"DEFUNCTORIUM began as a 3 member band and we did some rehersals together, we even recorded a 2-track promo tape, but soon I realized that it would be better to part ways with them, since interests and devotion to the band where different. Being the one who wrote all the music and lyrics I found no difficulty in doing that."
You write in your lyrics themes of night, depression and solitude. Are these drawn from your personal life? How are they connected to you?
"All the lyrics I write have a deep connection to me and my thoughts. Main focus are the majesty of the night, feelings of depression, loss and hatred towards hipocrazy and mass behaviour, the eternal presence of a female enchantress, and despise for all religions."
You are currently working on a concept EP. Can you tell us about this new creation of yours?
"Actually this concept EP is an idea I have had in the year 2000, to do a trilogy of EP's with lyrics only in Portuguese.
Defunctorium has been active since '97, why has it taken sometime for you to produce a new album? Where you planning on bringing Defunctorium to an end?
"Well..main reason was actually the lack of time and funds to enter studio again, but DEFUNCTORIUM was never dead, neither was that my intention. My initial idea of the 'Under the Throne of Midnight' was to do a full Album with 11 tracks and not just a demo CD, but soon problems appeared...I had to rent not only the studio room but also the synthetizer by the hour, at that time I had no electric guitar not synthetizer at home, so all the songs were made in an acoustic guitar and only in the studio could I perform all the instruments and put all the sounds and ideas together, All the 4 tracks in 'Under the Throne of Midnight' were recorded in the same day and in just 2 hours, and the keyboard parts of the last track 'The Mysterious Silence of a Cold Midwinter's Night' were created in the same day of the recording. Lots of songs were created throughout those years and they will probably appear in future recordings."
Your demo 'Under the Throne of Midnight' features some good stuff like 'Eternity for the Darkest Romance' and 'The Myesterious Silence of a Cold Midwinter's Night' how was this demo received by the few who got a hold of it?
"I've not sent the demo CD to any record label since it was a very personal thing I made at that time. I wanted to keep it just to myself. I only gave a copy to my inspiring muse and spread some copies of it through my closest friends, webzines or individuals in the Black Metal scene were contacted, exception made to Christophe Szpajdel who made to logo of DEFUNCTORIUM, as retribution he only asked me for a copy of the Demo CD and of course I sent him one. He then made a review in hiw webzine MetalExtreme Devil's Elixir, which was a quite good review."
Have you thought on re-releasing 'Under the Throne of Midnight' under a label?
"Well, I still haven't sent out the Demo CD to any label but I would like to have the change to record and produce the tracks with more time and quality. If any label would be interested in releasing that material that would be very interesting."
All instruments, vocals, lyrics and arangements are performed by Grovelus. Do you find it harder to produce music this way than when Defunctorium consisted of more members?
"Not at all, sometimes it's better to be all alone than with somebody else. DEFUNCTORIUM has always been a very personal projects and all the creative process was only made by me, when I was alone, so the future was soon to be unveiled as an one man black metal band."
Your logo was designed by Christophe Szpajdel (Emperor, Enthroned, Abazagorath to name a few) how was it that you chose him to design your logo?
"Since I bought Emperor's 'In the Nightside Eclipse' I've been a fan of Christophe's art work, it's really amazing how he can come up with those brilliant logos. At first I sent him an email asking for a logo for DEFUNCTORIUM and sincerely I was not expecting any answer, but I received a positive feedback from him and he then designed that astonishing logo."
Well that about wraps up this brief interview. I would like to thank Grovelus of Defunctorium for taking time to be a part of this. The last words are yours.
"Thanks for the support, greeting from Lusitania."
Grovelus