STEVE ASHEIM (DEICIDE): “Metal is timeless and universal.”

Deicide is one of the pioneers of Death Metal and they are still shaping the genre to this day. They are currently touring the U.S. and we had a chance to catch up with Steve Asheim, one of the founding members, before they went onstage in Fresno, CA. 

METAL EXPRESS RADIO (MER): Hey there. This is Jon Harvey from Metal Express Radio.

Steve: This is Steve.

MER: Hi, Steve. This is Jon with Metal Express Radio. How are you doing?

Steve: Good. How are you doing?

MER: Doing okay. So where are you guys currently at?

Steve: We were in Seattle a few days ago. We just got to Fresno. We played San Francisco last night, so we’re working our way down to L.A.

MER: Okay. Hey, I used to live out there. I was in Bakersfield for a little while.

Steve: Yeah, pretty close.

MER: Yeah, pretty interesting area there. So, how’s the tour been going so far?

Steve: Good, you know, we went into Canada, to the northeast already, and now we’re making our way through California. We played a lot of shows up in Canada too. It went great up there, and it’s been pretty great on the west coast too. We’ll see how L.A. is, then heading into Texas, all the way back into Florida.

MER: Gotcha. So, I’ve been dying to know, as far as the band goes, how in the hell have you guys managed to stay as brutal as you have?

Steve: Well, you know, that’s just been our taste in music all this time. It’s just being ourselves. That’s what we’re into, so that’s what we keep doing, you know?

MER: Okay, fair enough. That’s a legit answer, and I can completely respect that. But it lends itself to another question I’ve been wanting to ask. You’re one of the most aggressive, brutal bands, in my opinion. What in the hell was your inspiration before you started your own band? What did you guys listen to that inspired you?

Steve: Well, you know, there was always plenty of heavy music around—lots of Sabbath and dark stuff to draw from, you know, material and riff-wise. Then, as far as aggression, when the 80s thrash came around, there were plenty of aggressive bands, and the drumming styles got more aggressive. So there’s that to draw on, and it’s just kind of a natural progression in the life of Metal. That’s about all it was to be born. We were just there to help move it along.

MER: It’s funny you say that because if you look at that era, from 1987 to 1990 or 1991, it seemed like a majority of it was coming out of that Tampa, Florida scene, like Obituary, Morbid Angel, you guys. I think the only band I could think of that wasn’t from Tampa and was still killing it was Cannibal Corpse. Is there just something in the water out there?

Steve: Well, you know, it was an area with a lot of musicians. It had a pretty decent scene going already, with Nasty Savage, Sabotage, and Morisound Studios already kind of in existence there. There were several clubs young bands could play. So it was a good area for a scene to grow, especially with those heavier bands influencing the young bands coming up. It was kind of a perfect area for that to happen.

MER: Okay, yeah, that makes sense to me. I spent a little time in Florida, especially in the Tampa area, so I could definitely see the anger and aggression, you know?

Steve: Yeah, a lot of angst out there, for sure.

MER: So, you mentioned earlier that you’re on your North American tour. You’re going to be ending in Tampa. I’m sure a lot of fans out there are dying to know—what are tours like in America versus Europe? Aside from venues, language, and food, what would you say is the difference?

Steve: Not a whole lot, you know. People dress the same, they act the same. They get drunk, they smoke weed, they either pit or they stand and watch, or they headbang. It’s a universal behavior set. Like I say, the horns-up is the universal international sign for heavy metal. The dress code is the same, the behavior is the same. Everyone just wants to drink beer, smoke weed, party, do their thing, listen to their bands, and be left alone.

MER: Fair enough. I wasn’t sure if you were going to say one was a little crazier than the other.

Steve: Not really, it’s pretty universal, especially with us. The reaction is pretty much the same everywhere. The differences are really just the languages, locations, and logistics, but the scene itself is kind of universal.

MER: That’s good to hear. Having music draw everybody together worldwide is pretty badass.

Steve: It really is. You can go to weird parts of the world, China, the Middle East, and people are wearing black, throwing up the horns, and wanting to drink beer. The culture’s universal.

MER: Hell yeah. That’s a constant. Everybody’s a brother at a show, right?

Steve: Yep. And it’s timeless. You know, metalheads from the 70s and 80s, still rocking the denim and leather, just like Saxon said.

MER: So, since you guys have been around for a bit, as one of the pioneers of the genre, where do you see the Death Metal scene going? And do you think Deicide is kind of leading that? How do you see it shaping over the next few years versus how it’s grown over the past decades?

Steve: I don’t know. It’s pretty much shaped. The bands are established, at least the classic ones. We just have to keep working at it, craft more records, do more shows, and it’ll cement itself. As far as future bands, we’re touring with young bands now, and they’ll put their own stamp on metal, just the way we did. The good bands will rise, and the mediocre ones will drop away, just like it’s always been. It’ll be interesting to see how it evolves, and it’s good to know that Death Metal has a lasting effect, where people still want to carry the torch.

MER: I do. I’ve got a daughter right now. She just turned 15 this year, but you guys were in Chicago, I want to say three years ago, playing Reggie’s. And I took her. It was her very first show. And she wanted one of your 666 shirts. I don’t remember the name of it, but she’s been wearing that thing every chance she can. So the new generation is definitely, definitely there.

Steve: Good. That’s good to know. Like I say, something like Metal is timeless and universal. So it’s always going to appeal to someone of a subculture but you know it’s appealed as timeless there’ll always be someone who’s into it.

MER: As well there should be. It’s one of the one of the better genres that are out there, in my opinion, but I’m biased.

Steve: Me too.

MER:  So do you have any crazy stories from the road? Anything you could share?

Steve:  Well you know it’s almost too many to recall just one, you know? And some of them are just, you know, crazy for the wrong reasons or might not be what you think, you know? So we did play this one show earlier on this tour that was so far out in the woods it was like, I think it was where they have the the Juggalo meeting or whatever. Anyway, so we’re so far out there there’s no internet, there’s no phone service, there’s no toilets, there’s no nothing, but there’s a stage with no power and it’s just a campground. I mean we’ve done festivals before and whatnot, but this was a little bit rustic you know i should say oh they had the band out there camping you know i. I mean, anyway, it’s just the things, the situations you find yourself in, you know, are a little surprising sometimes.

MER: So you guys were, like, basically at a campground in the middle of nowhere, huh?

Steve: We had to take a little ferry with our vehicle to get to it. And this was, like, a hand-drawn ferry. A guy went pushing on the riverbed with a stick.

MER: Was that here in the U.S. or up in Canada?

Steve: Illinois.

MER: Oh in Illinois! I think i know exactly where you guys were playing.

Steve: Uh you know the cave and rock

MER:  Yeah, I almost went to that show but I had something come up so I couldn’t make it.

Steve: Yeah, well, it was something else. Looks like being in a Thunderdome.

MER: Oh man that’s uh i don’t know when you think of metal shows you don’t really think of camping, you know what i mean?

Steve: I do know what you mean. That’s what I was thinking that every day but like i said, you know, it is what it is.

MER: So uh the albums that you’ve been associated with what which one has been one of your favorites?

Steve: Um you know I have to say the first one was memorable. I um remember my kit was too beat up to play, so they rented me a kit. Nice time. Once Upon the Cross was cool because we were kind of totally in Scott Birch’s hands. He controlled all the production and just let us be artists. It was really fun. The one we just completed was cool because it was kind of just very smoothly, you know, just went smoothly, you know, all the way around.

MER: That’s Banished by Sin, right?

Steve: It was very satisfying you know so like i say they all have their own little little story that goes with them for you know better or worse you know you get what you get. you can kind of hear the story in the arm itself at least i can’t you know have it went to it right.

MER: Well, I have to ask a personal question. From the self-titled album, Deicide, the amulet that is on the cover of that, what is that? I’ve been trying to figure it out. I cannot, for the life of me, find anything about that. What is that?

Steve: That was, I think Glenn said, because you have to track down the creator of it to get the rights to use it for the cover. So it was an Italian jewelry designer from Italy, I think, who had made that. He made several of them, or whatever, and also other pieces maybe similar over the years. And you know, he made it in the early 1900s or late 1800s. Whatever it was, he never got too famous or anything, but it was a good piece Glenn came upon. I’m not sure, maybe a pawn shop buy or something. However you come across things like this and you know like I said, he was enamored with it immediately and we all thought it was cool at once. The idea to use it as the cover we tried taking you know pictures of it photography and they came out really great so it seemed like that was the direction to go and you know like I said he’s still got the original medallions. Like I said, the company tracked down the family to get the permission and they gave it. You know, they were grateful to have this guy’s work more known to the public through being on the record cover and the shirts and whatever, you know. So it was a nice little story. The family, you know, got involved. I don’t know the name of the guy exactly, but, you know, you check some of Glenn’s interviews on the Internet. Maybe you can find out the guy’s name.

MER: Hell yeah, that’s freaking cool.

Steve: Yeah I’m pretty sure he’s talked about it before so like i said maybe you can find out I’d have to look back.

MER: I’ve been a fan of that album for, shit you know forever it seems like and sure sure that that album cover I’ve always wanted to know I’ve never been able to find that that information so i figure no better chance to to find out than right now.

Steve: Right well there you go you got a little insight.

MER: I appreciate it man. Like I said, I don’t want to keep you too long but you guys got what, about another month left on the road or something like that?

Steve: Not quite that long. We’ve been out three weeks and we’re down to about two weeks left to go.

MER: Two weeks. Okay so the middle of October.

Steve: Yeah you know, it’s moving right along you know?

MER: That’s freaking awesome. I know you guys did, what was it, a 30th anniversary of Legion not too long ago?

Steve: Yeah. That was in 2022 through 23.

MER: I think that was the one that I took my daughter to.

Steve: Yeah it sounds about right. I remember we rolled through Reggie’s for sure. Good place.

MER:  Yeah it was funny, we walked in and I asked the guy, “Where’s a good place for me and my 12 year old daughter to stand?” and he goes, “You brought your fucking 12 year old to see Deicide?!?! Best place for her is probably standing outside.” We stood off in the corner we were good. I know it’s dumb to ask this question while you’re currently on tour, but I know you got I think a 35th anniversary coming up on a couple of uh or on an album you guys been talking about doing something for that one?

Steve:  I think you can always pick a random date and equate it to an anniversary and plug something for it and so just depends what people are anxious for we could do. we weren’t thinking about doing a Once Upon the Cross tour, but we mostly do a lot of Once Upon the Cross songs on the set as is.

MER: That’s true.

Steve: Maybe we could wait and do a first album anniversary when that hits 40 or 35, or maybe do a 30th anniversary for Serpents of the Light in 2027, which is, you know, not far off at this point. But we’ll see what happens, you know, when we need a quick gimmick to hit the road with, but anything’s possible and certainly people love anniversary tours and full-on tours you know? I enjoy going and seeing fans do it so when people seem to enjoy when we do it so why not don’t you so I have some fun with this

MER:  Well, hell yeah! Count me in on both of those. If I could hear Deicide the song, live, I am there.

Steve: We break it out once in a while.

MER: Yeah that’s still my favorite song.

Steve: Well, you know we’ll see about making sure we bring it up.

MER:  Well, I appreciate that, man. Hey, I’m gonna let you go so you can get ready for the show tonight, but I appreciate you taking the time and talking with me and Metal Express Radio.

Steve: You bet, buddy. I appreciate Metal Express Radio. Turn it up and keep playing that Deicide for the people and for us. Keep it going. Keep it alive!

MER: Hell yeah, man! Thank you.

Steve: You bet, brother. Thank you. All right, have a good night.