Oakland death metal horde BARBAROUS will unleash their debut full-length, Initium Mors, through Creator-Destructor Records on August 1st, delivering a no-frills slab of classic brutality that draws blood from the veins of legends like Dismember, Suffocation, Internal Bleeding, and Morbid Angel. With a sonic assault as raw as it is relentless, Initium Mors marks a furious arrival from one of the Bay Area’s most savage new acts.
photo by Jun Aoki
The album features cover art from none other than Dan Seagrave—one of death metal’s most iconic visual voices—giving Initium Mors the kind of blood-soaked, labyrinthine visual accompaniment worthy of its sound. It’s a fitting match for a band that doesn’t just write riffs—they conjure chaos.
“Initium Mors” is described as one of the most devastating death metal records of the year. What kind of mindset or experiences fueled the writing process behind this album?
Travis LaBerge (Vocalist) – This record was completely fueled by raw passion and pure aggression. I had people telling me I couldn’t do vocals since this was my first time fronting a band. So that pissed me off haha. This was a very personal journey for me. Sure, some of the tracks are more on the nose and straight-forward death metal graveyard songs, but a few of the songs were almost a cathartic experience for me. My main mindset was just to achieve something catchy and memorable, but keep it as true to what death metal is as possible. Beer was also a big component as far as the fueling of the record.
You mentioned wanting to blend death metal and medieval themes in “Tools Of The Trade”—how central is that fusion to BARBAROUS’s identity, and can we expect more of it throughout the album?
Yes, we like leaning into the medieval thing quite a bit. We utilize it in our imagery, our merch and overall vibe of the band. We are all huge fans of bands like ManOwaR and Eternal Champion and have always wanted to be able to mix that sort of imagery with a strong level of death metal. We feel like it’s very fitting with the name of the band and all.
The band formed just over a year ago and has already gained traction in the Bay Area scene. What do you attribute this fast rise to, and how has the local scene responded to your sound?
The local scene has responded very well right off the bat. I think in part because of the way we rolled out the introduction of the band. It was quickly and strategically planned with good content. It’s all about the instagram reels man. But also because everyone in the band are seasoned veterans when it comes to playing in local bands.
Working with Marcelle Marais and Tritonia Films on the music video added a cinematic dimension to your vision. How did that collaboration come about, and what was the creative process like behind the video?
The creative process for the video was basically this. Let Marcelle do whatever she wants haha. She is so good at what she does and had a very solid vision from the get-go on what she wanted to do and how she wanted to capture it. I’ve always found that when working with any artist, if you give them a simple idea and let them run with it, you’ll always end up with the best outcome!
Dan Seagrave’s artwork is iconic in death metal—what was it like to see your debut LP visually represented by someone so synonymous with the genre’s legacy?
Working with Dan was super cool, he’s very easy going, and again we let the artist do what the artist does best. Being a death metal fan, it’s so incredibly cool to see someone with a name like Dan Seagrave create your album cover.
What’s one piece of gear—guitar, pedal, mic, whatever—that’s absolutely essential to capturing BARBAROUS’s sound in the studio or live?
Our lead guitarist Zachery Weed is the secret weapon that’s for sure. We never leave home without him.
If the evil executioner from “Tools Of The Trade” had to pick a day job in 2025, what do you think he’d be doing—tax auditor, DMV clerk, or barista at a death-themed café?
Either a professional balloon animal sculptor, or a gynecologist.
Initium Mors drops August 1st via Creator-Destructor Records. Expect riffs, rage, and more tour dates soon. Until then, sharpen your axes and turn up the volume—BARBAROUS is just getting started.
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Categories: Barbarous, Interviews, Music
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