Donnie Marhefka
American Corpse Flower
By Rock N Write
(SugarBuzz Las Vegas)
SugarBuzz Magazine
Former Burial & Unsanctified extreme vocalist Donnie Marhefka turns to lead guitar in new project American Corpse Flower
Attention Los Angeles…and possibly India for that matter. Prepare the emergency kits, call your friends Jack and Jim (don’t forget the flask), and brace yourself for a shaking that will resonate from the darkest depths of the earth. Newly formed band American Corpse Flower has already planted its roots deep in Hollywood, but A.C.F.’s sights are fixed on wherever the wind may blow. Absolutely perfect for a stinkin’ flower, I must add.
The industrial whiff to A.C.F.’s sound is reminiscent to Nine Inch Nails’ debut album Pretty Hate Machine, if I have to make comparisons. The irony? Songwriter/vocalist/guitarist Fred “Freak” Smith is to A.C.F.’s debut album Dark Territories what Trent Reznor was to his own. Those of you who recently watch the Academy Awards should know where I’m going with this. Recorded solely by Smith with the use of a drum machine, Dark Territories quickly caught the attention of indie label Earthdriver Records, granting Smith a signed deal and the 
opportunity to put the band on the road.
Enter Donnie Marhefka, former extreme vocalist to death metal bands Burial and Unsanctified. I could summarize the Hollywoodesque storyline of how a 6’4 death metal screamer got a killer gig like something out of Rockstar. However, I decided to go straight to the source for your reading pleasure. I caught up with Marhefka to get the scoop on how he met Smith, his new role in A.C.F. as lead guitarist, and what’s to come from this very new and very promising LA band.
Rock N’ Write: American Corpse Flower…how do you describe your band’s sound?
Donnie Marhefka: I think A.C.F. has a unique sound from some of the newer heavier bands that have been coming out in recent years. It’s heavy, sludgy, dirty, dark, & evil. I also like the vocal lines that Fred “FREAK" Smith (Beefeater, Blaxmyth) is doing. He’s been around for a while and he’s a great singer and player with a lot feeling. He just puts the right amount of flavor on his voice at all the right times. There’s never any over screaming or over singing its just right.
Rock N’ Write: This is very different from previous bands you’ve been involved in. How did this all come about?
Donnie Marhefka: I was simply messing around with my guitar and for fun I filmed it. I showed it to a friend and he told me I should put it up on YouTube. Normally I’d NEVER do anything like that but I said “fuck it” and slapped it up there. Although me and Freak had not meet yet at this point, a mutual friend was watching my video and Freak just happened to be there watching. Next thing I knew Freak called me and asked me to play with him!
Rock N’ Write: From lead singer to lead guitarist. Do you have any reservations about shifting roles? Do you have a passion for singing versus playing guitar or vice versa?
Donnie Marhefka: I have been playing music since I was about 8 yrs. old, first on drums, then singing, now guitar. That being said I have no reservations about switching my roles in A.C.F. I simply love to play and any opportunity I have to do that with a real working band I go for it. There’s nothing like being a frontman working the crowd, but there’s nothing like ripping it up on guitar either. Whether it’s drums, singing, or guitar, my passion is playing live! It’s what I live for.
Rock N’ Write: How long have you played guitar?
Donnie Marhefka: My house back home in Mass. was always the jam house and I started playing drums at a young age, but I can always remember having a guitar laying around the house. It might have been a guitar my dad found at a yard sale, or a guitar that had been left in the basement from my band members from practices. So I’d always strum a guitar when it was late at night and couldn’t play my drums. I’ve only been taking the guitar extremely seriously in the last 2 years, with the whole theory and strict practice regiments. I wish I did it sooner (laughing)!
Rock N’ Write: Who’s your biggest inspiration in music today? Why?
Donnie Marhefka: Fuck! This is such hard a question for me. I just have so many. I’m a death metal singer but as for the guitar, I’m more of a rock/metal guy. It’s not that I don’t like to play death metal riffs it’s just not what I’m going for in
my guitar playing. I’ll leave that to all my death metal shredaholics which I am definitely not (laughs). The guy that jumps out at me at this time is my brother ZAKK WYLDE. I’ve been listening to him since day one with Ozzy and I always loved his style of playing. The fucking guy can play anything! And he’s my tweet buddy too (laughs)! I just love the guy.
Rock N’ Write: You’ve fronted death metal bands such as Dominance, Burial and Unsanctified. You’ve toured around the world. First off, what’s your take on death metal today based on your experience? Second, what are you looking forward to when the time comes to hit the road with ACF?
Donnie Marhefka: The death metal bands today are insanely awesome! These guys are taking what you can do with your instruments to extreme levels. It just amazes me how bands like Necrophagist and Embryonic Devourment keep pushing the envelope. Just when you think “that’s nuts, now what”, then they take it even a step further. I could never be that intense of a guitar player. It’s just amazing that these guys are pulling this stuff off live too. When it comes to death metal I‘m more of an old schooler like Deicide, Cannibal Corpse and Suffocation. When it comes time to hit the road with ACF I just want to give our fans 666% every night and nothing less. We are NOT a death metal band so hopefully my/our fans will not be expecting that from me as a guitar player. It’s a totally different approach to me than my previous death metal endeavors. It’s different but it’s great, I love it and I can’t fucking wait!
Rock N’ Write: When and where does the tour kick off with ACF?
Donnie Marhefka: Well, we’ll probably do a few warm up shows here in Los Angeles and surrounding cities and states, but nothing’s set in stone. I don’t want
jinx anything, but I think our first overseas gig will be in India. I’m not sure how big of a following is over there, but if the record label wants us to go you can fucking count me in!
Rock N’ Write: Do you know who else will be on the bill?
Donnie Marhefka: Unfortunately I don’t have too many details yet, except it will be sometime this summer.
Rock N’ Write: How do you think your previous fans will take ACF’s sound?
Donnie Marhefka: I’m not sure how my death metal fans will respond. Everyone has their own opinion. As I mentioned earlier it’s not a death metal band so if that’s what they are expecting they will be sadly disappointed. I think its great music, but it’s not death metal!
Rock N’ Write: Tell us a little bit about ACF’s label, Earthdriver Records. Any artists on that label that we may recognize?
Donnie Marhefka: I’m not sure if the metal guys will know too much of the acts on the label’s roster. They are a pretty diverse label with a lot of great and different artists. When it comes to label stuff I think I’m a lot like OZZY in the sense I just don’t want to know the business side of things. In my earlier days with my previous bands, I was heavily involved with it, but it just seemed to take the fun out of it. Besides that’s Freak’s area of the band. He’s all over that like flies on shit!
Rock N’ Write: Any endorsements to date?
Donnie Marhefka: Another one of Freak’s areas…the guy is a machine…but I can’t really say anything at the
moment.
Rock N’ Write: Although the band is newly formed, what’s the “big picture” plan for ACF? If you could book ACF anywhere in the world, where would you take the band? Why?
Donnie Marhefka: What I can say about ACF is that we want what every serious working band wants to do, and that’s take it as far as we possibly can. Freak and I are workaholics and we both take this opportunity very seriously. If I remember correctly this is both me and Freak’s third time getting signed to a label, so we know how hard you have to work to keep it going. Since Freak was kind enough to take me aboard, we’ve been working very hard together to constantly take it to the next level. If I could book a show any where in the world it’d probably be some killer venue in Massachusetts. That’s where I’m from originally and I’d love to go back and do a killer show for all my friends, family and fans in my hometown. I think Castle Donington, Japan, Wacken Metal fest in Germany would all be killer places too!
Rock N’ Write: What’s the name of ACF’s debut album?
Donnie Marhefka: The first AMERICAN CORPSE FLOWER ep is called DARK TERRITORIES. Freak did all guitars, bass, vocals & drum machine. You can down download from the record labels site www.earthdriver.org
Rock N’ Write: When do you expect the album to be released?
Donnie Marhefka: Freak is actually already working on the next album. It should
be out by the summer time 2011. I know he’s recording about 15 new tunes for the next record. I don’t believe he’s named it yet. Once the new record is done we will then go on tour, and after the tour is complete, the band will collaborate on the following album. That’s when my evilness and riffs will be resurrected for ACF (laughs).
Rock N’ Write: What are the chances of cd release party happening in LA? Any talks so far?
Donnie Marhefka: I’m sure there’s a good chance for a Los Angles cd release party! Once again I leave that to the boss Freak and the label. I’m down to do what ever as long as I can play! Tell me where I need to be and what time, and I’m there. Simply as that. No bullshit!
Rock N’ Write: Anything you want to add or say to your fans?
Donnie Marhefka: Thanks for all the love and support everyone has giving me over the years. It really means a lot to me! I’ve met a lot of wonderful people. I truly thank each and everyone that I have been able to meet, shake hands and drink a beer with! I hope that once we get rollin’ you’ll all come out and see us! I hope to see you all soon!
earthdriver.bandcamp.com/album/american-corpse-flower-dark-territories