Blackened Horde: How did the band get started? How did you meet and how long have you been together?
Rob: The band was formed by our vocalist, Jason Hendershaw a long time ago. Actually in late May of the year 1992 and a few of the other guys that are no longer in the band because of musical differences. I was not in the band at that point in time, though. After a few weeks bassist Ron Wiles joined, also. Throughout many members and much time the final line-up to this day consists of Jay Hendershaw (vocals), Ron Miles (bass), Jamie Harmon (guitars) and myself Rob Settergren on guitars as well. As of this moment we are looking for a new drummer to join our project cause our last drummer was asked to leave because lack of interest and dedication. So if anyone out there is interested in joining this band feel free to write to us at any time. I would say that seriously we do have a pretty bright ahead of us and we are worth checking out, not to sound like a complete stuck-up prick. We all pretty much knew each other, I mean Ron and myself went to college together and I used to go see these guys play quite a bit before I was eventually asked to join the band. I have been in the band for around two years sometime in the summertime.
Blackened Horde: How would you describe your music ?
Rob: Disgustingly brutal death grind. I guess what it says on our shirts is very much true. I mean we do try to create music that one can enjoy, but also be quite disturbed when listening to it or reading the lyrics. We also try not to sound like the tons of other bands out there that are now being labeled as the “clone” bands. I think that we do pull it off pretty well considering it really is becoming very hard to be exquisitely original these days.
Blackened Horde: What are your biggest musical influences?
Rob: My biggest musical influences is definitely all form of music. I mean like everything from Death/Black/ Grind Metal to Rock/Rap/Alternative (some) all the way to even a little bit of Hip Hop and techno. I listen to just about everything that I enjoy. Whatever it is, if it’s good to me I listen to it. One thing I don’t like would be the small gathering of people that only like one form of music is for sure death metal, tough. I try to be very open minded to everything that is played for me, except for Country and Western. I absolutely hate that shit bad.
Blackened Horde: Who if, if any do you consider the bands idols?
Rob: Well I must say that my own idols is a number on Suffocation. No if’s and’s or butt’s about that one. I’ve loved them ever since I first the “Human Waste” demo I completely flipped out. They are really an incredible band. One of my favorite also is Cradle of Filth too. Those guys are just unbelievable too. As for the band I would say that all death/grind band influences us in one way or another. I mean we like everything from Incantation to one of the most incredible bands out today, a band called Pyrexia. They are one hell of an awesome band live on their CD “Hatred, Anger and Disgust”. Talent up the ass with these guys, seriously.
Blackened Horde: What made you want to be in the band? And if you weren’t in the band what would you want to be doing now?
Rob: What made me want to be in this band was the first time I saw Scattered Remnants live I just completely shit in my drawers. I thought they were powerful, fast and brutal as all hell. When I got the phone call from Ron I just went apeshit with excitement. It worked out really well and I did fit into the band rather well, just ask anybody in the band. They all love me. Hahaha. Seriously the first time I seen them I really wanted to be in this band. I was in other bands but Scattered Remnants were playing exactly what I wanted to play and I’d have done anything to get into this band. I would probably just be jamming with the other bands that I was in, Human Suffering. It was more of a grind band , but not exactly what I wanted to do, even though I was writing a majority of the stuff.
Blackened Horde: What are some of your favorite bands that are really popular today?
Rob: As I said before I totally love Suffocation, Incantationnnn, Cradle of Filth, Pyrexia, Alice in Chains (except for the new one I hate it) Rush, Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, (old) Carcass, (Old) Entombed, Alanis Morrisette, Embalmer, (Old) KisOzzyazy Osbourne, Smashing Pumpkins. Just about everything you put in front of me I will listen to at least once, if I like I will pick it up or whatever.
Blackened Horde: How many demos/albums do you have? Tell me about them.
Rob: We have our first demo called “Procreating Mass Carnage” which sold incredibly well when it was released and it will no longer be for sale in the very near future. I think that we only have something like fifty left. Also we have just released a few months ago our brand new CD called “Inherent Perversion”. This is also selling out seriously fast. We are almost ready to press another thousand soon and it will also be out into cassette form as well. I think that we only have about 100 to 150 of the CD’s left. I would also say that th difference in the first demo and the CD are very much noticeable. I mean we definitely have progresses and matured for the better and I hope that everyone that buys the CD will notice the maturity in the music as well.
Blackened Horde: If you could play with any band who would it be and why?
Rob: One would be Pyrexia again because they just kill live. Others would pretty much all the band that we did play with. I mean we have played with a lot of really great bands like: Cannibal Corpse, Incantation, Embalmer, Avernus, Perpetual Doom, Exhumed (MA), Hatebreed, Tyrant Trooper, Eviscerate, Legion, Grave, Demolition Hammer. There’s just way too many to list. One band would be Suffocation, though. We never had the chance to play with them, although I would love to.
Blackened Horde: Who writes the majority of the music?
Rob: Well the majority of the music was written by Jason Sarate, our old guitar player and myself. Of course Ron and our drummer, Eric did help also. But the majority was written by the two of us. It was pretty depressing thing when Jay Sarate had to leave the band because his family was moving and he wanted to pursue college but with the addition if our new guitar player, Jamie Harmon all was well again. He really worked out well. Now with newer songs I would have to say that Jamie, Ron and myself are all three the major contributors of the music writing process.
Blackened Horde: Who has been the favorite band you’ve played with? Why?
Rob: I would have to say the best group of bands that we ever played was at the Michigan Death Fest. There were so many massive band there that it was ridiculous. There was something like twenty-five bands there. Bands like: Immolation, Incantation, Mortician, Legion, Embalmer, Avernus and a million others. It was a really long show but really worth going to. All the bands were good, except for maybe a couple that just didn’t seem to impressive at all.
Blackened Horde: Where did you get the band name from?
Rob: Jay Hendershaw made up the band name quite awhile ago. I have really no idea where he came up with it because I was not in the band at that time.
Blackened Horde: Describe what the band is like live?
Rob: The band live is just as powerful and tight as the recordings. I mean we do lack a little movement (hahahaha) only because some of the newer stuff is really quick and it needs to be watched by the guitar players, ya know? I mean the pits that we generate are fuckin’ brutal and I love watching people get into our music. That helps us to get into it more.
Blackened Horde: If you are gonna do any kind of video what would be in it?
Rob: Well, we are right now talking about doing a video, but at this time it’s still so far up in the air that I couldn’t tell you what the hell it will contain. I can almost promise you though that we probably will not be in it though, it will just be different clips of different shit. It will turn out cool, I hope though.
Blackened Horde: Are there any tour plans made, if so tell me about them?
Rob: As far as touring plans we are kind of bumming out at this point in time because we are still auditioning drummers and looking for better drummers. So, when we have a full and concrete line-up then we will possibly discuss what the hell we want to do from there. Again if anyone out there willing to relocate write us. We do get a ton of shows all the time but because we have no drummer they have to be turned down.
Blackened Horde: Where do you think the band will be in 20 years from now?
Rob: In twenty years from now? Jesus Christ I’ll be around the ripe age of 44. I have not even the slightest idea if I’ll be alive then. Hahahaha. I’ll probably be some deaf fucker that still attempts to write death metal music with my arthritic fingers, hand and entire body. As for the rest of the band they’ll be some drooling old fuck as well. Hahahaha.
Contact them at:
Scattered Remnants
P.O. Box 814
Fitchburg, MA 01420