How a band buys cola, that's probably the main purpose of this band's endeavours. You are about to read what is perhaps the looniest interview so far...Christian Urff from this German death metal band appears to be a fun person who likes cola. But, is there more than meets the eye?

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Acoustic Torment has a new album out called Schwarzwald. What do you think
of this effort?

We think Schwarzwald is the worst album we ever made. The sound is like an old telephon speaker and there are a lot of mistakes in the songs. The only reason why we recorded this new album is to make enough money to buy us cola (cause we very like coke).

Then I reckon you're a bestselling band as it took three years since My Hope Is In You to complete the new album. Did you sell so much copies of the previous album to be able to cola for three years in a row? Or, to rephrase the question: why do you think Schwarzwald will make you buy cola in the years to come? Why do you like it?

Yes, we sold enough My Hope Is In You CD's to buy cola for three years. We think Schwarzwald will bring us much cola because we play what we like (and we hope others like it, too). This is the reason why different styles and influences are present on our new CD: (un)black metal, grindcore, death metal, etc.

I noticed the album has no title track yet the last song could have been the title track. That song is also the only one in German. Why a German title?

Because we are from Germany. Schwarzwald is the beautiful region where we live in Germany. We think Schwarzwald sounds nice for an album title. The only german song called Sonnentau was a experiment with the German language, maybe we will write some more songs in German.

The CD also says it's "Im gedenken an Andreas Braun". In English that would be "In memory of Andreas Braun". What's the idea behind paying this tribute with Schwarzwald?

Andreas Braun was a good friend and we also worked together as the leader of a Christian youthgroup in our church. He died last year by an accident and we just wanted to remember Andreas with this CD. It's only a personal thing, Andreas was not involved in Acoustic Torment.

With the new album the line-up is also changing. Sascha Hornberger still sang and played bass on Schwarzwald but he's no longer in the band. Why did he leave?

The main reason was because Sascha's taste of music changed.

Come on, man! Tell us more. He had the longest hair in the band. Isn't that the best guarantee he's dedicated to metal? So, what's he into now?

Sascha didn't have the longest hairs, that was me (hehe). But he cut his hairs (like I did, too). Sascha married some time ago and he lives very far from our practice room so it was very difficult to practice with him. Also he decided to do another trainee (?) in the weekends. He will not playing in another band (as far as I know).

He's replaced by a new bassist and a new singer. Can you introduce the new additions to the band?

Our new singer is Artur. He is 17 years old and is a student. Marius is 18 years old and plays the bass. He is also member of another (punk) band called Stuck In Childhood.

What does it mean to play in Acoustic Torment? I mean, what does it involve as it comes to rehearsals and social interaction? How is it to be in this particular band?

To be member of Acoustic Torment means to have a lot of fun and to drink a lot of coke.

I've always understood that the project Hornisgrinde was also by members of Acoustic Torment. Hornisgrinde is releasing a song every month on the internet. Who are actually in Hornisgrinde?

Who or what is www.hornisgrin.de?

Ah! Trying to keep it a mystery, eh?!

Maybe, baby!

Most bands try to do some sort of tour to promote a new album. Acoustic
Torment releases an album yet I see no shows announced on your webpage. How
come? And what may we expect from the band?

There are several reasons why we don't have concerts yet: 1. Nobody wants to hear us 2. We are very lazy (and crazy) 3. We only do concerts when we don't have enough money to buy coke. Serious: Maybe we will do some concerts in the next few month (if somebody wants to hear us). We have to practice with our new band members and till we aren't "fit for concerts" it is not possible for us to do gigs.

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