(end of march 2005)
 |
Hail
Serapackh, finally I’m here with this interview, it is a true honour to
feature Anael in my ‘zine because I just find your music outstanding evil,
true occult metal… Hail
hsinaV, thanks for your compliments and support. It’s nice to do an interview
for your zine!!! Can
you tell us a biography, if this doesn’t annoy you? Well,
ANAEL was founded by me and Primeumathon during Winter Solstice in 1999 e.v. Our
musical aim was and is to create the darkest and most mystic metal that we can
imagine. We wanted to to combine the agression of Black Metal bands like Celtic
Frost, Bathory, Venom and Mayhem |
Luca of Iron Tyrant Productions received one of the promo CD's we sent out in
2000 in order to get some more livegigs. He liked it and played us to Blackgoat
of Barbarian Wrath, who offered to release two albums on his label. We agreed to
do so, because it is a great underground label and Blackgoat is really into
releasing albums that don't follow any trend! Shortly afterward Luca offered to
release the split with Lust and as he supported us that much we agreed to this
offering without loosing any time. So we went into the studio again in December
2002 e.v. and recorded the
Many
people in the several reviews I have read, talked about Anael like an early
Samael clone band, do you think this fits well for your band?
No,
I don’t think this does our deeds any justice, as I feel we have much more to
offer!!!
How
come have you developed a such sound, that inevitabily reminds to the kult
“Worship Him” album?
I
don’t know, we just went into the studio and wanted a very earthy, static
sound with a high density and atmosphere. And this is what we got!!!
How do you
consider early Samael, one of my fave of fave bands ever, a cult band?
Of
course they are a real killer band, as are Mayhem, Celtic Frost, Master’s
Hammer, Venom, Rotting Christ, Beherit, Varathron, Necromantia, Bathory,
Obscurity, Merciless, Darkthrone, Manowar, AC/DC, Death SS, Darkness, Pestilence,
Asphyx, Virgin Steele, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Candlemass, Pentagram and
countless others, who influenced us.
Why did you
take the name of the angel Anael for your band, that in effects is an assonance
with “Samael”? Are you into qabbalah and jew occultism?
Yes,
I am into various forms of occultism as the different kabbalahs, magick, mystic
... a lot of things. The name has a very special and personal meaning for us
which is important in our whole conception of playing music!
Have you
ever seen Samael playing live? Do you think they do know of the existence of a
german band devoted to their early carreer, that recorded an album like
“Necromantic Rituals”, which explores other variations in composition of
they style they created 15 years ago?
Yeah,
I have seen them live a lot some years ago. I think they know about our
existence, as one of our former bass players told them a while ago.
What
do you think of their more recent stuff, like “Passage”, “Eternal”, or
the last great album “Reign Of Light”?
I
like their stuff up to “Eternal”, it’s different, but still high quality
music. I don’t like their last one, they could have gone a step further with
this in my opinion.
In your
website I have read that you’re also inspired from bands like Black Sabbath,
Death SS, King Diamond, etc. So I guess that the definition of “black metal”
for your style should be quite limitative…
It
is limited indeed. I see it more like: we are a metal band, an extreme metal
band – no need for further categories!
Does it was
a decision of yours to make a split with the canadian band Lust, or by Iron
Tyrant Rec.? What do think anyway about Lust, and of the canadian style of black
metal/war metal (Revenge, Axis Of Advance…)?
Luca
proposed to do the Split and we agreed. I like some of the Lust-stuff, not all.
Axis Of Advance are a really great band, as they offer something very individual
and are a killer live band. Most of the other “War Metal” stuff is not my
cup of tea. I like Canadian bands like Voivod, Razor, Sacrifice or Slaughter
more!!!
How the
response in general for both your album “Necromantic Ritual” and the split
Cd has been?
Ah
well, the response has been very good so far. No bad reviews I can remember at
least, hehe!!!
Do you
think you have gain a great consideration in the german underground, after the
release of your album?
I
don’t know, people here in Germany like the album, as lots of people around
the globe do, honestly that’s a question I never asked myself. It just
doesn’t matter for us.
Why didn’t
you put your lyrics in the booklet of the Cd? Is there any particular reason for
that? How important is the lyrical aspect in your music?
We
didn’t feel the need to make them available in the booklet and it saved some
money for our label. The lyrical aspect is very important for us, it becomes
more important with every song we write, for me at least! And all our lyrics
were available through our website in the past, so I don’t think the ones who
were interested had any problems getting them.
Do you consider yourself an artist?
I
would say that depends on your definition of an artist?! I think we are kind of
artists, as we try to create something worthy to last, something we put our
hearts into and we have high demands on ourselves while doing it. And we do it
because we have to, there is no other way for us!!!
When do you think music is not art?
Well,
I kind of answered that with my previous answer. When it doesn’t come from the
heart and is done for other reasons than just because the musicians feel the
need to create, it is not real art for me!
Do you
think you have talent, as a musician/artist?
Do
you think so? I know that I have not that much other talents, so I’d better
have ... hahaha!!!
Do you have
any religious belief? Do you define yourself something more than an
antichristian?
I’m
for and against many things, but I don’t define myself anything other then
myself!!! But I am not religious, I fucking despise religion very much. I
believe in what I can /have experience/d, I can respect many forms of individual
spirituality, but it is important to think for yourself – autarkic from others.
Christianity
and Islam. Which of the two is the shittiest?
May I vote for both here?! As I said I hate organized religions, especially the slave ones!!!
Discography:
Into The Dark demo 2000
split 7" w/ Buried God (self-produced 2001)
Infernal Devotion 7" (Sombre Rec. 2002)
split Lp/Cd w/ Lust (Iron Tyrant Rec. 2002)
Necromantic Rituals Lp 666x (Iron Tyrant Rec. 2003)
Necromantic Rituals Cd 666x (Barbarian Wrath 2003)
upcoming:
On The Wings Of Mercury Lp/Cd
