With the countdown well and truly on to Damnation 2023, Paul Castles throws a few questions in the direction of one of the bands set to kick things off at the BEC Arena in Manchester on 4 November, rising Scottish death metal deviants Coffin Mulch.
ZT: So guys, your debut album Spectral Intercession (Memento Mori) has been out a few months now, were you pleased with how it’s been received?
CM: Blown away! We sold over 1,000 copies in a fortnight of the vinyl alone. For a record with no label backing and no pre-order it was a major achievement, loads of “bigger” bands don’t do anything like that kinda business!
ZT: Did things come together fairly smoothly when you were working on the new material?
CM: Most of the stuff on this record was written round about various disruptive lockdowns so whilst the songwriting process was pretty straightforward, the circumstances made things take loads longer than they otherwise could have!
ZT: How did things fall into place in the studio?
CM: Things are always pretty great in the studio, our pal Tommy Duffin at 16 Ohm recorded us again and he knows what we’re all about. The only impediment for me was breaking my ribs the weekend before finishing the vocals….those are genuine screams of pain you’re hearing!
ZT: Who were some of the bands you first saw who really turned you into DM fans?
CM: For me, death metal came as an extension of listening to stuff like Sepultura, so bands on Roadrunner and Earache were what got me into it: Obituary, Morbid Angel, Entombed, Repulsion, Carcass, Napalm Death.
ZT: How have things been going on the road this year?
CM: This has been our best year for live gigs by a mile. We had a great tour in the summer, fantastic crowds every night who were mostly wild. It was a totally DIY tour so we played with a real diverse bunch of bands and met some great people. It was exactly how touring can and should be.
ZT: You had a big home show in Glasgow with Carcass and Conjurer – how was that?
CM: It was great! We were on ridiculously early but lots of people turned out to see us at Glasgow and Dundee. Carcass were really complimentary and would’ve had us on all dates if it had worked.
ZT: So you’re ending with a big one at Damnation in Manchester – how are you feeling about that?
CM: Can’t wait! We were quite taken aback to be asked but apparently there was a big reaction from people on social media when Damnation asked “who should open the fest?” which is really nice. Hopefully some people come early to catch us!
ZT: Have you ever been to Damnation as a fan?
CM: A couple of times yeah! The last time I personally went was years ago though, when Repulsion and Vader played. Seeing Repulsion live was a major big deal for me and lived up to expectations entirely, it was fuckin ace! Fraser went last year as a punter and had a great time.
ZT: If someone is thinking of checking you out in Manchester, what can they expect from you?
CM: Punked-up death metal, high-intensity, no messing. High-quality, ethically-produced and affordable merch too!
ZT: … and plans for 2024?
CM: Do some new tunes, record a new EP, play some more gigs, do a wee tour again in the summer! We’ve had our “new” guitarist Derek for nearly a year now but haven’t recorded with him, that’s high on the priority list.
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