Exclusive Interview: Necronomicon Ex Mortis talk writing and recording their self titled debut EP!

A record which we described as a gory good time with Old School Death Metal riffs galore and cheesy Horror B movie lyrics, the self titled debut from Necronomicon Ex Mortis puts not only the band but Chicago on the map. Seven days and seven deadly sins after our first interview with them we re-open the celestial tomb for another, this time re-animating the corpse with an injection of adrenaline to discuss the writing and recording process…

How did your previous experiences writing and recording help to smooth the path of the new record? “Every time you go into the studio, you end up learning “something.” Maybe that’s a new recording technique, or you’ll gain a new understanding of yourself as a player; there’s no greater teacher than recording yourself in a stressful environment. As for this last round in the studio, things really couldn’t have been simpler. We had Joey record his drum parts at home, and then Manuel, Michael, and Yusuf went into Ultimate Studios to lay down the tracks. Past that, vocals are done with Craig at his studio space in Illinois. After doing our release(s) a few times this way, we basically have it down to a science. The biggest change to the formula this time were the lyrics, which specifically were written to fit with the riffs in a more catchy, bouncy way”

How does the writing process of a new track start? Melody, riff or rhythm first? How does it evolve from there before you consider it the finished article? “The idea of a song usually starts with a concept. Maybe there’s a specific song form I want to use, or a tempo range, or a type of key change, etc. Starting with a cold, somewhat mechanical concept like that is awkward at first, but at some point in the writing process, the song begins to take on a personality of its own. Once that point is reached, the decision-making process flips from “mechanical” into “what serves the song?” After the personality of the song is more clearly defined, the editing process begins, and that’s where it truly comes alive. When editing a song, you get to bring back just a touch of the more mechanical process, so the decisions of “what worked” and “what didn’t work” can be made more easily. After a few rounds of editing, the song is finished and it’s time for the next one!”

Your debut EP was produced and mixed by Charlie Waymire at Ultimate Studios (Tarja, Teenage Wrist). What was it like working with Waymire and what made you choose him in the first place? “Charlie worked with a previous band Mike was in, and the two of them really hit it off. Charlie has a blend of old school and modern approaches that really fits our music. He’s a great guy to work with for a number of reasons. First of all, Charlie really knows what he’s doing and he’s committed to giving the music as much personality as possible. Secondly, the man is truly hilarious. Not for nothing, that is extremely useful in the studio, where stress can pile on quickly. Little known fact, but he works best when you bring him Maple Bars from Yum Yum Donuts”

If you had the opportunity to work with a guest in the studio next time around, who would you like to work with and why? “There are so many incredible choices. First and foremost, it would be amazing to have Christian Muezner (Obscura, Eternity’s End, Alkaloid) in the studio with us. His music is extremely inspiring to both Mike and Manuel, and we would love to have him play some solos on one (or more!) of our tunes. Matt Mills is the other obvious choice, as he is actually the guitar teacher of both Mike and Manuel, and the man has the most insane approach to arpeggios ever thought possible. Both of them would elevate any track that they had a hand in”

For us gear nerds out there, can you tell us what you're using gear wise (pedals, strings, drums etc) to get your sound? “As far as gear goes, everything is pretty standard. Mike has used his Overload Rea 6 string loaded with Gorilla pickups for both releases. That guitar was actually the only electric guitar used on the recordings for the 2 nd release. That guitar would then usually go into a Maxon OD808 into a Marshall JCM2000 for the main rhythm tones. For leads and solos, the amp we used was a Hughs and Ketner Tri-Amp with a JHS Space Commander going in the front and a Carbon Copy in the loop. Manuel also experimented with a few pedals including a handmade fuzz and an Earthquaker Devices Plumes. Manuel’s main guitar on the first recording was an Aristides M7 loaded with Lundgren pickups, but he chose to also use the Overload for recording #2. Mike uses Ernie Ball strings, where Manuel prefers The String Source. Both of them use Dunlop Flow picks; 1.5mm and 2mm respectively”

What difference would it make to you as a band if you could land an endorsement from a gear manufacturer? “Well, we definitely own too many guitars, so getting that sweet sweet hook up from Ernie Ball would be incredible. As far as guitar companies, Mike seems to get jazzed about the PRS stuff these days, whereas Manuel favors Ormsby or Aristides. Amp wise, Mike and Manuel both love Engl quite a lot. Mike is also VERY into Mesa Boogie and Marshall, with a brief flirtation with The Kraken by Victory. An endorsement from a company would feel incredible, because it could open the door to music clinic shows as well as the gear itself”

Self Titled” by Necronomicon Ex Mortis is out now and available over at bandcamp.

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