Mark Kloeppel, the band’s guitarist and vocalist, has played a pivotal role in shaping MISERY INDEX, a band that has become synonymous with unyielding death metal infused with grindcore energy and sharp political themes.
From brutal riffs to furious lyrics, MISERY INDEX has consistently delivered albums that not only crush skulls but also provoke thought. Beyond his role in the band, Kloeppel is also a significant presence in the extreme music scene through SCOUR and various other projects.
I caught up with him for NECROZINE to talk about everything – from his musical beginnings and key career moments to the brand-new SCOUR LP, which dropped few days ago!
Hey Mark, thanks a lot for your time to answer these questions. What attracted you to extreme music? Were you drawn to raw and aggressive sounds from the start, or did that come gradually?
I was naturally drawn to metal music out of trauma in my family life growing up. It wasn’t a peaceful place, and I felt lost and powerless. Metal gave me a sense of strength originating with the self. If I’m being 100% transparent, I know the moment this all started. My friend Andy Huskey showed me, among many things, PANTERA: Far Beyond Driven in 1994. The opening track “Strength Beyond Strength” was too heavy for me to listen to, but the rest of the album hit me in all the right places. That song, though, as I became accustomed to appreciating this heavier thing, sparked a desire in me to hear the next heavier thing. And here we are. But that’s truly how it started…that song.
Who were your key musical influences when you were starting out? Was there a band, an album, or even a specific moment that made you say: “This is what I want to do”?
PANTERA, METALLICA, WHITE ZOMBIE, and TESTAMENT were the very first ones for me. SLAYER, CANNIBAL CORPSE, etc came in a bit later. I have the Live Shit box from METALLICA, and we wore out those VHS tapes. I’d have to say that, the vulgar videos, and seeing PANTERA and WHITE ZOMBIE live shows back then really drove it home that this was something I wanted to do one day.
Your first band, CAST THE STONE, was formed in 2002, and your only full-length album came out in 2005. Looking back, how do you see that period, and how much did it shape you as a musician?
We did a follow up Ep with Agonia Records entitled “Empyrean Atrophy” in 2018 actually. CAST THE STONE was my first ‘blast beat’ band, and the guys and I really cut our teeth in that project. Derek obviously went on to do CATTLE DECAPITATION and start SCOUR. Also during that time is when all the guys in SCOUR met…playing shows around the St. Louis scene. CAST THE STONE is the reason I got in MISERY INDEX and SCOUR, basically. So CTS, while not a rich discography, was a breeding ground for great things to come.
You’re playing in SCOUR with Derek from CAST THE STONE. Is there still any activity within CAST THE STONE, or is the band on indefinite hiatus due to your commitments with MISERY INDEX and SCOUR? Can we expect a new release at some point?
I mean, there are around 8 songs and bunch of pre-writing lying around. Maybe one day I’ll get together with Jesse and Derek and we will finish it. It’s just hard to make it a priority with everything else going on. The drummer Jesse is also in a band called STORMRULER that is on tour with SEPTIC FLESH right now. So, since it’s a passion project that simply honors where we came from, we will get to it when the time is right.
You joined MISERY INDEX in late 2004, just before work began on the “Discordia” album, after auditioning for the guitarist spot. What are your memories of that period – how was the transition from being “the new guy” to a full-fledged member of the band?
I had auditioned at the end of 2004, came back to Baltimore for rehearsals in January, sat in on some shows, and then hit the road that February with SUFFOCATION and BEHEMOTH. Adam recruited me for that from our existing relationship from the St. Louis days. The transition went pretty fast. I’ve always been a writer, and the band needed songs to complete the next record. I ended up writing half of that album…and just about every album after that. So I quickly became a strong asset to the band, and it was welcomed and respected.
“Discordia” is seen by many as a turning point in MISERY INDEX’s sound, and it was your first album with the band. Looking back nearly 20 years later, how do you feel about it? Did you have a sense at the time that you were creating something that would have a lasting impact?
Well, I don’t see that album that way. I hear that album as a bunch of guys trying to find a sound amongst themselves still. I did my best to try to embody the sound on those songs, but I do feel we gelled quickly after that with the ‘Traitors’ album. That to me is the perfect MISERY INDEX album…or at least it’s where we got everything right for what we were aiming to do.
How did that period shape your long-term role in the band? Did you already feel back then that MISERY INDEX would be a lasting commitment for you, or did that realization come later?
We started off doing something like 200 shows a year, so full-time was just what was happening. Back then, man, being in a touring and signed metal band is all I ever hoped and dreamed to do. So I did everything I could to contribute and make happen what needed to happen. At this stage, we have our standing, and fans, etc. Our lives have changed a bit. I have 4 children. Jason has a wife and daughter. Adam is doing a bunch of projects. But we always come back and bring the deathgrind heat. We will just keep doing it until we can’t.
If you could go back and change anything about “Discordia” – whether in songwriting, recording, or production – would you, or do you still see the album as a solid foundation for MISERY INDEX?
Traitors is that solid foundation in my view. I wouldn’t change anything, because that’s not what records are. They belong to a time and place. I really am not a fan of redoing albums etc…the only exception I see is what Cavalera did with the early SEPULTURA albums… just because it’s super cool to hear those songs with solid audible production. You really hear how some of that early stuff was just as good as anything on “Beneath the Remains”. But that would be the only exception. We would never redo “Discordia”.
From “Discordia” to today, nearly two decades have passed, and a lot has changed in metal. What do you think has remained the same in extreme music, and what has changed – for better or worse?
There’s been alot of micro-subgenre-ing, and alot of technical prowess over good song-writing. That has received some pushback, but unfortunately it’s come in the form of throwback bands trying to capture a sound and aesthetic from the late 80’s/early 90’s. There’s still a few projects that seep through that have built an original voice. “Sulphur Aeon” is a favorite of mine. Real dismal atmospheric stuff…but heavy. I like stuff like that. I don’t like tributes to ENTOMBED masquerading as original bands. It’s got it’s place, but it’s just to derivative for me.
The band has never shied away from political and social themes. In a world that seems more chaotic than ever, do you feel that extreme music still has the power to convey a message, or have people become too oversaturated with information?
We are pro-nature and human-rights first in our views and messaging, and because you have noticed, yes, I feel it still is powerful to say what we need to say about the world. We hope to give voice to those who don’t identify with predefined categories thrust upon them by various sects of society, and are feeling the pull of mass manipulation. We hope to illuminate that manipulation and help those that want to see, see it clearly, and perhaps, give them the words they need to help others.
MISERY INDEX is known for its killer tours and explosive live performances. What makes a live show truly powerful for you, and what still keeps you motivated to hit the stage night after night? How do you balance family life with being in two major bands?
It’s all about delivering a ferocious performance, reading the crowd, and delivering it just how that want it. When we can all hit that synchronicity, that’s when the magic happens.
As for “work/life balance,” it is always a challenge. Everything you do in life does better if you give it 100% of your time. But that is simply not possible. As an individual you do many things, and your time is divided. Dividing that time so everything stays healthy is always a challenge and balancing act. You just take things as they come, and work the best logistics you can, and hope for the best.
Despite decades in extreme music, MISERY INDEX still sounds fresh and aggressive. How do you guys maintain that level of intensity and energy without everything becoming routine? Do you feel pressure to top each previous album, or do you follow instinct in songwriting?
Routine actually helps with precisions and thus helps with intensity. After that it’s more about energy conservation. That routine practice gives us the building blocks to stand on and grow from. The key is to keep growing, and not stagnate. We do feel the pressure to top the last album at all times. We are always trying to grow and take it to the next level…which is not always obvious in terms of direction.
If you could put together an “ideal” split album, which band would MISERY INDEX share a vinyl with and why?
I mean…NAPALM DEATH, NAILS, or ROTTEN SOUND would be an obvious choice. But it might be cool to split with a slower band like EYEHATEGOD.
Today marks the release of SCOUR’s debut full-length LP! How would you describe it compared to previous releases? Did you take a different approach to writing and production this time around?
Philip would say that each release contains bit more maturity that gets better and better each time. I agree with that. I think we’ve got some real hits on this one. The writing approach was exactly the same, aside from Derek wanting to include a bit more variety and breaks from relentless blasting…just to keep things interesting. The only production change was in the mixing and mastering. We recorded everything at Philip’s studio. With the exception of backing vocals, which we did in the backstage rooms of the PANTERA Tour in Feb. 2024.
How did SCOUR even come together in the first place? Who was the one who started the whole idea, and how did you become part of it?
Four of the five members of SCOUR originate from St. Louis. John and Adam were in a band called ALL WILL FALL and Derek and I were in a band called CAST THE STONE in the early 2000s. We all met in venues like The Creepy Crawl, Pop’s in Sauget, The Hi-Pointe, etc. We kept in contact throughout the years, and through our journeys in various higher-level bands. Around 2012/2013, Philip organically found Adam and John’s side project, FULGORA, through an online blog. That turned into them meeting up and recording at Philip’s personal studio, Nodferatu’s Lair. Around 2014/2015, Derek and John started SCOUR as a fun studio project while John was tour managing a band Derek was in. They sent the music to Philip to see if we would do vocals, and he said he would ‘kill it!’ The guys recruited Adam Jarvis on drums for the Red EP, and shortly after the EP came out in 2017, I was tapped to join the band on lead guitar… and here we are.
How challenging is it to balance between MISERY INDEX, SCOUR, and all your other commitments? Does working on multiple projects help you avoid creative stagnation?
What is required is so different, it doesn’t compare. MI needs me to write the hits and play out often. SCOUR, when I first joined, needed me to evolve into a world-class lead guitarist. I was more of a Hetfield than a Hammett so to speak. But I put one note after the other, woodshopped my chops, and it’s going well.
Now that the new SCOUR LP is finished, is there a particular song that stands out to you or one you’re most excited to play live?
“Invoke” and “Infusorium” because of the solo.
What’s the last band or album that truly blew you away and reminded you why you’re in extreme music?
It’s honestly been awhile since I was blown away. But Philip showed me the band, they are not new, called VIRUS. Season of Mist put them out. Very killer weird stuff.
If you had to play in a band that’s the complete opposite of everything you’ve done so far – no metal, no extreme sound – what genre would it be, and what would the band be called?
I’d like to do a band that’s somewhere along the lines of reggae/ska like STICKFIGURE, SLIGHTLY STOOPID, 311. I dig that stuff. It’s chill.
Top 3 USA beers?
Logboat Brewery
4 Hands
Schlafly
Last lines are all yours.
Go pick up SCOUR: Gold from Housecore Records in the North America, and Nuclear Blast rest of the world.
