Mark Osegueda - Death Angel
Death Angel are back in the mix with Relentless Retribution, the crushing new album on Nuclear Blast. As a life long fan of this wonderful heavy metal music, I cannot tell you how happy it makes me to see the bands I have loved for decades still out there making the most kick ass music around. The newest offering from the Californians is one of the most significant thrash records in history. I’d put it right up there with Slayer’s Reign in Blood and Metallica’s Master of Puppets, any day. Yes, it’s that damn good. Mark Osegueda sat down to shoot the breeze with Metal Exiles and this is how it all went down.
Interview with Mark Osegueda of Death Angel
By Rob ”Bubbs” Harris
Metal Exiles: I’ve had the pleasure of hearing the new record, and my immediate reaction was “Holy Fuck”! It seems to me that the bands that are coming back from long hiatuses are putting out the best records. First it was the new Artillery last year, now this. Is that because you guys know the true secrets of the thrash?
Osegueda: I think it’s that initial excitement of putting out a new record, man. I think it’s the same feeling as it was back in the day when the whole thrash genre was starting out. There was always a friendly competition between the bands and the band members that pushed us to get faster, harder and better. One thing I know for us is that we are just lucky to have this second chance to make a go at this, so we wanted to make sure that we put everything we had into making the best Death Angel music possible.
Metal Exiles: When you guys went into the studio to record Relentless Retribution, was there anything that you intentionally wanted to approach or do differently that in past efforts?
Osegueda: We definitely wanted to go in there and do the most thrash based record we have done since reforming, or even since The Ultra-Violence. The goal was to have more tempo changes, make things a little faster and heavier, and a lot more aggressive. I think we succeeded in all of those areas.
Metal Exiles: There is no question that it is an aggressive record. You recorded down here in Florida (Bubbs is from Pensacola, FL). There’s just good metal in the air here. It’s like you take a deep breath and your lungs are filled with denim and leather.
Osegueda: Definitely. I love it down there. We have a lot of good friends down there, and made a lot more while we were down there recording the new album. We had a great time in Florida, and it worked out perfectly. Maybe it was the air, hahaha.
Metal Exiles: Does the title of the new album, Relentless Retribution, pretty much sum up the mindset of Death Angel at this point in your career?
Osegueda: Absolutely! That’s exactly it. Rob and I have been through a lot over the years, trying to keep this band going, and unfortunately we had a lot of people let us down. So this album is kind of our retribution against them and every other adversity we have faced in making this band work. Luckily, we were able to do that sonically. Now that the album is set for release, we plan on relentlessly attacking the world with our live show. We’re gonna be in your face. We’re Back!
Metal Exiles: What’s the touring regimen looking like so far?
Osegueda: We have a ton of European and South American dates lined up, as well as a bunch of cool festivals. After that, we will be doing a full US assault, but I can’t tell you too much about that yet. It’s going to be big though. We’ll also be doing a great deal of writing on the road as well. Now that we have this opportunity again, we aren’t squandering any of it at all. We are so thankful to be able to do this.
Metal Exiles: Do you feel as if the metal fans in Europe, South America and other parts of the world still take to newer stuff by bands that have been around a while better than here in the United States?
Osegueda: Well, so far the European crowds have been taking to the newer stuff very well, and seem to show a lot of support to the bands that have been around a while, as you say. A lot of countries and parts of the world take their metal very seriously and are super passionate about it. There is definitely a larger market for Death Angel over in Europe, that’s for damn sure. There are also a lot of big metal festivals in Europe and South America that don’t happen in the US. I hope things catch on the way they have overseas in America, but who knows?
Metal Exiles: I really like the acoustic instrumental at the end of “Claws In So Deep”. Where did that come from and who’s idea was it to toss that in?
Osegueda: That was actually written for the album and performed by Rodrigo y Gabriela, a great Mexican acoustic guitar duo. Rob was getting into their stuff when Alex Skolnick told us that they were huge metal fans and loved Death Angel. We were soon introduced and became friends with those guys. When they found out we were doing a new record, they asked if they could do a song for it, so that’s what we did.
Metal Exiles: With this new lineup and record, do you feel as if it is sort of a rebirth of Death Angel?
Osegueda: For sure. Rob and I are really excited to be doing what we love again. For the other guys, it’s great because they get to experience some things they may not have before, with touring and all of that. We definitely have a new spring in our step, so to speak.
Metal Exiles: There are a few mellower tunes on the new record. Is that to show your maturity as songwriters, as well as to bare your roots a bit?
Osegueda: Yeah. We are definitely rooted in a lot of melodic stuff, so we try to throw that in whenever we can. Melody is always going to be present in our music. We don’t want to be a one dimensional thrash band.
Metal Exiles: Are there any old staples that you have tired of a bit, but the fans still clamor for?
Osegueda: You know, man, I don’t think so. There certainly are a few tunes that we have done more than I could imagine, but we are just so thankful to be able to get out there and play, that we don’t really think about stuff like that. Plus, with this new lineup, it’s almost like playing the songs again for the first time. Every time we go out, we give the fans what they want, as well as what they deserve, and that is a thorough ass kicking.
http://deathangel.us
Buy Relentless Retribution
Interview with Mark Osegueda of Death Angel
By Rob ”Bubbs” Harris
Metal Exiles: I’ve had the pleasure of hearing the new record, and my immediate reaction was “Holy Fuck”! It seems to me that the bands that are coming back from long hiatuses are putting out the best records. First it was the new Artillery last year, now this. Is that because you guys know the true secrets of the thrash?
Osegueda: I think it’s that initial excitement of putting out a new record, man. I think it’s the same feeling as it was back in the day when the whole thrash genre was starting out. There was always a friendly competition between the bands and the band members that pushed us to get faster, harder and better. One thing I know for us is that we are just lucky to have this second chance to make a go at this, so we wanted to make sure that we put everything we had into making the best Death Angel music possible.
Metal Exiles: When you guys went into the studio to record Relentless Retribution, was there anything that you intentionally wanted to approach or do differently that in past efforts?
Osegueda: We definitely wanted to go in there and do the most thrash based record we have done since reforming, or even since The Ultra-Violence. The goal was to have more tempo changes, make things a little faster and heavier, and a lot more aggressive. I think we succeeded in all of those areas.
Metal Exiles: There is no question that it is an aggressive record. You recorded down here in Florida (Bubbs is from Pensacola, FL). There’s just good metal in the air here. It’s like you take a deep breath and your lungs are filled with denim and leather.
Osegueda: Definitely. I love it down there. We have a lot of good friends down there, and made a lot more while we were down there recording the new album. We had a great time in Florida, and it worked out perfectly. Maybe it was the air, hahaha.
Metal Exiles: Does the title of the new album, Relentless Retribution, pretty much sum up the mindset of Death Angel at this point in your career?
Osegueda: Absolutely! That’s exactly it. Rob and I have been through a lot over the years, trying to keep this band going, and unfortunately we had a lot of people let us down. So this album is kind of our retribution against them and every other adversity we have faced in making this band work. Luckily, we were able to do that sonically. Now that the album is set for release, we plan on relentlessly attacking the world with our live show. We’re gonna be in your face. We’re Back!
Metal Exiles: What’s the touring regimen looking like so far?
Osegueda: We have a ton of European and South American dates lined up, as well as a bunch of cool festivals. After that, we will be doing a full US assault, but I can’t tell you too much about that yet. It’s going to be big though. We’ll also be doing a great deal of writing on the road as well. Now that we have this opportunity again, we aren’t squandering any of it at all. We are so thankful to be able to do this.
Metal Exiles: Do you feel as if the metal fans in Europe, South America and other parts of the world still take to newer stuff by bands that have been around a while better than here in the United States?
Osegueda: Well, so far the European crowds have been taking to the newer stuff very well, and seem to show a lot of support to the bands that have been around a while, as you say. A lot of countries and parts of the world take their metal very seriously and are super passionate about it. There is definitely a larger market for Death Angel over in Europe, that’s for damn sure. There are also a lot of big metal festivals in Europe and South America that don’t happen in the US. I hope things catch on the way they have overseas in America, but who knows?
Metal Exiles: I really like the acoustic instrumental at the end of “Claws In So Deep”. Where did that come from and who’s idea was it to toss that in?
Osegueda: That was actually written for the album and performed by Rodrigo y Gabriela, a great Mexican acoustic guitar duo. Rob was getting into their stuff when Alex Skolnick told us that they were huge metal fans and loved Death Angel. We were soon introduced and became friends with those guys. When they found out we were doing a new record, they asked if they could do a song for it, so that’s what we did.
Metal Exiles: With this new lineup and record, do you feel as if it is sort of a rebirth of Death Angel?
Osegueda: For sure. Rob and I are really excited to be doing what we love again. For the other guys, it’s great because they get to experience some things they may not have before, with touring and all of that. We definitely have a new spring in our step, so to speak.
Metal Exiles: There are a few mellower tunes on the new record. Is that to show your maturity as songwriters, as well as to bare your roots a bit?
Osegueda: Yeah. We are definitely rooted in a lot of melodic stuff, so we try to throw that in whenever we can. Melody is always going to be present in our music. We don’t want to be a one dimensional thrash band.
Metal Exiles: Are there any old staples that you have tired of a bit, but the fans still clamor for?
Osegueda: You know, man, I don’t think so. There certainly are a few tunes that we have done more than I could imagine, but we are just so thankful to be able to get out there and play, that we don’t really think about stuff like that. Plus, with this new lineup, it’s almost like playing the songs again for the first time. Every time we go out, we give the fans what they want, as well as what they deserve, and that is a thorough ass kicking.
http://deathangel.us
Buy Relentless Retribution
