The Polish DECAPITATED complete 28 years of career and are now considered as one of the most dynamic bands in the world in terms of their live performances! Mosh pits, energy and relentless headbanning characterize their concerts. After a long time, they are visiting Greece once more for a live show that will take place on March 13th, 2024 in Athens. On this occasion, we spoke to the band’s guitarist Waclaw Kieltyka who answered many questions about his band. Read more at the following text…
– Hello Waclaw, and welcome to the GALLERY! It’s a great pleasure and honor to feature you in our pages. First off, could you tell us what you’ve been up to lately? What’s your current status?
Waclaw Kieltyka: Hey Dimos! Thank you for your interest in DECAPITATED. Currently, we’re gearing up for a European tour that’s starting very soon. So, lots of work, preparations, and practicing in store for the coming days.
-Your last album, “Cancer Culture” was released in 2022. When should we expect the next one?
Waclaw Kieltyka: Since it’s only been a year and a half since the release of “Cancer Culture,” we’re still focused on promoting this album while also aiming to play in areas we haven’t visited before. So, we have at least a year of touring with this material before hitting the studio again. I have two new songs ready and some ideas that didn’t make it onto the last album, although I’ve been occupied with touring with both DECAPITATED and MACHINE HEAD for the past few years. It’s important to remember that musicians are human too and need time for rest, family, children, school, holidays, and so on. We can’t spend all our time writing and touring because it’s physically demanding. The writing process is intense, lengthy, and exhausting. People often underestimate the effort required to bring a song from concept to completion. Additionally, studio time is taxing and time-consuming, as is the promotional work, including videos, interviews, tour planning, etc. Being a composer and touring musician is a 24/7 commitment, much more than a typical job. Anyway, my plan is to start writing soon and keep crafting new riffs. So maybe 2025, maybe 2026, it depends on tour plans and other factors.
– During the pandemic, we all missed live shows. How are things going with your tour, and how does it feel to play your music in front of an audience again after the pandemic?
Waclaw Kieltyka: It felt amazing to come back after the pandemic. We love playing shows and interacting with our fans, so it was a relief when things started getting back to normal. However, I wouldn’t say the pandemic was entirely negative for me because I wrote all the songs for “Cancer Culture” during that time. I had a lot of time due to the break from touring, which allowed me to focus solely on writing. Perhaps taking a break from touring is the key for bands to write great albums. Of course, it’s challenging because musicians need to make a living, so it’s not that simple.
– As a band and personally, you’ve faced numerous challenges over the years. The tragic bus accident in 2007, which claimed the life of Witold Kieltyka and left Adrian Kowanek seriously injured, was undoubtedly one of the most difficult. How did you cope with that devastating event?
Waclaw Kieltyka: It’s a painful topic, and honestly, I’m tired of discussing it after all these years. It was the worst experience of my life. Losing my younger brother Witold, and seeing Covan seriously harmed, changed my life forever. It was incredibly difficult, sad, and depressing. Life can be cruel sometimes, and all we can do is keep moving forward and fight through each day with the memories and experiences we carry.
– The legal issues you faced in the U.S. were another significant ordeal, although you were eventually cleared of all charges. Did this incident hinder your progress as a band, or did it ironically boost your publicity? As the saying goes, “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.”
Waclaw Kieltyka: I prefer not to discuss that case. It was a total mistake and a waste of time.
– Ok. We move on. The last time you played in Greece was in 2016, after the release of the “Blood Mantra” album. Why did it take so long for you to return?
Waclaw Kieltyka: Apologies for the confusion, but I believe the last time was in 2011. Time flies, and we’ve been busy with various commitments, not to mention the pandemic.
– What can we expect from your upcoming show in Greece, alongside NERVOSA, INCANTATION, and KASSOGTHA?
Waclaw Kieltyka: I’m confident it will be an incredible show, as always in Greece. Metalheads in your country are passionate, and I love performing there. We’ll deliver our best performance with DECAPITATED, and I’m sure all the other bands will give it their all too. We’re bringing an awesome light show and top-notch sound production. One exciting aspect is that we’ll be playing the entire “Nihility” album, along with some other songs to close out the show. So, people will have the chance to experience 22-year-old school metal in the best possible way. This album is absolutely crushing live, and we can’t wait to unleash it on the audience.
– When you founded DECAPITATED back in 1996, could you ever have imagined sharing a stage with legendary bands like DEATH and performing at major festivals worldwide?
Waclaw Kieltyka: Never in my wildest dreams. I never even dared to imagine all the incredible things that have happened because of this band. It’s been a crazy roller-coaster ride, and I’m still ready to stay in this circus for a while longer. Let’s see what the future holds, hopefully only great things.
– Have you ever visited Greece as a tourist?
Waclaw Kieltyka: Yes, I visited Corfu Island. The people were friendly, the weather, food, and scenery were amazing. I had a fantastic time there.
– We can’t wait to see you in March for your live show in Athens! Any closing remarks you’d like to share?
Waclaw Kieltyka: Thank you so much for your time and questions. I genuinely can’t wait to hit the stage in Greece and spend some time in your beautiful country. It’s been too long since our last visit, so I hope to see a lot of people at the venue. Let’s have an epic party!
Interview: Dimos Karadimos
Design & Editing: Alexandros Soultatos
Date: March 7th, 2024
External Link: DECAPITATED – Official Page
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