bells chime - Shadownight Records
Transcription
bells chime - Shadownight Records
WEAPON six-six-six bells chime Slated by most ‘in the know’ to be the Black Metal Event Of The Year, Weapon’s highly anticipated debut album is finally upon us. Drakonian Paradigm is its name and deceptive is its game – an album rife with riddling idiosyncrasies and yet startling balance, of actual class in a climate characteristically dirty and profane. Nathan T. Birk willingly sets off on a perilous journey with founding vocalist / guitarist Vetis Monarch and drummer extraordinaire The Disciple. 068. OFERMOD 070. SET 070. TEMPLE BELOW 071. NOX INFERI 072.HUNTERS MOON 072. PSEUDOGOD 073. GRAVE DESCRATOR #2 8 T “ “The forever bloodthirsty Mother of Insanity, who danceth across the cremation grounds and dwelleth in the caves below, is the One in charge here! FU LLY LOA DED he Weapon camp has gone through myriad changes the past five years. From the ridiculously violent Within The Flesh Of The Satanist demo to the slightly-less-shambling Violated Hejab 7” to the black / death bonanza Para Bhakti…Salvation 7” early last year, Weapon have been in a steady state of refinement. In most bands’ hands, this would spell sellout, compromise, gayness, death. In Weapon’s, however, it spells sulphurous majesty – of true black heavy metal might, of the most uncompromising BM being suffused with class and craft. Muscular yet exquisitely nuanced, heated yet disciplined, immediately memorable yet offering infinitely-unfolding rewards, Drakonian Paradigm is officially a Classic Record. No one’s gonna touch this, but you’re encouraged to listen, to begin your own journey with Weapon Anno 2009. “Things are certainly more streamlined now,” begins frontman Vetis Monarch. “Everybody in the band knows their respective roles and responsibilities. The skill level is also to be noted in the percussion and lead-axe departments. My biggest issue with previous lineups was that I had to literally do every little thing, on top of composing every song, primarily because the previous people ‘in’ the band – minus Nohttzver circa 2004-2005, of course – approached their presence, or lack thereof, as ‘helping out’. I rarely think about the early years because in so many ways, the true Chakra of Weapon only began in 2008.” Skill level in the percussion department? Enter The Disciple, otherwise known as Paulus Kressman from classic Canuck hordes Rites Of Thy Degringolade and Sacramentary Abolishment. Even though he could’ve totally went off on Drakonian Paradigm , The Disciple’s drumming exhibits the same class ‘n’ craft that’s writ large across the album. Says the drummer simply, “Having a primary role has given me the power to focus the energy required to execute the percussion in the nature it was intended, without compromise or other distractions.” Interestingly, especially in the context of this bestial-intensive section, when Weapon announced their imminent debut album a yearplus ago, there was a quote that we should expect, “No mosh, no core, no fago.” Vetis explains the lattermost statement: “We harbour distaste for these newer bands who basically exist to plagiarise the works of Blasphemy, Archgoat, Beherit, etc. The ‘word’ fago is used in a derogatory manner, to completely distance ourselves 068 zerO tolerance 028_ugbm_2DT.indd 60 05/03/2009 15:20:57 ugbm section by nATHAN T BIRK VITAL STATISTICS origin alberta, canada formed 2003 current lineup vetis monarch [vocals guitar] vileblood dahcnial [guitar] sabazios diabolus [bass] the disciple [drums] current label the ajna offensive current release drakonian paradigm band url www.weaponchakra. com label url www.theajnaoffensive. com discography drakonian paradigm [ajna 2009] para bhakti…salvation 7” [fmp 2008] violated hejab 7” [legion of death 2005] within the flesh of the satanist demo [incoffin 2003] from any such ‘noise scene’ or what have you. We respect the aforementioned bands, but there is a world of difference between drawing influences and blatantly ripping people off.” Adds The Disciple, “It is 2009 now. Hail the old, yet embrace the now.” And that includes imbuing traditional metal fundaments with occult power, as Weapon do so stunningly for the duration of Drakonian Paradigm . “The primary emphasis is on black – the message, the ideology,” Vetis stresses. “We are, without a doubt, a satanic band. However, our musical influences are all across the board, penetrating many subgenres. From Mercyful Fate to Morbid Angel, Unleashed to Master’s Hammer, and back to Black Sabbath – it’s fair game for us. Thus, the musical / metal aspect manages to shine so eloquently on Drakonian Paradigm . Listeners who fail to hear the overwhelming occult power in bands like Coven, Black Sabbath, Black Widow, Pentagram, Mercyful Fate, Venom, and even some Deep Purple are tone-deaf and occult-challenged. Clearly, that same power / energy was absorbed by early Slayer, Hellhammer, Poison [Germany], Possessed, Bathory, Sodom, etc., and onto what we now know as modern death and black metal across the globe. This is not a puzzle for the ones who are perceptive – the Devil speaks in tongues!” T KALI YU GA BIZA R RE he Devil’s tongue indeed speaks across the whole of Drakonian Paradigm and Weapon’s aesthetic in general. Deciphering that tongue, however, is entirely up to the listener. Still, Weapon are not averse to offering keys to unlock those doors, such as the longstanding chestnut “Black metal is Satan / Weapon is black metal.” Says Vetis, “That statement is still very much relevant for Weapon in 2009, and forever it shall define the base alchemy of the band. Black metal as words, music, attitude and imagery – and the combined energy of these elements – is a demanding-yet-revealing journey towards the Satanic paradigm. Since we are a black metal band, we are, therefore, chasing the Dragon that has been present before it all.” Which includes using a sort of articulate violence here, of using violence + force but with more nuance and even ‘taste’ – of not going OTT all the time but maximising discipline and patience and therefore power, like good sex or something. “That description right there is perhaps the most simple / effective / accurate one I have heard of Weapon to date,” Vetis nods. “Not to get pseudo-philosophical here, but we approach it as LEFTHANDPATHYOGA. It comes down to balance, (dis)harmony and the vibrating Chakra(s) deep within the Athma of the individuals involved. Before we enter the rehearsal room, or before I even begin to pen one single lyric for a song, the collective subconscious is vehemently aware that we are but vessels of something much, much greater. Discipline and patience meet at the crossroads of power and gnosis – Kundalini Utsav Ma Kalilith.” Adds The Disciple, “I had to be reminded of this on a few occasions during the initial stages of writing Drakonian Paradigm . The merging of minds was a wicked collaboration in the end.” To that, is it possible to eroticise Kali, the subject of highlight-among-highlights ‘Serpentine Ayat’? Hell, is it even possible to eroticise black metal? Maybe not, since the ‘scene’ is such a sausage party already.... “If so She wishes, it shall be done,” comes Vetis’ reply. “The forever bloodthirsty Mother Of Insanity, who danceth across the cremation grounds and dwelleth in the caves below, is the One in charge here! Her divine aura will not be understood by limp-dicked pansies of the fucking scene, nor will She ever reveal Her wrathful beauty to such degenerates.” Of course, the role of ritual reigns supreme in Weapon. “On a physical level, no alcohol consumption and / or drug use occurred during the recording process,” Vetis says of Drakonian Paradigm . “The senses were altered only by the spiralling Sinister Energies evoked by our music itself. Weapon reject alien substances in order to achieve what we need to achieve. Although I’ve had my personal ‘adventures’ with heroin for ten years now, at this moment I am completely ‘clean’. Even then, the drugs themselves did not dictate my musical path.” Vetis delves deeper, in conclusion: “The infancy of a song is the beginning of the ritual, the construction and placement of nuances the middle, and finally, when the entire band performs the song together, the ritual reaches its crescendo. It is at that moment that you could literally stab that released energy with a dagger.” zero tolerance 069 028_ugbm_2DT.indd 61 05/03/2009 15:21:02 VOmITCHAPEL W VITAL STATISTICS ORIgIN VALDOSTA, gEORgIA uSA FORmED 2007 bAND uRL WWW. VOmITCHAPEL.FATHERbEFOuLED.COm CuRRENT RELEASE SODOmINATE] wild less + t s e r , g n you I just can’t stop listening to Nocturnal Blood’s True Spirit Of Old… tape. Not simply because it’s the new solo-project of Nuclear Desecration mainman Blasphemer Nuclearwhore Of Black Blood, but more so because it takes a relatively straight forward framework – the blackgrind-unto-doom of Archgoat imbued with the slithering atmosphere of Pillardera Incantation – and runs riot with it. At the time of interview, Nuclearwhore intimated that he was making Nocturnal Blood his top priority. Since then, he’s disbanded Nuclear Desecration but is saying nowt about the reasons for the break-up. The young have always eaten the old, but now it seems the young eat the young. Oh well: one awesome horde dies, another takes its place. “I had the idea to write material using three riffs at max – primitive worship – and having it sound more inspired than Nuclear Desecration, as well as being more sick and perversed,” explains Nuclearwhore by way of comparison. “Nocturnal Blood has its own sound, but I wanted this to be much more in the oldschool vein and have it sound a bit similar to my influences, which I feel I’ve achieved both my own sound and having the old sound, flawlessly.” Indeed: said framework’s well within place, and with Nuclearwhore’s own perverted personality. As for the inspirations within that framework, he says, “My own rituals, lots of blood, fornication, and total fucking doom! USA, Canada, and Finland had my favourites – VON, Blasphemy, Conqueror, Beherit, Black Crucifixion, etc.” So, as a ‘one-man band’ that actually has a concertedly physical super-gutted sound, how do vom goditing o ’s ch n ild e Reviewed in Z T 026 , Vomitchapel’s Warvomitdeathworship reveled in filth of a most Profanatica vintage – and we saw that it was good. Now, the one-man-band’s got a new tape ready, simply and tellingly titled Sodominate, that takes that first demo’s filth-hammers and (dis)tempers ‘em with cavernous doom and an atmosphere that’s simultaneously smothering and spacious. Perhaps not surprising, that, as Vomitchapel is concurrent Father Befouled frontman / songwriter Ghoat. Explaining exactly what ‘Warvomitdeathworship’ means, Ghoat says, “It’s everything disgusting that I find different levels of repulsion and glory in. The lyrics of Vomitchapel do not deal with ‘war’ in the sense of, say, Bolt Thrower or anything of such ilk, but war of another dimension – audial war, sonic torment. Vomit is the body repulsing waste violently, such as I repulse the thought of a god, a deity above man. Worship death, worship the human flesh – Sodominate will further explore this perversity.” On the cover of that first demo, Ghoat’s standing naked and covered in blood, much as the reader sees here – does this signify perversion, blasphemy, sexiness, even vulnerability? “The naked form is primal and stark. Contrast that against the inverted cross; the naked, raw human form trumps the idea of a fleshless spirit. The human is above the idea of god, above the paradigm of religious idolatry. Perversion and blasphemy – this is Vomitchapel, my human cock vandalising the crucifix.” All that considered, one must wonder whether Ghoat sees Vomitchapel as the (perverse/blasphemous/sexy/vulnerable) underbelly of Father Befouled. “That’s a fair assumption,” the mainman admits. “I am creative; I must have an outlet. I cannot sit and record Father Befouled songs all the time or else they would run together into an obtuse repetition of ideas. I chose to create Vomitchapel because I had it brewing inside of me, this primeval urge to rage on the drum kit, to make the most spiritually offensive works I could. This is not how I want Father Befouled to be perceived, so I created it elsewhere. This is the same for the handful of other projects I have going with various people.” As for the (very) overt Profanatica influence, Ghoat is more than forthcoming: “Profanatica is definitely a large influence. I had the pleasure of seeing and playing with them twice this past year, and it was a moving experience. Profanatica, while not the most evil or the best-sounding or the most popular, they are / were real – the atmosphere they generate is unparalleled. Vomitchapel, I like to think, is also real. The lyrics are less ‘poetic’ than Father Befouled; I vomit my thoughts of perversion and blasphemy without much metaphor. Archgoat, as well as Teitanblood, Luger, Vociferian and Black Witchery, are also big influences. The more I see polished hipster metal, the more I want to make music fucking disgusting again.” NOCTuRNAL bLOOD you go about recording everything? “Well, I personally never like to talk about how I record, though I can say that it’s done half analogue and half digital.” Okay, so how do you get such a huge voice from such a diminutive frame? “Nothing other than being totally possessed by evil and doom! I have worked on getting my vocals this low for years. I really couldn’t say; I just do things and they tend to go how I want. I think you’re the first one to ask why my vocals are so low for being such a small shit like me....” Perhaps surpris- ingly, Nuclearwhore has plans to take Nocturnal Blood into the live realm. “I’m very satisfied with 100% of the Nocturnal Blood material. There’s no reason why I shouldn’t spew my chaos on all these fucking wimps. The Nocturnal Blood live lineup will be monstrous.” VITAL STATISTICS ORIgIN FONTANA, CALIFORNIA uSA FORmED 2008 bAND uRL WWW.gEOCITIES.COm/NOCTuRNALbLOOD/ INDEX.HTmL LAbEL uRL WWW.KAmPF.WS CuRRENT RELEASE TRuE SPIRIT OF OLD…] 064 070 zerO tolerance 028_ugbm_2DT.indd 62 05/03/2009 15:21:08 T bLASPHEmOPHAgHER thermonucle “I don’t need to hope for the extinction of humanity – it’ll be certain,” ar assault he sheer volum VITAL STATISTICS ORIgIN ASCOLI e of worthy rif fs and crushing br by Blasphemop eaks possessed PICENO, ITALy FORmED 2002 LAbEL hagher is simply uRL WWW.NWNPROD.COm bAND uRL as tounding. In thing about this fact , ever y- WWW.mySPACE.COm/bLASPHEmOentit y is pushed to the outer limits pres ence to ph , from sonic PHAgHER CuRRENT RELEASE NuCLEAR ysical aesthetic. What of the liv EmPIRE OF APOCALyPSE armour, and de e ritual? A: war, secrating violen ce! “Like Lemmy worth something sa id, ‘If you play meta Bastard, wielder , you need to de l and think it to of the four-string monstrate it on be stage’ - AA ARRG ed deathaxe an and bulletbelt s d herald of the GGHH!!! ” shrieks are es sential fo nu cle R.R. r ar Bla em sp pir he the performance e. “Spikes, violen mophagher live ce, chains, leath . To be raped an rituals, especially er d posses sed by drinking big am The desolate ho thermonuclear ount s of alcohol wls vomited forth demons is to ha during are filthy-rotten ics masterful am ndle the ultra-v odes to death, wa algamations of iolent live show r and thermonuc obsidian madnes !” and damnation lear hell, with th s. “My first sour that pulses in my e titles and lyrce of inspiration brain, constantly the recent Chao is the constant ad fed by book s, me s Quantum theo oration for chao tal vinyl, films an ry / discovery are of humanit y or s d paintings. For a big inspiration you simply enjoy sure, Lovecraft .” So you hope fo the aesthetic fo – it’ll be certain, and r a fu ture in which th rm of nuclear he ” grins the lunati e planet is extin ll? “I don’t need c, “like all other lifetime, but it’s ct to hope for the cyclic events th for sure...till this extinction of hu at dominate ou moment may th manit y r sid Meanwhile, Bla e of th e de e universe. Probab mons of death an sphemophaghe ly not during my d desolation po r are the vangua LP following an ssess our bodie rd of Armagedd intensive regim s and minds!” on, as testified en of demos an rif fs of these pa by th d eir sp Nu lit s. clear Empire Of st few year s: no That album’s ‘D Apocalypse debu thing revolution evastating Radio cities with its cy t ar y, but execut active Torments’ clopean heft. Er ed with such sty has some of th go, the break wh le and poise th e best en the second rif at it’s capable of f hit s…fuck! It’s with a colos sal levelling entire akin to a ten-to warhammer befo nne ogre smashin re orgiastically Likewise, ‘Holoca g you to pulp glorying in the ust Summoning rem nants of your ob Of Nuclear Stor immaculately un literated corpse m’ and ‘Teratoge holy marriage of . nesis Of Doom’ Sarcofagal rif fing cially metal feel demonstrate th and a Frostily Ce mixed in with th e ltic heft. Indeed, e bestiality which achieve, fucking there’s a crumost of Blasphe meat y rif fs dema mophagher’s pe nding utter engo give time to a rif ers don’t quite rgement. This is f that deserves a band with the its moment, wa straight-up march confidence to lking a fine line ing brutality. between bestial pandemonium an In these days of d ultra-obses sive collectorship an you were lucky d truly mindblo enough to get wi ng yo diehard edition ur hands on a NW Empire Of Apoc s (maybe N! ’s sumptuou alypse) , where’s s limited-edition it all going? Wha of Nuclear t I mean is, do the codes which ‘cult’ mean that mark one as uncompromise d forms of meta to themselves, l remain true or do they simply mean that pose for their latest ur s looking elitist kick can exploit the form or thodox? “I do by remaining n’t like the ‘elite ’ word,” sneers a lot of thes e ‘el R.R. “I’ve see ite’ scumbags du ring the year s regret their past. that now Real UG metalhe ads ‘n’ unholy sp consume their lif irit s that e for metal do no t need this classi they are more fication; than the word ‘elite’.” But does ship serve to fu collectorel this idea of be ing cult / true / fucking metal ma etc? “I’m a niac and I’m a big collector of vin yl. But if so m eo ne re all y want s to lis ten to and support a ba nd and doesn’t have enough money for a vinyl or die hard version, a CD ve rsion is more th an honourable. If yo u buy tons of vin yl be caus e yo u ha ve th e ec on om ic po ss ibilit y only to make pics fo r MySpace and ot her internet cr ap, it’s very sad. I us ually buy the fu ll LP version, and if some band I like a lot releases a diehard version , I’ll buy it for sure. You don’t need to use the words ‘cu lt’ or ‘true’ – yo u just ne ed to be hone st in your musical suppor t and insult all th e fuck ing idiot s that jump fro m one music al tre nd to another... fuck ‘em all!” zero tolerance 065 071 028_ugbm_2DT.indd 63 05/03/2009 15:21:22 I WARgOAT more goats, more glory also can’t stop listening to Wargoat’s Hellstrike Of Goatcommando tape. Here we have an addictively unique mix of influences: Ugra Karma-era ImpNaz, Crust-era Sarcofago, Gods Of War-era Blasphemy, ‘80s Slayer, a bit of classic Swedeath, and of course a touch of their native Greece’s ancient BM. In other words, all ‘goat’ but all metal – newcomers are here to fuck shit up. “We grew up with all the scenes and bands you mentioned, so they’re logically our influences,” corroborates vocalist / guitarist Christmolestor. “All these listenings and the belief in a personal Wargoat sound created the entity of Hellstrike – usual Beherit worship is useless if you don’t have your own personality created by the music you hear and the perversion of your head! Beherit music and feeling cannot be copied – the same for Blasphemy, Sarcofago, etc., of course – and it can be used to create something Christ-raping and bestial. See newer bands like Proclamation, Teitanblood, Goatvomit, Diocletian, and Bestial Raids; they look like many bands, but in the future I believe they’ll be mentioned as great, unique bands next to the ancient black / death cults!” So, is there such a thing as ‘goat metal,’ at least in the last five years with the uprising of more bestial bands? “We’re glad to see that the fire of true underground black / death rises day by day. The days of posers and losers start to fade out, and the unholy congregation of this scene is the most interesting thing in the music, generally. Goat metal is philosophy, way of life and true despise against every weak, scum, Christian shit and gay, commercial music. The goat represents master lord Satan, and this music is the soundtrack to the eternal torture of His opponents.” Fair enough. Speaking of the ‘bestial’ (A: we will always speak of the bestial), the early ‘90s Greek BM scene was supreme in creating an occult aura by combining atmosphere with death metal and, quite often, a classic ‘80s metal touch. But with the strict ‘n’ effected drum sounds as well as deeper, rougher vocals, many of those ancient Greek hordes were unconsciously / inadvertently bestial – and Wargoat definitely bring that to the fore on Hellstrike Of Goatcommando. “We grew up with the early ‘90s black metal scene, so it’s natural to find influences in our music,” Christmolestor corroborates again. “Moreover, I’m sorry to see that this felling has already died, as most of the bands here in Hellas prefer to play Norwegian-recycled craps. They deny their identity and most times they fail to catch this feeling; they label their music as Greek without having the Greek sound. Wargoat are bestial, and we will stay this way – Greek bestial sound for the chosen few….” bLACK SERPENT the synthesis desire of apocryphal VITAL STATISTICS ORIgIN mORNINgTON, AuSTRALIA FORmED 2000 LAbEL uRL WWW.SHADOWNIgHTRECORDS.NET CuRRENT RELEASES NIgHTSIDE COSmOLOgy mCD AND NIgHTPATH WATCHTOWER 7” W VITAL STATISTICS ORIgIN ATHENS gREECE FORmED 2006 bAND uRL WWW.mySPACE. COm/666WARgOAT666 LAbEL CONTACT: [email protected] CuRRENT RELEASE HELLSTRIKE OF gOATCOmmANDO ant more unconscious / inadvertent bestiality inna ancient Hellenic stylee? Check out new Oz horde Black Serpent, largely the solo work of one Nightcraft Serpentaxe, immediately. Across the Nightside Cosmology MCD and the even-newer Nightpath Watchtower 7”, Black Serpent emit an equally addicting (and totally occult aura whilst remaining Very Heavy Metal. “On a musical level,” Serpentaxe weighs in, “Black Serpent are influenced by various early styles reflecting high black / death metal integrity, so it’s not at all surprising that in many, like yourself, Black Serpent radiate early Greek black / death sounds or, in a general sense, heavy metal bordering the bestial. In the context of the black / death metal art, I guess any difference would be in the way we express it rather than how we feel about it or use it. There’s also a degree of nuanced bestiality in Black Serpent stemming from more war-metal traditions. Of course, none of this is or sounds forced; it seems to come quite naturally. I don’t set out to write according to some mental preset or with a specific purpose in mind – what you hear is basically what comes out. Any musical analysis or thought would be employed during the course of refining song structures and overall compositions. The MCD and the 7” fully represent the band at the time that material was composed and recorded; both releases are quite dynamic and well balanced with lots of catchy hooks. The more recent material is much stronger, but still raw ‘n’ bestial black / death metal.” To that, many / most of those early Greek BM hordes were well grounded in (real) death metal and Black Serpent seem to follow suit, thus the ever-thorny ‘black / death metal’ tag feels apropos. Serpentaxe agrees: “Based on what I know, real black / death metal has the same roots; this is something that’s best understood internally. Looking at certain aspects of the early scene – Possessed, Varathron, Sarcofago, Sadistik Exekution, Rotting Christ – regardless of variables, it seems these musical ideas are inextricably bound together, provided the approach is of a genuine and honest nature. The terms black, death, [and] bestial metal signify the roots reflecting old traditions based on more bestial and unique forms of heavy metal devoid of compartmentalised trends [or] pop / disco metal templates in black metal disguise. In summary, I think savage black / death metal in the bestial / savage vein would be the most accurate and complete description.” 064 072 zerO tolerance 028_ugbm_2DT.indd 64 05/03/2009 15:21:23 gHAST I n quite a coup for the consistently fourth-tier-at-best UKBM idiom, remonikered newcomers Ghast offer up quite an inscrutable mix of influences on their May The Curse Bind debut. Think VON and all subsequent bestial black / death, De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas as preceded by Det Som Engang Var, and the nascent ‘Peaceville Three’ doom-death paradigm – think what made the early ‘90s great and you’re there. “The first track on the album made us utter ‘VON!’ a lot during its creation,” says vocalist / guitarist Arrrrrrrach before drummer KZ elaborates: “Even when we’re playing really slow, I feel it’s black metal. However, we do all listen to a lot of doom, so the influence is there.” Adds vocalist / bassist Myrggh, “There’s always a sort of pessimism in the music which makes me think of early ‘90s Yorkshire doom. We’re using some of those kinds of mournful parts more frequently these days.” Indeed, Ghast maintain an exquisitely gutted bestiality even when moving at a mournful plod – hell, sometimes even more so – which is all given bonus beastliness by the album’s shit-thick yet crystal-clear production. Explains Arrrrrrrach of this ever-elusive balance, “The playing has a large effect on the sound, yet we’ve only previously used a 4-track with Ghast and we’ve never sounded anywhere near as good, so Swine must be credited with a massive help in creating this sound. We requested heavy tom and bass drums and a thick bass, but he already had the sound set up for us, so we were happy to let him work with it on his own. He really sorted my guitar sound out and gave them a more ambient feeling in the mix, which I now try to emulate live – deliberate, and lucky.” “Swine understood exactly what we were after,” elaborates Myrggh, “I don’t even remember talking about it. We just played and he knew what to do – make it heavy and not too clean. What worked was that he didn’t seem to be trying to make it sound like something else. Most ‘producers’ are shit because they try to put too many of their own ideas onto a recording and fit into some genre-specified norm, probably so they can make a name for themselves. Also, we use guitar and bass a bit like a ‘60s powertrio, a bit like Cream or Jimi Hendrix. The guitar is the main focus of what you listen to, but a lot of the heaviness comes from the bass.” For real: May The Curse Bind will burl you to death, but you’ll hear (and feel) every fucking nuance of that death-trip. And it doesn’t hurt that the songs are as involving as they are swarming – perhaps that swarming physicality stems from the band’s penchant for playing live? “Gigs are important to us as a band,” firmly states KZ. “We’ve usually played songs live many times before recording them. I also like that you never know just how grim the gig is going to be. Totally unplanned shit always happens; I’d be bored if all we ever did was write and record. It’s difficult to tell from behind the drum kit, but I feel the ‘doom segments’ build atmosphere in a different way depending on the gig – no two gigs are the same!” So, to whom do you want “the curse” to bind? “Anyone who will take it!” enthuses Arrrrrrrach. “The curse thing came about due to the fact that a lot of the lyrics are dealing with somebody being doomed. This album is full of hexes at one extreme and general uncanny misfortune at the other, so the title is simply a reflection of this.” And as for UKBM’s perennial, er, ‘misfortune’, Myrggh says, “The trouble with British black metal has been that most bands spent too much time trying to directly replicate other scenes, although that does seem to be changing. For years, we were just stuck with Thus Defiled and that seemed to be about it. Ghast sound different – people have compared us to loads of bands, but no two people have come up with same comparison.” miserable beasts VITAL STATISTICS ORIgIN SWANSEA, WALES uK FORmED 2007 bAND uRL WWW.gHAST. TODESTRIEb.CO.uK LAbEL uRL WWW. TODESTRIEb.CO.uK CuRRENT RELEASE mAy THE CuRSE bIND “This album is full of hexes at one extreme and general uncanny misfortune at the other.” zero tolerance 065 073 028_ugbm_2DT.indd 65 05/03/2009 15:21:25