Mya: Thank you for this opportunity to interview you, Thomas. The band started in 1996. Who started the band?
Thomas: Tommi, the drummer, and I founded the band after playing in Happl, another Austrian heavy rock style band. They split in 1995 or something, and we proceeded with starting a new band, playing melodic thrash. It wasn’t the typical thrash metal at the beginning as we played more of a melodic maybe power metal style. And we grew into a more typical thrash band even though people say that we are a death thrash band. But I think that we have found our style now since two, three years since the last two albums, more on the last record (Existence – 2004, MF). We had a change of front men when Wolf joined the band in 2004 for the recording of the album. He is from Darkside and I have also played with the band before so it was him helping me after me helping him, so it was a good combination.

Mya: I just saw your show and to me it really sounded like thrash with death influences in the music: a very nice combination. Who is responsible for writing lyrics and music?
Thomas: Tommi the drummer is responsible for the lyrics. He writes all the lyrics, and in the studio Tommi and Wolf arranges the vocals again. And I come with the songs or ideas for the music and work with Tommi together on that, and then everybody will arrange that material after that in the studio.

Mya: So basically, first the lyrics and then the music?
Thomas: No, not really. Basically first the songs and then the lyrics. Tommi will find some lyrics for the songs with some harmony to get the feeling of the song. It is really a group thing. We arrange everything together but I come up with the songs and Tommi with the lyrics, and then we all will arrange the material into the final songs.

Mya: What I was wondering after doing some research about DEMOLITION you have been the supporting band for many popular bands but still you are not very well known. How come?
Thomas: I think the story is that we began in 1996 and we played with a lot of bands like Overkill, Nevermore, Annihilator and so on but only in Austria. And we didn't have the change to go on tour until 2005. We exist now for nine years and we hadn't had an European tour since 2005 when we were the supporting band for Testament. I think that that tour happened because I think we grew up a bit and in 2006 we also played on a few large festivals in Germany as well such as Up From The Ground and Fuck The Commerce Festival, and some in Austria too. So now we try to play intensively in other countries and this is our third European tour now, and we hope to establish a name for ourselves in some countries and to promote our albums.

Mya: What are the plans for this summer?
Thomas: We hope to play at some festivals in Austria and Germany, maybe in the Czech Republic too. We have one confirmed in Eisenwann (in Obersinn, Germany - MF) with Belphegor, Hatesphere, Unleashed and many more. And maybe some other festivals in Stuttgart and the south of Germany, Austria and in the Czech Republic like I said. And maybe a little tour in Austria.

Mya: But first you’re touring in the smaller venues and clubs. How is it going so far?
Thomas: It is really cool! Even though it is hard to say how it will go because today was our third day of the tour. We started on Wednesday in Utrecht, Holland, which was really cool, Osnabrueck in Germany yesterday too. Tomorrow we will be playing in Eindhoven and I have heard that it is sold out - 500 people or something - beautiful! We will play eight shows in Germany; we'll go to Italy, the UK, and Scotland.

Mya: So this is a big chance for you to build a name for yourselves outside Austria. How is the music scene in Austria, especially for metal?
Thomas: It is growing up very intensively. All this time we had a metal scene but it was more underground in the past. And I think that it grew up and other countries like Germany, Holland and all around will take a look at the Austrian bands now. Earlier it wasn't important for them but now they will take a look and I think that the scene is growing and growing. So we have a lot of bands now coming and so on from Austria - Belphegor, Hollenthon and so on - and they will grow up.

Mya: So when did you start playing guitar?
Thomas: I started playing guitar at the age of 14, started to play in my first band when I was 15 so I have been playing for 16 years now. I'll be 31 in May. I took classical lessons and tried to play along while watching video clips and listening to my favorite CDs and so it grew and grew.

Mya: And are you still involved in other bands?
Thomas: Not anymore. I played with Wolf in Darkside too but I quit with that job because it is too much for me at the moment. I want to concentrate on my work in DEMOLITION.

Mya: Do you have a tip for beginning bands? What should they keep in mind when starting?
Thomas: Practice, practice, try everything you can do to make connections, keep them warm, play a lot in other countries and not only in the same towns ten days a month. I think you should go out and show the people outside and around what you want. Don't give up!

Mya: You started in 1996 and I am under the impression that nowadays it is much harder to establish a name for yourself. There are so many bands all over the place.
Thomas: True. When playing a gig you can be sure that one of every five person in the audience is also playing in a metal, hard rock or thrash band or whatever, so it is really hard, much harder than in the past to create a name, to create cool things, to tour in other countries, cities, to record CDs. You can do that all the time but it is hard to get a deal or hard to get on a festival slot or something like that. It is much harder than it was, that is right. But you really have to try it again and don't give up.

Mya: How did the aforementioned big bands come to DEMOLITION to act as their supporting band?
Thomas: It depends. Wolf has a lot of friends in America, in Europe, in Scandinavia, me too. We had connections and we really kept them warm and we tried and asked them if we could play with them on stage and go on tour together. And together with our label in Germany we arranged some tours like now with Death Angel and three years ago with Testament. So we played all these shows in Austria and Germany as the supporting act of some bands. We're trying to send some emails, letters and so on to keep the connections and friendships warm.

Mya: The title of the new album is Relict IV. Is it released in the rest of Europe and the US?
Thomas: It should be now released in the US or within one month. We have a really good distribution company in the UK and it has been released in Europe since the 25th of January. I hope that it is going to do well and so far it looks that way, so... hahaha!

Mya: What keeps you motivated after all these years?
Thomas: I think that is a simple thing: we are not a big successful band but we hope to become a name you won't forget. Just a little bit, you know. It is beautiful and nice to see the audience cheering for you, buying your T-shirts, CDs; people coming to you for interviews and reviews, for signing of your CDs: that is motivation at all. It is nice to meet people all around Europe, to read something about you in a magazine, whether it sucks or not, because people are thinking about you. And that is the point I think.

Mya: And what is your biggest dream: making it big in America or are you just happy to make it big in Europe? To see yourself on MTV Headbanger's Ball?
Thomas: Sure, that would be nice, that would be great. But now we exist for twelve years and it is cool to play around in Europe. Never say never: maybe we'll tour for one or three weeks in America with other bands too - that is not impossible. But at the moment it is enough to tour in Europe and to see the reactions; that is cool.

Mya: thank you very much, Thomas.
Thomas: Thank you!

Mya: Nocturnal Hall would like to thank Thomas for allowing this interview to happen.