Interviewed by Xaeon answered by Xaphan What are your Name's and what do you do in your band? Currently Xul on vocals/bass, Hammer on drums and myself, Xaphan on vocals/guitar. Who are your influences? Speaking for myself, there are way too many to name. I would say the top two are Venom and Darkthrone but in no way are we comparable to either. What are the Reasons you choose the style your band plays over any other type of music? I have always liked extreme music, especially metal, all forms of it but have always had more affinity for black metal. It’s been my calling since birth, my destiny or fate, whichever you wish to call it. Why or How did your band choice the name of your band? In the beginning we went simply under the name Azazel. To understand completely one has to understand the origins of Azazel. In Christianity speaks of Azazel as one of the chiefs of 200 fallen angels belonging to the Nephlilim; the Watchers known as Grigori put upon Earth to protect and reveal knowledge to the children of mankind but instead the Watchers impregnated the daughters of men spawning inhuman offsprings and were then cast into hell. Azazel was one of the higher order Grigori put there to teach how me how to make and use weapons of war. Nowadays known as a demon when revealed in true form has seven serpent heads, fourteen faces and twelve wings. Judaism believes Azazel was the angel that refused to bow before Adam and was cast out of the heavens. Islam speaks much the same as the jewish myth yet after refusing to bow when cast out of heaven his name is changed to Eblis and is transformed into “Shetan” to become the father of devils. So in all these myths Azazel is the epitome of all evil, hater of humanity, a warring icon dedicated to destroying and corrupting mankind. It was for these reasons we chose to align ourselves under this name. We later found out that there happened to be quite a few bands using the same name not long after we released our first recording and decided we needed to do something in order to make the band stand apart for the others and decided we would change it to Kult ov Azazel, using the German spelling of cult and instead of using the common everyday spelling “of” we’d using the magical spelling found in many occult writings. Where is your band currently located? We are based out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. What's the best/worst experience you have had so far playing live? All of them. Each show has had its own ups and downs. Do you have any advice for people starting a band? Don’t. How long have you been playing together in the current band? It’s been a little shy of seven years since Xul and I formed the band. Hammer has been with us for about 5 of those. Describe your sound, as I'm sure your influences have a big part in it. Please explain more on that? It’s heretical black metal. Totally drenched in satanic and nihilistic overtones. Who are some of your favorite bands to play with and/or bands you would like to play with? We have actually had the privilege over the past years to have shared the stage with the likes of Blood Storm, Inquisition, Thornspawn, Absu, Black Witchery, Ouroboros, Krieg, Sumeria, Mayhem, Angel Corpse, Melechesh, Noctuary, Morbosidad, Gnostic, Horn of Valere, Cryptic Winds, Tenebrous, NosVrolok, Devastator, Teratism, Abazagorath, Black Mass, Mictlantecuhtli, To Scale the Throne, Catholicon, Decieverion, Harvist, Dimentianon, Baphomet's Horns, Hate Eternal, Krisiun, Immolation, Deicide, Fleshtized, Divine Empire, Hellwitch, Scorched Earth, Infinitum Obscure, Resuscitator, Morgion, Goat Horn, Thy Flesh Consumed, The Crown, Amon Amarth, Cadaver Inc., Goreaphobia, Gorguts, Withered Earth, Incantation, Goatwhore, Vader, Deeds of Flesh, Exhumed, Nocturnus, Deeds of Flesh, Dismember, Kataklysm, Hateplow, Cannibal Corpse and there’s probably a ton more I’m leaving out. As for bands I’d like to play with, this band would have to time warp back to the mid eighties to do a one night show with Venom, Possessed, Celtic Frost and Destruction, that would be a dream gig! Do you have an official release? If so, where was it done? Do you like the recording? Quite a few in fact. The first official release was a self financed recording titled “Order of the Fly” (1999) recorded/mixed by us which was a year later released on Blood, Fire Death Records. Then there was the Kult ov Azazel / Krieg split (2001) put out through Genocide Music again recorded and mixed by us in our warehouse. We then signed a four album deal with Arctic Music and have since released “Triumph of Fire” (2001) and “Oculus Infernum” (2003) both recorded at Studio 13 in Deerfield Beach, Florida and then our most recent titled “The World, The Flesh & The Devil” recorded at Mana Studios in Tampa, Florida. There’s also some other official releases such as the live LP “Assaulting the Masses”, the 7” split with Satan’s Blood, a 10” EP split with Horn of Valere, a 1999-2000 complied CD “Black Mass Consecration”. Also soon there will be a one off split CD w/ Vrolok being released by Arctic Music just to throw scrapes to the beasts until the fourth album is recorded sometime in 2006. This will have exclusive demo and unleashed live tracks with bonus live footage, this will be titled “Feast of Sacrilegious Impurity”. What Band(s) annoy you the most? Why? Too fucking many so this list would be too long, next question. What venues do you like playing in most? Why? The top two for me have been the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale and Jaxx in Springfield, VA. There’s also a little venue in Houston, TX called Fat Cats which was a killer small club. What do you do in you spare time when not playing Metal? Hobbies? Not much really as I’m focused on this band 100% of the time. Sometimes I play video games, read books but I don’t really have anything I would consider as a hobby. What's your feel on the whole mp3 or bootleg trading on the Internet? It has its pros and cons. I rarely download any mp3’s. If I have never heard the band or if it is something a band is offering up maybe but still the chances are very slim I will. Being in a band myself I know what goes into doing a release, also being on a label I know that if you don’t sell albums you get dropped and people ripping bands entire discography and then putting it up for download on the internet or sharing it is kind of fucked for the bands and the repercussions that occur when this happens but at the same time I understand that many, more so in the metal scene, will go out and buy a copy usually if downloading an album and liking it. So really this whole debate is merely a double edge sword for all involved. Do you guys miss the old tape trading days as much as some other metal brothers do? any cool stories you like to share about those days? Not really as I was never really into tape trading. I did and still do prefer the original over copies. What's in your CD player? What do you and your band listen too most together? I have been listening to Ritual Killer, the new Demonic Christ releases and the “Destroyers of the Western Skies” compilation. Do you think cover art is just as important as the music? If so give some reasons why? I think cover art and layout should compliment the CD, so yeah I think it’s just as much an important factor as say the lyrics or the music. Who does all the artwork and album designs for your band including flyers and any promotional stuff? The past 3 albums were done by Josh Bowens. Does your band have a website or link so people can get more info or merch from the band? www.kultovazazel.com Do you have specific e-mail address for people to contact you? It can be found on the website. Is there anything else you would like to add to this interview? Those interested in the band or for information on obtaining any merchandise have the website URL so other than saying thanks for the interview I believe that’s it. Horns up!