BATTLE webzine interview KULT OV AZAZEL

1. Hails, Xaphan!!! Let's back to the beggining days... I read somewhere that the idea to create Kult ov Azazel rise after seeing Acheron on a Halloween night. Is that correct? Tell us more about the early days and the band history.
It was a little bit of that and some other things that were going on in my life. I won't speak about much of it since it was something that never came to pass but that Acheron show was the leading factor to kicking my ass in gear. I had been doing shit with a drum machine and wasn't getting anywhere. After seeing this show I knew that in order for me to fulfill the vision I had it would require others to contribute and supply additional energy to draw from. It just so happened that a few months later I met Xul, we got to talking and it was evident we both shared that same vision. A few weeks later this band was born.

2. Since 2002, Kult ov Azazel got an established line up, with a new drummer and a second guitarist. Why did you decide to include a second guitar? More technical approach?
Well it goes back to the energy I was just speaking about. When there are new members and they use different techniques and styles than you it helps to build new ideas and riffs; it brings something new, interesting and refreshing into the writing process. But other than that, Nocturath was originally supposed to become a member after we released "Triumph of Fire" because on that album we for the first time recorded using harmonies in our riffs. So after we completed it, we agreed we would need another guitarist in order to pull the songs off in a live situation plus we also wanted to thicken up our live sound as well. To make a long story short shit happened and Nocturath had some personal injuries that prevented him from playing guitar and we went on as a 3 piece. So when time came around for doing the new material we asked Nocturath again if he still had interest and he did and that was that.

3. Kult ov Azazel released a new album, titled "Oculus Infernum". How was your relation with the new line-up in studio? How the new formation influenced Kult ov Azazel and the new album?
Having a full lineup influenced this album greatly. We feed off each others ideas and suggestions and I think in the end we managed to release one of our best musical efforts yet. The relation in the studio got tense at times since a lot of this album was written while we were in the studio. We went in basically with skeletons of songs, meaning not a single song was completely finished nor did we have lyrics for them. So a lot of writing was done in the studio and relations got a little tense at times. Also we produced this album ourselves and with a task like that comes tension and arguments. But in the end, we all still see eye to eye and the bond in the band is strong.

4. Are you satisfied with the final result? What has been the response on your newest album?
There would be a few things I'd go back and change about the production but other than that I'm completely satisfied with it otherwise we would have not let Arctic Music release it. The response has been killer and we continue to receive excellent reviews still. It's gotten some fairly well airplay on extreme metal radio shows across the world. So all in all it hasn't done so badly.

5. What elements are going to be different for this release as compared to past releases? What are the biggest strenghts of the new album?
We didn't want to write another "Triumph of Fire" so the first thing that will be noticed is the songs are much more memorable, from the music down to the lyrics. We weren't going for a scorched earth policy so to speak with the music like we have in the past but were aiming for a darker sound this time as well. We focused more on melody in the riffs even when it came down to the blast riffs as opposed to sheer speed; we already knew we could do that. The songs are much longer now as well and fuck we even wrote a slow song; but where its strength lies is that it's varied throughout from beginning to end. Every song can stand own its own.

6. About the lyrics... Who does most of the writing? What lyrical themes are followed in the new songs? Is there a common thread running between all of them?
In the past Xul had done the majority but on this new one I wrote pretty much lyrics to the whole album, with Xul contributing lyrics to two songs and Nocturath contributing lyrics to the title track and none have a common thread running between them. The lyrical themes cover opposition to piety and self righteousness, torture, nihilistic and satanic philosophy, the rebirth of evil, the eradication of holiness, death, pain, resistance, conjurations, destruction and eternal suffering.

7. "Oculus Infernum" lyrics spread satanic and nihilistic messages, can we find any personal experiences there?
Well there's always a personal experience or thought that is the underlying component for the inspiration of a song. So yes you can find these in the songs and lyrics. There are a lot of metaphors used throughout our lyrics so sometimes one must read between the lines to get the meaning.

8. What does the cover art of Kult ov Azazel represent? How much of a connection do you feel the cover art has to your lyrics?
The cover art represents the lyrics to the song "Oculus Infernum" and nothing else. It was inspired by visions of the reversal of times such as The Crusades and reflects the lyrics to the title track of the album. The inside woodcuts and images interact the theme of the lyrics which in the end is homage to the eternal death of purity and sanctity.

9. Some personal questions, now... What do you do for work outside of playing for Kult ov Azazel?
I run live sound at a local nightclub that caters to touring bands and when the opportunity arises I run sound for Malevolent Creation when they are out on tour.

10. What do you think of the current USA situation... government, terrorist acts, Iraq invasion, etc.?
I don't care for government at all, it's the next worst thing ever invented next to religion. The terrorist acts don't really concern me since it's something I never think about. Their actions are used to invoke fear and submission and further their cause and I'm not scared of any muslim extremists. Their day of demise will come. As far as I am concerned let them blow themselves up for their non existent god and useless cause, it's one less piece of filth that takes up needed breathing air. On the Iraq situation; my view is this is just one of the many countries that should have been bombed and made inhabitable to humans.

11. Do you read much? What book are you reading now? What books impress you most of all?
Not as much as I'd like to, just don't have the time anymore yet the books that I find most enjoyable to read are true crime, subjects on the occult, satanism, magic, philosophy and this may sound weird but the dictionary. Currently I'm not reading any books and I think the last book I read was Lucifer Rising some two years ago.

12. What did interest you first, metal or occultism?
Occultism because I was brought up on horror movies. My father was a horror movie fanatic so I remember being as young as 4 and staying up on Friday and Saturday nights and watching horror flicks with my father. Metal came much later when I was in my teens, well what would be considered extreme metal, not heavy metal which I found around 8 years of age.

13. Some people think Satanism is a jewish "creation". Your opinion?
My opinion is I don't care about theirs. Let them say what they want, doesn't change my thoughts. I'm not a mindless kid or pre adult that has no ideas of his own. My world has been shaped and I stand firm in my ideology. That's all I have to say and that's much more than what many others can.

14. What do u think about 'sexual rituals' practiced by Crowley?
I think there was a lot of bisexuality going on there. Being that his sexuality and mine have nothing in common but women they were rituals I'm glad I wasn't involved in, haha. Yet sex rituals and magic can be very enlightening and can bring about earth shattering consequences when done right.

15. Concerning that you are into Church of Satan, what personal values do you hold? What things do you believe in, as far as morals are concerned?
Morals are a subjective matter not to mention herd enforcement. Let's just say my morals are corrupt meaning they are much different than that of most people. I don't look at things in a good and evil sense but otherwise what only benefits me and my goal. Either you are with me or you are against me that is the extent of my morals. As far as personal values go, my only value is that I remain true to myself and never betray my roots. I live my life the way I wish to and not by others expectations. I think for myself and care not what others think. No one sets rules for me for I am a free thinker and follow my own.

16. Returning to "Oculus Infernum", Kult ov Azazel included a Beherit cover song in the album. Why did you choose that song?
We had discussed the subject a bunch of times and just decided to cover a song by a band that had some inspiration on us. This was the song we picked. Not much more to it than that.

17. Kult ov Azazel recently released a split 7" with Satan's Blood, can you tell us more about it?
This was the idea of Harry at Autopsy Stench Records who had previously released our first recording "Order of the Fly" and a live recording titled "Assaulting the Masses" in LP format. Our portion contains a new song from the "Oculus Infernum" CD and a cover of Hellhammer's "A Third of the Storms".

18. What are the plans for the future of Kult ov Azazel?
To release another full length album in 2004. Not saying it will materialize but that's in the plan as well as doing a 3 way split CD with Operation Winter Mist and Decieverion and a split 7" with Krieg. And hopefully find a promoter that will bring us over to Europe sometime in 2004 as well. We'll see what happens.

19. Thanks for answer this interview, Xaphan. Your final bullets...
Thanks for the support and the opportunity to be in Battle webzine. Our newest assault "Oculus Infernum" along with past releases and merchandise can be obtained through us. For information on these or the band visit www.kultovazazel.com or we can be reached at Kult ov Azazel, PO Box 23308, Fort Lauderdale FL, 33307, USA. May the wicked and wretched eternally prosper; Ad Majorem Satanae Gloriam!

Kult ov Azazel Site