Tuesday, June 30, 2009

B.M.W.A North American Front Interview


1. Can you give us a brief history of the Black Metal Warrior Alliance?

Well the concept idea of the B-M-W-A came about in the year 2000.B-M-W-A didn't really launch until 2003!

2. What are some of the bands that you promote?

As of this present time we're starting to promote the mighty
EZURATE,BIRTH OF WAR,LILTH,and FOREST WINDS,ETC.

3. What is your opinion of the other groups that promote black metal in
North America like the U.S.B.M>s or the East Coast Black Metal Alliance?

I'm all for it,and very elated to see other fellow Black Metal
organizations taking action,and they have our support!Perhaps one day we'll consolidate as one iron structure.And to show the world once again that Black Metal is a genre force to be
reckoned with!

4. What was it that got you into black metal and how does this music
express your feelings?

I've been involved with Black Metal since the year of 1988 when I
discovered bands by accident such as VENOM & BATHORY!
To me Black Metal is the thorough-bred of all Metal genres!Perhaps even all music genres combined!
Black Metal scene has made the biggest impact on the world.Especially during the late 80s/early 90s!I'm hopeing one day we'll bring back that old glory into the new era!

5. What direction do you see black metal going into during the future?

I see real true Black Metal making a comeback with a great of amount of
vengeance,rage,and furious anger!And to me that's good!

6. What are you listening to nowadays and what are some good bands or
releases that you would recommend and also are there any other styles
that you listen to besides black metal?

I'm currently listening to the likes of HATE FOREST,DRUDKH,NORTHSTREAM,ETC.Just to name a few.Mostly bands from Russia,Ukraine,Poland!I definitely recommend HATE FOREST album Purity.Sometimes I listen to Classical,Apocalyptic,Ambient,Darkwave,and Neo
Goth Industrial.Of course mainly listen too,and live the Black Metal way of life.

7. How would you describe the progress of the Black Metal Warrior
Alliance over the years?

Its been a long road,but we're making a huge comeback.We're growing everyday,and getting stronger as time marches on!Theres no such thing in history as easy victory!Rome was not built in a day.Just like B-M-W-A wasn't built in a day!

8. What rule does Satanism or Occultism play in your life?

As for me I'm a devoted & proud Roman Pagan!I'm also an animal rights activists to save the edangered!The Artic Wolf is my animal spirit guide!I believe that nature's law is the highest law!

9. What are some good books or films that you would recommend?

Currently I recommend books such as Lords Of Chaos,Alien Agenda,The
World's Religons. As for films I recommend EndGame,Zeitgeist,The Haunting In CT.
1
0. How would you describe the metal scene in your home state of Illinois what are some good bands out there that you would recommend?

The Metal scene is decent,but of course needs improvement.We're working on pulling it right.The following bands I recommend would be the mighty
EZURATE,BLOODTHRONE,INFERNAL HORDE,FOREST WINDS,etc.

11. Any final words?

Shall never be corrupted again!Its time for real true Black Metal Kommandos to unite!

12. Thanks for the interview?

Thank you for the opportunity Comrade!Hails War Brother!
In closing,
Suedomza Ludovicus"Procurator"of the(B-M-W-A North AmericaFront)

Imperial Truimphant -Soundclick MP3's Review


 Imperial Truimphant are a band from New York and I would describe their music as Viking Black Metal with a thrash and death metal edge.

Drums incorporate many different elements from slow parts to some really fast blast beats mixed with some epic viking march type beats, while the bass playing is mostly rhythms with a dark tone that follow the riffs that come out of the guitars and drums without copying them.

Rhythm guitars utilize a lot of different influences from the different sub genres but are mostly in the vein of black metal and you can hear some palm muted riffs mixed with alot of fast parts, while the lead guitars contain a lot of melody and utilize a lot of distortion.

Vocals are mostly in the grim style with a lot of low pitched black metal screams mixed in with some occasional clean singing as well as some death metal growls, while the keyboards when they are utilized contain a very epic feel and there was a violin utilized on one song that brought back memories of an ancient dark past.

Production on these MP3's remind me of the sound you would hear off demo cassettes in the 90's and it gives the music a very raw edge. as for the song titles they are mostly about vikings and war with a sense of humor at times with some names such as Retarded Vikings.

In my opinion this is a good band and they seem to bring a lot of old school influences into modern day Black Metal and none of the songs sound the same. I would recommend downloading some MP3's as well as buying whatever demo or album this band puts out.  RECOMMENDED.

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Beyond Ye Grave/Raping The Creation Of God/Cold Breath Of Silence Production/2008 CD Review



  Beyond Ye Grave are a 2 piece band hailing from Russia which I would describe as fast and unholy/satanic black metal and this is a review of their new album "Raping The Creation Of God".

Drums on this recording cover a lot of ground with some slow parts mixed in with a lot of really fast blast beats, while the bass playing which is kind of mixed down low seems dark and is a great counterpart to the drums and rhythm guitars.

Rhythm guitars are fast and contain a good mixture of melodic riffs while the lead guitars utilize a lot of fast guitar solos that contain a lot of melody that sounds really dark and evil which also brings back memories of the 90's satanic Swedish black metal bands.

Vocals are high pitched black metal screams mixed with some low pitched growls that contain a bit of a death metal influence, while the production which was recorded during the summer and autumn of 2007 has a really raw sound that is perfect for this style of music.

My copy of the cd did not have a copy of the lyric sheet but by judging by the song titles they contain a lot of Anti Christianity themes,, mixed with a satanic message and a new take on the 14 words originated by David Lane instead of saving the white race this band promotes destroying the existence of people and the album is dedicated to the Death of sephiroth and the glory of Chaos.

In my opinion this a really good cd and if you a fan of fast Satanic black metal you will not be disappointed. Standout tracks include"Crucified Jesus Fucking Christ" "Rege Sathanas" ''Beyond The Seventh Sphere" and "To Slay The Holy" . HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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Succorbenoth Interview


1. Can you give us a brief history of the band?

1.It all started in 2006 as one man band with troll doing everything and nothing really set in stone as what direction to take...Other then bringing chaos to the listeners ears! During 2008 Troll met up with an old long time friend Baron whos Past bands (Glaurung) both troll and him where involved with..Very much influenced by 2012, and cosmic creation, and cultural beliefs.

2. How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard you before?

2.I would like to think we have a spacey yet gloomy atmosphere with a variety of different metal.

3. What are some of the best shows that you have played so far?

3.Succorbenoth has not yet played live, But will be booking shows this fall, we are a 4 piece live,but we have two live members that are not involved with writing or production.

4. Are there any plans for a tour?

4.Yes we do plan to tour when our album is finished but we do not have any dates planned.

5. What kind of record label are you looking for?

5.Established, label that cares for its bands.

6. What are your main influences music wise or non music wise?

6.Well we like a lot of things musically and the list gets too long, We are very much influenced with what happens in our lives depression, Emotions and project this into our music,

7. What are you listening to nowadays and what are some good bands or releases that you would recommend?

7. Nachtmystium latest album its amazing, Lurker of chalice and pink floyd lately,

8. What rule does Satanism or Occultism play in the band's music or life?

8.Satanism or Occultism dose not play a major rule in our band we are more so Creationist.

9. Are there any good books or films that you would recommend?

9.Yes a very good read Chariots of the gods.

10. How would you describe the metal scene in Ohio and what are some good bands from your home state that you would recommend?

10.The metal scene here in Cincinnati is lacking but there are some bands that stand out Darkness Undying from dayton ohio and Estuary from Cincinnati.

11. Any final words?

11.Horns up

12.Thanks for the interview?

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Succorbenoth Myspace 6 songs review

Succorbenoth are a 2 piece band hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio and a would describe there music as professional sounding black metal.

Drums cover a lot of variety with some slow technical parts mixed with a lot of really fast blasts, while the bass playing is very dark sounding and contains a lot of rhythm.

Rhythm guitars are very technical and cover a lot of ground with a lot of melody and fast playing while the guitar leads when they are utilized sound very noisy and chaotic, while the vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams mixed in with a lot of clean singing.

According to their page the lyrics are suppose to be about cosmos and chaos while the production sounds very good for the songs being un-mastered and you can hear all of the instruments. In my opinion this band has a lot of potential and I hope they find the right label and you can hear their music at www.myspace.com/succorbenothofficial666

Ofermod/Tiamtu/AjnaOffense/2008


  Ofermod are a 2 piece band hailing from Sweden and I would describe their music as Orthodox Religious black/death metal and this is a review of their newest release "Tiamtu".

Drums on this recording are mostly slow drum beats that give the music a dark and deadly edge and there are some occasional fast parts that utilize some very harsh blast beats, while the bass playing is really dark sounding in the mix and utilizes a lot of rhythm and a decent measure of slow and fast riffs.

Guitars are mostly rhythms that are very slow sounding and has a very melodic tone with some fast riffs that are very menacing and there was not many guitar leads and on the last song there was an intro that utilized a classical guitar, while the vocals are in the vein of early 90's Swedish black metal and they are a mixture of high and low pitched screams with some occasional clean singing.

Production on this cd which was recorded at Endarker Studio during the months of April and May in the year of 2008 sounds very professional and you can hear all of the music instruments as well as the vocals.

Lyrics on this album are written about a variety of different occult topics from the Sumerian gods and goddesses, the darker side of the Hebrew Cabbala, Egyptian philosophies,Aliester Crowley and this is probably the most intelligent lyrics I have ever seen on the Left Hand Path on a black metal cd and I have been looking for this in a long time as a follower of the LHP myself.

In my opinion this a great cd one of the best releases from the year of 2008 and I would like to get there older albums and I look forward to newer material, I am never let down when a hear black metal albums from the Ajna offensive and Norma Evangelium Diaboli who both worked together to put out this unholy masterpiece. If you are a fan of 90's era Swedish black metal with a more Left Hand approach pick up this album you will not be disappointed. Standout tracksinclude "Pralayic Withdrawl" and "Eu Angelion". HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

 Ofermod

Vredehammer Interview


1. Can you give us a brief history of the band?

Sure. It started the 9th of march this year. I decided to start the band and that..s basically it.

2. How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you before?

Cold as winter, raw and honest.

3. How is being a 1 man project different than being a full band?

You don..t have to listen to other peoples opinions. So, the answer is: Better.

4. When can we expect an e.p or full length?

My guess is the summer of 2009. Maybe sooner.

5. How would you describe the lyrical content of your music?

Twisted words from a twisted mind.

6. What are your main influences music wise or non music wise?

The purity of nature, winter and a general disbelief in the human race.

7. What are you listening to nowadays and what are some good bands or releases that you would recommend?

I only listen to the sound of nature. The wind, the animals, the sea, and the voices in my head. I recommend that people listen to what makes them feel something real.

8. What rule does Satanism or Occultism play in the music or life?

None. A thought or an ideology should not be given a name. We all think differently, therefore our thoughts cannot be categorized.

9. What are some good books or films that you would recommend?

I recommend the book "a new world" and the movie "kung pow". Both are good examples that you should not take life too seriously.

10. What is your opinion of the black metal scene in Norway?

Once it meant something. today it consists mainly of kids who like to dress in black and be a part of something they think is special. But they are really no different from the rest of the world. However, some of the bands do a good job.

11. Any final words?

Yes, and remember these words: Without honour, we are nothing!

12.Thanks for the interview?

Thank you for your time.

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Urt Interview


1. Can you give us a brief history of the band?

URT (the South-Estonian Setu language word for "Soul of Death") was formed in 2004 and until now we have recorded a demo, 3 full-length albums (at the moment in studio finishing our fourth studioalbum) and a split.

2. How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you before?

Our music is Pagan Black Metal with old atmospheric death metal influences. To name a band, maybe old Behemoth "Grom" and "Pandemonic Incantations" era. Lyrics (mostly in Finnish-Ugri Estonian language) are philosophical and paganic (inspired of myths of "Põhjala"), like spells of becoming oneself a man with forces of Nature (Hell). It is difficult to explain in English.

3. Are there any plans for an U.S tour?

At the time no.

4. What are some of the best shows that you have played so far and what crowds would you say are the craziest or best?

In these 5 years we have not gone outside the Baltics, so we stick to the Estonian audience.

5. What kind of label are you looking for to put out your new album?

We would like to have a professional label, that allows us to more focus on the (making of)music, rather than to do most of the promoting and selling the cds ourselves. A label should be like
a extra member of the band, who does the work outside the rehearsal and studio room.

6. What are your main influences music wise or non music

Wise?Mostly old black and death metal, but also any kind of brilliant music, alcohol and good old silence.

7. What are you listening to nowadays and what good books would you recommend?

The list is far to big to recommend some bands. Books are mostly about Estonian myths with dark and obscure history.

8 . What rules does the Finish/Estonian gods and religion play in your music or life?

We use archaic Estonian gods in our lyrics, but for us it is not like religion to which we bow. These are more like elements of our physical nature.

9. What are some good books or films that you would recommend?

Books are mostly by Estonian writers about history and philosophy. We adore classical movies. To name some like "Dune", "Star Wars films", "Warlock" also thrillers and Japanese horror.

10. How would you describe the metal scene in Estonia and what are some good bands that you would recommend from your home country?

That is a difficult question. The Black metal scene is not so good, as it was years ago. But there are some very strong and dedicated bands.As probably in every country we have trend waves, that means at the moment deathcore, metalcore is at high point. There are lot..s of that stile.
To point out from act live pagan/black metal, our good freinds - BESTIA.

11. How would you describe your musical progress over the years?

I think, we have made some real progress. Just to record 4 full albums in 5 years is a big progress and you can hear it from each cd. I think we
have reached with the new(upcoming) album our own stile.

12. Any final words?

Visit our myspace page (www.myspace.com/fiercepaganmetal) and also our last.fm (http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3Lmxhc3QuZm0vbXVzaWMvVVJU) page, there you..ll find all the music and last info. Prepare for "Ex mortuis - Saatanhark III" in 2009!!!

13.Thanks for the interview?

You are welcome!

Nordic Death march Interview

1. Can you give us a brief history of the band?
We are fans of black metal, and fans of fart jokes. We enjoy lot's of heavy music and generally mock all of it. Everyone on this earth deserves to be ripped on, and my ass suffers the wrath of a high fiber diet daily. I lust to bestow that pain onto the world and all of it's residents. The band started when I(The Vaginomicon) shat out a perfect 666 into my beloved toilet bowl. I then knew it was a sign that the large quantities of Mexican food I consume, serve some higher purpose to Satan. I quickly dialed up Hellwhore Plaguebringer and Ravidious Cockraper to come observe the specimen with me. After much deliberation, we felt it was time to send it to the depths... So we flushed a vortex of unimaginable power, which grasped onto the 3 of us, and pulled us in.

2. How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you before?
(haha) Well, Nordic Death march(we don't capitalize "march" so people know we're not an emo band and referring to a period of time, season, or month) is the most evil-er black metal band ever! And...as time goes on I'm starting to believe we are! I think a lot of these other bands care more about putting their make up on, declaring their music is "brutal" and waving around their inverted crosses than actually making music. Musically speaking, we're a symphonic black metal band with a dose of comedy.

3. When can we expect a full length?
Right now we just finished up 2 more songs, bringing the total up to 5. One of which is a cover. We don't really plan things out with this band, but at this point we're pretty intent on giving our music away for free. It's our outlet for having fun, playing music, and in between having fun and laughing we get to speak our mind! I will say, it's very liberating when you go to leave a comment on The Jonas Brothers myspace and you're blocked for telling them they suck! And it's even funnier when some little 15 year old girl tries to tell us Nordic Death march is jealous of them. When the day comes that we like fists in our asses, is the day we'll be jealous of The Jonas Brothers.

4. Does anybody in Nordic Death March play in any other bands if so, who are they and what kind of music do they play?
Yes and no. The Vaginomicon and I(Hellwhore Plaguebringer) have been involved in many local and touring bands, none of which we'd like to list right now. We kind of like our anonymity with this project. Our silent partner, Ravidious Cockraper, has his hands in recording/producing other bands and artists. He's more comfortable behind the scenes. He helps us record, and if there was to be a live show, he'd be manning the helm of the keys. I(Hellwhore Plaguebringer, again) just play music for fun at this point in my life. Many of our friends who are also musicians have offered to help us take Nordic Death march on the road. In time, I'm sure we'll do something. It'll be a great way to talk to some of the new myspace friends we've made(haha). The type of music that we played, or continue to play in these other bands, was/are anywhere from political hardcore/metal to thrash and melodic death metal, to technical and polyrythmic metal.

5. Has the band done any live shows yet?
We have not. We throw around the idea all the time, but, for those of you who don't know... a lot goes into playing shows. We're definitely open to the idea of it, but for now, we'll just have to make you laugh via our mp3's! Plus, the time it'd take us to put on make up, leather gauntlets and dye our hair black; we spend on calling out the Disney slaves(a.k.a. recording "artists), religion, and talking to our fans. We did however come up with some great names we could name the tours(if we ever did decide to).
By the way: All of our music is downloadable for free at: www.purevolume.com/nordicdeathmarch

6. What are your main influences music wise or non music wise?

Obviously, with this project we've referenced our symphonic black metal influences. But, it's safe to say, if you were to go through our cd collection(yes, we actually own cd's) we come from a thrash metal, hardcore and melodic death metal background. From being actual musicians that have toured, played endless amounts of shows, and had the opportunity to see a ton of different types of bands -- we're scattered all over the place as far as the music we listen to.'
As far as non-music wise, we urge people to pick up a DVD called, "Religulous" by Bill Maher. Bill Maher has a lot of great ideas on religion and politics. However, make up(not make-up) your own mind about it. If you think invisible all-powerful beings(that never come back to earth to do anything some dusty old book tells you it will) really exist -- so be it! There's also this video posted on youtube. It's a lecture by this Professor named Randy Pausch who had terminal cancer. He gave this lecture about life-lessons and executing plans. I think it'll put a lot of things in perspective for people. You can find that on youtube by searching, "Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams." Needless to say, that had a profound effect on how I approached doing the thing I love the most -- playing music.

7. What are you listening to nowadays and what are some good bands or albums that you would recommend?

Well, it's safe to say that Abigail Williams definitely put out a pretty legit symphonic black metal album(and a really shitty/cheesy music video). I'd recommend picking that up, that is, if you have an open mind about American black metal(which doesn't seem to be the case with a lot of black metal-lers). Rightfully so, most American black metal is pretty crappy! The drums sound amazing on the Abigail Williams album. They got Trym ex-Emperor to record drums for the album, and there's a lot of good classical scores for those of you who are into that. I'm sure a lot of people will cringe when they hear this, because "the old album is always better"... but I love the newest Cynic album "Traced in Air." I think from there it's about picking your own bands, and finding the elements you like in the music you listen to. With myspace, youtube, lastfm -- it's really easy for people to search for themselves, and I implore people to do this! Don't let bands force themselves down your throat, at the same time, keep an open mind and LISTEN to the bands that request you on myspace! You never know, some of these bands might actually be good! Even if they are few and far between.

8. Does Satanism or Occultism play a role in the band's music or life?
We don't believe in any formalized or organized religion. We'll give you a some reasons why:- The Catholic Church is nothing more than a bunch of rich real estate agents who believe "condoms spread AIDS." Yup, can't even make this shit up! Check out the full article in our blog at:
www.myspace.com/nordicdeathmarch-
The rest of the Jesus freaks(you know, the Jesus-freaks that broke away from the Catholic church ie: Protestants, Orthodox and Nontrinitarians) don't believe in any form of relative science, and, do nothing more than blame the magical man in the sky and his mysterious ways for everything.
- Jews think they're better than everyone. It's written in the Old Testament and literally says something like, "We're the chosen ones." That's great...then your invisible God must've "chose" Nordic Death march to call you out!-
The Muslims and the Jews spend most of their existence fighting over 5 miles of "religious" land -- because there's nothing more productive to be done over there, right?
- The Church of Satan: For $19.95 you too can worship Satan!-
Paganism...well, at least Pagans worship the Earth. I can't really say too much about the Pagans, since they were basically wiped out and excluded from most history books. But, to form an analogy I will... Pagans were like the deer that the sport hunters(Christians) ran around killing for no other reason than that they could.
What it all comes down to is bullshit. Until this bullshit is uncovered by a person that can make you see it for what it's worth, we'll agree to disagree. On top of that, these beliefs fuel religious radicalism(go figure!), where instead of beliefs changing with the times -- people run around blowing themselves up to preserve what was written in a book 2000+ years ago. If you can show me that Satan exists without putting acid in my drink, I'll convert. But only to Satanism, as less people have died in the name of Satan than Jesus or God/Allah. Someone should relay that message to Pope Palpatine.
When you have to pay an admission to be a member of the so called, "church." That's not a church, it's a club! However, we do respect people who have a different belief system than us. Especially those who've come to these terms based on their own research, and without feeling the need to join some "club" to establish said beliefs. As long as nobody's getting hurt, and stopping stem cell research, go for it! We don't have all the answers either. Besides, there are many other things we can bond over during a nice refreshing beer, or red wine. I know the ladies like the red wine!

9. Are there any good books or films that you would recommend?
"Religulous"-- is a great film Bill Maher made. It's available on DVD.
"Zeitgeist" -- You can google this movie. It's worth watching. Especially if you're American.

10. How would you describe the metal scene in New York and what are some good bands from your home state that you would recommend?
The scene is definitely in a lull right now. What I mean by that is, it's slowing down. Venues are closing, bands that draw are breaking up, and the majority of kid's of this generation are reaching that time where they stop going to shows and move on to different things. A lot of bands are getting tired of this "pay to play" deal, where if you're selling tickets for a headlining/national act, you're made to sell anywhere from 50-100 tickets at $10 dollars a ticket. I've literally heard of bands selling $1,000 worth of tickets to PLAY a show. If your band can sell 100 tickets in your local area, chances are, you don't need to sell tickets for a show. I have no problem supporting a touring band -- but when there's 4 local bands selling 100 tickets a piece, that's giving a national act and club a gross amount of money that it's clear they shouldn't be getting, and profiting off the hard work of the local bands. As much as I'm into supporting national acts, I'm also down for fairness amongst bands. A lot of local bands are trying to break out and play other scenes, but financial restrictions make it very hard for them to do so. Touring for a small band is hard, even with a guarantee nowadays. That guarantee barely covers gas. So, it's obvious paying to play, age, economy all play a familiar role for the reasons why this is happening. However, I think this lull is great. A new outlook and mentality will hopefully make it's way back into the scene. Out with the old and in with the new! Hopefully, a more D.I.Y. way of doing things will make it's way back. I'm excited to see what new music is being cooked up by some of these kids in their garages or basements. I think, some people will come back...as their reason's for abandoning the scene in the first place was the lack of values and respect that seemed to have been flushed down the toilet for the last 6-7 years. I know there are some people(:::cough:::Mistress Juliya:::cough::: a.k.a. The Fuse tv girl) that ended up doing more harm than good. It's more than running around screaming, "Slayer" while your holding up devil horns. On the other hand it's great that "extreme" music is being presented to more kids. However, the way it was being done was very gimmicky. Just because you've influenced people, doesn't mean that influence has had a positive effect. I think "extreme" music needs a host that actually knows what they're talking about. I thought Mtv did a good job by picking Jamie Hatebreed for Headbanger's ball, even if the program director didn't always play the best music. Love or hate Hatebreed, but, you can't argue that they started out as a small band from Connecticut playing small clubs and VFW's. Jamie at least has some credibility. However, I digress.... Juliya is actually from Brooklyn... and for a while she was running around with bands "hosting" shows around the New York area, and in other states as well. And by "hosting" shows, I mean, getting drunk and fucked up at the bar and taking pictures with people. I'm tired of the rockstar/psuedo-celebrity personalities that have somehow managed to make their way into the metal scene, and cash in on it. It's all conjured! Metal blade records literally(and I'm not even making this up) orders "old-school" death metal shirts for their bands so they look more, "Death Metal." I think with this lull in the scene, and, to me what seems like a calming of the buzz of metal will weed some, if not all of these people. I know I'm sort of jumping back and forth between genre's, but, think about the roots of the people who get into black metal. In my case, Death Metal(Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse) and melodic death metal(In Flames) shows were where I was introduced to a lot of black metal bands. They were gateway bands that paved the way for me to know where to look and understand more "extreme" styles. I didn't have the internet when I first started going to shows -- my friends and I'd stay up late and tape(yes tape!) college radio shows that played heavy music. Black Metal definitely has a few teeth sunk into it, and even in a few bands who I respect and think are good. But, wherever there's a market, there will always be schemers.I would point out two bands that I think are going to come out with some interesting stuff: Painted in Exile -- these kids are writing some insane tech-metal. If you're into that -- check it out at: http://www.myspace.com/paintedinexile.
Keep your eyes out for these guys too: They're called "The Wilderness" http://www.myspace.com/thewildernesssucks --
and there new stuff blows away whatever's on the page now out of the water. Wow...I digressed a lot. Sorry!

11. Any final words?
Speak up! When you see a band/artist/group establishing a money-making ponzi scheme -- CALL THEM OUT ON IT! Leave messages on their myspaces with band links. Give people other options, rather than the ones forced down their throat by mainstream media or Disney. The same goes for other forms of media. All media is biased. Read as much as you can on topics before you make up your mind! And it's okay to have a sense of humor! We'd like to thank everyone for reading our interview. If you have any questions feel free to message us at: www.myspace.com/nordicdeathmarch. We will answer your message, even if it's hate mail! If you feel we've represented something innacurately, message us and tell us why!

12.Thanks for the interview?
No, thank you! And thank you for taking time out of your day to make a zine. I think zine's like yours will play an even larger role in presenting new music to people once labels and corporate sponsors realize they can make more money elsewhere.

Bahimiron Interview


1. Can you give us a brief history of the band!

=== Whelp, It all started in the early 90’s when Grimlord, already vocalist for Texas death metal legends “Imprecation” and a buddy of his Brain F. from the local music scene in Houston . Decided to try and bring the Black Metal movement to the Houston area… Unfortunately, several members that were recruited became unreliable and would rather do drugs and what not then to start a serious project. So the project was laid to the side until 2002 when Grim was able to convince good old Mr. Blaash and Ms. Jenoside to join forces with him. By 2003, the band had recorded a self released demo, rehearsal demo and a E.P for Regimental and Blood Fire Death Records.. I Joined the band in late April or early May of 2003 on the premise of being a live guitarist and they haven’t been able to shake me since.

2. How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard you before!

=== Chaos, A diesel engine running in the red while rolling over broken glass. A sound so horrible, its as if every recording is about to fly apart and hit innocent bystanders in the face with hot pieces of iron.

3. What are some of your other releases other than the split with Terratism and Southern Nihilzm and how would I obtain them!

=== Well, there is a four way split with 3 other Texas bands “ As The Sun Burns” on Killzone Records I believe there are a few copies left in their distro. There is the Sargiest split on Obscure Abhorrence I think those are sold out, You could try Amazon or e-bay. The “Hunting down the Weak” E.p. is sold out. And Our first L.p “Pure Negativism: In Allegiance With Self Wreckage” on Aura Mystique Productions, You can locate that release on their website or even contact Moribund, believe they are carrying it as well.

4. I know some of the band members have a long history in the Texas Underground Metal Scene and are other of the band members involved with any side projects and if so can you explain who they are!

=== Geez, where to start? Mr. Blaash is currently involved with the plague that is “Toward Global Holocaust” They just released a MCD. Grimlord has rejoined the newly reform “Imprecation” is currently recording with fellow Houston based drummer from “Golgotha” under the project name of “Christ Dismembered” They should be releasing something soon, He is also involved with a rock based band by the name of “Fireborn Disciple” which I front as the base player and Vocalist. I also have an acoustic project under my own name. I also happen to be working on a few other things but nothing I can mention at the moment. Ms. JenOside has expressed some interest in recording a project, but as of yet… Nothing has come of it.

5.Are there any plans for any future tours, I know I would like to see you guys play live again!

=== None at the moment, as two of our members live in Arizona and the other two are in Texas , its pretty difficult to get together and practice.. Mush less tour or do any shows.. So if you see us on a bill anywhere you should go, cause there aint no telling when we will play next or if the band will ever play your area again.. It took us four years to in between playing Houston shows.. And this is our base of operations!

6. Are there any plans for any new material!

=== Yes, at this very moment we are working on what should be our very last split, the material was recorded before “ Southern Nihilizm ” was recorded and show’s our progression or, depending on who you as, lack there of. It will be with our brothers in arms “UnChrist” and will be available through Graveless Slumber Records. We are also in the writing process for our 3rd L.p. to be released through Moribund most probably in 2010.

7. What direction do you see the new material going in, what can we Expect!

=== I would love to be able to describe the direction the new material is going, but honestly I can’t. A lot of it is very different from anything we have done in the past, plus we are still very much in the beginning process…. But don’t go thinking that we are getting all technical on ya or anything… The new stuff will of course be Bahimiron through and through, on the seat of your chair chaos!

8. What are some of the best live shows that you have played and which crowds would you say are the craziest or best!

=== shoot that’s a hard one, But I would have to say that our last show here in Houston was probably our best performance and the best response from the crowd I have EVER witnessed.. Not to say that the L.A. or New York/New Jersey shows weren’t any good… Those were great too, along with good crowd reaction. Austin has always been good to us, even if we were off our game at the time or not. But I do have to say that a lot of the time it seems like people don’t know what to do when they see us live… After a song has ended most people sit there wide eyed as if asking “what the hell was that”????.. heh!

9. What rule does Satanism, Occultism, Left Hand Path or Anti Christianity play in the bands music and lifestyle!

=== We all have our own ideology and thoughts on religion, faith or what the hell ever, as a band I think we try to convey the feeling of ramped searing decay. Of course we use a lot of different imagery and lyric concepts, such as Satanism, The occult and other symbols that have got us band from more then one or two distro’s and websites. Its all used as an abrasive form to direct attention toward the pathetic life that most of us are forced to live.. Also, the use of alcohol is another tool used to project that sentiment… But that in itself is very much a real thing in our lives…And we have the bad health to prove it.

10. What are some of your biggest influences music wise and non music wise!

=== I can’t really speak for anyone but me on this subject, But life itself is enough of an influence sometimes. Yes, there are bands and musicians out there that I hail greatly ( I can say that for all of us too )… But hell! Just look around at the fucked up crap going on, anywhere or anyplace… That’s almost enough disgust for anyone.

11. What are you listening to these days and what new bands that you recommend!

===At the moment I haven’t been listening to much of anything, while writing I try to keep my mind clear of metal and listen to only Outlaw Country to be honest. I have come to realize that it helps keeping your mind out of a genre that you are a part of when creating. Well, at least sometimes. But if there is anything metal I’m listening to right now?.. Its really pretty old and aggressive.

12. What are some good books or films that you would recommend!

=== What kind of books and movies are we talking about here? I would suggest “Hustler”, “Debbie does Dallas ”, “Black Cocks Shooting Pearly White Cum”, “Edward Penis Hands”, “The art of Masturbation” and “I Can be A Winner Too” for good reads and wholesome entertainment for the family to watch.

13. How would you describe the metal scene in Texas, I have heard alot of killer bands from the state, and what are some bands that you would recommend!

=== I would have to say, in all honesty that the scene was touch and go at times. But here the last few years its really started to take off a bit and for the most part, is a pretty strong scene.. At least from what I’ve seen, You do have to realize the shear size of Texas , different cities will have a completely different scene.. I would suggest for people to check out “Golgotha” from Houston , those young fella’s are awesome live and I believe that they are just about to release their first c.d. and our label mate “Brown Jenkins”.

14. Any final words!

=== If it moves? Fuck it! If its wet? Drink it! If its on fire? Burn in it!
Whiskey, fire and Pillz….Deacon Krag Daggon.

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Thy Flesh Consumed-Pacified By Oceans Of Blood/CDN Records/2006 CD Review


 Thy Flesh Consumed are a 5 piece band from Novia Scotia, Canada and I would describe their music as a mixture of war, black, death metal and grindcore.

Drums on this recording are fast with a lot of blast beats mixed with some technical drumming, while the bass playing is all rhythms and follows the sounds coming out of the guitars and drums.

Guitars on this recording cover a variety of extreme metal styles and the riffs are mostly fast with some occasional slow parts and some guitar leads.

Vocals on this cd are mostly death metal growls with some occasional high pitched screams which contain a little bit of a black metal influence, while the production on this recording which was recorded at a couple of different studios with the drums being at Archive mastering by J. LaPointe during August 2005, Guitars, Bass and Vocals at Cromagnon by Gord Ash during the months of December-2005 thru August 2006 sounds very professional and you can hear all of the instruments as well as the vocals.

Lyrics on this cd seem to cover a lot of anti christian themes mixed with a lot of philosophy and they seem to be intelligently written. In my opinion this band is really good for this style of music and would appeal to fans of all of the extreme metal genres, if promoted right they could be one of the biggest bands in the extreme metal scene, the potential is there and this band could tour with anybody from death, black or grindcore and win fans from all of the genres. Best tracks on this recording are "Slash Upon God's Throat" "The Archetype Of All Religions Defiled" "Forged In Torture" "Triumphant Flawless Crucifixion" and "Vengeful Symbiosis". HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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Katharsys Interview


1. Can you give us a brief history of the band?

Yes, of course. Here JL from Kathaarsys, thanks for the interview. The band starts around 2000 but the first record was in 2004, released in 2005(re-released in 2006 through Concreto Records), it was our first album "Portrait of Wind and Sorrow". Since 2005 the line up changed because the lack of passion and professionality of the old members, the new musicians are the same since 2006 (Marta, the bassist, join the band already in 2005) and the three actual people is really the essence of Kathaarsys. The second album, "Verses in Vain", was recorded in 2006 and released in 2007 through our current label Silent Tree Productions, this album was really important for the band, the popularity of Kathaarsys increased and we did some tours in Europe and even in south america. Now we have a new album, "Anonymous Ballad", and a new tour scheduled in Europe and probably we will be in America again this year.

2. How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you before?

Well, is really hard to explain. We are open minded people, we just want to do good quality music and for us is really important do some original stuff. We have many influences from all kind of extreme metal but also from another kind of genres like jazz, rock, acoustic stuff... Something like a progressive black/dark metal with an important inspiration took from nature

3. How many releases have you put out so far?

Just the three albums and a very limited single

Portrait of Wind and Sorrow Full-length CD, 2005 selfreleased
Portrait of Wind and Sorrow Full-length CD, 2006 re-released by Concreto Records...
And All My Existence in Vain Single CD, 2007 Silent Tree Productions
Verses In Vain Full-length 2CD..s, 2007 Silent Tree Productions
Anonymous Ballad Full-length CD, 2009 Silent Tree Productions

4. How would you describe your musical progress over the years?

Personally I start to share my music with people only when I was sure about the quality and originality of the stuff, so the progress was in the same way, I try to compose the best stuff possible and the whole band do the same with the complex arrangements, live shows, etc. I think we have a peculiar sound and in "Anonymous Ballad" I think we achieved a really original stuff

5. What are some of the best shows that you have done before and what crowds would you say are the best or craziest?

We did a lot of shows but I think the best and craziest crowds was in France, Belgium and sometimes in Spain

6. Are there any plans for an U.S tour?

Yes, of course, we want to tour there because a lot of people told us:
"why not in US?" hahaha
We have a possibility to tour in the US this year, I hope it finally works

7. what are some of your main influences music wise or non music wise?

Music wise I think in the first years particularly black metal in the vein of Ulver, this kind of stuff. But now I think is impossible to say, we listen a lot of music and then the influences would be really diverse

8. What are you listening to these days and what are some good bands that you would recommend?

Hehehe, well I..m not the best option to ask that, I..m not listening extreme music now, just old stuff like Pink Floyd, King Crimson or rock bands like Pearl Jam, ...

9. When I heard your music I heard a a lot of Nature and Celtic Paganism in your music, does that stuff play a role in your music and life?

Yes, of course nature is really important for me. I was born in a little village near to the galician forest so nature is an important part of me. Concerning paganism, I..m not interested in any kind of religion, I just wrote about paganism in the earliest sense of respect to the nature, we live times of terrible destruction of ancient nature heritage... is an absurd tragedy. Anonymous Ballad is the concept-prologue of a reflection about this reality, the struggle between boring and stupid modern times and the immense beauty of nature...

10. What are some good books or films that you would recommend?

I was impressed with the Zeitgeist documentary, I knew the horrible situation of our reality but there are some things that I never expect... Concerning books I really love the book of Gore Vidal about roman emperor Julian, is good to see the influence of cristianism in the born of a new filosofy of life, a lot of abominable things we now suffer started with the arriving of cristianism to the state power

11. What is your opinion on the metal scene in Spain and what are some good bands that you would recommend from that country?

Metal scene in Spain is scarce, some good bands: Fallen Sentinel, Nahemah, Darkness By Oath...

12. Any final words?

Yes, thanks for interview. I really hope to tour in your country and see you there! You can check the band in our official website and myspace: www. kathaarsys. org , www. myspace. com/kathaarsys

13.Thanks for the interview

Manegarm Interview


1. Can you give us a brief history of the band!
Manegarm started up in Norrtälje, a small town near Stockholm, in Sweden 1995. At that time we played some sort of raw, primitive black metal but since a couple of years our music has developed into Viking/Pagan metal (as people like to call it) of some sort. Manegarm contains of these following bastards: Erik Grawsiö-Vox & drums, Jonas Almqvist-Guitar, Markus Ande’-Guitar, Pierre Wilhelmsson-Bas, Jan Liljekvist-Violin, flute (since -08 we have Jacob Hallegren as our live drummer). Up ‘til this day we have released 5 full-length albums and one acoustic EP.

2. How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard you before!
The best brand of Viking Metal!! =)
The “Manegarm metal” can maybe be described as some sort of melodic death/black metal with a lot of folk music influences and we use a lot of violins, flutes and clean vocals in our music. The music is often quite varied; from fast/groovy/powerful metal riffs to soft/atmospheric/acoustic parts.

3. How many line up changes have you gone through over the years!
In the demo years, -96, -97, we changed vocalists two or three times and guitarist once and in -99, when we recorded our 2nd album, we fired our former singer. After that we haven’t had any line-up changes.

4. Are any of the members involved with other bands and if so who are they and what kind of music do they play!
Some of us had other projects going before but not anymore. The exception is Janne, our violinist…he is always involved in a bunch of different music projects of all sorts.

5. I have noticed over the years the music has gotten less primitive and more melodic and folkish is that going to continue on the next releases!
Your right about that, it’s less primitive nowadays. I think that we have improved and developed our music in many ways over the years; we have slowed down the pace a bit and the music is more melodic with more violins and other traditional instruments. First of all I think that we write much better songs these days and that is because we put lots of effort in making good arrangements. Back in the days we just wrote the songs and that was it….just lots of guitar riffs but no actual idea…Along the way you become a better and more serious musician and composer and Manegarm today is a result of that I think.Our next album will be a bit harder; more powerful, maybe a little bit rawer, and with less acoustic and soft parts. Some people may think that we have picked up some good, old energy from the old days…Our intention was to make a powerful and direct album that sticks to your head right away. But it sounds Manegarm, that‘s for sure. The traditional Manegarm ingredients with melodic and folkish stuff are there once again to embrace all you listeners.

6. Are there any plans for a u.S Tour, you have plenty fans out here would like to see you play!We’d love to do a U.S tour, it would be really, really great. Right now there are no plans for that unfortunately but we’ll see what the future holds…

7. What are some of the best shows that you have played and which crowds were the best or craziest!
We played the Heidenfest tour last year together with Primordial, Finntroll and others and there were some really goods shows then…Paris was totally crazy, probably the best crowd we ever played for and Budapest was also 10/10. Often good crowds and good gigs go hand in hand. When the crowd is that great you play at your best!!!

8. What are your main influenced music wise or non music wise!
Inspiration and feeling when making music comes out of my personal mood I think. Sometimes melodies and riffs just come by it self and sometimes it’s a little bit harder to come up with something that will work… I can also get ideas when listening to music of course, but I don’t just mean metal music. Actually I don’t listen much to black, death or Viking metal, I mostly listen to good, old heavy metal. I can get good ideas and inspiration from any kind of music and I think that is very important if you want to develop your music and as a musician and composer…

9. What are you listening to these days and what new bands would you recommend!
Right now I’m listening to Deep Purple’s Stormbringer. It’s a great album and with David Coverdale on vocals you can’t ask for more…The best singer ever!!I’m also starting to get my Running Wild cravings I’ve noticed lately. I get that sometimes and when I do it’s really time for some Black Hand Inn, Death or Glory or some other amazing Running Wild album. Always recommended!!!!!

10. How would you describe the lyrical content of the band!
The Norse mythology, our heritage and ancestors are subjects and themes that have interested and fascinated us from the start and that’s what our lyrics are about basically. The lyrics are based on true ancient stories as well as they can be fantasy stories.

11. What rules does the Norse Gods, Asataru and Paganism play in your music and lifestyle!
The Norse mythology, asatru is important for us and is a very big part of the Manegarm concept. I find these themes really interesting and fascinating. It has no bigger impact on my personal life though; I don’t practice our old customs so to speak... Pierre on the other hand does. He’s really into it and practices our old ancient customs on a regular basis. He’s sons name is Viking, which says it all doesn’t it! =)

12. Are there any plans for any future releases!
Hell yeah!! Our new album will hopefully be released somewhere in May this year. Prepare for the best Viking metal release in 2009!!!!!!!!!!!

13.What are some good books or films that you would recommend!
Right now I’m reading a book called Fast Cash. It’s about Swedish criminals, mafia like societies and everything that comes with it. I’ve just started reading it but it seems like a good book so far. I have no films to recommend really….seems like they don’t make any good films these days.

14. How would you describe the black/viking/pagan/folk metal scene in Sweden and what are some good bands that you would recommend from that country!
I guess that Amon Amarth counts as a Viking metal band, they sing about Vikings anyway, and they are really, really big today and tour all over the world so that’s cool. Thyrfing is also a good band from Sweden. They released their new album a couple of months ago and joined us on the Heidenfest for two gigs. Really nice guys!! Besides from these bands and Manegarm of course, it is no Viking/Pagan metal scene in Sweden to talk about...What goes on with the black metal scene I have no idea and I really don’t care…

15. Any final words!
Buy our new album “Nattväsen” (night creatures) if you want to experience the best Viking metal album ever =)Out in the stores in May 2009!!!! =)

16.Thanks for the interview!
Thank you!!

// Erik – Manegarm

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Vomit Ritual Interview


1. Can you give us a brief history of the band?
Vomit Ritual formed around June 2008...The idea was created by myself and introduced to G.V.I. so we started from there.

2. How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you before?
We describe our sound as Chaotic and Violent form of Black Metal, constant speed with points of a slower dark atmospheric sound. You can compare it to shit like Black Wichery or Archgoat.

3. When can we expect new material?
We're hoping to have our official release out by mid-2009

4. Have you received any label interest yet?
Yeah but we're keeping out options open right now

.5. Has the band played any live shows, if not are there any plans?
Not yet, there have been offers though. A future show is definitely on our minds!

6. What are some of your main influences music wise or non music wise?

The main influence comes from ourselves and the Hatred that possesses us. We are of course paying homage to bands like Blasphemy, Von, Black Witchery etc...

7. What are you listening to these days and what bands would you recommend?
Fuck, I don't even want to get into listing band but to make it short, Black Metal and Punk.

8. What rules does Satanism, Left Hand Path, Occult play in the bands music and life?
We don't associate ourselves with any of those teachings but we take great pride in ourselves and OUR MORALS. Worship of Hatred and Evil.

9. What are some good books or films that you would recommend?
Eh....Next question

10. How would you describe the metal scene in Southern California and what are some bands that you would recommend from that area?
Just like anywhere else there's good bands and shitty bands, again I'm not going to start dropping names. If youre from the Southern California area and not some typical faggot you already know who's worth checking out.

11. Any final words?
Thanks for the interest and interview man.BLACK DEATH VIOLENCE AND PERVERSION!

12.Thanks for the interview?

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Kathaarsys-Anonymous Ballad/2009 CD Review


 Kathaarsys are a band from Spain that plays an unique blend of black,death and doom metal with a lot of progressive influences and this is their third album  "Anonymous  Ballad".

Drums on this album are mostly slow with some occasional blast beats and a lot of technical parts, while the bass playing seems very progressive and takes the role of being a lead bass that sounds very melodic and you can hear it on this recording.

Rhythm guitars on this cd sound very technical with a lot of palmed muted riffs and a good mixture of heaviness and melody, while the acoustic guitars sound very progressive with a lot of finger picking and a lot of darkness and depression. Lead guitars sound distorted and utilize a lot of different influences from a bunch of different musical styles and you can hear a lot of scales being utilized.

Vocals seem to cover a lot of range and you can hear a mixture of death metal growls, black metal screams mixed with a lot of clean singing, while the production on this recording sounds very professional and you can hear every musical instrument, I did not have a copy of the lyrics since you can only hear this album online but I would say that they cover  a lot of dark and depressing topics.

In my opinion this is a good band and album and I would recommend everybody to go to their myspace page give it a listen and buy it when it comes out.  RECOMMENDED.

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Harvist Interview


OccultBlackMetalZine: Can you give us a brief history of the band!

Dusk: HARVIST came to be in the winter '95/'96, after I, Jeffrey "Dusk" Mhaghnuis left my main band at the time, DETHRONED. I had grown tired of working with others as far as getting things done in a stress free manner. When you work with others, you also have to work around their own schedules & indecisiveness. Around '95 I decided to learn guitar more seriously & work alone for a majority of this vision called Harvist.

OccultBlackMetalZine: How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you before!

Dusk: Utter & Total Shit! Harvist is an extension of my own personal pain & certain aspects of my own hatred & depravity. It is because of this that this entity can not be a beautiful one. I had utilized classical guitar & banjo on certain songs with the help of my comrade, Nechochwen. But every moment of beauty & tranquility had to be peppered with anguish & loathing. Just as life is. Every moment of joy bears a thousand new burdens.I've mixed elements of folk type music in as well here & there. Because the folk do suffer so in this worthless world. One must taste the dirt of their own disgusting existence to even listen to this music.

OccultBlackMetalZine: I have noticed you have went from a full line up to a solo project, what is the difference between a full band and solo!

Dusk: Well, Harvist was always just myself with me utilizing live members. I did a CD called "Lightning Storm In The Veins", which was actually 2 promos on 1 CD. The "Turmoil of The Seed" promo had one live line-up from 2002 on the recording & the "Lightning Storm In The Veins" promo had Madhr & Mathias on the recording doing guitars & vocals, which ended up turning into a live line-up for 2005. That release was very special for capturing a certain moment but the aura around the music is not as potent as I would have wished. So you can see, there is the difference. As a project like Harvist demands a certain continuity for it to work properly.

OccultBlackMetalZine: What are some releases you have put out out and what labels have they came out on!

Dusk: In 2000, "A Gleam In The Night" full-length CD came out through Dark Horizon Records.2005, "Lightning Storm In The Veins" full-length CD through Dark Horizon Records2007, "He Who Rises" 3 inch mini disc limited CD came out through God Is Myth Records2007, "Live In Appalachia" live CD came out through Stronghold Records2008, "Wolfskin Clad" full-length CD came out through Stronghold Records

OccultBlackMetalZine: When can we expect new material!Dusk: I am currently finishing up recording on seven compositions that will be entitled, "Anchoritic". This may or may not be exclusively a digital release. I have not decided at this point how it will see the light of day. I have two more songs that may come out on 7 inch vinyl. But after this I will be putting down Harvist for some time.

OccultBlackMetalZine: What roles National Socialism play in the music and life!

Dusk: It depends on the usage of the word really. If you are referring to National Socialism as far as a racist skinhead movement. They are a joke & don't deserve a serious response. If you are referring to National Socialism in an actual American (my nationality) pride way. I would say that this is something that is becoming quite dead. I see no wall street bankers hanging in the streets. I hear of no beheading of politicians. Look, your corporate CEOs still walk among us dining on the sweat of our labor. Americans, in a modern day stand point are worthless fucking fagot ass pussies. Getting fat on cornstarch & convenience. May the world crumble around our ears, for truly it is a humbling that we have demanded merely by our gluttonous actions alone. Truly, the great beast of Economical Prosperity has become this eons great Demiurge. For this & for the sake of all precious things, EVERYTHING MUST DIE!

OccultBlackMetalZine: What are some of your main influences music wise or non music wise!

Dusk: Music wise- classical music, neo-folk, dark ambient & various metal & punk. Non music, but rather lyrical- Stillness. Contemplation. Nature. Life. All forces above & below, the anti-cosmic & the light, the energies concerning all sacred angles.

OccultBlackMetalZine: What are you listening to nowadays and what what bands would you recommend!Dusk: I have been listening to the Nechochwen debut. The Angelrust "The Nightmare Unfolds" CD as well as their first 3 cds. Other than that, not much music. I've been reading al ot.

OccultBlackMetalZine: How would you describe the progression in your music over the years!

Dusk: Well, with HARVIST, I have definitely just honed in on what I was doing on the first recordings from back in 1995. The new recording I used hand drums on a couple songs, which I never experimented with before. I also brought the feadog (Irish whistle) back on the new recording. I hadn't used it for any recordings since '97. The songs seem more focused, to me at least. I try to keep a vision pretty true to it's origins. I'm working on new material right now that, while it seems at some times, it could be HARVIST, most of the riffs do not bear any resemblance to Harvist, so this material will probably be released under a different moniker.

OccultBlackMetalZine: What are some good books or films that you would recommend!

Dusk: Films- "Zeitgeist" & the Addendum to it (if you're American, you HAVE to watch it!). Books- "The Lost Books Of The Bible"; "777" & "The Book Of The Law" from Crowley; "The Gospel According To Judas"; King Solomon's "Goetia"; "The Bible"; different gnostic texts, Fuck, it's too limitless to put here. Though the books are more of what I've been reading & not recommended. I understand most people can no longer keep there attention for this interview, let alone a chapter or two in a book. Let alone the whole book.

OccultBlackMetalZine: How would you describe the metal scene in West Virginia, what are some good bands from that area!

Dusk: HARVIST; NECHOCHWEN; ANGELRUST; BALOR; SAVNOCH! Nothing else matters in West Virginia as far as music, metal or otherwise.

OccultBlackMetalZine: Any final words!

A12. Eat Shit & Live!

OccultBlackMetalZine:

Thanks for the interview!

Harvist @ Archive.org
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Peordh Interview


1. Can you give us a brief history of the band!

This project (I refer to bands as projects which contain more than one person, who typically rehearse and play live) was created in autumn of 2004 with the name “Bergelmir”. Bergelmir is a frost giant from Norse mythology, his important feature being (according to Snorri Sturluson) that only he and his wife survived the ocean of blood, which had poured forth from the wound of Ymir after Ymir had been slain by Odin and Odin’s brothers. The concept behind choosing this name was that I saw myself as someone who would survive some theoretical, world-encompassing catastrophe, and thus naming myself this as well.

I worked on recording tracks for a full-length release right away. They were my first attempts at this style of music, and so were somewhat amateur, but I think I pulled off the general concepts I wanted to present, fairly well. After working on them and messing with the recordings, I sent off very few (I think it was actually only one) demos to try and get the songs legitimately released. This was unsuccessful, so I started on new material that would turn into the first Peordh album. I am considering releasing some kind of demo collection containing pre-An Obscure Forgotten Path demo songs.

After finishing An Obscure Forgotten Path, I sent a demo C.D. to various labels I thought would be interested. BlackMetal. com Records expressed a lot of interest in releasing it, which of course made me very excited. After some conversation and time thinking about the project, I realized my initial philosophy of the project had matured enough that the name “Bergelmir” was no longer applicable. I henceforth called the project Peordh. (For the meaning of the name and other essential information, read a previous article I wrote, which is entitled “Statement on the Existence of This Project” and available on the official Peordh website.) After that point, it is fairly standard and predictable.

2. How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard you!

Complicated, particular, “deep”, thorough, intelligent.

3. According to Encyclopedia Metallum you have been in several bands before; can you explain who they are and what style of music they played!

I’ve been a part of multiple other projects. Folkearth is probably the most well known of these. Folkearth is an international Folk/Viking Metal project that takes many different people’s ideas and recordings from around the world and creates a final product. I’ve been generally happy with the music. It is good, fun music to listen to; we all need that kind of normality and unseriousness once in a while. While I say that, some of the tracks are about some very serious things, such as famous, historical wars and ancient battles for freedom. But it is all done in a rather light-hearted way. Overall, I also like the concept it presents: unification of European peoples in a common project that recognizes and celebrates the similarities in all our Pagan cultures. Once again, done in a rather light-hearted way. My contributions thus far have been the song writing as well as guitar and bass playing on two songs (one on Drakkars in the Mist and the other on Father of Victory). These were just songs that I realized didn’t fit anywhere else, and after I discovered Folkearth, I contacted the main guy who organizes it to see if they were interested in the tracks. I am currently considering new tracks for future Folkearth releases.

The other project I am currently active in is Xtaodecas. There is not much information about this project available, and I think I will keep it this way. It is a project I do with rocker666. It is some kind of experimental, drone, industrial project that I put all my negative, sickly energy into.

Garrisoned was an amateur, more standard Metal project I was a part of a few years ago. We did one serious EP, self-released it, and then disbanded it. Overall, I think it was good for me at that stage, but is generally amateur songwriting and leans on the technical side. Though, I could be going too hard on myself. It mainly helped with my training in production techniques and experience. I’ve also been in a couple of “garage” bands (the only real bands I’ve been in), and they were amateur, but necessary because they showed me the value of doing things myself and professionally, rather than worrying about playing live and things like that. They did also help with some technical aspects, such as drum training. Before that, I had a very amateur I.D.M. project(s), which was before I was introduced to any type of worthwhile Metal. (I think I had heard of Metallica at the time, but really wanted nothing to do with Metal until I discovered the more extreme styles.)

4. How would you describe the progression between your new and old material!

Obviously, I learn from past mistakes, pick up new techniques, and gain experience as I progress from one album to the next, but there has also been a definite style change. Each album has a distinct, separate sound and style to the point where the unwitting might think they are indeed from separate projects. But, as far as underlying concept and the unique aspects of my music that only I can make, they are all a part of the unifying concept of Peordh. The first album is dark, depressing, hopeless, and disgruntled, whereas the second is hopeful, light, determined, lively, and adventurous. This was intentional, as it is a part of the core, underlying theme of the two. They are meant to be seen as two parts of a whole, in stark contrast with each other, with some aspects of each part leaking over to the other. Careful interpretation of the lyrics should provide you with a general understanding of this theme.

Mood and thematic aspects aside, there is a definite, gradual change in my musical approach as I mature. This is yet to be heard, because it becomes apparent more on future albums that have yet to be released. I like to have a unique and very different sound on each album, as that keeps things fresh and me interested, as well as describes the different concepts better.

5. Any plans for any future releases!

Yes! Many! I have enough concepts to definitely last for 10 more albums, and I am sure I will be thinking of new ones along the way! As long as I am alive, I will be releasing music, even if I am doing other things along side it.

6. How would you describe the lyrical content of the music!

My lyrics (for the first two albums) are very personal, written from the view of my own experiences. They really describe personal journeys I go on. Read them and interpret them for yourselves!

7. What are main influences music wise or non-music wise!

For the first album, my main musical influences were Burzum (Hvis Lyset Tar Oss) and Nargaroth (Herbstleyd and Geliebte des Regens). For the second album, my main musical influence was Drudkh (Кров у Наших Криницях). Graveland has also been a consistent, musical influence since the formation of Peordh. I will include newer influences for yet-released albums in future interviews.

Non-music-wise (meaning not audio content), those most influential to me as personalities from the “scene” are probably Varg Vikernes, Robert Fudali, and Roman Saenko. They have always been very important figures for me. Those influential that are unrelated to the music would be some fantasy authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien and “Robert Jordan”, politicians such as Vladimir Putin and Ron Paul, polymaths like Leonardo da Vinci, and my family. There are many more, but I can’t seem to think of them at the moment, for whatever reason.

8. What are you listening to these days and what bands would you recommend!

My most-recent, first-time listen is Black Water Path by Leadhaze. It was created by one of the main guys of Kroda from Ukraine. I really recommend it, as well as all the Kroda material. They have been a huge influence on my style recently. In fact, almost all Pagan-related bands from Eastern Europe, I highly recommend. They are very good at infusing their culture with their music, and, of course, it helps that their culture is much richer and more intact than here in the “West”.

9. What rule does Paganism play in your music and lifestyle!

Everything. Philosophical Paganism is my music and life. Without it, I would probably be long dead.

10. Are there any good books or films that you would recommend!

At the moment, I am reading The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan, which is a very long fantasy series, but I really have enjoyed it thus far. Some of the characters’ experiences have shaped my mentality greatly, especially in past times of crisis. As far as non-fiction, I’d recommend the classic philosophical ones, such as Nietzsche, and more psychological ones, like Carl Jung. I really enjoyed A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking when I read it a while ago. Again, there are many more, but they aren’t coming to mind at the moment.

Some influential movies and shows for me (and my music) have been Braveheart, Gladiator, Patriot and similar ones. Once again, this question should be asked again in another interview, because I can come up with many more. But these are probably some of the more important ones, none-the-less.

11. How would you describe the metal scene in Virginia and what are some good bands from that state to look out for!

Well, I would say “Metal scene” and “Black Metal/Pagan Metal scene” are very different, especially in this area. We have mainstream Metal bands like Lamb of God, whom I don’t really care for. As for a Metal scene, in the area I grew up in (Hampton Roads in the Southeast) there is a fairly small one. It is really nothing compared the Emo scene, which is some kind of childish, trendy, trash-like culture where teenagers whine with snotty noses about some nonexistent girlfriend dumping them. They all like to hang out at the local mall and waste their lives away in wretched moodiness. It is all really very pitiful, and this is the area’s counter-culture! In fact, the “garage” band I mentioned playing in above was really about being anti-Emo and trying to crush this nonsense (and we actually succeeded to whenever we would play in some local shithole).

So, with a standard Metal scene in this bad of a shape, you can imagine a Black Metal scene is basically nonexistent. I have not heard of a single underground Black Metal band from the area playing a single show in this entire area ever (though, correct me if I am wrong; I am not very well connected). I myself only exist in my current situation because of the Internet and its ability to spread information from anywhere in the world.

As far as the remainder of the state goes, I doubt any rural areas have people who play standard Metal, though I actually think the Black and Pagan Metal might be more prevalent in this case, since such projects are usually inspired by lonely, isolated people reflecting in nature. The Richmond area probably has a larger normal Metal scene because of Lamb of God, and the D.C. area I know is home to Grand Belial's Key, but I don’t know them and haven’t talked to any of them. Another project I know of is Gurtholfinn, who had contacted me, but I haven’t heard anything new from them lately. There may be more, and I apologize if I didn’t mention anyone obvious, but I really don’t pay much attention to other bands as a matter of scene since they are so few and far between. I really hope to inspire some kind of interest in Pagan Metal in my state.

12. What direction do you see the music going into the future!

Probably into a more orchestral, mature, original style of Metal-based high music. You’ll just have to wait and see. J

13. Any final words!

Thank you very much for the good questions! This is Peordh’s first official interview, and I am glad to get some of these basic questions out of the way and hope for some more particular ones about philosophy and concepts of the music in the future from whomever that might be.

14. Thanks for the interview!

Thank you!

Dreogan

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