IMPIETY (Singapore/Mexico)

Ave warlord Shyaithan of The Mighty Impiety!! How’re you doing there after the successful Asian Desecration Tour? How was that tour gone & how does it feel after back to your hometown?
 

Dark Metalized Greetings Amin! Well, I’m fine and busy these days with the promotion of the new album and also with work at my store TO MEGATHERION. I must say the Asian tour went really smooth and according to plan. Despite the Tsunami and chaos in Indonesia we had 1300 maniacs turn up for the gig we played in Jakarta, Indonesia. We toured countries like Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, played with some of the most brutal in Asia and met up with really cool Legions and fans. Overall you could say it’s a huge success for the band.

Skullfucking Armageddon created its own history as Impiety being the first band being rated with 666 skulls in S.O.D Magazine, and so do the Kaos Kommand 696. But how was the response to your latest Paramount Evil? What are the responses you get from across the world?
 

It’s rather mixed reactions from the press worldwide. Some feel IMPIETY has gone completely berzerk with such a horrid and direct concept. Such as topics pertaining to the Jewish holocaust and with cover images of bodies at Auschwitz. I guess it’s all too repulsive for them. Haha. Others feel the same way as I feel, that it’s a really great album and our most accomplished work to date. Well, majority of reviews have been positive and great. I get some reviews saying we are being racists with the anti-jewish lyrics in songs like ‘Carbonized’ or ‘Adonai Made Excrement’. Well whatever it is, it’s interesting to receive different views maniacs have on this 4th album from IMPIETY.

Where are the main different for you between ‘KK696’ & the new onslaught ‘Paramount Evil’? What are your thoughts about KK696 now, have you feel more satisfaction with the new album? Personally, I think the new album is a bit slower than the previous one and you put more melodies and more thrashing parts. Your comment?
 

Kaos Kommand 696 stands as the most extreme release I’ve written…we pushed every thing from song writing, to the lyrics and artwork over the limits when putting the album together. I wanted to do some thing very different with Paramount Evil and I have achieve more then just extremity but giving the entire album more feel, more depth and definitely adding more soul to it. Paramount Evil boasts a more aggressive and diverse style of playing. I think you’ll agree with me that it’s more structured, catchy yet brutal and absolutely heavy!

Paramount Evil is such a very tragic title for the new album, what do you mean by it? How about the lyrics, I heard from a resource that the lyrics in the new album are differ than the previous releases, care to explain? I’m also aware that the title for the songs in the new album were just simple not like the previous albums, why?
 

‘Paramount Evil’ is simply ‘Supreme Evil’. It’s a different album from the rest since all the songs are based on true accounts of man and all our blasphemous and dreadfully evil capabilities! Yes, the concept and creation with this album is more realistic than one based on fiction. Man is the ultimate beast as centuries have witness and histories have proven. We are creators and we are destroyers! We are capable of almost any thing unimaginable. Paramount Evil deals with true accounts of the Nanjing Massacre in 1937 where the Japanese raped and brutally decimated 300,000 chinese in just 6 weeks to the glorified impalations of Romanian warlord Vlad Tepes to the Jewish extermination of the second world war (Dr.Mangele) to the brutal reign of Emperor Trajan Decius. There is song ‘Sunset Detonation’ that speaks about the countless Suicide Bombing in today’s world of terror…Paramount Evil unveils all!

I think everybody knew about your bad blood with Herve & Osmose after KK696, but now Agonia signed Impiety, how did it happen and are you satisfied with Agonia and their promotion for the new album? What do you think about the bands that signed with Agonia?
 

We have recently just re-newed the deal with Agonia and have re-signed for 3 more albums. In Dec 2003 we signed just for 2 albums. I met Filip of Agonia Records when IMPIETY destroyed the Under the Black Sun Festival in Germany, Summer of 2003. He seemed like the right person who understood what I wanted for the band. After the breach was signed with Herve, I was in quick negotiations with Filip and we signed with Agonia soon after that. So far, it’s been a pleasure working with Agonia Records and Filip has been doing a great job handling promotion, licenses and world distribution for the new album. I think Agonia Records has a great future since they have many great bands attached to their belt…bands like IN AETERNUM, ATOMIZER, HACAVITZ, THUNDERBOLT, VIDSYN, VULTURE LORD, ADORIOR, WITCHMASTER, UNPURE, BARBATOS, SUICIDAL WINDS, DAWN OF AZAZEL and of course The Mighty IMPIETY!

Agonia also responsible in re-releasing your debut, Asateerul Awaleen before the release of paramount Evil. How was the plan to get started to re-release the cult debut? What do you think about the new cover & how was the response so far?
 

The first original press for ‘Asateerul Awaleen’ done by Shivadarshana Records was in 4000copies back in 1996 and had long sold out. There has since been a lot of demand to have it re-released. And so, Agonia Records did a great job re-mastering ‘Asateerul Awaleen’. I got hold of Ereshkigal, the wife of Blackthorn from THORNSPAWN to use her magickal art for a new unholy cover. She painted a commanding Beast summoning it’s infernal legions to apocalyptic war! The cover she painted for IMPIETY was perfect for ‘Asateerul Awaleen’. I think the re-release sounds much better then the original one put out by Shivadarshana! Response has been good and atleast newer Legions and fans can easily get to hear our very first album.

You recorded the new album in Ambox Studio in Mexico, is it because of the new line-up were from Mexico, then you decided to record it there? Did Agonia suggested any studio elsewhere? What make it differs than Berno Studio that you used for KK696? How’s the feeling working with the new comrades, Antimo, Eduardo & Oscar?
 

Ambox Studios is located just 20mins by car from our house in Queretaro! Actually IMPIETY could choose any studio to record in but the fact that Ambox Studios is one of the best studios in the entire Mexico and the closest to us made us not look any further than that. In fact, some killer records were done in Ambox Studios such as DISGORGE ‘Necroholocaust’, BLOOD REAPING ‘Ignis Penumbra’, RAVAGER (both their albums!), DEMONIZED,etc. Carlos Padilla is the main producer there and he’s really a cool and professional guy to work with. I think both Ambox and Berno are great studios and Berno definitely being the more expensive choice. Also Berno is like really far and the flights there would cost a lot more. Working with Antimo, Oscar and Eduardo has been really smooth and great. I’m glad they really give all their best to IMPIETY!!

In the new album, there’s a cover song from Sepultura, Morbid Vision. Why did you choose that song? Its such a same tradition when you started cover Sextrash & Blasphemy in KK696. By the way, what do you think about the new Sepultura? What are your current playlist right now?
 

Well. SEPULTURA’s debut ep and album served as inspiration for me as well as all in IMPIETY since we first incepted. Who can deny those 2 crushing first releases namely ‘Bestial Devastation’ and ‘Morbid Visions’ which were totally raw, sick and extreme! No doubt SEPULTURA has evolved but we must not forget their contribution to the metal world, recording great albums in their past that have influence so many musicians and metalheads out there. My current playlist this week, in no particular order, is:
IMMOLATION 'Unholy Cult'
TSJUDER 'Desert Northern Hell'
WOLF 'Black Wings'
KRISIUN 'Bloodshed'
AXIS OF ADVANCE 'Obey'
DESASTER 'Tyrants of the Netherworld'
BEHEMOTH 'Demigod'
ZYGOATSIS demo cd
THE AMENTA ‘Occasus’

14 years is such a long time full of blood & sweat for you to struggle by the name of Impiety. I think the most critical part is to recruit the suitable line-up for the band. From my observation, all the previous members were coming from a cult band like Abhorer, Profancer, Xasthur, & Decius and now the new members are from Disgorge, Ravager, Hacavitz & Blood Reaping. Is it has become a MUST and strict requirement to join the force? Why?
 

Well dedication and strict commitment is top most priority to IMPIETY. We are a full time band. You have seen how many changes we had and it’s not a situation that can be helped. Changing line-up is time consuming, tiring and costly. People change and it’s hard for me to work any slower or deal with disruptions in schedule. Some ex-members had to give up because of work, family, lack of interest, etc and it’s a pity to have to make the ultimate decision to go on without them. It’s some thing I don’t want but am left without a choice because the band has to move on. I put IMPIETY above every thing in my life…the rest falls secondary to me. I am selfish in a way but I have sworn my life to the band for as long as I can keep it going.

Would you care to tell us where have all the previous members gone; Fauzzt, Fyraun, Xxxul, Iblyss, Abyydos, Leprophiliac Rex, Belphedeus, Dajjal, Dagoth & Demonomancer? Are they still good friends with you?
 

Dagoth was in DEMONIFICATION for a while but has since stopped playing. All the others are busy with work and I don’t think they’re in any bands or playing. They are not in touch with me except Iblyss, Dajjal, Dagoth, Demonomancer who come my TO MEGATHERION store once in a while.

Prior to Impiety, you formed Sexfago that hailed Sarcofago & Sextrash the most. Then, Impiety formed in 1990 as an extreme black metal band, then continued as a war black metal band until the musical really changed in KK696. If I compare the new Paramount Evil with Asateerul Awaleen , I think I wouldn’t expect it’s from the same band. So, is it necessary to have a change in the musical direction or is it just time which make it change?
 

Progression for a band is imminent so I guess the music and song writing evolves over time. Today, I have improved my song writing capabilities although I’ve never once compromised the aggressive and violent nature of the songs I compose. IMPIETY will always the most feared and most extreme. Our objectives have been the same…to create the most repulsive, cold blooded, blasphemous and violent metal the world has ever known.

As a world band, what are your thoughts about Southeast Asia metal scene? Do you still consider that Southeast Asia have lots more band need to be expose worldwide? Could you give some name of good bands from here?
 

Our South East Asian metal underworld is great if not better these days with the rise of many new bands. Some of the bands I listen to, have admiration for and strongly recommend are..from Malaysia: BILHARZIA, MANTAK, SIL KHANNAZ, DAMIEN, NECROTIC CHAOS, MISTIK, NOSFERIEL, VIOLATOR. From Singapore: IRONFIST, VRYKOLAKAS, NYMPHOLEPSY, ISTIDRAJ, BEAST PETRIFY, DEMONIFICATION, EIBON, RUDRA, FLESH DISGORGED, DEMONIC DEATH, NERAKKA. From Indonesia: TRAUMA, KILLHARMONIC, PEJAH, DRY, SIKSAKUBUR, GRIND BUTO, PEDIH, INFECTIOUS ARTERIES, HELL GODZ. From Thailand: LACERATE, SURRENDER OF DIVINITY, ZYGOATSIS, DEATHGUY, HERETIC ANGELS. From Philippines: KRATORNAS.

What you can tell us about the future activities of the band? How about the upcoming South-America tour & Euro Tour? And thanx for this interview & also thanx for visiting Malaysia for the Asian Desecration Tour recently!! Then, close up this interview with the most necromantic spells!!
 

Well Antimo, Eduardo and myself have begun writing new songs in what we hope to put together later this year for a mini-album of entirely brand new songs. We’re working on details for the US and Euro tour at the moment and in some weeks could finalise those. It’s another busy year ahead for me IMPIETY and my store TO MEGATHERION but for sure we’re looking forward to keeping pace working hard and causing more severe brain hemorrhaging and ear bleeds!! Alright, I gotta run now Amin, much thanks for the killer support and komradeship! Good luck with DEATHORY and may success be yours always!! http://listen.to/impiety.