Mikkelson of Terminal Descent
Interview for No Bullshit Web/fanzineInterview with Tony
Conducted by Patrick Schroeder
Hails, my metal brother! How's life been treating you? Please tell the readers about yourself.
Hails Patrick, my Metal brother of years and years...how long has it been? Six years so far?!!! Man, time flies, doesn't it?! Well, life is what you make it, I guess...I have a hard time accepting this sometimes but it's probably the truth...how's life treating me? Maybe the real question is "how am I treating life?"!!! Am I living or am I existing? A little of both at the moment, I guess! Telling about myself is even more complex than answering the "life question", where do I start...it's too broad a question...so let's just say "I am I" for the time being!
At what age did you discover metal? Did it take long before you discovered the underground?
It was probably around 1986 when the seeds of Metal were sewn into my psyche...it was the hair bands at first...I remember hearing "Girls, Girls, Girls" blasting in someone's garage (though I didn't know it was Motley Crue 'til years later and remembered that incidence) while riding my bicycle...it had an exciting element to it, though I was still too young and naive for it to actually make an impression at the moment...a similiar experience happened when I moved to a different town in '87 and this guy would blaze through the parking lot blasting "Welcome to the Jungle" from his Monte Carlo...though, again I didn't know it was Guns 'n' Roses...I just heard a raucous and a wild sounding vocal pattern and loud guitars...couldn't make out any of the words but it was enticing etc. Adrenalizing etc. Anyway, it was stuff like that and Europe and Whitelion and shit that got me going initially (you have to realize I'm the oldest of the siblings and didn't have a bunch of friends or older family members introducing shit to me like some people had). I wasn't aware of "true Heavy Metal" 'til a little later when I discovered The Headbanger's Ball...it all developed pretty steadily from '87 on...about 3 years of cockrock, then I was transported to the dark side!!! Fuckin' Thrash like Testament, Megadeth (I actually got a physical high from listening to "Rust in Peace" the first two times!), Slayer, Sepultura, Overkill, Annihilator, Metal Church etc. that I would tape off of Mtv and would play over and over with the volume turned down low 'cause I didn't want my mom to hear me listening and watching this "devil music"...hahaha...(it was a bit of a conservative atmosphere growing up...so I was a bit "passive" about my rebellion at first). Anyway, as I grew older the "parental restraints" lessoned (mostly because I've always been a "responsible" type of person and "wise beyond my years" etc., so I ended up convincing my mom that there wasn't anything "wrong" with it etc.). So, then came the ultimate fucking Death Metal assault...Morbid Angel's "Covenant" and Deicide's "Legion"...those were both the scariest fucking Metal records I had heard at that point...I was hooked into any and all "evil" type technical Death/Thrash I could get my hands on after that...now, of course nothing sounds evil to me...haha. It's all "good, friendly, violent fun"! Yeah, it took a while to partake in the underground...I ignored it at first 'cause I only wanted "high end merchandise"...hahaha. But when I started Terminal Descent...the underground came roaring into my field of vision like a pissed off valet..."here's your vehicle, you son of a bitch!" Have I been forgiven? Only when I'm forgotten, I suppose!
You have put out several releases over the last couple years. Which ones are still available? For those who have never heard TD, how do you describe the music?
Well, it's been over a few years now...TD's been active in the underground for about seven years or so...in that time...there's been thirteen titles released, I believe...two of those were compilations. Well, none of those are available in the original form but I "re-released" them on my "mock label" GenericEliteRecords...I combined some of them, making them 2on1 and 3on1 etc. These would be "The Perfection of Imperfection" "The Sun's Black Shroud/Karmic Affliction', "Mortuary Lust", "Maniacal Excursions (which includes the e.p.s: "Abysmal Regime", "Convictions of Malcontent", "Eternity's End" and the title track from "Slaughtering the Astrakhan"), "Of Darkest Light (pro-duped), and "Archetype/Manifest" (which is a combo of "The Archetype of Grim Solace" and a remastered version of "Manifesting the Present"). Then there's the newest e.p. "Mana Shukultu" I did for the up coming 10 way split that we'll talk about in a little bit. Just drop me a line if you're interested in any of these. I prefer people to just listen to TD for themselves 'cause I can't really describe it properly...everyone's perspective is different...some call it Death Metal, some call it Black Metal...it all comes from their own background...cripes, even "Archetype/Manifest" was described as "Doom Metal"...what the fuck??? Doom??? It has some of the fastest riffs I've ever done up to that point ("Mana Shukultu" has some faster) and this dork calls it "Doom Metal"...haha...I don't mean to be mean here...I was just thinking "where's this guy from?" when I read his review. There's doomy elements in TD but it's not predominant that I'm aware of...ha. So again, I leave it up to the individual to describe. But if I have to give an idea of what TD sounds like in my opinion, I'd say it's "deathly" but not Death, it's "thrashy" but not Thrash, it's "dark" but not Black, it's "doomy" but not Doom, it's "progressing" but not Progressive...it's Hybrid Metal. Each disc has a character of it's own yet sounds like TD. I guess to over simplify, you could call Terminal Descent "the poor man's Morbid Angel" but that seems very limiting to me and probably insulting to Morbid Angel!
You released your newest mcd-r "The Archetype of Grim Solace" through Morbid Souls Music (U.S. label). How has the response been to it so far? Have you and Andrew (label owner) discussed possibly releasing future Terminal Descent releases?
Well, people that have heard it seem to have liked it for the most part...to be quite honest I don't get direct responses very often...I don't know if it's 'cause people are intimidated by me or just don't give a fuck? However, the ones who do let me know their thoughts regard TD and that disc very highly...which feels great! One person said that the "Archetype/Manifest" disc I sent was the best Death Metal record he'd heard all year (and this response was made in December!!!), imagine how that made me feel for a few days!!! It was also on a top 25 list of the year in Violent Moshground zine in Holland. There's at least a handful of people who regard (or at least regarded) TD as one of their favorite Underground bands as well as THE favorite Underground band...so that's very "surreal" for me and makes me both proud and very humbled. As for releasing future TD titles on Morbid Souls Music...there hasn't been much talk about that lately...there was glimmers of some vinyl and maybe a full blown release once the newest TD album is completed but those discussions have dissipated...Andrew has a lot going on at the moment, which is great...and the next TD album probably won't be available 'til 2006 actually...I was aiming for '05 but don't think it will happen, so who knows what will be on the agenda for Andrew etc. I might just release it myself...we'll see!
While on the subject of the newest mcd-r, I personally believe these songs are your heaviest and darkest to date. How do you feel about this release now that it's been out a while?
Yeah, that disc was/is pretty heavy compared to previous albums...though, I know there's far darker elements waiting to be tapped...TD is my personality set to music for the most part...so, I'm not completely angry all the time nor wickedly "evil"...so the "dark chording" doesn't always manifest properly...I have a "goofy side" as well that seems to "sabotage" the "seriousness" of the music. Well, I still "like it for the most part", though I'm like Eddie Van Halen (I read his latest interview in Guitar World or whatever) in that I'm always "looking towards the future"...I'm looking to improve and take TD to the "next level", so I don't really think much about the past material...when it's done, it's done...right now the "Mana Shukultu" e.p. is my favorite material of TD to listen to. I haven't listened to the old TD material for some time now. "The Archetype of Grim Solace" is now "old" to me as well. Now I have new riffs and songs I'm working on floating through my head that I like more...I enjoy the act of creation more than the reminiscence of the created.
I've also noticed some of your lyrics have some satanic references in them. When did you become interested in Satanism? Would you label yourself a Satanist? What is your opinion of Anton LaVey (R.I.P.)?
Well, I would agree with LaVey that "a Satanist is born not made", so Anton LaVey's work resonates with me, it doesn't define me. I don't label myself for the most part...this implies limitation...I don't wish to be limited by mere words. My opinion of LaVey is that of respect in terms of a fellow "truth seeker"...at the core of "his philosophy" is to accept who you are and to be comfortable with that. To make "best use" of that. Intelligence is highly regarded and not quashed in order to "fit in" with the herd. It's about being an individual...an independent individual...not a dependent individual...it's about standing on your own two feet and not allowing anyone to crush your inner will. Satanism is what Christianity claims itself to be...Christianity is "evil"...Satanism is "the good"...hence, "Of Darkest Light". I prefer to "label myself" with the "I Am I" idiom instead of "Satanist".
For those who don't know, TD is a one man band, do you find it harder or easier to be the only member? If you could "create" a dream band of musicians (both past and present) who would you pick?
Since I've never been in an actual band...I guess I'm biased...it's probably easier to do everything myself in the long run...no headaches associated with having to verbalize things to others...no arguments etc. My friend Todd Nuzum of Psychotic Existence (which is a one man band) was in a band for a while and he quite it 'cause of all the hassles dealing with the other "musicians" etc., so that gives credence to my answer...ha. I'd like to just focus on guitar though, so it would be "easier" if I had other musicians in the band in that respect, so I didn't have to play all the instruments etc., though I'd still be doing the lyrics I'm sure...what a fucking ego-maniac!!! Ha. Wow, a "dream band"...shit, can't think...I don't really think in that fashion...hmmm...my own band or a general band? I think it'd be cool to start a band with some of my friends in the underground...how 'bout me on guitar...Todd Nuzum on guitar, Andrew Parrish (Morbid Souls Music, CULT 'zine etc.) on vocals, hmm...who plays drums and bass...I guess Andrew will have to learn bass very quickly and be able to sing at the same time...haha. We'll need somebody who can play drums really fast and complex...we'll audition someone...ha. I sucked at that answer!!!
How long does it take for you to write a song? I've noticed the music gets faster and more complex with each release.
It varies for every song...it's taking longer and longer anymore though...though, the increments of playing is longer and longer as well...the job/rat race eats up so much time, you know. Now I'm trying to create more thought out structures instead of mostly improvised songs, so that makes it more "challenging". I really don't have a "concrete answer" for how long it takes. There's no stable "gestation period" etc. When it's done, it's done! Yeah, parts of the music are faster and more complex...I'd have to agree...that's just "natural evolution" playing a role I suppose. The newer song "I of One Am Many" off of the "Mana Shukultu" e.p. is probably the fastest guitar playing I've ever recorded to date...it's murder to play all the way through...glad TD is not a touring band...haha! I'd have to build up my stamina and endurance
You have told me you might be on a split release. Is this still in the future? Do you know any of the other bands participating? Which label is it going to be on?
Yes! If all goes as planned (and you know how that goes ;-) TD will join forces with nine other bands from all across the world to help spread the word about each other via the double CD-R release called "10 Ways to Split the Skull" (it may be changed to "10 Ways to Split Thy Skull"...still has to be settled). All bands have submitted material for it while one last band is nearing completion...the compilation should be released in September, though could be released before (and of course after) September of this year ('04). The line up besides Terminal Descent/USA is: Serrated Scalpel/Canada, Expulser/Brazil, Detrimentum/UK, Godless/Greece, Ingurgitating Oblivion/Germany, Ulcerate/New Zealand, Misery/Australia, Raspatul/Singapore, and Myndsnare/India. There isn't a label releasing it at the moment...this is completely D.I.Y. in fashion...a total Underground ethical type movement...the CD-Rs will be a complete package unto itself...it will contain, on the discs, the music as well as a "data section" which will include artwork, lyrics, bios, photos, and even a video from Godless, if not more! Basically, our intention is to make the discs "free" and we're hoping that everyone who gets them will, in turn, copy them for their friends/contacts in the underground in a "tape trading frenzy" akin to the old school underground fashion! You'll be able to print the covers for yourself if you wish...and it will save on postage 'cause of the world wide representation of the bands...for instance, I'll send out many copies here in the U.S., so say Godless from Greece won't have to pay the outrageous overseas postage...and Godless will send out discs to people in Greece and surrounding countries so I wouldn't have to pay the outrageous overseas postage...Australia...the same...South America, the same, the U.K., the same...India, the same etc. So, this project will mirror the state of the underground...if people aren't active...it will surely show in that this project won't get to everybody who might wish to have it! It's gonna challenge people to be an active participant!
How do you feel the underground has changed over the years? And in your opinion, what is the best and worst thing about the underground?
Since I wasn't there at the start, it's hard for me to give an objective opinion but it seems to me people don't seem to support bands/zines etc. as much as they use to...maybe this is because of the "exponential factoring"? Everybody and their grandmother has a band and/or zine...it's like a population explosion...everyone's fending for sustenance and everyone starves. People are wanting instead of giving. It's a bit of a paradox...it's "striving for something more when something less is truly needed" to use a line from a song by TD...ha. It's hard to weed through all the mediocre bands to find the killer bands...so a lot of people probably just make the strong stronger instead of giving light to the downtrodden by weeding out the weak. Does the cream always rise to the top? I don't believe so. People enjoy comfort zones...the familiar...this plays into my current answer for the "best and worst" thing about the underground...the underground has the potential for securing originality but like anywhere else "originality" is feared for the most part...if something doesn't fit a certian mold, it's ignored or killed...much like a prophet...so one of the best things about the underground in it's "true form" is the ability to "be yourself"...have integrity without ridicule...the worst part of the underground is humanity is humanity...if people aren't "open minded" in general...they're not gonna be "open minded" in principle.
Well brother, I'm out of questions. Thank you for doing this interview. Any final comments for the readers?
Man, thanks a ton for your seemingly endless support, Patrick! You are a true warrior if I ever knew one!!! Thanks also to Corix for allowing Patrick to interview me for NO BULLSHIT 'ZINE (it looks killer by the way...I popped in and skimmed some of it earlier!). I hope all the readers will join forces with various people in the underground and become active participants...support and you shall be supported...kill and you shall be killed!!! Try and keep your minds open to "new things"...challenge yourselves daily...try to become a greater you! Is that lame? Haha...what's lame is pretending to be lame...no gimps allowed!!! This is meant metaphorically by the way ;-) I mean be responsible for yourself and your actions! You can contact me by sending an email to eternalmindsect@aol.com or writing snail mail to Terminal Descent c/o Tony Mikkelson 615 W L St. Forest City IA 50436-1436
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