DEATHFIST - Too Hot To Burn LP HRR 112, limited to 500 copies, 150 x red/ black blend vinyl, lyric sheet, poster Corinna Becker - vocals Martin Bastian - bass Markus Wichmann - gitarre Jan Luchtenberg - drums -Apotheosis -Deathfist -Slay Her -Hell Is Here -Prey -Too Hot To Burn -Demons -Beast -Killing Time -Ruins -Booze Brigade -World Of Darkness SOLD OUT!

Following their debut 7" EP ”Demons“ from last year, German Thrash maniacs Deathfist have just released theit first album entitled “Too Hot To Burn”. The reactions to the four songs of their debut single were overwhelmingly positive, finds guitarist and mainman Markus Wichmann: “Yeah, everything was good. We did have only very few bad reviews. And even in those bad reviews the writers were always stressing how much time and energy Deathfist had put into the songs. So every fan of the genre would find some positive things in ‘Demons’ – that’s what even the bad reviews said!” According to Markus it was clear that High Roller would be the label to put out their debut album: “Yes, we were 100% sure of that! Originally, we had planned to put out the EP all on our own but then some problems occured in the pressing plant. High Roller Records was helping us out bigtime without any fuss and therefore it was clear to us that we would sign for them for ‘Too Hot To Burn’ also.” This is what Markus has to say about the new record: “The album is called ‘Too Hot To Burn’ and contains twelve tracks. That’s eight brand new songs plus re-recorded versions of the four tracks from our single. Originally, our strategy with this was to fill up the playing time but while we were recording we composed two more songs, so in the end it would not have been neccessary to re-record all four songs from the single. As there is a new drummer on the album and we re-structured the songs we nevertheless decided to include them on the album. We recorded at the Underworld studios in Solingen. The producer was Mersus of Zarathustra and Destroyer666 fame, who is building his own studio at the moment. We really like what he did with Ketzer. He was a good catch as he brought some cool ideas to the table. And in addition to that, he is playing the drums on the vinyl bonus track.” As already mentioned, Deathfist have a new drummer. Tormentor from Desaster has left the band last autumn: “Yes, it was all a bit too much for him. Martin, our new bass player, is still living in Koblenz so he is seeing the Desaster guys here and there. Together with Tormentor he is also playing for the European line up of Metalucifer. Corinna has been knowing them for ages as well.” After the release of the single, live appearances of Deathfist were not that frequent, as Markus puts it: „We played three times live after the release of the single, to be exact. Two times with Tormentor and once with Jan, a helping hand. However, this led to Jan joing Deathfist fulltime. We had more gigs lined up but as Tormentor was leaving, we had to cancel those.” I met the band Deathfist personally at this year’s Headbangers Open Air festival which they attended as fans. Which band did they like best in 2010? “Although they are not your typical H.O.A. band, I liked Grand Magus best this time around. The biggest losers? That must have been us as we were leaving late on the Saturday afternoon as it was starting to rain again. We were fed up with the mud wrestling in 2009. Hmm, we are definitely not getting any younger, are we?” I take it that it is Deathfist’s big aim to play at the Headbangers festival themselves sooner or later? “My biggest aim was to put out an album”, says Markus. “We achieved that so everything else is a bonus. Corinna and Martin are much more keen on playing live but you’re right, appearing at the H.O.A. would be a dream. As it’s not really a Thrash festival as such and we are not a big league band, this might remain a dream though.” Are Corninna’s vocals a big plus for the band? “I think Corinna is being viewed very neutral”, finds Markus. “Some like her way of singing and some don’t. We get more positive feedback though. It’s a good thing that our songs are sounding more original through her voice. We will not centre the marketing around her though, that’s out of the question, we are not a ‘girl band’ by any stretch of the immagination.” Nearly all German Thrash legends have released new albums lately: Kreator, Sodom and Destruction. Markus Wichmann is not really keen: “I can’t take Schmier’s attitude, that’s why I don’t bother with Destruction at all. I did not like Kreator’s last album either, but ‘Violent Revolution’ and ‘Enemy of God’ were really good. The last Sodom album was definitely great! The new recording of ‘The final Sign of Evil’ I have not listened to as yet. ” So is it fair to say that Deathfist are influenced by German Thrash first and foremost? I think of acts such as Exumer, Darkness, Necronomicon, Violent Force and Poison? “I would not put it like that”, finds Markus. “Corinna has not only been influenced by classic German Thrash but also by some US Death Metal acts. And I like Metallica and Slayer more than say Darkness or Holy Moses.” Matthias Mader