Interviewed by Occizor & answered by Xaphan

Kult ov Azazel was formed in 1999, if I’m right? Who started it, and why?

Yeah the band was actually formed in 1999. It began really with both Xul and me, unknown to each other at the time, working on our own projects in 1998, his was called Erebus and mine was called Azazel. Xul being much younger than me and still in high school at this time had done a 4 song demo and through this is how we ended up meeting each other. It happened at a time were I was looking to take Azazel from a project to an actual band, Xul wanting to do the same with Erebus. We decided to combine forces since I had a drummer but lacking a bass player, we decided we would both do vocals and would continue under the banner of Azazel. The purpose behind it was originally to write music that we ourselves would want to hear but has since evolved into a more solid agenda and that being to spread our blasphemies and profanations against the monotheistic establishment to the four corners of the world.

Congratulation with your 5th anniversary by the way, I guess that’s the reason behind the Best of Compilation you released in March?

Thanks and yes it was partly one of the reasons we released “Black Mass Consecration” but to call it the best of is not correct since it was in reality all of, being it was the demos, promos and a few rarities that we had been saving for the right time, not really knowing when it would be. In essence it was everything that we had recorded since our formation up until 2001 before we recorded “Triumph of Fire”, with the exception of live board tapes.

A cover of Mayhem infamous “Chainsaw Gutsfuck" can also be found on this compilation, what do you think about Mayhem these days?

These days I have no idea to be honest. I heard two songs from the “Grand Declaration of War” album when it first came out and haven’t paid any attention to Mayhem or anything they have done since then. We even opened for them on that tour and not to slang them but the rubber 5 inch spikes being worn were in simple terms gay. As far as I am concerned Mayhem died with Euronymous.

I have to say, Kult ov Azazel haven’t exactly been lazy these five years, 6 full length albums, including the live album and the best of. Plus the demos and splits.

Well laziness isn’t in our vocabulary when it comes to the band. Plus the fact that we have been unable to do any extensive touring so in our eyes if you can’t tour continue writing and recording so this is what we have done over the past 5 years.

Your last full length was “Oculus Infernum"? How were the feedbacks on this album?

Depends on who you ask yet from what I have seen from reviews I’d say that 96% were satisfied while the other 4% bashed us mainly on being an American band playing black metal but we got the same reaction with “Triumph of Fire” so it wasn’t much surprise to me. I know realistically not everyone will like what we do. There will always be those that just don’t like it period, some because they believe a production of a album should sound like it was recorded on a Fischer price boom box and those that won’t like it or hate it because they have a problem with this individual or that individual in the band. It really isn’t about what others think, not to me and I know I speak for the others here as well. We are just creating music with a certain ideological slant that we feel connected with. If other people can connect with that same energy then great but if they can’t that’s fine with us as well. There are plenty of bands around that others praise and go on and on about that do nothing for me so it’s all a matter of taste and opinion.

I was listening to the album “Oculus Infernum” before sending these questions, the track “Invoking the Infernal Majesty” is a bit more melodic and sort of depressive in other ways. What do you think about depressive black metal bands like Xasthur, Abyssic Hate and others?

Yeah I agree that the song mentioned is quite a 180 degree turn for us. It was actually the first song that was written for the album and I think shows that we are not just only about speed; we too can slow things down and keep the same intensity. On the subject of forms of black metal be it depressive, raw, necro, brutal, and any other description tag put before the words black metal, makes no difference to me, if it’s good and I connect with it that’s all that matters, the catch phrases and forms of black metal are just becoming too redundant. Black metal is black metal regardless of what one wants to describe it as. I really like and support what Xasthur is doing 100%, Abyssic Hate are a good from what I have heard but have not really delved deep into their releases. The only form of black metal I can’t stand is “symphonic” or that sort of shit, the stuff with heavy presence of keyboards, female opera vocals, you know what I mean. I can’t stand that shit. The romanticism/beauty slant in black metal must be done away with; more bands need to embrace the ugliness and barbaric characteristics of this genre.

Though, most of your tracks on this album are more aggressive, and intense. You even use drum machine on some songs. Are there any thoughts behind this?

There’s absolutely no drum machine being used on any of our albums so this is wrong and must be corrected. I have no problems with bands using drum machines if they know how to use it efficiently and it sounds like drums but there are very few bands that can pull this off. We did however use samples on “Oculus Infernum” and was the first time we have employed these on a recording. Same opinion on samples as with the drum machine, like the drum machine too many bands misuse them and go overboard with them but when used efficiently they can greatly enhance the song itself and that is what we were going for. There’s definitely aggression and intensity in the songs but I don’t think it is as “fast and aggressive” as previous works. I actually think it slows down a few notches compared to say “Triumph of Fire” but like I said everyone has their own opinion.

I was also listening to the split with Krieg, which is another great American band. What do you think about the American scene yourself?

It’s has it’s good points and bad points just like scenes in other countries but for the most part it’s very strong. There are many great bands from here that are overlooked for the mere fact that they are an American black metal band.

And what are the future plans of Kult ov Azazel, and yourself?

Right now we are gearing up to play our first local show in two years here in our hometown and for a west coast tour of the United States we’ll be doing in November. On the recording front we’ll be releasing a split EP with Vrolok (US) through Arctic Music and will be entering Mana Studios (Hate Eternal, In Battle, Krisiun, Malevolent Creation) in February 2005 to record the next album to be titled “The World, The Flesh & The Devil”.

Thanks for doing the interview! The last words are yours, as usual.

Those interested in further information on the band or merchandise can visit the website at www.kultovazazel.com. You can also find live video clips and demo tracks from the upcoming album “The World, The Flesh & The Devil” there as well. We can also be contacted through Kult ov Azazel, PO Box 23308, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33307, USA. All email and snail mail will be responded to. Also be on the look out for the Kult ov Azazel/Vrolok split which will contain 2 new tracks from the ’04 demo, one original song and a cover of Sodom’s “Blasphemer” along with two live tracks from the album “Oculus Infernum”. This should be out by Novmember ’04. Thanks for the support and giving us a chance to speak out through Maane Zine. Hails to you and all other heathens of the Infenral Empire!