You didn’t enclose bio with the tape you’ve sent me, nor did I have a chance to check out your web-domain (if it exists), hence conclusion consists in the following: I know nothing of your band. Isn’t it the kind of situation you should reform?

- Yes, it does help if we keep people informed. It has been very busy for us trying to juggle new band members and promotion as well. We sent some zines a copy of our material and hoped for responses which would result in giving more information on ourselves. We used to send out full portfolios of ourselves which proved to be very costly and most of the time they were ignored! Originally we were formed in January 1997 and are a 4 piece thrash / death metal band. For more info on us we are on a website called "The Western Front" at www.wf.com.au.

Will I be wrong assuming that “Premonition” is the only recording you’ve done so far? By the way, I feel you have to introduce this tape to our readers…

- “Premonition” consists of five songs and runs for approximately 30 minutes. It is our first demo and we have sold 250 tapes (which includes a few given away). The songs are based on a short story format, and each tells a story through it's music and lyrics.

No doubts that “Premonition” possesses extremely decent sound; how could you manage to reach such a splendid quality having only 20 hours in the whole?

- The engineer we used is a pro-musician and we spent 7 hours setting up and making sure that every microphone picked up each sound evenly. It took us 8 hours to lay down the songs and about 5 hours for mixing. The recording was done on a 16 track analog. It was basically a live recording with vocals and lead guitars overlaid and it cost us a measly $600 Australian.

It strikes as you endeavoured to reach perfection in everything, didn’t you? Magnificent performance, splendid execution and, finally, rather impressive design and layout… The cassette’s appearance leaves very good impression due to the fact that it’s really professional. Somehow I believe that it devoured a lot of your savings… Don’t you fear that you’ll get nothing instead? Have the feeling of disappointment, disillusionment ever attended you throughout the years you spent in ENFORCE?

- With all the competition around in the world you have to present to your audience that you are true blue. You can't expect people to listen to you if you present a poorly packaged material with ok recording. We are serious about going somewhere and providing a sound that people will look at. If we don't succeed, at least we had fun doing it and turned a few heads in our travels!!

“Premonition” looks like enough attractive enticement for a certain label, therefore I’m wondering if there’s any possibility for ENFORCE to stop being an unsigned band in the nearest time to come?

- We have been signed by a label which is called "Sonic Wave International". We were signed in Singapore and they have bases in U.S.A. (Abyss Records)and Europe (Beasterial Records). We are bringing out "Unknown" on a compilation disc which features SUNCHARIOT from Russia. “Premonition” will be on a split cd with an Indonesian band called SLOWDEATH in July and then our full release in Febuary 2000. I guess the hard work payed off with a lot of luck!!

All the lyrics featured on “Premonition” appear as rather depressive (both, yours and the ones by Dave), being impregnated with suicidal motifs… Subjects like scorn, contempt and defiance can be easily discovered if one will look deeper into their meaning, at least that’s my opinion. Why so? Is it only a kind of ‘tribute to the genre’ or, perhaps, something more personal?

- "Driven To Suicide" was a personal issue for Dave that was channelled into a good song. "Gripping Thoughts" was a song I wrote when I worked away for long periods of time. "Infectious" was based on a movie "Outbreak", where the infection represented the human race. "Unknown" is based on a the idea of being discarded by higher entities. "Darkness" was based on a comic book were Hell's angel and Heaven's guardian breed. The offspring was so powerful that God fled Heaven.

If I’m familiar with drugs only by hearsay, guys from FACES OF DEATH  (your friends, I believe?) are not, right? And it seems like they’re not the only ones among the pals of yours who ever collided with the problem of narcotic dependence, eh? Why is your opinion on this subject? Greg of ESOTERIC once said that “you must have a receptive mind, and strength of will, and a good knowledge of ‘self’ before drugs can be of value. Despite the fact that governments worldwide spread propaganda and lies, and try to raise fear of drugs and all of it’s relations amongst the people of societies, they very rarely have a bad effect on people. Fatalities are very rare; ill-health, insanity and death usually only occur through stupidity of the user… All drugs should be legalized. People should have the freedom of choice. If the weak and the stupid die because of drugs, it’s a good thing in my eyes”. Would you like to comment his assertion?

- I have seen a lot of people's personalities change when they were introduced or experimented in drugs. Be it alcohol or heroin, each has its own vices. I don't like hard drugs and I don't have the time for people who are on them. There should be a line drawn on availability of narcotics. The only problem I see is that good people can be turned into stupid people and stupid people might accidentally harm a good person. Basically, they all deserve what they get, it is harsh but it's their life and not my responsibilty or anyone else's.

What is attitude to black metal? As far as I know, SAMAIN also comes from Perth; are you familiar with this act?

- My brother plays in SAMAIN as the guitarist. BM is very popular among the genres of metal as it is one of the newest styles. Perth has a BM band which will be making progress very soon and they are called PAGAN. They are also on the "Western Front" site and are proving to be dominant in the southern hemisphere.

How it is, to be a death metal band in Australia? What are the most widespread difficulties you’ve met on your way as a musician?

- The audience is smaller. Because our music is a mixture of thrash and death we get interest from a mixture of metalheads to dedicated BM followers.

I asked you about BM, but what about death metal? Some freaks say that it’s dead and gone long time ago, others state that we behold it’s rebirth nowadays… What is your diagnosis? I doubt that you consider yourself to be a prophet, but anyway, please tell us of the way you conceive the future of this genre!

- DEEP PURPLE was one of the first metal bands I knew that had incorporated keyboards into their music. Then Malmstein did it succesfully and now BM artists are using it as well. KISS in the 70's used face paint where BM artists call it corpse paint. The genre will change but SLAYER have produced the same sound all these years and are still outselling everyone.

What if I’d ask you to compare Australian and European bands? Are there any special, peculiar distinctions between them? Please, substantiate your answer if possible.

- Alot of Aussie bands are just as good and are in the world race, just listen to ALCHEMIST. There are a few Aussie artists in DIMMU BORGIR who are from LORD CHAOS. Europe does currently lead the race as they initiate a lot of the new styles.

This is one of the most hackneyed questions, but I keep on asking it anyway simply because it’s of interest to me… Are you a religious person? Be the answer “yes” or “no”, what is your opinion of christianity as well as of the fact that Australia is famous for it’s Christian death and black metal bands? I doubt if metal music and christianity have anything in common…

- I am not religious and I don't care much for it either. A lot of metal comes from war experiences and medievil times. All these times were driven by religion which probably explains the connection. God, a good fictional story!

Are there any differences between Guy Bell as the member of ENFORCE and as a usual citizen? I mean, do you act the same way (i.e. are you the same person, speaking metaphorically) while being in studio, on tour or spending time with some familiar metalheads and while living your usual, regular life, studying, working?

- I am your plain old genuine nice Guy!!!! I have alot of friends, no enemies yet?? Have a job, play in a band and try to do the right thing by people.

Is there anything you know regarding Russia? Any Russian bands you’ve heard lately?

- I have seen a video where PANTERA played at a festival in Russia and the army were a touch brutal to the people. I have read about a band called MESSOIR NOIR I think??? I don't really know that much but it helps surfing on the Internet and having Kai keep myself and the world up to date, cheers!!!!

Thanks for your time, Guy! Here’s some place for you to say or wish anything you’d like…

- Thank you for your time and look out for us on 'Musical Zone' in Khabarovsk where, in the year 2000, you will see video clips of ENFORCE in your home in Russia. Thank you Kai and we hope to see Russia in the not too distant future.

ENFORCE contact –
Email: dominion@iinet.net.au