Interviewed by Skrzypor Tethyr answered by Xaphan Hail Xaphan! For the beginning I propose a standard question – can you bring some info about KULT OV AZAZEL history? In 1999 we formed under the name of Azazel and within a few months time self released a mCD titled “Order of the Fly”. After being on a few compilations and a few splits we changed the name to Kult ov Azazel and since released 3 full lengths, numerous splits and been on a number of compilations. In spite of exist, begin in 1999, lots of products is signed by your logo – various splits, tape compilations, EP’s, CD-Rs etc. Aren’t you afraid that your ideas can make the most really fast? I don’t think it makes the music old or tired and if others think that way who the fuck am I to care? I believe this is something one must do in order to spread their music and message. Besides something only gets tired when it’s repeated over and over and I don’t think this has been the case with us. Every album has had its own sound and vibe going, including our new album. There we can hear a row of compilations, also in tape format and on CD/CD-Rs. I mention for example titles like: „Visionaries of the Macabre”, „Jesus Wept vol. 1 & 2” or „Casting Eternal Fires”. Can you mention all these evils chronologically and bring their capacity? What can we find there? Studio tracks, rehearsals or unreleased tracks? Visionaries of the Macabre had ‘Garden of Shadows’ from the “Order of the Fly” demo. American Black Metal Assault had an advanced track of ‘Symbionic 666’ from the “Of Evil & Hatred” sessions, Jesus Wept 1 included a demo recording of ‘Invoking the Infernal Majesty’. Between the Bloodstained Lines of Time had a rough mix of ‘Invoking the Infernal Majesty’ from the recording sessions of “Oculus Infernum” as well did the Jesus Wept 2 which had ‘Mark of the Devil’. Casting Eternal Fires had ‘Destruction to the Throne of God’ from the “Triumph of Fire” album, originally was to be released in 2001 but didn’t happen until 2004. We also contributed to the recently released Destroyers From the Western Skies which includes a studio rough mix of ‘Trampling the Cross’ from “The World, The Flesh & The Devil” recording session. Can you compare two first albums, namely „Triumph of Fire” and „Oculus Infernum”? On “Triumph of Fire” we used a session drummer and his style of drumming was that of death metal so in the end what we wanted the songs to sound like just wasn’t the case with his style of drumming. On “Oculus Infernum” we had finally added a permanent drummer to the band whose drum style was consistent with our music. The” Triumph of Fire” release came off as a black/death hybrid where as “Oculus Infernum” was absolute black metal through and through. In 2004 „Assaulting the Masses” LP was released. There we can find some live-recordings. Tell us about this vomit from hell. It was actually released in 2003 and it came about when Autopsy Stench Records approached us about doing it along with releasing “Order of the Fly” on LP. Basically it’s a live album consisting of picked songs from two different local rituals plus a 4 track demo recording of us covering a Beherit song. Your new act is „The World, The Flesh & The Devil”. This one was released through Arctic Music Group likewise the previous „Oculus...”. Can you tell something about this stab? Which kind of music this label promotes– only metal or also other streams of music? Arctic Music was a label formed by Phil Fasciana (Malevolent Creation) and Scott Hecker to promote all forms of extreme metal and we signed with them in 2000. The past 2 albums “Triumph of Fire” and “Oculus Infernum” as well as “The World, The Flesh & The Devil” have all been released under our contract with Arctic Music. The new album is nine tracks of heretical black metal. It’s homage to world downfall with praises of death and suffering woven with occult matter. Tell us about the production of a new album and work in studio. Were there any conflicts between you guys? With pre-production in all it took about a year and a half in writing it. I started writing riffs pretty much after we were done recording “Oculus Infernum”. Once I had a some shit to work with Hammer would come down to Florida and we’d work on arranging these into songs and drum patterns. Then before Hammer would leave Florida we would record drums and guitar using a four track into a laptop using Adobe Audition. I then took everything home to dump into my computer giving me the ability to slice and cut songs up and arrange them in any order I deemed and in some instances I would cut riffs completely out. Once the song was arranged to everyones liking both VJS and myself laid guitars down and then Xul put down the bass tracks. After we had all the music demo’d out I began writing lyrics and laid down all the vocals. This was then given to everyone to listen to over our down periods for reference. Now as for the actual recording, mixing and mastering of the album, it only two weeks. It was all tracked as opposed to playing it live. First the drums got laid down, then my guitar. After that VJS did his guitar tracks and then we both laid down the guitar harmonies. Xul then put the bass tracks down and then all vocals tracks were the last to be recorded, VJS’ backup first, Xul’s vocals and mine last. This is the studio formula we have always followed. And yes there were some disagreements while in the studio but as with any disagreements within the band it always gets worked out and resolved. E. Rutan mastered this masterpiece. Is he a member of MORBID ANGEL or is it only a name’s convergence? He did and a good mastering job at that! He was a member of Morbid Angel but no longer. He is now known for his band Hate Eternal. One of the tracks on this album is entitled „World is full of Violence”. I wanna talk about his theme. You glorify war and genocide in lyrics. Would you like to sink the world in war, which history didn’t see before? It’s already happening. It’s been happening for ages, the world gets more violent everyday. All one has to do is read a newspaper or watch the news to understand this. Day by day humanity degenerates itself more and more. This is what the track is about. It’s praising the downfall of humanity through its own doing. The weak will be weeded out and the elite will stand tall. Only the strong survive. What’s the line-up of KULT OV AZAZEL? Which of yours have the greatest influence on your music? Present lineup consists of myself on vocals/guitar, Xul on vocals/bass and Hammer on drums. Do you think, that you create an original music, without influences of other BM bands? I think we do create our own form or style without influences. Though I can’t honestly say since that’s in the ear of the listener. I myself do not hear any of my own personal influences wihtin our music. I think what we do has it’s our sound and identity, that’s something I do firmly believe. You play barbarian, fast and brutal BM. Predictable is that there’s no place for some nostalgically forms of expression in your albums. Is it your only idea for BM or in future we will hear KULT OV AZAZEL as a slower band and more become concentrated on building an atmosphere? I thought we slowed down quite a bit on the new recording. It’s also much more varied than the past albums. Sure there are the barbaric moments we are known for but at the same time there are songs that don’t even incorporate blast beats another trait we are known for. As for atmosphere, I believe the songs do build an atmosphere, it may not be one of being in grim snow covered forests but it is an atmosphere of total rage and hate, projecting evil and aggression. What’s the KULT OV AZAZEL’s message? How do you lead it into your personal life? Enlightenment can only be achieved through the elimination of religious oppression, be it morals, thought or propaganda. Your front covers and designs are full of woodcuts and medieval paints. What’s the influence for such stuff’s change? Are you fascinated of this „era of obscurity” like somebody calls? I am fascinated I suppose but really it’s just a form of art I like best nothing more really. What’s your relation to people? Do you feel sometimes „a great surfeit by a man” about what Friderick Nietzsche mentioned? No need to think since I know there’s an over abundance of people that plague this planet. Our world is way too over populated as it is and only going to get worse as time perpetuates. That’s just a simple observation that anyone who has a brain can make. I don’t exactly understand what you mean by my relation to people. There are some humans I can tolerate which is obvious; me being in a band which consists of other people, I have a family and comrades. Yet there’s a million fold I have no respect for if that’s what you are getting at. In some intie you noticed that „Satan doesn’t exist”. So tell me, why do you apply him in lyrics in personal form? Example is a lyric to track „The Calling Forth” (the new „The World...” album). I’m quoting: „In the name of Satan, king of the earth, ruler of the world...”... In this instance Satan is used metaphorically thus symbolizing the ground of being for all that exist. Meaning the hidden force that permeates and motivates all of existence. The ‘The Calling Forth’ is about channeling this force. You are a member of LaVeyan „Church of Satan”. What’s there so magic that you identify with this one? Other musicians of KULT OV AZAZEL also are a members of this organization? None of the others have any ties. My affiliation with the Church of Satan is just that and has nothing to do with Kult ov Azazel. I’m sick of people even asking this question. My agenda is not to promote the Church of Satan, they have the ability to do that themselves. It’s been to enlighten those that seek enlightenment and to spread terror to the ones that blindly follow paths of theism. What do you do in your free time, when you aren’t commited to KULT OV AZAEL? Do you have a normal job? Family? Duties? I am married but have no kids. I have been running live sound since 1995. I mainly work at this point only when I’m out on the road running sound for Malevolent Creation otherwise I spend 100% of my time and focus on Kult ov Azazel which rarely leaves me with much free time. Do you have any tattoos? If yes, what do they show! Yes. I have Venom’s “Black Metal” album cover minus the logo on my outside left calf, I have the design we used on our Christfuck shirt on my inner left calf, I have a Gigerish piece on my right outside calf and two more on my right arm between the elbow and wrist. On my left arm, same places as the right, I have a demon skull with wings backed by flames and an uncompleted black flame piece on the inside. Then I have a bunch of other smaller tats that are too many to go into detail about but eventually they will all be covered over once I begin to sleeve my upper arms in. For sure you are a metal maniac. Please, tell us about your collections. How much CDs, tapes, LP/Eps do you have? Betray the secret and prone that all who don’t drink so much, that have hahahah... Over the years I have weeded much of it, keeping only releases I like or hold special so at this point I have a very nice collection. I do not know how many in numbers since I haven’t ever counted them all. I have never based my importance around how much metal I have or don’t have, even when I was younger. I can just say I don’t have enough and will never have enough when it comes to releases I continuously want. I heard that KULT OV AZAZEL was on tour across USA with BLACK WITCHERY. What can you say about your live-experiences on this tour? Were there any problems, scandals? The tour package was actually us, Blood Storm, Teratism and Horn of Valere. On every date of the tour there were support bands that were on the bill and in Orlando, FL it was Black Witchery so it was only one show with them on the tour. About tour experiences, not much to say, everyday is different both in environment and conditions, some days are good, some days are not so good. But in all there were no problems with the result being a good tour for all the bands involved. Plans for future… In the near future “Oculus Infernum” will finally after years of problems be released on vinyl and a split CD with Vrolok that’s been delayed will see its release soon as well. We’re also looking into booking agencies overseas in hopes of maybe someday bringing our heretical hymns to European soil. Thanks for view! Finish him by your own suggestion. Support antichristian nihilism! Thanks to you as well. Those interested in further information or merchandise can find it at www.kultovazazel.com or by writing Kult ov Azazel, PO Box 23308, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33307, USA. “The World, The Flesh & The Devil” has been unleashed. Seek it out, obtain it and revel in the blasphemy!