Hello Patrizio Mameli, how are you doing?

-Doing ok I guess with this whole Covid stuff happening and no income. But besides that, I’m healthy, new album is ready to be released next year February.

Please tell us something about Rotterdam? I thought you still lived in Enschede, but that’s probably a long time ago?

-Very long time ago yes. I live in Rotterdam now for 6 years now and I love it there! It’s a great big city and I love the no nonsense mentality.

How is the metal scene at the moment in The Netherlands. This Corona/COVID-19 is hitting hard and it’s a worldwide thing. The bands are ‘sitting’ home and cannot play any gigs..?

-I really do not know about the metalscene. I do not go out too much. I haven’t been out in the scene hardly ever as I like to keep things private as much as possible. I do come out and sign stuff if there is any interest of course. Like all the rest of the world, Pestilence is also stuck at home. But I keep myself busy with my other projects: Gestalt, PMG band, Drone-187, Virus-187 and a few more.

Pestilence, live in Chech Republic August 2020 (the only DM band that evening)

But sometime ago Pestilence played a show in the Czech Republic. How was it possible to play such a show in a EU country and how it was to finally blast some heavy stuff upon the fans that came to this show..?

-We loved it. The show was well organized and we were the only D.M. band in the whole world that did this. All security measurements were followed by us and approved by their government. Still, we got some heat because of either jealousy or covid fanatics. We are Pestilence. And no one got sick. Weird when the whole media keeps on pushing the danger of this virus, and we can perform in front of 400 fans and nothing happened, but happy fans screaming for more.

You Guys have also another gig planned with Misanthrophia in Hoogeveen in November this Year. I really would like to be there. But it can be postponed or what do you think?

To be honest I have no clue. The venue is working on something. So stay tuned.

New album will be called: Exitivm

I read on Facebook that the band is currently in the studio to record a new album? Please tell us about the writing process and time in the studio?

-As usual I dissapear for a year and start writing new material. This time, I made sure I like every note and listen to my own stuff as I was a fan. Since I am always the sole writer, I’m my biggest friend and enemy. I am my biggest critic as well. The new album has been recorded, mixed and mastered and is ready for processing. The time in the studio was easy peasy. Partly  because of the new line up. All Dutch, and I love it. All the guys are so amazingly talented and that helps a lot. Also, the working atmosphere at Pitchnote Studios has been nothing but fantastic. Jory Hoogeveen did the engineering and we both did the Producing with me as Executive Producer.

How did you get in contact with Agonia Records in Poland. I thought that a new Pestilence record ‘should/could’ be released via Metal Blade, Nuclear Blast or Napalm Records?

-Well, I do not want to be one of the many signed bands on a bigger label. I like to get the most attention with regard to album release, promotion and distribution.

We will go a little back to the past. What happened with the band after the Spheres (1993) album?

-I called it quits for the same reason I just mentioned. I do not like to be a number in a big corporation that was Road Runner records. They still owe me 29 years of royalties. That would be 70,000 euro. But they are no more. Also we were evolving faster than the fans could keep up with. We felt misplaced in an over flooded DM market.

It was about 2008 that you put Pestilence on the track again. And the final resurrection was in 2016. Can you tell us about how you thought about bringing the band back on track..?

-Well I’m a musician at heart and it took me a while to get that feeling back of wanting to perform (and be loved or hated). Sometimes, it remains difficult to keep ones head up with so many internet warriors out there that only want to troll. But thankfully we have a lot of loyal fans all over the world that keeps us going and wanting to do better with every album. I keep away from the negative and work out as much as I can. I’m not getting any younger.

When I was some time ago listening again to the ‘Spheres’ album I was thinking why you choose to record the album in the studio from mister Arnold Muhren in Volendam. He is a really known musician and producer of the biggest Dutch artists but Metal Music…?

-Our plan was to mess with the label RR as much as we could. Spheres was recorded to get dropped by that label and to be free again once more.

Are you thinking sometimes back about the beautiful and golden years of Pestilence in the 80’s/90’s? And when you look back what are your feelings about the long history of the band and the death metal community in general?

-To be honest, I never look back, nor do I safe stuff from the past. That’s not me. I give all Pestilence related stuff away to fans and friends. Have you ever seen a U-Haul behind a Hearse? I can’t take anything with me when I die anyways.

Please tell us about the project Virus-187?

-The concept behind this is my love for electronic music. I like to be free in my musical expression and not just metal. So I created a few other parameters to move around in. Virus-187 is pretty haunting and doomy with topics such as epidemics, world problems etc. translated into music.

What are some of your own favorite bands/artists?

Allan Holdsworth, Virgil Donati, Daft Punk, Aphex Twins. But I mainly listen to my own music.

Do you have a last word or something that’s on your heart you want to share with our readers?

-Always be positive in life, try to help others where you can, work out. Stay healthy and stay away from psychic vampires.

Pestilence, Live 2020