Schizoid Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?


Hi, this is Jay from SCHIZOID from Canada, an extreme metal/noise band.

An album "The Next Extreme" has just been released. It contains 16 songs, and is an hour of decimating crazy intense furious blastbeat music. It is my 3rd album and first real "SCHIZOID" album in quite a long time. It has just been released either on iTunes, schizoid.bandcamp.com and also the CD digipacks are ready and for sale through www.schizoid.ca, soon through our distributors.

The music could be compared to RED HARVEST, AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED, ANAAL NAKTHRATH, ATARI TEENAGE RIOT, PITCHSHIFTER, ABORYM.

As for what's going on past that? Many releases including singles and remix EPs are being put together to support this new album.

You can see the newest videos already out on YouTube for "The Next Extreme" and "Epitaph" songs 1 and 10 from the disc.

I have recruited a live noisician TalixZen/PAINGUISH and bassist Frank CONTAMINATION. They are helping live performances get crazier than thought possible before.



2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it differs from previous releases?





I have been using the phrase "blackened industrial digital hardcore noise metal". Which is a mouthful, but the music spans many genres. Mostly rooted in extreme metal like black/grind, digital hardcore and industrial elements.

The material on this is a lot more thought out, structured, absolutely every second sounds the way it does for a reason. With those first two albums I was promoting Schizoid while kind of still learning my craft. The last album "All Things Are Connected" I thought was great and untoppable for years, tho I knew the mission was not complete and that SCHIZOID would have to undergo a darker transformation.

I always liked digital hardcore music but thought it should be less DJ-culture/boring/inert and more like rock music or specifically black metal. I was in a black metal band for 8 years and picked up some guitar proficiency of sorts, which showed somewhat on my inbetween "covers album" release "Covered In Metal", but is fully realized here.

"Enough Is Enough" I think at its heart was a speedcore album, very gabber-centric, tho containing the vocals and some guitar parts. "All Things Are Connected" was a tried and true 100% digital hardcore album in every way, with a lot of menace and jagged parts. "The Next Extreme" is kind of the resolve to the earlier discs, and definitely where I wanted to go with the project. It is the same SCHIZOID, but so much more focused and chaotic in a very channeled and proficient this way, this time around.



3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?





A lot of the lyrics are about my cynical impression of this culture and how poisonous and diseased it is. It's a take on so called "Extremes" like "Extreme Housing" and "Extreme Painting". It's about the worse hellish thoughts you could possibly think of. Like nuclear bombs going off exponentially tearing the earth apart. There is a lot of absurd and very over analytical frustration, apathy, desperation and impatience in these lyrics. With the last album I was intent on while making criticisms to support it with an ultimately positive viewpoint. This new lyrics is negativity taken to the furthest and most draining plateaus (it's more similar to "Enough Is Enough"s introspective lyrics), nothing is sacred, everything is at fault. Even myself, and the idea of trying to write and finish and album, and how ridiculous it all was, started to creep into the lyrics. It's a tantrum, not everyone likes that and wants a feelgood rock on type vibe, but I cannot nor will I provide that kind of music for myself or my audience.





4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?





I was reading the book "Love and Will" and it talked about the 'schizoid'/schizotypical personality. Some of the characteristics I identified with then and still to this day. I felt perhaps? that explained many past difficulties. It seemed like a neat handle name, although I want to remain ever aware of any self fulfilling fallacy I may walk into personally, under that moniker. I was more opting to make music myself and not so much involve others when it came to this particular project and it seemed very individualized and the perfect name for my own solo project. It was a very big personal accomplishment to me, to perform all elements of the album except the backup vocals, especially as someone who used to be more of a tit when it came to guitars. I still feel the name has meaning to me and will always be Jay Schizoid at this point regardless of SCHIZOID's future.





5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?  


I think the most recent gig was honestly the best gig as the 3-piece. It was with local bands like VODNIK and 4WARDENS, all the same I believe its the type of set that will springboard us onto good bills. I've played SCHIZOID live in the past alongside a bunch of great acts, like MERZBOW, FAXED HEAD, BELLADONNAKILLZ (RIP), NO BRIGADE, THE FIRST SEED, C64, NWODTLEM, a lot of classic shows that have went down. Besides that I think my 2nd gig as SCHIZOID back in 2001 where me and a live guitarist Miq NOCORE opened for EC8OR, was a personal favorite.

As for stage performance, I try to treat every SCHIZOID gig like it's some audience's first. I like to play hard and scream as loud as my body and experience will let me. I don't get up there pretending I'm anybody special, and joke when the moment's right. But when the music's played it's angry and intense. I think about dying and the most negative possible things to keep me on my toes and in the right frame of mind, and the less instrumentation I work with the more I can as moreso a vocalist in the past, fiddling and moshing with the mic stand and mic cord and end up rolling around like a epileptic victim.



6. Do you have any touring plans for the new release?





I really hope so. I've played many Ontario, Canada towns but nothing outside of the province since our country is so huge and there was never any even breaking even tour opportunities that came up. I'd particularly like to play the UK, I know that not only SCHIZOID but D-TRASH Records has got a lot of positive feedback and supporters there, sometimes it feels like moreso than in our own country. Even just a 2 week day after day after day after day tour getting the musick out there is high up on my list of priorities relating to "The Next Extreme" era of things.





7. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your new album by fans of extreme music?





It's still too early to tell necessarily. On my www.schizoid.ca webpage I kept a list of quotes by friends, comrades and associates about the disc, that all seem to be rather good opinions of the disc. But that's people I know. I want to get a host of bad reviews as much as I'd like to see good press for the sake of the disc and its visibility and hopefully sales, since this is a DIY thing and not something corporate. We'll see. I think so far people like what they hear. Check out the disc at schizoid.bandcamp.com and see what you think.



8. The new album came out on D-Trash Records, can you tell us more about this label?





I run the record label D-TRASH Records. It is very cyberpunk/digital hardcore/industrial/noise/experimental style. It is basically electronic music that metalheads could appreciate to put it well to your audience. Well not every release. But I think that differentiates us from other 'electronic producers'. We are not out to make lame music to dance to. We've learned enough from the metal back catalogue to know how to take that and toughen it up a bit more, yknow? Quick story, I submitted my material to the label in 1998. I helped and it was a very collective-based. Around 2000 the others got tired of "running a label" and I volunteered and have run every since. The label has had many prominent releases from artists such as SCHIZOID, ACID ENEMA, THE SHIZIT, 64REVOLT, CUTTINGPINKWITHKNIVES, PUNISH YOURSELF, tho how "prominent" they are could be questioned. We are a fringe/cult label who cater to a pretty particular style, with every intention of as we go along, changing that envelope so we don't miss out on some real unique and interested artists. We sell CDs in a retail sense, and we also give out full length MP3 albums with full color art and have been doing so since our inception (Why is band's one song for download such a big deal? When others give the entire disc.). You can check out more at www.dtrashrecords.com.



9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?





I don't really have an idea because I've spent so long trying to fulfill this musical promise to myself in completing, releasing and promoting this album. The music I produce usually always is pretty aggressive or at the very least unique. To be honest I feel a lot more at home with my BC Rich Beast guitar than I have lately mucking about on old but classic Acid 2.0 software for remix completion. There's plans a'foot that I can't discuss now related to that.



10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

On this album black metal played a big role in how I wanted to incorporate more guitars into the digital hardcore sound. For a lot of years that I composed this I was obsessed with LEVIATHAN, XASTHUR, DARKTHRONE, MAYHEM, BURZUM, BLUT AUS NORD, NIVEN DIV 187.

What kicked me into making SCHIZOID was of course the Digital Hardcore movement, whether bands straight from DHR (ATARI TEENAGE RIOT, ALEC EMPIRE, EC8OR) or the bands that I ended up signing onto D-TRASH Records who continue to inspire me.

Before that I had also always liked the mechanized industrial grinding metal of the 1990s from RELAPSE and EARACHE (MALFORMED EARTHBORN, CANDIRU, DEAD WORLD, EXIT 13), or any of the underground hardcore Rotterdam tapes that I did not know too much about but loved any that I heard. As well I think hats off should be given more in retrospect to the 1990s Toronto industrial metal scene like MONSTER VOODOO MACHINE, MALHAVOC, MUNDANE, SOULSTORM, not enough people give those bands props for what they did.

Lately? A pretty steady diet of GUNS N ROSES and AGNOSTIC FRONT. And whatever's been recently released on D-TRASH, stuff like CHIC GALA, FFT ERROR, HYPERDRIVER, THE FIRST SEED.





11. How would you describe your views on Satanism and Occultism?





My views on Satanism are that it is the most practical of the religions out there. I believe that anyone who has read the Satanic Bible and truly understands it would not even call themselves Satanists per say. I'd call myself an antitheist. It's not about whether "gods" exist or not and the lengthy tired debates as such, it's about how that conversation is irrelevant in the first place. As for Occultism, I mean it's got its place in the heavy metal folklore and album covers and other cool stuff that Bill and Ted would air guitar or what not to, otherwise I think it's kind of just as flakey as any other supernatural belief. That's been one common theme in the SCHIZOID canon, is the abject despisal of all religous thought and activity... just despicable and unacceptable for man's progress.





12. Outside of music what are some of your interests?





I like long walks on the park. Making love in the sand. Bicycling!

Nah man, I don't have any interests outside of music except things that are sinful in nature. And music is a kind of sin in it'self, no?





13. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?





I think if you are still reading this, you are at least mildly interested. Here is the debut single from the first track of the new CD, the title track "The Next Extreme". This is the music video (very NSFW) and should demonstrate what SCHIZOID sounds like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz_TFP4oSuU

There is another video recently that hit, "Epitaph", more DIY look, but very grim and eerie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQyuFLTEvKM





Your review for your site you wrote was positive and it appeared you like the disc. Thank you, I'm happy that you dug it and glad to have done this interview.

If anyone wants to check SCHIZOID further, go to www.schizoid.ca online to find out about the new CD and other goings-ons.

Cheers.

https://schizoid.bandcamp.com/

Disolvo Animus Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?


Sanctus: Firstly, I’d like to thank you on behalf of the band for this interview. We are a blackened

death metal band, hailing from Athens, Greece. Disolvo Animus was formed in 2006 by Animus,

started as a project for demo releases. Then, new members came in and after a promo release,

and an ep, we’re counting 2012, new members, new ideas, new material. Our first album

“Aphesis” will be released via Darknagar records (Ru) in July.


2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it differs from the

older material?

Sanctus: Our new album was an effort to overtake ourselves. It is a mix of death metal riffs,

black metal atmospheres and some- few- symphonic parts. It could be described as a

warmongering extreme-melodic album. Lyrically, it is based on a concept of a man facing

society, his family and science in his effort to fight religion and the Christian term of Absolution

or “Aphesis” in Ancient Greek. It is sacrilegious, even a blasphemy, but not in the usual way. No

lyrics such as “Fuck god” will be found within the songs. It is deeper than that. On the other

hand, our ep “Aleatoric Morte” was a less death metal album, more of a symphonic black metal

vision, but of course it is a respected by the band first step towards Aphesis and the things to

follow our first album.


3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

Sanctus: I must tell you, that reading many and all kinds of books is one of my basic interests.

After years of reading, I’ve come to a specific taste in books, mainly those dealing with ethics,

religion and developmental biology. So, all of these general topics have been summed up to this

title “Aphesis”. Of course, whatever has been written and sung for this album, is in pace with

the opinions of all the band members. For sure, there are many different aspects of a topic like

this – Absolution-, you cannot deal with and analyze such a thing within an album. But our

general view on society, science and religion is clearly mirrored within these 8 songs. Future

releases will be quite different, more esoteric, and probably vaguer.


4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the band’s name?

Sanctus: DISOLVO ANIMUS could be explained as “Souls under decomposition/destruction”. It

was conceived by Animus (guitars) in 2006. It might sound as common or anything but it is

clearly connected to the science-religion combination of our concept as a band throughout the

years. A man’s soul, and mind decompose once thinking processes are suppressed. The

enhancement of life and thinking as a vital process of the first, lead to the upheaval and

coronation of the new man. The thinking man. So, the decomposing souls, minds, are the

enemy. Our name is our own enemy. Our music is the declaration of war against the dissolving

minds.


5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you

describe your stage performance?

Sanctus: We haven’t played many times yet. And this is due to the fact that we’ve been under

many “come and go”s with members leaving the band at times, and some of them living in

different places among Greece. So this makes it hard for a band to improvise, and perform on

stage. These problems have come to an end, at least for the time speaking, and new shows will

come up. As for the description, I’d say that we are trying to transfer the atmosphere of our

songs on stage as much as we can. The only difference is that we do not use symphonic parts in

our live appearances, which enhances the death metal character of our songs and it is a deal

with ourselves to show to the people listening to us that our music isn’t about the keys and the

symphonies, but it’s all about the riffs. We compose metal music, on a guitar. The rest is just for

the atmosphere. Nothing more.


6. Do you have any touring plans for the new release?

Sanctus: There are some plans but not that long-term. We have booked a live appearance with

Necrophobic in Athens, and we’re into conversations with an old Greek horde for some live

shows around Greece. We’re taking it one step at a time, not rushing into anything.


7. Currently you are signed to Darknagar, how did you get in contact with this label and how

would you describe the support that they have given you so far?

Sanctus: Darknagar is an offspring label; we came into contact in March. The owner seems to be

really professional- as much as the size of the label could support-, into our music and into

extreme metal music in general. We’re waiting for the release in July. We hope that this

cooperation is gonna turn out well. The support from Darknagar’s side seems great.


8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death and black

metal?

Sanctus: If a band was to release an album a decade ago, this question would have been

answered as “few to zero”. Times have changed, YouTube seems to take over the music

business and mp3 downloading ruins the plans of big record labels. So, living and producing

music in times like this, provides you with the chance of having people all around knowing you, I

mean not everyone, a few perhaps , but some of them would have never found out about your

music if u are not as big as Behemoth, Hate etc. Internet makes things easier, and there are

people from countries such as the US, Russia, Australia, Canada, Venezuela and many more,

awaiting for our first album. There have also been some encouraging comments by people of

the scene, members of “big” names about our music, which provides us with extra energy to go

on and begin our career. So our feedback at the time speaking, is good. But, live shows, good

albums, years of effort, are the things that transform a group of people into a respected band



(not the internet) so we still have a huge way to travel.

9. Are there any other projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?

Sanctus: All of our members are into many things at the same time, but DISOLVO ANIMUS is the

top priority for every single member. So, yes, this is a full time line up.


10. What direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?

Sanctus: Our music? If so, I’d say that we’re willing to experiment with elements not that

common within the genre. We’re also planning on exploring new and more extreme fields, more

underground, and much darker than before. Our band keeps evolving all of these years, you

only need to take a look and compare the ep to the first album. Many differences, yet it’s the

same band playing, you can recognize that. We know that our music isn’t a “Eureka” statement

for death metal, but there are plenty of things that good be recruited for new and uncommon

directions.


11. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are

you listening to nowadays?

Sanctus: We are all big fans of the Polish scene- bands like Behemoth and Vader could be

considered as a substantial inspiration. We’re also listening to Nile, Decapitated, Suffocation,

Dodheimgard, Mayhem, Svart Crown, Deathspell Omega and many other acts away from the

black/death scene, such as Isis, Mastodon, Neurosis etc.


12. How would you describe your views on Occultism?

Sanctus: We’re not into Occultism. We’re not into any other forms of religion. We’re free human

spirits, inspired by nature and society. We’re the sons of an age where religion has been left to

rot and science and human effort have taken ground. Occultism seems to gain ground among

the extreme metal bands lately, but I seriously doubt how many of these groups really believe in

what they claim to exist. I could not deny though, that occultism is quite charming, and sets

questions on ethics and existence in a way not that common to a typical Christian society. But,

interesting views could be found in all occult teachings of every single religion that exists on

earth. I respect very few bands which are obviously related to the occult and these bands are

Acherontas, Acrimonious and Nightbringer.


13. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Sanctus: Many different things actually. Personally, I’ m into blogging, reading books, university,

martial arts, and many other things. Same ’s for the rest of the members. But we’re all breathing

the air of music. We wake up and sleep to our favorite albums. We spent a lot of time listening

to music..


14. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

Sanctus: As I said, we are a part of the Greek scene. There are many great bands here (black

metal, death metal, thrash etc), of high potential, and I’d like to see the scene growing and

becoming crucial for world’s metal changes some time. There are many great musicians over

here, and I think that in the following years a lot of Greek bands will do great things. Keep an

eye on this part of the world. Great things might occur. Thanks a lot for this interview. All ha

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Schizoid/The Next Extreme/D-Trash Records/2012 CD Review

 Schizoid  are  a  1  man  band  from  Ontario,  Canada  that plays  black  metal  mixed  in  with  some  influences  from  grindcore,  industrial,  and  digital  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their    2012  album  "The  New  Extreme"  which  was  released  by  D-Trash  Records.

  Drum  programming  ranges  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  beats  with  some  programmed  blast  beats  which  also  mix  in  the  industrial,   gabber  and  digital  hardcore  influences,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  tone  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording,  as  for  the  sound  effects  they  bring  in  elements  of  techno, gabber,  and  digital  hardcore  to  the  music.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  black  metal  riffs  that  also  have  a  good  amount  of  grindcore  and  industrial  metal  influences  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  and  there  are  no  guitar  solos  or  leads  present  on  this  recording.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  a  good  amount  of  industrial  style  vocals  and  spoken  word  samples,  while  the  lyrics  cover  violent  and  hateful  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  and  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

   In  my  opinion  Schizoid  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  black  metal,  industrial,  grindcore,  and  digital  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  style,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Next  Extreme"  "Real  Evil"  "Life  Is  Struggle"  and  "Final  Descent".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

STREAMING LINK: http://schizoid.bandcamp.com
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz_TFP4oSuU
SCHIZOID WEB: http://www.schizoid.ca

Hell United Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

Nothing has changed -  I have a lot of free time, so I drink as much as I can and play on guitar of course. As a band we do our own like playing rehearsals, different promotional actions and first of all we’re preparing to the premiere of our latest album Aura Damage.

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it differs from previous releases?

I hate to describe my own music. This is the task for people who listen and feel metal music, like you, for example…Besides your review of Aura Damage was accurate I think. However, I heard from few friends I trust that our new sound is very heavy, raw, cumulative and fleshy so probably that’s the way it is.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new release?

It’s nothing new for us. We walking this path for over ten years and we will do the same for a few next. We are formed totally and aware of what we really are. It is simple. We don’t change ourselves or combine, for what? Nothing ever stops, everything starts again…

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

Hell United is what transmuted out of Eclypse. The name emphasizes the determination and new energy in making music, as well as the experience of the band members, who have not lost their identity. There’s no other inspiration except this one.

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?

We shared the stage with Yattering, Supreme Lord and with Behemoth many years ago and that was the most inspiring experience for me. Of course we played with the other bands through these years, but those shows were fucking awesome.

About stage performances: here, in Poland people are twisted and furious, so just think how the shows look like... We are just like people we play for. We’re Poles and we don’t give a fuck!

6. Do you have any touring plans for the new release?

Yes, we’re planning to play some gigs in early autumn and we work hard for another.

7. On a worldwide level how has your newer music been received by the fans of black and death metal that have heard it so far?

Fans and the press all over the world received our previous albums very well. I was surprised that people from such exotic places like Panama, Brazil, Singapore or Japan knows us. Moreover, all that happened before the era of internet. That was amazing.

8. Are there any other current side projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?

Hell United is regular band. There are no other side projects. I also play in Stillborn (www.stillborn.pl) which is regular band too. That’s all for now in this case.

9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

Direction is bloody good. Death metal is death metal. As far as we live, we’ll try to become only better.

But for now we are focused on Aura Damage.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

If you listen music for all your life you go back to its roots more and more often. So when we write music we hear old stuff - classic black, thrash, death, heavy albums.

11. How would you describe your views on Satanism and Occultism?

Are you kidding me? Do you really think I could answer this question?

12. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Job, job and once more fucking job. Besides of that: drinking, women, parties and other shit.

13. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

Remember: in article of pan-devouring death, ignorance is blessing.

Regards! Rzulty.

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Auroch/From Forgotten Worlds/2012 CD Review

  Auroch  are  a  band  from  Vancouver,  British  Columbia,  Canada  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  with  the  new  recording  they  go  more  for  a  blackened  death  metal  sound  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2012  album  "From  Forgotten  Worlds".

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  a  great  amount  of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  is  coming  out  of  the  guitars,  as  for  the  sound  effects  when  they  are  utilized  they  bring  a  very  dark  and  occult  sound  to  the  music.

  Rhythm  guitars  range from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  death  metal  riffs  that  utilize  a  good  amount  of black  metal  influences  as  well  as  some  technical  parts  and  dark  sounding  melodies  being  thrown  into  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  chaotic,  melodic  and  technical  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  mixed  in  with  some  high  pitched  black  metal  screams,  while  the  lyrics  cover  Lovecraft  and  Occult  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  recording  from  Auroch  which  shows  them  going  into  a  more  heavy  and  brutal  direction  and  if  you  where  a  fan  of  their  previous  efforts,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "From  Forgotten  Worlds"  "Talisman  For  Total  Temporal  Collapse"  and  "Bloodborne  Conspiracy".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

http://auroch1.bandcamp.com/album/from-forgotten-worlds

Swallow The Sun Interview

Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
>
--- Well the album came out in Europe on February and we been touring a
lot ever since. We got few summer festivals still to go and then we are of
to North America´n tour. Cant wait for that because our American fans have
always been totally supportive and every time theres loads of more of
them.
>
> How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it
> differs from previous recordings?
>
--- First time we used lots of acoustic guitar parts on our music, and
that might be the biggest difference when you compare this one to our
older albums. With every album we have been taking small steps towards all
the directions and making music even slower, faster, darker and having
more light also.

> What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with
> the
> new release?
>
--- I guess this album has a concept about letting some ghosts go from
your life, and also trying to forgive yourself before its too late.
>
> What is the meaning and inspiration behind the band's name?
>
--- Its about our winter time. When winter comes here it almost feel like
something would swallow the sun from the sky. You barely see sun in months
and up north it doesent even come up from horizon. Theres also Nordic
myths about something swallowing the sun from the sky when world is coming
to its end.

>
> What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how
> would you describe your stage performance?
>
>
--- I have great memories from the shows in New York, playing sold out gig
in legendary Astoria venue in London with Apocalyptica, also one of the
best gigs were in Tel Aviv and Tokyo while ago. Our band is not about
cheering people up on the gigs and sucking the audience, its all about
music and atmosphere what we stand for.

> On a worldwide level how the feedback been to your newer music by the
> metal
> fans that have heard it so far?
>
---- Its been great. Im happy that our fans are such a music lovers and
they understand that music doesent always have to be fast and have lots of
solos and lyrics about Vikings or dragons, haha. Our fans also understand
that we are not just doing our first album over again and they been
supporting the small changes with the time. It takes quite a lot to get
into this kind of music and I totally understand people who hate our band
too, its not for everyone for sure.
>
>
> What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
>
--- I see it going where it has been during the years, getting even deeper
into the darkenss and light. Its not so much about the style of music, its
much more about the feeling and atmopshere that counts.
>
> Outside of music what are some of your interests?
>
--- Dr. Pepper, tits and Formula 1, haha, how deep is that!!??

>
> Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
>
--- Its been cold, short and rainy summer here.. and soon we are heading
towards the winter again, in other words we are fucked! Well maybe in 9
months there will be some hope for a real summer.

Juha Raivio / gtr / Swallow the Sun

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Blackhammer Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?

We are a band based in Italy. Our project has started at the beginning of this year and we play under the pseudonyms of Xulur and Terror. We have already released an EP entitled 'daemon' and nowadays we are working together with Dob Incarnate Records to release our first full album.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?

Our musical sound, precisely the one we are going to introduce in our coming soon album 'Damned World', is inspired by bands such as Marduk and we would describe it as doom death metal, extreme and chaotic.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

Well, with our songs we explore the world of death, pain and sufference. One day man is going to meet his personal final judgement, he wont have secrets in front of it and will pay for all his sins. 'Agony', 'XIII', 'Fire Above Us' and 'Buried Under The Desert Sun' together with all the other songs of our upcoming album introduce this topics.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

We decided to call our band Blackhammer because the two words together have a strong and strange meaning. As we said before man is going to be punished one day and the black hammer will be the instrument used by the judge to decide the man's fate.

5. Has the band been able to play out live or is this strictly a studio project?

Nowadays Blackhammer is a studio project but of course future live performance wont be declined.

6. On a worldwide level how has your music been recieved by fans of dark and extreme metal?

Until now we have built a modest group of fans around us. They support us and we create our music for them and of course for all the metal fans around the world. We hope the release of 'Damned World' will help other fans of extreme metal discover us. This new album is our first big project and we think that fans of dark and extreme metal will like it and enjoy it. We'll see...

7. Are there any other musical projects besides this band or is this a view time line up?

This is the only one project or band we are concentrated at and now we are not thinking about other projects. We see only Blackhammer in our future, but you can never say because the future is always a mystery.

8. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

It is always difficult to speak and think about the future. Our future releases could be more technical but always concentrated on doom and dark scenarios. With our coming soon album we discovered a micsture of growl and sceam that is perfect to express our subjects and topics, and we are going to use it in our future releases to. So, our music wont slow down, it can only become more extreme and brutal.

9. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Behemoth is the band we admire, the source of our inspiration when we were working on our EP. But now we are more concentrated on a brutal and extreme kind of metal, so we added to Behemoth the sound of Marduk. Of course each band has his personal sound and also we, as Blackhammer, have been working from the beginning to find out our style. We think that with 'Damned World' we are on the good way.
Nowadays we are listening to, of course, our favorite bands Behemoth and Marduk and their whole past albums, but also to bands such as Slayer, Vader and Burzum.

10. Does Satanism or Occultism play any role in your music?

Satanism or Occultism has not played a role in our releases until know. We do not include this two aspects in the topics we introduce in our songs.

11. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Of course music is our interest number one because it give us the chance to express what we think and what we have inside. Other interests... Travelling and discovering other cultures, other ways of life, ancient and present traditions of other Countries.

12. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

This is our first interview... We want to thank you for the opportunity you gave us and for the fantastic review you did. A big thank you goes to all our fans and to all the metal fans that will discover our music in the next weeks.

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