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Interview of Acheron's Vincent Crowley by: Shawn Craigo

OVXM: Kile Severn of INCANTATION has been in and out of ACHERON for several years now and is a permanent member of both bands. I wonder with that band's hectic recording and touring schedule whether he has ever considered leaving INCANTATION and joining ACHERON and WOLFEN SOCIETY permanently. Having him play in both bands must be something of a strain, no?
VINCENT: Actually, INCANTATION is Kyle"s main band. We hadthat agreement when he joined ACHERON. He's been with INCANTATION for years and they much more busy than us. They tour all the time, while ACHERON only does select shows. So we all work around each other"s schedules. And if Kyle can't do a show with us, he is very cool about us getting a "fill in" drummer to replace him for the gig(s).

OVXM: The band LETHAL PRAYER is Pittsburgh based and I have on several occasions had the opportunity to hang out and talk with Bill Koblak aka Belial, the lead guitarist of LETHAL PRAYER. I was wondering if as an ex-member of ACHERON, whether he was ever approached to fill the shoes of the now sadly departed Michael Estes? I have great deal of LETHAL PRAYER's work including "SPIRITUAL DECAY" and it has much in common musically and lyrically with your band.
VINCENT: No, Belial is dedicated to LETHAL PRAYER. I wouldn't ask him to do both bands. Not to mention he was planninng to move to Florida anyway, but LETHAL PRAYER is a killer band and they are satanic metal brothers of ours.

OVXM: Through the years ACHERON has recorded for many small labels but has never gone on to achieve major independent label status (Metal Blade, Relapse, ect..). ACHERON has always been respected and popular in the underground, so I'm sure you"ve been approached at one point to sign with a larger scale label, so has decision to record for smaller labels like Black Lotus always been intentional?
VINCENT: We just go with the flow. You never know what deal is going to be good or bad. so you work out a deal with the one who seems most dedicated to promote your band. But we all know most record labels suck cock!

OVXM: I have seen the infamous ACHERON video produced by Natas Productions I do enjoy showing it to people and watching the expressions of horror, disgust, and fear across their faces. The juxtaposition of graphic sex, degredation, and violence is very risible and in the extreme. I even had one viewer turn pale in shockand demand the tv be turned off. He then fled the room! why has this amasing visual abomination never been officialy released by the band?
VINCENT: It isn't our video. That video was meant to be an underground release. It is indeed a collector's item. But I have seen it on E-bay for sale by bootleggers.

OVXM: I was a huge fan of your ex-girlfriend Synn's magazine SATAN'S SWEET SLAVERY. There are so few magazines available for the true satanists. I enjoyed your articles and the rituals that you rote wich sheincluded. Are you ever putting out your own magazine or releasing your own teachings in book form? I'm sure many wouuld love to read them.
VINCENT: I'd really enjoy doing something like that, but I just don't have the time. I used to publish a magazine called "WOLF-AGE", and I even played with the idea of doing it again. But I will have to wait until I get some spare time.

OVXM: You lead one of the world's greatest black metal bands and I am truly a fan, still I have over the years found it hard to classify ACHERON's music black metal in sound. Acheron has always deliberatly strayed form the path lyrically and musically and even though I love the new cd I was somewhat saddened when you chose to return to the sound of your early work. Will you ever explore the extraordinary sound of the "FOR THOSE WHO HAVE RISEN" cd again, or will the new approach be permanent?
VINCENT: I like the direction we are taking now. Who knows what the future holds? But each album is its own entity. What they will sound like all depends on how we feel in the studio at the time of recording.

OVXM: Several years ago I came across an extraordinary tome of satanic thought called "AN AGE FOR LUCIFER". A truly mind bending and thought provoking book. Christopher Hyatt's "PSYCOPATH'S BIBLE" was hyped by many as the next satanic bible. Though I prefer an age, both were well done. Many are obviously searching for a new satanic bible to replace Lavey's or to build a new path, and I was wondering, with your decision to leave the C.O.S. do you feel there is suck thing as one true "SATANIC BIBLE", one book that can truly illuminate one philosophically, magically, and spiritually, or do you believe all satanists should follow their own individual path to enlightenment and create their own?
VINCENT: The "SATANIC BIBLE" is a great tool, but those who only use one tool limit themselves. I am all for new thoughts of satanic and occultic ideas. I don't limit myself to one idea. I'm influenced by many.

OVXM: Your decision to change your distinct and groundbreaking musical style caused the inevitable dismissal of Peter Gilmore. I have listened to his solo cd "THE THRENDOY OF HUMANITY" and I found it evocative and entertaning. Another C.O.S. classical artist Lerue Delashey has released several brilliant cd's, most of which grace my ritual chambers frequently. I was curious at what you thought of Mr. Delashey's work. Considering that he's a C.O.S. priest, I assume that you have met and listened to it?
VINCENT: I don't think ACHERON changed our sound very much at all. When you hear the new album many people know it's ACHERON. No, I have no idea who Lerue Delashey is or what his work sounds like. Nor have I heard Peter's newer work. I haven't been interactive with the C.O.S. for several years, so I have no idea what kind of projects are going on over at their camp.

OVXM: I've always noticed that ACHERON has a distinct sound that frequently reminds of Chuch Schuldiners band DEATH. I was wondering how much of an influence at all was DEATH. I've also noticed this about LETHAL PRAYER's music as well. It's so sad Chuck has passed.
VINCENT: I was of course a big fan of DEATH in the early days. We actually played with them many times when I was playing guitar for NOCTURNUS in 1987. Indeed a talent that will be missed.

OVXM: Recently an article in the on-line magazine put out by the bullshit organization The Southern Poverty Law Center called The Intelligence Report claimed one Bruce Alan Breeding, a former session guitarist for ACHERON was on of america'sleading Neo-Nazis. It is also claimed he was a member of The National Alliance and ran an on-line porno site. Several white power sites have reported Craig Pillard, ex-member of INCANTATION, has spent the last few years attempting to put together a white power death metal band. Has this expose on Bruce -true or false- had any negative effect on ACHERON at all? Acheron has never been a Nazi band but you have been attacked as right-wing before, especially recently.
VINCENT: All the statements made about Mr.Breeding and Pillard were indeed true. But that is their business. To each their own. ACHERON is always getting slack about these things. But this was way before Mr.Breeding got linked toNeo-Nazi groups. I could care less. Acheron is a SATANIC BAND. If you call it anything else, it's all just words.

OVXM: I often wonder about Satanic bands and why so many suffer accusations of racism. You certainly courted controversy with THE WOLFEN SOCIETY cd and your decision to use the German flag with a pentagram instead of the traditional swastika in the middle on your site. Still I've never understood why so many try to link Satanism with Nazism. Perhaps it's the militancy of anti-christianity. Years ago Boyd Rice donned a military uniform and adopted the wolfshok as his symbol getting a rather intense reaction from the traditional industrial audience. Marilyn Manson's decision to preform in front of a Laveyan lightning bolt banner and stand in front of a podium exhorting the crowd raised quite a few eyebrows. And recently a glam metal band FASTER PUSSYCAT toured in stage outfits that were exact copies of old SS uniforms with the traditional Nazi armband replaced with the initials FS. To this day the imagery of the Third Reich holds incredible power to shock and offend, so does Satanism amd its pentagrams and inverted crosses. Perhaps people are simply to shock able or thin skinned. I practice Dark Germatic Heathenism so I understand the power of such symbols as the hook cross. Would you ever use such symbolism again, and if so what purpose or meaning does it have for you?