Interview: Mvltifission & Huangquan Records

 

The following is a joint interview between two Chinese endeavours: Mvltifission and Huangquan Records. Mvltifission is a death metal band that have garnered much praise from fans both in China and abroad since the release of their excellent debut album “Decomposition in the Painful Metamorphosis,” while Huangquan Records is a reputable record label with many quality releases to its credit.

Special thanks to Jianqi (JQ) for the submission.

1. Hello there! Please introduce yourselves and tell us what you do in the band? 

Gut: Lead vocalist

Tormentor: Hello, I'm Tormentor, the guitarist of the band. I'm thrilled to be part of this interview.

Purulentreek: Hi, I'm Purulentreek, the guitarist of the band. I'm also responsible for drum programming editing and mixing production of the albums.

Gorewhore: Hey, I'm Gorewhore, the drummer of Mvltifission.
 
2. How did you come up with the name Mvltifission and who designed your logo?
 
Gut: The name was coined by guitarist Tormentor, and I designed the logo.

Tormentor: It was a fun idea; it's actually a compound word of "Multi-" and "Fission," which we thought sounded pretty cool at the time.

Gorewhore: The guitarist came up with it, and the vocalist designed the logo.
 
3. The band members come from various extreme metal bands in China, such as the well-known Dugu and Globularcyst. How did you all come together and decide to form Mvltifission?
 
Gut: We simply love pure old-school death metal, so we decided to form a death metal band.

Tormentor: We all enjoy the same type of music, we were open to trying something new musically, and hence Mvltifission was born.

 
Purulentreek: We came together because of our shared passion for classic extreme metal music, and we also get along well, so we had the plan and idea to play in Mvltifission.
 
Gorewhore: I was impressed by a demo from the guitarist, and I felt confident in my abilities, so I chose to join
 

4. Your debut album "Decomposition in the Painful Metamorphosis" from 2021 is an outstanding effort. How long did it take you to write and record these songs? Are you satisfied with the final result? How was the general feedback from the metal underground? (Both in China and abroad)
 
Gorewhore: I’m personally is very satisfied with the final result, and the feedback are beyond well, both in China and abroad, fans were surprised that there is one old school Death Metal band from China.

Gut: The feedback is relatively good, many foreign listeners cannot believe that this is a Chinese death metal album, do not know where the members are from, mysterious band, but we made the effect we wanted.

Purulentreek: Purulentreek: It took about a year, from 2020 to 2021. At that time, we were not all in the same location, so we had to communicate ideas online. The creative process mainly involved Tormentor and me writing the music, recording guitars, GUT doing vocals, and me handling drum programming and mixing. The special aspect of this process was that Tormentor and I constantly exchanged ideas and riffs. It felt great every time a new idea emerged.

Tormentor: Initially, we planned to release an EP, but we had a lot of creative inspiration, so we ended up writing many songs. We discussed and explored numerous ideas together, making it a joyful process. Personally, I'd rate it 75/100. There are some details in the arrangements that need further refinement. We're honoured to have a solid fan base of death metal enthusiasts both domestically and internationally.

 
5. After listening to your full-length album, I was reminded of bands like Immolation and Demilich, and the album's description also mentions being dedicated to the aforementioned bands, including Demigod, Cenotaph, and Purtenance. How has these bands influenced your creative process?

Gut: Absolutely, I often listen to the bands you mentioned. I really like them. Subconsciously, they bring us closer to old-school death metal.

Tormentor: Personally, I'm deeply influenced by Demilich, Demigod, and Purtenance, which shape the overall framework of my songwriting and arrangement.

Purulentreek: These bands have been favorites of ours since we first encountered death metal music, so naturally, our creative process is heavily influenced by them. Daniel, the main creator of Cenotaph and The Chasm, is a musician I deeply admire, and his riffs have had a significant impact on me.

Gorewhore: Indeed, Demigod and Demilich have had a profound influence. If you don't believe it, give our songs a listen
 
6. The production on "Decomposition in the Painful Metamorphosis" sounds organic and has a raw edge to it, which I think gives your music more personality. Do you agree with this? Also, how do you feel about death metal bands with an overly polished production?
 
Gorewhore: Me as a death metal fan, I don't like the over-produced/polished music, which sound plastic for me. So we are also choose what we were influenced, both music and production.
 
Purulentreek: Yes. Frankly, we are trying to fuse many twisted and bizarre riffs into a dark gloomy atmosphere, definitely with the raw and organic sounds production. Over polished sounds are maybe more suitable for melodic riffs.
 

7. What is the atmosphere like at your shows? Is the frequency of performances high? Do you have a large audience?

Gut: The frequency of performances is not high.

Tormentor: The frequency is not high, but the response is usually good.

Purulentreek: We don't perform frequently in China, but the atmosphere at each show is usually good.

Gorewhore: We had four performances in China this year (three shows, I missed one due to injury). The frequency isn't high, and we don't plan for it to be too high. The audience is decent, not too small.

8. Your connection with the Dugu band seems quite close. While reading the lyrics, I sensed elements reminiscent of Shaw Brothers horror films, but more prominently, themes of youth facing the confusion and helplessness of contemporary society, even a sense of nihilism. Did you intentionally incorporate elements from horror films in Mvltifission's creation? And did you have any special thoughts while writing the lyrics?
 
Gut: We didn't intentionally incorporate elements from horror films because Mvltifission's themes are more on the spiritual level, exploring abstract combinations of various concepts.
 
Tormentor: Dugu was initially a project between me and lead vocalist GUT. His vocal style in Dugu is very fitting with the atmosphere of Shaw Brothers horror films, and the lyrical themes revolve around Shaw Brothers CULT horror films. The themes of Mvltifission's album mainly delve into the realm of spiritual nihilism and the distortion of human nature. We didn't deliberately incorporate elements from horror films into it. The direction of Dugu's next album will not be limited to Shaw Brothers; we're currently working on it.
 
Purulentreek：The association between horror movies and our creation has always been significant. Many passages in Mvltifission can evoke scenes from horror movies. When I write lyrics, it's also based on the visual sensations experienced in music, attempting to outline and depict these scenes in textual form
 
Gorewhore: The lyrics are also handled by the guitarist and vocalist.

9. How did you decide to collaborate with Funeral Vomit for a split release?
 
Gut: Funeral Vomit were friends of mine at the time, and coincidentally, we were looking for a South American death metal band to release a split with, aiming for a contrasting style. They play a more crude style of death metal. The collaboration was very pleasant, and the result was that the physical tapes sold out quickly.
 
Purulentreek: It was the lead vocalist Gut arranged the collaboration with Funeral Vomit through the label. We released a tape version of the split together, and the process was very enjoyable.
 
Gorewhore: It was the vocalist's decision, haha.
 
10. Which albums define death metal in your opinion?
 
GUT: I don't think I'm qualified to define that term. I can mention some albums I like.
 
Deicide - Deicide
Cancer - Death Shall Rise
Demilich - Nespithe
Purtenance - Member Of Immortal Damnation
Convulse - World without God
…and there are many more.
 
Tormentor:
 
Death - Leprosy
Demilich - Nespithe
Demigod - Slumber of Sullen Eyes
Entombed - Left Hand Path
Monstrosity - Imperial Doom
 
Purulentreek:
 
Demigod - Slumber of Sullen Eyes
Gorement - The Ending Quest
Crematory - Denial
Demilich - Nespithe
The Chasm - Farseeing the Paranormal Abysm
 
Gorewhore:
 
Deicide - Deicide
Entombed - Left Hand Path
Death - Human
Suffocation - Effigy of the Forgotten
Morbid Angel - Altar of Madness

11. What music do you guys mostly listen to?
 
Gut: I listen to death metal for two hours every day.

Tormentor: Thrash metal, death metal, movie/game soundtracks, southern rock.
Purulentreek: Besides extreme metal, I also love listening to classical music, post-rock, and jazz.

Gorewhore: I listen to a variety of old-school genres, including traditional, heavy, speed, thrash, and death metal.

12. How would you describe the metal scene in China and which bands from there would you recommend to our readers?
 
Tormentor: Explosicum, Ancestor, Globularcyst, The Metaphor

Purulentreek: China's metal scene is constantly evolving, and the developed network makes it easy for everything to spread among the crowd. I would recommend Dinkumoil, Strike Back, and PPT.
 

13. To wrap things up, can you please tell us what the future holds for Mvltifission? Thank you very much for your time!

Gut: We plan to release our second full-length studio album in 2024. This year, Mvltifission will perform alongside several foreign death metal bands in China. Stay tuned!

Tormentor: We hope the new album will be out soon. Thank you for the interview. Cheers!

Purulentreek: We're currently recording our second work. The instrumental part is almost complete, and if all goes well, we should have everything finished by mid-year.

Gorewhore: We're in the midst of creating our new album and gearing up for upcoming performances. Keep it true, keep it underground!

HUANGQUAN RECORDS INTERVIEW:

1. How was the name "Huangquan Records" decided upon? And how was the logo designed?
 
GUT: The name "Huangquan" refers to the Chinese term for "hell." The logo combines the characters for "Huang" and "Quan" in ancient Chinese script, with hand-drawn modifications to form the final logo
 
2. My impression of Huangquan Records includes tags like old-school death metal, 80s and 90s styles, grindcore, and so on. Does this align with the releases from Huangquan Records? Are there any factors that influence your choice of releases?
 
GUT: Yes, it aligns with Huangquan Records' release style. Huangquan has always been committed to unearthing albums and demos from old-school death metal, traditional thrash metal, grindcore, and many forgotten but excellent bands from history. Of course, Huangquans' new sub-project, the "Death List" series, focuses on releasing albums from relatively new and promising death metal bands. This year, we'll mainly be releasing many excellent 90s death metal albums on vinyl.

3. You seem to have a fondness for the 80s and 90s. What do these two decades mean to you?
 
GUT: The late 80s and early 90s were the "golden age" of death metal. Many excellent bands emerged worldwide during this time. Our goal is to unearth more unknown death metal treasures from that era.
 
 
4. Huangquan Records currently focuses on releasing albums and organizing performances. Will you be signing contracts with bands and musicians in the future?
 
GUT: Yes, Huangquan Records solely focuses on album releases and organizing performances. We do not engage in signing contracts with musicians. However, we have had a few Brazilian thrash metal bands express interest in signing with us, but we declined because we felt it didn't hold much practical significance. Our main goal is still to bring music and performances to our audience.
 
5. Thanks for your time! Any last words before we formally close this interview?
 
GUT: We only produce pure death metal albums, make pure death metal music, and hope everyone gets to hear more pure death metal!

Interview: Wrok

Black metal terror cult WROK formed in the Netherlands in the 90s. So far, they have put out some excellent releases of supreme black metal filth that will appeal to devotees of Barathrum, Bestial Summoning, Funeral Winds, etc. To gain some insight into this fraternity of evil, we reached out to vocalist/guitarist Azaghus.
 
1. Hails! For those unfamiliar with your band, can you please tell us what WROK is all about and which bands influenced your unholy sound?
 
Azaghus: The band was founded late 1995. We listened to bands like Bestial Summoning, Funeral winds, Countess, Apator, Bhaobhan Sidhe, and we felt the urge to make some real filth ourselves. Primitive, sloppy, raw and straight from the heart. To celebrate the vile rotten darkness that lives inside you. To wrench out all those things a psychologist would contact the authorities for. And for all to see.
 
2. The band was inactive for years, then you resurrected it and recorded a full-length album in 2017 called "De onheilsbode" - what prompted the decision to record new material under the banner of WROK?
 

Azaghus: We quit the band around 2001 when I felt there was not enough darkness in me any more to make honest new songs. A decade and a half later Heidens Hart records had been banging at our door to release the ´Ontgravenis´ demo on vinyl. At first I was not interested at all but after some time due to some personal rather shit circumstances I realised the darkness had returned. Mictian the drummer and I had always stayed in touch and we thought it would be a better idea to release some of the later and less wide spread songs and that simply pressing some demo and rehearsal material on vinyl with such varying levels of quality would be a cheap mess, so we decided to record most songs made after the first demo anew. We met at a rehearsal studio in Amsterdam and it was as if we never quit. We rehearsed every song once or twice and then recorded it to keep it spontaneous and in style with our 90ties vibe. One microphone on the drums, one on the guitar. And I added the bass after at home. And we knew that Wrok was awakened from its coma.
 
3. The sound of WROK is rather primitive and raw. Would a clean sounding production go against the idea of what Wrok represents musically? What do you think of black metal bands with a super polished production as if they're doing a commercial for Pepsi?
 
Azaghus: I think the INTENTION is the most important part of black metal. Sure, a filthy sound does help to make your point, but it is not really important as long as you manage to capture the right message and emotion. There are many bands who pollute the genre with a vegan, social or environmental message that may sound a little like black metal but are NOT black metal.
 

4. You are a pretty prolific musician with a history of playing in other Dutch bands like Chainsaw and Swampcult - do you consider music and recording as an artistic outlet and what inspires you to be so musically productive?
 
Azaghus: It is a way to stay sane I suppose. I immerse myself in musical projects to keep my mind occupied. When I create a base for a new song or album I listen to it all week or month on headphones and it drowns all other thoughts. I never look forward to playing live, but it does make me focus on something in a rather intensive way.
 
5. The first demo by WROK was released in 1996 - how was it perceived at the time and do you have any anecdotes to share regarding the early phase of the band?
 
Azaghus: Well back then if someone ordered your demo tape and hated it, they usually would not take the trouble to write you a letter to tell you so. I did however see a flyer that we photocopied in vast quantities and taped to the walls of every venue we went to that said: ´Wrok is the end of the human race, changed into ´Wrok is the end of the human hearing system´ It was after an infamous show we did in the nineties where the venue cut the power on stage while we were at it for about 15 minutes because of our unwholesome slide-show presentation with a variety of victims of violence. Deathcamps, Gulfwar deaths, soccer hooligan deaths and so on. And that in combination with blood, needles, dead rodents and untuned instruments was too much for them. We kept playing of course.

 
6. Whatever happened to your first vocalist Hakeldama?
 
Azaghus: Funny story. Where I stopped temporarily because I had a lack of darkness, Wrok got him really confused. He became a Buddhist and disappeared from the radar.
 
7. Is there particular reason why you sing in Dutch as opposed to English? Does it enable you to express yourself better?
 
Azaghus: Not necessarily. But Dutch is a much harsher language than English so better suited for black metal. 
  
8. How has the response been so far for your albums? I really like your last album "De Dood Roept".
 
Azaghus: People either love it or hate it it seems, and that is great because black metal is supposed to be extreme metal. When people who call Dimmu Borgir or other pop acts black metal enjoy your work you have done something terribly wrong. 

9. What's 10 albums you can't live without?
 
Azaghus: Nastrond - Toteslaut
Mutiilation - Vampires of black imperial blood
Cultes des Ghoules - Haxan
Impaled Nazarene - Ugra karma
Beherit - Engram
Bhaobhan Sidhe - Gas chamber music
Funeral winds - Screaming for grace
 
Those would be the essentials.
 
10. You are also a painter. Can you tell us how long you've been doing artwork and which bands you've worked with? Do you ever get any requests or get paid?
 
Azaghus: Nah, I do put paint on canvas, but do not see myself as a painter. I once said to a friend that his album covers looked like shit and he said: Well why don´t you paint the next one then? That was the only time I did a cover for another band haha. I got a case of beer and a bottle of whiskey. So it was definitely worth my time. The other efforts are for my own bands. And generally I just use painting much like the music to channel thoughts or to silence them.
 
11. What can you tell us about the lyrics of WROK? Do you feel like anti-Christian lyrics have become a cliché in Black Metal?
 
Azaghus: Wrok has always been about suicide and the darkness inside. The things you think about doing to the person sitting next to you on the bus but restrain from doing. But about Christianity... I think anti-Christian lyrics are an easy score yes. Sure there are people who will have a personal experience that will justify the anti-Christianity theme. And we also do have one or two songs about it, but at least where I live they do not force you to submit to their religion at gun or knife point, or even force you socially. That is a thing of the past. But I can tell you who are doing just that. And you may say: hey but YOU are preaching about death and killing and genocide yourselves and THEY are doing just that!  But think about it, they are procreating like flies on shit and for every person they kill they spawn 3 new mongrels to spread THEIR dogma. So if you really want to stand up to religious tyranny aim your arrows at Islam, if you are not a pussy that is. It is as simple as that. Christianity is not a threat like Islam is.

12. Lastly, what's next for WROK, including your other bands?
 
Azaghus: Well Chainsaw has been in a coma for many years now and will not likely recover. For Swampcult I have recorded the drums for a new album but it may take some time for the rest to be finished. With my band SPITZ, a doom band that focusses on a doctor who experimented on babies to see if they could live without affection (they could not) we are currently recording a new thing.
 
Wrok is most active at the moment. After ´De dood roept´ we recorded three songs for a compilation LP that has yet to be announced and I am working on new material. Also we have our annual two Wrok live performances planned. Both in the Netherlands in the coming months. So the future will be bloody and bleak.
 
Bedankt voor je tijd!
 
Geen probleem maat

Album review: Sammath - Grebbeberg (2023)

Sammath - Grebbeberg

The Netherlands

Hammerheart Records

Dutch barbarians Sammath are back with their seventh album, aptly titled “Grebbeberg”, released in June 2023 via Hammerheart Records.

The sound on “Grebbeberg” is no less ferocious than their outstanding previous album “Across the Rhine Is Only Death” from 2019. It's taken the band four years to record a new album, and it's obviously been worth the wait. From the very first note, the music categorically annihilates everything in its path with a barrage of heavy-hitting, warlike black metal that overlaps between ‘90s Scandinavian black metal and bestial war metal.

One noticeable change on the new recording is that the sound seems heavier and denser this time around, while at the same time sounding clear but not too polished. The guitar work is great as always, interweaving classic black metal riffs with high-octane thrash. As punishing as the music is, the band isn’t afraid to incorporate epic leads and melodies, adding a great deal of depth to their assault. Jan Kruitwagen’s vocals are suitably belligerent, as each vocal line is delivered with maximum hatred.

Drummer Wim van der Valk is an absolute beast behind the kit, with experience in prominent Dutch acts like Inquisitor and Centurian; he shows a knack for both simplicity and technical prowess with relative ease. Definitely an underrated drummer. The lower registers, while not super audible, add a layer of megaton heaviness to the chaos courtesy of Ruud Nillesen, who has been with the band since 2002.

Tracks like “Murderous Artillery” show the band at their most chaotic, which brings to mind bands like Sadistik Exekution, but with more melody added. Another highlight is “Crushed, Shattered and Destroyed” featuring some pretty incredible dynamics. In spite of its brutality, there’s never a lack of atmosphere, as Jan mete’s out a salvo of punishing riffs that’s both melodic and hypnotic. A high note is reached with closer “Stahl Und Feuer” which captures all the qualities of the band summed up in one single track.

Overall, “Grebbeberg” is just as great and relentless as everything else the band has done and shows their diehard conviction to extreme metal, even at their age. I can honestly say that this is one of the best albums of 2023, so if you haven't heard it yet, make sure you do so soon. 

Album review: Infernal Execrator - Diabolatry (2023)

Infernal Execrator - Diabolatry 

Singapore

Pulverised Records

 

The black metal tyrants from Singapore Infernal Execrator are back with their third album “Diabolatry”, which was released on CD and vinyl by Pulverised Records in December 2023.

From start to finish, “Diabolatry” hits harder than a spiked ballista bullet fired at you from a trebuchet straight out of hell. Every track on this album is ruthlessly executed, precise and showcases the band's superb craftsmanship. I was definitely impressed by the level of ferocity and high-octane aggression that this album exhibits.

Frenzied tremolo riffs are executed with relentless precision while the band maintains the pace and intensity as each drum beat mercilessly pummels the listener to dust like a hellish hammer causing multiple broken bones. The music runs you over like a tank, while Ashir’s martial vocals are spat into the mic like a demonic entity denouncing everything that is holy.

Tracks like “Infernal Storm of Oblivion” show a more mid-paced side to their sound, introducing various dynamics and haunting melodies, while “Marauders Prayers of Profanation” opens with a terrifying scream and simply obliterates everything in its path with all-out viciousness. The riffs are both catchy and blistering, but ultimately very well crafted, which also happens to be one of the focal points of this album. The music strikes a seamless balance between brutality and melody, the way it was always meant to sound, while the album’s excellent production brings out the best of the performance.

After several listens, I can confirm with absolute certainty that “Diabolatry” is the heaviest and best album the band has released to date and another excellent addition to their epic discography. The whole record is packed with incendiary songs that once again show why countries like Singapore, in spite of its small size, are no underdogs when it comes to producing quality extreme metal. Highly recommended. 

Interview: Vastum

Having been active for over 15 years now, San Francisco’s VASTUM have never failed to captivate audiences with their devastating brand of sonically-twisted Death Metal. Their latest opus “Inward to Gethsemane” was hands down one of the best albums of 2023 and has only further cemented the quality of their output. Unkle Superion (Singapore) and I worked together to prepare the following questions, which were answered by founding member Leila Abdul-Rauf (vocalist, guitarist, lyricist) who was more than happy to share her insights.
 
1. What has the band been up to since the release of your excellent album “Inward to Gethsemane”? In hindsight, are you happy with the end result?

L: We’ve been busy working on our other projects (Mortuous, Necrot, my solo project) both touring and working on mew releases. I’ve also been auditioning new guitarists for Vastum since Shelby left the band right after recording Inward to Gethsemane. Overall I’m happy with how the album came out but I would do some things differently if given the chance. The track sequence was a compromise for all of us and I think the album would have benefited from a different sequence as well as the inclusion and exclusion of different songs we had available. But it’s all something to learn from.
 
2. Which bands influenced the sound of Vastum and where do you draw inspiration from on a musical level?

L: Too many to list all of them, but Dan and Kyle were a big influence when we started Vastum and got me into the Finnish bands like Convulse, Slugathor, Rippikoulou as well as a lot of death doom like Anathema, Paradise Lost (but Candlemass will always by favorite doom band).  But  musically I always draw from a wide array of artists from many genres, artists like Diamanda Galas and Lori Bravo (especially lyrically), Igor Stravinsky, Death, Morbid Angel, Chris Barnes-era Cannibal Corpse for riffs.

 
3. Have you ever received ‘feedback' that your style of death metal (musically and aesthetically) is too artsy and literate for the actual old-school crowd?

L: Not really. Quite the opposite actually, at least musically speaking. But some people struggle with the lyrics. Seems musically we’re more criticized for keeping within our formula and that we’re not “forward thinking” enough which I kind of agree with and kind of don’t, especially since we want to take the band in a more innovative direction on the next album and this was hinted at with Inward. OveralI, I think we appeal to more of the traditional death metal crowd who just want to be pummelled by the music and not fuse their death metal with other genres.
 
4. What are the main non-musical sources or influences (visual art, literature, philosophy, etc.) that inform the songs and music of Vastum?

L: Religion (Christianity for Dan; I was raised Muslim), psychoanalysis, philosophy. Lyrically for this album Dan drew from philosophers like George Bataille and Lev Shestov, anti-theologian Thomas Altizer and bands like Dystopia. My lyrical inspiration mostly comes from personal experience, dreams, psychedelics and my own depraved imagination.

5. Can you tell us about the audience demographic at your shows, and if you know about the kind of people who buy your records? In Southeast Asia where I’m from (Singapore, specifically), a death or extreme metal show is still largely a male affair and they want their metal anthems to chant/growl along to.

L: It’s more diverse here for sure, but still overall male-dominant, mostly in the 25-40 age range, but that’s most metal bands I guess. More racially diverse in California where we live than other parts of the U.S. and Europe.
 
6. Obviously there’s more to death metal than just gore lyrics and blast beats, which seems to be a common misconception among some people – do you think death metal is also an ideal outlet to express deeper philosophies/spiritual thoughts? Do you consider yourself spiritual in any sense?

L: Absolutely. If you’re creative enough, you can express a full range of emotions in just about any genre, especially death metal. When people say they’re “spiritual” it’s usually spoken about in vague terms, but for me, spiritually is always something to reflect on, question, battle with, expand and redefine as necessary. That said, I do believe in the powers of magic and ritual.
 
7. Does Vastum have a ‘career path’ mapped out?  Do you work towards a bigger breakthrough or breakout record that would elavate the band to the ‘next level’ i.e. bigger venues and festivals?

L: We’ve been a band for almost 15 years with many member changes. Most of us are not young and are we’re not concerned with being the next big thing in metal. We’ve already played several bigger venues and many festivals. For me, it’s more important that we realize an authentic creative vision, to create something evocative and compelling. If that results in a bigger breakthrough for us, that’s great, but it’s never the driving force for me in doing a band.

 
8. Do you have a personal favourite Vastum record? (One that you personally enjoyed making the most or playing the songs live.)

L: I do love all of our albums in different ways. They’re all very different to me. We always play at least one or two songs from every record live. As far as which record was most enjoyable to make, our debut Carnal Law was a lot of fun to record because it all felt very fresh and unpredictable starting with a new project and not knowing how it would be received so there weren’t any expectations loaded on us. It’s also the album with my favorite artwork by Dan. I also enjoyed recording Hole Below and Orificial Purge; those albums almost seemed to write themselves.
 
9. Can you share with us any anecdotes of some crazy/surreal experiences you’ve had playing live shows or from touring?

L: Not too many of these to talk about. Dan has a reputation of being a very active front person and knows how to work up a crowd, so there is never a dull moment. Dan has injured himself in all sorts of ways stage diving when we play live. I know someone in the crowd broke their collar bone at a fest we played, which is unfortunate, but they seemed unfazed. Some woman took her top off before jumping on stage. I also lost my voice on a European tour and Dan had to cover my vocals for a show, which was strange.
 
10. What have you been listening to lately? Do you have any personal favourite albums from the last year or 2024 so far?

L: Cruciamentum’s Obsidian Refractions, Excarnated Entity’s Mass Grave Horizon; and more recently discovered but which came out a few years ago, Staurophagia’s The Longest Dark has been an engrossing late night listen.

 
11. Can you tell us a bit about some of your other bands and how they differ musically and thematically from Vastum?

L: The other members of Vastum have Acephalix, Necrot, Mortuous who are all different varieties of death metal. I can’t speak to their themes, but since Dan also sings and writes all of the lyrics for Acephalix, thematically I’d say it’s within a similar vein to Vastum but they’re musically different enough that the two bands have distinct identities. I think I’m the only in Vastum whose other projects are not metal. My solo work, although I’d say it’s metal-adjacent in some ways, has historically appealed more to dark ambient fans, experimentalists and goths, even though the music is quite composed and musical, with lots of vocals. Ionophore is another long-time project of mine, an electronic, darkwave trio with 4 full-length releases, its members spread across California, New York and London. My contributions to both my solo work and Ionophore are mostly vocal-, trumpet- and synth-based. These elements have also worked their way into the last three Vastum albums and probably will continue to be.
 
12. Finally, what’s next for yourself and Vastum? Infernal thanks for your time!

L: Thank you! Vastum’s new lineup will likely be ready to go live by the spring. While doing some guest spots on a couple of releases, I’m also working on my fifth solo album which will have a bigger, more active and rhythmic sound than my previous work. I’ve also been playing special fly-out solo shows, with more to come later in the year as well.