Hate Eternal – Erik Rutan

After a 5-year wait, Hate Eternal will be returning to Australia at the end of May with Nile and Abigail Williams.
Guitarist/vocalist Erik Rutan got the opportunity take some time out from his busy schedule to chat with Metal Obsession about the upcoming tour, his side project Alas, and Australia’s climate…

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Metal Obsession: How have things been going?

Erik Rutan: Is it cold over there?

MO: It is, it’s a little bit cold outside but I’m in a nice warm office!

ER: That’s good to hear, I was looking at the weather earlier, last time I was in Australia was in June and I remember it was kinda chilly but not as cold as it is right now. It’s pretty cold over there… [It’s not that cold! – M.]

MO: Just a little bit, but you’ll be here in a couple of weeks and enjoying the cold again!

ER: [laughs] Yeah! I will enjoy it, I’ll enjoy every bit of it. I live in Florida, and it’s warm pretty much all the time. I look forward to coming back. It seems as though it wasn’t that long ago but it has been five years since the last time. I had an amazing time and I’m looking forward to coming back to Australia.

MO: Why was there such a long gap between the last tour and this one?

ER: I’m not sure to be honest. I’ve been busy with Hate Eternal, touring over Europe and America and also me producing. In the last five years I’ve probably produced about forty albums. Between my producing career and my playing career, I’m a busy guy. I don’t know why we didn’t go to Australia sooner. Like I said, five years went by and I was like, “wow!” so when we got the offer to go over there with Nile of course I was like “yeah, let’s do it!” Everybody’s got busy lives these days.

MO: Very true. How does it feel to be touring here with Nile?

ER: It’ll be great. I know Nile, I recorded the drums on the new Nile record and I’ve toured with them many times, so it will be great to tour with them. They’re one of my favourite bands, they’re great guys, and we’re really excited to be going to Australia with Nile.

MO: Being your second tour in Australia, will the presentation be different to what it was in 2005?

ER: Well, Hate Eternal is an extreme death metal band, I don’t think we’ve changed much as far as what we do and what we play, we pretty much keep true to what we do and I think it’ll be a great experience for us as well as coming over to play some great death metal for the Australian fans and we’re looking forward to playing New Zealand as well.

MO: With the set list, will most of the set comprise of songs from Fury & The Flames or will there be some older songs thrown in as well?

ER: Yeah, I think we’re going to do a balance of things. We’re going to throw in some songs from the new record of course, and some not-so-new. It’s going to be a collage of songs, and we’re going to bust out as many songs as we can within the period we’ve got.

MO: Is there a possibility of you guys playing a Morbid Angel cover?

ER: Not really. We don’t have enough time to play what we need to already.

MO: Who will be in the line-up for Hate Eternal on the Australian tour?

ER: It’ll be just three guys like last time. Apart from myself, Jade Simonetto (drums) who played on Fury & The Flames and JJ Hrubocvak (bass). Alex Webster from Cannibal Corpse played bass on Fury & The Flames and JJ Hrubocvak has been playing bass for me since the record came out.

MO: Will there be another Hate Eternal album in the near future?

ER: We’re actually doing pre-production in the studio right now, getting our songs together. We’ve got ten songs started, and I figure we’re going to record in around August or September this year. We’re just finishing up all the songs, we’ve got the Australian tour, we’ve also got a couple of shows coming up in August, then we’ll record in August/September. It probably won’t be released at the end of this year, more likely next year, we’re not sure yet but we’re definitely going to be recording in August.

MO: How have the fans and media reacted to Fury & The Flames?

ER: It’s been great. We did a bunch of tours. We went to Europe three times for the record and did some festivals that we hadn’t played before. We did a few tours around the United States, but everything’s been awesome. We’re looking forward to recording another record as well.

MO: My next question is about your side project, Alas. It Alas still active?

ER: You know, I had some material that I’ve been working on for a while, and I’ve got eight or nine songs for Alas, and with producing a lot of records [most notably Goatwhore, Cannibal Corpse, Six Feet Under and Malevolent Creation], unfortunately Alas has had to take a back seat to all of that, to Hate Eternal and producing. I have a lot of Alas material and it sounds great, and I’m hoping to get another Alas record recorded next year at least. It’s just a matter of making the time, and Alas is a very complex project. It requires a lot of focus.

MO: Will you get Martina Astner [ex-Therion] on vocals again?

ER: I’m not sure. To be honest, I really haven’t gone that deep into what I want to do with the next Alas record yet. I’ve been working on the material and jammed with the drummer a bit on the songs, but not sure exactly what direction I want to go with the vocals on the next record. I might actually have a few singers on the next Alas record, I have a few people in mind but I’m sure I’ll have Martina sing some on it, for sure. I might have some real strings and things like that as well. I’m thinking about doing some different types of ideas on it. The material has been coming out really good though.

MO: If Hate Eternal were given the opportunity to tour with Morbid Angel, would you do it?

ER: Of course! That will be great! I’d love to do a tour with them. We’ve talked about it many times and I still talk to those guys often. I’d love to tour with Morbid Angel, that would be the best. Maybe I could get up on stage with them and play a guest song or two with them or something, or play a solo, do it for old time’s sake!

MO: What will Hate Eternal be doing after the Australian tour?

ER: After the Australian tour, we will be doing some more pre-production on the new record. There are two records that I will be producing in the studio and I will be recording the Hate Eternal record after those. I like to be busy, I’m not complaining.

MO: This wraps up the interview, we’re looking forward to seeing you here with Nile, any last comments for the Australian fans?

ER: Thanks a lot for the interview, I can’t wait to get back Down Under and play some great shows over there. I’ve got nothing but great memories from Australia and very much looking forward to getting over there with Nile.

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Q’s: Megan Masters
A’s: Erik Rutan
Date: 14/05/2010
Origin: USA
www.metalblade.com/english/artists/hateeternal – www.myspace.com/haeteternal

Check out Hate Eternal with Nile and Abigail Williams this May at the dates below. Tickets still available through respected outlets.

NILE with Abigail Williams and Hate Eternal performing at:

May 21st – Transmission Room, Auckland, Lic/AA
May 25th – Capitol, Perth, 18+*
May 26th – Fowlers Live, Adelaide, Lic/AA*
May 27th – The Hifi, Melbourne, 18+
May 28th – The Factory, Sydney, Lic/ AA
May 29th – The Hifi, Brisbane, 18+

*Abigail Williams not performing

TICKETS ON SALE FROM WEDNESDAY JANAURY 27th!

Auckland www.moshtix.co.nz, Real Groovy, www.undertheradar.co.nz
Perth – www.moshtix.com, 78 Records , Mills Records
Adelaide – www.moshtix.com, www.venuetix.com.au
Melbourne – www.thehifi.com.au/melbourne , Missing Link Records
Sydney – www.factorytheatre.com.au , Utopia Records
Brisbane – www.thehifi.com.au/brisbane , Rockinghorse Records, Moshpit Music

For more information click on the links below.
www.myspace.com/nilecatacombs
www.myspace.com/abigailwilliams
www.myspace.com/hateeternal
www.riotact.com.au
www.myspace.com/soundworks_touring