Interviewed by Rafal Maciorowski, Answered by Xaphan Are you happy with job what Arctic Music do for Kult ov Azazel? from my side I have certain reservations because „Destroying the Sacred” have fatal distribution ion Europe, in Poland this album is not available. Also promotions is really bad. I think you should leave this label and find new as soon as possible because they limit you. I am not. I know our European distribution for the new album is zero. Even here in the States no advertising was done. I agree that the label dropped the ball on this album. However, the last album completed our contract with Arctic. We are searching for a new label. As I heard you have had some trouble with „Destroying the Sacred” frontcover. What wrong is in impaled Christ head? Don’t you think nowadays people are fucking oversensitive, especially with religions? I see nothing wrong with it. On the other hand the distributor seemed not to like it. We were told by Arctic that they had refused to distribute the CD unless we did something about it. Don’t you think US blackmetal scene is underestimated in world? US have a really good hordes but only few has a respect in a world, rest of them are like a something exotic, like a local curiosity. I do not know if I would say the scene here is underestimated because there are far better scenes in other countries. I do agree that there are quite a few bands from here that are underestimated or pigeonholed especially in Europe because of their “American” status. For what you need street teams? Those forms of activity for me always associate for me with kids who for 1 or 2 years will forget about black metal and Kult ov Azazel. In Poland Vader try to do something like street teams but it made only a laugh in metal scene. We don't. Sometimes when you are the only person in the band doing everything band related things start to become overwhelming. A friend of the band suggested we form a street team. With that said there was maybe like a time of a few hours that I entertained the thought of having a street team to help promote. In the end I decided against it. Your lyrics are full of blasphemy. Do you think this is basis of blackmetals lyrics? What do you think about hordes who has lyrics about something different? For me it is. I have no problems with bands that write lyrics about other things but to me that’s not what black metal is about. I believe that the lyrics should be blasphemous, heretical and confrontational. That’s the way it’s meant to be. Do you agree with my opinion that kult ov Azazel in some sense is irreformable, of course in good meaning. Your music is a perfect example how classical black metal should be. I hope in future Kult ov Azazel will not evolve to different direction... In a sense yes because we choose not to reform. The musical path of this band was determined when I formed it with Xul in 1999. Black metal is suppose to be ugly, chaotic, satanic and blasphemous music and that is the path we will continue down. For someone yours music can seems very chaotic, but in my opinion madness in your music is full controlled, have I right? Chaos atmosphere is like a smoke-screen behind it you hide some kind of method, hidden code. It made your music mysterious and not so obvious. I would agree that some of our songs can be perceived as controlled chaos. Kult ov Azazel from always has antichristian message, but on „Destroying the Sacred” you criticize other religion also. USA seem very liberal country if we talking about religion, so where from so aversion to religions in you? If you will live in Poland then you will see what mean “Christian country”. This past album was lyrically focused on my hate and belief in the destruction of monotheistic religions therefore it was imperative that all be singled out and renounced. Have you ever had troubles with voice after recording session or intensive concerts? How you care about your voice? I care for it by smoking tons of cigarettes and drinking loads of vodka. I don’t really consider myself a vocalist even though I do them in Kult ov Azazel. I became a vocalist in this band out of necessity not because I always wanted to do vocals. So I don’t do all the things to take care of my voice that other singers do. I can also say that I have never had troubles with my voice after concerts or studio efforts. In my opinion your last two albums are more heavy and powerful than earlier, I think in this albums listener can feel some kind of pathos. It compose very well with aggression and vulgar character of yours black metal. The past two albums have been heavier but this has more to do with the production. It is because we switched studios for those albums. Mana Studios knew how to capture and mix us better on the past two albums more so than Studio 13 where we recorded Triumph Of Fire and Oculus Infernum. In 2010 Kult ov Azazel will go 10 birthday. Will you plan something special with that anniversary? In 2010 we will celebrate our 11th year. The 10th year of existence came in April of this year. We formed in April 1999. There are no plans at this point other than playing the Michigan Death Festival in July. Do you agree with me if I say Kult ov Azazel is still underground horde even if you reach status on international metal scene. For you this is not reason to complaint, right? I think in mainstream have no place to hordes such Kult ov Azazel, because yours music is not for masses. Of course we are still underground. We definitely aren’t in the mainstream and I don’t believe we are anywhere near the mainstream either. Generally speaking we are shunned by many publications and zines especially the mainstream metal magazines. This is all fine by me. I enjoy being underground. It’s the best place to be. Do you like more play local gigs in clubs or in open air festivals? Do you imagine kult ov Azazel existence without concerts? I suppose clubs as we have never done any open air festivals. We also have not done any local gigs since 2006. We prefer to play outside the state of Florida so that is why we have not done much in our own city. As for existence without shows, yeah it is imaginable but unlikely as I like to play shows. „Destroying the Sacred” is more thrashing than earlier albums. Do you plan go that way and use more classic thrash influences in yours music in future releases? One of the new songs I have written a friend described as a mix of early Slayer, Possessed and Absu so it is quite possible. „Destroying the Sacred” is more wild, prime and vulgar than „The Word, The Flesh & The Devil” in my opinion. New album is some kind of back to Kult ov Azazel roots, to more raw and pure black metal? It’s a pretty straight-forward album. It’s more primitive than the past two albums for sure. I think that’s what makes this album what it is. Please don’t take offence but „Nocturnal Blasphemy” sounds like Immortal from z „Battles in the North” for me. This is of course nothing wrong because I like much old Immortal. I would like to know in what degree music other bands inspire you? Don’t understand me wrong, I dont talk here about copy other bands. No offence taken as Immortal has influenced this band is some degrees. I must also say that if it does sound like Immortal it was not intentional. When it comes to writing there is no inspiration from other bands. Only feeling, thoughts and objectives. On each albums you have one song different than others. This song is always slower, more dark, more apocalyptic for example on last release „Slaughter The Prophets”. For me Kult ov Azazel in that stylistic sounds same great as in fast and aggressive songs. Don’t you ever think to use more slowly parts in your music? The slow song on the album is the title track, Destroying The Sacred, not Slaughter The Prophets. We may use slower riffs in future songs. Anything is possible. „Storming The Gates” is last song on „Destroying the Sacred” and sound like a mix of black metal and grindcore. This is excellent end of album, final murderous hit in God face. But on the other hand this song not fix to yours style, sounds strange and apart from „Destroying the Sacred” monolith. That is incorrect as Storming The Gates is the 3rd track on the album. The song you are referring to is Angel Of Fatal Winds. The file sharing sites that people are downloading the album for free (and illegally at that) has the track listing wrong. These sites also have the hidden track of Hang The Pope (Nuclear Assault cover) included on the CD omitted as well. And I agree with you about it being different than the rest of the album. That’s why we put it as the last listed track on the album. Do you think Kult ov Azazel is destroyers of a sacred? Do you think by your music you can change people, to move people minds to think by yourself, to make wolfs from lambs? Are we destroyers of the sacred; I’d like to think so. And yes I do believe our music can change people. We have received letters from people all over the world that have told us so. On end of this interview tell me... tis is true that some members of Kult ov Azazel are also members Church of Satan? Thanks for your time. Regards. It is. I am the one you are referencing. None of the other members of the band have any affiliation with them. Thanks for the interview. www.kultovazazel.com