Czech newcomers Sněť recently released their wonderfully offbeat old school death metal album "Mokvání V Okovech" (review here). The album has brought me into such a disgusting rapture that I couldn't help myself and asked the guys from Prague (and surroundings) few questions, not only to get some clarity about the meaning of the titles and lyrics but also to get some more info about them, too. Thanks for all Sněť!!!

Michael

Hello everybody, how are you?

Hnisatel: Hey, little hangover but fine, you?

Řád Zdechlin: Cooling my beer for late night. Yesterday I read a message about playing in Mexico!

You have recently released your debut album "Mokvání V Okovech". Before that, the first sign of life was only a promo from 2019, so not much out there... why don't you tell us something about yourselves so that readers can get to know you a little better?

Hnisatel: Well, me and Ransolič were talking about death metal bands many drunken times around 2018, and then we started jamming the first riffs of the song 'Obří kat' in my living room. After some FB advertisements, we found a drummer Krutorr based in East Czechia, well known for his bands Ficken Leben and Afterlife. Then we asked Leproductor to play bass – check his band Kaosquad of South Czechia, old school grindcore as we all like it. I play bass in the band Lezok and used to play bass in the band Bahratal, but I started as guitarist, so I wanted to switch on guitar in this new band. Leporoductor and Ransolič can sing very well, but our decision was to pick Řád Zdechlin, best known to be the lead vocalist of his band Vole. It was easier for the guys to focus on playing and Řád Zdechlin performances are stunning – now they are powerful duo with Leproductor murmur parts. Ransolič was back then in the band called Black Aspirin and the band Morkhimmel. We are both part of Kreas Promotion, doing underground metal gigs in Prague.

Řád Zdechlin: Wanna fill it with more information about band Leproduktor is son of village same as Krutorr our drummer. They are coming for every rehearsal from their places so we can't say we are Prague based. Leproduktor has deep roots in metal because of his father and brothers together they are a metal army. All of them have a passion for bodybuilding making Leproduktor our tank for cruel beer parties. Kruttor is the youngest and he works as a metal worker, which seems to be cool for our band. He has played in several punk, crust, metal bands since he was 9 years old. Only Hnisatel is the Praguian boy, his family is based in arts and graphics. His grandfather was a famous photographer for music records like Karel Gott or other 70' pop stars in ČSSR (communist times), cool to check it by Discogs. His name is Pavel Jasanský. His father is also a photographer with a focus on conceptual art. You can find him as the duet Jasanský/Polák. Ransolič was born in Pelhřimov I guess, which is quite an old town, but don't know anything about his heritage. The only special thing is he will have his second wedding in his life, which means he is the most experienced male in the band. No one else is married. And me, I'm the east Czechia boy, a place of heavy industry and a heavily polluted place in our land. I used to move to Prague for studies at the Academy of Fine Art. I graduated with a master's degree and stayed here. No one wants to come back, haha. That was really personal.

Your lyrics are exclusively in Czech. Even for someone who comes from your neighboring country Germany, it is almost impossible to understand anything. Let's start with the album title....

Hnisatel: Lyrics are 90% of Řád Zdechlin work, I sometimes help him. The decision to sing in Czech is more natural for us and also, it's quite unique in some ways. About the time the promo went out, we made a t-shirt with lyrics of 'Obří Kat' on the back and didn't let people know about it, haha a lot of people don't want to wear those, because lyrics are vulgar and violent. This is not new. A lot of bands did it before, but in Czechia I guess people are not ready to wear this kind of stuff because it is in their language and English is still a bit far to understand, like the real meaning of the filth Autopsy and Cannibal Corpse did for example. Mokvání V Okovech means oozing in chains – due to the album cover, which was done before the name of the album. Next title in the game was 'Mrdání Na Hrobech' – means fucking on the graves, which was my favorite, but I was overruled by the rest of the band "because we are not 15 anymore" haha.

Řád Zdechlin: I feel it like with every different language, I do like melodies or rhythms. Have you ever listened to some Central Africa music? Voo-Doo vibes from that language, awesome or Russian poetry, it's so melodic like melting sugar on a pan. Also, Finish punks like Kaaos are extremely authentic. I'm not even understand that but who cares I'm here for music. In the case of our music. We care about some concept, which is mostly taken from our lives and transformed into a gruesome nightmare.

...and come to the lyrics. 'Kůň Kadaver' means horse carcass if I'm right, 'Demon' and 'Sarkofag' explain themselves. What are your lyrics about?

Řád Zdechlin: 'Kůň Kadaver' is about man riding horse in swampy moor land. In the fog he found the crypt where he heard or felt the voices and spirit of ancestors. In the moment of inhaling the spirit something smashed his head like a high falling hammer. He wakes up dying inside of his dead girlfriend. 'Demon' focuses on demons with special ability covering graves with a huge stream of semen. That one is more perverted. First sentence is: "instead of blood, human came out of my dick today". 'Sarkofag' is sakrofag btw, I'm trying to play with words and make new words out of it. It is a song about total armageddon and it was written mostly by Hnisatel. Lyrics:"I'm putting sarcofag made of shit on the body of Christ". I feel good power from the trashy primitive hate songwriting, purer than some philosophical or demonological, academic topics. This is raw and all people understand what it is. If they speak Czech.

Where do your inspirations for the lyrics come from?

Hnisatel: First thing on my mind is Charles Baudelaire carcass – it may be cliché, but for me it is the classic death metal lyrics but from 1855, haha. Well, it's hard to say, in my case most ideas (not only about lyrics, it's also about music and designs) came about midnight when I'm in shower after a long shitty day. Inspiration is also in old school Czech bands like Torr, Master's Hammer. Profanatica's lyrics are cool and also horror movies and many more stuff..

Řád Zdechlin: Like Hnisatel says. 80's horror movies I do like Maniac Cop or Ravenous are my one of the best! Try Czech Vlčí Bouda. It's about a school trip for skiing with aliens. Very bad one! And the rest of inspiration is our life struggling.

Musically you walk on the musty paths of Funebre, Funebrarum, Autopsy and everything that is in the rotten bottom of death metal. What would you describe as your main influences?

Hnisatel: As you said. Besides classics we dig Danish and Finnish death metal scene – Demilich is maybe one of my favorites. It's many things and it's hard to write down in this paragraph. Ransolič it's a big fan of Thin Lizzy and we spent a lot of time doing harmonies in our riffs. We are all big fans of old school filthy metal music. That rawness and filth is important. Check out the new Anatomia record is killer, after a long time that was something that has a real impact on me.

Řád Zdechlin: As an elementary school child I do love Cannibal Corpse album "Gore Obssesed", old Behemoth or Vader, Entombed, Sepultura. Nowadays it is easy to find music not only by ripping CD's, so I feel inspiration in groups like Greg Wilkinson is producing or some old Finland Death like Abhorrence, Sentenced, Convulse, Therion's album "…of Darkness" or different genres.

How satisfied are you with the feedback regarding the album so far?

Hnisatel: It's very good, I think we didn't expect this, haha. Every week we receive new mostly positive reviews and reactions. Also, we noticed some not a really bad review but, complaining about the "clean" sound of the record. This was the big topic in the band. We didn't want to copy the sound we had on promo, because it is a step back for us. I think now it's ok to say, that sound we had on promo was a bit pushed into this filth. The sound we have on Mokvání V Okovech is our natural sound. The mix and master were made by Gregg Wilkinson in Earhammer Studio in Oakland California, also I have to mention Anders from Dodsmord Studio in Prague, where we recorded, and he did a lot of dirty work about cutting takes and everything.

Řád Zdechlin: I do like how people react, it's mostly positive. Local hard-core kids are wearing our gear, hahaha.

Are there any special editions of the album or other merchandise? Where can I order it?

Hnisatel: Yes, the special edition will be – the orange vinyl. You can check it out at Blood Harvest website. Unfortunately, vinyl should be done on 14th May but there is a big delay in the factory. Then Steffen from Lycantropic Chants label made a killer tape in two versions. There is gonna be a tape version and some t-shirts in the USA via Headsplit Records and something is cooking in Indonesia…

If you want to order merchandise directly from us, you can check it out at snet.bigcartel.com.

When I look at the cover, it immediately brings back memories of Hellraiser, was that intentional? Who designed it?

Řád Zdechlin: I'm the man who mostly stand behind our designs. And it was not influenced by Hellraiser, but more sleazy tattoo scenes or biker designs, old metal or Rick da Life tattoos, bio-mechanic stuff.

What is there to tell regarding the Czech metal scene? Are there some hot topics, apart from the better-known bands like Hynos, Krabathor or Maniac Butcher, that you should check out? Master's Hammer is unfortunately no longer around...

Hnisatel: There are plenty of new bands around here. You should check for example Zmyrna – medieval type of black metal, with a lot of Urfaust vibes. Then death doom Můra is out now, Swedish type of death metal Narcosa. Old pioneers of crust metal Morkhimmel. Brutally Deceased are pretty cool, and for example young thrash blood Faust. For classics you should check Torr demo "Witchhammer", old demos of Malignant Tumour and Pathologist, both in the vein of old Carcass. Of course, Root classic, and for example Vitacit – one of the best heavy metal bands around…

Řád Zdechlin: Me and my friend Dominik are behind the compilation of ugly bands around central Europe. Style is more punk or black. Check it out, the name is Night Dwellers. You can find it on Bandcamp.

How satisfied are you with your label Blood Harvest?

Hnisatel: Well, the communication can be better, haha, but yes. It's all new for us and we are learning how it is going, we personally never been on this big label like that. Rodrigo did a great job for us and we are glad for everything

Řád Zdechlin: Hail to Rodrigo and thanks for everything you did!

Do you have any tour or concert plans for the next few months?

Hnisatel: The big thing is our release party 26. 6. at Modrá vopice club, along with our brothers Goatcraft from Slovakia, Kringa and Death Racer guys from Austria and local band Slavery. Then we are going to be a part of a small Brutal Assault, called Josefstadt, sharing the stage with mighty Pestilence and Destruction. If the Killtown DeathFest happens we are going to be part of it, which is like a dream come true, and it's very important for us. Also, in Písek we are going to play with Slaughter Messiah. Písek is a metal city! Our good friend Petr Kolář is promoting a festival here called Thrash Nightmare, Heavy Metal Thunder and Burial in Sand. All the coolest metal parties with a pick of the bands like Deathhammer, Abigail etc... Highly recommended! Also, I personally looking forward to Punxtreffen, organized by Řád Zdechlin even the Sněť is not on the list, hehe.

Which albums of this year would you recommend or are you eagerly waiting for to be released?

Hnisatel: I'm looking forward to Galvanizer's new album, the first track, which is out now, is killer! And as I said before, new Anatomia is great too and many more which I forgot now. You also have to check the Slovakian Goatcraft and their new album!

Řád Zdechlin: New Suffering Hour is pretty dope!

The last words belong to you!

Hnisatel: Thank you for having us on the MetalBite, cheers!

Řád Zdechlin: Drink beer, raise hell in your town!!!