GEHENNA
Mike Apocalypse, vocals - 600 pxl.jpg)
How excited is Gehenna to be playing the A389 showcase next month?
To be completely honest, there is a lot of anxiety that builds up around stuff like this. The live incarnation of Gehenna is volatile and unpredictable. There is always a lot of tension before we play. If there are no drugs it's worse. Last time we were in Baltimore there was a bit of a hiccup in the formula and things got a bit out of hand. Fortunately, there were a few folks who got things dialed in properly. Overall, though, I'm stoked to go play in Baltimore with some great bands and see a bunch of good friends who I haven't spent time with in many moons. That being said, I'm gonna need something to calm down before we play. Hopefully we'll get that sorted out.
You guys have released quite a bit of material through the label. How is it working alongside A389 for these releases?
Dom is a great guy and a person I trust. We've done a few releases together now and I know we'll work together in the future. His label is a product of his love and respect for music and the passion that drives people to step into uncharted waters and go out on a limb with their music. A good example is our side of the Gehenna/Blind to Faith split, the Penetration Panthers 7" or the Anne LP. Dom is great because we have full artistic and creative freedom to do anything we want. If Dom puts his name on it then you know he believes in it and that is something I respect.
What bands are you most excited to see at the showcase?
Eyehategod, Integrity, Pulling Teeth, Pick Your Side, Van Halen, Seven Sisters of Sleep. Wait, what? Van Halen isn't playing...Fuck. Well, I still really want to see Pick Your Side a lot.
What can we expect from your set?
I have no idea. We never know what a Gehenna set is going to be like. Sometimes it’s an argument between band members or a fight with the crowd. Other times its 35 minutes of torture and noise played faster and more cruel than ever. But the one thing about Gehenna is that we only play by our rules. For the last 17 years we've never answered to anyone but ourselves. That's how we've done it and that's how we will continue to do it: our way.
Are there any new recordings or additional touring coming from Gehenna?
We have a bunch of mixtapes coming out, a split 7" with Integrity, and we're working on a new album and a few other things that I'm going to keep under wraps for now. As far as touring, we're trying to figure out Europe, and maybe some East Coast dates for summer of 2012.
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Photography: Dan Rawe
