Interview with Dead Soul Alliance done by Patrick posted on 8-19-19

Interview with Dead Soul Alliance  done by Patrick

1. Hello please introduce yourself to the readers?

-Hi, I am W.D. from Dead Soul Alliance

2. When did you first discover death metal and who were the first bands you listened to? Are their any current bands that have caught your attention lately?

- Having discovered crust & grindcore way back when and liking some of the crossover stuff and thrash already as well, this all took me into the heavier side of things and then I slowly got more introduced to

the more extreme forms of death metal & black metal of the 1990's era on. There are many bands world wide that have caught my attention so to name just a few in the more recent times, I would say Cruciamentum, Graceless & Massive Assault.

3. When did you first get the idea to start Dead Soul Alliance and are you satisfied with how things have gone over the years?

- The idea for it all began in 2010 and then things continued on from there. Things have been alright, there have been changes for the better since the beginning and refining what is best for the band for both audio and representation wise.

4. Who would you say are the bands biggest influences and for the readers who have not heard the bands music how would you best describe it?

- The old school death metal sound or styles of the later 1980's to early 1990's era is a big influence on its own and could be described as a description for the sound. However, the death metal bands from Florida like Brutality, Massacre & Obituary

certainly are an influence and on the other sides of things, the different Scandinavian bands like Dismember, Demigod, Adramelech, & Entombed are also an influences, plus, the British bands like older Carcass and Bolt Thrower too.

5. I believe Dead Soul Alliance is a two man band would you like to find more musicians to make the band a full lineup or do you prefer to work as a two piece?

- With trying to find members or people to take an interest in us in the past and having little or no interest in the Ottawa area or the right kind of "fit" for it, I personally got tired of waiting on people and decided to go ahead with writing and recording to get the music out there. I worked with some "guest members" or some session people as well before to help with things and it served its purpose at the time. So in truth, the two piece band thing in more recent times became a more productive entity and in accomplishing things.

6. If you had the opportunity to work with any musicians{past or present} who would you like to work with?

- Interesting question, I would gladly work with Dan Swano. I like the bands that he has been a part of past or present or recorded or produced over the years. He does great work and gets great results!

7. Slaves To The Apocalypse is the bands new EP. which will be released through Dawning Septic Prod. when did you first come in contact with this label?

- Yes it is but it was originally released by us independently on CD first in 2017. They contacted us in early 2019 about doing a tape version for this release and we thought it would be cool with all the tape nostalgia going on now.

8. How long did it take to write the music for the new release & do you both work on the music? How long would you say it takes to complete one song?

- Most of the music for this was already written by myself for the rhythm part of things in a few months time originally. With Shawn agreeing to handle the drums and work with me for the new songs, we began jamming together soon after

to get the songs down in preparation for the future recording. During this time, I wrote 2nd guitar lines & leads and the bass lines. Then the vocals with the lyrics after. So, I am guessing with the full jamming & writing part was done over six or so month's time before the actual recording took place.

9. Where do you draw inspiration for the lyrics and what are some topics written about on Slaves To The Apocalypse? Which usually comes first the music or the lyrics?

- The concepts of life, death, the universe and the questioning of all existence in relation to the truth is a big inspiration. Topic matters of the real "powers that be", power & control, lies & conspiracies, misanthropy, religion and other life forms are some of the topics. Both the music and lyrics are equally important to me but usually the music part is written first then the lyrics are applied after.

10. Besides the upcoming Slaves To The Apocalypse release are the bands previous releases still available for the readers to purchase? Besides physical releases does the band have any other merchandise currently available if yes what is available and where can the readers buy it?

- We do not have any more of our past CDs available or for sale ourselves but through the Dawning Septic store they have a few of our last remaining CDs left and for sale there. I think there is 1 copy left of Slaves to the Apocalypse on CD there and

a few more of the previous release Proud to Die. Otherwise, with our bandcamp site, it has the downloads available and of course the new tape version of Slaves to the Apocalypse. https://deadsoulalliance.bandcamp.com/

11. Dead Soul Alliance comes out of Canada's old school death metal scene what is your opinion of the scene in Canada over the years?

- Since Dead Soul Alliance originally began in 2010 in Ottawa, Canada, we are not really a part of the old school death scene here to be honest and are kind of on our own in the more modern times for the most part, especially with writing in this style  

now. With ourselves, not being "new" to old school death metal styles by any means and being veterans of past metal bands and being involved in the metal scene here since the early 1990's on, for us Dead Soul Alliance was something we wanted

to go back to with our roots and what got us into death metal in the first place. So, other than a few bands I can think of in the Ottawa/Gatineau region specifically, most of the bands from this area tend to be more on the brutal tech death side of things in what they are doing. With the rest of Canada from coast to coast there are pockets of various bands and styles through out that are certainly great! I guess it depends on your metal preferences or the type of metal bands you like but I think overall  that Canada has created a strong impression to the world over time that there is certainly a lot of talent here. There is more exposure for bands, for tours and venues now and with that, the interest for metal in general has grown and has spread out further than before. Some of my favourite bands to this day come out of the province of Quebec and I feel they have one of the best places in all of Canada for bands, venues and tours that go through there!

12. Who are your all-time favorite bands coming out of Canada and are their any new bands you could recommend to the readers?

- I am still a fan of older Cryptopsy and like Sacrifice & Razor a lot. Other bands I would recommend from Canada whether newer or older and in no particular order are: Outre- Tombe, Satanic, Hellborn, Cruel Fate, Hellacaust, Oath Div. 666,

Saccage, Reversed, Altered Dead, Atroce, Purgatoire, Survival Instinct...

13. Besides working in Dead Soul Alliance do either of you currently play with any other bands or solo projects?

- Shawn is also the drummer in Deamon and currently I am a part of another project called Expunged. 

14. When you need to take a break from working on new music or band business what do you like to do in your free time?

- I like seeing live bands, movies, reading, collecting comics, collecting or buying music, getting out in nature or travel at times & having beers with a few of hellraisers I know, lol!

15. Thank you for taking the time to fill this interview out do you have any final comments for the readers?

- No problem and thank you for this interview Patrick! For the readers, please check out our music if you haven't already! Support bands and their music, go to shows, believe in yourself, think for yourself

and trust in what you know to be real, honest and true and not what you are dictated through news, media gossip or history as we live in a world of lies and illusions who are conducting your fate!

Band Contacts
https://www.facebook.com/DeadSoulAlliance/
https://deadsoulalliance.bandcamp.com/
Label Contacts
http://dawningseptic.storenvy.com/?fbclid=IwAR0g92t432FOaQ6-IyXyyCpAihs4rnfN6VqIbpSCh-jm0Vrub6Zr8f02Lzc
https://www.facebook.com/dawningsepticprod/
https://twitter.com/DawningSeptic

Interview with Devourment done by Patrick posted on 8-10-19

Interview with Brad Fincher drummer for Devourment done by Patrick

1.Hello Brad how are things going with you these days?Please introduce yourself to the readers?

Brad: Hi there! I'm Brad Fincher, drummer and co-founder of Devourment. Things are great!

2.When did you first start listening to death metal and who were the first bands that caught your attention?Who are some of the new bands that have caught your attention?
Brad: The first exposure to death metal or proto-death metal I had was Napalm Death's 'Harmony Corruption' and Sepultura 'Arise'. I was blown away by the intensity and heaviness. Then I got into proper death metal with Death 'Human', Morbid Angel and Deicide. From there I just kept trying to find the next heavier thing.

3.Brad you started Devourment back in 1995 what gave you the idea to start this band?Are you happy with how things have progressed over the years?
Brad: I got the idea to start Devourment from the fact I loved all these bands at the time but I never liked their full songs or albums. I wanted to take all the parts I liked from my favorite bands and use them to create a Frankenstein's Monster of what I wanted to hear that I felt no one else was doing. I couldn't be happier with how things have progressed, even if I wasn't involved in all of it. The DNA of Devourment was always there. I'm beyond hyped that I have the opportunity to come back and take the Devourment I created and the Devourment that was and evolve it all forward with the current lineup.

4.Who do you feel are the bands biggest influences and have they stayed the same over the years?
Brad: The influences have been the same from the beginning. Mainly because I think the bands and albums that inspired me have a timeless quality to the songwriting and they all pushed the form to such extremes that hold up even today. Maybe moreso. Suffocation, Dying Fetus, Internal Bleeding, Disgorged, Scattered Remants, Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Pyrexia, Mortician.

5.Obscene Majesty is Devourment's newest full length release how long did it take the band to write the music for the new release?How long would you say it takes to complete one song?
Brad: We took the better part of 4 years or so off and on to complete the album. Though Chris had some of these songs in a complete form years before that. It was a refining process as well and creating. I think if you ask any musician how long it takes to complete a song just depends on the song. Some come together in a couple of weeks. some take months. It took a little time for Chris and I to get in a room and start putting these songs together but we've really found our rhythm now and songs are coming much faster.

6.Besides the upcoming Obscene Majesty are the bands previous releases still available for the readers to purchase?Besides physical releases does the band have any other merchandise currently available for the readers to purchase if yes what is available and where can the readers buy it?
Yes the previous releases are still available. For all Obscene Majesty merch just go to
http://relapse.com/devourment-obscene-majesty/

7.What have been some of Devourment's most memorable shows and tours over the years?Who have been some of your favorite bands to share the stage with?
Brad: We haven't done a lot of touring per se, it's mostly been festivals over the past 5 years or so. But playing some shows in South America with Internal Bleeding was definitely a high point. Getting to share great times with our dearly departed brother, Bill Tolley, RIP. Other bands we have played with that we always love sharing stages with are Mortician, Dying Fetus, Cannibal Corpse, The Black Dahlia Murder, Deicide, Immolation. Really looking forward to our shows with Despised Icon in October.

8.Are their any shows or tours coming up in support of the new release?If yes where will the band be playing and who are some bands you will share the stage with?
Brad: No tours this year. A couple Texas dates with Despised Icon. I'm sure we'll be doing more touring in 2020.

9. Devourment comes out of Texas brutal death metal scene what is your opinion of the scene in Texas over the decades? Do you feel it has gotten stronger or stayed the same?
Brad: The TXDM scene is definitely a haven of some killer bands. I think like many scenes it has ups and downs.

10.Who are your all-time favorite bands coming out of Texas and are their any new ones you feel the readers should check out soon?
Brad: Honestly I haven't been to enough shows to say. I recall all the old school TXDM bands that had a big impact on me like Imprecation, Disencumbrance, Embodyment, Oblation, Truncator, Embalmed,Bael.

11.When you need to take a break from working on new music or band business what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Brad: Video Games, movies. I'm a huge nerd.

12.Brad when did you first become interested in playing the drums and are you self taught or did you take lessons when first starting out?
Brad: I actually started by playing guitar in high school bands. I wanted to be Joe Satriani haha. Every time we'd have a band practice I'd wind up on the drums and I was usually better than the drummers we had to so I figured it was time to switch instruments. Then I started doing snare drum in high school band. So yeah I know all my rudiments and whatnot but most of my ability comes from playing in bands. I think hearing Sepultura 'Arise' is honestly the reason I thought drums were better or as good as guitar. That's what made me give up on trying to be a guitar hero.

13.Who would you say are your influences and favorite drummers?Do you currently play any other instruments or are their any instruments you would like to learn to play?
Brad: My top influences for death metal drumming are the same they always have been. #1 Dave Culross, #2 Flo Mounier. Now I'd add Nils Fjellstrom to that list. Beyond death metal I love Danny Carey, John Bonham, Dave Grohl, Will Hunt, Ray Luzier, Matt Cameron, Reed Mullin, Joey Jordison, Anup Sastry. Huge into powerful rock drummers lately.

14.Thank you Brad for taking the time to fill this interview out do you have any final comments for the readers?
Brad: Thank you! Stay siqq.


Brad Fincher

Band Contacts
https://devourment.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/DevourmentOfficial
https://twitter.com/DevourmentBand

Interview with Morbus Grave done by Patrick posted on 8-5-19

Interview with Morbus Grave done by Patrick

1,Hello how are things going in Italy these days?Please introduce yourself to the readers?
Hello Patrick, thank you for the interview, over here everything is going well.
We began with me (Erman) on vocals, A.th on guitars and C.z on drums.
Both C.z and A.th left to follow other projects, before leaving we managed to make a couple of rehearsal tracks.
I later found two new members who joined me to record the first demo, "Throne of Disgust" released through Unholy Domain Recs, Pide on Drums and Maso on Guitars/Bass.
Eddy and Eros later joined the band and we made our first live performances.
Eros left shortly after and Eddy remained until the recording of "Awakening of the dead" and "Abomination".

2.When did you first start listening to death metal music and who were the first bands you discovered? Who are some of your current favorite bands?

I started listening to death metal back in '92 through tape trading, with bands like Obituary, Cannibal Corpse, Possessed, Slayer and Sepultura (Schizophrenia).
Since discovering death metal I've been following the underground scene, in this period I've been listening to Fetid, Undergang, Necrot, and more.

3.Morbus Grave was started in 2012 what gave you the idea to start this band? What is the current line up of the band?

The band was started with the idea to perform putrid music with an obscure and dark touch.
After a period in which the band was on standby, for roughly 1 year we've had a stable line-up which has recorded two new demos, "Awakening of the dead" and "Abomination":

Danny - Drums
Erman - Vocals
Maso - Bass
Johan - Guitars

4.For the readers who have never heard Morbus Grave how would you best describe the bands music?Who would you are the bands biggest influences?

Morbus Grave plays dirty, rotten and raw death metal.
We're very influenced by Lovecraftian concepts and old macabre horror films from the 70's.

5.Abomination is the bands third demo tape which will be released through Redefining Darkness Rec. when did you and the band come in contact with this label?

We got contacted by Redefining Darkness Rec. after posting the very first preview of the Awakening of the Dead tape. We were very surprised when Thomas wrote us, we really weren't expecting anything, especially such a short preview.After all the time spent in our rehearsal room, "Macabro Bunker", consuming lethal doses of alcohol and weed we could never imagine having such impact.

6.Does the whole band work on the music writing process or does one member write everything? How long does it usually take the band to complete one song?

Usually Johan writes the riffs, with the help of Maso and all the ideas are then completed by the entire band. I handle all the lyrics and "bestemmie".
Regarding the time, it varies a lot, some songs come out naturally while others take more time.

7.Besides the Abomination demo are the bands previous releases still available to purchase? Besides demo's does the band have any other merchandise currently available if yes what is available and where can the readers purchase it?

"Awakening of the Dead" might still be available through some smaller underground distros and labels.
We'll announce some new merch shortly which will be available through the band itself.

8.Does Morbus Grave play live very often or do you prefer working in the studio?What have been some of the bands most memorable shows over the years and who are some bands you have shared the stage with?

During this period we've done two gigs to break in the new line-up, supporting acts like Solothus and our brothers in Necromutilator.
Besides our very first live, probably the most intense show we've played was the one we did with Necromutilator back in March with the current line-up.

9.Are their any shows or tours planned in support of the new release? If yes where will the band be playing?

Well, we'll be ready to vomit and destroy our livers together with our friends in Sepolcro, this fall during our Italian tour.
Please bring some bitches and weed!

10.What does underground music mean to you?

Over the years things have changed a lot, when we got into death metal tape trading was still the thing.
While it's a lot easier to get discover and listen to most bands today, probably the spirit isn't the same as 20 years ago.
The movement was more sincere and only the truly passionate got into it.
This feeling is still there, however it's more limited, only some bands still have this attitude.

11.Morbus Grave comes out of the Italian death metal scene what is your opinion of the death metal scene in Italy?

There are a lot of good underground bands in Italy, but like I mentioned before we only follow those who have the same spirit and mentality as us.

12.Who are your all-time favorite Italian bands and are their any new bands you could recommend to the readers?

Mortuary Drape, Bulldozer, Schizo, Incinerator, Angel Death, Excidium, Upcoming Grave.
Regarding the new comers, Macabro Genocidio, Extirpation, Deathfucker, Necromutilator, Sepolcro, Black Oath, Sadomortuary, Thulsa Doom, Necro and Unctoris.

13.Besides bands are their any honest and reliable Italian labels or distro's you could recommend to the readers?

UNHOLY DOMAIN, DISMAL FATE, BUIO OMEGA/NUCLEAR ABOMINATIONS, IRON TYRANT and F.O.A.D.

14.When not working on new music or band business what do you like to do in your free time?

When not drunk, looking for bitches on the rue morgue.

15.Besides working in Morbus Grave do you or any of the members currently play in any other bands?

Maso also plays in Macabro Genocidio, Funest and Voids of Vomit.

16.Thank you for taking the time to fill this interview out do you have any final words for the readers?

Thanks for the interview and the endless support.
We really appreciate the space you've given us.

TWISTED DEATH METAL FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE.
CRUSH YOUR BONES AND EAT YOUR GUTS.
IN DARKNESS.

Band Contacts
https://morbusgrave1.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MorbusGrave
Label Contacts
http://www.redefiningdarkness.com/
https://redefiningdarknessrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/redefiningdarkness

Devourment--Obscene Majesty cd.lp {Relapse Records} posted on 8-2-19

Devourment--Obscene Majesty cd.lp {Relapse Records}
Texas based Devourment return after a six year hiatus with their brand new release.Obscene Majesty contains ten songs of brutal,intense slam death metal that is played with a lot of skill and well written music.The guitars are played with a lot of extremely fast and chaotic guitar patterns.The guitars for the most part are done with fast riffs the guitarist does create and execute some well played guitar passages even adding in some well performed solo's.The drums are done with violent blasting drum patterns that fit Devourment's music perfectly.The drums are not all blast beats as their are some great drum patterns that do slow to a more calm mid paced range before going back to the blast beats.The vocals are low.guttural death metal growls that fit the band perfectly.If you are a Devourment past releases then do not let Obscene Majesty pass you by.

                                                                  Band  Contacts
                                                                https://devourment.bandcamp.com/
                                                                https://www.facebook.com/DevourmentOfficial
                                                                https://twitter.com/DevourmentBand
                                                                  Label Contacts
                                                               http://www.relapse.com/
                                                             https://relapserecords.bandcamp.com/
                                                            https://www.facebook.com/RelapseRecords
                                                          https://twitter.com/relapserecords

Interview with Formicarius done by Patrick posted on 7-24-19

Interview with Formicarius done by Patrick

1.Hails please introduce yourself to the readers?
[Nazarkardeh – Guitars] Hails! We are Formicarius and we play Black Metal. Our sophomore record Rending The Veil of Flesh is being released on Friday 13th of September 2019 through Schwarzdorn Production. We are from the United Kingdom, but please don't hold that unfortunate detail against us.

 2.When did you first start listening to black metal and who were the first bands you listened to?Who are some of the current bands that has caught your attention?
Honestly? Black Metal is something that I think I truly discovered slightly later than my bandmates. Until early adulthood my interests mainly lay in Death Metal and traditional Heavy Metal. When I was listening to Black Metal it was the less orthodox bands that grabbed me, such as Windir, Anorexia Nervosa, Rotting Christ and later Bathory. It was through those bands I started to appreciate the old guard of Black Metal. I guess I've regressed over the years – I'm not very up to date with with much modern Black Metal outside of the UK, but the modern bands in metal that I'm following at the moment include Blood Incantation, Tomb Mold, Enforcer and Vltimas.

3.When did you first get the idea to start the band Formicarius? What is the current line up of the band?
The creative core of Formicarius have played together as a band since we were teenagers. I won't bore your readers with all the shambolic details of young musicians cutting their teeth over the years, but fast forward to 2014 and we decided to put our previous project to rest, and start something new putting everything we learned to good use. One crucial lesson was the old trope of suffering for your art – we didn't announce the existence of Formicarius for another year and our debut album Black Mass Ritual wasn't released until 2017. Why? Because half assed music is a waste of time. In the year of our Lord 2019, people are neck deep in bands, albums, school shootings, demos, singles, climate change  apocalypse, EPs, playlists, reptilian conspiracy theories, gigs, festivals, and whatever else. Why the hell should one expect people to listen to their music in amongst all that mayhem unless it's done to the best of one's efforts? Our lineup on Rending The Veil of Flesh is Lord Saunders [Vocals, Guitars] yours truly [Guitars], Morath [Keyboards] and Hægtesse [Bass]. Behind the kit on this album is Kevin Paradis, who you might know from the other bands he's played with such as Benighted, Melechesh and Svart Crown. We also have an equally skilled full time drummer who has recently joined us, however his identity will remain a mystery for a little while longer. Two other guests on the album are Nico Millar of the UK black metal band Aklash and Sakis Tolis of Rotting Christ fame, who both appear on the track Early Shall I Seek Thee. Rotting Christ have been a major influence on me for many years, so having Sakis on our album is a serious honour.

4.Who would you say are the bands biggest influences and for the readers who have never heard the band's music how would you best describe it?
 The term which we have often used for Formicarius is English Black Metal. The reason we use that term rather than one of the many millions of paragraph-long subgenre names is that British Black Metal has always had a certain feel... One that isn't defined as clearly as subgenre but that can be heard in the tone of the music – a cynical kind of self awareness that isn't just limited to black metal but extends much of our national art. I think you can detect it in the Gothic authors of the 19th century all the way to bands like Cradle of Filth, Hecate Enthroned, Akercocke and Paradise Lost. We aren't patriotic people, but we are proud to have that musical DNA in Formicarius. That, to me, is why English Black Metal reflects who we are better than any of those buzzwords.

5.Rending The Veil Of Flesh is the bands second full length which will be released in September.How long did it take the band to write the music for the new release?
Hard to say really – The skeletons of some of these songs have existed for quite some time. The main riff to Within The Depths for example has existed for nearly a decade but couldn't quite find a home for it until the writing process for this album! I try never to throw away riffs and ideas anymore – that one idea that didn't quite work for one track might be perfect for something a few years down the line. We actually received the final masters of the album nearly a year ago! Since then it's been preparations for release, finalising artwork, deciding on release formats, videos, promotion and all the other BTS stuff that comes with releasing a record. It can be very frustrating, but as I said earlier, releasing something half-complete and not fully realised is a waste of time, and so the waiting has been worth it for us to be bringing out an album that is 100% what we wanted to release.

6.Who usually handles writing the lyrics for the music and what are some topics written about on the new release?Which usually comes first the music or the lyrics?
 So far in Formicarius the music has always come first. Usually myself, Lord Saunders or Morath will bring an idea forward and we will then begin working on it together until we're happy with it. The lyrics are handled by Lord Saunders, Morath or Hægtesse, so perhaps I'm no great authority. But here in the UK we don't listen to experts anymore so I'll talk about them anyway! A common topic in Formicarius is history – After all, the Formicarius was a medieval treatise which was one of the first European writings on Witchcraft. This album is no exception, with topics including Early Christianity in the declining Roman Empire (Early Will I Seek Thee) Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of medieval Europe's most powerful women (Dieu Et Mon Droit) and everyone's favourite bloodthirsty Wallachian Voivode (O, Dread Impaler). History isn't the only topic, but in the meantime all I will say is that the Vojtech Doubek's masterful artwork for the album gives a few clues as to some of the other lyrical concepts therein...

7.Besides the upcoming release Rending The Veil Of Flesh is the debut release still available for the readers to buy?Besides the physical releases does the band have any other merchandise currently available if yes what is available and where can the readers purchase it?
 Our debut album Black Mass Ritual is available through our record label Schwarzdorn Production. Our merch is available on our BigCartel. https://formicariusband.bigcartel.com/ https://schwarzdornproduction.bandcamp.com/album/black-mass-ritualsd49cd

8.Does Formicarius play live very often or do you prefer working in the studio?What have been some of the bands most memorable shows so far?Who are some bands you have shared the stage with?
 I could never just be part of a studio project. As a musician playing live is hugely important, and the experience and adventures of touring have been some of my greatest life experiences. With Formicarius one unforgettable show was playing a festival in the North of England called the Black Tor Gathering. This show took place in a 17th Century Inn situated high above the hills of the Yorkshire Dales – 1,732 feet above sea level to be specific! Quite a peak to blast out some Black Metal. Among other great artists we have shared stages with Negura Bunget, Hecate Enthroned, A Forest of Stars and Hate.

9.Are their any tours or shows planned in support of the Rending The Veil Of Flesh release? If yes where will the band be playing and who are some bands you will share the stage with?
 Our announced shows in support of Rending The Veil of Flesh are as follows: September 8th - Dark Clouds Over Camden at @ The Lounge, London w/ Hecate Enthroned September 14th - The Junction, Plymouth w/ Hecate Enthroned October 19th - The Fenton, Leeds w/ Aklash January 25th - Warhorns Winterfest, Rotherham Of course we have no intention of stopping there! We will take this album wherever we can, the priority being as much of Europe as possible.

10.What does Black Metal mean to you?
Black Metal is music. That's it. I don't agree with any of the philosophical pontificating or cringeworthy essays that some artists feel the need to subject us to lately. We do what we do and we make what we make on our own terms. If we don't fit some basement dwelling dork's 666 page manifesto on Black Metal as a vessel for raw Luciferian darkness, then thats fine with me - they can keep wanking themselves silly over Varg Vikernes vlogs and their deluded sense of superiority.

 11. Formicarius comes out of England's black metal scene what is your opinion of the black metal scene in England?
If any readers aren't familiar with the UK Black Metal scene beyond the obvious big names like Cradle – Then do yourself a favour and go discover it! We might not have the kind of societal support for the arts that our Scandinavian cousins do, which makes it harder for us trapped on this miserable island to break through internationally, but there are bands in the UK that deserve as much attention as the Swedes and Norwegians get!

12.Who are your all-time favorite bands coming out of England and are their any new bands you feel the readers should check out soon?
Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, obviously! If English civilisation gave nothing else to the world but those two bands, it would have all been worth it. And of course there is Black Sabbath, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Joy Division, Paradise Lost, Venom, Bolt Thrower, Godflesh, Napalm Death, Carcass, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Whitesnake and Queen! We've had a pretty good thing going on when it comes to music. I only hope that some very stupid decisions being made by our country right now don't make it harder for any of our great rising underground bands to get the recognition they truly deserve!More recently? Every one reading should check out Aklash, whose frontman Nico features on Rending The Veil of Flesh. For black metal there is also Necronautical, Trivax and Deadwood Lake, and for Death Metal the UK has Live Burial, Repulsive Vision and Cryptic Shift all delivering riffs by the truckload.

13.Besides playing in Formicarius do you or any of the members currently work with any other bands or solo projects? If yes please tell the readers a little about these?
 I play in the death metal band De Profundis, with whom I've been busy lately writing the follow up to last year's The Blinding Light of Faith. Morath also plays for the Black Metal band Domitorem, in which she's handled both keyboard and bass duties. As myself and Lord Saunders are both mad enough to do music as full-time careers, we are both involved in various ways in numerous other projects, both metal and otherwise.

 14.Thank you for taking the time to fill this interview out do you have any final words for the readers? Thank you to the readers of Winter Torment for making it this far through my ranting! Rending The Veil of Flesh will be released on Friday 13th September 2019 through Schwarzdorn Production – but in the meantime you can listen to the first song we have released from the album Early Will I Seek Thee, which features none other than Sakis Tolis of Rotting Christ!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeNOLWWL5N0
http://www.formicarius.co.uk/https://
www.facebook.com/formicariusband/

Interview with Crimson Moon done by Patrick posted on 7-21-19

Interview with Scorpios vocalist,music  of Crimson Moon  done by Patrick

 

1.Hails Scorpios how are you doing this week?Please introduce yourself to the readers?

It’s been a busy week getting my home studio (Oneironaut Studios) re-constructed after some renovations and upgrades I am looking forward to finishing and get back into a song writing process. I am the founding member of Crimson Moon, though I have covered all instruments in past recordings, my primary role is bass, vocals keyboards, songwriting, lyrics and some of the additional instruments that are occasionally added.

2. Scorpios you have been a part of the black metal scene since the early 90's were you a big reader of fanzines?If yes what were some of your favorite fanzines that you read?

Yes, I would read whatever I could get my hands on back in those days. It’s hard to recall most of the names of them, I remember Petrified Zine being one of the first few I had obtained.

3.Besides fanzines I know tape trading was big back in the 80's and 90's did you ever do much much tape trading?What were some of your favorite demo's and releases?

Yes, I did tons of tape trading back in the day. Again a little difficult to recall a lot of it, and when I relocated to Germany, I had to part ways with a lot of my collection. I enjoyed quite a few cassette compilations, one that comes to mind was Diabolical Netherworld which got me introduced to a lot of bands before they were really known. 

4.You formed Crimsoon Moon back in 1994 what gave you the idea to start this band?And how did you choose Crimson Moon as the name of the band?

I was getting tired of trying to work with the musicians I knew where I lived, and their lack of motivation. I obtained my first Tascam 4-track and quickly realized it was possible and much easier to do things on my own. So, I recorded the 1994 self-titled demo, barely knowing how to operate the Tascam, and started circulating the demo through mail/tape/trading/flyers etc. The name came about from a sort of reoccurring dream that I had, where the Moon had turned to Blood.

 

5.I believe you started the band as a one man band when did you decide to add more musicians to make a full band?

There wasn’t a full lineup until 2007 when the “Serpent Beneath the Skin” e.p. was recorded and supported by a small North American tour. The other members of this lineup were located in the US, at the time in the same state (Georgia) but shortly after everyone relocated to different areas of the U.S. so the line-up was short lived. I ended up recording all the instruments on the last album, Oneironaut and it was during the last stages of production in 2016 I was able to establish a much more viable line-up that we now perform live and recorded “Mors Omnia Vincit” with . I live in a remote location, outside of a small village, so it took some time to find the right people that are within a reasonable distance to operate as a band.

 

6.Mors Vincit Omnia is the bands newest release how long did it take you to write the music for the new release? How long does it usually take to complete one song?

I wrote the material relatively fast. Most of it within a couple of months and in total, I think about 3 months, but generally when I write, I tend to get about 75% of a song done all in the same session. It’s usually the final touches that can take longer. I ended up with a lot more material than we ended up using for the album, so it gave the luxury to listen to them and decide which material was the best to use in this particular release. Some songs were completed in one session, while others were not completed lyrically until it was time to record the vocals. 

7.Where do you draw inspiration for the lyrics and what are some topics you wrote about on the new release?Whic usually comes first the lyrics or the music?

The new album is about Death, so Death is where I got the inspiration. 90% of the time I come up with the lyrics after the music is written. Sometime I will start with a general concept of what the lyrics will cover, or a song title, but usually it is the other way around.

 

8.Besides the new release Mors Vincit Omnia are the bands previous releases still available for the readers to purchase?Besides physical releases does the bnand have any other merchandise currently available if yes what is available and where can the readers purchase it?

Yes, we have additional merchandise (shirts, amulets, etc) and some of the previous material available on our bandcamp page. We will be re-stocking some of the previous material that is out of stock in the near future, but most of those can also be found on other distros, save for some of the more limited releases that are sold out.

9.How do you feel Crimson Moon's music has evolved over the years? And who would you say the bands biggest influences?

The music has evolved in many ways, compared to old material that was very raw and a lot more minimalistic in structure. Production quality I feel each release has improved, our last album being the strongest to date. I would definitely say musicianship has improved for me personally and the current lineup compared to the older releases. As far influences, in the early years, it was a lot of the early 90’s black metal. At that time I pretty much listened to music 24/7. Nowadays, especially when I am trying to write music for Crimson Moon, I tend to listen to less music, and that pertains especially to any black metal that is relatively new. I listen to a fairly wide variety of music and try to find ideas that inspire original approaches to things, though I honestly find most of my inspiration now through spending time in nature, which I do a lot of.  

10. Does Crimson Moon play live very often or do you prefer working in the studio?What have been some of the bands most memorable shows over the years?Who are some bands you have shared the stage with?

We play mostly festivals over the last 3 years since we started becoming active for live performances again. We are not interested in playing as many shows as possible, as we prefer quality over quantity in that aspect. I personally prefer the studio aspect over the live performances. We get a lot of offers we turn down for live shows, especially these tour offers where you are expected to basically pay to play. As we have not agreed to any exclusive booking agent, it can make finding a lot of shows more difficult, so all we have done was usually the case where the promoter contacts us and can agree to our terms. I think I prefer it this way, some of these booking agencies really made going to festivals and shows less desirable as they tend to shove the same bands over and over at every festival that is happening. There also is a lot of aspects to getting shows I have little patience to deal with, so we have our conditions, which are fair and if they (promoters) are not willing to provide, then we simply say no. We are not interested to play shows for charity to support someone else’s agenda. We have played a lot of very good festivals over the last 3 years, so it’s hard to even remember all the bands we shared the stage with. 2017 we played for our first time in Finland at the Steel Chaos festival which was great, immaculate organization on all aspects and a very good lineup of bands. Some other festivals we played over the last couple years would be Sequane Fest (France) Under The Black Sun, Speyer War Mass,  Rock for Roots (Germany) etc. 

11.Are their any shows or tours planned in support of the new release if yes where will the band be playing?

We will be playing the Barther Open Air festival (Germany) next month which will be just a few weeks before the new album is out, and we have confirmed for De Mortem Et Diabolum festival in Berlin this December. That is all that is publicly confirmed at this point, and with a Summer release date of the new album, a lot of the festivals this year are already filled as far as the rosters/bands, unfortunately. I have only come across a few reviews of the new album at this point, but if they continue to be as good as what we have received so far, I think we will be securing more spots in the near future for live shows.  

 

12.I know the band draw influences from Occult and other dark arts when did you become interested in studying these subjects?

Since an early age, I was probably about 15 or so when I started getting heavily into it and reading all I could obtain, but even before that I had an interest in it, a lot of it just from the music I grew up listening to. 

13..Who are some occultists you like t like to study? 

Nowadays, there aren’t any really that I study or follow. I found it to become a much more personal path for me and I have learned more from that than I do from someone else’s theory or explanation/opinion towards it. The occult is much like black metal since the age of internet: over saturated with useless material that is just a re-hashed copy. I can learn more sitting at a river in solitude that I can with my nose in a book. 

 

14.What does black metal  mean to you?

… Satan.

All joking aside, to me Black metal is music that is based on dark aspects and has no room for a lot of the ridiculous new “rules” and political correctness I see being brought up left and right on social media. It’s basically a lifestyle I identify with for over half of my life. It has nothing to do with scenes, trends or politics. 

15.Thank you Scorpios  for taking the time to fill  this interview out do you have any final comments for the readers?

 

For those who have not caught it yet, we have a premiere available online to hear of a track titled “Godspeed, Angel of Death” from the new album, and a second premiere track will be available to hear streaming online on the 29^th of July. Preorders are now available for digipak/vinyl/special edition vinyl and shirts via Debemur Morti Productions and our bandcamp page, which you will find all relevant, links for below.

 

Bandcamp: https://crimsonmoonxeper.bandcamp.com/

Debemur Morti Prod. European shop: https://www.debemur-morti.com/en/365-crimson-moon-discography?fbclid=IwAR1PNYqfLSA1Cp1m5GNUudgqG6DWax9zjAI-L1sSRLxhw9UyW2BUuXRBK9c

Debemur Morti Prod North American shop:

https://debemurmorti.aisamerch.com/band/crimson-moon?fbclid=IwAR2fsDXgaoQmvNFcuqh7lHsTSZJWlP7S7ZfaPMLQ34uPpN8ZzFbjKg5iJ1k

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Crimsonmoonxeper/

Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crimson_xeper_moon/