Q: Well... Let's just start the whole thing with a pretty basic question for my interviews: I know that you, David, will be answering my questions. But what other members are there in Embalming Theatre that we shouldn't forget?
A: We're five individuals in EMBALMING THEATRE. As you maybe know we change our names on every release, we choose names that fit to our bandpictures, which changes also every time. Don’t take that to serious, hehe! Our "real" names are Marco (vocals), Steve (bass & backing-vocals), René (guitar), Heinz (drums) and me (also guitar). Marco is also painting all our artworks and logos, he's great!!!

Q: Yeah, your logos are great... He's the one that made the new Sewn Shut logo too if I'm not mistaken?You released your first record in 2000, and it all went in a pretty normal rate with releasing records. But now all of a sudden you've released 3 split 7"s since the beginning of the year, and your full length is almost finished. And to top it all off you've got like a million of records on the way :) Why the sudden interest in Embalming Theatre?
A: In the year 2000 we we're looking for a label, which would be interested in releasing a 7" with us. We weren’t well known at that time. It was our first recording and first of all we just did for fun. We thought that the songs aren't bad and so we released a split 7" with AGATHOCLES on our own label. We we're very happy that AGX did it with us. We sold the 1000 copies of that 7" in a very short time and certainly the name AGATHOCLES helped us make us known in the underground. Again we asked some labels. The only label that showed interest was AGITATE 96 RECORDS. They want to release a split 7" with THE JAZZ INTRUSION (Jamaica), unfortunately that 7" is still not available!!! In the meantime we released again on our label the split with UNHOLY GRAVE, they're also very big in the underground. After this release suddenly all came very fast for us. We recorded some new songs, NUCLEAR BBQ PARTY REC., MORBID REALITY REC., PUTRID FILTH CONSPIRACY, BLUTWURSCHT PROD., showed interest in our work.And it seems that it will not stop in the next few months. RAZORBACK REC. got some songs from us and they liked it, so we signed a deal with them for a full length CD. This deal was also very helpful, lots of other labels recognized us and so we have lots of other stuff planned. It’s strange that it came so fast. We didn't change our songs or sound, we only did what we liked. Nearly all of us we're before also together in one band, nobody recognized us, we worked hard... but nothing happened. Just for fun we recorded some grindsongs and called us EMBALMING THEATRE, then all came along.

Q: hehe. You must be really, really busy writing new songs all the time :) And don't forget that you will participate on a compilation CD on the greatest label of them all: Evigt Lidande Prod. ;)Are there any repress to come on the two old split 7"s with Agathocles and Unholy Grave? It seems like no label wanted to release anything with you 'cause you were unknown, but when you had released a couple of 7"s yourself then all of a sudden labels got interested. It's a shame that underground labels are afraid of releasing unknown bands. But maybe I'm wrong :) Well, anyway... What was the other band you played in and why did you decide to do some grindsongs?
A: The split-7"'s with AGATHOCLES & UNHOLY GRAVE won't be re-pressed. The first one was limited to 1000 copies. The UNHOLY GRAVE 7" was limited to 500 copies. I hate those labels who release stuff in a limited way, and some months later it came out once again. So whether you have a copy or forget it, hehe!!! Oh, I played in a couple of bands before. As I was about 17 years old we started with a death-metal band called AETERNUM. We released two 7"'s and one LP/CD on our own label, but we didn’t get any deal later. We had a lot's of line-up-changes, but some of the latest members are still in EMBALMING THEATRE now. By the time we already played in AETERNUM I had another band called MAGGOTS. We played there some grindstuff. That was in 1994 I think. We released one demo and one livetape. Unfortunately we split up after our one and only gig. The drummer didn't want to play longer, so it broke up. Our vocalist from then came later to AETERNUM as vocalist and is now our bassplayer in EMBALMING THEATRE. It’s quite confusing I think. So as we already liked a lot grindstuff, the idea came not too far away, to start a project called EMBALMING THEATRE. And as we liked a lot what we did, we continued.

Q: Hehe... Well, it's just a little bit confusing ;) Since you have so many releases coming in the near future, have you had to say no to some labels that got in touch and wanted to release something with you? Or have you just accepted every offer? :)
A: Oh, we accepted every offer so far, it will show if we have enough songs ready for all the promised releases. There’s only one label we will not send some stuff. We accepted the offer but we will not send them a song. The label is called evigt lid..-something like that. Very strange guy there, hehehe!!!!

Q: Hahaha. Evigt Lidande kicks ass ;) I just realised something. You have an old split 7" with Final Exit too that I forgot about earlier. But I guess that won't be repressed either, and it wasn't you guys that released it.Hmm... What about your lyrics, where do you find the inspiration for those? And while we're at it... Any bands that inspire you musically?
A: Can't tell you too much about the lyrics. Our vocalist wrote them all. But as far as I know, all lyrics are inspired by real things which happened. So they are taken from newspapers, TV...! Strange and sick things. In our upcoming CD/LP it is written where the things happened! Oh, there are too much bands we like, can't write you all of them. Every member has its own faves, I only can talk about my faves: AGATHOCLES, NASUM, NAPALM DEATH, REGURGITATE, ROTTEN SOUND, but also a lot's of other death and grind bands!!!

Q: You haven't played that many gigs... But when the new CD/LP comes out, will you try to tour a little to promote the release?
A: No, we haven’t played that many gigs so far. We try to get some more gigs in the next few months. Don’t know if we can do a small tour, time will tell. Maybe we will do a releaseparty here in Switzerland.

Q: I think you should tour all over Europe together with Sewn Shut :) Well... A lot of labels are interested in releasing stuff with you, so I suppose that the response from the buyers have been great too. What kind of deal is it that you have with Razorback Rec? I mean like how many CDs will be pressed and so on...? Is it a lucrative offer? ;)
A: oh, yeah cool idea to tour with Sewn Shut! Would you organize it, heheh?? We get lots of good responses from buyers, the others won't take the time to write us!? I always answer mails I get from peoples interested EMBALMING THEATRE. We have a deal for this upcoming CD, not more. Maybe if it came all good, we can do some more stuff later. I like the work a lot, which Billy does for us, he's great!!! I think he will press 1000-1500 copies for the first time. Then we will see how many copies will be sold. Oh, yeah it's lucrative for us, we don't have to pay any CD-productions. We paid the studio on our own and therefore we get some free copies of the CD. We won't be rich with that, but that's not our goal! Every deal we had so far was lucrative. I prefer that other labels are doing the hard work (grafix, prints, cd/7"-pressing, advertising,....) it's easier for us concentrating on the music instead of doing all the rest too!!

Q: Haha, I can't organize jack shit :) I totally suck at those things...And I know what you mean since I also run a small label. It costs a lot of money for the advertising and stuff. I hope the CD will sell so that more people will notice your existence... Putrid Filth Conspiracy will release the LP version of the CD, now what's the deal with them? They also released the Embalming Theatre/Sewn Shut 7", do you know how that have been selling?
A: Don't really know how that 7" with Sewn Shut is selling. It's not a long time out!!! I met Rodrigo one day in Switzerland (at our famous MOUNTAINS OF DEATH open air). At that time we discussed about the split 7" with Sewn Shut. Later as he heard, that we will release a full length CD on Razorback Records he asked us, if he could do that LP! And as I'm an absolute vinylfanatic, I was happy about his offer. I think we'll get some free copies too from him. He’s great too!!!

Q: Oh, yeah... He's really a great guy. He lives in my hometown so I've met him like a couple of times, hehe :) By the way. I have a question that I try to ask all the people that I interview. If you were to commit suicide, how would you do it?
A: Oh, I feel fine, don't want to be dead really! If it should be, then I think I would drink a beer, one more beer, a bottle of wine, one more beer, a bottle of single malt, one more beer, again some wine, beer and single malt, and if it's still not enough, I start again!!!!

Q: You'd drink yourself to death, huh...Damn. You know what, I actually can't come up with any new questions. Hmm, well... Ok, I got one :) If you could choose any band, active or not, to do a split with, what band would that be?
A: I really would like to do a split with: nasum, napalm death, terrorizer, regurgitate, hewhocorrupts,.... there are too much, hehe!!!

Q: hehehe... That's some pretty cool bands :) Well, well... I think it's time for us to put an end to this interview. I can't come up with any new questions. But thanks a lot for your time. It's been a great time interviewing you :) I hope the future will be a golden one for Embalming Theatre, and make sure to keep me updated! Anything you'd like to end with?
A: hey, thanx a lot for the interview, it was really great!!! To all readers: get one of our 7"'s or our new shirt! lot's of info on www.embalmingtheatre.ch
grind on!!!!

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