Evoc.ation J. AcriQ1onious J. Binaash J. Zushakon Editor's Picks -· 6 records to kick oft the year witb! Issue 6 January 2013 Strictly not for sale

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se, Endless of Souls, Grave easily remains one of the nd longest running old school death metal acts

out of Sweden. The band tells us more about their history, and the album. Greetings Ronnie! The band released its lOth studio album, Endless Procession of Souls on 27th August. How has the reception for the album been so far and how are things going for the band?

Hello there friends. It's overwhelming to say the least. The response from the press has been amazing and the same goes for the reaction of the fans. We've played 3-5 new songs thru the tours we did now in Sept/Oct and they worked out so good live it's ridiculous, so we are very pleased ! The band is a stronger unit then we've been for years, at least since i joined in 2006, probably even before that. We're like 4 friends that travel around and play the music we love to play, couldn't be any better then that right.

the band, with the band releasing a boxed set, a compilation and a split between 2010's Burial Ground and Endless Procession of Souls. How long did the songwriting for Endless Procession of Souls took?

The actual songwriting didn't take more then say 3 weeks efficient time. We took some weeks off after the US headline tour we did in Sept 2011 and then we began to write.

Unlike the previous albums where vocals were done at other studios, Endless Procession of Souls saw the band doing the entire recording in the band's very own Soulless Studio. What was it that made the band decide to do so, and how has the experience and result been differ­ent compared to before?

The past 2 years have been really busy ones for

A t

This is the 2nd album we do everything our­selves in our own studio. The vocals for Burial Ground were also recorded in our studio ... I'm very satisfied about the final result of the album, i think it sounds almost exactly as we wanted it to sound .. . next time will be a 100%, hehehe ..

How did the decision to have your own record­ing studio start in the first place?

We all are very interested in the whole process of the actual recording and we got hold of some really good equipment for a cheap amount of money so we just went for it! It's much easier to do it on our own. There's no real time frame from day to day. Like if you record in another studio, the engineer might only wanna work for 8 hours/day ... Then you lose important time and with you own studio, that'll never happen!

Over the years, numerous bands have evolved their sound to feed the hunger of fans, yet Grave has managed to mostly stay true to its traditional roots, evident from the relentless Swedish death metal that is on Endless Proces­sion of Souls. Has staying to the roots been something that you stand for over the years, and what are your thoughts on bands evolving in style over the years?

With the albums Fiendish Regression and As Rapture Comes, Grave took a slightly other di­rection, and of course with the Hating Life album also, but that's another story. The Fiendish and Rapture they explored almost a more progres­sive and brutal side of death metal but i think that the guys felt that it was not for them. I mean, Grave's all about groove and strong well written songs, not about the fast blast beat kinda style ... So when i joined we took a step back towards the older sound again, that's where we should be!

Themes of gore, death and to a slight extent, anti religion have been rather constant throughout the career of Grave. In particular for Endless Procession of Souls, where did the band draw lyrical inspirations from?

From here and now I guess, I mean, there's really

Grave Endless Procession of Souls (2012) [Century Media Re­cords]

no deeper meaning behind the lyrics .. It's more of getting the words to fit the music.

On certain versions of the album, the band has included numerous covers as well, including tracks from Alice in Chains and Saint Vitus. While covering other extreme metal bands are not exactly unexpected, what was it that made the band decide to include up to 6 covers on the LP version of the album, and how did the band decide which bands and what songs to cover?

To cover another death metal band would be completely pointless in my opinion. The Voivod cover wasOla 's idea as they're one of his favou­rite bands. The same with Them Bones. Vermin by Asphyx is probably the only death metal song we've covered and that originally appeared on a compilation album that Century Media released where artists on Century Media covered other artists on Century Media .. We didn't decide that the covers would be on the LP, that's our labels idea but of course we have the final word about it and we thought it was a cool idea!

The band last played in Singapore back in 2008. Would fans in Southeast Asia and Singapore get another chance to catch the band here live again?

I sure hope so as those gigs were absolutely killer for us! Nothing's booked though ...

This year marks the band's 24th year of exis­tence, With the band's 25th anniversary in sight, will there be any special celebration?

I don't know. I mean, we already did the Into the Grave anniversary thingy with doing the whole album from start to finish althrough the festivals and US tour last year. We'll see what happens.&

Since com ng eir iatus in 2005, Swe has been rather hardworking, with Illusions of Grandeur being their fourth full

length release since then. We talk to vocalist Tjompe.

Greetings Tjompe! Thank you for giving us this opportunity to talk to you. The band recently released its fourth full length album, entitled Il­lusions of Grandeur. Since the release of the album, how have things been going for the band?

Interviews, interviews and interviews are piling up in our mailbox and we've done some gigs and preparing for hopefully an upcomming tour beyond this year. There is nothing settled yet but we really hope that we have the chance to come out on the roads again and hopfully to even new places and new territories this time. The album has been out for a month nearly so we are biting our nails of for this one and wish that all sweat and blood was worth it. We've also recorded a video for the Divide & Conquer song and I hope it will be out pretty soon. Carlo Opperman who's done videos for Terror, Evergreen Terrace etc is the director and we have high hopes for it. Things are moving a bit slow for the moment but we are armed to the teeth.

How has response to the band's new album been so far, and is the band satisfied with the result?

The response has been great and most people have understood the importance of great songs and great sound. Most major magazines have given us fantastic reviews and the record com­pany is up to their ears happy about it. Yes we

are very pleased with the final results and it was exactly this we wanted when we started to write some year ago. We wanted more effective songs, deeper vocals and of course the best pos­sible sound for it. We used Roberto Laghi as pro­ducer and recorded most of the songs in IF (in flames) studio. Roberto has been working with in Flames, Hardcore Superstar, Mustasch etc. We felt that it would be great to have him for the job, and it was! All guitars and bass are still pro­duced in our own studio as always.

The band was formed all the way back in 1991, but was put on hold from 1993 onwards, with the band returning in 2007 with the debut full length album Tales from the Tomb. With the hiatus in 1993 coming about due to musical dif­ferences, what was it that made the band decide to reform in 2005?

It started with that Vesa, Janne & Marko got drunk together and had those really, really bright ideas about reforming the band. Eventu­ally it turnt into a rehearsal that turnt into an­other rehearsal wich turnt into sending the old material to record companies once again 13 years later wich turnt into a re-release that turnt into really nice reviews that turnt into the idea of making a demo for fun that turnt into the idea of one full length album that turnt to 4 full length albums that turnt into great shows and tours that eventually turnt into a deal with Century Media and finally it turntinterview with you ;)

With 2 highly acclaimed demo releases before the band's hiatus, has the band dynamics been different after the reactivation of the band in 2005?

We had a great structure and style on the first demo, of you think back nowdays I think we should ha' d stick to it. Back then the scene flooded with great bands and all of them wanted to stick out through the thick wall of music so there was a lot of different styles that took form. This became a problem for us since in private most of us had different taste. I wanted to go more dark and brutal, some wanted to sound like Tiamat & Pink Floyd, some were into regular death, some into Black Metal and some were even into White Zombie & grunge, please re­member this was in private. When everybody wanted to sound different and had a big ego it went up in chaos when trying to put styles in all kinds of forms into our music. Eventually we lost the essence of our ground, what we had and after a while we lost faith and structure along with interest. Brick by brick we drifted apart it wasn't fun anymore. So when we rejoined and started the circus the deal was well structured Death Metal and nothing more nothing less. Back to the roots in 1992 and stick to it as much as possible because that's what Evocation is all about.

Let's now talk about the band's new album, 111-lusions of Grandeur. With this being the band's fourth full length release since its reactivation, what was the songwriting process like?

We started shortly before and directly after the Amon Amarth & Black Dahlia murder tour in 2011 somewhere around August I think we were 100 % focused again . Then later that autumn/winter we did all the prerecordings. I started to work on the lyrics early this year as soon as I got back from my vacation in the Philip­pines. This record was really hard for me to focus on at the same time as my 5 year long relation­ship with my ex-girlfriend were about to break up. I totally crashed and were a wreck while writ­ing, but I feel great with what I've done and nowdays I feel better than ever. We did all the drums in only 3.5 days and my vocals for about

Evocation Illusions of Grandeur (2012) [Century Media Re­cords]

4-5 days in IF Studios and all the guitars & bass in Evocation studios took some weeks. So less than a year of writing and some weeks of re­cordning is pretty good I have to say. We are pretty fast workers and try not change to much during the way, just bits and pieces. Then mix and mastering for about two weeks. Its a lot of hard work behind it, no doubt.

On Illusions of Grandeur, there is a rather strong Amon Amarth resemblance in the music, with the inclusion of Johan Hegg as guest vocalist on Into Submission, minus the Viking influences that the aforementioned has. How this collaboration come about, and what did are some of the band's other influences when writing the music for Illusions of Gran­deur?

For me personally I don 't use influences when I write, my influences are on peoples performance's and the way they express them selfs. Johan Hegg is an outstanding frontman and he is perfect in his performance, I was not much into AA before the tour but I watched them from the side of the stage almost every evening. I really got sucked into it and under­stood the whole thing, Amon Amarth is a great band and Johan is lifting the whole apperance. That's my kind of influence. If you talk to Vesa, Janne & Marko and ask them this question maybe they think different. We are from the same school as all other great bands back in the 90's and of course those bands made a huge impact on us. Back to Johan/AA, we became pretty good friends with them during the tour and when we attented their show here in Go­thenburg last year. Me and Marko asked Johan after the show if he would be interested to lay some vocals on one track, he said yes on the spot. Into Submission is a typical Amon Amarth

song, so I decided that it should be that one. The result was perfect and I think that our voices work out well together.

The artwork on Illusions of Grandeur also seems to display a slight shift in the aesthetics of the band. Tell us more about the story behind the album artwork, and about the lyrical concepts behind Illusions of Grandeur.

We used Xaay (Behemoth, Nile, Vader etc) once again, because he understands what the hell Evocation is all about. We felt after Apoclayptic, that he is a big part of the whole chain . Xaay is very smart and talented and very easy to work with. On both albums we just gave him the album title, the lyrics and the main song. Then he just works out of his own perspective and we are as usual almost instantly satisfied on the first drafts. He is also doing the layout for some of our merch and also the web design, he is outstand­ing in every way. Since we trust him and in what he do we can focus even more on the music in­stead.

Illusions of Grandeur are the band's first release under a major label, Century Media Records. How did this deal come about, and how has it been working with the label?

We contacted them and it was an positive answer right away. We've been in contact with them from now and then for some years. If they treat us good is too early to say but so far we have high hopes and so do they. We said after the contract with Cycone Empire that we want to try other ways before we sign anything again. Century Media is a fantastic label, no doubt.. and we are a great band llil

Century Media Records recently sued thou­sands of fans over illegal downloads of albums released under them. With moves such as these by major record labels, what are your views on illegal downloading, and has illegal download­ing impacted the sales of Evocation's music?

Of course it has made a great impact on the budget for most bands. In Sweden for an ex­ample only few bands can live on their music

100%. People must understand that it's not only the record companies that are down on their knees. The band is the 3rd part in getting any cash at all and of course it would be great for most to have a better budget for recordings, layout, videos, tours etc .. I downloaded music maybe 10 years ago; if I found a record that was good enough I bought it. This way it's good to find new bands but I know in the end that the bands suffer the most. In case of Evocation downloading is perhaps good, since our distrubu­tion channels was not that effective before we got Century Media behind us and the sales are not in millions so feel free, but don't tell me haha.

With Illusions of Grandeur now released, what are the near-future plans of Evocation, aside from touring plans?

Get laid, get stoned and resist the enslavement of mankind.

... Don't let the fools guide you blind people. A

On Evocation's fourth studio offering Illusions of Grandeur, the band returns stronger than ever. Unlike the raw, gritty sound that old school Swedish bands such as Nihilist and En­

tombed have crafted, Evocation presents a more melodic sound that is not unlike bands like Amon Amarth, though with a markedly less focus on Nordic and Viking mythology that the aforemen­tioned have come to be known for. The riffs are equal parts brutal and melodic, and the vocals es­pecialy are reminiscent of Johan Hegg. With such a style it perhaps isn't surprising that Johan Hegg himself makes a guest appearance on the track Into Submission, blending perfectly well into Evocation's music. Hints of other Gothenburg acts such as At the Gates are also present, and is sure to please fans ofthis particula r style of death metal out of Sweden.

Illusions of Grandeur is out now via Century Media Records

News in 5 Qlinutes Ministry/Rigor Mortis guitarist Mike Scaccia has passed away at the age of 47 on December 22 while performing with Rigor Mortis at frontman Corbitt's 50th birthday celebration.

Ghost has unveiled the title to their upcoming album to be /nfestissumam, to be released via Lorna Vista Recordings.

Work has begun on the long-awaited Control Denied sophomore album, the follow up to the band's debut The Fragile Art of Existence.

Solution .45, the progressive metal supergroup featuring vocalist Christian Alvestam has parted ways with bassist Anders Edlund.

Hirax has signed a worldwide deal with SPV/Steamhammer, and will be releasing a new album in September 2013, followed by a world tour.

King Diamond has signed a new three-album deal with Metal Blade Records.

Dream Theater has re-signed with Roadrunner Records. The band will be recording a new album soon.

British band Amebix has officially called it quits after more than 30 years. More details available on amebix.net.

Upc.oQling releases 31/12: Impiety- Vengeance Hell Immemorial 18/1: Enforcer - Mesmerized by Fire 7" 22/1: Denouncement Pyre -Almighty Alcanum 25/1: Jorn -Symphonic 1/2: Blind Guardian - A Traveler's Guide To Space And Time 1/2: Enforcer: Death by Fire 15/2: Suffocation- Pinnacle of Bedlam 19/2: Misery Index- Live n Munich 25/2: Omnium Gatherum- Beyond 26/2: Darkthrone- The Underground Resistance 26/2: Stratovarius- Nemesis 27/2: Soilwork- The Living Infinite 5/2: Rotting Christ- Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy

Editor's Picks Zushakon Zushakon (2013) [Sonic Blast Media]

Ok nothing particularly new here if you are al­ready a fan of Zusha­kon or if you have al­

ready encountered the works of Kyng Ha­deslamighty. Despite this being the band's debut full length release, it contains remastered re­cordings of the band's previous releases, in par­ticular the World Ablaze/Chaosophist compila­tion and tracks from the split with Luna Azure. With a wide range of sounds ranging from the cold, bleak atmosphere of Norwegian old school black metal a Ia Mayhem and Darkthrone, to full-on thrashy numbers and doom-paced tracks, this is one hel of a ride for all fans of the black metal underground. It leaves one to wonder how the inclusion of Kathir of the mighty Rudra will affect the future output of Zushakon.

Riti Occulti Riti Occulti (2012) [Epidemie Records]

Dark, heavy, crushing stoner/doom metal with black metal ten­

dencies. That's the best way to sum up this Ital­ian outfit's music on their debut, self-titled full length release. There is no need for guitars at all (the band does not have a guitarists, and neither does the record) as the crushing yet groovy basslines pushes the music forward along with the haunting keys, that not only reinforces the already chiling atmosphere but also doubles as a second lead instrument. Black metal shrieks pierce through the dense atmosphere, and the female backing vocals create a chilling effect that sends shivers down the listener's back. The 70s and 80s psychedelic rock and doom influ­ences are clear, and one is indeed promised a trippy listening experience which instantlly sends the listener into a trance that is hard to break out of, sounding like a blackened Electric Wizard.

Full reviews are available at heavyiJietaltribune.coiJI

Infernal Poetry Paraphiliac (2013) [Bakerteam Records]

Paraphiliac is this Ital­ian death metal maniac Infernal Poetry's

new full length effort, spreading their brand of unique technical death metal since their forma­tion in 1996. The band promises an interesting listen with Parphiliac, and they certainly deliver From the technicalities that bands like Cryp­topsy and Decapitated have crafted in their heydays, to the completely gruff and barbaric style of South American bands, the band en­sures that all ground is covered. There are even melodic moments, almost leaning towards mel­ancholic territory, sounding as though the band were lamenting the end of the world that man has caused. The crystal clear production en­sures that all the instruments ring out clearly, making Paraphiliac all the more kickass.

Enshadowed Magic Chaos Psychede­lia (2013) [Pulverised Records]

Greek black metal outfit Enshadowed re­turns this year with

their third full length, their first one in nine long years. Yet they prove that they still have their chops, ripping out almost 45 minutes worth of blasphemous blackened death metal, sounding like a fusion between Dark Funeral and Polish black/death lords Behemoth, with a tinge of madness of bands like Impiety. The tortured vocals, the aggresive riffing and the blasting rhythm segment all coalesce to make this some of the most easily headbangable release early in the year. Yet not all is simply happy, non-stop blasting as the band also attempts to bring in some variation in their musical style, with the in­clusion of mid-paced segments, placed at the right timings to ensure that the listener manages to catch his breath for yet another round of vio­lence.

~aor----=---=::::::;;;~r;;'l Ulcer Grant Us Death (2013) [Pulverised Records)

Despite its Polish ori­gins, Ulcer plays music that is more in the veins of old school Swedish

death metal bands such as Entombed and Nihil­ist, throwing those that expect music in the style of Behemoth and Vader rather off guard. The d-beat drumming of Wizun helps to up the inten­sity and energy level in the music, while the riffing of guitarists Lucass and Mscislaw help to bring about a slight Bloodbath comparion at times. The solos range from full-blown chaos to melodic ones, helping to give listeners a false sense of calm for that time being before being thrown back into the lair for another round of savage attack. The dual vocal attack is also rather unique, helping to make Grant Us Death an even more aggressive release, as though the music here weren't abrasive enough.

Destruction Spiritual Genocide (2012) [Nuclear Blast Records]

One of the later con­tenders for album of the year, Destruction

with the release of their 13th full length album, Spiritual Genocide, boasts the return of the Mad Butcher on their 30th anniversary. Hot on the heels of their previous release, Day of Reckoning, Spiritual Genocide sees the band presenting the same style of blistering, aggressive thrash metal over the 40 minutes that are contained on this album, once again proving to naysayers why they deserve to be crowned one of the kings of Teu­tonic thrash metal. The bonus track Carnivore even sees members from past lineups of the band and Angel ripper (of Sodom) and Gerre (of Tankard) making guest apearances, making this a Teutonic superstar lineup through and through. Vaaver's relentless drumming, Mike's razor-sharp riffing and Schmier's nasty vocals make for one hell of an album to let off steam.

With Sunyata, Greek occult black metal band Acrimonious presents their debut offering under Agonia Records to followers. Sunyata sees the band

further pushing the boundaries of black metal, and Cain Letifer tells us more about themselves.

The band was formed all the way back in 2003, and has been putting out some of the darkest black metal out of Greece so far. For those who are unfamiliar to the band, would it be possible to tell us more about the history of Acrimoni­ous? Under what circumstances did Acrimoni­ous come about, and what are the messages that the band wishes to bring forth to man­kind?

Hails. The band was formed in 2002 by C.L. , Fun us and Carnivorous Torment and released a demo tape, called "Unholy Cult Demonic". We take our Art very seriously and cannot identify ourselves in an artistic manner with the Western Way of thinking, were you are supposed to con­sume and die as an empty shell or battery. We need time to focus on ourselves, and contem­plate on certain Serious Matters before attempt­ing to write down lyrics or music. The process described could take 15 minutes for completion, or it could take 15 years for the same goal in

Self) ... Funus used to contribute to the band with lyrics in the first demo mostly, and with some great riffs here and there, up until the Perdition Gospel days ... After that, it was mostly a thing of myself actually, as Funus left the band before Purulence was recorded, so I had to perform the Vocals myself, for the first album. Which was something that I was totally unprepared for, to be honest... We are the harbingers of the mes­sage of No Message, meaning that the Art that we Evoke is boundless and timeless, limitless and quenchless, in its exhaustless power. The Well from which we tap this power from, it is a Gate and a Dream that leads to the place of no Dreams ...

After almost 6 years since the band's forma­tion, Acrimonious released its debut full length album in 2009, entitled Purulence. What was it that took the band so long for the first full length release?

question (that is, to the Creative Aspects of the Because it took us so long to cooperate with the

A a

artist that took care of the album's artwork (Kriss Hades) and because our correspondence with our label back then :AJNA: was incoherent. Also because we had a very low budget...

This year sees the band's follow up to Purulence, entitled Sunyata, a reference to the Buddhist concept of emptiness. Compared to the dark and blasphemous themes on Purulence, it seems that the band has taken a more spiritual and philosophical route this time in terms of lyri­cal concepts and themes, with numerous refer­ences to Eastern philosophy/spirituality. How did the interest in these themes come about, and would it be possible to tell us more about the lyrics-writing process behind Sunyata? Where is inspiration drawn from when writing Sunyata?

No, there is zero difference in direction. It is just that we all want to force ourselves constantly to try and redefine new limits, new forms of expres­sion and to go deeper into what we want to follow us individuals. We are inspired by many different things. When it comes to Sunyata, the works of Thomas Mann, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Julius Evola, C.G.Jung, George Gurdjieff, life (in es­sence) and -most importantly- death has been major influences for the new album.

What are your personal spiritual beliefs, and are these reflected in the lyrical themes and con­cepts on Sunyata?

Yes, you could say that... we are no hypocrites to write music for things we don't live 24/7!

With such philosophical lyrical themes, what are some of the writers that have influenced you in your writing style of the lyrics on Sunyata?

See above, and also the work of Austin Osman Spare, Kenneth Grant, Aleister Crowley and more, when it comes to recent alchemical sci­ence. Also philosophy, art, history and music in many different aspects have been influential to us. Bear in mind that our lyrics are based on our personal reflections on certain mystical experi­ences that all lyrics are based upon. Also they are riddles of alchemical content...if i had to choose

one single text, i would say Bardo Thodol.

The album artwork of Sunyata is also reflective of the band's shift in lyrical concepts, and unlike previous releases, the artwork takes a some­what psychedelic route this time. Tell us more about the album artwork, and the artist behind it. How was the artwork conceptualised?

Let us leave the artist behind such demanding an endeavour , speak about the physis of the work, which was written especially for an exegesis of what you are requesting ... (this is just apart of a bigger text, that is to be found in the booklet of the album):

"The images crafted for this 8-fold sonic assault follow an arc of evocative automatism unfolding into the Lunar sheathings of Hecate's ever radi­ant Mystery. Without the Solar Light, the Moon is dead and dark. Yet, without the Moon, the Light is lost and without form. She comprehends and transmutes the effusion of Sunfire, being known by its Light even as she embodies all True Know­ing in the Darkness of her Bloodflow.

We enter into the Nexus of Sunyata through the Gate of Babalon, dissolving in its Superstellar Alembic as we behold our Mother, with Whom we are One, likewise consumed in Black Flame. This is the First Oracle. Ever receding into an In­finitude of Stars, She is ever, yet never, con­sumed. Our anticipation cannot approximate the Paradox of her Love. Burn the body as we will, we always remain until the head is given to flames. Thus it is that Hadit knows the female-beast of "flaming hair."

Music-wise, Sunyata is also a display of the band's continuous growth, with an expansion of the band's sound compared to that on Puru­lence. This is especially so with the inclusion of old school heavy metal and occult rock influ­ences. What was it that made the band decide to do so, and was this a conscious shift in musi­cal direction by the band? How did the band come to the sound on Sunyata?

I guess you have to blame human genes that make you progress and move forward towards

something (hopefully) better, and more useful to the Gods ...

The songs on Sunyata are also much more com­plex, with most tracks lasting almost 8 minutes, rather long run times for black metal tracks. What was the songwriting process like, and how was it different compared to the writing of past materials of Acrimonious?

We don't work like that. Most of us are musi­cians, so gathering together and writing riffs is the easiest part of the story ... We only compose music for Acrimonious, when we feel the Call, and the Call is not connected with days ide think­ing and acting, it is a very personal and emptying kind of process, where inward things are called outwards via a very strange and complex pro­cess.

While Purulence was released under The Ajna Offensive, Sunyata marks the band's first re­lease under Agonia Records. How did this deal come about, and how has it helped in the band's growth?

Noone from the band pays much attention to the Marketing side of the Band. Acrimonious has been an underground unit so far, and that is the Way things are going to be in the future as well.. .we will never sell ourselves for money or limit our horizons due to such trivialities such as fame, recognition, and ego boosting through such a Holy Vessel as Art .. .

What are the near future plans of Acrimonious, and can fans look forward to seeing Acrimoni­ous live anytime soon?

Most certainly, there are plans regarding what you say .. . stay tuned and you will soon hear more about that.

We have come to the end of the interview. Thank you for taking the time off to answer our questions and we wish you all the best in all up­coming endeavours!

Thank you very much for your time as well... ;c.L. a

Acrimonious Sunyata (2012) [Agonia Records]

Yup, thetrippy, psyehe­delic album art threw me somewhat off­

~~~~~~~;.il~!! guard as well, consider­ing the darkness that Acrimonious emanated with their previous output, Purulence. But the music on Sunyata is equally unrelenting, with the band's brand of black metal still pretty recogni­sable from the get go. That said though, the band has included a marked increase in old school heavy metal influences, with the band citing such bands as Iron Maiden as some of the inspirations in the writing of Sunyata, resulting in a sound that is somewhat similar to Watain's Lawless

Darkness, not only in the old school feel in the music but also in the large melodic hooks that are present in the lead guitars on the album. Chants and hymns on songs like Adharma make the album all the more ritualistic and enchanting.

A to

·Sounds of the Underground: Binaash

Nepal's notre the place to look for for extreme meta yet Binaash plays some of the most crushing brutal death metal. Their debut release

Binaashkaari is the epitome of brutality and fun. The band tells us more. Greetings Binaash! Before we start off the in­terview proper, would it be possible to tell us about the history of the band? How did Binaash come about, and what does the band name, Bi­naash mean?

Hails! Binaash is a Ramailo Death Metal band from Kathmandu, Nepal, formed in 2009 by Pra­teek, Tshewang and Rishav. The band was formed out of the trio's interest to do some Death Metal. Prabin joined later for vocals and so did Shashank on guitars. The band started with the name Kaal, which was changed because of numerous bands with Kaal and its derivative names present in the local scene at the time. Bijent replaced Tshewang on bass duties from May 2010. Jayram replaced Rishav on drums after the recording of our debut album. Binaash, literally means Destruction.

The band dubs itself "ramailo death metal", meaning "fun death metal". Is that the philoso­phy behind the band when writing and playing death metal, and what is the reason behind this? How did such a concept come about, and how have fans of death metal reacted to Binaash's musical philosophy?

Yes it is our philosophy while creating new mate­rial. Fun in the sense that everyone in the band has to understand and enjoy what we are play­ing. We've shifted to humour a bit more lately, but we might come up with some other idea someday. We went this way because we did want to enjoy if we were to do this band or else it would not last. Also, people are taking their music too seriously and rigidly and it is not the reason we started doing music. Don't get us wrong, we practice seriously, we play from our heart, we give more than a 100% but we have to enjoy, or else there is no point in doing it.

Fans were a bit hesitant at first seeing "ramailo" mixed with death metal, which is because of this stereotype associated with death metal. How­ever, they have started to understand what we're doing and we guess, they too know now, that it doesn't mean shit what label you put on yourself until and unless you are giving them good tight stuff.

The band this year released its debut full length album entitled Binaashkaari. What is the mean­ing behind the album title, and are there any overarching themes or concepts for the mate-

A n

rial on the album?

Binaashkaari, which means destructive, is a name we have given to our supporters. The album is named after our supporters, who are very loyal out here. They support us a lot, and we think dedicating the debut album to them is the best we can do for them right now.

The lyrical themes and concepts have a lot of va­riety in them. We have stuffs ranging from funny introduction of band members to serial killers, cannibalism, fantasy, humour, experiences, local food, alcohol, hallucinations etc.

Listening to the album in its entirety, it is easy to see how the element of fun comes into play in Binaash's music, with the intros that are pres­ent on each of the track presenting different mindfuckery to the listener. What was it that made the band decide to have such moments on every track on the album?

Originally, we were just thinking about doing the first intra and one outro for The Wests and the acoustic version of German National Anthem for Eat Is My Pleasure. A friend of ours jokingly said that if we were to put an intra, we have to put an outro. Then we thought why not an intra to every song like Pestilence did in Testimony of The Ancients. The humour part is also in songs like "Bancharo", "Binaash Momo Pasal" and some others but since they're in Nepali it's hard for people outside of Nepal to get a full grasp of the album and what we are trying to say.

How did the inclusions of these moments come about, and are there any planning processes behind these intros? If so, how were they con­ceived, i.e. how does the band decide what kind of intro to include for each song?

There was almost zero planning for the intros, it was very spontaneous.

With these elements of fun and unpredictability that are on the album, what was the songwrit­ing process like for Binaashkaari?

half is a bit serious and typical in your face Death Metal and also the lyrics are in English. This part was composed way before the band came into existence. The second part has very simple to­the-point Nepali lyrics, the songs are shorter and a bit deviated from what we might see as Death Metal. It is more grindcore/thrash influenced Death Metal which were much more of a team­work from the band and also much more sponta­neous creations.

On the other hand, the serious and brutal side of Binaashkaari reeks of influences ranging from Devourment to Suffocation. What are some of the most important influences on the band when writing the music of Binaash?

We don't actually think of any band when com­posing stuffs, but we are influenced by so many bands that it is confirmed a lot of our influence will be seen in the songs. Let me put it this way, there are influences ranging from Slayer to Origin and almost everything in between in this album.

The intros also display a wide range of musical styles, with the acoustic guitars and the tradi­tional instrumentations and arrangements that are present. What are the musical backgrounds of each of the band members, and how did the incorporation of these styles come about?

Haha, actually there was no such thought put into the intros. There was this great acoustic guitar in the studio we were recording which was regular acoustic guitar with nylon strings. It had a great sound and we played whatever and recorded.

About the background, Prabin and I (Prateek) are self taught. Shashank had some serious guitar les­sons in his high school days. Bijent is trained in Jazz and Double bass. Rishav is also trained in Jazz which explains his flavour of drumming in the album, even though we don't have a really good production.

What about live shows of Binaash? How are the elements of fun brought over to the live experi­ences of Binaash, and are these intro tracks brought to the live setting as well?

Actually this is sort of a double album. The first

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Well we interact with the crowd a lot, and lately we've been doing gimmicks like wearing aprons, silly hats, stockings or whatever in each of our gigs. lntros are not really played before songs like in the album, but we do it sometimes when our vocalist is interacting with the crowd or if there is some sort of delay or technical problems while on stage.

With Binaashkaari now released and the inclu­sion of new drummer Jay Ram, what are the near future plans of the band? Will fans of Binaash's music see a similar style of music on future releases of Blnaash?

We have already recorded a new song for a 7 way split between Binaash, Jugaa, Ugra Karma and Terrifyer from Nepal, Sangharsha from US, Foreskin from Pakistan and Kaligula from this universe. We are also planning on making some Tshirts.

Our musical style will definitely not change, it might evolve with whatever we're listening to but it will definitely not change. We might not

come up with an album very soon. Splits, singles are the way to go as things stand. We will create new materials but creating an album is a big ordeal and we don't have the resources to do it frequently. A

Binaash's debut is a hint of the chaos that is brewing in the under­

~~I!~!!J~~~I!J ground of Nepalese metal. Yet Binaash takes their fun seriously in the midst of all the crushing brutality that goes on around on Binaashkaari, with the intros of each of the tracks displaying a wide variety of musical and songwriting influences, ranging from horror to the traditional Eastern musical influences. Their metal though, is pure old school brutal death metal, in the veins of bands like Devourment and Suffocation, infused with a tinge of grindcore to make the album all the more catchy, because, why the hell not?

Asian Spotlight: Zushakon

Zushakon has garnered critical acclaim with their demo and compilation, Chaosophist/World Ablaze. This year the band releases their self-titled full length album, with the tracks on the compilation remastered. We talk to

mastermind Kyng Hadesalmighty to find out more. Zushakon was formed in 2006 along with your other band, Orthanc. What was it that made you decide to form Zushakon and how was it different compared to the output of Orthanc?

Zushakon evolved from the Band Orthanc. Zushakon was formed with a honest and truthful desire to play Cold Grim and Malevolent Black Metal. It is really different from Orthanc because Orthanc focused on themes based on JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings which was of an im­mense influence in the sound and lyrical themes of Orthanc whereas Zushakon was the manifes­tation of mine and David's Black Metal influ­ences.

What is the meaning behind the band's name, and how did it come about and relate to the

anyone who exposes his sacred artifacts to it. Zushakon is summoned by the tolling of three specially consecrated great Bells. I like Henry Kuttner's work and found Zushakon in Henry Kuttner's short story "Bells of Horror'' It made sense to name the Band Zushakon as it is an Hor­rifying entity. I felt Zushakon's terrifying attri­butes related to the Madness and Horror we wanted to create.

The band split up for a period of time between 2011 and 2012, but recently saw its comeback with a refresh in its lineup, including Kathir and Belial Hatehammer alongside yourself in the new lineup. What was it that made you decide to reactivate the band, and how did this lineup come about?

music of Zushakon? Zushakon didn't actually split but rather it was laid off for awhile because there was so many

Zushakon is the God of Death for the Native personal issues to deal with, i was experiencing American Mutsune Tribe of California. Zushakon some personal conflicts and was mentally off for has an intense hatred for light and will slay awhile because that period was a battle of per-

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sonal demons within me and trust me, fighting obsessive compulsive disorder, panic anxiety at­tacks and paranoia can really make you look like an a$$ hole to many people and cause too much misunderstandings. Nobody knew what i was going through personally and i lost many friends as a result of my mental breakdown. I was being hated by people who didn't even know me and had assumed stuff about me. At the same time, David's musical tastes had changed though he was still true to the bone, he needed a fresh new musical direction and perspectives. So it was ac­tually a layoff since 2010. Kathir was someone i really respected and knew personally since 2004 through Myspace. We had so much of stuff in common on a wide range of topics like 70s Pro­gressive Rock Music which both of us grew up on heavy doses of Deep Purple, Rainbow, Scorpi­ons, Pink Floyd etc etc and the one common thing which bonded us was the interest in An­thropology and Ancient History. Importantly Kathir understood me and who i truly was inside instead of labeling and judging me by what he might have heard from others. He stood out as a friend and now he's a mentor and a good brother.

As of press time, Belial Hatehammer is not in the line up due to family commitments and other personal space/work which he needs to attend to but we already have a Drummer in mind but we are not going to unveil him until we start working on the the next Zushakon full length album which for me will be the first proper CD release from Zushakon in it's 7 years of exis­tence.

What does the new band logo signify, and why the decision to have a brand new band logo?

Ah .. . the logo was the brainchild of a brilliant and talented Die Hard Siddique Headkrasher who also did the Aeternus Metallum logo. I don't like to get involved in an artist's creative expression so i told him that i wanted a nice logo which will signify Zushakon's musical progression and he gave me a few awesome samples and i chose this logo. I strongly believe that when you trust someone enough to ask them to create some­thing, you will surely appreciate the end product

delivered. Siddique just did that without any in­terference.

This year also saw Zushakon being signed to Sonic Blast Media. How did this deal come about?

Well i sent Zushakon tracks to Sonic Blast Media and the bosses liked what they heard. I hit really well with lmran the first time we met and we shared so many stuff apart from the music. It was a understanding and i felt that Sonic Blast Media is a great place for Zushakon to be rather than relying on individuals who promise you a Golden Shower and give you shit filled bathtub to soak in .. . i mean i was really very frustrated with what we had been getting for sincerely and honestly wishing that the Metal Underground fan base can just get to hear our songs, Zushakon was never formed for profit driven purposes in the first place ... i mean it was really hell just trying to make people understand.

Zushakon will be the band's debut full length release, containing remastered tracks from the band's 2009 World Ablaze compilation and the split with Luna Azure. What was it that made you decide to do so?

Actually i think we could've done better and had recorded extra 7 or 8 songs before so that we don't have to re release these Zushakon material which are well ... old, but it was just inevitable that we or rather i had no choice and personally i wish that we had recorded more songs before and that would've been great because then we could've had a "New" unreleased tracks compi­lation with Sonic Blast Media.

What are some of the greatest influences that have gone into the writing of the music of Zushakon?

Zushakon is a cauldron of many influences with David immensely influenced by Watain and Devil's Blood while i'm very much influenced by Bathory, Bathory and More Bathory with tint of Dissection here and there ...

The nostalgia of old school Norwegian black

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metal is clear. Apart from the old school greats like Mayhem and Darkthrone, what are some of the newer and more notable Norwegian re­leases that should be heard?

Hmmm ... i am currently into more Swedish Death Metal Bands like Demonical, Paganizer, Entrails, various Black/Death Thrash Bands like Mordant, Dead Congregation, Destroyer 666, Die Hard, Bastard Priest ... also MIDNIGHT from USA which is a morbid mutation of VENOM, MO­TORHEAD and BATHORY all thrown into one boiling cauldron of Heavy Thrashing Metal.

Seriously New Norwegian Black Metal Bands do not interest me that much these days. I prefer lis­tening to MIDNIGHT and MESSIAH " Infernal Thrashing" back to back these days ;)

Apart from tracks that deal with death and chaos, one track in particular stood out from the rest - Singawhore. What is the meaning behind that track?

Singawhore is a straightforward "F**K OFF" trib­ute to Local Trendy Whores (SPGs) who just love to be on the d**ks of Fat Balding Ugly White Men:)

Chaos Requiem also stands out in the album with the melancholic mood that is set by the melodies on the track. What is the significance of this track in relation to the other tracks on the album, and what made you decide to in­clude a soothing interlude amidst all the chaos?

Chaos Requiem was actually a silent Tribute to the late Jon Andreas Nodtveidt who is a big inspi­ration and influence on me and David. It was a desire and a idea i had to do do something like that as a concluding piece in a album and what was amazing is that everytime i speak to David and tell him how i feel about making a song, he just makes it happen. Chaos Requiem is also a tribute to David's work with the Band and you can even say that it was a farewell song which i wanted and one that he created himself without realising it was for him ...

of Zushakon get to hear new songs from the band anytime soon?

The Musical Direction and Songwriting process will pick up from where we left off with World Ablaze and i can assure you Zushakon's next re­lease will be a revelation in terms of both produc­tion and musical progression with a slight shift in lyrical themes and with probably more epic guitar melodies to enchant Zushakon fans with­out losing our aggression, essence and identity of what Zushakon really stands for. It will be an album that will silence the naysayers and people who often looked down and criticized this Band.

Also, it seems that Zushakon has never per­formed live before. With the current lineup, will this be a possibility in the near future?

I won't rule out the possibility of playing live in the future if time permits. In the past, it was only me and David and we had strong feelings about playing live but now i feel it's important to be a Band that plays live and bring our songs to a wider audience in the Underground. If time and circumstances are right; Zushakon will play live.

Zushakon will see a digital release in the middle of January. What are the possibilities for physi­cal format releases in the future?

Zushakon will release all our work in physical format (CD and maybe even Vinyl) in the future, there's no doubt about that. The only reason we agreed to do this digital release is because we have had a limited number of people listening to our songs all these years ... we want to reach out the international underground and this digital re­lease though wouldn't really be my cup oftea say 8 or 9 years ago ... i have learnt to adapt and accept the fast moving and constantly develop­ing advanced technology in all aspects of our lives and that includes how we listen to our music these days and with so many advanced gadgets in the market, digital releases are probably how people will buy their music in the future ... A

With the band's lineup now complete, will fans

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Sonic Blast Media unleashes Zushakon on January 13, 2013.