Also playing this type of music and having an actual live drummer has made this leaps and bounds ahead of a lot of bands, with the drums sounding lively, organic and adds to the punishing aspect of the album.  Too many slam bands, a lot of them overseas, play this type of music, however they resort to using a drum machine and while some of those releases I must say I really enjoy, for this type of music to come across warmer and fierce, the drum machine adds a little too much artificial flair to the mix for this to happen.  Suffice it to say you need to support Necrambulant as they wage war against the false metal masses so they can continue to put out bowel erupting music for years to come.  Below is an in-depth interview with Ron Clark, guitarist for Necrambulant.

Hey, Ron, congratulations on the debut album, Infernal Infectious Necro-Ambulatory Pandemic, it’s a fantastically heavy and brutal slam album!  How is the album going over when playing live and in the press?

Hey, many thanks! The reception so far has been really good. Though we haven’t had a chance to really tour and promote the album to its entirety. The few shows we have done since the release have gone over really well and we still attract new listeners every day. It’s just a matter of time for us to actually set out and support the album on the road.

How did Lacerated Enemy Records come into the picture with releasing the album and are you happy thus far with the label support?

It’s kind of interesting how it all played out. Originally when we first formed and recorded our E.P. Lacerated was one of the main labels we wanted to reach out to. Circumstances at the time prevented us from doing much of anything so it was laid to rest. Fast forward a couple of years and Zdenek, from Lacerated, got in contact with us. After a few messages a deal was struck. The end result, we couldn’t be happier with the label, they have done so much for us and continue to do so. Not to mention all the awesome prints they conjure up for us.

What is a Necrambulant-is it a made up word and what’s the deal with the longer than usual song titles?

Essentially it is a made up word, but it comes from a combination of a prefix and one real word “Necro” and “Ambulant”, just a fancy way to say “Zombie”. As for the song titles it was both a part of us keeping that Brutal Death theme alive, but not wanting to be so Neanderthal like. We’ve always been obsessed with gore and splatter flicks especially when there’s a mad scientist/doctor character involved. So in a sense the songs are written out in that doctor lingo, very similar and respects to how Carcass used to do. We just do it in unrealistic proportions.

I have to ask you, and please do not take offense, but c’mon man are their lyrics to the songs?  Really I’m a singer and can’t make out one effin word.  I do think the vocals serve as more of an instrumental piece to the album and I do love them and could not imagine the vocals any other way to go alongside the music.  Care to comment?

No offense at all, this is one of the main things that gets asked after shows or after a first time hearing the music. I will tell you this, there are most certainly lyrics written. We decided to not print the lyrics in the album booklet for a few reasons, but I assure you they do exist. The original state of vocals was written to harbor the lyrics. It was the vocalist on the album who chose to do his own style. Now I cannot answer to which he was actually saying anything or just gurgling, but I can say the original vocal parts were meant to make at least some of the lyrics able to follow. In the end we just loved the tone so much we had to keep it, and let it stay his way.

Some of your slam parts have been known to topple city blocks worldwide-is this what you hope to accomplish?  What are some of the gear/guitars you use to get such a massive guitar tone?

Of course! This is what we strive for; guitar tone can make or break an album. In this style where heaviness is key we wanted to push it as far as it could go. Gear wise I did the whole recording with one guitar, my pride and joy LTD F-250 with Seymour Duncan Blackout pickups. For the amps I used the Peavey 6505+ and the Crate Blue Voodoo upon a Vader 4×12 cab. This is the same set up I use live I just add another Vader 4×12 to fill out the sound.

I have to commend you and the rest of the band for creating such brutality, while still maintaining an organic feel to the album.  Nothing overly processed or triggered and I do think the warmth of the recording adds to the heaviness, your thoughts please.

Well thank you! We wanted to keep a very heavy over bearing tone within the guitar and bass, but not to the point it had to be digitally created. A lot had to do with the engineer on board Ryan Butler (Arcane Digital Recording). He had recorded us before so he knew what we were going for, but our badgering of “it needs to be heavier” seems to have worked out. As for the organic and warm sound to it, I think it was us purposely not recording with a metronome and letting the songs be done as they are recorded.

What was it like writing and recording the album and since this was a long time, in the making, are you already onto ideas about a second album, perhaps?

Recording the album was quick, in and out within a week. The writing is another story, seeing as at least 5 of the songs on the album were written when we first formed. Only 2 of the songs were re-done (Self Biological and Internal Necrotic) which we have at this point considered them new songs. So it’s hard to say, but I can say we’re getting ready to start writing for our second album, and yes we have many great ideas in the works.

You guys almost broke up years ago, what was that due to and how is the band chemistry at the moment?

Well that happened within our first or second year of existence. I believe it was just too many opinions on what the band should be, conflicting with each other. One guy wanted this; the other wanted that, same old bullshit that follows every band. The chemistry has always been fine because Chad and I are the only remaining original members. After many line up changes within the other members, we are extremely happy and very content with our newest members and couldn’t wish for a better set of musicians.

Any shows/tours planned and how often do you guys practice?

We have a couple of shows coming up in a month or two, but our main focus right now is writing. There is a tour that is in the works for later this year, but that is all I am at liberty to say about that.

What can one expect when going to a Necrambulant show?  Are your slam pits intense and how is the Arizona death metal scene at the moment?

Hopefully tons of drinking, drugs, and debauchery! We’ve had some pits that have gotten out of control (as in people being kicked out), but usually they’re just good pits and fun. As far as the AZ Death Metal scene goes, we have a handful of bands that literally just support one another. The scene here has gone to shit; the best venues have closed down over the years. We’re all just rotting away and eager to get out of state, where there’s at least some support and love. So to answer your question directly, the AZ Death Metal scene is doing bad. Very bad.

The riffs are extremely memorable and there are tons of slam bands out there, how do you manage to still write creative and catchy songs, while still trying to have some semblance of originality?

We don’t think about it at all. It’s just whenever a catchy riff comes into one of our heads. One of us will pitch it, we’ll try it out it and if it’s good we keep working with it, if it’s bad we’ll never hesitate on telling the truth. I myself think a big part of it is; we don’t want to be known for something new and crazy. We’re fans of Slam/Brutal Death Metal this is what we wanted to emulate and this is what we do.

Onto the awesome zombie album cover…hypothetically speaking, you are walking down the street and you see this zombie scene taking place.  A person or 2 being attacked by these flesh eaters.  You see a shotgun, machete and ax.  First would you attempt to help the poor souls under attack and second which weapon do you choose to take and why, you can only choose one, so pick wisely?

First off I would like to say if the zombie apocalypse were to happen; you wouldn’t find me anywhere close to a city. I would be long gone hiding out in the wilderness surviving with my group. Now hypothetically if I came across these poor s.o.b.’s being torn away by the dead, I would do my best of remaining quiet and making my way past them. Leave them to die, they got fucked…such is life. As far as what weapon I would salvage would have to be the machete, I don’t know how many rounds are actually in the shotgun, and if were to take the axe, how many heads can that crack before it cracks itself? The machete all the way and keep it sharpened. Though if this were all real you wouldn’t question my survival tactics, leave the weak/bitten behind (giving them the luxury of death and not being eaten or turned) and be on my way. Like I said you wouldn’t catch me dead in a city overrun by the dead.

Any final thoughts/comments for our readers?

Our love for anyone who has ever supported Necrambulant cannot even be described. We love each and every one of our fans and can’t say Thank You enough!  Stay true, stay brutal, and keep the love going, not only for us but all our brothers and sisters in this scene! Thank you so much for this interview, and I am always down to answer more questions, especially about zombies.

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