Jeremy Spencer has changed his musical career from playing drums with Five Finger Death Punch to being the vocalist in his latest project, Semi-Rotted. Arguably his most brutal direction yet, which can be heard on the track “Bloodbath” featuring the legendary Corpsegrinder from Cannibal Corpse. We caught up with Spencer to learn more about his fresh endeavor and what’s to come; all things heavy, blast beats, and extremities within Semi-Rotted.
How did Semi-Rotted come to life after all of your other projects?
I had been listening to a bunch of different metal. Death and extreme metal mostly. My wife and I would sit around drinking coffee in the mornings and we’d listen to tons of different vinyl. We’d Wikipedia the band and read the lyrics. It was really fun and it made me miss heavy music. I was a huge fan growing up despite being in projects that weren’t necessarily metal over the years. I like all kinds of eclectic music. I just felt like I wanted to make a brutal album. Had no idea what it would sound like, but I started collaborating with Shawn McGhee and the result is a 30 minute slugfest.
What about Semi-Rotted will be different from what we expect from Jeremy Spencer?
Well, I’m sure most people will base it off what they’ve heard from me in the past, but that would be a misrepresentation of what this is. This is the most brutal music I’ve ever made. Tons of blast beats and shredding double bass and lots of screams
How has the response been since last year’s EP, Deader Than Dead?
The response has been mostly positive. You never know what people will think honestly. I think people are digging and appreciating the energy and heaviness.
Can you talk about the song “Bloodbath” along with working with the one and only
Corpsegrinder?
We wrote the song and had demoed it and I had just seen Cannibal Corpse in concert and I was like, “I wonder if we could get Corpsegrinder to sing on it.” We have the same management, so I reached out and asked if they would contact him. He was totally into it and was very fast singing it and sending it back. I was really stoked. He’s a fucking legend.
What have been some of the challenges with starting over?
There’s so many bands that can release music. There’s like 40,000 new songs a day on Spotify, so it’s tougher to stand out. Not to mention I’m singing now, so it’s a whole different animal. I switched instruments at a really older age ha ha. Luckily in metal, you can be older and it isn’t frowned upon like in other genres.
What plans do you have for Semi-Rotted for the rest of this year and into next?
We just finished recording two albums. We’re looking for the right label home to get behind the project and release them. Touring is the goal if the people want to see it. I’d love nothing more than to be the door opening band on a good tour and start earning our stripes on the road.
Is there anything else you want to say or add to your listeners?
Thank you for listening and being supportive. Your positivity and encouragement is really appreciated. We hope to see everyone out on the road at some point in the reasonably near future.
