PESTILENCE Mainman Says His Songwriting Is 'Inspired By Pop Music'

Raymond Westland of Ghost Cult Magazine recently conducted an interview with PESTILENCE mainman Patrick Mameli. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Ghost Cult Magazine: "Obsideo" is a logical continuation of the two previous PESTILENCE albums. To which extent is this a deliberate choice?

Patrick: I can understand where you're coming from, but I don't see it that way. It would suggest that I'd listen to my own music to find something of a common thread. It's basically me trying to play my instrument to the best of my abilities. I guess the way I play and the music that subsequently comes out can be described as a certain style. When I play a certain guitar riff, it's instantly recognizable as PESTILENCE. A record is nothing more than a snap shot of a certain timeframe captured in music. I have Dave Haley (drums) and Georg Maier (bass) in my lineup and they have given my music a whole new creative angle.

Ghost Cult Magazine: PESTILENCE have a distinctive technical edge, but it never gets in the way of writing well-rounded songs. How important is this for you?

Patrick: It's very important and I'm not ashamed to say that I'm inspired by pop music in that sense. When you listen to really good pop and dance songs, they always revolve around a central theme and that's exactly why those songs stick in your head all day long. In death metal and metal in general, there's a tendency to put as many tempo changes and guitar riffs within a single composition. It's basically being technical just for the sake of it, instead of actually helping the song along. I use that principle from pop music in my own music as well. I really want people to discover a recognizable theme in my own music within 30 seconds. The guitar riffs I use for each song are fairly technical and intricate, but they never get in the way of a good song. Combine this with a solid groove and you have a high-caliber PESTILENCE track.

Ghost Cult Magazine: Since you brought PESTILENCE back to life again, a lot of different musicians came and went. To which extent is this a deliberate policy?

Patrick: I really like to work with new people when I start on a new PESTILENCE record. It keeps me sharp and it also opens doors to new possibilities. It also prevents the band from stagnating. When I would play the same old songs with the same old lineup again, I'd become a caricature of myself. I like to have new people around me, because that stimulates my own creativity. The combination of Georg Maier's and Dave Haley's musical prowess within the PESTILENCE musical context just creates such a surge of creative power, it's almost terrifying. If I can keep the current lineup intact for the next PESTILENCE album, that would be great. However, in practice, people come and go, really.

Read the entire interview at Ghost Cult Magazine.