Interview with Sal Rodriguez, Stages of Decomposition

- Hello, Sal! Recently, you released "Cadaveric Molestation" video. Who came up with such a brutal script?
- Whats up Dima! Thank you for checking our video out! When we thought of the script for our video, we wanted it to be what the song is about. Our song, Cadaveric Molestation, is basically about a guy so obsessed with this girl that he does what ever it takes to have her to himself. From being rejected, to taking action, and ultimately brutally raping her bludgeoned corpse! We had the honor of having our vision come to life and be defined with the help from Jesse/Rosie (Machete Dildo), Oscar (Infernal Damnation), and Leno Jacobo (ex. Cryptic Burial prods). Plus big thanks to our actors Zach, Brandon, and Kaitlyn for doing an AMAZING job! With our music and all these talented people, we've achieved to make a brutal death metal music video, yet make it realistic as well with just the right amount of blood and necrophilia!!

- What could you say about the filming process? Are those people real actors? Did you have any funny moments during the footage?
- The filming process was alot of hard work but definitely well worth it! Every day that we spent recording, we always made sure to take care of everyone with plenty of food and drinks. When we recorded the band footage everything went pretty smooth. We did have to get in character and after repeating the song over and over again, it was getting a bit tiring but over all we definitely put in our A-game! We also had the help and guidance from our director, Leno, to push us and deliver 150% of our performance so we can make it as energetic and lifelike as possible! Same goes for the scenes with our main actors,  Kaitlyn & Brandon. We pushed them to be as real and natural as possible and it was no problem to capture what we all envisioned! There was a couple of funny moments here and there like getting into character, or splashing the blood over each other. Definitely a fun, messy, and bloody experience that I would like to do again!!

- Last year you released your debut album, how would you describe it? What kind of reviews and feedback did you receive? Could you name your favourite tracks?
- Our debut album, "Piles of Rotting Flesh", is certainly an achievement that Stages of Decomposition, as a band, have been pushing themselves to accomplish for quite some time. If I was to describe it, I would describe it as a hacksaw to the throat of the underground death metal scene. According to the fantastic feedback and reviews we have gotten, many people like to particularly pick out the vocals. Saying that it delivers an "old school" feel yet varies onto the new era of brutal death metal. It flatters me and makes me proud to say that yes I do put in my time and effort into my music and variations to represent everything I love and feel about extreme underground music. Of course, apart from the vocals standing out as something "unique", the drum work has been noted as "blasts without using triggers", the guitars as "crushing catchy riffs", and then the bass to be "audible and groovy". All being recognized and admired as Stages being a 3-piece band delivering the same sound live as in our album! If I was to say I have a favorite track on the album, it would probably have to be a tie between "Devoured and Defecated by Swine", "Genital Adipocere", "Piles of Rotting Flesh", and "Cadaveric Molestation".

- How do you like the "Piles of Rotting Flesh" cover? Does it fully reflect the whole sickness of your music?
- We all were instantly happy and loved the work that Tony Cosgrove did for our album artwork. We basically explained the album title and some of the song titles we wanted it to reflect. So he went to work and did an amazing job! We definitely want to go back to him for our second album cover as well!

- Talking about covers, do you have any favourite album arts? If you could pick any album cover you want, choosing from the already existing ones, which one would it be? 
- There are many classic album art covers I like ranging from all styles of music. In death metal, however, most of my favorite are all the Cannibal Corpse covers, (in particularly Butchered at Birth, Tomb of the Mutilated, and Gallery of Suicide). Other than that I really liked the art for the Kraanium "Art of Female Sodomy", Gorerotted "Only Tools and Corpses", Exhumed "Gore Metal", and so many more!

- Do you have any material that you decided to exclude from the final version of the album? For example, why didn't you add "Necrophiliac" song featured on your first Demo? 
- Good question, and I find it pretty cool that you mentioned "Necrophiliac". The funny thing about that song is that, it IS on the album...however, it was changed and modified to become "Cadaveric Molestation". It's still about the same thing and the song is basically the same... only difference really is the actual lyrics and we removed a guitar solo that was on there before. There is also a song that Stages has been playing from the earliest of times entitled, "Fetal Devourment" but we decided not to record it or put it on the album. .... however, we agreed that it will be on our 2nd album!

- Since the first Demo, the band was constantly improving its technics and musical vision, how could you comment on the band's style evolution? 
- Well in the early Demo days we were a 5 piece with 2 different guitarists. Plus, we had a vocalist doing only vocals. Stages was always solid from the beginning and after the guitarists left and we got Cesar, we focused on one guitar. Then with our vocalist departing as well... I stepped in as lead vocals and kept the bass strong to support guitars. We are not a studio band, so we knew even though our riffs would only consist of one guitar and bass we had to focus on keeping the music heavy and as catchy as possible to move away from the melodies and harmonies that you get from two guitars. Two guitarists are always badass but when you got bands like Dying Fetus who know how to play brutal shit as a three-piece, we knew it was possible to continue with what we have become!

- Which moment of your band's history could you highlight as the most important and why? 
- There have been many important moments in the history of Stages. .such as continuing and remaining a 3piece death metal band, recording our album, playing out of the city/state/country, and staying consistent with a sound that Stages of Decomposition has been noticed for in this underground world of brutal slamming death metal! In particular, the staying true to the sound we've established is definitely a huge importance to our history and future,  just for the fact that apart from our charming good looks (hahahaha) is what we have to to give thanks to when we meet friends/fans who buy our merch, support our shows, and show us constant love as an underground band! All in all, To me, the fans and everyone who ever supported us in anyway because of our music and sound is definitely the most important part of Stages' past, present, and future!

- Do you have any news about your new album? Could you share any thoughts regarding your future release? 
- Well we definitely are working on the 2nd full length album of Stages. We dont have an album title yet but we do already have 4 songs and are aiming on 10 to 12 songs for our sophomore album. It will be released through GoreHouse Productions and will definitely be a brutal piece of work! Stay tuned and be ready to get your brains bashed in!

- What kind of live activities do you plan for this year?
- So 2015 is getting close to its end, but we plan on going to Tijuana, Mexico on the 26th of September and then again to Mexico in Districto Federal to headline Slam fest in November. Other than that. ... Next year in 2016 we are in the works of returning to Kiev, Ukraine for a mini tour then also visit Argentina to tour out there with our buddies from Profanacion. We will also be playing at the Foothills Gutfest in Colorado that we'll be possibly touring a US west coast tour with our great friends in Forced Asphyxiation. So if you or anyone reading this is anywhere around these cities I mentioned and or are gonna be in the Los Angeles area, hit us up and lets have some beers!!

- Thank you for this interview, Sal! What would you like to say to our readers? 
- Its been my Pleasure! Much love to anyone who took the time to read all this and a HUGE thank you to you, Dima, for giving Stages of Decomposition this honor of an opportunity to have our voices be heard! Everyone else that I will see at up coming shows, Forever remain Sick and Alive in this beautifully demented world of underground mayhem!! Cheers, Proust, & Salud!!