Interview with Barrett of Sevared Records!

We finally got the opportunity to talk with US brutal genius Barrett Amiss II of Sevared Records in regards to a number of various wonderments we had. Sevared looks to be busy as hell this year, so we get the news straight from the man himself's mouth! Read on...

Hey Barrett! Good to finally get to this interview. Glad you could join us at Slam-Minded to share a few words!
Andy & Nick, I would start by saying, thank you very much for this interview!!!!

First of all, what's your earliest recollection of liking the more brutal side of death metal?
Well, I started on the Misfits, COC, Metallica, and was always looking for something heavier, and asked some people around and they said Sepultura, so I went out and go their albums, then actually on a bus to school in 9th grade, this guy in front of me heard my head phones, and suggested Cannibal Corpse "Eaten back To Life" and he let me borrow it, and from that day on, I was hooked!!!!!

How and why did you start Sevared? How has it changed over the years?
I started Sevared simply for my love of Death Metal!!! Nothing has changed over the years, my reason stays the same, I love Brutal Death Metal!!!!!!

What's the absolute hardest part of keeping Sevared running?
Wow, the hardest part, that's a hard question! There are so many elements to running a label! I would say the hardest part is getting started, and getting your label known in the underground!! Then comes getting bands on your label that people want to hear, then promoting the hell out of them. But I would say the hardest part is picking out of the hundreds of bands, which one to release!!!

What kind of qualities do you look for in brutal death metal that keeps you finding new great bands?
I don't think I really look for the quality that you're thinking of, I like to find the band that (it may sound funny) but that has the most heart, and the guys, that each member of the band actually loves the music, doesn't just play it for whatever reason, they play this style because they love it!! And to me if you don't love Brutal Death Metal, you can tell when you hear the music, whether or not the band are fans or not!!

You've been known lately to do some work with bands who are from places that are kind of out of the ordinary. You're doing Hideous Deformity's new album this year, and they're from Norway. Last year you released one of 2007's best slam releases, Down From The Wound's album, and they are Filipino. Are you inspired to find bands from countries not known for their large brutal scenes?
To start with that I really appreciate you saying that about Down From The Wound, Fucking Incredible band!!!!!! I do like to find bands that are great, that maybe most people wouldn't hear of for whatever reason, and make them known to the Brutal Underground! Hideous Deformity for example, crush the world and I can't exactly remember where I heard them at 1st or how me and Jorgen got to talking, but any one who hears their incredible music will say that H.D. is one of the best bands to emerge in a long time! And coming from Norway, known for black metal, a Brutal Death Metal band really stands out, and when you hear H.D., you'll know what I mean!!But back to your question, I love to discover bands from all over that are fucking sick, that not to many people would or would not know about and make them known!!
As Nick so accurately phrased when sending me some draft questions for this interview: "All I know is that you say it's coming out and 10 dollars later it's in my mailbox." Can you bring to light for us what the actual process of releasing an album is on your label?
Well, you made that question to simple! To answer Nick's question, any album is not really mentioned until it's in the closing stages of being ready to be released, that's why when I say the album will be out soon, you send $10 the day I get the CD, it ships right out to you!! What happens before that, is let's say the band already recorded (to make it simpler) then we need to get a cover, get that made, get the album mastered, and to make a very long story short get it back from the press, and then I send it out to pretty much every country in the world!
Without slighting other bands, can you name some that have been awesome to work with? We know it's like picking between kids in some cases, but...
I don't want to answer that question, I'm honored to have worked with every band that has ever been on Sevared Records!!
Can you tell us about anything else you've got going this year? Any more releases down the pipe?
Damn bro, tons of Brutal releases coming up on Sevared Records, new CD from Corpse Fucking Art, Hideous Deformity, Soaking In Entrails, Human Mastication, Rest In Gore, Blaze Inside, Gortuary, Lacerated Dominion (Demo Series), Gortuary (Demo Series), Viral Load new CD "Decades Of Deepwood Debauchery" CD (w/ James King on Drums (Unmerciful)), Sanatorium, and a fucking sick Ultra Brutal new Death Metal band from Arizona MEATHOOK!! Incredible band, check them out. Also, a ton more Brutal releases coming soon from Sevared Rec.

Will you be at this year's Maryland Deathfest, Central Illinois Metalfest or New England Deathfest? If so, can we hang out with you at either MDF or NEDF? We promise to be cool, but we do regret to inform you that we can't buy you beers...OK I might've just ruined our chances there but...
Yeah bro, I already have tables paid for at the Maryland Death Fest and CIM! Absolutly stop by and hang out!!!! Everybody stop by the Sevared Rec. table and hang out!!

Personally I (Andy) have always wondered why your label is called what it is. Why not "Severed"? Is there some portmanteau or pun I'm not getting here? Please try not to make fun of me too much.
I've always been asked that same question, the name comes from an ancient Chinese ninja art..... No, really back in 1997 I was fed up with the guys in my band, so I decided to start my own band where I played everything myself, and the idea was that I was severed from all band members. Then I had a logo made,and pretty much just kept it after that! And also, that way nobody can take the name!!

Also, I understand you have a goregrind project with a certain Mike who also plays as noise artist ACIN. Anything in the works for Venereal Messiah?
Yeah, our Full Length CD "Decorations Of Decapitation" will be out in May on Imbecil Entertainment from the Ukraine~ Fucking sick Ultra Guttural Death Gore Grind w/ a sense of humor!! Great disc, incredible layout and cover art, the CD compiles everything we've ever recorded with new never before released tracks, and I even play drums on one of the tracks, sick shit bro, I'm proud of it!!

Since you are so interested in the widespread genre of brutal death metal, do you see different countries/regions as having specific "styles" or sounds? There are people who talk about Colombian death metal, for instance. Do you think by doing a US release of Down From The Wound you opened up a greater possibility for more people to consider the Filipino scene an up-and-coming, burgeoning scene?
Absolutely, for me anyway, you can hear a band and pretty much tell which part of the world their from! You mention Down From The Wound, incredible band!!! Yes, I think that will open a lot of peoples eyes to the Filipino Death Metal Scene!! That album is hard to be missed!! Incredible!! I also have coming out in Sept. of this year the debut Full Length CD of Human Mastication on Sevared Records!!

Thanks for the intervew, man. I promise I'll send you money for those 'zines soon. If I don't, I'll buy you beers through someone else or something.
Take care! Andy and Nick, thank you very much for the interview, much appreciated! Everyone be sure to check out HTTP://SEVARED.COM, the cheapest prices in the underground, buy 3 get 1 free, postage paid in the USA!!