Interview: Molder
The response to the new material has been super well received, including the live performances. People are showing up, and leaving with our merch, so something is going right!
Illinois death metal crew Molder have just released their latest album Catastrophic Reconfiguration and it is a nonstop riot of high energy deathly goodness that rightly sees Molder staking their claim as one of the best newer death metal bands on the planet. To celebrate the release of Catastrophic Reconfiguration, Gavin Brown caught up with Molder’s Aaren Pantke (guitar/vocals) to hear all about the album, how 2024 has been for Molder, recent tours and a few Chicago and Illinois based questions.
E&D: Your new album Catastrophic Reconfiguration is out soon. How excited are you to unleash this record?
Aaren: Absolutely stoked!
E&D: How was the experience of creating and recording the album?
Aaren: Fun but stressful. It’s always a pleasure to write and record new music with the guys, but time was not on our side. Between our day jobs and extracurriculars outside of the band, finding time to “get shit going” was easier said than done. But, we’re a band that works best under pressure. I mean, our first show was booked without even having a solid lineup or set list ha.
E&D: What has the reaction been to the new material so far?
Aaren: Strangely positive There’s usually somebody pissing in the cheerios, but the reception has been super strong for this one! Glad everyone is enjoying the new material.
E&D: Do you feel that you have gone a step up in terms of heaviness with this compared to your previous album Engrossed In Decay?
Aaren: Not necessarily, but who knows. Bands have their natural progressions they themselves may be unaware of. Take a listen, and make that call for yourself!
E&D: Molder have released a multitude of studio albums, live albums and split releases since you emerged in 2018. Did you always want Molder to be such a prolific band when it comes to releasing music?
Aaren: Absolutely! That was the goal in mind anyways. Stay relevant, stay active, and pump out new releases as they come to us. Which we have been fortunate enough to do! So, thank you to those supporting the band, and for keeping us in the public eye.
E&D: How did your recent show at Volcanic Strike in Hawaii with Exhumed and Deceased go and what were the highlights?
Aaren: It was tremendous! Max from P.I.L.A.U did an extraordinary job creating one of the sickest fest there is. Every single band ripped, but my personal highlights were definitely Vorlust, Alienator, and Exhumed.
E&D: How have your other recent live shows gone and how has the new material been going down live?
Aaren: Everything’s been going great! Like I said previously, the response to the new material has been super well received, including the live performances. People are showing up, and leaving with our merch, so something is going right! But, all in all we’re just grateful to get the chance to play such amazing showcases.
E&D: What are your live plans for next year and will you be making it across to the UK and Europe?
Aaren: Europe is in the works, and that’s about all I can say for now. We hope to spread the decay all over the world in 2025… we’ll see what the future holds for us!
E&D: You played with Mortician in August as well, how was that experience?
Aaren: Very cool! Emma/No Class totally rules and we love them to death! So cheers for making the festival happen and inviting us to play! The entire lineup was chalk full of insane bands, so it was super cool being a part of it. It was a great success in our eyes, especially after an emergency venue change due to storm outages. Total support to Emma, No Class, and all of the “Cleveland” scene.
E&D: How did your tour with Fulci and Drawn & Quartered go last year and what were the highlights of the tour?
Aaren: It was an amazing run! Everybody got along so well, and it made for an absolutely killer time. Simon of D&Q was a major highlight for us all! What a force. Total positive, terminator like energy haha. A gentle manaic? The best, that’s what we know! The tour went great, but if we had to pick a favorite show, definitely Mass Destruction in Atlanta. Total rager.
E&D: Who have you also loved touring with and who would you love to tour with in the future?
Aaren: We love everybody we’ve had the privilege of touring with. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have done it at all! We hope we can continue the trend of touring with our friends. That seems the most fun, and makes the most sense to me.
E&D: What have been some of the best live shows that Molder has ever played?
Aaren: Playing with Obituary at The Metro, Maryland Deathfest’s prefest with Sodom, opening for Autopsy at Reggies… TWICE! The list goes on and on, they’re all the best!
E&D: Do you feel there has been a resurgence in new and quality death metal over the past few years?
Aaren: 100%. But some may argue it never went away!
E&D: Who are your favourite newer death metal bands?
Aaren: Torture Rack, Phobophilic, Cartliage, Hemorrhoid, Dipygus, Vorlust, Goetia, Coffin Rot, Morbific, Saprogenous, Coffin Dust, Skeletal Remains, Apparition, and so so so much more!
E&D: What have been your death metal albums of the year so far?
Aaren: Dipygus – Dipygus, Apparition – Fear The Apparition, Coffin Rot – Dreams of the Disturbed, Sovereign – Altered Realities, Hemorrhoid – Raw Materials of Decay.
E&D: Who would you pick in the “Big 4 of Chicago metal”?
Aaren: Master, Cianide, Zoetrope, Devastation.
E&D: Who are your favourite ever metal bands from Illinois?
Aaren: Cardiac Arrest, Impetigo, Morgue, Trouble, Contagion, Severed, Impulse Manslaughter, Terminal Death, Death Strike, Savage Master, Znowhite, Scepter, Life Sentence, Rotted, Macabre, and so much more.
E&D: What are your favourite music venues in the whole of Illinois?
Aaren: Reggie’s Rock Club.
E&D: Are you a fan of the Blues Brothers and if Molder could cover a song from the film, what would you choose?
Aaren: Big fans? No. But we all like it! I guess, ‘Soul Man’. That’s the only one that really comes to mind.
E&D: Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox or Blackhawks?
Aaren: All of the above.
E&D: In keeping with the season, what are your favourite movies to watch on Halloween?
Aaren: The same shit I watch every year! Dead Alive, Reanimator, Halloween, Nightmare On Elm Street.
