1.Hello Holly please introduce yourself to the readers?
I am Holly Fox from the cold North of the Canadian Maritimes. The creator of Diabolus Templum and wielder of the darkness.
2.When did you first start listening to metal music and who were the first bands and artists you heard? Who are some of the current bands that you are listening to?
I was raised in an Xi'an cult and wasn't allowed to listen to any music but gospel for most of my childhood so I was late in the realm of metal but delved hard into it when I was 13 through friends in Jr High. Back then most of us didn't have the internet so we relied on finding music through recording mixed tapes from the local college station CHSR in Fredericton on a show called "The Crazy Train" which was a great source for finding stuff that wasn't your basic metal like Metallica ect. from the local record stores that only had popular music. I started out with hair metal like Motley Crue and Dokken and thrash like Sacrifi ce and Sepultura but discovered death metal when I was 15 and that changed my life entirely. I moved to Moncton and my friend Bobby introduced me to a band called Gorguts...from there I discoveredCarcass ...Obituary...Entombed..Death.. ect from watching the Power Hour on Much MusicI still have some VHS tapes from recording that and later the Power 30....a half hour less. Booooo! It was later when I moved to Halifax in my 20s that I discovered black metal like Emperor through local band friends...which enriched my life even further. I was still primarily into Oldscool DM and Thrash for most of my life until my 30s when I started to slow down a bit and appreciate the slower but darker more beautiful aspects of Black Metal...that's about when I started Diabolus Templum. Current music I listen to are Blut Aus Nord...Leviathan...Coldworld...Evilfeast...Moon(Aus)...Evilnox...Moon and Azure Shadow ...and Wretch to name only afew that I religiously play on the daily
3.When did you first become interested in being a dj of a radio show?How did you choose Diabolus Templum as the name for your show?
I used to listen to a dark ambient show called "Nightscaping" and I really liked how the DJ put the show together and how it flowed...I didn't actually think of doing it until a guy from a site called Metal Monthly was looking for DJs so I decided to go for it and got it. I needed a name for the show and wanted it to pertain to a gathering of dark minds. Since I had already made a Satanic church in a game called Second Life that I titled Diabolus Templum..I decided to use that. It means the Devils Temple ..and everything sounds better in Latin so I translated it.
4.I believe you have been a dj for many years now what is it about doing a radio show that you enjoy so much?Would you have any advice to anyone reading this who might be thinking of starting their own show?
Yes...over a decade ago now. I do it obviously for my love of music and also to keep us up to date on current music...to help artists I enjoy get exposure...to help people not feel alone .. make connections and to spread beautiful darkness around the world.
My advice for anyone interested in being a DJ is only this"HAVE ZERO EXPECTATIONS"...there are times you might think there is nobody listening but even if one person is...you just might change their life by introducing them to their new fave band! It took me a decade to get the listeners I get now so don't just give up after a couple months. If you are playing obscure genres for the most part like I do...don't expect a huge following ever. The shows that play basic shit are the popular ones..so dont do it for popularity unless you play Ac/DC or other overhyped music. You also need to have basic computer knowledge...if you are like me and arent the best then join an already established station that has a station manager that is good at explaining how to use the program. Don't expect things to always go smoothly because often it will not. Sometimes it is beyond your control like the internet or a program error...other times we are only stupid humans and make mistakes. For instance when I was new to doing live shows on Brutal Existence Radio...I left the broadcast button on after my show and I didnt get cut off as I was the last show of the night...it was late and my computer was in the bedroom...my boyfriend at the time was a really loud snorer...so the people listening could hear that all night...which seems funny now but wasn't at the time. But yeah...these things happen. Dont ever expect it to be perfect unless you are working for a station with lots of money with people getting paid well. Again...expect to play basic popular music if you do that. Also just go with the flow and try not to be nervous...just pretend you are talking to a friend. If you do sound nervous it dont matter..most of us DJs are just music nerds anyways and sound a bit silly ;)
5.I believe the Diabolus Templum radio show is on Pure Rock radio station when did you first come in contact with this radio station?
I joined purerockradio.net almost a year ago when the slowing down in the world because of covid gave me time to look into a station to host DT again after a years hiatus. My friend Thomas from Evisceradio has a show on there so he snatched me up and put me in contact with Rich the station manager. It's a great station thats been around for a very long time ..like 20 yrs. I love the chatroom and the fact that my shows are podcasted on the site so you can check out shows you may have missed. Rich also introduced and taught me how to use a different broadcaster than I was used to that I find way easier than before.
6.What styles of metal do you support and play on your show? If there are any bands,Labels or PR.Companies interested in submitting music how can they get in contact with you?
Currently I mostly play Atmospheric Black Metal...Funeral Doom... D.S.B.M and Dungeon Synth. Anything really dark and moody that takes you from where you are and puts you into some dark fantasy land.
Anyone interested in submitting music that can do that.. contact me at diabolus_templum@live.com
7.What day and time does the show air for the readers who are interested in listening to it?
Sundays @ 7- 9 PM Mountain // 10PM- 12AM Atlantic // 1-3am GMT on purerockradio.net
8.Holly when you need to take a break from working on the shows what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I enjoy my dark ambient baths...creating art...yoga...spending time with my people and cat watching nature or true crime docs.. I like educational games and reading occult books...doing rituals....and learning all the things I can before I leave this life.
9.I believe you live in the great country of Canada what are your thoughts of the Canadian Metal scene over the years?
There has always been great metal here since the 90s. Bands like Gorguts..Sacrifice...Voivod...Annihilator...Cryptopsy and Kataklysm to name the popular ones who come from Quebec and Ontario because those provinces get the most exposure from being so huge and big bands touring there. Out here in the "actual East" of Canada in the Atlantic provinces we had lots of very talented metal bands like Terratomb...Burning Moon...Gorbage.. .Funeral Fog...Cephalectomy...Thy Flesh Consumed..Earth A.D....Gruesome Feast...Ignightor...Spinesplitter...Pagan Hellfire...Black Frost and of course Hellacaust!
I find progressive ...sludge doom and hair metal bands are getting popular here now but there are still some new black and death acts popping up but I am a bit out of the loop lately. As we all are since we haven't been to live shows in a year.
10.Who are your alll-time favorite bands coming out of Canada and are there any new bands you could recommend to the readers?
The Canadian bands that I haven't mentioned in my prior answer that I recommend are Versifist...Cottus...Root Cellar..Path..Ritual Warfare..Ancient Reign...Select and Dismember...Forteresse..Panzerfaust...Hexenklad...Wilt...Sombres Forêts...Neige et Noirceur..Gris..Erimha...Wormreign...Akitsa..Monarque...Sorcier des Glaces and Csejthe to name a few
.11.What have been some of the most memorable concerts that you have witnessed over the years?Who are some of your favorite bands and artists to watch live?
My first memorable show was Sacrifice when they came to Fredericton. I was the only chick there and I never saw a band I knew all the songs of before. They were great! Another time that stands out is the first time I saw Terratomb...they opened for the Misfits in like 2000 and stole the show here in Halifax! There are countless memorable shows I been to locally but I am already being very long winded here.
Another great show was in Slovenia for Metal Camp 08. I traveled there alone for the first time and had a week of amazing bands...it was the 1st time I saw Carcass...I was really hoping to see my other favorite band Negura Bunget for something called Castlefest in Serbia at that time but it was cancelled. Which brings me to seeing Negura 3 times here in the maritimes!!! Would have been at least one more time but our metal brother Negru died before his return. :(
I travelled to see Carcass again with the Hellacaust guys to Montreal..that was my first time in Quebec. Another great festival I go to every chance I get is Messe Des Morts in Montreal. I saw countless Canadian and European Black Metal acts I never thought I'd have the chance to see on this continent. Stuff like Taake...Lifelover...Horna...Tsjuder...Mortiis...Ancient..Gaahl's Wyrd....MGLA...sooo many great bands in the lineup every year. 2020 would have been the 10th MDM anniversary but of course covid happened.
12.Besides black metal do you listen to any other forms of underground music if yes what are some of your favorite genres?Who are some of your favorite bands and artists?
I really enjoy Funeral Doom like Frowning and of course Evoken ..and Dark Ambient such as Lustmord and of course the music I speak over on DT, Arcana. Some of my fave out of the DT aspect I listen to is Danzig ...Type O Negative...NIN ...Skinny Puppy...Alice In Chains..Soundgarden...The Tea Party...Portishead and 80s darkwave. I love dancing and singing to it. My fave 80s bands are of course Depeche Mode...Pet Shop Boys...Killing Joke( whom I only recently discovered) and INXS who were my first fave band at 10 yrs old when I was allowed to be a sinner lol. Some old punk music like The Ramones. I also like to listen to Bach while I'm painting and chill ambient radio...stuff like Boards of Canada and Deadmouse when Im cleaning my dungeon in DT. ;)
13.Besides the radio show I believe you have also worked with a couple of bands as a singer when did you first become interested in singing? Do you do anything special to keep your voice and throat healthy?
I probably started to be interested in singing when I heard The Bangles when I was 10. Walk like an Egyptiaaaaaaaan.
I sang and wrote the lyrics for a couple bands. In 2008 I started Inmortis with my friend Lisa..we have an album out called Human Extinction. That ended in 2012 then me and Jolene from Inmortis started Vakvnt...the ep is self titled. You can find both bands on Bandcamp now.
Hvile I Kaos's Black Morning/Winter Green album. He discovered me from DT as I play him often and he liked my voice so I did a spoken word outro for that album which is also on bandcamp. I am also on my fave DSBM project Happy Days singing a song titled "Hollow" that I wrote the lyrics for. The album isn't out yet but the song was released on youtube so you can check it out on there.
Honestly...beer is the only thing that helps me sing cuz it takes away my inhibitions. I just don't have much confident energy without it. I hope I do someday....so I can do it in a healthy way.
14.Who are some of your favorite vocalists?Besides singing do you currently play any musicial instruments?
My fave well known vocalists would be Gaahl ..Huppogrammos Disiple....Georg Börner ...Peter Steele...Dave Gahan and Beth Gibbons.
Besides singing I dabble in keys...electric guitar ..theremin and my beautiful harpsicle.
15.Thank you Holly for taking the time to fill this interview out do you have any final comments for the readers?
Yes...I'd like to take the time to mention a couple people that pertain to the bands and radio station related people we have recently lost.
John Bertram who was my first and most loyal listener who was murdered while he was at work. Fowler Doxey who was the founder of Brutal Existence Radio where I DJed the longest and made so many friends through and this week LG Petrov from Entombed whose influence was huge on so many of us.
Remember you are never ever alone ...And "Stay Fuckin Dark"....which is how Negru ended his messages to me and I incorporated into my DT outro many moons ago. Links for Holly's show and sites https://www.purerockradio.net/diabolustemplum https://www.facebook.com/DiabolusTemplumRadio https://www.facebook.com/groups/BlackAmbientDarkness https://www.facebook.com/hollyfox666 https://www.facebook.com/vakvnt https://vakvnt.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Inmortis https://inmortis.bandcamp.com/releases? Pure Rock Radio https://www.purerockradio.net/ https://www.facebook.com/purerocklive https://twitter.com/purerocklive
