Azaghal Interview for My Heart Bleeds For You ‘zine #0… (March 2001)

It was one of the very last questionaries that I was sending, the ‘zine was almost complete and I didn’t imagine to feature them in this issue, but Narqath answered me as quickly as you can read this interview. Time to answer has been short but I think it’s a good interview anyway…

Vanish: Hail finnish black metallers… Sorry if you don’t like boring questions like this, but unfortunately I think we should start this interview talking about the Azaghal biography, presentation of band-members, discography, and the usual shit…

Narqath: Let’s start with the a short biography thingie: The band was born  in 95 but nothing too significant happened until Varjoherra joined the band in 97. After that we released 3 demo tapes in 97-98 which lead to a deal with Aftermath music for a 7” EP.  And so “Harmagedon” 7” was released in late 98. It was limited to 500 copies and is long sold out.  Azaghal’s debut album was released by Greek  Melancholy / ISO666 Records. The album “Mustamaa” was originally only released in a limited (300 copies only!) vinyl version but was later re-released in CD format (limited to 500 copies). Both versions are now sold out.  Our second album was released by  Evil Horde in late 99. The album was titled “Helvetin Yhdeksän Piiriä” (“The Nine Circles of Hell”). Also a split CD with another finnish black metal band Mustan Kuun Lapset was supposed to be released by Nocturnal Music in late 99

but due to unexplained delays from the labels part the split Cd wasn’t released until in very late 2000. Next we decided to release a compilation type CD which featured rare demo / rehearsal and unreleased material from the album sessions. The CD was released by Millenium Metal and was titled “Deathkult MMDCLXVI” (limited to 900 copies).

In early 2001 we released another split CD, this time with a cult spanish black metal band Beheaded Lamb. The split was again released by Millenium Metal and is again limited to 900 copies.

After this release a new member joined the ranks of  Azaghal: JL Nokturnal joined in as lead guitarist. He also plays in Nocturnal Winds and Yearning. 

Line-up:

Varjoherra- Main Vocals

Narqath – Bass, Rhytym and Acoustic Guitar, Clean Vocals

V Khaoz (aka Vrtx Kalma) – Drums

JL Nokturnal – Lead and Acoustic Guitar

Discography:

Harmagedon 7” – 98 (Aftermath Music)

Mustamaa – LP/CD – 99 (Melancholy / ISO666)

Helvetin Yhdeksän Piiriä – CD –99 (Evil Horde)

Split CD with Mustan Kuun Lapset – 00 (Nocturnal Music)

Deathkult MMDCLXVI – 00 (Millenium Metal)

Split CD with Beheaded Lamb – 01 (Millenium Metal)

V. Sorry if you’ll consider the following question too as an usual one, but it’s only for my curiosity: what’s the meaning behind the word “Azaghal”? Is this word taken from any book, any (strange?) mithology or whatever?

N. Well, both this and the first question have for sure been asked in every single interview I have answered since 97 (5 minutes of shame… -Ed) hah! “Azaghal” is from Tolkien Mythology. Perhaps not the most original name or origin for a name but we needed to print some name to the covers of our debut demo and I was just reading Silmarrilion then. Actually, originally we were called Belfegor, but as you well know there is already Belphegor in Austria..

V. What point do you want to reach with your music and/or with Azaghal? Where do you want to arrive? Does satisfy yourself at the moment the fact to be part of a valid B/M band, but anyway valid like hundreds of others?

N. I don’t want to reach anything, I just create music that I myself enjoy and that comes 100% naturally for me. I don’t care if anybody else likes it or not. But, atleast considering the number of interviews and record offers we have had during the years, obviously someone else likes it too (I think Narqath has misunderstood the second part of the question -Ed).

V. For which reason you’ll stop to be part of Azaghal? For whih motive you’ll stop completely to play Black Metal? How much important is music for you?

N. I don’t think I will ever stop creating black metal. Even if the other members of the band would loose interest in Black Metal, I would continue alone. But now, with the addition of new guitarist JL Nokturnal, our horde is stronger than ever!

V. From where do you take the main inspiration for the writing of lyrics? What Death/Black metal bands have influenced you most in all these years of “militancy” in Azaghal?

N. Inspiritaion comes mostly from my own thoughts and feelings. From my hatred against the human race. Of course my thoughts are manipulated by all the books etc.  I read, and earlier also by older black metal bands (fex. Early Immortal, Mayhem, Darkthrone etc.).

V. Some time ago, I read an interview to an italian Black Metal band on which the interlocutor was stating to be a misanthrope, and in a certain way claiming himself as the most powerful person in the world, what’s your opinion about this thing? Is Azaghal a misanthropic band? What’s the meaning of misanthropy for you?

N. I can talk only  for myself in interviews, so I won’t comment on this subject from the point of the  whole band. I am atleast very misanthropic person. I simply find the everyday actions of “normal” (whatever that is) men to be totally unimportant and stupid. I very rarely go to bars or gigs these days. Still, as a contradiction, I am engaged, but to a person who is almost as misanthropic as I am. Misanthropy for me means hatred against mankind and it’s false gods.

V. Why did you leave facepaintings? Personally, it’s a thing that I don’t understand clearly when a band do it (people such as Emperor or Impaled Nazarene are a discussion apart)… Do you(‘ll) continue to call your music “Black Metal” even without looking satanic as before? What answer you’ll give in case that someone will accuse you to be an incoherent or false band for this thing?

N. We haven’t left warpaint. There might be pics of us somewhere without it, but surely there will be pics with us wearing it in the future too. In fact, just some weeks ago we took some new photos for up-coming releases and we did have warpaint and massive amount of blood etc. again.

Besides, what the hell has the make-up to do with the music style? And I don’t care if anyone accuses me of “being false” or what ever crap because I have appeared in pictures without warpaint. Now, that is a totally ridicilous idea even,  I feel absolutely no need to explain my actions or motives to such HUMANS who judge bands’  “trueness” by the fact if they use facepaint or not. Now, this wasn’t meant as an insult to the interviewer but you are welcome to feel offended if you like (No… mine was just a supposition, I’m not accusing or judging anyone as you can read in the question -Ed).

V. Since your music seem tied up to the true meaning of extreme metal, what do you think about the moltitude of new bands in Finland that claim themselves to play melodic (shitty) B/M? Do you like what Woodcut is doing there in Finland and do you like (their) bands, for example Thyrane and Alghazant?

N. I really don’t follow the actions in the finnish black metal scene too closely.. But Woodcut really seems to be more interested in money than in black metal in my opinion atleast. Yet, I think it would be very childish to accuse labels for making money as they are only doing their job  afterall. And in this shitty world you need money and lots of it to be able to live atleast somewhat tolerable  life.  I do not know the members of Thyrane or Alghazanth personally, so I am not the right person to judge them. Anyway, I do not like their music too much. I am not going to start talking shit about other bands in zines without even knowing the persons involved, unlike some bands in the finnish scene seem to do. (greetings to Mr. Shatraug, may all your projects be succesful, while we are unserious and “untrue” because we have so many projects. HAH!).

V. I think that the artwork you used for the booklet of “Helvetin Yhdeksan Piiria” is really beautiful: a crowd of demons handling pitchforks that in the front cover approach Christ, and in the back of the booklet slays and quarters him… who has done those drawings? Are they inspired by any writings or what?

N. The paintings are done by a guy named Nelson. Sorry, but I don’t know anything more of him, just the name. Evil Horde handled all the artwork for the album. The paintings are loosely inspired by Dante’s Inferno.

V. I’m damned intrigued by the title of this Cd, that in english means “The Nine Circles Of Hell”, I guess it’s an explicit reference to the Dante’s Inferno, don’t? If I’m not wrong in the last circle is featured Lucifer, what those rumours in the last track are, so?

N. Aye, the title and partly the lyrics are also inspired by Dante. The lyrics were originally supposed to be much more tied to Dante, but in recording process we fucked up a track called “Kiirastuli” (“Purgatory”) which supposed to be the “main track” of the album. (it is now released in different version on the “Deathkult MMDCLXVI” CD). Hmm, I fail to quite understand your last question, but you are correct that according to Dante, Satan inhabits the bottom of the pit, the ninth circle. The last track on the CD is a soundtrack from the hollow, icy halls of the ninth circle.

V. What’s your opinion about Satanism as antithesis of Christianism? What do you think of the Church Of Satan for example? Are you or have you been involved in any satanic sect? Ever joined a black mass?

N. I don’t follow any religions or life-codes. Be they Christian or Satanic. I rather follow my own path, which, however,  strongly leads to the darkside, with some points of paganism mixed into the soup.

V. What’s your opinion about NAZIS??? Are you with or against this kind of ideology? What do you think of the NS Black Metal and people who play it? Any NS B/M band in Finland you consider worthy to be mentioned?

N. Personally, I ain’t too interested in politics but I do support the revival of old heathen values and I am pretty rastistic person, I really think that the damn niggers should stay in their sandcountries or jungles and climb their trees with apes, or whatever it is that they do there, instead of coming here to Finland and living from our tax money and still complaining about every fucking thing (Here in Italy we have the same kind of problem with Albanian clandestines -Ed).

V. What music do you listen to beside black metal? Do you like the old-styled death metal (Grave, Death, Dismember, etc.)? Do you like genres like Ethereal Wave or Ambient (C.M.I.  bands in general)?

N. I like old Entombed, Dismember, Grave etc. But I don’t listen to death metal too much really. Besides black metal I am mainly into bands like  Devil Doll, Sopor Aeternus, Death in June (Wow!!! -Ed) etc.  I also like some old 60-70 rock music and 80s heavy metal.

V. From somewhere I’ve read that beside Azaghal you all in the band play also in other bands… are they just side-projects or what? Would you speak about your extra-Azaghal activities in this interview, anyway?