Please tell me a little bit history of the group?
-The Enraged Monkeys arose in 2012 from the lead
guitarist and singer Flo from the band SUBHUMAN
and Kalle and Manu from band "Die Naturtrüben".
During a jam session the idea of
a
new a metal band with influences from death
metal and hardcore was born. The ultimate goal
was to introduce a new genre, Monkeycore!
In 2013 the band grew with Jörg on the drums and
Istvan as a singer. (The ad at this time was
“The band is more or less complete, we’re just
missing a presentable grunter.”).
With that done, the band was complete, the song
"The Sky is Down" was the first song in the set
list and still is played as the first song at
every band rehearsal...
The Band is:
Singer: Istvan Ladanyi
Lead Guitar: Florian Rößle
Rhythm Guitar: Andreas Kalchschmid
Bass Guitar: Manuel Pelzhause
Drums: Leon Kettemann
Former members:
Drums: Jörg Lutzenberger
Drums: Michael Bensch †
Please tell me a little about every member in
the group right now, age, family, work,
interests and something bad about everyone?
Earlier bands? Other bands on the side?
-Kalle:
I am 39 years old, have one son - at the time of
writing, at the time of release of the interview
there might be two already ;) As a biologist I
am working in the field of in-vitro diagnostic
devices (no time to explain what I do here).
Something bad? My hair are too short to do the
helicopter - working on it…
Istvan: 40 years old father of a 5 month old son
and I work as a senior product designer of an
outdoor brand.
Manu:
I am old enough to be a father of a wonderful
daughter. I am working as an Aeronautical
Engineer.
So as already mentioned in the band introduction
Kalle and I played together in a band called
“Die Naturtrüben”. Interests hmm … Martial Arts
and as my main hobby I play in an awesome band
named “ENRAGED MONKEYS” and who knows at some
point it will become my work ;).
I can hear much different influences but thrash/death
but a little hardcore maybe music? Favorites
from the past?
-Istvan:
Death by Stereo (Into the Valley of Death), All
Metallica album, Kataklysm (Of Ghosts and Gods)
Manu:
Metallica for sure, but I prefer the old stuff
until “…And Justice for All”, I also like the
Megadeath (Rust in Peace). Yes Hardcore, Sick of
it All, Agnostic Front and Ryker’s.
Flo is our man for death metal.
-Band:
The name speaks for itself. We are upset.
Enraged and angry monkeys. Angry about the state
of the world. About the state of society. About
the state within ourselves. We shout that out
with our voices and instruments. In this way we
change things, first on a small scale, then on a
large scale. Not by force. Not by hatred. But by
our attitude and our actions. We humans are a
subspecies of primates, we have developed
further, but precisely this further development
is directly related to the conditions that we
denounce. Besides, monkeys are cool;)
Kalle:
I am very happy with the name. Of course we did
a search, and there was no other band named like
that. The best band name? Hm. Milking The
Goatmachine is pretty great! And we butter the
bread with butter rocks too!
What´s the best thing with playing live? Are you
missing it now in covidtimes? Have you planned
any new gigs?
-Kalle:
We are a live band! Playing live is THE feeling,
when I am on stage I feel like let loose, my
mind is empty and I just play! New gigs? Yes,
please, we thirst for gigs!!
Istvan:
It is always an interaction with the people,
even if it was a small crowd until now, it's
always nice to see when you can catch them to
have a head bang or a tiny corona around a table
circle pit. Always nice! :)
And where is best to play? And the worst place?
-Kalle:
I don’t care about the place. It’s about the
people. As long as there are some people in
front of the stage that celebrate with us, it’s
a good place!
Istvan:
Worst: Any youth club´s! Best: Backstage Munich
How is to play this sort of music in Germany
right now? Which types of bands do you have
concerts together with?
-Kalle:
The metal community is alive as ever, we play
with everybody who has the right spirit!
Istvan:
Agree Kalle!
Manu:
I think it does not matter in which european
country you play metal music. When you go to a
metal festival, you will meet metalheads from
all over Europe. We are one community! Back to
your question we see lot of young people in
metal concerts around Germany.
How would you describe your music in three words?
-Kalle:
One word: Monkeycore!
Istvan:
Or five words: What we do is MonkeyCore
What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or
is it a lifestyle? I know you don´t play punk
but I think there´s some traces from hardcore..
-Kalle:
The answer could be thousand pages long. But the
essence (for me): Punk bands influenced my
thinking since I was a kid, and I would be a
different person without it. I don’t share the
radical ideas of punk, but I share the basic
ideas. And I love the music ;)
Istvan:
Of course it is a political statement too:
Always hate fascism!! Nazi Punks Fuck Off!
Which song/album or group was it who took you
into to play music?
-Kalle:
For me it was a computer software where you
could play along to songs with your
computer-keyboard, and I played Queen’s Killer
Queen a thousand times at least. Afterwards came
a real guitar...
Istvan:
“Enraged Monkeys” :) Funny but yes, before I met
these guys - I never had a big plan to make
music at all! I heard a lot Hardcore, California
Skate Punk Music. But to make music was never my
focus! So, thanx Monkeys! :)
What shall a young guy do today to shock their
parents as the way we did when we were young?
They have already seen everything ;-)?
-Kalle:
That is an excellent question, and I am afraid
what my son will come up with - he is 6 now. I
just pray (to Satan) that it will not be some
listening to everyday chart music stuff.
Istvan: My biggest fear: Listen to Techno Music
Manu:
How knows what happens to the music until my
daughter is in the age to shock me. I would cry
when she will become a classical party girl,
listening to much Schlager and stupid chart pop
music.
How is it to live in Germany right now?
Politically? Fascists? What shall we do with all
these racists?
-Kalle:
Again a question that cannot be answered with a
few sentences. But the fascists getting elected
to the German parliament a few years ago
certainly was a deep cut. What we can do? The
least is to be true to one’s opinions in our
everyday lives, and never keep the mouth shut
when you experience any kind of racism - be it
work, friends, family, or just on the street.
Istvan:
We are not activists, but I think the whole
thing starts even in the small. You should
always show flags and discuss when it is needed!
Manu:
Being a racist is not as frowned as it was a few
years ago. And that is really a shame. What to
do? … hmm do not stop talking get into
conversation, if possible. And as Kalle
mentioned never keep your mouth and eyes shut if
it comes to any kind of rasism!!
Is there any good bands from Germany right now?
Is the punkscene/metalscene/hardcorescene big?
How is it in your hometown?
-Kalle:
Regarding punk: My favorite punk band WIZO was
silent for a loooong time, and the released two
records in a row within two years recently. ...
I just checked, and the “recently”, which I
thought was two years ago, was 2016… Damnit,
time flies…
Istvan: Yes, a big scene! Especially in our area!
Sometimes I always wonder when I spot new bands
and they are from Germany as well! Like The
Prophecy 23, Chartreux, Skeleton Pit, Tenside….
Just to call a few!
What do you know about Sweden? Have you been
here sometime? What is typical Swedish?
-Kalle:
I’ve been to Stockholm a few times, working…
It’s a great city, and I had a good time
exploring the bars. However, beer is just too
expensive there, my travel expenses were huuuge
;)
Istvan: As a product designer I always have a
look to Sweden and do a lot of research on your
latest publications! I love Swedish design!
Manu:
I have been there only for holidays and I like
the people and countryside a lot. Typical I
would not say but for a German Bier Lover the
Systembolaget
are quite special☺.
Have you heard any good bands from Sweden?
-Kalle: Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, Hammerfall (my band colleagues will laugh, but I also like some Power Metal), In Flames and Opeth of course (when he growles). And, I have an ABBA patch on my metal vest ;)
Istvan:
In the future I heard Tiger Lou and thanx to
that question I recovered it again for me!
Amon Amarth
Manu:
There are so many awesome well-known metal bands
from Sweden. But we had the honor to play once
with the famous Swedish thrash metal band
Tyranex, which I like a lot. And Kalle no I am
not laughing
☺
Your lyrics, who does them and what influences
you? Why not more in german?
-Kalle:
All done by Istvan…
Istvan:
Not really influenced by other artists. Lyrics
are always just a reflection of my fight!
Against me and the rest!
Is there any subject that you never will write
anything about? Or isn´t anyting sacred?
-Kalle:
As said, Istvan is doing the writing, but for my
part, nothing is sacred.
Istvan: If you use the (right) words - nothing
is holy!
Politic and music, does it goes hand in hand?
Which is your most political song? Is it
important to get out your opinions in music? Or
is political songs fore for punkbands than
metalbands?
-Kalle:
All music with lyrics is political, even if a
song does not have a plain political message, it
conveys a conception of the world or an attitude,
which in the end is political.
Istvan:
Or most political song is “No Compromise”
Best political band/artist?
-Kalle:
For me, it is WIZO. But that probably is because
I listened to it so much when I was a youngster.
Istvan: Propagandhi!
Manu:
Not easy, but going back in time I would say
“Such a Surge”
Do you think that music(lyrics and so on) can
change anyones life, I mean people who listens
to music?
-Kalle:
Yes, definitely. And I think everybody who reads
this agrees…
Istvan: Yes, It changed my life many times! When
you are in the wrong mood, music can help you
out and remember you when you fail again!
Manu:
Yes!
Your favorite recordcover alltime? Who does your
recordcovers? And do you have any good
recordstores in your hometown?
-Kalle:
Iron Maiden - Fear of the Dark. Istvan is doing
our covers. And, the last part, no,
unfortunately not.
Istvan:
Cover made by myself. Just because I can and we
don´t have the money to book an artist! I love
the art of Eliran Kantor. Specially the cover of
HEAVEN SHALL BURN`S - OF TRUTH & SACRIFICE and
THY ART IS MURDER´S - DEAR DESOLATION - There is
a lot of statement in one picture, great!
Manu:
Very difficult, I do not have a favorite but
some who came in my mind during answering, Such
a Surge – Under Pressure and Anthrax - Spreading
the Disease.
Is it important to get out physical records of
your stuff? Why or why not? Vinyl, CD, cassette,
what do you prefer if you could choose whatever
?
-Kalle:
Yes, definitely! I mean, most of the time I
listen to music digitally, but I have all of my
favorite albums on vinyl (or are still trying to
get them). Putting on a vinyl is just different,
it’s like a ritual, when I put on a vinyl I just
listen more closely.
Istvan: My only goal was to have my own album on
vinyl in my collection, all that comes then is
an addition!
Manu:
Ever since I was a kid, I've always had the
image of my dad sitting in front of his record
player in the living room listening to music.
Long story short yes I like physical copies, you
discover the whole album and not only the
already well known songs.
But to be honest during my work I listen do
“digital music”.
Please tell me a funny thing which have happened
during your career and under some gig?
-Kalle:
In 2017 we played in a tent at a big outdoor
party in a village nearby. Most of the tents
were some techno or party DJs, the band that
played before we did, played some classic rock
covers. Just before we started, it began to rain
really heavily. So, all the guys outside charged
into the tent, and we did our thing. There were
some 20 guys in front of the stage, partying
hard, and some 200 people who were not into
metal at all, but they could not flee. We had a
camera in the bag, and when we looked at it,
there was one guy crossing between two songs,
looking really suffering, saying “Die sind sowas
von vielzu laut” (GER: They are just so much too
loud). That was funny :)
Manu:
It think it was the first gig and I was
complaining that I cannot hear myself, until I
discovered I unplugged my instrument at the very
beginning of the song. And no one heard it … so
what instrument do I play
☺.
-Kalle:
Our favorite audience, hm… I would say, the one
that has fun and enjoys our music! The biggest
band… Tyranex I would say.
Please rank your five favoriterecords, five
favoriteconcerts and five most important things
in life?
-Kalle:
I give you 5 of each, but not ranked. That’s
just too hard, maybe next week I would choose 5
different ones. Only 5 is just not fair...
Records:
Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle Earth
Haggard - Eppur Si Muove
Basil Poledouris - Conan (OST)
Emily Autumn - Opheliac
Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
WIZO - UUAARRGH!
Concerts:
Haggard - Summerbreeze - 2005
Blind Guardian - Krefeld - 1998
ACDC - Munich - 2012
Die Toten Hosen -Stuttgart - 1998
WIZO - Munich - 2016
In life:
Be true - to yourself, not in a Manowar way ;)
Be honest
Care about your loved ones
Care about the world
Live live in a Metal way!!
Istvan:
Records:
Insomnium - Shadows of the Dying Sun
Boysetsfire - Tomorrow Come Today
Escapado - Hinter den Spiegeln
Kataklysm - Of Ghosts and Gods
Amon Amarth - Jomsviking
Concerts:
Caliban - Someday in 2007 in a Leipziger
basement club!
Summerbreeze 2014 - 2019
Metallica - Munich - 2019
Sick Of IT All -Munich - 2018
In life:
Respect
Harmony
Friends
Always beer in the fridge
Nice interview questions!
First, last and most expensive record ever
bought? And the most embarrassing record in your
collection?
-Kalle:
First: Britney Spears. Last: Helloween -
Helloween. Most expensive: Basil Poledouris -
Conan (OST). Most embarrassing: See First (however,
it’s not in my collection anymore).
Manu:
Cheapest: Siberian Meat Grinder, Most expensive:
Suicidal Tendencies import from US.
Most embarrassing: New Kids in the Block.
Is it boring with interviews? Is it much
interviews?
-Kalle:
It is not boring, however, it is hard to answer
some questions. Yes, quite a few interviews
since the release of NO COMPROMISE.
Istvan: Always nice because then you have to
think about your thing and yourself!
Manu:
Boring? No. Surprisingly the questions are quite
different all the time, which keeps it
interesting, hopefully for the reader as well.
Do you care about reviews? Which is the most
peculiar you ever had, with this band or any
other band you have been to? Have you ever
changed anything after a bad review?
-Kalle:
Sure, as social beings we care about what our
environment thinks. And when somebody likes your
music, that’s great. However, we do not and
would not change what we do, just because
somebody doesn’t like it. However, constructive
criticism is always accepted, and then we can
decide if we take it, or not. There’s always
space for improvement.
Istvan: It´s always nice when somebody writes a
review and you can recognize that this person
has really listened to the music and lyrics!
Which bands do people compare you to, is it boring that people compare you to other bands or is it understandable?
-Kalle:
So far I haven’t heard anybody compare us to
other bands.
Istvan: Correct!
If you could choose five bands from the past and
the history and nowadays and both dead and
living bands to have a concert together with
your band. Which five have you been chosen?
-Kalle:
Puh, that’s tough. Black Sabbath, in the mid
70s, because I would like to party with them.
Motorhead, and share a backstage room with Lemmy.
AC/DC with Brian Johnson and Bon Scott at the
same time. The Beatles in the early 60s, because
then I would see them live, and shock the 60s
audience with Monkeycore. Sick of it all,
because they radiate that feeling on stage.
Istvan: Lamb of God, Sick of it all, Walls of
Jericho, Rage Against the Machine, Heaven Shall
Burn.
Just because of their energy! It fits perfect to
us!
Is music a good way to get out frustration and
become a nicer person outside the music??
-Kalle:
A plain YES.
Istvan: Of course, Each band rehearsal is
therapy for me as a singer. I always go very
relaxed there!
Manu:
Ohh damn yes, music got me through puberty. And
making music is the best valve for frustration.
Which is the most odd question you ever have got
in an interview?
-Kalle:
Which is the most odd question you ever have got
in an interview?
Manu:
Hehe … nothing to add
Which is the question you want to have
but you never get. Please ask it and answer it?
-Kalle:
Please tell me what Monkeycore is. Okay:
Monkeycore is a musical subgenre, combining
elements of Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Doom
Metal, and various other elements of Heavy Metal.
Monkeycore lacks constraint and stringent
characteristics which makes it hard to define
and put a label on whereas the common
denominator is that the audience is confronted
with songs that go right in the kisser.
Song structures often use doomy, ascending
patterns that go from clean and punctuated notes
to chords to heavier sounds with rising
distortion, heavy double base and blast beats.
Catchy and driving heavy riffs underpaid with
shredding melodics play essential parts in most
songs’ refrains. Lyrics deal with various topics,
and often contain socio- or self-critical themes,
presented by clean-aggressive passages and
growls that pick up the audience.
Monkeycore’s driving rhythms and slowly rising
rigor, especially on live gigs, invites for
meditative headbanging that escalates to moshing
and eventually discharges in a circle pit or
wall of death. It was invented by the Enraged
Monkeys.
Futureplans for the band?
-Kalle:
New songs, new album, GIGS. And as always, World
Domination.
Istvan: Survive! Because we have already learned
something from this monkey business and we are
very relaxed, because we do not have to follow
any concept and always do what we love to do! We
don't have to make money with our music! This is
important!
Manu:
Gigs, Gigs and ähh more Gigs. Working on new
songs and I am very optimistic to record a new
album due to our Riff-Machine Flo.
For yourself?
-Kalle:
A lot.
Istvan: I want to stay healthy for many , many
years to make more songs...in any way!
Wisdomword?
-Kalle:
You're never too old too rock ‘n’ roll if you’re
too young too die.
Istvan: What you have to do is MonkeyCore! :)
Manu:
Never give up … keep fighting!
Something to add?
-Kalle:
Thanks for the interview. If you want us to play
in Sweden, just tell us where and when ;)
Istvan: No, all is said! :) THX Skrutt Mag
Manu:
Thanks for your interest and see you in Sweden
☺