Hails this is Jay reporting from Bogota Colombia
Today I’m lucky enough to be talking to Dagon from the mighty UK Black Metal legend, Heathen Deity
Dagon, thanks for taking some time from your busy schedule to talk with our readers…
Not a problem brother.. Thank you for the opportunity.
1- First question, is of course about the new album, Satan’s Kingdom, I believe it’s due in November…. The debut single, Fucking Worthless is fantastic, and, if the rest of the album is up to the same standard, it’s going to be a truly amazing release…
Tell us how long it took to record the album, when/where it was recorded, and who had an evil hand in writing the new tracks?
That is correct “Satan's Kingdom” will be out first on CD at the end of November, released by our brothers and sisters at “Cult Never Dies.”
That the recording process for this album was a lot shorter than our debut “True English Black Metal” is quite the understatement. When the actual writing started is hard to determine, as we never really stop writing.
As always, Azrael wrote the music at his home studio. He recorded a number of demo versions for me to write the lyrics with and also to make any arrangement and structural changes too, we have worked together for so long now we both know how we write and record so structurally the songs are usually exactly how I need them to be, but there can always be development as the songs grow and evolve.
Once we have fully written the music and lyrics, we pass on the finished demo songs to the rest of the band to learn their parts in readiness to record. All the guitars where recorded at Azrael’s home studio, all the vocals at my studio. The drums were recorded at “The Praesidium” by Julian Foster , and also mixed and mastered by Julian.
2 – Run us through the track list, from start to finish…
1. Hark! The Ravens Cry
2. Embrace the Essence of Satan – Ephesians 6:66
3. The Swine Lead the Swine
4. Satan’s Kingdom
5. Fucking Worthless
6. Chapel of Filth
7. The Son of Obscurity
8. For Thine is the Kingdom
9. Satanae Albion
10. Burning Angel Wings
Each song has its own twists and turns musically, some are blatant and some I think will really test the listener. Ill let you decide which one is which.
3 - How is this album different to the previous masterpiece, True English Black Metal?
I would say “Satan's Kingdom” is a natural progression to “TEBM” in many ways. Our song writing has developed, no doubt about that. We always try and push ourselves, not in the sense to deliberately out do the last release but when music has been such a big part of your life, you have to keep it interesting and challenging for yourself foremost.
4 - What is your personal favourite track on the album, and why?
I think one of the most, let's say, without wanting to sound too pretentious, future iconic songs on this album is “Fucking Worthless” It has a certain feeling to it, not so much light hearted by any means but to me it doesn’t feel as serious and intense, especially to perform live, it’s actually a really good song to play for an audience, we also made a music video for it with our brothers from Szum who filmed the whole thing over two very different and very exhausting days
5 - Satan’s Kingdom is being released on the legendary UK label, Kult Never Dies… tell our readers when and where they can get a copy….
As mentioned, “Satan's Kingdom” will be out on Cult Never Dies at the end of November on CD. Early next year the Vinyl and Cassette editions will be also released. The CD will be available via CNDs website, https://www.cultneverdies.com/ and available from the band in the live arena.
6 – This album is really the culmination of 25 years of heathenry, touring, writing, rehearsing… what do you see next??
More of the same, we are far from finished musically. Nothing is planned so far in regards to another album or anything, I have never been one to plan too far ahead in regard to music, it makes the whole thing too structured and almost forced. I have never seen the need for artists to release something every year, it doesn’t seem very natural to me. I mean, I know that bands that are maybe contracted to produce a release yearly, I couldn’t work like that.
7 – You’ve spent the last year well-deservedly celebrating 25 years as a band… which is a truly admirable milestone... with lots of gigs and some special edition releases… Why do you think HD has outlasted so many of your peers? What has kept you together for so long, and without losing the original direction and sound that you set out to follow and create?
Maybe we are just stubborn, we don't think about it well at least I don't, we aren't hung on a particular sound or song formula. There is no direction apart from our own path.
8- HD is a well-respected and renowned live band… Tell us about the gigs you’ve done over the last year or so.. and about the gigs you have coming later for 2024.. will you be touring to promote Satan’s Kingdom?? I’m sure many people would crawl over broken glass to see a HD international tour….
We have been lucky enough to be asked to open proceedings again for “Cosmic Void” festival in London this year, It’s one of the best festivals in England in my opinion and they always has amazing bands, massive names and genres, also acts that don’t usually perform live, so it’s a real mixed bag of music and emotions
We performed at the last “Darkness over Cumbria” festival in the deep woods of Fellfoot, This is an amazing platform for a black metal festival, literally being in a wood overlooking the majestic lake Windermere. This festival and location is very important to us and too the whole UK scene.
In October we made our debut in Scotland, performing in Edinburgh for the first time. We hope to return next year for sure.
As far as shows for next year we have nothing booked in so far, so Promoters get in touch!
9 – Deviating from the theme of the new album… You are old school, you’ve seen the scene grow, evolve, blossom and die and be reborn, 25 years is a long time… What is your opinion on the current scene in UK at the moment? You obviously get to share the stage and hear many bands there.. which ones stand out and why?
There are many bands coming and going, there always have been and there always will be, its not for me to say who stands out or not, it’s personal tastes so get out and see it for yourself, show your support.
Like you said, we are old school and I have spent many years building relationships with the so called old guard of the scene, I consider a good majority of them friends and brothers, because of this, for me´, it takes more than liking the music someone may make or perform. I need to have a bond with the person, I guess the prospect sounds a little unreasonable and borderline ludicrous, but music is a very powerful and personal thing. A band may be good on paper , right up my street so to speak, but if for some reason you have come across as a cunt, your music isn’t worth the time of day to me. I don’t make any apologies for my feelings.
10 – What has been the best and the worst experience as a band over the last 25 years?
I have no idea, I don’t tend to dwell on if an experience is bad or good, it’s all relative and they all help to develop you as a musician. I personally thrive on performing live, so when things don’t go as planned or rehearsed, that especially forms a very powerful memory, notably when the situation sparks a change in a song or a section that we end up incorporating into the live set.
11- If you could turn back time and change anything over the last 25 years, would you do it and what would you do differently?
Nothing. I don’t see the point.
12 – What advice would you give to youngsters and up and coming artists looking to emulate your success and follow in your footsteps?
Don’t try and emulate what we or anyone has done, forge your own path based on your own beliefs.
Make sure the reasons you have for creating music are true to yourself, and lastly don’t have any pre conceived make believe notions about touring the world with your band, keep your feet on the ground keep your goals grounded.
13 – is there anything you would like to add for our readers?
We hope to see you on the road in 2025, keep supporting the underground scene wherever you may be.
Don’t forget… Satan’s Kingdom will be available in November from Cult Never Dies in UK.. Heathen Deity https://heathendeity.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/heathendeityofficial https://www.instagram.com/heathen_deity/ Cult Never Dies https://www.cultneverdies.com/ https://www.facebook.com/CultNeverDies/ https://www.instagram.com/cultneverdies/
