Fawkes: The release party for "The Second Cut" took place on May 1st. Did you have anything special in store for your fans since the holidays were starting?
D.Frans: Yes, the party went very well. We treated our fans to a SLIPKNOT cover of "People=Shit." It's fashionable nowadays to play SLIPKNOT songs — everybody thinks they have to play one — but this song had been left untouched because of its complexity. So we showed them how it's done!
Fawkes: HOSTILE BREED has been playing live for 4 years now and has proven their stamina on stage. But do you remember — were you scared to get on stage for the first time?
D.Frans: Wow. I got on stage for the first time with TRANSYLVANIA in 1995. I practically wet my pants that time (lol!). I have to say, I still get a pleasant thrill from going on stage even now.
Fawkes: Which audience is better: in moscow or out in the provinces?
D.Frans: The moscow audience is very saturated with numerous gigs — from local bands to western monsters alike. You have to really go all-out to impress them. Luckily, we have no problems with that. We love playing for any kind of audience, you know…
Fawkes: "The Second Cut" is a Molotov cocktail of brutal overtones and hate-fueled hardcore. I'm not really into that kind of stuff, so the only band I could name as a comparison to your music is STRAPPING YOUNG LAD. But I'm guessing people compare you to other bands too?
D.Frans: Yep. People have tried to compare us to just about everyone for as long as we've been playing together. We used to be known as the russian MACHINE HEAD. I guess music writers in metal zines need to sort things into categories, so that's why it happens. I don't know what label they'll stick on us after the new album comes out.
Fawkes: Your music is very American-sounding. Do you ever have any trouble with nazi blockheads?
D.Frans: Not at all. There's no problem with those guys. I think if a band sounds as good as western ones, it should actually make people proud of their country. In any case, that's better than screaming about patriotism while sounding like total crap…
Fawkes: I remember the last GRENOUER release — there was a Baphomet in a gas mask on the front cover, and it was described as a cumulative personification of the god of war. Is the dreadful figure on your cover also a cumulative image?
D.Frans: The front cover of our album describes its inner content quite well. It's an uncompromising, brutal slab of meat in the genre's best tradition. The album title also resonates in the layout through the various surgical tools depicted there. This is our second album and we brought in Yura "Surgeon" as the producer, so it's a very strong concept, you see. Yes, it's a cumulative image in a way, hehe…
Fawkes: Musicians from INVOCATOR and SKINLAB participated in the making of "The Second Cut." How did you end up working with such renowned acts?
D.Frans: It was a long and meticulous process using the Internet, mail, and courier delivery. A more detailed description would take too much time. We truly gained a huge amount of experience and satisfaction from working with western musicians and producers, and we want to continue doing this in the future. By the way, our western colleagues said they were also very inspired by working with us.
Fawkes: Your previous 'cut,' "Greenwound," was barely appreciated by critics. Looking back from where you stand today, can you objectively say why your first album was so unsuccessful?
D.Frans: We expected it to turn out that way. We had sound problems on our first record. I have to say the songs on "Greenwound" were actually pretty good, but their quality drowned in the bad sound. Despite all that, we did get some positive reviews in western magazines. I plan to take the best tracks from "Greenwound," re-record the vocal parts, and send them abroad for mixing and mastering. Then you'll understand how awesome those songs really are…
Fawkes: It's commonly said about most russian bands today: 'They're worthy of representing our country abroad.' But why do you think there are so many so-called 'worthy' ones and not a single one that could be called 'great' and achieve real recognition and popularity in the West?
D.Frans: The main problem with domestic bands is the second-rate material they produce. Meanwhile, the western scene is overwhelmed with its own bands, so their labels prefer to sign another local act rather than bother with a russian one. Regardless, we have to keep trying to claim a piece of their market by writing and producing good records.
Fawkes: Let's talk about image. Suppose you play a gig right after a black metal band with corpsepaint, inverted crosses, and all that. What kind of reaction do you get from the audience when you take the stage?
D.Frans: It depends primarily on the show we're part of. Most commonly we receive genuine appreciation from any audience, because people see a truly worthy band playing quality music, not trying to win them over with some ersatz garbage…
Fawkes: Could you name your TOP-5? What band's new album are you waiting for with the most anticipation?
D.Frans: My musical tastes are really broad, so it's hard for me to answer that. I think the records I've listened to with great pleasure recently are as follows: 1. DEVILDRIVER "Devildriver" 2. KILLSWITCH ENGAGE "The End Of Heartache" 3. UNJUST "Glow" 4. MUSHROOM HEAD "XIII" 5. MACHINE HEAD "Through The Ashes Of Empires" The most anticipated is the new album from SLIPKNOT.
Fawkes: Your nickname, D.Frans, sounds similar to 'difference.' Does this word carry any special meaning for you?
D.Frans: Wow. That's the first time I've heard that interpretation. In reality, the letter D. is short for my name Dima. And 'Frans' means 'Frenchman.' I got this nickname from friends when I was about 12 years old.
Fawkes: I think that politics and social problems aren't foreign to what HOSTILE BREED sings about. Would you call yourself a politically responsible person?
D.Frans: I'd call myself a socially active one. My own future depends on these things — how could I ignore that? I can't understand how people can tolerate this lawless state of affairs in our country. All these explosions, bombs, terrorism, and other catastrophes… A thinking person can't stay indifferent to what's actually happening! And the dictatorship is becoming more evident — I can hardly imagine what will follow…
Fawkes: Do you use any substances to boost your creativity?
D.Frans: The adrenaline that surges through your blood while you're playing live is the best fuel for creativity. All other drugs, artificial or natural, in my view, only hinder the creative process. But I'm not counting leisure and downtime… ;)
Fawkes: What will music be like in 100 years?
D.Frans: Very similar to our last album, just 30 times faster…
Fawkes: The most unusual job you've ever done in your life…
D.Frans: I weeded garden beds and collected empty bottles in order to buy an IRON MAIDEN t-shirt. I was only 10 at the time…
Fawkes: If you were tested with a lie detector, what question would you fear the most?
D.Frans: Any question that could cause me trouble in the future. Who knows what that damn thing will say the next second?