Interviewed by Wraith & answered by Xaphan & Xul Hails! Please introduce Kult ov Azazel to us. Xaphan: Kult o Azazel was formed as a 3-piece band in April of '99 under the infernal name Azazel. We released a demo and then a self-released mCD titled "Order of the Fly" in August of the same year. Blood Fire Death Records have just recently reissued it with an added live track. As KoA is not your first band, please tell us about your previous bands (musical direction, releases, etc.). Xul: I was in one other band before Kult ov Azazel called Devoured By Darkness. We never released anything official, and only played out probably 4 times in a course of 3 years. The style was, in the beginning death metal that evolved into a black metal sound but had lyrical concepts of fantasy and death. Musically the band still impresses me every time I go back and listen to rehearsal sessions. Unfortunately the band fell apart due to unmotivated people. Xaphan: My past bands are not even worth mentioning. How come you changed your name from Azazel to Kult ov Azazel?? Xul: We spent too much time with our name to give it up, especially to a bunch of bands that are either broken up or will soon be. Xaphan: The name change came about for many reasons. It's no secret we have had past problems with an Azazel from Europe and after delving deeper into the name we came across at least 6 (including us at the time) other bands with the same name. We decided that we no longer wanted to be confused with all the others and opted for a name change. Instead of starting all over with trying to establish a whole new name, we decided to add to the existing one. What is a KoA show like? Xul: Kult ov Azazel never disappoints. Total misanthropic black metal! What are your main influences (musical as well as nonmusical)? Xaphan: Musically it is early 80's and early 90's speed/black metal. Stuff like Destruction, Venom, Bathory, Darkthrone, Possessed, Mayhem, the list could go on. Non musically I get influence from various occult writings. Xul: Death, blasphemy, astral projections, and hate inspire and influence us. Musically, I listen to black and death metal and a little prog. Some of my favorites are Obtained Enslavement, Opeth, In the woods, Burzum, (old) Darkthrone, At The Gates, Dissection, Absu. The list is endless. Would you consider yourself a Satanist? What is your definition of Satanism? Xaphan: Yes I do consider myself a Satanist. Satanism to me is the philosophy of not being a part of herd mentality. I am a member of the Church of Satan and will be the first to say I don't agree with all of LaVey's ideals but I do agree with the majority laid out in the Satanic Bible. Xianity has been a corruption of mind and ego since it's conception. It has wreaked destruction on older religions and has infested the known world with its false truths. Religion and belief in an unseen god constitutes weakness and stupidity. Xul: Satanism is defined in so many ways, that it's more personal to each person. Yes I am a Satanist. I hate organized religion, and stand for the downfall of xianity. I don't follow everything in the Satanic Bible but do agree with most of what is said and that from other sources. You are soon to release a split CD with Krieg. How did this come about? DO you feel honored to appear a split with this infamous band? Xaphan: Fuck yeah, we feel honored to be doing this split with Krieg. The release with Krieg in all actuality came about as a joke. We were writing news songs and jokingly had mentioned that it would be killer to do a split CD with Krieg since both Xul and myself have liked them from first listen to "Rise of the Imperial Hordes". I had also just recently begun talking with Imperial after he received a copy of our mCD. I mentioned it to him as a joke and he had been waiting to do the same thing but didn't know how to go about asking us, so the idea was born. We were originally going to self-fund the release between the two bands until Septimus from Genocide Music (also in the USBM band Maskim) stepped in and offered to release it for us. The split will finally be available in October. You have now signed to Arctic records. What can you tell us about this label? Xaphan: Phil Fasciana of Malevolent Creation and another guy started Arctic Music. We were their third band to sign and never expected it. The session drummer we have been using for live shows helped write some of the new Malevolent Creation songs so we began rehearsing at the MC warehouse since his drum set was set up there. Phil watched us practice for the upcoming show we had here with Dismember and immediately liked us and the rest is history. We signed with Arctic back in June and are currently working on the new songs to be recorded for our first full length which will be titled "Triumph of Fire". It will contain 12 songs plus a cover of Venom's "In Nomine Satanas". It will be available in January 2001 and will receive world distribution through Pavement Music. Expect nothing less than a raging blasphemous assault upon the masses! What is the scene like in Florida? Any other good bands to mention alongside Black Witchery and Cryptic Winds? Xul: So far, no sign of any other black metal bands from the area. Xaphan: Exactly! There's not too much of a scene in Florida for black metal like there is in other states in America. Other good bands to mention? No! You just named them. The US has never had many, but always some great Black Metal bands (need I mention names??). In the past few years more and more US Black Metal bands have popped up, do you see this as a positive thing? Who are in your opinion the best US Black Metal band? Xul: I think black metal in the US is a positive thing for the underground. So far the US has spewed some of the sickest bands to the scene and will hopefully continue to do so and not follow in the footsteps of Norway. There really is no answer to your other question. Xaphan: The majority of the bands I am in contact with here in the States are very true to keeping black metal raw, hateful and satanic. There's no beauty in it, no keyboards, no female vocals. That is what I think gives the USBM scene its own identity. The bands that stand out in the scene are Thornspawn, Bloodstorm, Vukodlak, Averse Sefira, Krieg, and Maskim. Infinite Darkness Records just released a compilation titled "American Black Metal Assault" which has 17 US bands which I would highly recommend if interested in checking out some of what the American scene has to offer! America has the image of being very christian and conservative in some areas. How is the situation where you live? Have KoA been faced with any problems due to these subhumans? Xul: The plague is all around you, no matter where you go. We've only had one incident concerning the band. We were supposed to play a show out of town, and due to some rumors about us to the owner of the club he decided to cancel the show. He didn't like the fact that we are a satanic band. I come across weak-minded people everyday concerning shirts I wear etc. Fuck everyone. Overall there are worse places to be than in Ft. Lauderdale concerning religion. Any final words? Xul: Check out our website at www.kultovazazel.com. Be sure to demand the full length coming out in 2001 and contact us for any trades and merchandise. Kill yourselves. Xaphan: Thanks for the interview Wraith and good luck with the zine. Be sure to check out our site and look for the full length titled 'Triumph of Fire" to be out by January. The split CD with Krieg will be available in October on Genocide Music, so all interested get in contact with us through email or snail mail. Hails to the mighty legions of the US that keep the true flame of black metal alive and to those throughout the rest of the world that continue to fly the banner of black metal. On burning blackened wings of hate we have come to conquer. Hail Satan!