IndiePulse Interviews: BAEST

BAEST, whose moniker translates to ‘beast’ or ‘brute’ in the band’s native language and fits just perfectly to the group’s vicious sound. Highly influenced by bands such as Bloodbath, Grave, Entombed and Dismember, who are renowned for their savage Boss HM-2 pedal abusing guitar tone, BAEST have a deadly old school backbone and combine with their own creative edge and incredible, ferocious live energy.

Having formed just three years ago in 2015, the quintet played over 40 shows just in their first year of existence and meanwhile has performed at festivals such as Copenhell, Roskilde, Royal Metal Fest, Eurosonic and supported bands like Hatebreed, Dying Fetus, Entombed A.D. and Illdisposed. After the independently released “Marie Magdalene” EP in 2016 and last year’s “Crosswhore” single, the Aarhus based band is now gearing up for the release of their first full-length, which was released in Summer 2018. ‘Danse Macabre’ was immidately the best selling vinyl in Denmark and has already sold in vast amounts and streamed over 250.000 streams and views.

With BAEST can expect an old school death metal sound, honoring the genre’s forefathers, perfectors and legends, but with a brutal and conceptually true aura to it. This is death metal with a timeless appeal.

IPM: What inspired you to write music like you do

A part of our philosophy, is that whatever we play, it has to bring a smile to our faces. A grim smile, or a laughing one (sometimes because of precise grinding in 210 bpm or an overly brutal breakdown.. ‘Atra Mors’ from our debut album is a great example of a song where everyone in the band is laughing intensely!)

IPM: Tell us about the other members of the band, and of your chemistry..

Svend (guitars) and Lasse (guitars) started the band, and combine Svend’s aggressive (reckless, hysteric) drive with Lasse’s calm and overlooking work ethic (too damn patient)

Muddi (bass) has a special ear for catchy parts and crowd pleasers! Being the heaviest guy in the band, he also slows the pace in a healthy manner at times.

Sebastian (drums) is by far the best musician of the bunch – yet the guy who listened to the least amount of death metal. He’s open for all drum ideas, and executes them to perfection.

He brings cultural diversity to our driving playlists – he holds the key to a lot of the bands guilty pleasures.

Simon (vocals) is a maniac, combining +14000 thoughts at the same time, making him quite incoherent in a sweet way (he’s often late). Carrying the biggest balls of the band (seriously) he cracks the live performances up quite a couple notches!

IPM: What are or were some of the challenges for you in producing or performing while keeping true to your vision of your music.

The urge to create an absolute banging crowd pleasing song is high, and makes a lot of bands stray the path of their roots.

We are very aware of this – we stick to the fore mentioned philosophy, that we have to love whatever we are writing, for it to become a BAEST song.

IPM: Tell us about some of your recent shows & performances

We played a sold out youth center in Aarhus the 22th December – no lights, no barriers, no thing but back line. People went nuts, jumping the stage and each other – that was amazing. We love playing those shows.

We did a short headlining tour in Denmark September October 18’, bringing the biggest crowds we have seen here at home (besides the festival shows). That was definitely something to remember – especially the moment where the crowd crowd surfed Simon from the floor, to the 1st floor balcony. Again, balls.

IPM: Any Albums coming out soon or shows you are looking to promote

We are going on tour with Decapitated the 8th of February, going through the Netherlands, Germany, Britain, Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Belgium.

And we just finished our second album – stay tuned!

IPM: Any “strange tales” or things that may have happened during a show that seemed too weird to be true?

Svend shat his pants a couple of times! On national television of course. Find our performance at the GAFFA awards on YouTube, and notice and especially pale Svend.

IPM: Where do you see your music going, where would you like to be in the near future, goals, dreams and passions?

Our music keeps moving in an conceptual direction, pointed at the concepts we write the albums under. It feels amazing, and a definite goal is to keep producing larger stories and albums, keeping a red thread through all our songs.

We all dream about touring the world, and that dream is coming true – so we are all working hard to find new dreams!

IPM: What would you like our readers to know about you

We’d like them to see a couple of live shows, and witness that we always go completely balls out at the shows. Every show is the most important in our career, and there is no compromise.

The music is old school and honest, we think it’s among the best contemporary death metal bands out there. Give it a spin – experience Åkerfeldt-like growling, and a band ripping your heads off with blast beats, HM2’s and face melting leads (courtesy of Lasse)

IPM: Where can our readers find your music

https://www.facebook.com/baestband

https://www.instagram.com/baestband/

https://www.baestband.com/

https://www.youtube.com/baestband