Misery Index – Death metal binds us

With their third full length Traitors Misery Index manages again to blend death metal and grindcore with hardcore punk without making it sound like an arranged marriage. I asked bassist/vocalist Jason Netherton some questions about the band and the new album.

Hi Jason, Traitors kicks ass! The album has a real nice flow to it. I really like the instrumental opening track We Never Come In Peace. It’s so inciting and it perfectly sets the mood of what is to come.
‘Thanks, we were initially going to have this intro to be the intro to Theocracy alone, but it actually got bumped up to album introduction. So we had a bigger plan in mind at that point I suppose…but anyway, thanks for the comments.’

What made you decide to record Traitors with Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou? Cause if I remember well, you were not that happy with the way Discordia sounded…
‘Due to line up changes in 2005, we were relatively a new band at that point, so the recoding of Discordia ended up being a bit rushed. We made sure that we would take things a lot more carefully with Traitors. Because we did hundreds of shows together, we were just way more prepared going into the writing process. We decided to record the album with Kurt after hearing the last Animosity album he did. At that point we knew he could do death metal. Especially his drums production was top notch – organic. Real drums recorded properly with great microphones in a nice room.’

Traitors sounds alive and breathing. I guess that raw vibe was intentional. Did you do that to show that there’s a real band playing? A lot of modern albums sound too polished and perfect.
’Yes, it was. Coming back to Kurt, we knew he is specialized in such a sound approach. We are very into natural, organic productions, so we tried to copy our live sound as good as possible. Enough clarity to distinguish the instruments, and keeping it heavy at the same time.’

I saw a studio report on your website. During the recording of your vocals you suddenly stepped out of the recording room, threw your cap on the floor and started to swear with countless fucks. What happened?
‘That was a joke, the whole YouTube clip is a joke referring to different movies. The scene at the piano is obviously from Spinal Tap. And that scene with the “Fuuuuuccck” and the anger is from Lars’ rant in the studio in the documentary Some Kind Of Monster.’

Tomas ‘At The Gates/Disfear’ Lindberg’s characteristic vocals on Ruling Class Cancelled really give the song something extra. Whose idea was it to ask him?
‘Well we knew Tomas from a tour we did in 2006 with Disfear, and we heard they were coming into the area again for a US tour back in May. So when he stopped by at the studio, it was only a natural move to ask the man to lend his tortured lungs to the cause of making our album even better…and he graciously accepted and did an amazing job.’

Who are your favourite vocalists and why?
‘That goes back to my youth of course. The vocalists that inspired me to sing death metal are still my favourites. I am more into the mid-range styles that pronounce the lyrics and still sound vicious and pissed off. I guess my all time favourite is Martin Van Drunen (Pestilence, Asphyx, Hail Of Bullets). He just has a sound that is so unique and he sounds like he is dying when he sings. It’s timeless! He is the Frank Sinatra of death metal! I’m also very much into Karl Willets (Bolt Thrower), Luc Lemay (Gorguts) and Dave Vincent (Morbid Angel).’

Misery Index does not seem to care about musical labels. The way you mix death metal and grindcore with hardcore punk sounds really natural and it never sounds forced. You guys must have an open mind when it comes to writing music.
‘We are first and foremost into death metal, which is the link that binds us all. I also like punk and crust a lot and Adam and Sparky are into Neurosis and Mastodon. Mark is into Old Mans Child and Emperor, so he brings in the melody and chords that complement what we do extensively.’

How does a Misery Index song come together? Something tells me you jam in a rehearsal room instead of sending each other mp3 files…
‘When we tour we have a laptop for riff cataloguing. So we can work on it when we are home. There we have a rehearsal room where we meet to work out songs with Adam, our drummer. And then when we get something down one on one with him, we bring the skeleton song to the full band for criticism and refinement.’

To me Traitors is your darkest sounding album. The atmosphere reminds me of His Hero Is Gone and Tragedy.
‘Hmm perhaps cause Mr. Burdette (His Hero Is Gone and Tragedy) and the boys in both his bands have been a huge influence on us all!’

I don’t have a lyric sheet with my promo copy. But when I look at the song titles, it seems that you have a lot to say. Can you tell more about the lyrics? What inspired you?
‘Primarily, everyday events and life experiences. We feel that there is enough in every day life to get angry with, like the hypocrisies and injustices in the real world. And it’s more meaningful and sincere when we are screaming and vomiting out the lyrics on tour every night. Above all, its not just “politics,” it’s a critical response to the everyday violence, oppression and misanthropy that is thrown at us.’

What represents the album cover?
‘It portrays the obvious “traitor” in the center. He is hooded, representing all the so-called “traitors” that speak out in opposition to the dominant stance of right-wing America that supports the War On Terror. An unending, permanent war on anyone who defies the American/Western logic of unbridled free-market hyper-capitalism and its military enforcers around the world. So we have the primary proponents of this worldview on the right and left of the Traitor, the church and its theocratic ambitions, and the corporate world and its political representatives’.

Can you mention five albums that are very important to you personally?
‘Here are the five, just off the top of my head. The music and lyrics are perfect for me from start to finish. Its very hard, ‘cause I probably have like a top 25.
1. Tragedy- Tragedy
2. Queensryche- Operation Mindcrime
3. Iron Maiden – Somewhere In Time
4. Napalm Death – Harmony Corruption
5. Holy Terror – Mind Wars’

Misery Index is also known for split releases. Do you have any split CD release planned?
‘I think the next one on the list is with our fellow Relapse brothers Agenda Of Swine.’

Some years ago you self-released a very cool Misery Index DVD. Can we expect another one soon?
‘We have hours and hours of footage from numerous tours so we hope to get something together that will be of interest to us and our friends in the next year or two, hopefully.’

The band tours a lot. Don’t you have day jobs or are your bosses big Misery Index fans?
‘Actually we all work at night when we are home…I work for a book company and the other three guys work at nightclubs.

What’s the most impressive thing that ever happened on a Misery Index tour?
‘Um, well I tell this one often, so here it goes again… The worst in recent memory was a 15 hour drive across the Ukraine. We were continually stopped by police officers who would see our out-of-country license plates, and seek to bribe us. We were pulled over about 10 times and it got ridiculous, our Czech driver eventually would just speak some bad Russian to them and wait until he walked away. This on top of the heavily damaged Ukrainian highways led to us missing the show in Kiev by some five hours. We drove all that way, only to sit in the promoters apartment and eat salted fish and drink vodka, while watching an Isis DVD.’

I heard something about a European tour with Hate Eternal?
‘That’s right! It will be in Januari and February together with Hate Eternal, Aeon and See You Next Tuesday. We can’t wait, so come on out and rock out!’

Last remark?
‘Have a good time…all the time.’

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