GET TO THE POINT: CRAIG SMILOWSKI (RELLIK)

 

(In this latest installment of his “Get To the Point” series, KevinP poses 5 questions to drummer Craig Smilowski of Philadelphia’s Rellik, whose debut album Spiraling Infinite Chaos was released last week by Horror Pain Gore Death Productions.)

K:   The band has been around since 1987, but never released any material until 2004.  Now, 11 years later, you are finally getting to your debut LP.  What the hell took so long?

C:  Well, as far as a full-length goes it’s just the way things turned out.  The band were all working different schedules and writing/rehearsing when possible.  And had quite a few member changes along the way.  Now with this established line-up, we have plenty of ideas coming in, which makes for better song writing.

 

 

K:   Every time I listen to this album I keep hearing old Malevolent Creation and Suffocation.  I’m talking demo/first album for both and before Suffocation started with all the slam stuff.

C:  Well that’s a first, and a nice compliment as well. To me I hear many different possibilities from the plethora of music that’s out there.  We all listen to just about everything there is from classic rock to classical,  progressive to blues, doom etc. It’s always cool hearing others’ opinions on what we’ve recorded.

 

K:   Most people know your name from the first two Immolation albums.  Besides joining Rellik in 2004, what have you been up to? (Music, life, anything you want to mention)

C:  Well, my previous band, Goreaphobia, has reissued our classic first demo remastered and other choice cuts on vinyl thru Dark Descent Records.  Working on other musical projects which I look foreword to reveal when ready.  Coming up on two years without a cigarette, which feels great.

 

K:  So is Rellik strictly a studio band or are you taking this on the road?

C:  We do play live.  Due to the fact 3 out of 5 of us work at the same company it makes it difficult.  So shows for us, unfortunately, need to be after 10pm on Saturday nights, if whenever possible.  How often that happens is another issue to factor in.  You see if there’s an issue at work, one of us,  if not all, may be needed, so it’s better to book us when the office is shut down.  LOL

 

K:  The joys of having real lives and day jobs.

C:  That’s life

 

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/spiraling-infinite-chaos
https://www.facebook.com/Rellik.NJ
http://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/vile-beast-of-abomination
http://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/track/goreaphobia-demented-omen-of-masochism