Note: this interview was done in 2021
“Sometimes they come back” — it’s not just a classic horror movie but also a classic of the music industry. Bands that were dead for ages get back together. Some of these reunions become successful, and bands release new albums and tour regularly. In other cases the old problems (personal clashes, music differences etc.) show up very soon. American thrashers EvilDead make the second attempt to come back. This time for real, and the album “United States of Anarchy” proves it. Rob Alaniz (drums), Karlos Medina (bass) and Robert Rangel (lyrics) explain what made the band rise from the dead once again.
Rob, you mentioned that Mel Sanchez didn't want to work with you in 2011-2012. What exactly caused bad blood between you and him? Was it the main reason which led to break-up in 2012?
Rob: Mel decided that he would "never play with Rob on stage ever again" after my other band with Steve Gaines Anger As Art was placed on one of the local shows supporting Onslaught and Mpire of Evil. His resentment only caused a rift between the band when he stopped communicating. Good fucking riddance! We have never been better! Evildead is a REAL band now.
How did the second reunion happen actually?
Rob: I contacted Albert then Juan and Karlos. We then got hold of Phil to see if they'd be interested in playing a secret set of tunes at my 50th birthday party. Everything went so well that we decided then to regroup and commence working on a follow-up to “Annihilation Of Civilization”. Initially just demoing material with Bill Metoyer. This was in 2016.
Karlos: Rob called me to ask if I wanted to play a few songs with EvilDead at his birthday party. Of course I agreed, especially for Rob's 50th birthday. I was excited.
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| Karlos Medina |
Karlos: In the fall of 2007, I ended up in the emergency room with a dangerous heart rhythm. I wasn't taking good care of my health, I wasn't sleeping or eating right, and I was working double shifts to make money to cover bills for the upcoming Agent Steel tour. I found myself in the hospital making a desicion to change my ways and take my health issues more serious. I called Juan Garcia from the E.R. as they were about to cardiovert my heart and let him know that I needed a break and that I won't be doing the tour. I chose to get myself in better condition. I was converted that day to a normal sinus rhythm, and over the next few months had 2 surgeries to correct my sleep apnea, which was linked to atrial fib, along with quitting those energy drinks, which didn't help, and started a better diet and exercise regiment. I kept my bass chops up by playing with the Cypress Hill band for a bit and jammed a side project with a thrash super group that includes members of Hirax, Ruthless and Dark Angel.
Karlos and Phil Flores weren't a part of the band in 2011, when the band tried to reunite for the first time. Were they even asked to join?
Rob: No they were not asked because of Mel. He was the only person that ever had a problem with Phil. Karl was brought in after Mel stopped communication.
Karlos: I was in a different place in life, but glad to see Mel Sanchez in Evildead again. Him being an important part of the band, I went to see Evildead play, being glad they was a good following.
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| Rob Alaniz |
Rob: We decided to start demoing material that Albert and I had worked on since 1990 when he was fired from EvilDead and I quit. The decision to demo these songs was obvious. We had rehearsed and mapped out at least 6 new songs from that time period. All that was left was to demo and send to potential labels.
Karlos: I cannot remember the date, but it was shortly after our 1st show in 2016. That club was packed and over sold, there was a line around the corner and I was told they turned away over 70 people. That's when I knew we had something great here, and we spoke about what each one of us wanted to do about it. I wanted to make a 3rd album to complete the EvilDead Trilogy of music.
How did the deal with SPV came about? Did you talk to other labels?
Rob: Karlos reached out to SPV first, Juan also sent demo links to a few other labels. In the end we decided to go with SPV as they had a history with the band.
Karlos: Juan and I worked our connections, and I kept in contact with SPV so I kept them in the loop with every show and demos. The rest just fell into place. There were other labels, some with deals and others with serious interest. But SPV wanted to make a home for EvilDead and they have always been amazing, as we had a previous working relationship.
I guess that the lockdown affected the recording process. How did you manage to finish the recording?
Rob: Actually all the basic tracking was done way before March when the pandemic hit. They only thing left was mixing and final touches between weeks of the pandemic shutdowns.
Karlos: I did my bass tracks in the winter before the lockdown, but Juan can tell you that it was very challenging during the lockdown and mixing process was incredibly tough.
Why did you decide to work with Bill Metoyer? Did you want to achieve some certain type of sound?
Rob: Bill was the obvious choice for us. He is a legend in the arena of Metal and judging by the demos, had a "no nonsense" approach to tracking and mixing. Besides that most of these songs were mapped out and finalized way before we started so we knew exactly what we needed to do.
Karlos: Bill Metroyer was always on my radar and we were lucky to have him. He did an incredible job on our last Agent Steel “Alienigma” release and I wanted to capture that old school EvilDead sound.
Robert Rangel wrote the lyrics and the melodies to "Greenhouse", "No Difference" and "Without A Cause" in the 90's. Does it mean that the music to these songs was also written back then? Or did you write the music recently around Robert's ideas?
Rob: Bob did the initial 6 songs way back in 1990 with us. So those songs and melodies were intact. The newest songs from the batch that ended up on “The United States Of Anarchy”, namely; “Napoleon Complex”, “Blasphemy Divine” and ”Word Of God” were written by Albert and I with Bob supplying lyrics and melodies.
Robert, could you tell me how did you start working with EvilDead as a lyricist?
Robert: Yeah I used to be Rob's drum roadie, so I was always around the band , at practice and stuff, when they were writing music. And they had a song they had been working on and I kept saying "Is that new song done yet?" Cuz it was a really good song and I wanted to hear them play it live But they hadn't written words and melodies yet. So I said jokingly "Let me write them!!" And they said "Okay go for it" So I did. And that was the song"Annihilation of Civilization". I was surprised that I was able to write a whole song and even more surprised that they liked them!! So since then I've been writing a lot for them.
You mentioned that the lyrics and melodies for "Greenhouse", "No Difference" and "Without a Cause" were written in the 90's. Does it mean that the songs also were completed back then?
Robert: Yeah man. "Greenhouse" is the oldest. That one was from 1988. That was actually like a part 2 to "Annihilation" like the continuation of that song. And then the other 2 were written in 1989 and 1990. Music and lyrics.
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| Robert Rangel playing bass with his band Frozen Charlottes |
Robert: Yes for sure. There were a couple of things, there was a massive oil spill off the coast of Alaska In the 1980's, I don't remember exactly when. And then the nuclear accident at Chernobyl. And also when I was a teenager, in Los Angeles, there used to be so much smog over downtown always. It was insane. I remember the first time I heard the phrase "Acid Rain" it sounded fake. Like from a science fiction movie, but it was a real thing!! Growing up around that kind of stuff, it's like, you would have to be blind and ignorant not to see it and be fearful, and think about what the future might hold. It's amazing that humanity has had such a negative impact on this beautiful planet that we exist on. There have been some improvements since that time, but there is still so much danger and so much more that can be done.
Could you comment on the meaning of "No Difference" and "Without a Cause": what are they about?
Robert: Those 2 songs come from me, just sitting in front of the TV or reading news reports and seeing stupid people saying stupid things! I am sure most everyone has had those moments. I had one the other day I was watching the last Presidential Debate and my friend was just telling and throwing stuff at the TV. Hahaha I mean you see so many frustrating things and sometimes all you can do is scream. Both those songs are basically a celebration of apathy. Just being dumbfounded by the things people say and do sometimes. "Without A Cause" in particular is told from my point of view as a citizen of the United States but I think the frustration is universal and can be understood by people from any country.
How did you get this idea to write lyrics on behalf of God in "Word of God"? Is it a message to all humans or did you mean only certain groups of people?
Robert: Well, I went to Catholic School from Kindergarten all the way thru High School so I'm used to hearing "God said this" and "God said that" and all these teachers and preachers and priests and witches just quoting God all the time. I thought that maybe God might be a little disgusted by all that. Maybe he or she might be a little pissed off!! I had always had this idea of writing a story or something from the point of view of God. I thought it could be quite interesting. When I heard the riffs for that song I just thought they were so Brutal, So heavy, I thought that would be the perfect song to do that with. When I came up with the first line "Wipe that stupid shame off your guilty face, The things you do and say in my name are such disgrace..." I was just off and running!! And I'm most familiar with the Catholic religion so it's mostly that God that I'm speaking for, but once again, it could apply to any deity. Take your pick!! And it's directed at anyone who twists and perverts the idea of a God to serve their demented agendas.
The title "Napoleon Complex" speaks for itself but again what or who influenced you to write the lyrics?
Robert: That song is about 2 people in particular. Kim Jong Un, the insane dictator who leads North Korea and Donald J Trump, the insane wannabe dictator who rules America for now. Hopefully not much longer.
"Blasphemy Divine" is about molestation of the altar boys, isn't it? How did you come up with this one? Which version do you prefer — original from 2011 or the new one?
Robert: Very good. That is exactly what it is about. Just the hypocrisy. I mean it is straight EVIL in human form. These fucking perverts who do it, and then the upper crust leaders who help cover it up. I have seen so many documentaries and read interviews with the victims. It's beyond frustrating. As you can tell I have a big problem with Organized Religion. Haha that's quite obvious. Oh and I like both versions of the song. The new one, the one on the album is pretty Fucking intense. It came out really good.
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| Phil Flores |
Robert: Phil is Awesome. I love his voice. He has such a clear, aggressive Punk Rock style. Whenever I write stuff I can't wait to hear him sing it. There has never been any problem or issue with anything. Haha but I do remember him telling me that "Greenhouse" is a bitch to sing though. Cuz there are so many words and they just come at you so fast. There's no breaks to breathe!! Hahaha he said he always wants them to play it early in the live set, before he gets too tired. Hahaha their shows are quite a workout!!
Could you tell me which songs were written by Juan and which were written by Albert?
Rob: All songs were written by Albert and I except "Seed Of Doubt" which was a collaboration with Karlos. Lyrics by Phil included this and "The Descending", but that music was written by Albert and I. Juan added themes and solos throughout.
Karlos: I enjoy writing bass lines to songs that are completed. I get to hear what I want to play and just let it go with the bass tracks. “Seed of Doubt” was a track I started and the guys came in and blended their input to make it magical.
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| Albert Gonzales |
"No Difference" starts with a jazzy tune. How did you get this idea?
Rob: This was on the 1990 demo as well. It was basically a nod to some of Albert's favorite jazz guitarists like Wes Montgomery and Joe Pass. We had planned to name that section of the song "Wes Pass", but in the end it became just part of "No Difference".
The title "United States of Anarchy" describes the situation in America perfectly. How did you come up with the title? Did you have it before the riots? Can you recall any other titles which you considered for the album?
Rob: The title came from a lyric in the song "Without A Cause". (The United States of Anarchy, will suffocate in apathy...) And no it was not related to the riots. It was merely a sick coincidence. We based it on the 70's film "Soilent Green". We did toy with the idea to call it "Rise of Evil" but decided it was too common. The "USoA" worked much better with the cover accidentally and was shockingly precise.
Karlos: Living in Los Angeles, we are proned to live through riots. We have quite a history from the 1965 Watts riots, the 1992 L.A. riots, and all the recent turmoil against police brutality, it's been almost impossible to avoid it, so it's part of the fabric of our society.
"The Descending" has the line "Every 4 years / Rise of Evil". Are you trying to say that there is no difference who rules the country — Trump, Biden, Obama, Bush Jr. or whoever — they all are evil to the society?
Rob: Bascially, yes. It seems ALL politicians are evil and crooked in their own ways. And the act of electing president happens every 4 years....
Could you also comment on the meaning of the songs "A.O.P./War Dance" and "Seed of Doubt"?
Rob: Both these lyrics were written by Phil and are clearly about the current political climate in the US. AOP stands for "Abuse Of Power". The lyrics are pretty self explanatory. They're both a chronicle of the current situation.
Why did you decide to re-record "Blasphemy Divine"?
Rob: We had to since the original version was written while Steve Nelson was on vocals. There was an idea to use Steve on the album version as well as Phil but conflicting schedules prevented that. In the end I think it's definitely one of Phil's best performances on the album.
The B'52s' "Planet Claire" is such a weird song to cover. How did you get an idea to record it? I know the label asked you for a bonus track but why did you pick this song especially?
Rob: We had planned on recording “Planet Claire” in 1988 for inclusion on AOC, but never got around to it. I'm glad we waited as we are much better musicians at this point and are very proud of the end result. The idea to include it on the vinyl and streaming and not cd version was SPV's. I'm not sure it fits with the flow of the originals, so I'm glad it was excluded.
Rob: Yes, that was a definite plan to go old school and use Ed Repka and subsequently bring back Evil Fred as out resident mascot. Strangely enough, Repka painted the cover weeks BEFORE the title was revealed. Incredible coinicidence.
Could you tell me a bit about Evil Fred? Who created him and what kind of a character he is?
Rob: He was "created" by me back in the demo days. I was and still am a fan of Robert Crumb and the Weirdo comics. All I did was cut an paste some of his old artworks and voila, Evil Fred was born. Repka then took it and created a monster! Fred's just an old zombie/menace. Always causing problems wherever he turns up.
I guess you are dying to play live again. Have you already talked to some promoters? What countries do you plan to visit once the pandemic is over?
Rob: Yes. We are dying to get back out there and promote the new album! We have signed with a European agency, so there are definite plans to come over as soon as we can. Germany, UK, Netherands, Australia, Japan, we're looking forward to it!!
A bunch of assorted questions. How Bruce Hall is doing these days? He was such a killer singer! Are you in touch with him?
Karlos: Bruce is a happy family man, and his little girls are now teenagers. We send each other holiday greeting cards and stay in touch via social media.
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| The one and only Juan Garcia |
Speaking about the singers (some of you) have worked with, what do you think about John Cyriis' affair with Agent Steel and his "confessions" about the past?
Rob: John was a great singer back in the day, but from all the stories I've heard he is quite a handful. There is NO Agent Steel without Juan Garcia as far as I'm concerned....
How Bernie Versailles is doing these days? Does he feel any better?
Rob: I've heard he is better, but has not been able to play guitar again. I hope he recovers soon as he was incredibly talented.
Karlos: Bernie is always in my heart, he has some health struggles that keeps him at home but he is strong and well cared for by his close family. But he has an amazing spirit and I commend him for his influence on making me a better bass player.
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