Metal Storm Magazine recently teamed up with Los Angeles based death metallers, Mike Abominator and Thorgrimm of the band Gravehill, to discuss the band, the current state of metal and more.

MSM: So let’s start at the beginning. Can you introduce us to Gravehill, and how did Gravehill come to be?

Thorgrimm: Gravehill is Mike Abominator (Vocals/bass), Bodybag Bob (lead guitars), Vorgaloth (lead guitars), and Ti, Thorgrimm (drums). The beginning is not at all interesting, I started the band with 2 other members we recorded a demo “Practitioner’s of Fell Sorcery” in 2001’, we then soon after disbanded. Abominator and I have been friends going on 19 years and we decided to join forces Jan. 07’ and thus resurrecting Gravehill as the medium for our musical atrocities.

MSM: So Far, you have released an EP entitled “Metal of Death”. How has the reactions been to it so far?

Thorgrimm: We pressed 1000 in Oct. 07’, and to this date have about 200 left you do the math?

Mike Abominator: Surprisingly fucking great.we don’t sound like new sprinkler death metal or retro faggot poser thrash done by 12 year olds, so holy titty

fucking christ, people actually get it, hahaha. We are influenced by CLASSIC metal bands in all the “genres” of metal, so I think there is something for any TRUE metal

head in our Metal of Death!

MSM: Gravehill has done a few pretty big shows. What show so far has stuck out for you as the best so far?

Mike Abominator:  It’s all a blur now. The fucking show, discussed next, is our best overall. Playing with Immolation was sick as well. and Portland, Oregon was sick. I know for a fucking fact we are memorable though. Love us or hate us, you will never forget us. We have played on big stages with great sound and smaller places with crap sound, even outdoors in a heavy metal parking lot, and we treat it the same fucking way!

Thorgrimm: Every show we played so far has been favorable to me, probably because we give a shit about being showman, as well as having some proficiency with our instruments. Too many bands these days have no pride in how they showcase their music live or in recording and don’t understand what it takes to get noticed, how to give an impression that is memorable, whether or not it is favorable is not the point!

MSM: You recently played the Los Angeles Murderfest. How was that for you?

Mike Abominator: Kam Fucking Lee on stage with us, growling on one of our songs. .Fuck man!! Who would have thought! But the overall response was great and our sound was brutal. It was an honor to share the same stage as Massacre, Repulsion, and Entombed had a return to form that night.and didn’t play much of that faggot butt rock they had been playing the last few years.

Thorgrimm: We played on the same bill with the godz Massacre and Repulsion, who gives a shit otherwise.

MSM: Are there any plans on touring in the near future?

Thorgrimm: We have many plans but have not brought them to fruition at this time. Expect some dates up and down the West Coast before the end of the year

(08’) and a European tour around April 09’. Keep an eye out on our myspace page www.myspace.com/gravehill666  and read Blabbermouth.net

Mike Abominator: Once the album gets out there, we will be assaulting Japan as well. and maybe some Texas and East Coast dates, possibly the mid west Illinois/Wisconsin area, and possibly Mexico. We will be road fucking warriors once the album is out, we just want to put everything we have into the album first, then hit the road.

MSM: You are currently getting ready to record your debut album. Tell us a little on that!

Thorgrimm: We just finished re-recording the “METAL OF DEATH” EP and a new 2 song EP called “The Advocation of Murder and Suicide” for Enucleation Records. It will be a combined on one CD and later one 12” Vinyl LP, release date for the CD is June 24th worldwide. We will then begin recording our debut full length entitled “Rites of the Pentagram” this summer for Enucleation Records also for a Fall 08’ release. It will contain 8 tracks of olden death metal played by the same 4 assholes you’ve come to love or hate. We welcome all equally.

Mike Abominator: “Rites of the Pentagram” will be what you come to expect from us.but it will be even more face ripping, even more sick old style shit. We have Mark Riddick doing the album artwork and Billy Anderson will mix and master it, so it is going to the next level. Greg from Enucleation Records has our same vision and is a very cool and supportive label guy. We also have a split 7 inch coming out on Relapse later in 08’ that will have our song “Of Wolves and Wickedness” that is a festering tribute to fucking Hellhammer/Autopsy/Mantis style slow death that ends with the face ripping fast shit we love to unleash. The other band is not set yet, but we have dropped Cardiac Arrest in there to them, so hopefully that works out as they rule and are our brothers from other infernal mothers.

MSM: Where do you all find inspiration to write music? What topics inspire Gravehill’s lyrics?

Mike Abominator: Musically, the early works of Venom, autopsy, Bathory, Death/Massacre, Sodom, Master and shit like that. Lyrically, I write about how much religion needs to be erased from history, how much bullshit and lies that Christians spew forth, how much I want to kill people, how much I want to kill myself, how much I fucking love evil, how much I love to torture “human beings”, nuclear warfare that wipes out everybody and everything, being slowly killed and drowning in your own blood, vengeance and the concept of revenge, demonic possessions, masturbating with a cheese grater, falling into the abyss of hell, lots of deep feelings and emotions from my heart, I cry like a baby when writing. All the girls that broke my heart I spill it out on the page, hahahaha. Fuck that! Death and blood! The devil! Kill all in existence! Fuck the universe! There are some topics for you.

MSM: What’s the writing process like with Gravehill? Is there a certain person that writes or is it a collective thing where every member participates?

Mike Abominator: We all have had a hand in the writing process. Bodybag or Vorgaloth will come up with most of the riffs, but I have written a few myself and Thorgrimm will hum some shit. We all help out with the arrangements as well. I would say it’s a collective effort, which is a fucking great thing. I’m too old to sit there and write all the time and if I was doing it myself, some of it would suck balls, some of it would be ok. I’m a legend in my own mind, which doesn’t mean I can write songs like Billy Joel and shit them out of my asshole all day and night. This is also the first time in a band situation that I haven’t told the drummer to shut the fuck up and play drums and let us write. Thorgrimm knows what he is doing and contributes quite a bit, and for the most part has great ideas. So we all participate.

MSM: How do you feel about the current state of metal? Have any new bands caught your attention?

Thorgrimm: I don’t feel anything but disgust and apathy for the metal scene, it’s nowhere near a community of mutual concern and respect. It is a dog-eat-dog

mentality so I don’t buy into the diatribe of “Supporting your local metal Community” horseshit. I, not unlike everyone else am biased and have an opinion, whether

or not you (or anyone) agree doesn’t concern me one bit. Not that I don’t support the bands and friends I do care about, but I don’t lose any sleep if someone likes or

dislikes what I support. I enjoy watching shows like Headbanger’s Ball (Buttbanger’s Balls) for the simple satisfaction (and for my own sado-masochism maybe) that everything I’m doing in music needs to be done. If the best the metal scene has to offer is the current Hot-Topic/MTV band and this humorous resurgence of “Thrash Metal” and all those scenster cunt’s who call themselves doom-metal? Do you wanna know what the metal scene really is? It’s about the kind of shoes you wear, not about the music or the spirit associated. So really consider you’re “metal” carefully before slipping on those Van’s low-tops, Reebok high tops, combat boots or whatever the fuck footwear chooses your genre for you. As far as newer acts that caught my attention Cardiac Arrest, Denial Fiend, Call the Paramedics, Coffins, Werewolf Corps, if all else fails Exciter, Autopsy, Blasphemy and Trouble.

Mike Abominator: Ii’m not too happy with any “current state”.I guess I’m too caught up in the “past state” haha, but it is getting better. A few years ago I was pretty fucking worried. As of now, the whole hardcore/metalcore stuff I still don’t get. Hyper, math grind whatever type stuff I can’t figure out. I’m tired of the “thrash” revival. Especially since we are here in Los Angeles, the epicenter of this new “thrash” stuff. New bands that I like are: Bloody Phoenix, Unholy Lust, Fatalist, Vesuvius, High Tension, Avenger of Blood, Witchaven, Retaliate and Semtex Vest.

MSM: What’s your opinion about the State of true death metal these days, compared to the times of what death metal used to be in the early 90’s?

Mike Abominator: It will never have the same feeling as it did back then, but we try to do it old school as possible. I’ll tell ya, it was so crazy back then, the gigs, getting demos and letters in the mail from pen pals, going to Wild Rags and the Rock Shop, shit like that. The book “Choosing death” will give you an idea of what it was like back then. Late 80s-early 90s was the heyday, the prime, or peak. What has to be understood here is not only a musical style, but EVERYTHING has to remain underground… the attitude, the performance, the live show. We are talking about the forefathers here, so whoever is doing this style, do it right, or don’t do it at all! You have to remember who came before you and then the tribute is there. As far as the state of “true death metal” not many bands that are new do it right to be honest. In the “mainstream” you have Unleashed, Obituary, Incanation and Immolation, doing it old school. In the underground, Sadistic Intent are fucking classic and do it fucking 1000% right! Demolition (from L.A.) are back and do it brutally right! Fatalist does it right. Cianide fucking rules, and they do it right. Goreaphobia and Necrovore are back! Both rule and are classic! Cardiac Arrest rule! Denial Fiend fucking kill, but look who you have there, one of the godfathers of “death metal” haha. Divine Eve are back and are one of my all time faves, true death metal/doom gods! Coffins as well do the death metal/doom style perfect! There are good bands that play death metal, but as far as 100% true old school feel and sound, not many I have heard recently.

Thorgrimm: I don’t think much about it to be honest, i was playing death metal when it was in it’s infancy and now I’m an old fart who says “back in the day” way to much now. There really isn’t much of a comparison, it’s either got integrity or it doesn’t. Metal music is black and white, it’s not as diverse as so many want it to be. Whether or not you want to call it “Thrash”, “Death”, “Black”. “Doom”, or “Crimson-Candy” Metal it has to have integrity, honesty and skill. Take this thought or don’t (see If I care?), why is IRON MAIDEN memorable? If you can figure out why this band has been around as long as they have, with as many members as they had, with the musical proficiency that they have why are they as celebrated world-wide still to this very day? If you can figure that out, then you might have a leg up in this industry. if not, continue playing worthless music for your idiot friends and become a legend in mediocrity.

MSM: With old school death metal rearing its head back in, you guys and a few others seem to be ahead of the game. Do you think the old School death metal sound and style will become as big as this new thrash resurgence that is being felt worldwide right now?

Thorgrimm: I hope not. I hate trends. I’d prefer our band was remembered and not just another fucking trend that comes and goes.

Mike Abominator: I see it possibly happening. It happened that way once, it can happen again. I want Gravehill to leave a mark and be remembered for the dark heart that we have and that we fucking leave everything that we have into this band. Only true fucking metal heads would understand, but it would make me sick to see what we are doing become a trend. Stuff like that inspires my lyric writing and my outlook on life. Ttrends come and go. Fuck trends!! If that was what we were about, we would be playing Testament covers, or have a keyboard player, or sound like herber skerber “death metal” with pig squeels, or maybe even hardcore breakdowns, some singing parts. At the Gates “Slaughter of the Soul” riffs.

MSM: What lies ahead for Gravehill in the near future?

Thorgrimm: Spilling blood, killing posers dead, hating trends, defying bullshit scenes, destroying stages, and pissing on your graves.

Mike Abominator: Ravaging as we only know how to do. If you doubt it, come to our show and come up front, question the Metal of Death. You will soon find

out what the definition of true metal is!

MSM: Any last words or comments?

Mike Abominator: Thanks for the rant time. Metal Storm.hails to the fucking Illuminati. Fuck your face with an axe and buy all our shit you fucking posers!

Thorgrimm: Buy “Death Brigade” by Avenger of Blood or you’re a poser cunt!