Interviewed by Scott answered by Xaphan Kult ov Azazel has been known for a long time now within black metal as a purely satanic bone crushing machine. When did the idea of Satanism and satanic ideas come into your thoughts or that of the former band Azazel? Was it just for black metal? I have always been drawn to the darker aspects of life and in my early teens started studying the occult and LHP practices. This and my love for heavy metal it was only natural that I began to seek out bands that touched upon the same things I was interested in. This is when I discovered Venom then it was Sodom, Possessed, Hellhammer, Destruction, the first Exodus, Bathory, Slayer and so on that I found the music I identified with. I had been playing guitar since age 8 but it wasn’t until I heard Venom’s “Black Metal” my interest in the guitar and my direction in life changed. Black metal is what I wanted to play but it wouldn't come until my mid twenties when Xul and I formed Azazel before changing the name to Kult ov Azazel. For some people black metal may be nothing but mere music, a form of entertainment but for me it goes way beyond that, it’s done out of passion and is my outlet for spreading heresies and sacrilege against the monotheists. For me it is not just a form of music like many other genres as it has a meaning and a direct purpose behind it. Explain the early years of the band, when it was formed, why and how. The first release was in 2000 was the band existent before that though? First things first, there is no distinction between when we were Azazel and now as Kult ov Azazel other than two added words. Xul and I have always been the core of the band since day one and there was no ending to Azazel but rather a transition into Kult ov Azazel between 1999 and 2000. We started out with a drum machine but incorporated a real drummer very soon after and over the years we have utilized various session drummers until Hammer came into the band in 2001. Our first release was done in 1999 under Azazel when we recorded the self released mCD titled “Order of the Fly” which was in 2000 re-issued under Kult ov Azazel by Blood Fire Death Records and then was pressed to vinyl in 2003 by Autopsy Stench Records. The split album with Krieg was probably one of the best splits I’d ever heard. What’s your opinion on that band? Do you plan on making any more splits in the future? I have been a true supporter of Krieg since the day I heard “Rise of the Imperial Hordes”. So Imperial has 666% of my total support. This is also a reason we did a split with Krieg. All splits we have been involved with have been done out of mutual respect otherwise we will not be involved. There will be more splits in the future as there have been many in the past. There will be a split released in the early months of 2006 with Vrolok called “Feast of Sacrilegious Impurity” which will be available through both bands. Living in the Florida area many would think that you were heavily influenced by the sounds of early death metal. However that doesn’t seem to be the case at all. What are the influences of this band? Is there any interest in death metal? At one point in time there was an interest back when death metal was fresh and new. Around 1994 I stopped paying any attention to death metal since that scene had become nothing but one of clone bands trying to mimic the sound and styles of a handful of bands. The same has happened nowadays within black metal but that’s a whole other subject. Anyhow my influences are Venom and Darkthrone. Those are the top bands to have ever existed in my book. Others that follow closely behind are Destruction, Possessed, Bathory, Mercyful Fate, Celtic Frost/Hellhammer, Beherit, Profantica and old Mayhem. Outside of music, what philosophers and writers does this band take influence from? Way too many to just narrow it down. I have drawn influences from many different things through out my life be it art, literature, movies, music or every day survival which all have molded me into who I am over the past thirty plus years. The majority of influence comes from all things satanic and evil. We’ve heard enough garbage about how black metal has gone down the shitter and now it’s just trendy music for teens that spend half there lives on line. What do you see as the problem with the music and do you have any ideas on how to fix it? This has been a problem that seems to have gotten worse over the past few years. The problem is too many people want to be a part of the scene instead of in the scene so to speak. It’s just too easy nowadays to say you are in a black metal band, when in fact most of these aren’t even bands but one guy who owns a guitar, a drum machine, microphone and because he’s usually an online warrior this makes it very easy to download sound recording programs to create substandard purposely shitty sounding songs and put it up online as a demo or better yet release it to only very few, less than 20 copies to keep it in the spirit of ultra kultness as this will surely establish them top ratings among their elite internet comrades. The hype then begins and within a flash another useless, needless and better yet inferior black metal band/project is born and another kid comes along finds this “new star” among the scene and says I can do that too and the cycle continues. The way to fix it is for people to start calling it like it is, if it’s a spade then it’s a spade. Stop praising shitty bands that do nothing but mock and degrade what black metal was, became and is! This music should be made from within out of conviction and not for social status or the need to fill a friendless void. How have the live shows been? Did the performances go well? Did you happen to have an interest in the band that might have opened for you? What were crowd reactions? I’d say every show we’ve done since 2001 have all been with bands that we had an interest in whether we we’re opening, co-support or headlining. All shows have gone quite good for us as well. Crowds are generally frenzy maniacs throwing the horns with lots of head banging and other times we have witnessed full on brawls going down. We even have had people spill their own blood and sometimes others at shows. Bleed for the goat!!! Is there anything to add? Is there anything about new material or the newest album “The World, The Flesh, & The Devil” you’d like to share? Unless there’s something specific asked about the album then I have nothing to really say about it other than buy it! I can say if you like blasphemous aggressive black metal then this is an album for you. Other than that all I can say is thanks for the interview and we can be contacted through www.kultovazazel.com, one can also find all other pertinent information on the band website as well.