UN: The Age of Miracles Has Passed definitely shows the band reaching a new level musically. Was it a grueling process getting the music to the point where everyone was satisfied during the songwriting process?

Chris Lollis/guitar: I think there's always a frustration involved with supplying a product that's based off of inspiration on a dead line, I wouldn't say it was grueling though. We had some material written between Kreishloff and myself right out of the gate after Adoration of the Blade, but the bulk of the material for The Age of Miracles Has Passed came after we joined forces with Jeremy Nissenbaum. The band suffered a devastating blow on tour that held us back for a few months in the writing process but I think also that came to be as a source for inspiration for the next record so ultimately I fell the writing came to us as more of a relief and bonding experience than anything else.

UN: Was there anything specifically you wanted to do differently with this album than you did with Adoration of the Blade?

Chris: We all had ideas in mind that we wanted to do differently than Adoration of the Blade, but I think the main focus was trying to write the most extreme music that we possibly could first off, but also including more in depth looks into the other sides of the band that we've never explored before. I noticed in the writing process there was a lot of focus on timing and doing as much with one timing signature as you could which is something we had dabbled with in the past but never made a main focal point, I think the results of that experimentation proved to be worth while and will be something we definitely put under the microscope for future endeavors. Also trying to give the album more diversity was in mind this time around, there are many sides to the writing force in Lecherous Nocturne that none of us had ever brought to the table before but this time it I think just felt right between us to try some new avenues, and have inspired us to do so further on the new material were working on now.

UN: How has the response to the album been thus far? All of the reviews I have read seem to unanimously praise the album. Do you find yourselves being compared to any bands in these latest reviews that you just don't hear?

Chris: So far the response has been great I think we're reaching new people and new markets and for us that's an obvious plus. Ive read quite a few reviews for The Age of Miracles Has Passed and in all honesty I take all the reviews whether good or bad with a grain of salt because really all your gonna hear from a live show review or an album review is one guys opinion. I've been slammed for things that some guy told his buddy that told his girl friend that told the reviewer that isn't even close to a trace of realism, and I've read reviews that praise a member for his performance on the record that had been out of the band for five years. With that being said the reviews I've read lately for The Age of Miracles Has Passed has some good comparisons that I totally agree with because I know what music were inspired by and when you say there's elements of Immolation and Cryptopsy ala Morbid Angel in our music than that is in my opinion a great evaluation, but I hear a lot of people trying to compare us to Nile and I think it has nothing to do with the music were writing its just about the affiliation with Nile that Lecherous Nocturne has, I mean Nile is a totally different animal and to try to compare the two bands is kind of ignorant.

UN: The album sounds fantastic and is incredibly tight. How much time did you guys spend in the studio with Bob Moore? With a sound as fast yet as concise as the band is I would assume that recording at times could take quite a few takes to really nail the performance.

Chris: We spent right at three weeks in the studio with Bob Moore, there is an art to nailing down extreme music and achieving a sound that is comprehensive and chaotic all at the same time. We have a good process between the band that weve been perfecting through previous records that definatley cuts down on the stress and billable hours in the studio. We all know that we have to live with the recording for the rest of our lives so getting the best take possible is very important but also achieving vibe and emotion is a must, we all play this music from our hearts and we want the listener to feel what were portraying as much as possible as opposed to a mechanical album that sounds like the countless drones were all being force fed every time we turn the corner. Also its about the right team, with an engineer/producer like Bob Moore you can relax a bit more and get the best possible performance.

UN: This latest album also marks the bands first album for Unique Leader. How did the deal with the label come about? Do you guys feel like you are a good fit for the label?

Chris: I would say that Unique Leader is a good fit for Lecherous Nocturne, they have enabled us to spread our wings more than previous labels and helped us in many ways with reaching markets that we could not reach before. Basically our deal was up with Deepsend records and our contact at the label hooked us up with Erik at Unique Leader, we had spoken off and on through out the years with the guys at Unique even exchanging a few contacts here and there but when the opportunity came up for us to work with them we all were excited and thing are going great.

UN: Album lengths are a big thing I like to talk about it my reviews. To me Slayer really got it right with Reign in Blood and The Age of Miracles Has Passed is pretty much the exact same length. Do you think that death metal albums are best kept to around the 30 minute mark? I just don't see the point of bands bringing out 70 minute albums when playing extreme music.

Chris: Well that subject is kind of a double edge sword, I totally agree with the fact that Slayer Reign In Blood is a timeless classic and for that record and what it contains it fits perfect and says all you need to say in thirty minutes. Do I think that for every record and every band.....No.. With Lecherous Nocturne the focus has never been time or length of a song or album. We always know when it feels right to end a track or to cut or add some songs to a record, but I wouldn't say this is an approach that should be a standard for all extreme bands. I mean take a band like Nile for example they write very epic songs that can go for like fifteen minutes and albums that could (if they wanted to) go for a few hours and it makes a lot of sense because as the album or song goes on the story unfolds and keeps you interested, would I want to listen to Obituary for two hours of course not, even though I love Obituary the music just doesn't call for it. With Lecherous Nocturne weve caught a little flack with writing albums that clock in at under thirty minutes but for us we are simply putting out what feels right to us, the last two records Adoration of the Blade and The Age of Miracles Has Passed were both short records but not because we got together and said we wanted a short record but because that was what felt right for the time, but who knows next time we may put out an hour and a half of material it all just boils down to what the metal gods determine.

UN: This album marks the debut of Jeremy Nissenbaum are the drummer for the band. Did it take him a long time to get comfortable in the band? Judging from his performance on the album he fits the band perfectly and turned out quite the performance.

Chris: When Jeremy joined the band it was an instant fit, he picked up the material extremely fast because he has a great work ethic and is a very focused individual, he has worked his ass off for us and were all very lucky to have him on-board. When Dallas Toler-Wade (Nile) left the band to focus more on Nile we were relentlessly searching for a drummer but with the kind of music we're playing it's quite a challenge to find a guy that first has the chops and second the attitude and compisitional knowlege that it takes to play extreme metal. When we first met Jeremy he flew himself down from Boston to South Carolina to audition which was already a good testament to his work ethic and dedication and he came into the rehearsal space and nailed some of the older material flawlessly. We were instantly sold, and now after working with him for a few years we have really formed together and I think taken the band to new realms that would not have happened without him.

UN: Lyrically the band is definitely not typical of the death metal genre. Would you say it is important for the band to break away from the gore lyrics normally associated with the genre?

Chris: We just like taking real life situations and and applying them to our music, I loved the old school death metal that talked about mutilation and murder as much as the next guy but it's been so done at this point in the game that the guys doing it now just sound a bit cliched to me. I mean what is more horrific and disgusting than real life? With Jason Hohenstein's lyrical approach we touch base with alot of subjects that most just want to sweep under the rug and pretend that they don't exist but were putting it right in your face and saying these things do exist and are only getting worse. Music is a form of art that is very similar to story telling but when is the last time a gore band went grave robbing, like I said I'm a fan of some gore bands out there and if that's what you want to do then more power to you but for what we want to do it just doesn't fit.

UN: In September you guys had your van and all your gear stolen. I never did see a follow up posted anywhere. Did you guys end up getting any of the gear back? That must be quite the shock. Any advice you would give any bands out on tour on what they should be keeping track of just in case a situation like this happens?

Chris: We never got so much as a fucking t-shirt back from that. The band lost everything and were still recovering it was definitely one of the worst situations that me or any of us in Lecherous Nocturne have ever been through, there was a point where we thought we might not ever recover from it and thought the band could actually be forced into silence but after over a decade of doing this together that just wasnt going to be the way we went out so with the help of good freinds and fans and working our asses off we pulled our selves back together and put out The Age of Miracles Has Passed . The only advice I could give for any touring band is don't trust anyone, because the more flags you put up to the public that your a band on the road is the more people that know the trailer behind your van or bus is full of equipment that is worth alot of money and to the crack smoking border jumper that is a definite hit. DON'T TRUST ANYONE!!!!!!

UN: Are you guys excited about the Grind Your Mind tour coming up in February and March? Are the bands touring plan for the rest of 2009 fairly extensive?

Chris: Yes this will be our first tour back out after we got ripped off and to say the least we have been waiting for the chance to get back out there and show the people what it is that we love to do. As far as the rest of 2009 we have a few tentative things were working on as far as tours go but nothing solid enough to talk about yet, were getting geared up for the grind you mind tour with Sol Asunder and Embryonic Devourment and all of us are working up new material in our own time so we can be as ready as possible for the next record.

UN: Does being in Nile as well as LN hinder how much time you can put into the touring aspect of the band at all? Playing with Nile definitely must keep your chops up for LN.

Chris: No I'm just a session member for Nile and Ive been a member of Lecherous Nocturne for over ten years. We don't tour as much right now as Nile does and when I'm on tour with Nile Im constantly working up ideas for Lecherous. There are plans for me to play and do vocals on the next Nile record but if the schedules ever conflict then we'll treat it accordingly.

UN: I'm curious to ask what your thoughts on the current death metal scene are. It has changed considerably since when I first got into the scene. Demo tapes are seemingly finished and most bands are using Myspace to promote themselves almost exclusively. Do you miss the old days or do you embrace the change that has happened?

Chris: Well I think like anything else I think music is no exception to evolution, I do kind of miss the days of tape trading and I hate the myspace emo queens that have no idea what it is to actually get out there and promote your band but with current technology there is a whole new way to promote and reach people.

As far as the current death metal scene there are the greats that have always been there and I will always respect, and there are some great new bands doing some really interesting things but all in all with no disrespect intended to anyone it needs a breath of fresh air.

Thanks for taking the time to talk to me about the new Lecherous Nocturne record The Age of Miracles Has Passed and I hope to see all the fans on up-coming tours.