What was once a blaze in the northern sky now burns in Florida, or so it seems with the recent release by Black Metal newcomers Kult Ov Azazel. Triumph of Fire brings to light what Black Metal is all about - no over the top keyboards or female vocals, just pure fucking armageddon upon the ears and mind. Kult's guitarist, Xaphan, was nice enough to answer a few questions for White Trash Devil, and in turn I ask any true Black Metal fan to pick up their newest release and rejoice that true Black Metal lives on. Interviewed by Legion & answered by Xaphan To start out could you give us a brief history on Kult of Azazel? We formed in the spring of 1999 and since that time we have released a few promo cassettes, a mCD titled "Order of the Fly" which is now out of print, a split CD with Krieg, and just recently our first full length "Triumph of Fire" which was released about 3 months back on Arctic Music. Your name was the first thing that caught my eye. How did you come up with it and what does it mean? Azazel in myth of religions has been symbolized in many ways but what it comes down to is this demon represents destruction/war, non-conformity, rebellion, and corruption. The name came about because our music represents the same thing. We are spreading the same ideas through our music. When most people think of black metalNorway and other European countries will come to mind. Is it your hope that Azazel could help the states carve out its own niche in Black metal? No it is not my hope to help the States carve a niche in Black Metal. Our whole purpose is to spread hate filled propaganda, to further the destruction to what is known as christianity. Yet it's funny that when people think of black metal they think of fucking countries. Since when was it written that a country determined if it's black metal or not? All this shit people talk saying, "only European black metal is good" is a fucking joke. Fuck these morons! Black Metal is one of the few music types to not be raped by the mainstream. With Cradle of Filth signing to Sony do you see Black metal becoming the next big thing or will it stay underground the way it was meant to be? Black metal is definitely being rapedby the mainstream and you can thank faggot bands like the above mentioned one for shit like that. The real black metal will always stay underground and that's just the way it is. These type of bands my think they are black metal but they aren't, never were and never will be! Triumph of Fire is truly powerful album and it's being reward with praise. Did you feel that this album was going to make such a splash well working on it or is it coming as a surprise to you? Tell you the truth I never really thought about it. The only thing we thought about was writing and recording an album that from beginning to end that would be a blasting attack of blasphemies upon the realm of mankind. I am as surprised as the next person that the new CD has gotten the reviews that it has. Do you have a personal favorite song from Triumph that you couldn't wait to record or play live? I would say all the songs pretty much I was looking forward to playing live. It wasn't until the studio that I began to fuck around with harmonies and incorporate them into the songs. So after everything was laid down and the songs where mixed they took on a whole new life it seemed. For this reason I was really looking forward to doing them live. With the good reviews that Triumph got do you feel pressured going into this next album at all? Not at all. The next release will be even more devastating as Triumph of Fire was. We'll continue to do what we've been doing. Tomorrow you wake up and get a phone call telling you that you get to pick one person today that will be wiped from the face of the earth. You are you going to chose and why? The Pope, who else? He's the highest embodiment of "god" and "holiness" in the form of man. For this reason he would be the chosen one to be wiped off the face of the earth. When did you realize that black metalwas the type of music for you, certain album or concert? When I first heard Venom's "Welcome to Hell" when I was around 12 years old. I had grown up listening to Black Sabbath, Kiss, Motorhead, Ac/Dc and shit like that and in 1983 my neighbor who was much older than me turned me onto Venom. At that point in my life I knew that this was the music I had been looking for and what I was meant to play. Where does Xul get his inspiration for lyrics? All of our lyrics are inspired by satanic and nihilistic philosophy. What does the future hold for Kult ov Azazel? Right now we are searching for a drummer. In the meantime we are writing new material that will appear on an ep/mcd that I hope will be released before years end. Until we have a permanent drummer there will be no shows planned. Anyone reading this that thinks they have what it takes get in contact. Do have any guilty pleasure albums? You know the one that if Xul heard he might try to injury you? I take it a guilty pleasure album would be something I would feel guilty listening to? If this is a correct assumption then the answer is no. I'm not sure if I have something that would irritate Xul to the point of injuring me that's a question to ask him. Any last words to the legions, anything you need to get off your chest? Fuck mainstream black metal... all those that support these bands will be obliterated by the hammer of true black metal! The time is now to end this facade and the only way of doing it is through action... If you're not part of the solution you are part of the problem!!!