Interviews About Albums: Gluttony - Drogulus (2023)

In this new interview, we sat down with the Swedish Old School Death Metal band Gluttony to ask questions about their album "Drogulus". 

1. What can you say about this new EP/CD?

When the pandemic hit in 2020 we had to stop playing live so we began writing our third album instead. Musically it sounds a lot like our previous albums but vocally we went for a more high-pitched growl which sounds more like Carcass or Black Metal. It was recorded in our own studio in the winter of 2021 and mixed and mastered by Jonas Jönsson at LV5 Studios (Sundsvall, Sweden). We are very satisfied with the album – with songs and sound. It was released digitally and on LP by Gravework Media and on CD by Bestial Invasion Records.

2. What is the meaning of the EP/CD name?

Drogulus means “Something that exists but whose existence cannot be verified because it is completely intangible”. It was coined by a British philosopher and to me it was the perfect description of the horrors of H.P. Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos.

3. Which one is the composer of the CD/EP?

We write our songs as a band, together at our rehearsal place. The process was the same as the last album – we met up, wrote a song, and recorded it. This process repeats until we’ve exhausted all ideas upon which time we listen to the songs and discuss them. After this, adjustments are made to all the songs and we choose which ones are good enough for the album. We record the songs in our own studio and where John (drums) and Max (bass) are the engineers and I (Anders) and Magnus (vocals) write the lyrics. If you’re interested in the process we made a short studio diary found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChMweOEtgh4&list=PLI0wnbxoMGUzjcqKxB0-FuPF-RnrytFQ6

4. If you had to pick one song, which one would you pick?

Then I would pick the opening track “The Pallid Mask” because it stands out on the album and in our catalog. A heavy, mid-tempo song that reminds me of the great band Bolt Thrower. We did a European Tour in September and I think it was the best live song in the set. The lyrics were inspired by the book “The King in Yellow” by Robert W. Chambers and we also made a music video for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l4USwd89CY

5. Is there a special message in this EP/CD? If there is what it is?

The previous album “Cult of the Unborn” was a thematic record where me and Magnus wrote a horror story that was told through the lyrics of the album. We were very pleased by the end result and it felt good to practice the lore of King Diamond but it was also very tough to write a good story and good lyrics. Another problem was that the songs then had to go in a certain order and we really liked the opportunity to shift the order of the songs before finalizing the album so this time around we settled for a unifying theme for the album instead of making it a full-blown story. Lyrically Drogulus centers around the twisted cosmos of H.P. Lovecraft and subsequent authors. If there was a special message I suppose it would be this: “That is not dead which can eternal lie and with strange eons even death may die”.

6. Are there some lyrics that you'd love to share?

I had great fun when I wrote the song “Feed Off the Flesh” which is a song about cannibalism. The lyrics are inspired by Lovecraft’s short story “The Picture in the House” which tells the tale of a wanderer who seeks shelter from the storm in a lonesome cabin. Upon entry, he discovers many arcane books and the ancient and mysterious owner of the cabin. It turns out that the owner has extended his lifespan through cannibalism described in the old book Regnum Congo and in the lyrics there is actually a passage in Swahili:

“Lisha mwili, kunywa kutoka kwa kikombe ya mabaki ya binadamu. Kula roho ndani.”

“Feed off the flesh, gulp from the chalice of human remains. Devour the soul within.”

7. Which inspirations have been important for this album? Like musically or friends, family, someone you'd love to thank especially?

As I have mentioned H.P. Lovecraft and similar authors provided the lyrical inspiration. When it comes to musical inspiration we just write the songs as they come to us. Afterwards, when listening to the result it’s easy to spot influences but then and there it’s just about writing a catchy song that is fun to play. Besides thanking the bands that always inspire us when writing music like Slayer and Unanimated, I would like to thank John (drums) and Max (bass). We have been writing music together since 2001 and by now have a unique chemistry. It’s effortless to play with those guys and I am thankful that we still enjoy playing together.

8. Something to add?

We will be touring Europe again starting in August with two festivals in the Czech Republic and two shows in Poland so check out and follow us on Bandsintown so you don’t miss any shows: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/15525317-gluttony-(death-metal)

Also our debut album Beyond the Veil of Flesh is turning 10 this year. Dan Swanö who did the original mix and master has remastered it for LP so we are raising half the money on Kickstarter for an LP release that I want to promote: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gluttony-death/beyond-the-veil-of-flesh-12-vinyl