Interview for DEATHTHRASHER MAGAZINE by ARMANDO MUTILATOR:

DT: Hello, how are you?. 
Vorph: I'm doing fine thank you.

DT: Who designed the original SAMAEL's logo?. 
Vorph: I actually design it first then it has been re-done by a graphic artist for the "Blood Ritual" album.

DT: Tell me about the original SAMAEL's line - up. 
Vorph: Xy, Mas and I are original members of the band. Since 2002 Makro joined us to complete the current line-up.

DT: Nowadays, are you friends with the guys of ALASTIS?. 
Vorph: Well we are living in the same area and we see each other from time to time. I don't want to give anything away but I think they're going to change the name of their band to start with something fresh.

DT: What memories do you have about your "Into the Storm of Evil" (Demo 1987) and about "Macabre Operetta" (Demo 1988) 
Vorph: Those were tapes recorded in our rehearsal place and spread through the underground back in the days. I don't own any of those recording myself nowadays but all those songs appeared on our two first albums, released a couples of years later.

DT: Do you consider "Medieval Prophecy" (EP) 1989 like the first great success?. 
Vorph: That was a very relative success. 1000 copies of it had been sold and we did press another 200 with a different cover later on. It did give SAMAEL a little more attention from the underground scene.

DT: How did the idea of "Worship Him" CD?. 
Vorph: I suppose it is a normal development for any band who keep on doing music for sometimes to record an album at some point. It gave us the opportunity to play more gigs, in different places throughout Europe and that was an important experience for the future.

DT: Were you into Punk Rock? What do you think of the Punk Rock Scene of the Late 70's?. 
Vorph: I did listen to some bands, GBH, Discharge, Broken Bones to name just a few but I wasn't exactly part of that scene in anyway.

DT: What topics do you consider in your current lyrics?. 
Vorph: They're a result of reflections on, and interactions with everyday life. There is no specific topics developed into our songs, we just express our vision of Life.

DT: Do you remember your split with the guys of BEHERIT?. 
Vorph: I used to trade tapes and mails with lots of bands in the underground scene, some of them we met later while we where on tour or event play with them and some others we just loose tracks of. I don't know what those guys are doing this days.

DT: Do you have the recordings from old times availables?. 
Vorph: People who wants to know where we are coming from can check our two first album "Worship Him" and "Blood Ritual", we are more preoccupied by the music we are doing now.

DT: What can you talk me about "Blood Ritual" 1992 and about the re issued as a double CD. 
Vorph: As I just say, it is good for people who discover SAMAEL recently and who wants to catch up with the band history.

DT: Who designed the cover of "Ceremony Of Opposities" (1994)?. 
Vorph: The idea was ours. We met with a Swiss artist called Eric Vuille and he drew it for us. He later worked on some T-shirt designs as well.

DT: Why on "Rebellion" (1995) you changed the logo?. 
Vorph: I design that new logo and this is in fact the sub-mentioned artist who finalized it. The reason behind that change is that we wanted to have something more simple and easier to read, we thought that new logo was more adapted to our music and had a stronger effect.

DT: What do you think about the Norwegian Black Metal Scene and about ANTON SZANDOR LA VEY?.
Vorph: We don't have much to do with the Black Metal scene in general this days. We've always try to develop our sound into something more specific and hopefully unique. To keep the music interesting to play and to listen to is our main preoccupation and that's what keep us going. As for La Vey his work has no real connection to ours.

DT: How do you describe your current style?. 
Vorph: I would rather not have to describe it and let people make up their own mind, but I think our musical foundations are pretty Metal oriented while we constantly try to build up different things upon it.

DT: Tell me about the masterpiece "Passage" (1996) and about all the new changes on this great gem. 
Vorph: When the keyboards player we hired for our two previous recording decided to go his own way, we knew no one could take over that job better than Xy. But we had to face the fact he was already playing drums and loving it. I was a difficult decision for him to take but I'm glad things turn out that way. In order to keep the SAMAEL's core strong we went on with the idea to work with a drum machine for the recording and for the live performances as well. That was the biggest change we had to face since we started up with the band. On the top of that, we added a guitar player, Kaos, to our line up. He played with us for 4 years.

DT: What do you know about South American Scene?. 
Vorph: I can name a few bands but besides SEPULTURA who made an international career I have to admit I don't know much about it.

DT: What can you tell me about "Exodus" (1996) and the hidden track "Static Journey". 
Vorph: Actually "Static Journey" appeared on "Rebellion". It was something different we wanted to try, it was in fact the first time we worked with drums programming and without us knowing it, it was an anticipation on our next step. Two versions of that song appeared on that release, one instrumental and one with German lyrics which is kind of hidden as we wanted to give a sort of "secret" vibe to it. As for the "Exodus" EP it was recorded on the same recording session than "Passage" and release two years after it. 

DT: Your fave European bands?. 
Vorph: It is not important for me to know where a band I listen to is coming from. I remember how I did love BATHORY back then and it has been bring back to my mind by the death of their singer a few months ago.

DT: Talk me about the lyrics of "Eternal" (1999) please 
Vorph: As time went on I find myself more and more interested by what bring people together, what are the underline of human relationships. "Eternal" lyrics are based on that reflection, but as I said before, there's never just one thing when it comes down to our lyrics.

DT: Which one do you think is the best SAMAEL's album?. 
Vorph: I really love to think our new album is the best we ever done.

DT: How do you describe your new work, "Reign Of Light"?. 
Vorph: It is a combination of everything we've learned although the years whether as musicians, lyricist or human being. It has a wide range of emotions and it is very energetic. Hopefully some of this will be passed over to the listener when they will ear it.

DT: Of all your productions, which one has given you the most satisfaction?. 
Vorph: It is always a great satisfaction to do a record. You know it will be there for a long time and you want to defend it by all means, playing live being the most efficient way of doing so. At this moment "Reign Of Light" is of course the thing which we feel the best with.

DT: Your last growl for DEATHTHRASHER's Readers?. 
Vorph: We're looking to play South America next year and I hope we will have the chance to play Peru for the first time. 'till then I'd like to thanks everybody who supported us so far - this has been much appreciated.