Hallo. First of I would like to congratulate you on your new album "Government Denies Knowledge".

Thanks a lot. The album will be released at the 27th of January and we hope that the people will bang their heads off to the new cd.

Could you start out by introducing your self and tell us what part in the band you have?

My name is Ralf Winzer, Bass player, translation chief and newest member of REQUIEM.

How did the band get to getter and how did you come up with the name "REQUIEM" Does it have any special meaning?

REQUIEM started in the middle of 1997 with thee founding members Phil Klauser (Guitars), Ralph Inderbitzin (Guitars) and Roger Kradolfer (Drums). Singer Michi Kuster joined the band in 1998. Back then he played ass as well. Different drummers and bass players came. Reto Crola (Drums) took over the place behind the kit in 2001. He took a break in 2003 from the band and is since his return a permanent band member. I came up in winter 2004 when Phil (Guitars) asked me to join the band knowing me from my work as Guitar/Bass Tech for the swiss band MESSIAH. The name REQUIEM was an idea by Phil Klauser and fits as a message for supporting our Death Metal sound.

This is your first album for Massacre, how did the contract get established, and how are they to work with?

After the new cd "Government denies knowledge" was mixed and mastered we send copies of it to many different labels. Some showed interest others didn't. Finally someone from Nuclear Blast introduced us to Thomas Hertler of Massacre and we signed this great contract. We`ll see how Massacre will work. At the moment they are doing a very good job with promoting us und giving us a chance to get a tour support slot.

It must be incredible to be a part of such a great roster, which Massacre has?

Absolutely. We are really happy by signing to Massacre. A label with history and future. And a label that started by metal fans for metal fans. And they know were they are coming from??..

Why did you choose the title "Government Denies Knowledge" for this record, does it have any special meaning?

As a band we see ourselves in the tradition of bands with attitude like Napalm Death for example. So our lyrical content consists often of political themes. Government denies knowledge is a statement for of the present time. The governments of many countries are hiding their real deeds in fear of people trying to find out the truth sometimes. They influence the media companies and don't stop telling lies. They deny knowledge of secret service investigations for example.

When you started working on this album, how long did the process take from the first step to the final product? Was it hard to write new material for this record or did it come naturally for you?

Our main songwriters Phil and Ralph (both guitars) started to write new songs in the middle of 2004. I guess they had a really creative time. When I joined in late 2004 most of the songs were finished in it's basic structures. I contributed the missing lyrics for some songs and we started to work on the arrangements for each instrument before recording the stuff.

Where did you record this record and who was the producer on the album?

We went to a small but very well equipped studio 70 KM from Zürich. Our mainman Phil Klauser(Guitars) took over the place as the producer due to the fact that this recordings were self-financed. Additionally the whole band was involved in decisions concerning the production process.

How was it to work with him/them???

It was doing very good working as a democratic collective group that has the same aim to achieve. Although the deal between us was that Phil was in a chief position.

What are you trying to express through your music? Is there a hidden statement?

Music wise it's just our way of playing real handmade Death Metal sound and entertain people that show up at our shows. Within the lyrics we have an attitude and a message for those who are interested in listening.
Theres is not a hidden statement but a obvious one. Political as well as personal themes that many people share.

How has the album been received by the press, the critics and the fans so far?

Ralf Winzer: It's doing absolutely fantastic so far. Only very few bad reviews mostly brilliant evaluations. Our old fans are really satisfied with the new songs that we played live already. And we hope to reach a bigger
crowd that appreciates our sound.

What is your view on the group's position in today's music scene?

Ralf Winzer: We are still bonded to the underground scene. That's were we come from but I think every musician dreams of playing in different and other countries than your hometown or near local area. We might have the opportunity now to travel around and reach metal fans around the world with the fantastic distribution of the new cd.

Metal band now days don't make a lot of music videos, are you planning to record any videos to support the album?

There will be a video clip to the song "Diary of a damaged brain" which consists of live shots filmed during our European tour with Vital Remains in Sept. 2005. It`s one of the best songs we ever wrote and very
good to convert into video material. May be we will shoot a real video clip with studio shots but at the moment there are no plans for that.

Do any of the members have any side-projects you wish to bring out in the open or are you fully committed to this band?

Ralf Winzer: Reto (Drums) plays also in the swiss Death/Thrash band PUNISH (www.punish.ch) and I play in a northern german Thrash Metal Band with female vocals called UPPERCUT (www.uppercut-online.de). All the other members concentrate only on REQUIEM. REQUIEM is nevertheless our band with priority number one.

What kind of stuff did you grow up listening to, and what kind new music do you listen to these days?

I can only speak for myself but I raised up with that typical 80s metal and hard rock stuff. Kiss, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Motörhead. Although I had many friends from the local german punk and hardcore scene. So bands like Exploited, GBH, Sick of it all, Agnostic Front had effect on me too. In the end of the 80s I was a real THRASH oriented kid listening to Overkill, Testament, Forbidden and that stuff before the Death Metal wave caught me too with Bolt Thrower, Morbid Angel, Autopsy, Death, Obituary, Entombed and bands from that age. Nowadays I listen to everything that gives me the feeling that I am kicked in the arse. It reaches from Rock, Power Metal to Thrash/Death Metal and Hardcore. I bought the last cds of the Danish bands Hatesohere and Illdisposed for example or the last Black Label Society record. But me old heroes are still reigning over my speakers at home.

Have any of these bands been source inspiration for the album? Or where does it come from, both on the musical part and the lyrical part?

As I said before is the attitude of bands like Naplam Death kind of an inspiration lyricwise. Musically old heroes like Terrorizer, Suffocation and Malevolent Cretaion has an effect on us but we're no clones. It's 100% the sound of REQUIEM with a homage to the bands we respect for their musical achievement.

What is in your own opinion your biggest musical achievement so far?

In any case the European tour with Vital Remains though the eastern part as well as some festivals like Fuck the commerce in germany and single shows with Pungent Stench and Napalm Death for example.

Could we expect any European tour and maybe see the band in action here in Denmark any time soon?

We are going on tour as support for the Swedish death metal machine DISMEMBER in mid February. Unfortunately we are not coming to Denmark this time but if there is the possibility to come we will show up.
The crowd won'be disappointed. This one goes out to Danish concert promoters. We are waiting for serious offers??

How did you think the music scene is here in Europe, compared to the scene in the US?

In my opinion the European scene is nearer together as in the US. Obviously due to the fact that the US is a way bigger to travel around. European and US styles are often very different but there are very good bands with a lot of asskicking attitude behind here in Europe as well as in the US.

What would be the ultimate tour, festival or show for you to play at?

The bigger summer festivals like the With Full Force and Party.San Open Airs would be great to play at. As well as Roskilde. The ultimate tour or single show for me would be with Obituary and Bolt Thrower.

That's all we've get this time, do you have anything that you'd like to add or say?

Watch out for the new record "Government denies knowledge" and our shows in the near of your hometowns and always have nice, good friendly violent fun at the metal shows you'll visit out there!

We would like to say thanks a lot for you're time. And we wish all you guys all the luck in the future what ever it might bring.

Good luck and health to you as well and thanks for the interview. Hope to see you at a show venue in Denmark in the near future.