Showing posts with label USA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USA. Show all posts

9 Mar 2024

Album review: Acausal Intrusion - Panpsychism (2023)

Acausal Intrusion - Panpsychism

USA

I, Voidhanger
 
Acausal Intrusion is a death metal collective made up of musicians Nythroth (Feral Lord, Slog, etc.) and Cave Ritual (Irradiated Marrow, Ar'lyxkq'wr, etc.), and “Panpsychism” is their third full-length album since their formation in 2020.

Stylistically, this is experimental death metal with a kind of “freeform" approach reminiscent of bands like Ulcerate, Gorguts and even Morbid Angel. You never really know where the music is going to go next, as each song consists of intricate time-changes and complex rhythms, but at the same time there is also a lot of atmosphere.

Technical death metal gets a bad rap for being overproduced and lacking any sort of feeling, although that is certainly not the case with Acausal Intrusion; on the contrary, the production has a gritty and natural feel while still complementing the music with an audible mix. Think 90s tech-death like Atheist and Cryptopsy; those bands had all the technical chops without sounding like a mindless wankfest, and that’s exactly what Acausal Intrusion achieves with this release.

The tracks on this album range from four to eight minutes in length and feature dark soundscapes and head-twisting riffs that constantly keep you on your toes as the noose tightens around your neck. The drumming is on point and fits the overall structure perfectly, while the utterly barbaric vocals add a bestial element to the music.

I didn’t really know what to make of “Panpsychism” at first, though I knew I was being subjected to something special as every haunting layer and segment began to make sense. It's an album best listened to in its entirety in order fully appreciate its genius, though that doesn't mean you can’t pick out individual tracks. Highlights include: “Encoded Exagrams”, “Statical Universe” and “Molecular Entanglement”

All in all, “Panpsychism” is a solid oeuvre of well-crafted Death Metal with an experimental twist that’s also rough around the edges. Anyone who likes good death metal with an unconventional approach will thoroughly enjoy this album. 
 

6 Feb 2024

Interview: Trenchant

 

Trenchant hail from Texas and play blasphemous blackened death that bows to none and embodies the eternal spirit of extreme metal. Their "Commandoccult" album from 2022 was a masterpiece and characterized by its soul-crushing melodies, dark atmosphere and no-hold-barred savagery. I got in touch with bassist TND (Averse Sefira, Birth A.D., Imprecation) to get some insight into the dark psyche of Trenchant and what makes them tick.


1. Hails! Can you tell us about the recording process of “Commandoccult” and what kind of formula you were going for?

TND: The process was actually arduous as it was in the thick of the pre-vaccine pandemic, and a lot of the mixing and editing had to be done over the phone and by email. I had a very fixed idea of a sound that was lean and muscular, one that would properly capture the martial tone of our themes, and I think we managed to achieve it after a lot of pulling and pounding.

2. Which bands influenced the sound of Trenchant and how would you describe your style?

TND: The genesis of Trenchant was the shared admiration for the band Molested, which remains a critical touchstone. We also claim influences from Angelcorpse, Immortal, and Immolation. As for a description, Trenchant is World War Metal, or blackened death metal if that's not specific enough for you.

3. Could you elaborate a bit on the artwork and theme pertaining to “Commandoccult”?

TND: The art was a pre-existing piece by the talented Vladimir Chebakov, but we thought it captured the otherworldly nature of our content. It captures battle, death, and a vision of the other side in one ideal presentation, so it was the perfect choice.  We don't write about war or conflict in a literal way, everything is figurative, metaphysical, and tied to occult workings, hence the reference in the title.


4. Can you give us some background on how the band was conceived, including some info about your other/past bands?

TND: NRS and I had been friends for years, and his primary band was Morgengrau at the time. As that was winding down, he came to me with some demo material he had created on his own, already dubbed Trenchant. It started out a Molested worship, and right away I told him I wanted in. We started writing in earnest and building out the concept, and off we went. It was funny, because we decided right away that GRA was the only drummer for the job. He has been in a myriad of bands, including Sacrocurse, Morbosidad, Mortuary, and Abyss of Perdition, and he has a really specific style that we knew would fit our sound perfectly. We created all our drum patterns based on his sound, and then hoped like hell he would agree to join when we showed him the material. Fortunately, he agreed, and the core of the band was complete.

My main band from 1995 to 2010 was Averse Sefira, then I also had Birth AD for about a decade, and I also joined Imprecation in 2016. NRS is also a permanent member of Imprecation now, so we are making the most of our collaborations.

5. Do you pay attention to criticism relating to your music?

TND: I used to, but it has been a very long time since I cared. I'm on year 35 of being a metal musician, and you are right, the social sphere is clogged with endless uninformed opinions from people who may not be here a year from now. I know who I am and what I'm doing, and I'm pretty unshakable in that regard. I'm always glad to receive feedback or insight from a peer whose opinion I respect, however. This release has made it easy, because for the most part everyone has had a lot of positive things to say.

6. I think some of the more well-known labels are sometimes too eager to sign a band, which as a result spawns a plethora of mediocre releases. Your thoughts?
 
TND: Is that really the case? My impression is that well-known labels make no effort to take on an unknown band and develop them. They sit back and let the small labels do the work, then snap up whatever seems to be catching on. Usually, these are the bands that happen to be mediocre enough to have wider appeal, which is why we end up with all those bland releases. I suppose it doesn't help that a lot of the smaller labels tend to be less discerning with the bands they sign, along with the fact that there is now an endless supply of bands, most of which are middling at best.

7. What’s your opinion on the current state of metal from the US? Has it been a good year for metal in your opinion?
 
TND: Hipsters found their way into the US underground in a big way over the last decade, and we are seeing the damaging results. “OSDM” is now its own cottage industry full of sound-alike style hoax bands that the kids are eating up with a spoon. With a few exceptions, the bands are musically generic and have no themes, concepts, or presentation that isn't a complete lift from a superior band of yore. The whole situation is very much for the funderground, where you can enjoy death metal ironically in your “battle vest” and pink trucker hat while batting around beach balls at the show.

The silver lining is that elder statesmen like Immolation and Incantation are getting the attention they deserve right now, though the fact that so many newcomers hold 5-year old bands in equivalency with them is insulting and absurd.

In general, I'd say it has been a good year for metal, in that there are at least a dozen releases I've heard that are worthy. Back in the 90s, a dozen releases worth hearing was a big deal, so not much has changed aside from the level of background noise when seeking them out.
 
8. Will you be playing any shows in the near future or go on tour? Hypothetically-speaking, if some mainstream band invited you to tour with them, would you do it?
 
TND: Our first show back since 2020 will be at Mass Destruction Festival in Atlanta this November. That promises to be a good one, as the lineup is stacked. We won't ever really tour, at most I can see us playing a few dates in a region, but we'll mostly stick to special appearances. As for your second question, how would you define “mainstream”? Like King Diamond mainstream? Ozzy mainstream? Iron Maiden mainstream? I'd be up for it, because I really do enjoy touring, and if were actually getting paid to do it that would be win/win. There are bands that I detest that I'd never be caught dead with on a bill, so that would be the deciding factor.


9. 10 Albums you can’t live without.

Deicide S/T
Deicide - Legion
Morbid Angel – Altars of Madness
Slayer – South of Heaven
Pestilence – Consvming Impvlse
SOD – Speak English or Die
Immolation – Dawn of Possession
Immortal – Pure Holocaust
Voivod – Killing Technology
Cromags – The Age of Quarrel
 
10. Something I find funny is how some veterans aren’t into metal anymore, despite having played on classic albums, yet are still in metal bands. Do you find that somewhat contradictory, or is it more a matter of not really knowing how to play other forms of music?
 
TND: I think it is very much a product of having your passion become your job. I don't usually see musicians who don't make a living on their band start to lose touch with it. Nothing kills passion like money. Like I don't believe Mille from Kreator has wanted to do it since about 1995, for example. But there he is, still cranking them out in a cheerless fashion, because Kreator is a brand that sells and pays his rent. It's not really contradictory as much as it is insincere. I can think of a lot of veterans who remain very connected to metal, and I am proud to be counted among them. Sure, not everyone is listening to every new band that pops up, but the excitement about the music itself and the old classics remains, and that's more than enough.
 
11. Your thoughts on the following:

*Gatekeeping Anyone who refers to maintaining standards as “gatekeeping” is exactly the kind of person who needs to be kept the fuck out. The fundamental problem is that music can be art and a product at the same time, and most people identify it as the latter. Thus, they don't see any importance in maintaining the art form, because “it's just music, bro”. Let's look at it this way – in painting, we have known styles and techniques that are widely accepted and agreed upon. There is realism, abstract, surrealism, and so on. One does not get to be counted as the other, any more than cubism is allowed to be pointillism. No curator or art museum would ever agree to that, nor would the fine art community in general. Why should music, particularly a specialized and well-established genre like metal, be any different? No, we did not establish death metal with My Little Pony shirts in mind. We did not create this movement for professional victims and social engineers. Metal was created out of a desire to get AWAY from the status quo, not reinforce it! If you want in, be prepared to truly embrace the underground and all of its violence, ugliness, and antisocial facets. You don't have to love it all, but you do have to accept it. And if you try to change it, expect resistance and abuse.
 
*Six Feet Under And here's the other side of the gatekeeping coin with a legacy band that should be pruned posthaste. This band must make some kind of money, because there's no way they'd be tolerated by a label if they didn't. I think they are kept afloat by a core audience of absolute cretins with drug problems worse than Chris Barnes'. Way to corner that market, dude. You'll never run out of idiots to give you a buck! The one good thing about Six Feet Under is that it is a handy barometer. Their fans are easy to dismiss and ignore.
 
*Hedonism I'm not an excessive person myself. I've never smoked or done drugs, and I drink very rarely, usually at the behest of others. I think we all need to cut loose and indulge (or even go overboard) now and again, but hedonism as a way of life gets disgusting pretty quickly, and I generally don't abide people who define themselves that way.
 
*Authoritarianism As an overarching standard I think it's a bad model, though it's coming to a nation near you, get ready. Look at the policing of thought and language in the West. The hilarious part is this is the agenda of leftists, but they fail to appreciate that this was one of the first steps in establishing the Third Reich. Oh, but that would never happen under their watch because they're the “good guys”, right?
 
*Dissection a notable band that squandered their true potential and met an unfortunate end.
 
12. Lastly, what does the future hold for Trenchant? And what would happen if the false ever entered your domain?
 
TND: We are starting to write material for our second album, so look forward to that in a year or two. Other than that, we plan to make more select live appearances in 2023. The false rarely enter our domain, but when they do, they are sent packing and then scream from the hilltops that I am a gatekeeping asshole and a terrible person. The joke's on them, because nobody cares!

4 Feb 2024

Album review: Vastum - Inward to Gethsemane (2023)


Vastum - Inward To Gethsemane

USA

20 Buck Spin
 

It's not like I listen to all sorts of death metal all the time, but I daresay Vastum is my favourite post-2010s modern death metal outfit.  Their unique propositions aren’t just the twin vocal attack of Leila Abdul-Rauf (throaty witch rasp) and Daniel Butler (roaring demon), but also in the way the music is made and sounds; foundation is clearly OSDM, but they have found a way to keep the melodies, riffs and rhythms both progressive and avant-garde without veering off a ‘pure’ death metal course. Aesthetically and thematically, their lyrics/titles and artwork touch upon what I would call the dark night of the soul; inner demons, twisted thoughts, spiritual torment and all that, but most importantly, it all ends in wwwuuuuurrrrgghhh and waaarrrrggghhhhh………….

Compared to 2019’s “Orificial Purge,” the latest album feels like they've toned down the groove n’ churn and instead put more emphasis on a pounding, almost droning approach. I guess there wasn't any sexy going on at Gethesemane; Jesus’ absolute mental agony, suffering and sweating blood at the knowledge of what was to come with his arrest. That's what this album does: it picks up on the anguish and incorporates it into the riffs and textures. I read a review that said this album was boring, and while I agree it certainly isn’t as ‘immediate’ as “Orificial Purge,” “Inward to Gethsemane” is nonetheless another excellent work from Vastum that reveals its treasures (and dark pleasures) with a few more spins. (Unkle Superion) 

29 Jan 2024

Album review: To the Dogs - Light the Fires (2022)


To The Dogs - Light the Fires

USA

Life After Death
 

Milwaukee-based To the Dogs is a trio founded in 2020 that has released a demo and a debut album called “Light the Fires” in 2022. 

Musically, they play crust-infused death metal inspired by bands like Celtic Frost, Anti-Cimex and Toxic Holocaust. The result is a vicious slab of mid-tempo death/crust that hits you right between the eyes. Their line-up is comprised of Nikki Jeremic (bass, vocals), Ian Olsen (drums) and Chris Morrow (guitar, vocals), who formerly played in the black/death band Black September. 

Their ability to mete out sharp riffs with hardcore sensibilities is quite striking, as the band effortlessly combines influences from both genres, although at its core the music is still death metal through and through and masterfully executed as such. 

Vocalist Nikki – who hails from Bosnia and Herzegovina – belts out a powerful, hate-filled roar, which is adequately delivered and backed by a wave of darkened crust riffs, energetic drum beats and audible bass that adds an extra layer of heaviness to the mix. Despite the lack of guitar solos, the music functions well enough without them, as this is pretty much a straight-ahead bluster of old-school death metal without any compromises. 

Overall, “Light the Fires” is an impressive debut album, boasting some serious chops that will compel you to run out and set the neighbourhood ablaze.

21 Jan 2024

Album review: Vølus - Thrown to the Abyss (2022)

 


Vølus – Thrown to the Abyss

USA

Vargheist Records


Vølus’ second album “Thrown to the Abyss” is a respectable take on blackened death metal that fans of this style will enjoy. The atmosphere is so dreadfully dense, it's like some noxious aura covering you, as if some otherworldly force is feeding you subliminal messages through the music. Deep and vicious growls are belched atop a mountain of face-melting riffs, coupled with dynamic drumming and a production that can only be described as murky – and although the music often descends into chaos, the songs manage to maintain a sense of cohesion. The music eludes descriptors like ‘cavernous’ given the album’s fairly clear production, which is complementary to their style. There's some cool ideas here, especially those discordant riffs, which can sometimes rival the best of them in terms of intensity. Those into bands like Portal, Eskhaton and Morbid Angel should definitely give this band a listen. Stand-out tracks: “Traverse the Arkhanspire” “Black Flame Purification” “Temporal Pathways”

21 Jun 2023

Interview: Caveman Cult (2023)

The Florida band Caveman Cult plays barbaric black/death/war metal that will rip you to shreds. This interview was conducted with Alvar Antillón, founder, singer, and bassist.
 
How did you come up with the name Caveman Cult? It’s definitely compatible with the type of music you play. Is it meant to be tongue-in-cheek in any way?
 
Alvar: Our guitarist Harold came up with the name. To my understanding the name is definitely meant to match the nature of the music and the intent behind it. We definitely are set on being different and much rather have our own style. We are never concerned about what other artists in the genre are doing, we rather keep it our own thing.
 
How do you think your last album “Blood and Extinction” holds up compared to your previous recordings? How do you feel about the outcome and response from critics?
 
Alvar: In comparison to our prior efforts the production on Blood and Extinction is definitely the most clear so far, however it still has that raw quality that we need for this kind of music. Musically with this one we definitely wanted it to be the most relentless and cut-throat record so far. There are no slow parts, more guitar solos, and the songs are kept short and stripped down. We are very satisfied with how it came out and the response has definitely assisted us to progress as a band and getting good prospects for more sick shows.


When it comes to your music, does the word “evolution” have any significance? How would you define your sound and influences?
 
Alvar: I think evolution applies to any artist as one would always want to evolve and progress rather than remaining stagnant. We take the concept of evolution to our music in the way of how we can make the songs more stripped down and primal. Rather than making the caveman smarter we want to make him more ignorant, violent, and definitely a thicker forehead. We take influences from the classics of metal, but obviously much more in the vein of the barbaric and bestial. Picking up from the works of Bathory, Sarcofago, Venom, Bestial Warlust, Blasphemy, Repulsion, etc. Hardcore and punk also most definitely influences our approach to just making the filthiest metal possible.
 
What’s on your playlist most of the time? If I’m not mistaken, you are a maniac for old-school black, death, thrash and heavy metal? Do you have any favorite albums of the year so far?
 
Alvar: I mentioned classic bands in the previous question that I regularly listen to however I listen to all kinds of music that isn’t metal all the time. I feel you get a wider perspective as a music fan in general and it does get boring to me just listening to the same thing. Caveman Cult on tour is the same way we definitely dedicate moments to all kinds of music and even bad music on purpose just for the fuck of it. We can range from funk to industrial, to jazz to ignorant rap. We enjoy keeping it fresh. My favorite recent albums so far that remain relevant to the purposes of this interview would be Abysmal Lord "Bestiary of Immortal Hunger" (2022) and Shitstorm "Only in Dade" (2023)
 
 
I’ve noticed some pretty divisive reactions towards Caveman Cult in the past, with some people even sounding envious of the band for some reason. What do you think might be the cause of this?
 
Alvar: Some people don't like us simply because of our name, I speculate because we don't fit their satanic bestial war metal cookie cutter mold. Whether it be that or envy that people dislike us, we couldn't care less. We just do what we do and if people like it or not that’s not what drives us. It’s good to have haters, confirms we are doing something right.

 
Thanks for your time brother! To wrap up this interview, can you tell us about your future plans, projects, etc.? Good luck with the tour and cheers!
 
Alvar: Caveman Cult is working on a third full length album which we are striving to record this year, we will also be performing once again at Destroying Texas Fest in Houston this July coming up. I have a newer project called Ejecutadór in which I perform guitar and vocals. We play a blend of classic styles along the lines of death and thrash metal. We just recently released our first EP "Stalking the Kill" which can be found on YouTube and also physical copies soon through
 
www.alternativemia.com

14 Jun 2023

Album review: Negative Plane - The Pact (2022)


Negative Plane - The Pact
 
USA
 
Invictus Productions / The Ajna Offensive


Negative Plane can do no wrong. Their latest album entitled "The Pact" is nothing short of a masterpiece. The band has always had a unique approach to writing riffs and kept the music simple, although enriched with great songwriting. Their ability to weave idiosyncratic elements with black metal is absolutely captivating. These days it's difficult to reinvent the wheel of black metal, and bands that offer something unique are few and far between, though I feel like Negative Plane has succeeded in that department. The music exudes a profoundly sinister atmosphere that feels like demon claws scratching at your soul. Musically, the entire performance is excellent, including the vocals. The production is also perfect. "The Pact" will surely go down in history as a classic. Recommended for fans of church burnings, black magic rituals and serial killers. Stand-out tracks: "A Work to Stand a 1000 Years" "Poison and the Crucifix"

11 Jun 2023

Album review: Fleshrot - Unburied Corpse (2022)

Fleshrot - Unburied Corpse

USA

Me Saco Un Ojo / Desert Wasteland

Fleshrot have successfully summoned the undead with their incredible debut "Unburied Corpse", which is one of the most disgusting releases of 2022. The whole thing completely reeks of death and features pulverizing grooves, putrid vocals and repulsive riffs that would make your mother cry. The unmistakable influence of Finnish death metal runs deep in their maggot-infested veins, albeit with a bit of modern polish. The result is an absolutely sick and satisfying death metal album that warrants multiple spins. The artwork is fantastic as well. If you like bands like Coffins, Krypts and Funebrarum, I highly recommend listening to this album. Stand-out tracks: "Wrapped in Entrails" "Unburied Corpse" "Haunted Sick Depravities"

23 Dec 2021

Album review: Caveman Cult - Blood and Extinction (2021)

 

Caveman Cult - Blood and Extinction

USA

Nuclear War Now!


Chaos reigns supreme on Caveman Cult's latest full-length, entitled "Blood and Extinction", released via Nuclear War Now!


On the band's latest album, we are presented with nine tracks of decidedly violent, bestial black/death informed by bands such as Bestial Warlust, Conqueror and Blasphemy, while also blending hardcore punk elements into their sound.

These cavemen manage to achieve a really abrasive sound, as they belch out a torrent of profoundly savage riffs, eminently harsh vocals, as well as chaotic and cavernous drumming that never lets up – all this combined will leave you with bleeding ears, including their penchant for fast and ripping solos, showing their adoration for this style.

The sound of Caveman Cult can easily be distinguished from other bands in this genre due to their rhythmic percussion and signature tempo changes. They also sound considerably more vitriolic than most bands who attempt this style, including the fact that the songs are rather direct, as they eschew anything remotely filler, which makes this a profoundly savage release reminiscent of a band like Conqueror. Moreover, they even employ Conqueror-esque riffs, which are done so well, and not to mention absolutely crushing and heavy as fuck. The production on this release is quite raw, but not in an unintelligible way. It’s actually perfect for this style and really brings out the best sound possible for the band.

As each track storms in and rages with unholy vengeance, the next track follows with a similar intensity. There's enough variety and depth to the music to warrant repeated listens. Anyone into vicious, bestial black/death, or war metal that's executed with absolute inexorable rage will fucking love this release. Recommended to fans of Abysmal Lord, Invultation, and Deiphago. (HT)

16 Dec 2021

EP review: Tempter's Sacrament - Temptation Steel Scourge (2021)


Tempter's Sacrament - Temptation Steel Scourge

USA

Invictus Productions


Furious and well-executed Blackened Death/Thrash informed by the likes of Vomitor, Aura Noir, and Gospel of The Horns is what Tempter's Sacrament brings to the table with their debut EP, "Temptation Steel Scourge", which was recently released by Invictus Productions.

Throughout each of these four tracks, you will be subjected to a barrage of face-ripping riffs with wild, turbulent solos, unyielding and energetic drums, and infernal shrieks from the depths.

The EP is inaugurated with "Putrid Triumph" and immediately we are pulled into the abyss as the band belches out some sick as fuck riffs, thrashing ahead with confidence, with occasional bursts of speed and fury.

It's pretty clear that the band is well-rehearsed. Everything flows together really well and the arrangements are tight. In terms of musicianship, the guitars and song structures are verily impressive, paired with how utterly savage it all sounds.

The cover of Morbid Angel's "Unholy Blasphemies" will rip right through you, as it conveys the right amount of intensity, with the band adding their own evil and sick twist to this much acclaimed classic track.

As I understand it, the group is already working on their debut album, so this EP will serve as a taster for what's to come, and from what I can tell, the forthcoming album should be an absolute ripper.

Overall, this 14-minute EP comes as a blessing for those with a penchant for true unholy metal mayhem, as "Temptation Steel Scourge" delivers the goods. (HT)

10 Dec 2021

Album review: Invultation – Unconquerable Death (2021)


Invultation – Unconquerable Death

USA

Born For Burning Productions (CD) / Sentient Ruin Laboratories (LP)


Hailing from Ohoi, USA, Invultation strike with their second full-length album entitled, "Unconquerable Death", which was released by Born For Burning Productions earlier this year. Andrew Lampe (Echushkya, Longbarrow, The Wakedead Gathering) is the sole musician behind this project.

Musically, the sound leans towards bestial and filthy Black/Death informed by bands such as Teitanblood, Proclamation, and Archgoat. Those who enjoy the aforementioned bands will certainly appreciate what Invultation has to offer, as the music exudes a profoundly blasphemous atmosphere.

Opening track, "Hanged Mass" begins with a short, but sinister ambiance before a roar of pure unbridled chaos plunges the listener into the abyss.

The songs on this release offers a variety of tempos, from mid to hammering fast parts, as well as a series of whore-sodomizing riffs that will have you bang your skull from beginning to end.

Tracks like "Insatiable Cruelty" and "Banners Under The Moon" feature blistering guitar solos that will make your brain explode. As a matter of fact, this whole album is full of sick riffs and frantic solos, which certainly adds a very chaotic aspect to the music, coupled with the mix of insanely deep and evil vocals.

One of the biggest strengths of this album is the compositional depth and consistency of the music. The music is easily distinguished from one track to the next, as there is enough variety to keep it from becoming monotonous.

All in all, "Unconquerable Death" is an apotheosis of filth and darkness, as Invultation offers an arsenal of bestial metal styles that epitomizes the genre. From its killer aesthetics to the artwork to its ominous music, everything about Invultation feels right. (HT)


27 Nov 2021

Interview: Matron Thorn (2021)


Some may be familiar with the name Matron Thorn, as he is the mastermind behind renowned bands such as Benighted in Sodom, Ævangelist and Death Fetishist among others. In the interview below, we get to cover some of the history behind the music, as well as an insight into some of the ideas and influences that led to it.

Please shed some light on some of your current projects, as well as notable outputs of the past.

Benighted in Sodom is my oldest most serious project which started almost 20 years ago now. Ævangelist might be my most known within metal, and that came somewhat later. These are still active and lately people can also discover my work in Præternatura, Oblivion Gate, Death Fetishist, Ragnarökkur, Cathaaria, and more in regards to anything related to metal. Non-metal music I make goes even farther from here with Rust-Colored Glasses (trip hop/soundtrack/ambient) and solo released works (new age/darkwave).

Tell us about your first experience with extreme metal and how your taste evolved over time.

Before I made music of my own, I was much more open to discovery of new music where metal was concerned. I bought CDs back then, and it was a time when being in a band and putting out a CD seemed like an achievement that not everyone deserved, so to me, if it existed on some format that meant there was something special about it. I miss feeling that way about new bands. I ordered much of what became long term favorites at the bookstore in town, things like Tenth Sub-Level of Suicide and Fas - Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum and De Profundis Mors vas Consumet to name a few, having done that because local music stores in South Florida were pretty clueless about anything besides the most basic of choices. But mostly, I downloaded music and I don't feel bad about this whatsoever. I did even try to start a "record collection" at one point, but when I moved away to Oregon, a family member threw all my records in the trash, including a first edition of Behemoth's The Return of the Northern Moon demo, first edition of Shining - III - Angst, a rare version of Nocturnal Poisoning by Xasthur, and several others. I never placed much value in material possessions but it was hard to get over that. My collection of downloaded music has survived through years, though. New music has been added to this archive since I was sixteen, and transferred into new external hard drives periodically over the years. When I have actually have free time to listen to music that isn't mine, instead of looking for new bands I plug in the external hard drive and take a trip down memory lane. The archive is vast and diverse, because at the time I didn't really discriminate against any bands as long as there was something to appreciate. There's music in there that I ripped from my browser from old random myspace black metal bands whose music was never destined for success but still had some quality that I wanted to revisit. Other weird selections no one else but myself seems to appreciate are classics like Garm's seemingly forgotten rock n roll outing, Head Control System, a live rip of Ondskapt's first ever performance, all kinds of Century Black releases (Century Media's old imprint for Black Metal), various Dark Ambient music from bands like Kammarheit and Inade, Folkearth and music from that guy from Nae'blis, and the list goes on almost 2 Terabytes deep. 


You are constantly crafting and releasing new music. What keeps you motivated? And where do you find the inspiration?

Above all things, I make music that I enjoy listening to. I refined my formula, my signature, my "special sauce", to be completely self sufficient, to know how to create the sounds I need to hear and reformat and recontextualize them into new shapes. I used music to cope with hard times and I believe this is part of why so many people have told me that they've used my music to do the same. But the truth for me is that I rarely listen to anything new anymore, because what I need from music has already been refined in either my own work or in something I've found already. I create new music to mainly satisfy my need to consume something that I feel a real connection to, and in order to feel a real connection to it I must find it to be somehow relatable, and that almost never happens anymore because I can't relate to anything lately. To relate to something doesn't exactly have to mean that it's the subject matter that I connect with, it could be musically or artistically relatable.

A much more concise way to say all that is that I can create the perfect soundtrack to my life on my own, so I don't really need anything else. Of course I listen to music that isn't mine, it's just an impossibly specific selection of things. There's songs from albums that I've listened to for years and never once even bothered to check out the other tracks on those albums. Those specific songs gave me what I was looking for, so why bother?

Fields of my inspiration are fertile for harvesting music and art, because their soil is soaked with blood and dead skin shed in the past; pain and suffering enriched my dreams with clarity, music became the window through which the past, and thereby the future, are seen.

Most people familiar with USBM will know you from Benighted in Sodom. Would it be safe to say that this was your first serious musical undertaking? How would you sum up its ethos?

Benighted in Sodom was the first real black metal project, and really my only project for a long time until I started Ævangelist several years later. Midwinter Storm was the very first project of any kind but in over 25 full albums it leaps all over the place stylistically. I was very depressed when the early albums were recorded, which was also a formative time for me as a recording musician. Crude recording methods were used, but the modesty of those means appropriately reflects both the state of my life and my mind at the time. What people laugh about now, the lo-fi production I and countless others used to create some of the best of what black metal used to have, was endearing back then because it didn't represent laziness, it represented passion. It was painful, desperate art created by any means necessary. It wasn't exactly made that way intentionally, or at least this is how I perceived it back then. The point was simply to create the art, to manifest these emotions to their fullest with whatever you had. If you were poor, inexperienced, terminally depressed and a drug addict or mentally ill, you weren't waiting for the latest version of ProTools and considering the proper gear, you were at the edge of your life knowing that tomorrow was not promised to you and this art could truly be your last goodbye or your last fuck you to a world that created so much misery, or because you weren't just pretending to seek real darkness and managed to catch a glimpse of it during some clandestine and tormented, violent recording sessions. I did Benighted in Sodom to live out these ideas, because that's how I felt. I had nothing, and I wanted to make something genuine which symbolized exactly that. I wasn't thinking about paying tribute to Darkthrone or any hero worship, I wanted to make something pure that came from my own murk within. This has never changed, and that ethos of seeking purity and authenticity is alive in every project I have now. I've tried many, many times to explain this to others, even others whose art or music has found success, and woefully few really understand. Others dismiss everything I say about art as pretentious and to them I feel immense pity, because their appreciation of things in life is so limited by this futile perception of everything, they can't fathom that they actually live in a world where someone might actually believe in something, believe in what they say and create. They tear apart the very words I say because even the sincerity in how I speak is threatening to the triviality of their lives. I take it as a compliment these days, the ones too mundane to deserve art continually reveal themselves to be so. If I sound pretentious, then that just means you are still sane, because in fact, I do feel tremendous pride in the scale and grandeur of my enigmatic muse's spiritual might and beauty which has been revealed to me within and emanates in all that I create. My art and vision need only make sense to me, that's all that matters. The grandest monuments stand just as tall whether seen or unseen by anyone at all. May unbelievers feel free to put distance between myself and them, I welcome it, because they aren't like me and I'm not like them. I guess I understand though, because when you're numbed by the creations made only by those who think similarly in this way, you can't believe. When you've become accustomed to life being full of fleeting surface-level things, anything more seems wholly impossible.


Have you ever considered doing film soundtracks? And if so, what kind of films would you be interested in working on? I think you would do well.

That's nice of you to say. The plan right now is to create a film and score it myself. Some things are in development but that's all I can say on that for the moment. I have done some visual experiments that can be seen on my YouTube channel, they'll sort of demonstrate where my creative direction is going in regards to that. No one could replace Angelo Badalamenti but I would love to work with David Lynch. His music, art, and films all informed the realm of my earliest influences. If we're talking about a bigger budget, then I would love to score a film by David Fincher, Christopher Nolan, Ridley Scott.

I believe there are (or were) two versions of Ævangelist, and that there was some kind of conflict within the band. What exactly happened and what is the current status of the project?

No, there's only one. I formed the band, then recruited the original vocalist. They later made some outrageous claims about me to sway public opinion favorably in their direction when later they would go on to claim that the band that I created and offered them a position in is somehow no longer mine. I don't care that they wish to explain the one aspect that they did contribute, their lyrics, but their insistence that these were somehow crucial or even fundamental is objectively untrue. Song titles, album titles, anything with text you could read were all created by me alone, so whatever meaning they assign to the title "Enthrall to the Void of Bliss" is purely on them and totally inconsequential to their lyrics which were never printed, a decision we had made together back then precisely to preserve the mystery and not do exactly what they have been doing by trying to captivate everyone with some "revelations" about their meaning. I don't give a shit, though. Let them do it if it makes them happy.

But returning to this dumb story, naturally I fired them for participating in this campaign to destroy my reputation, which to save face they later twisted to people as them "cutting ties with me", yet not seeing the inherent contradiction in hijacking a social media page I made, of a band I made, that they were fired from, to speak about bizarre personal stuff related to themselves and post selfies. How about the inherent hypocrisy in naming me a "manipulative abuser" then inventing a huge lie about "sexual assault" to manipulate the sympathies of our audience just enough to get their approval when you tell others you've decided that the band should be yours because of your hurt feelings?

How about this example:

Gorgoroth was started by Infernus. Later, King and Gaahl joined. I think the best Gorgoroth albums were made with the three of them. But my -feelings- don't matter. What's -true-, what courts determined to be true, is that Gorgoroth belongs to Infernus. Gaahl and King contributed -entire albums- of actual material, not just vocals, and yet still that doesn't mean the band is theirs whatsoever. Let that sink in.

When Legion left Marduk, and was replaced by Arioch from Funeral Mist, does this mean there is now suddenly TWO Marduks? This isn't politics, this isn't some asinine public controversy. I don't owe anyone a fucking thing, let alone the former members any sort of "say" in this. Ævangelist exists because I created it, they distanced themselves from me by their own admission, ergo, they made their own choice, and no amount of bullshit pandering they spoon feed these fake shitheads that strive to acclaim ownership over everyone's art on account of their "feelings" can change that.

Whatever has been said against me was apparently so flimsy, so weak, that later discussions they had were even peppered with accusations of Nazism, and then even outright disparaging of the music and material that they helped to form with vocals after the fact but still had the luxury of attaching their illusion of equal status to. I had to practically beg them to record their parts at times. For how much they have claimed to "know" about me, we can also be clear on the fact that they have spent, cumulatively, in our entire lives, maybe a little over a month's time with me in person. We never met to record, we only met days before a short run of shows or a festival gig. They have never seen where I live, met my family, and we'd often even go weeks or months without really talking. These are facts ignored or obfuscated by their legion of sycophants who are just like them, and these are the very "fans" we lost. They only succeeded in culling away from our audience those who I wouldn't want to keep around anyway, those are the phonies that care about things like band "drama" and listen to this music for fashion, superficial reasons. Our real fans who came for the art and don't give a shit about any of this stupid crap have stayed and still listen to the albums and buy the music if they want.

Most of all, they spread this narrative because, Jimmy, they think YOU are stupid. They think our fans are stupid assholes like they are and will do what stupid assholes do and believe anything they read on the internet as long as the latest self-enthroned celebrity victim has claimed it to be true. None of this is about anything they said I did. It's about keeping bullshit alive, because when you're made of bullshit you have to try to fill the world with as much bullshit as possible so no one notices how badly you stink. The moral of this story? Do yourself a favor and get cancelled. It's the new black. Take a chance on people hating you and don't stop doing what matters to you because pathetic losers are starving for validation. 

But if anyone is really interested in seeing this for themselves, if people need "proof", by all means, visit the original Facebook page or Google any of their interviews, then brace yourself for an underwhelming fall into the epic cringe-void that is the Ævangelist band drama. If you do this, sorry in advance for the loss of precious moments of your life you'll never get back, time probably better spent on crucial life tasks, such as counting all the grains of sand in the fucking ocean.

But have a look at the hilariously inconsistent forms this story has taken on, with the former vocalist's fans sprinkling in entirely new, made-up details for the hell of it. Then notice how my story has never changed. Not one fucking word.


Curiously, how does one wish for their participation in something to be honored by totally destroying the image of it, by only embarrassing themselves with their vanity and lack of self awareness, by outright exaggerating their importance to the point of delusion? Does this sound like the actions of someone who gives a single fuck about you or the music? Decide for yourself, at least I'm giving you that choice.

This is all an appropriate metaphor for the times we're living in.


Ævangelist, in my opinion, has released some pretty amazing and eerie work that pushed the boundaries in terms of darkness and heaviness. Is there a difference between the old and the new material? And what inspired the creative process?

Contrary to what previous members have claimed, the deeper meaning behind Ævangelist isn't about Satanism or directly referencing things that should be elaborated. I could give you a detailed explanation about what it means to me, but it's irrelevant. The potency of Ævangelist is that you never really knew and that enabled you to make it your own, to invent the narrative that scared you. Whatever it is, Jim, that you find to be eerie or dark or heavy has been dragged from the abysscape of your own mind and made real through the music.

How important is it not to stagnate musically? And what do you think of bands who keep the same style from album to album?

It depends less about how something exists and matters far more why something exists. If a band exists to deliver a certain message, the band can evolve if the delivery of that message doesn't depend on how the message is packaged. If the message being delivered is inherently related to the unchanging nature of the music, then the band could replicate themselves continually. Ultimately, the spectrum of music and creation is too vast for me to say what should and should be in regards to myself, let alone someone else's art.


What’s 10 of your favorite movies?

Lord of Illusions, Mulholland Drive, Trick r' Treat, John Carpenter's Vampires, Event Horizon, Alien³, Se7en, Hackers, Disturbing Behavior, Black Circle Boys. That list is at least composed of what films I'm willing to watch almost any time. Not sure though if that means it's a favorite film or just ones that are very comforting to watch, still figuring that out.

What do you think are some of the biggest problems people are facing in society today? Do you feel there is always some kind of social pressure to belong? What does it mean to be free?

Feeling pressure to belong to society at all might be pretty high on that list, as far as I can tell. Pressure to belong seems like something you'd outgrow after high school, but in most cases it actually worsens. I think the formation of all these groups and scenes around these positions of moral uprightness and every new ideology invented on the internet is destructive. Pressure to belong feels like you feel alienated by merely thinking for yourself. People aren't robots. Everyone has "problematic" views, people are complicated and people don't say the right things all the time. People aren't clever and witty all the time. People like things that are awful or stupid. All these things are okay and that's the thing that should be "normalized". Normalize not normalizing things. Let people be abnormal and gross. Accept that the planet is so massive, so vast, and people are not the same everywhere; the spectrum of human experience is not limited to what's happening in your neighborhood or even in your country. In the scope of all time and space, these trends and ideas happening now are transient and meaningless, accept this truth to unlock the places that ignorance has hidden from your view. Stop dwelling on all the superficial aesthetic things about yourself. Challenge yourself to learn about the people you hate instead of talking shit about them simply just to, and here's that word again, "belong". Accept that belonging is actually in reality pretty empty unless you have organically acquired a tribe of your own, and accept that in reality, it will probably be very small if you do. Accept that this is okay and probably for the best. Accept that social media does exactly the opposite of what it claims; instead of bringing people together in any positive way, it brings to you closer to people better left far, far away. It makes the world seem small and empty, because all it exposes you to are the smallest, emptiest ideas, and thus you feel small and empty. Accept that life is long, that people and opinions change, so it's best to not make huge drastic choices based on temporary currents in society just to feel like you "belong". Listen to whatever music you want, stop being so hard on each other for spiritual weaknesses. Stop being so hard on yourselves, you're not as bad as you think you are, but go out and do something of meaning and for fucks sake, stop telling people about it. Accept that no one is inspired by seeing you gloat about helping some lady across the street, you're lying to yourself, that Facebook post is actually just for your glory and you know it and I know it and it's making both of us dead inside to see that the only value in being a decent person is in gaining likes and follows online. Accept that the only real good deeds are done in secret. Sacrifice glory for humility. I'd probably start by saying something like that.


What can you tell us about where you grew up? Did your environment shape who you are as a person today, and also influence you as an artist?

Who we all are is a reaction to the lives we have lived, what has happened to us, and what we desire most.

Your thoughts on the following:

* Bethlehem

Jürgen is a talented guy, and a friend since a long time. He's led a very interesting life and the stories behind their music are the stuff of legends, some of the very last we genuinely have.

* Alice In Chains

Jerry Cantrell is my favorite guitar player. I grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida but I lived in the Pacific Northwest for several years, in what, to me, seemed to be the last years it was great and you could really feel that heavy artistic melancholy of the rainy heroin soaked streets and epic picturesque landscapes. Whenever I listen to Alice in Chains, I'm taken back to Portland and I lose myself in that eerie nostalgia for times past, both good and bad.

* Portal

I like Portal, but I don't listen to them especially often. I'm grateful they exist, though. It's a proper antidote to music when music becomes mundane.

* Lords of Chaos

I think Dead is the only interesting person involved in all this. The lore of Norway's black metal origins is a good story that gets retold in increasingly absurd ways, but if anything, that absurdity tells you that it meant something.

* Reincarnation

Do we ever truly die, though?

Are there any bands as of late that have grabbed your attention? What are you currently listening to?

Lately, I'm listening to nothing "new". Besides stuff I'm working on, I usually have a vague playlist of random songs. Lots of pop and alternative music from the late 90s / early 2000s. Adina Howard, Pete Droge, Savage Garden, Hozier, Dishwalla, Goo Goo Dolls, Mr. Mister, Steve Winwood, Martin Page, Enya, LL Cool J, Michael Jackson. At the gym, Funeral Mist, Static-X, Acid Bath, Aosoth, Deströyer 666, Craft, Angantyr, Vonlaus, Clandestine Blaze.

So what’s next for you and your bands/projects? Thanks for your time!

Visit my new official platforms, preview of my official site is online now, grand opening is on new years eve, to include new full length albums from several projects, old and new.

Thanks for the interview. You be careful out there in the shadows, Jimmy.