The
following interview was conjured with Archfiend Devilpig of Hellenic
Black/Death squadron, EMBRACE OF THORNS.
Hails
Archfiend! What drives the passion to create such uncompromising
black/death art? Has the band's ethos changed much (if at all) over
the years?
Hails
James Hexetomb. Thanks
for having us! Black/death metal and honestly all forms of metallic
and old-school rock music has been a lifestyle for us, for more than
20 years as of 2021. I myself have been a fan of extreme music since
92-93 and I could never imagine a life without it. So, it's safe to
say that it's been a lifestyle for us without any possibility of ever
morphing into something else. The band and the scene has been my
family for decades and I/we are now in a position where we just do it
for the thrill and the benefit of writing/performing/releasing killer
music and getting to play with/for like-minded
people. Adoration for the dark,
self-expression,
self-release, self-betterment have also been crucial in carrying on
with the band.
I
still think our ethos is the same as it was 20 years ago,
so are the things we
value for important in both life and in the scene.
What
were some of the most challenging aspects in regards to the
creation/recording of “Scorn Aesthetics” and how does it compare
to your previous releases?
Scorn
was definitely one of the most challenging albums to create,
since it signaled the
twilight of the old line-up and initiated a new chapter. Nuctemeron
(drums) had to part ways in 2015, so Maelstrom came to the fold and
we started shaping the album, working with material that introduced
some innovations, at least when it comes to EoT. Most challenging was
to acknowledge that we were not kids dabbling with metal any
more and to channel
that creativity in a more structured way. Some things worked as
planned some didn't. Maelstrom and I rehearsed as a two-piece for an
extended period of time because the rest of the line-up was in a
transitional period to put it mildly. I think the end result was
surprising for a lot of people,
but not for us, since
we were simply out for blood. We have effectively learned to channel
all of our bile through music and I think Scorn was both a landmark
and a sign for future things to come.
Can
you please give some details about the artwork that adorns the cover
of “Scorn Aesthetics” and the theme surrounding it?
It
was heavily inspired by the work of German modernist painter Erwin
Hahs and his painting "groβes Requiem" in particular. It
is a Promethean
figure struggling to tear his shackles apart. We wanted a cover that
would stand out from the pile and Matthias Frisk who made it,
delivered the Goods!
What
is the current status of Embrace of Thorns and what can you tell us
about the member(s) involvement in other bands? (Past and current.)
The
current status is that of intense rehearsals. We are preparing
material for a sixth full length. Covid-19 and lock-down
set some hurdles up our way but we slowly but surely are overcoming
them one after another. A European tour with REVENGE has already been
announced for the entire March 2022, fingers crossed that it will
happen. Members have been quite active in other bands
like: Necrovorous,
Serpent Noir, War
Possession, Impure
Worship, Triumpher,
Profane Deed,
Stygian Darkness,
Shadowmass, Caedes
Cruenta, Yoth Iria, Necromantia. Our Drummer Maelstrom is hands down
one of the best players in the scene and his work ethic is second to
none, so he's kept himself pretty busy all these years. As for myself
I've been focusing on
EoT primarily during the last five years with some odd exceptions.
What
is it about simplicity in metal that appeals to you? Also what do you
think of tech-death and bands that try to cramp as many riffs into
one song as possible?
I
believe that I come from a song-based, riff-driven school of thought.
Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate technical players and I love
some really technical metal bands. I also love seventies
prog/psych/acid/hard rock that gave birth to some really technical
and well-rounded musicians. That being said, I still believe in the
power of the riff and at least in metal it seems that often times
a very intricate structure dilutes the aforementioned power inherent
in that sound. Modern tech-death doesn't appeal to me, not because it
sounds technical, but because it kinda sounds neutered and clinical.
What
are some truly underrated bands in the pantheon of black and death
metal in your opinion?
There
are tons of bands that qualify for a place in a list like that, still
I believe that each and every obscure band of the past seems to be
unearthed these days. I believe that Bloodspill from Texas, Abyssals
(FR), Salem(Isr), Deteriorate (US), Masochist(US), Graf Spee (Uru)
and bands like Holy Terror, Sentinel Beast,Original Sin,Exorcist,
Deathrow, Sabbat (UK)
are more or less under-appreciated.
Eastern
European
metal like: Aria, Pokolgep, Root, Torr, Kat has also stayed
relatively obscure, mostly because of the language barrier. But this
is a really hard question to answer.
Thoughts
on the current surge of political correctness plaguing metal today?
I
don't think anything of it. The worldwide climate and undercurrent
has been that of a very divisive nature. I think that the world has
been spiraling out of control for at least a decade and it won't get
better any time soon. I personally feel really uncomfortable
regarding lots of issues that plague the modern world, but this fact
mostly derives from my philosophical views. My view of the human
being modern and what not, is perfectly summarized by the Words of
H.P. Lovecraft:
“I
expect nothing of man, and disown the race. The only folly is
expecting what is never attained; man is most contemptible when
compared with his own pretensions. It is better to laugh at man from
outside the universe, than to weep for him within.”
What
do you personally think about progression in black/death? Can it be
pushed beyond the seemingly set boundaries of the genre or do you
think it should remain as is?
I
personally would be really reluctant to try to mix it with influences
from other, often times irrelevant scenes. The parameters have been
set, as you said, long ago.
However
there are always things from the past to re-interpret and personal
flavor or idiosyncrasies to add. The genre has a vast range and an
endless list of possibilities to offer. There is still room for self
expression. One just needs to be smart and bring relevant things into
the fold.
What's
happening with your label Kill Yourself Production nowadays? What's
the pros and cons of running a small underground label?
Κill
Yourself ceased activities in the summer of 2020.It was great while
it lasted and was firing on all cylinders. During the last years the
market for CDs
shrunk considerably so I decided to call it a day while it was still
well respected rather than see it fall into irrelevance. Fans wrote
and said that the label made a considerable dent, when it comes to
quality underground releases. I think we always were fans first and
then businessmen, and I wouldn't have it any other way. The pros
include getting to release and to distribute the best of the
underground metal from all around the globe, selling music at various
live events, getting to know bands, supporters and generally being a
vital part of the scene. The cons are that it is basically a very
slow business, one gets stuck with stock that doesn't sell, and
seeing quality metal staying in stock forever kills a big part of the
creative drive behind it.
The
Greek scene has many maniacs and bands with respect for underground
ethos. What do you think is in the soil there that brings about this
kind of attitude and give birth to so many killer bands?
The
metal scene in Greece has had quite a history already, it's been
going on for more than 30 years. Truth is that there are lots of
people here that love their metal and rock n' roll, but it was always
a niche thing. I don't know why there are top-shelf acts in Greece,
because this really goes against the odds. The infrastructure has
until recently been sub-par and the fans love the big names but don't
really care about the underground. The only plausible explanation I
can give is that the bands who are active
now, were inspired as fans by the early bands, at least this is the
case with us.
I
understand you have a penchant for classic rock. What’s some of
your favourite records and what is your opinion on vinyl format?
I
was introduced to "classic" rock at a very young age via
older cousins and whatnot. So this genre is by and large a huge part
of my musical vocabulary.
I rediscovered that
sound around
10 years ago and have been incorporating it gradually more day by day
in my listening habits. Favourite bands vary from: Blue Oyster
Cult, Grand Funk Railroad, Βloodrock, Frank Zappa, Captain
Beefheart, Hawkwind, Uriah Heep, Rush,
Thin Lizzy, Wishbone
Ash, Alice Cooper band, King Crimson, Camel, Gentle Giant and the
rest of the classic heavy/prog canon to more obscure stuff like:
Jane, Birth Control, Novalis, Eloy, Mythos, T.I.M.E, Sir Lord
Baltimore, The Third Power, Bang, Dust, Litter, Aorta, Patto, Bubble
Puppy, Stark Naked, Frost, Help, Ultimate Spinach, Eden's Children,
Amon Duul II, Fever Tree, Frijid Pink, and the list can go on
forever. It's a whole different world, that's very near and dear to
me as metal also is.
How
integral is playing live for your band and what can you tell us about
the recent DVD that came out called “Revelation of All Sins”?
What’s some of your most memorable shows that you can recall?
As
you might know the band has pretty much turned 20 years old back in
2019. So we thought we should somehow celebrate that fact. Regarding
the recordings per se, we know that the market for live albums has
not been prosperous for a while, but we had friends behind the
soundboard for the 2015 show, who pretty much offered us the
recording for free and the same story pretty much applies to the
Lithuanian gig. We were lucky because we ended up with two
professional sounding recordings and it
was simply an opportunity we couldn’t let go down the drain. As
said we had been sitting on those recordings forever and there had
been plans for earlier releases that simply fell apart until Saturnal
recs/Rex Korkmanen came in the picture.
We
enjoy both playing live and being in the studio/rehearsal. There is
no comparison between the two. Totally different dynamics. When a
band is killing it live ,then the experience can be life altering.
Memorable Shows include: Killtown death fest 2012, Barcelona,
Istanbul, playing
with Archgoat and Mortuary Drape in Athens, everything we did in the
US for several reasons and Finland, because we had the best stage
mix ever.
Your
thoughts on the following:
Stoicism:
I
think that it is a good quality in man. I'm not in favor of instant
gratification. Life will always throw curve balls to one's direction,
and one should be prepared to tackle the hardships that life brings.
‘Zines:
The
flesh and blood of the scene, too bad that the printed ones is a
forgotten craft. I've been collecting them for ages.
Demo
tapes:
As
above, it's too bad that lots of bands tend to skip the demo phase
all together and don't master their craft through demo recordings.
Some of my fave recordings ever are demo tapes.
Ross
Bay Cult:
The
original grave desecrators, still inspiring, still awesome after all
those years. There
is more substance to Blasphemy and tons of old school metal spirit
than meets the eye. It's way more riffy and dynamic that
run-of-the-mill goats 'n' gasmasks metal.
Lastly,
what’s next for Embrace of Thorns and where can maniacs get hold of
your merchandise? Thanks for your time!
It
was cool man.
We
are on Bandcamp: https://embracethorns.bandcamp.com/
You
can find what is available over there.
New
album coming in early 2022.
