"I wanted to bring some Brutality back!" In-Depth Conversation with Matt Sotelo of Decrepit Birth

October 11th, 2018

For the past 17 years, Decrepit Birth has provided nothing but excellent Brutal Death Metal to the masses, ever changing their style while keeping the brutality, adding in an outstanding blend of melody, dissonance, and imagination. I caught up with Matt Sotelo, founder/creator/guitarist of Decrepit Birth, after playing a stellar warm-up show at The Karman Bar in Laguna Niguel, before their Bloodletting North America one day out. We talked about the bands first time headlining a tour in North America, the change in music sound from Diminishing Between Worlds and forward, why the band takes extensive time between each album, Suffocation's influence on the band, and so much more!

(The audio portion of the interview can be found at the bottom of the page)

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Metalchondria: I've seen the band play since 2006, and for me, Decrepit Birth has never had a set this long. Pre-warmup show, before the big tour starting tomorrow, and if I'm not mistaken, this is your first time headlining in North America I believe, right? As a full tour.

Matt Sotelo: As a full tour, you're right. We've done fests, but this is our first headline full tour, I'm excited.

How's that feel? A little nerves, excitement? Something a long time coming.

You know, anytime we take off on a tour, there's always that kind of stuff: Nerves, excitement, exactly what you said. But, I think we're ready! It's been a long time, so why not?

And the tour package as well, you have Arsis, Internal Bleeding, Pyrexia, that's a very, varied, stellar, quality lineup. Did the band have any say at all in that? Was that the tour package presented?

That was just presented to us. And I'll say this too, we're co-headlining with Arsis. So, some of the dates, I think on the East Coast, they'll be headline, we'll be playing before them. And back here, it'll be us on top, and they'll be right below us. That's how it's going to work. Sorry, what was your question about that?

How that came about, the tour.

Oh yeah! My agent just said, "Hey, I got this Bloodlining Tour that we're putting together, and these are the bands that we are featuring." Pyrexia and Internal Bleeding are two bands, and Arsis, but Pyrexia and Internal Bleeding are two bands that go way back for me, you know? I've been into this shit for a while. I was into Sermon of Mockery like it was, it's crazy to be touring with them! And I'm really happy. Internal Bleeding, as well.

Did you know, 10 years ago, Diminishing Between Worlds was released? It's been 10 years.

Is it? Oh shit, yeah! 2008, you're right.

I mention that because, from ...And Time Begins, to Diminishing Between Worlds, I can't remember seeing such a change in sound, musician quality, evolving into this whole kind of concept. I hear (Chuck) Schuldiner in those parts, and was a very important album. I think, one of the most important albums for the band's career, taking the music into a different light. Tell me the process going from a very Brutal Death Metal sound in ...And Time Begins, to this whole eclectic sound in Diminishing Between Worlds?

Well, I'll start off first by saying that, Diminishing Between Worlds, a lot of musicians and bands will say, "Oh, our newest album is our favorite album." But for whatever reason, my favorite album is "Diminishing", from us. It's not like I'm trying to recreate it or anything, I just love what it is, I don't need to re-record it or do anything like that, it's fine the way it is, and I love it! And it's one of those albums for me, I just like to listen to it, you know? It's what I want to hear, I wrote it, and the evolution from ...And Time Begins to that album, yeah, you're right. I always wanted to put that Death sound into the music, but when we did ...And Time Begins, a lot of those riffs are back from when I was like a 17 year old kid in high school, you know? And so, I just had all these songs and all this stuff, and then we got Derek Boyer, we were in a band called Deprecated, together. And we decided to do Decrepit Birth, we we wanted brutal! Then he left the band, and things changed, and I said, "You know what? I'm going to do what I always wanted to do: Add melodic guitar solos, and have some theory in the music, not just all chromatic Brutal Death Metal riffs." you know? We actually have some “musicalness” to Diminishing Between Worlds, where ...And Time Begins was just (clapping hands) over and over in your face, you know what I mean?

I think a lot of people, in a good way, said it was a very big homage to Suffocation, but personally, I like the band from "Diminishing" to now. That's the sound I believe you've always wanted, you can tell.

Yeah, see that's the thing. Now, it's cool, I can still go back and play some of that ...And Time Begins stuff, that is kind of Suffocation influenced. A lot of the brutal stuff, Disgorge and all those bands, mix it more with what we're doing kind of on "Diminishing." I can just, I don't say that we have one style of Death Metal, we're not Tech Death, we're not old school Death Metal, we just do it all. I don't want to just box myself, and so many bands with all due respect, they just want to be this, we're a Tech Death only band, we're only playing Technical Death Metal, I don't want to only play Technical Death Metal, I want to play all kinds of shit, and put it all in the pot! So that's where we're at, and that's kind of it's evolving to for the next album.

Speaking of not boxing in, Axis Mundi, it's been already a year and couple months since it came out, and I believe with the albums there are these themes. With a lot of the intros, the musical instrumentals like "Embryogenesis" at the end and everything, there's this, end of post apocalyptic feel, with the way the transitions move and just continue to be darker with still having that melody. It was also about seven years from Polarity, to this, what changed in terms of the previous album to this new one, and talk about the process from there?

Well first of all, just so you know, we got signed to Nuclear Blast and they wanted us to do an album quick, so they wanted Polarity. We had it, they wanted it, and they were like, "Get it together, as soon as you can." I would like to say that, the music on Polarity was a tad bit rushed, and when I listen to Polarity, I would I could have gone back and added more. But that's where it changed in the new album, Axis Mundi, I had seven years, you know? I could do whatever the hell I want, really. And Nuclear Blast gave us the time, they didn't rush us on that one. I asked for the time and they said, "Go ahead! We know you have a family life, we know you have a lot of things going on, so do what you got to do." I did it, and it took seven years.

And to me, the evolution from Polarity to Axis Mundi, is just, I'm going to say, I was more angry. I had some anger going on, and I was just mad a lot of things in my personal life, and just looking around at things, and I wanted to bring some brutality back, you know? It's just what came out of me, so that's Axis Mundi. It still got some of the melody, still got a lot of that, but there's some anger in there, you know? Like you said, that apocalyptic kind of doomy end of the world kind of thing, definitely, definitely.

Speaking about between albums, it's kind of like again, everyone has their good stereotypes and bad stereotypes in a band. And with Decrepit Birth, people love you but it's like, "Their albums are every seven years, the next album's going to be every other 10 years." We all know there seems to be a good amount of time between albums. Is that coincidental, or things going on? Is that how the bands like to do things, or in the future would you like to get a more normal, maybe every two years, or something like that?

See, I don't take this as serious maybe, as some maybe younger up and coming musicians. I've been doing this long enough to know that this is not my job. This is for fun, and I do make money, so I'm going to do it on my schedule, and do it when I'm kind of ready to go out and tour. We're not one of these bands that's like, "We released an album, now it's tour cycle time!" I just say whenever a good tour comes along, if we're ready and it's a good time, we'll take it. If we're ready with the music and everything is lined up, and the stars are okay with us, then we'll go ahead and write and record a new album. I'm feeling very inspired right now, and my plan is to finish this tour, and go back home and write the new album. I have so many ideas right now, so I want to go do that. And I don't have a schedule, no. There's no schedule, it's just whatever whatever, this is for the love of music, not for the money, not for the business. I taken myself out of that (laughs), I'm 41 years old, I don't make money really playing Death Metal, I have enjoyment from playing Death Metal. Therefore, I'm not going to push myself into, "I have to do this, I have to do that!" I'm just going to do it my way, and that's where we're at. And I think Bill (Robinson, vocalist) totally agrees with me on that.

I get that. And also too with the songwriting, do you write 90% of everything? How is the songwriting process go, in terms of what you write, and what the other band members contribute?

Riff wise, I'm probably about 100% of the riffs, especially on Axis Mundi and Polarity, were definitely mine. But like, "Samus" (Sam Paulicelli) our drummer, who is not on this tour, he's very good at arranging music and composing, so he takes some of my ideas and my riffs, and he would compose them into what they became on Axis Mundi. It's something that, my writing style more kind of crazy, where he's a little more controlled and looks at it more like a formula, and I like that. So I said go ahead, take my riffs and do what you want to formula wise. So that's what he brought to the table, and I love writing that way, it's great!

Does he actually change the riffs? Or takes the riffs with the drumming?

So we have pre-production stuff, and I will send him my ideas. I'll be like, "Check out what I've got." And he'll take it, and sometimes he'll break the riffs up and make it half the amount of times, or maybe instead of us playing it one measure, he'll make it half a measure, or something like that, just a little piece of the riff. It's cool what he does with it, he turns what my song is into something different, and I'm like wow, it's my stuff, but you turned it into something else, and yeah. And then sometimes he'll send it back to me, and then I'll do my thing, maybe change a riff here and there, and then he'll approve it, that's what we do. If we get really wild, once we're recording, we even sometimes change stuff there. It's always evolving up to the moment that we're mastering, it's like that.

With Bill, is he just in charge of vocals and lyrics and everything like that? Is that where he pretty much masters at?

Yeah yeah, you know, he's getting really good and really smart though, with the music side of stuff lately. He points to little things out to me, and when I'm writing he'll be like, "I like that, but wouldn't it be better if we tried this, or I hear something different." I'm like you know what, I hear what you're saying. Not that he's like, we can't necessary let him write riffs, he's not writing the music, but he'll just give his two cents, you know? And I take that into consideration, for sure.

Also, given this show, and all the years I think everyone has seen the band, there's this very passionate following that people love about the band. It's brutal, extreme, melodic, you name it, but people really connect. It shows when Bill sings and when he gets involved with the crowd, you can tell. What do you believe is that passion that people really feel strongly towards Decrepit Birth?

I just think that they know, that we're just real people. We're not fucking rock stars, I don't mind if there's fucking five people on the floor, or if there's fucking 5,000 people at a fest, you know? We're going to give it our all no matter what, and it doesn't matter. I just want to put smiles on people's faces, and I think they understand that, and so does Bill. You know, not everybody, I understand that there's people out there that are like, "Fuck those guys! I just don't like that band, for whatever reason." And that's okay! I'm not hurt by that, I understand, because the people that do like us, and do appreciate what we do, it makes me feel good. It's great to be able to do this, and if I wasn't having a good time, if for some reason I felt bad about shit, I would not do it. But right now, I love doing this, so I'm going to keep doing it. That's because really, these fans, I don't care as I said, if there's 10 - 15 people. The smiles on their faces, makes me smile and makes me go, "I'm going to continue to do it." So that's why I do it.

The band started in 2001 with you and Bill, and that's 17 years, a long time away, you know? In terms of reflection, of all the things you've seen, been around all those bands, the legendary bands as well, what can you reflect on what it was like when you first Decrepit Birth with Bill by your side? And what you saw back then, if you kept any of those same visions now, or if you completely turned around, in any way since?

Well the crazy thing is, we've actually been Decrepit Birth since 1995. We were the same logo, we were jamming in a studio in Santa Cruz, and we had a completely different drummer. We had songs that were similar to the songs on ...And Time Begins, but they were like the old versions of them. We've been playing music together since 1995, 1996, so it's been a long time. Overall, I feel so lucky to be able to do this stuff, and feel happy, I don't know. I have a chance to play music, and that people can come see us, that we've been doing it for such a long time. Even though we weren't playing, we were just playing local shows back in the 90's, but I was a 17 year old kid, and now I'm 41 years old, you know? I don't have some huge career like Slayer or something, but that's okay, I don't need that. I am content where we are, and we're all happy, you know? We're all friends, and it works great.

After this tour coming up, you said that you want to go on a schedule that works for you, no rush or anything, but after this tour and 2019 is coming right up, what would the band like to do? Are there any other offers for any other kinds of tours, or just waiting for something that comes along?

There's talk about maybe going to Europe, so maybe Europe next year? We'll just have to see, because I really want to stick to working on the new album, I'm really excited to get all my ideas out. But, if something came along like a good European tour, I would probably entertain that. And maybe something in Summer here, in the United States, next year. It's good to get out at least once, you know? Even if we're just focusing on the record, to just stop that for a minute and just go out, play some fests or mini-tours or something. So look forward to something in 2019, I don't know what yet.

In terms of music, will there be any music release in 2019?

I'm going to say not, because I'm going to be busy writing it, and probably if it all goes well, maybe record late 2019, yeah probably record at the end of the year, if all goes well.

A little trip down memory lane, because I was there. The first time I saw you guys, February 19th, 2006, Key Club, Suffocation's longest set they ever played. I found out that they were supposed to play with Cryptopsy a few months before at the Key Club, but Toni Braxton wanted to play that show, and they would make so much money off her, they just paid Suffocation their entire pay, and would make triple, quadruple with Toni Braxton, and they came back. That's still the greatest show of my life, the first time I also seen Decrepit Birth.

I ask this question because in about a couple of days, Suffocation is going to be touring and it'll be Frank Mullen's last tour with the band. They're my favorite live band, one of my favorite bands ever. It's sad for the community and everything that they've done. Tell me, about that show, whatever you remember about it, what it was like for you? There's still footage on YouTube of the band playing "The Infestation", in that show. Tell me about that show particularly, and your name of the band is from "Breeding the Spawn", I would think?

Well, unintentionally, Bill came up with the name. And so, I don't think he lifted from them (laughs). He says he didn't, so I don't know. As to that show, yeah, that show definitely was groundbreaking for us. I knew it was some sort of makeup show or something like that, I really didn't know what the deal was, but anyway, they wanted us to play it, you know? "We want Decrepit to come and play that show." Wasn't Abysmal Dawn on it?

They opened, yeah.

So anyway, it was that. My wife was pregnant at the time, it was such a good show. My wife was about ready to have my daughter, and we were playing this amazing show with my favorite band. We were young, as far as, we really didn't perform like we do now. We were like, "(Meekly) Hey guys..." (Laughs), just go out and do our thing. But we had a great time, and to watch them, I think they played like a fucking...

Over two hours, from newest to oldest, at the time Souls to Deny. They took a break halfway in, and the last set was from Breeding the Spawn and "Effigy" songs.

Yeah, that was so awesome! And then after that, we all went back to the hotel and partied so hard. Hung out with Terrence (Hobbs, guitarist of Suffocation), and me and Derek are good friends. I mean, that was a great show!

Asides that though, again about the band itself, I know they're a very big influence for you and for everyone else. Tell me about the first time you heard Effigy of the Forgotten, or your favorite memory as a fan?

Absolutely. For Death Metal, I have two favorite Death Metal bands, Suffocation and Death are those bands. So, the first time I ever heard Suffocation, I was hanging out with a friend, in maybe '93, '92, something like that. I heard other Death Metal bands, I just haven't heard Suffocation yet. My buddy puts on Effigy of the Forgotten and I was like, "Oh my god!" It just slapped me so hard. We listened to the whole tape, both sides, and I was like, "Fucking put that shit in again! (laughs)" We just kept listening to it and smoking weed. I was in high school, and I just wanted to listen to it over and over. I remembering borrowing that tape from him, not giving it back to my buddy for like fucking two months. All I did was play that tape over and over. I saw them on the Pierced from Within tour, and that was the first time I saw them, and fuck! It was so good! When I watched that, it was one of the times that I realized, "I think that this is what I want to do with my life." Watching Suffocation, at that time, was like, "I'm going to change my life, being 17-18 years old, that's what I want to do." That was the influence that they did to me, thanks to them.

And in honor of Frank, for his last touring with the band, anything you can remember of an interaction with him at all?

(Laughs) I remember a lot of shit with Frank, right? (Bill Robinson passing by). Yeah, Frank the Tank!

Bill Robinson: Fucking A.

(Laughs) I'm not going to go into it. Let's just say, we've toured with Suffocation quite a few times, and when Frank was in the band and (Mike, first drummer of Suffocation) Smith was in the band. Man, fuck, touring with legends, and I had the biggest smile on my face, the whole tour! And that motherfucker, Frank Mullen, here's one I'll give you real quick. We played in Vegas, I can't remember what venue, one of the casinos. We get playing, and I walk into the casino, I hope this is okay to say (laughs). He's gambling, whatever he was doing, he had the biggest smile, he was partying, the life of the table, whatever he was doing. And I was like, "That's a happy man right there. That's a fucking happy guy." And he just was, he was having a good time. I don't know why that sticks out in my head.

Tomorrow starts your whole month long tour, first headlining tour in the US for Decrepit Birth, anything you like for everyone starting tomorrow in San Diego, and for the rest of it? Anything you like to share and say to the fans, for this really great month coming up?

Please come out, bring your friends, bring your kids, bring you parents, bring everybody! I don't know, it'll be a good time, we'll fucking hang out, and if you smoke weed, bring that too. We'll smoke your weed (laughs).