future with Triton Enigma?
Triton Enigma does not do live shows or anything like that and I'm not sure what their plans are for the future. For my own sake, this is nothing that deprives time from Decadence. I just like doing guest appearances every now and then and play with my vocals in new ways! During that time I also sang for the band Netherbird on two tracks (Blood Orchid and Love Under Will (O.R.E Cover)).
I've read in your MySpace page that you own HTI Records; so you're a business woman too; tell me, when you decided to create HTI Records? You only work on Decadence with that label or are you willing to work with other bands?
After having independently released our demo Land f Despair (2004) and our first two albums Decadence (2005) and The Creature (2005) I realized that to be able to reach out more we needed some kind of heavier support without ever selling out. So, just before 3rd Stage Of Decay was released for the first time in 2006 then I started the work with HTI Records. Due to that, 3rd Stage Of Decay could be released and classified as a real album and it (and the band itself) also gained the exposure it needed to reach out to other partner labels and more people. 3rd Stage Of Decay was then released two more times, first by Spiritual Beast/Universal in Asia (2007) and then by Massacre Records (2008). Also, the track Corrosion also ended up on Earache Records new school Thrash compilation album Thrashing Like A Maniac (2007). HTI Records licenses Decadence' music to other labels and is our support in everything. HTI Records, or it's full name Human Technological Institute, is a subsidiary company to a mother company which is also from where I learnt all about business, economics etc. Currently, HTI Records only works with Decadence and this is only because of the time on my hands. As you have probably already calculated, my schedule is quite tight! *Laughs*. But, I would like to see HTI Records grow so we'll see what the future will bring. HTI Records is not the usual type of record label. I'd call it a modern music company.
Your shows in Venezuela are getting closer and personally I'm wondering if you guys will bring some official Decadence merchandise?
Of course we will, all from our personally produced stock!
I hope this interview isn't getting too long for you hehe...
You know, if it's about Decadence we can go on and on...
I'm getting a little bit personal now with some typical questions, but we're about to finish…
Okay, shoot!
For you which is the best Decadence album so far?
As I whole it is Chargepoint (2009) I do however have my favorite tracks on the other albums. I like Chargepoint because it is like a package in the sense that all compositions, production, artwork, lyrics and everything stick inside a tight box somehow. Maybe we lacked a stand-out song this time around which could be a criticism, but by this album we did get the most complete album we've ever had.
Where does your inspiration come from?
Thrash Metal – The Bay Area sound.
How is the life of Kitty Saric when she's not on stage or in studio? Is she a family woman?
A normal day in my life is busy, as you might have already guessed! I'm always working on something, if it's not with the band then it's with my University work (I'm getting a Master degree in a couple of months), or my other non-band related work or something else! I'm not a workaholic by choice though I'm just a person with many responsibilities. Like I usually joke about, a kitty has nine lives! I'm a lone wolf, even though I appreciate the closeness of family and friends, I'm the one standing alone.
You are the soul of Decadence; tell me will we see more of Decadence in the future? What will come after Chargepoint?
That's a very nice way to say it, thank you very much. We are already working on a new album and we know what has to be done after Chargepoint. We are satisfied with the album but nothing is perfect so we are now working on adding those parts on the new album and of course working on the next level of our music! Nothing should be static, although the spirit of our Thrash and Melodic Death Metal hybrid is what will remain. We are also working on new cooperation and meeting new working partners as far as it concerns HTI Records and of course, planning new concert dates!
Last but not least, as we are very close to your shows here in Venezuela could you salute all your fans here in the country?
Most certainly! Guys, you know that Decadence goes where promoters, organizers or even you, as our fans, ask us to come. Now we have been asked to come by Venezuela – the first country in South America who has invited us. We are very proud and honored for that and for the help of Mattey Magazine (the organizer of these shows) for showing their faith in us. This is very special for us and we will come to you and we will give you everything we've got.
Thank you very much for your time Kitty, I hope we can catch up in one of the shows here in Venezuela. THRASH TILL DEATH METALLIC KITTY!
Ricardo Salvador.
I surely hope so! If there's a will, there's a way, remember that!
– Metallic Kitty of Decadence.
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