TALES OF THE MORBID BUTCHERS

01. When did and why this change in relation to this "type of alternative vehicle" communication?

Greetings from Hungary. I am Dr A, the editor of Fekete Terror and Tales Of The Morbid Butchers fanzines. In August 1997, when I first had the actual issue of Hungarian Metal Hammer in my hands, I was immediately amazed. Back at that time it was not mainstream at all, like nowadays, but I still buy the magazine. It was full of unknown bands, who immediately caught my attention. For a long time this magazine was the guideline, but the breakthrough came in the winter of 2002, when I got to know the 7th issue of Stygian Shadows fanzine (RIP) and I realized that there was even a more wonderful world beyond Metal Hammer. That was the real beginning of my admiration and respect for the underground. At that time I was still in school and could not buy issues regularly, but if I had a little money, than I sacrificed for that, of course next to the weekend booze. J Years passed by, more and more I dug into the underground, meanwhile I started working, so I could afford to buy much more issues from national distributors, among others foreign fanzines, too. I always looked up to people who created such magazines. In 2009 matters were at such a point that I started working on the first issue of my fanzine, Fekete Terror. The predecessor of this issue would have been an edited and print-out version of the interviews at Magyar Metal Legendák webzine ( http://nativeprideprod.gportal.hu/ ). But I made a step forward and started making my own interviews. Though there were such interviews in the so far released two issues of Fekete Terror, as a homage to the Hungarian Ancestors.

02. How long do you listen to Metal and attend the shows in your city?

The last drop was the aforementioned issue of Metal Hammer in August 1997. I was than 12 years old. I was already listening to some metal bands, but the disco era was still lasting. Dj Bobo, Ace Of Base, Dr. Alban etc, but slowly I let them behind. Replika (HUN), Sepultura, Pantera, Slayer, Fear Factory, Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Akela (HUN), Moby Dick (HUN) were the first bands that I heard and captured my attention. Though I knew the classics, such as Iron Maiden, Guns & Roses, Judas Priest and so on, but at that time they did not influence me. As I get older, I go back to the roots. Black Sabbath, Running Wild, WASP, for example.

I go to gigs for 14 years now and I still love to do so. I love to go crazy and mosh in the crowd. Nowadays in my hometown, Sásd, there is no more gigs. In the 90’s there was more lively, but now is absolute zero. That means I have to travel. I go anywhere in the country for the sake of a good gig.

03. What is feeling for the choice of name : TALES OF THE MORBID BUTCHERS FANZINE?

I wanted a simple, memorable name. There is nothing actual meaning behind it, it is only my morbid taste. The only point was to be expansive and metal. It contains publications of two metalheads.

04. From the early 80s to the present day, of course, you've followed many changes in the underground scene in the world, tells a little of the changes you noticed?

The most obvious and outrageous to me that a lot of people have turned away from the print-out issues. I know that it was said a million times before and I do not want to be clever here, but I always throw up on such statements like ‘Why should I buy it when I can download it?’. In my opinion a music-loving person does not say such thing. I'm not going to argue with anyone and to impose my views, but I do not like this attitude.

Internet has changed everything. It is useful and useless at the same time. No use talking about it, everyone knows what I mean. I use it, make the best of it. Mainly I use it for promotion and for keeping contacts. Of course I also downloaded music and movies, but if I have the chance, I always buy the original versions. I specifically do not like reading on the internet. My eyes cannot take it and it is not exciting at all, if I cannot hold it in my hands.

As for webzines. Fresh, up to date, accessible, relatively freely available. In this fast-paced world it is essential. I also read such pages, BUT the official press of the underground is the FANZINE. Ok, I understand, if somebody has no money for that and could only make a webzine. I use Facebook for such purpose.

What disgust me the most is the digital album release. I do not give a shit that it is available for download in good quality, but the work also deserves a tangible version.

I could also mention a thousand other things, but mainly the older generation could talk about this and not me with my 30 years.

05. Tells us what is the fanzine for you?

This is exclusively non-profit activity. If I have a minimal income, I spend that on the fanzine and on trades. I have never been driven by more money or more fame. A fanzine editor is a fan, who makes the issue for fans like him or her. For this one needs determination, fanaticism and of course the fucking money. I am also not rich and I give up certain things for the fanzine and for my whole musical fanaticism. I do not have a wife or kids, so for the cause I can only make sacrifices for myself. My goal is to selflessly support the bands and make them more acknowledged.

06. what was the fanzine that most influenced you?

Clearly the Hungarian Stygian Shadows. Then also the Hungarian Oral Climax. Unfortunately, both of these fanzines are inactive now. But I could mention all the fanzines I have. I gained and still gaining strength from all of them.

07. WHICH ARE THE SOURCES OF INSPIRATION TO WRITE YOUR FANZINE?

Anything could be an inspiration to me, just like to a musician. Making an interview influenced by the certain music or atmosphere of the band. Making a fanzine is influenced by other fanzines and the goal is to support the underground scene, but is simply a form of self-expression, as well.

08. DO YOU HAVE ANY SIDE PROJECTS?

My first issue was the Fekete Terror Fanzine. So far two issues were released, but I am already working on the next one. My other project is the Tales Of The Morbid Butchers. The third issue of this is also under construction. I used to have a fanzine called Vorarefília, too, which I was making with one of my good buddies, but after the first issue he could not continue further, because of other reasons. It had only one issue with four interviews and four reviews. As the fanzines are in Hungarian, but I have the interviews also in English, last year I was thinking of releasing them in some kind of another form. That is how the Tales Of The Morbid Butchers and Fekete Terror newsletters came alive. In the first one are interviews with the foreign bands and in the second one are the interviews with the Hungarian bands.

09. WHAT ARE SOME INTERESTS THAT YOU HAVE OUTSIDE OF MUSIC?

The horror movies. It can be old, new, anything, just catch my attention. Mostly I love gore, but there are some psycho kind of movies, which I like, but primary I swear on gore. I also like old action movies. As music fills 90% of my life in, there is not much time for anything else. I would like to read much more then I read now, but usually there is no chance for that because of the lack of time. From spring till autumn there are also works in the garden. I am not saying that I always feel like doing them, but if I do then I like doing them. Viticulture, kitchen garden vegetables, fruit cultivation. It can switch your mind off, which is needed in today's fast-paced modern world. Not so long ago I started working out at home and I try doing it seriously. I have the time for it, because it is perfect while listening to music. Just imagine how good is making aggressive push-ups for Pantera. J I plan to start jogging at spring time. I have also a small rock garden. I like spending time doing such kind of thing, but it looks quite ugly at the moment. Something is wrong with the soil. What is still interests me is drinking booze. J I love drinking and get drunk with my friends at the gigs. In summary: METAL, ALCOHOL, SEX, HORROR, NATURE.

10. AS YOU SEE THE HUNGARIAN UNDERGROUND SCENE ?

There are lots of band in my country and some of them are already well-known abroad, which feels good. I cannot say that the Hungarian scene is too big, though there are many good bands. In my humble opinion, we are weak in the determined fans. I do not want to hurt here anyone’s feelings, because it is everyone’s personal business to support a

band or not. Unfortunately, there is a tendency that most of them are good with the downloading and listening to music on the internet. I do not deny that I also do so, but luckily I gave up downloading, because I am always given tangible materials. Internet has its useful side, as it has its wrong side, but I do not want to get into this right now. Back to the scene. Some says that there is no such thing, some says there is. I can only see the sad fact that if an unknown band comes to Hungary, no one is interested in it. There are not more then 20-30 person at the gig and that is it. I experienced this many times. That makes me sad. I am willing to travel 100-200 km for a small underground gig, meanwhile fans, who live in the certain city, do not give a fuck to show up. I do not care, if I do not know a band, it is possible to fall for it on the gig. The other thing is that I have the chance to meet my friends. I have this attitude, but it is not so common. People got really comfortable, ‘thankfully’ for modern development. I do not say that the situation is hopeless, but it was better than this. I have connection with most of the bands and underground fans. I support with full power all Hungarian bands, distributors, activists.

So, let’s see the Hungarian bands, though some of them are already inactive: ABCISUM, AETHERIUS OBSCURITAS, AGE OF AGONY, AHRIMAN, ANGERSEED, AORNOS, ARCHAIC, ART OF MASSACRE, ATROX TRAUMA, BESTIAL WARSEX, BLACK ARTS, BLIZZARD, BORNHOLM, CARCHARIAS, CATALEPSY, CHRISTIAN EPIDEMIC, COFFINBORN, CONCRETE, CRYPTIC REMAINS, CSEJTEY, DE PROFUNDIS, DEPTHS OF DEPRAVITY, DIECOLD, DIM VISION, DOMHRING, DROW, DRÜNKEN BASTARDS, DUNKELHEIT, DUSK, EARTH PLAGUE, ETERNAL HOLOCAUST, EVIL CONQUEROR, FAAGIA, FAGYHAMU, FANATIC ATTACK, FEKETE FAGY, FOREST SILENCE, FORMORKET, FROST, FROZEN BLOOD, GHOUL TEMPLE, GHOULVORE, GORE THROWER, GOATDOMINATOR, GRAVECRUSHER, GRIMNESS, GUTTED, GYLLIATH, GYÖTRELEM, HARAG, HEIMWEH, HELDENTOD, HELL ETERNAL, HEXENWOOD, HUMAN ERROR, HUMUGUR, HUNOK, IGNOMINIOUS, IONOSPHERE, INFECTUS, JÉGZIVATAR, KALTEMOND, KARST, KEEPER OF DREAMS, KESERV, KILL WITH HATE, KOLP, KOPJAFA, KOROG, KRAMPÜS, KRIPTA, KUTH , LEIRU, LEPRA, LIMB FOR A LIMB, MABTHERA, MALEDICTION, MARBLEBOG, MG-42, MÖRBID CARNAGE, MORFIUM, MYSTAGOG, NADIR, NECROSODOMY, NEFARIOUS, NIEDERGANG, ÖRÖM, OUR EXISTENCE IS PUNISHMENT, PAEDIATRICIAN, PARAGON ZERO, PARASITE CROWD, PRINCEPS DAEMONUM, PURULENT RITES, QASSAM, QUALM, SEAR BLISS, SELONATH, SINFUL ETERNITY, SOLUS, SOULTHORN, SPÜOLUS, SVOID, SYMPHONY OF SYMBOLS, TERRORFRONT, TEURGIA, THY CATAFALQUE, THY FUNERAL, TREMOR, TYRANT GOATGALDRAKONA, URNARIUM, VEÉR, VELM, VERILUN, VÉRZIVATAR, VILE DISGUST, VORKUTA, VRAG, WARKULT, WINTERHEART, WITCHCRAFT, WITCHER, TYMAH.

Hungarian record companies, distributors:

NEVERHEARD DISTRO, METAL ÖR DIE RECORDS, STYGIAN SHADOWS PRODUCTIONS, TURANIAN HONOUR PRODUCTIONS, TERRANIS PRODUCTIONS, HUNGARYAN RECORDS, SOUTHLAND RECORDS, FUNERAL CHANTS PRODUCTIONS, ROTTEN CROWZ PRODUCTIONS, POSTHUMAN PRODUCTIONS, SIGILLVM TENEBRAE RECORDS, OLD SKULL PRODUCTIONS, DEATH TRAP DISTRO.

Active Hungarian fanzines:

OLD SKULL, METAL CATACOMBS, TALES OF THE MORBID BUTCHERS, FEKETE TERROR, ROTTEN CROWZ, BLAST, POSTHUMAN, SUBTERRANEAN TENEBRIS, DEADLY ILLNESS.

There is no lack in gig organizers, there are many gigs, which means that there is a smaller or bigger gig on every week of the year. Sometimes it is too many for me. For me there are four significant and outstanding festivals, which are organized every year: Total War Fest, Inner Awakening Fest, Extreme Noise Fest and SzegeDEATH Fest.

11. WHERE WILL YOU SPEND ETERNITY?

Call it what you want, just be good!

12. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS OF TALES OF THE MORBID BUTCHERS FANZINE?

Yes, I am satisfied. Of course, there is always something that I would do differently afterwards, but that is natural. It fills me with pride that I can show up the things I have done.

13. HOW ARE YOUR NEWS WORDS?

In 2015 one of the big surprises for me is the debut album of Aornos, entitled Orior. I recommend it to everyone who likes the kind of complex black metal Emperor play. The debut album of Purulent Rites will hit hard, too. They are the Hungarian representatives of Autopsy, Necrophagia. One of my other big favorites is Veér, whose second album will be released also this year. This will be a big event, but the debut album of Solus will be released also this year. The best death metal band of Hungary, Age Of Agony, is also up for something. The 20-year active black metal band Dusk had a beautiful boxset release this spring in 66 hand-numbered copies. 9 tapes are hidden in a nice, black box. This is the bands’ entire discography. Suddenly, that is all I can think of. Last year was also very tough. Several Hungarian bands had new releases. These include, but are not limited to, some favorites: , Heldentod – Virradat, Limb For A Limb – Aberration Complete, Tymah – The Past Is Alive, Krampüs – Graveyard Blowjob, Earth Plague – Cult Of Damnation, Evil Conqueror – Nuclear Blasphemy, Kolp – The Valley Of Plague, Gravecrusher – Morbid Black Oath, de profundis – This Winter in My Heart, Moonkult/Solus – Transmissions, Witchcraft – Die Hard Boxset, Witchcraft/Szron – Split, Velm/Snakemass – Split, Qassam – Shyathan Akhbar, Fanatic Attack – Waiting The Rot, Drow – Low-Down, Vrag – Bánaterdő, Witcher – Boszorkánytánc, Winterheart – Facing What I’m Becoming, Svoid – To Never Return, Karst – Lime Veins Bleed Rust.

14. WHAT MERCHANDISE DO YOU STILL HAVE AVAILABLE?

For the second issue of TOTMB were made 30 t-shirts, but they are all sold out. One went to Nuno, to the Portuguese Caverna Abismal Records, one to the Peruvian Legion Of Torture Fanzine, the rest got home in Hungary. For the next issue there will be also released some t-shirts.

15. TELL US NOW ABOUT YOUR FAVE BANDS AND ALBUMS?

My taste in music got really eclectic. I did not start with the basics, I got right in the middle, then I got forward and only later moved backwards. So I am not going to start my speech with how I got into Iron Maiden, etc. By 1997 the main styles of metal already evolved, so I did not have the same path as the older generations. Here come some bands which determined my life and some current favorites:

NECROPHAGIA: I love all of their albums. Killjoy’s sickening fanaticism is amazing. In this music I find everything what is METAL to me. I got to know them later, but they became very determined in my further life.

CANNIBAL CORPSE: the ones with Chris Barnes, but even amongst these is ’Tomb Of The Mutilated’. That is the perfect Death Metal album. Simply indescribable what is going on on this album. Last autumn I dig up the garden while listening to this album. It was screaming from my old tape recorder and I was digging aggressively the garden. J

DEICIDE: ‘Once Upon The Cross’. I was totally impressed by its cover back then when I was a teenager. The music is also total death metal essence.

DIMMU BORGIR: ‘Stormblast’. This was my first Black Metal tape and I still think that was black metal, but I do not follow them anymore. For me they are dead.

MARDUK: ‘Dark Endless’. This is also a decisive album in my life. What comes to life in here that is the aggressive essence of hell itself. I follow this band up till now. I also love the newer albums, although to be honest there are weaker ones, too, but I have respect for Morgan. Their best one is of course ‘Panzer Division Marduk’. This is war itself!

BLACK SABBATH: ‘Paranoid’. I got to know this classic quite late, when I was more open-minded. This needs no comment. BASIC ALBUM.

SLAYER: ‘Show No Mercy’, ‘Reign In Blood’. No comment.

PANTERA: from ‘Cowboys From Hell’ all the albums. Mixed with alcohol is total chaos.

SEPULTURA: although the first album I have heard was ‘Chaos AD’, and I got hypnotized by it straight away, but later I got to know the ‘Morbid Visions’ album and that was a total mindfuck to me. Both of their eras have its own beauty what I like. I also like ‘Roots’, but what it started, that is sickening me with a few exceptions. The first two KORN. Up till now I still like both of those albums.

KREATOR: if I not mistaken, the first album I heard of them was ‘Coma Of Souls’. I remember the first listening at one of my buddies. We copied the tape and I was writing the song titles with a pen. It is wonderful to look back. Then I got forwards and backwards in between their albums. But the etalon is ‘Extreme Aggression’.

DESTRUCTION: I got to know them with the ’Release From Agony’ album. Same way as I did with Kreator.

FEAR FACTORY: ‘Demanufacture’. In my hometown, Sásd, the local metalheads liked it, so it got to me easily. I like this album up till now, but I do not follow them, they got prostituted like many other same kind of bands.

These bands, albums were really determining points in my life, but of course I could write pages with bands and the stories related to them. Just shortly a few bands, which I really like:

EMPEROR, ULVER, DARKTHRONE, BATHORY, IMPALED NAZARENE, DEATH, DEATHRONATION, ABSU, DODHEIMSGARD, VINTERSORG, DEIPHAGO, DESASTER, DEVASTATOR, EMPHERIS, GOATPENIS, GRAFVOLLUTH, WARGOATCULT, BLASPHEMY, BEHERIT, HELL TORMENT, MANTICORE, MORBOSIDAD, NASUM, NOCTURNAL, OBEISANCE, ICONOCLAST CONTRA, PESTIS, RAVENDARK'S MONARCHAL CANTICLE, ACID WITCH, SKULDOM, SADIZTIK IMPALER, WARFIST, CHILDREN OF TECHNOLOGY, THRONEUM, KHAOS AEON, BLOODY VENGEANCE, NUCLEAR MAGICK, DON JUAN MATUS, WARFIST, GOAT MESSIAH, etc. The list is endless.

16. AS IT IS EDITED TALES MORBID BUTCHERS FANZINE?

If you mean here what kind of technology I use to edit my fanzines, only I can tell you that a basic word program. I edit it, save it to a PDF file and the whole thing is sent to the press. To be honest, I have a degree in computing, but back then I was not interested in the whole thing at all. Since then I curse myself because for not paying more attention. Previously somebody else were doing the editing, but the second issue was put together by me and I really enjoyed it. My colleague, Maniac, does not have a say in this matter, he just delivers me the raw materials. I do have a contributor, Ádám, who is responsible for the covers and the graphics. (http://anvilkvlt.blogspot.hu/). Take a look at his site, he is really talented.

17. HOW HAS THE UNDERGROUND PUBLIC RESPONSE BEEN?

The underground scene is always happy for a release of a new fanzine. Of course there are those who can do nothing, but criticize. We do not need to give a shit about them. I take criticism only from those who put something down in the underground world. I like honest criticism, being told if something is good or shit. I also listen to advises, but it is not sure if I take any of them.

18. What bands you watched live and more pleased you?

First let’s make it clear, that usually I am always satisfied. I do not go to a gig to get back 100% what is on an album. Usually I mosh in the first raw going totally crazy.

If I remember correctly, I have been going to gigs since 2001 and I saw many local and foreign bands. Generally speaking I can say that I go to underground gigs. I prefer the dirty, little clubs to professional main stages. I saw the following ‘big’ bands: Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Mayhem, Crowbar, Benediction, Dismember, Pro-Pain, Watain, Rotting Christ, Sinister, Vader, Biohazard, Kreator, Marduk, Immolation. These are the ones I can remember suddenly. Then the ‘smaller’ bands, which are sometimes ‘bigger’: Morbosidad, Fueled By Fire, Suicidal Angel, Dr. Living Dead, Imperious Malevolence, Ophiolatry, Vexed, Nervo Chaos, Demogorgon(POL), Itself, Black Sister, Disgorge(MEX), Karma To Burn, Demonical, Old. All of a sudden that is all. As for the Hungarian side, I was on almost all active bands’ gigs, at least one. My all time gig favourites: Age Of Agony, a Witchcraft, a Purulent Rites, Mörbid Carnage, Gravecrusher, Niedergang, Malediction, Beneth (RIP), Gate Of Darkness (RIP), Blizzard. Previously, Drünken Bastards were the big time favorite, but there were so many changes in the band that I lost interest in them. I could also mention the grind assault by Human Error. They humiliate everybody in 30 minutes. They really fuck you up live, but a few questions earlier I have already mentioned the Hungarian bands, which usually make awesome gigs.

Primarily I go to Hungarian gigs, because I like keeping contacts with the local scene.

19. WHAT ARE YOU FUTURE PLANS?

We are currently working on the third issue of Tales of The Morbid Butchers and hopefully, after a bit of a delay, it will be released at this autumn. I already started working on the third issue of Fekete Terror, but it will be only released next year. I also have a secret project, but it is too early talk about it.

20. THANK YOU VERY MUCH ATTILA DUDÁS. THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT. ANY LAST COMMENTS?

I thank you the support and the opportunity. UNDERGROUND ÜBER ALLES! TAPE CULT IS ALIVE! BUY ÖR DIE! SALUTE FROM HUNGARY!