Who says that Americans can’t play Black Metal? KULT OV AZAZEL blazes a true path of Black Metal that will shut up all of the elitists who believe that only Scandinavians can create Black Metal art. And after hearing this you will believe too. Hearing KULT OV AZAZEL is really a tremendous torture… in a good sense. “Oculus Infernum” is really a wicked Black Metal album not for everyone, especially for the Gothic Black Metal fans who are into those who mix keyboards and symphonic stuffs. The second full-length from this Florida-based band has definitely left me with my mouth open with astonishment!! In regards with this masterpiece of pure darkness I decided to have an exclusive interview with KULT OV AZAZEL, so here we got Xaphan (vocals/guitar) answering on behalf of the band...
Interviewed by Sufian Mohamed Salleh (August 2003)
First of all, congratulations on your new album “Oculus Infernum”! In my opinion it displays KULT OV AZAZEL’s progress pretty well – maybe you found a new source of inspiration or something?
Your comments on the new album are appreciated. We did not find any new inspiration; our inspiration hasn’t changed since day one and that is to create black metal without compromises.
What have you thought about while working upon the new tracks? I mean, were they based upon personal emotions or experiences?
It’s not really easy to explain what I was thinking or the others for that matter. When I sit down and write riffs it can be inspired by many factors. I can say however everything contained within the album is a true representation of what this band is.
How has the general response for “Oculus Infernum” been? The title of the album may seem a bit odd for people, so could you explain what does it stand for?
The title translates Latin to “Eye of Hell”. The response so far has been very good. The reviews we have received have been impressed with the new material.
This album really impressed me because of the out-standing pureness & rawness in it. Can we say that “Oculus Infernum” is your blackest and most blasphemous album so far? Thus, will you agree with me that “Triumph of Fire” was much more straightforward musically?
Yeah I agree that “Triumph of Fire” was more of a straightforward album. The new album is definitely our darkest and that’s the overall feeling we were going for. I think with the addition of the two new members it has added some new elements into the music. Our drummer on “Triumph of Fire” was not a black metal drummer, where as our new drummer Hammer is. So the musical styles from one album to the other are in some instances similar but the newer material is much more varied musically and is definitely our most blasphemous from a lyrical stand point.
Xaphan, could you please describe in short the new 8 tracks – the moods, the meaning of the words and the musical merits of each of them?
The whole album pretty much had the same feelings invoked. These being complete disdain for religious ideals and very strong ties to occult/satanic themes, misanthropic thoughts and the never ending war on christianity. Musically it has a lot more variety in the song structures than the previous effort. The songs were written more around feeling on “Oculus Infernum” and not speed which has been the core of what past stuff had been written around.
What is KULT OV AZAZEL in search of both musically and lyrically?
We are not really in search of anything. We just want to create music that we ourselves feel connected to and if someone else down the line gets something out of it then killer. It’s not a search for anything, just an outward expression of our thoughts/feelings and we express this hatred and profanation through music.
Your release has been recorded back on November 2002 at Rhythm Track Studios, engineered by J.P.Soars & Greg Threlkel, mixed and mastered by Jeremy Staska at Studio 13 during January-February 2003. Great job they have done definitely – mind you explain something more on the studios you entered in and these guys you worked with?
All the guys were good to work with. We had worked with Staska back on the “Triumph of Fire” album but this was the first time working with JP and Greg. Rhythm Track started out excellent but once we had finished tracking all instruments and vocals the studio folded. So this left us in a very difficult position and that’s when we approached Staska about mixing and mastering it. He helped us out and agreed to work us into the studio in between the bands he had already booked to record. So it took a bit longer for us to mix and master it but in the end it worked out well and gave us more time to critique our work and with this the payoff is what you get on “Oculus Infernum”.
How was the cooperation with Arctic Music Group going on? You’ve dealt with this company since the debut full-length “Triumph of Fire”… so, under their roster, what do you think the band accomplished and disaccomplished?
The working relationship has always been good. They have done a lot for us and have made us a main priority within their roster. I mean with this label we have inked a good distribution deal and recording deal, so there’s not much more we could really ask for. They do a killer job promoting our releases so all in all everything is going good with Arctic.
Well, what should we expect from now on – calmness or stage storms? Or you’re starting to work upon another album maybe?
There’s never calmness when it comes to this band. Right now we are rehearsing for our one and only gig for 2003. We are playing with Blood Storm, Decieverion and band called Eviscerator in Philadelphia PA the 2nd week in August. After that we will focus on writing new material for a few splits and for another full length to be released through Arctic Music. Now that we have a band of permanent members we should not have to wait 2 years before releasing something else.
What unleashes the artist in you? Do you believe that everything is possible to be done when it comes to music creating or do you think there are any limits though?
Music itself is limitless and with it anything is possible when it comes to creating. I have been playing for a very long time and even with 2 decades of guitar playing I still learn new stuff every time I pick up my guitar. What can unleash the artist in me can be many things. It’s not a certain thing that triggers it for me. I find I create most of my stuff just from having a need or feel to play and out pops a riff, riffs or a whole song. Also when under intoxication from substances/alcohol I find I write killer riffs. Also it can come from hearing a note in my head and evolve from that. It could be listening to the violent storms of South Florida, the disgust I feel when going into public places, a book I have read or a movie seen. Many things provoke me to write. Not just on single thing that can be pointed out.
Do you all accept compromises concerning music creating? What I mean is if you’re capable of doing something that you may like not but would help your albums sell better. Do you meet difficulties in composing yourselves sometimes?
There is no compromising for this band. We’re not out to make album sells or any shit like that. We follow our own ways. No one else makes those decisions for us. But this would never happen. We all think the same and none of us would compromise this band for something we did not agree with or feel the same way about.
Back to the “Oculus Infernum”, the booklet is interestingly designed and laid-out (Fonts, drawings, etc) that fits KULT OV AZAZEL perfectly. Who came up with the whole ideas? The front-cover itself may seem a bit abstract (and also without band logo & album title as usual) for people, what does it symbolize?
Nocturath did all the art and layout. Ideas were a joint effort between the two of us. The cover is a grim interpretation of a torture chamber and its devices. It was inspired by Nocturath’s vision of the reversal of parts in such times as The Crusades. The lyrics to "Oculus Infernum" aid to this vision, as Christianity is the forever sufferer. The woodcuts and photography within the booklet interact the theme of the lyrics and songs. It’s homage to the eternal death of purity and sanctity.
Before we put this interview to the end, I must tell the readers that “Oculus Infernum” is absolutely a masterpiece of pure darkness – an album that shows us the true way to play Black Metal. So Xaphan, we stopped here… any closing thoughts?
Thanks for the interview. All information and propaganda can be found at our website www.kultovazazel.com. Contact info can be found there or we can be contacted at Kult ov Azazel, PO Box 23308, Ft. Lauderdale FL, 33307, USA. Hail the horrors of Hell!
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