The Crimson Ghosts from Germany are one of the best European horror punk bands out there. When I first heard their songs, I became a die hard fan and I was very happy that there are bands like this one out there that share the vision and the melody and gore. I had an honour talking with them for my webzine. Enjoy!

SO IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE YOUR LAST ALBUM. WHAT IS NEW AMONG THE CRIMSON GHOSTS?

Jackal: Yes our last album “Generation Gore” was released in 2010 and we only released a 7″ split EP called “Bloodgods” in 2012 after that. We had to struggle with a lot of things since then. First i got sick and wasn´t able to write new songs for a longer time and as soon as we had enough songs for a new album our drummer Rev. had first problems with his right hand. We even started recording but had to stop because his hand got worse and worse. Basically our fifth album is ready to be recorded since the end of 2014.

Monstro: We´re burning for 2017! The new record, the gigs, making new friends and fans!

YOU ARE ONE OF THE FEW BANDS THAT THE VOCALS SOUND THE SAME ON THE RECORDS AND LIVE, HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR VOCALS SO SUPERB WHEN TOURING? ANY SECRET RECIPE?

Jackal: The main key is to sleep a lot and to not talk loud for hours after the show. I heard not drinking alcohol helps as well but…that´s not really my way haha

Monstro: My job is doing the backing growls! So I have to talk a lot and loud before and after the shows. Cold beer is a good recipe as well……for anything!

YOU HAD SOME LINE UP CHANGES RECENTLY I HEARD. WHATS UP WITH THAT?

Jackal: That´s the sad truth, yes. We lost our brother Rev due to a chronical disease he got in his hand which wouldn´t let him play drums anymore. The good news is we found a new demon on drums and that´s his name – Demon.

Monstro: It´s always sad to lose a family member, but it´s in his sense that we go on with the Crimson Ghosts. We are still in touch with him and he helps Demon when it´s necessary.

Demon: Luckily I knew the band from several shows we played together with my old band through the years. I always have been a fan of the band so the music comes kind of natural to me and. Feels great to be a part of the TCG Family now.

YOUVE BEEN GONE FOR SOME TIME, WHEN IS THE NEW ALBUM COMING OUT? WILL IT DIFFER STYLEWISE FROM THE OLDER MATERIAL?
Jackal: We work really hard to release our fifth album in the 2^nd half of 2017. If it comes to style i would say we still don´t limit ourselves to a certain one. Each song differs from the next and it ranges from really dark and doomy atmosphere to great singalong-punkrock tunes. We got raging speed going on as well as mid-tempo grooves…you name it – you never know what songs we will create next.

WHAT IS THE SITUATION WITH TOURS AND GIGS? ANY CHANCE TO SEE YOU ON EUROPEAN TOUR IN THE NEAR FUTURE? 

Jackal: Our live but undead return to the stage will be in february. We confirmed 5 shows so far: 3.2. – Leipzig/ 4Rooms, 4.2. – Lippstadt/ Don Quijote, 10.2. – Hamburg/ Bambi Galore, 17.2. – Cologne/ Sonic Ballroom, 18.2. – Essen/ Cafe Nord……not too bad, right? On top of that we will play a few festivals later that year which we are really looking forward to.

MY FAVOURITE HORROR SUBGRENRES ARE HAMMER HORROR CLASSICS, SLASHER FROM THE GOLDEN ERA AND FOUND FOOTAGE. WHAT ARE YOURS? HOW DO YOU WRITE YOUR LYRICS? WHAT COMES FIRST? RIFFS AND MELODIES OR LYRICS?

Jackal: I really enjoy well made found footage movies. You know if the cam shakes so much you can barely see what happens at all it sucks, but “Cloverfield”, “Rec.” and “Paranormal Activity” are just awesome made films!
The way towards a finished song is never the same. Sometimes i got a few lyrics first sometimes i have only a chorus on guitar and sometimes both pops up at the same time.

Monstro: I like the modern stuff, like the ring or Saw and 28 days later. I am also a big fan of TV-Shows like Dexter, The walking dead and American Horror Story. Fresh blood for rotten brains!

HOW IS THE GERMAN HORRORPUNK SCENE? ANY BANDS THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND BESIDES THE OTHER AND JAMEY ROTTENCORPSE….?
Jackal: Well i don´t know many German bands especially the new ones come and go pretty fast haha…But a few names would be “Hellgreaser”, “Dr. Geek and the freakshow”, “We´rewolf” and “Dead united”.

Monstro: I like The Fright and Angelstrife! Hopefully we´ll meet some new and fresh bands on tour to check them out.

Demon: Of course I can highly recommend my other Band, Hellgreaser. It’s a different style than we play with TCG but it’ s still horrorpunk. It’s more a mid-tempo Punkrock oriented band.

THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, YOU MANAGED SOMEHOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN STYLE AND RISE ABOVE MEDIOCRITY AND BECOME AN EXCELLENT BAND. WHAT WOULD YOU, NOW AS EXPERIENCED MUSICIANS SAY TO ME IF I WERE A KID JUST STARTING MY OWN BAND?

Jackal: Thats easy: Look at your idols but do not copy them. Instead create something you actually miss on your favourite bands.

Monstro: Take your friends, get your stuff together and move into the practice room and have fun! That´s the best way to start a band and have a lot of fun together!

Don´t listen to that bullshit American idol or Superstar-Shows bullshit on TV!

HOW WAS PLAYING WITH BLITZKID? I THINK THEY ARE VERY NICE GUYS. SO DOWN TO EARTH AND SO FRIENDLY. ANY FUNNY STORIES FROM THE TOUR OR THOSE GIGS THAT YOU COULD SHARE?

Jackal: It was great really. A very family-like atmosphere and a great time surely. But it´s a long time ago since we played the last time with them so i cannot really remember any funny stories, sorry.

Monstro: No doubt! Awesome guys and brilliant songwriters and musicians. So sad that they split up!

Demon: When I first met Blitzkid I played with my old Rock´n´Roll band Mad Chapel as their support act. I was blown away by their style and music. This was my first real contact with the horrorpunk genre and it still lasts.

HOW IS LIFE IN GERMANY IN GENERAL? HERE IN CROATIA MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT IT IS PROMISED LAND LAST THREE YEARS NOW WE ARE AN EU MEMBER AND MANY OUR PEOPLE WENT TO WORK THERE. IS IT REALLY PROMISED LAND?

Jackal: Oh well i would say the term “The grass is always greener on the other side” would describe it…i bet you guys have things going on that i would be jealous of and you on the other hand would find German things better compared to yours…but of course both countries are surely fucked up in so many things, right?

Monstro: It´s the promised land if you have the money!

DO YOU THINK THAT HORRORPUNK LOST ITS TOUCH? I MEAN, MANY PEOPLE DONT WANT TO LISTEN TO IT BECAUSE THEY SAY THAT ALL HORRORPUNK BANDS ARE MISFITS CLONES.
Jackal: You know there seem to be three kind of people: 1) The ones that hate a horrorpunk band because they do NOT sound like the Misfits 2) The ones that hate a horrorpunk band because they DO sound like the misfits 3) The ones that don´t give a fuck as long as it sounds good. Me personally i don´t care about this opinions anymore. I write songs the way i like and if they are influenced by the Misfits – so be it. In the end the Misfits were the reason The Crimson Ghosts were started in the first place.

Demon: For me horrorpunk will never lose its touch. It has been a small scene ever since on the one hand but on the other hand there are fans worldwide. I really like this and i am pretty sure it won’t change.

ARE THERE ANY GOOD GERMAN HORROR FILMS/TV SERIES OR BOOKS YOU KNOW AND COULD RECOMMEND? HORROR FILMS VS BOOKS, WHICH IS BETTER?
Jackal: Not that i knew of, sorry.

Monstro: It´s too sad, but i have no idea!

WE ARE COMING TO AN END OF THE INTERVIEW. ANY WORDS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY IN THE END AND I DIDNT ASK YOU?

Jackal: Keep your eyes open because The Crimson Ghosts will return in 2017 and be stronger than ever!