How did you manage the
relationship with Cynthia Meier-Dusol for the cover work of “Necrovision”? Are
you satisfied with her work? Did you influence the creation or was it just
Cynthia’s creation?
DNS:
It was at a vernissage where we discovered Cynthias work. Although it was more of a coincidence as it was a shared exhibition with other artists who invited us. Of course we are satisfied with her work for us. Otherwise the drawing would not have been chosen as the cover artwork of our sixth chapter entitled Necrovision. The image is based on the idea of a more or less popular French novelist and occultist. With this fundamental idea we moved on to our own vision and expressed these thoughts to the executive artist. Thus we provided a vivid description of what we wanted but left enough freedom for Cynthia to add her own unique style to it.
DNS:
It was at a vernissage where we discovered Cynthias work. Although it was more of a coincidence as it was a shared exhibition with other artists who invited us. Of course we are satisfied with her work for us. Otherwise the drawing would not have been chosen as the cover artwork of our sixth chapter entitled Necrovision. The image is based on the idea of a more or less popular French novelist and occultist. With this fundamental idea we moved on to our own vision and expressed these thoughts to the executive artist. Thus we provided a vivid description of what we wanted but left enough freedom for Cynthia to add her own unique style to it.
Why did you go from something
explicit to symbology in the cover? Did you want to be more elitist in the
message?
DNS:
Indeed, compared to our previous albums
a few details changed. These adjustments were made for several reasons, but all
necessary to complete the necrocosmic concept. Necrovision is our first album
with an intended concept prior to writing any music. Certainly we still like
medieval woodcuts, engravings, drawings, etc. very much but it would have been
impossible to find the right visualization for our latest album. We’ve always
had just one message for people interested in D. N. Slaughtercult. Don’t accept
things the way they are – find your own definitions. Believe in yourself, in
your experiences, in your will. Be a crowned individual. And, lo, read in
between the words for the truth is embedded within the occult.
Is intentional the idea of
using Latin in your lyrics? Why do you not use your native tongue anymore?
DNS:
The main language used for our lyrics is and always has been English. Other languages like German, Latin, Polish and neologisms have always been exceptions. A language is sound. As sound they also influence how we perceive a word or sentence. Especially if it is a foreign language we can merely judge by the sound if it sounds aggressive, joyous and so on. So as lyrics embedded within the music it is also important to find the right word to add the right “sound” to the context. Whenever we feel the need to use a different language we’ll do so.
DNS:
The main language used for our lyrics is and always has been English. Other languages like German, Latin, Polish and neologisms have always been exceptions. A language is sound. As sound they also influence how we perceive a word or sentence. Especially if it is a foreign language we can merely judge by the sound if it sounds aggressive, joyous and so on. So as lyrics embedded within the music it is also important to find the right word to add the right “sound” to the context. Whenever we feel the need to use a different language we’ll do so.
The first records were
self-produced, and a label was in charge of the last two. Why this change? For most bands, the process is the contrary.
Did you get tired of ‘losing money’ or is there just not any time to take care
of the whole process? With the War Anthem pact did you mean to spread the
message to more minds?
DNS:
The money issue is rather the contrary. Let us go back to beginning to our first release more than a decade ago. Onielar and I financed the recording and release of The Pest Called Humanity on our own. Everything we “earned” was put a side for the bands further releases. Thus two years later D. N. Slaughtercult was able to finance itself independently. Whoever supported the band by purchasing a CD or a t-shirt inevitably also partially financed the next release. The real price for this independency was the loss of most our spare time. Running an active band all by yourself consumes a lot of time. While Nocturnal March and Hora Nocturna were still self-financed we relied upon distribution contracts with several distribution companies and labels. With the next chapter Saldorian Spell coming up we decided to give everything into the hands of a label for the very first time ever since D. N. Slaughtercult started back in 1997. Even though we had distribution partners the workload on our shoulders grew and grew. An artist should focus on the music and not on the entire business revolving around a band. On the other hand we were simply curious to see what we could reach through a labels support. Let us set one thing straight - if you want to earn money with your band stay independent! If you’re willing to sacrifice all your spare time that’s the best thing to do.
DNS:
The money issue is rather the contrary. Let us go back to beginning to our first release more than a decade ago. Onielar and I financed the recording and release of The Pest Called Humanity on our own. Everything we “earned” was put a side for the bands further releases. Thus two years later D. N. Slaughtercult was able to finance itself independently. Whoever supported the band by purchasing a CD or a t-shirt inevitably also partially financed the next release. The real price for this independency was the loss of most our spare time. Running an active band all by yourself consumes a lot of time. While Nocturnal March and Hora Nocturna were still self-financed we relied upon distribution contracts with several distribution companies and labels. With the next chapter Saldorian Spell coming up we decided to give everything into the hands of a label for the very first time ever since D. N. Slaughtercult started back in 1997. Even though we had distribution partners the workload on our shoulders grew and grew. An artist should focus on the music and not on the entire business revolving around a band. On the other hand we were simply curious to see what we could reach through a labels support. Let us set one thing straight - if you want to earn money with your band stay independent! If you’re willing to sacrifice all your spare time that’s the best thing to do.
The aesthetic change in the
last record and the live performances are something we should take as
evolution?
DNS:
Stagnation is poison to the mind. Evolution and progress indicates a thriving individual. Performing live is an attempt to visualize music. Music should be mesmerizing. Reaching such a mental entrancement is definitely more difficult to achieve at some venue. Thus it is important to add the sense of sight as well as the olfactory sense to the one of hearing. Every live concert is an exchange of energy between the artist and the audience. The more energy is set free the more ecstatic the experience will be. Partakers of such an exchange will intensify their very own perception of the “ritual”. The more a mind focusses on the essence of the music the more likely the state of mind will be altered. Thus we need to appeal to all the senses in order to channel them into one main direction. Our thoughts and concentration tend to run astray. Thus every now and then they need guideposts.
DNS:
Stagnation is poison to the mind. Evolution and progress indicates a thriving individual. Performing live is an attempt to visualize music. Music should be mesmerizing. Reaching such a mental entrancement is definitely more difficult to achieve at some venue. Thus it is important to add the sense of sight as well as the olfactory sense to the one of hearing. Every live concert is an exchange of energy between the artist and the audience. The more energy is set free the more ecstatic the experience will be. Partakers of such an exchange will intensify their very own perception of the “ritual”. The more a mind focusses on the essence of the music the more likely the state of mind will be altered. Thus we need to appeal to all the senses in order to channel them into one main direction. Our thoughts and concentration tend to run astray. Thus every now and then they need guideposts.
Onielar and Velnias are only
dedicated to the band? Do they not have parallel projects? What do they do to
make a living?
DNS:
There is no real need for any other projects. However, it is not utterly out of the question as long as such a project wouldn’t interfere with D. N. Slaughtercult – which is our lifework. There is no way of making a living with extreme music nowadays. We’re all relying on fulltime daily jobs.
There is no real need for any other projects. However, it is not utterly out of the question as long as such a project wouldn’t interfere with D. N. Slaughtercult – which is our lifework. There is no way of making a living with extreme music nowadays. We’re all relying on fulltime daily jobs.
You record in a studio
(Soundsight Studios) and you have a relation with a label (War Anthem Records)
which are not purely ‘Black Metal’. Why is this? Is this premeditated? Or is
just a cliché?
DNS:
All our releases have been recorded by Armin Rave. Prior to founding “Soundsight Studios” he has been working for several other studios. Keep in mind that labels, recording studios, etc. need to pay their bills just like all of us. It is rather unlikely that you are fortunate enough to do that with just one musical style. Armin is an excellent guitar player, who is nowadays playing in an Iron Maiden as well as a Judas Priest cover band. In the past he and our drummer Horrn have been part of Pavor – a German death metal band that dates back to 1992. War Anthem Records belongs to the makers of the Party San Metal Open Air. We are definitely glad being supported by such long time metal heads.
DNS:
All our releases have been recorded by Armin Rave. Prior to founding “Soundsight Studios” he has been working for several other studios. Keep in mind that labels, recording studios, etc. need to pay their bills just like all of us. It is rather unlikely that you are fortunate enough to do that with just one musical style. Armin is an excellent guitar player, who is nowadays playing in an Iron Maiden as well as a Judas Priest cover band. In the past he and our drummer Horrn have been part of Pavor – a German death metal band that dates back to 1992. War Anthem Records belongs to the makers of the Party San Metal Open Air. We are definitely glad being supported by such long time metal heads.
Who is Saldor? Why do you
represent him in your music and your message so much?
DNS:
Saldor should not be personified. It is a neologism. The meaning of these new
words can be taken from our lyrics. Especially Saldor has been part of our
lyrics since the very first release. Neologisms are used whenever a regular
word can’t sufficiently describe a specific mood, emotion or thought. It is
used to emphasize the importance of the described something. While this sounds
a bit sophisticated the truth is often simple. Please understand that each and
every one should find it for him or herself. Truth delivered on a silver
platter is most often not truth.
Abrahamic religions have
demonstrated throughout history to be marked by blood and the constant imposition
of their beliefs above all. What happened, from your point of view, for
polytheistic or pantheistic religions to be eradicated?
DNS:
The history of religion is, how do you say, not our hobby-horse. However, what is a Religion in general? There is the spiritual aspect as well as the mundane side. The mundane part is an ordinary corporation trying to establish its authority, influence and prosperity. There are several means to achieve these goals. Where treachery, cunning, corruption and deception fail, brute force might help. They more religious leaders leave the spiritual aspect aside, the more they focus on their greed and the more ruthless they will act. At some point it is no longer a point of believe but simply a matter of enslaving the mindless masses without them noticing it. Keep in mind there is always one shepherd and a few shepherd dogs but a numerous flock of dumb bleating sheep.
DNS:
The history of religion is, how do you say, not our hobby-horse. However, what is a Religion in general? There is the spiritual aspect as well as the mundane side. The mundane part is an ordinary corporation trying to establish its authority, influence and prosperity. There are several means to achieve these goals. Where treachery, cunning, corruption and deception fail, brute force might help. They more religious leaders leave the spiritual aspect aside, the more they focus on their greed and the more ruthless they will act. At some point it is no longer a point of believe but simply a matter of enslaving the mindless masses without them noticing it. Keep in mind there is always one shepherd and a few shepherd dogs but a numerous flock of dumb bleating sheep.
Nietzsche said it himself:
“War to the death against vice: vice is Christianity”. Or is the war against
human being, guilty of every conception of gods and vice?
DNS:
The vice doesn’t result from Christianity or any other religion, it results from the weakness, the imperfection of humanity in general. Our conception of God, vice, salvation, etc. is based upon personal experience and conviction. Well, that is true for an enlightened individual. To others it is not more than blind obedience and unverified foreign believes.
DNS:
The vice doesn’t result from Christianity or any other religion, it results from the weakness, the imperfection of humanity in general. Our conception of God, vice, salvation, etc. is based upon personal experience and conviction. Well, that is true for an enlightened individual. To others it is not more than blind obedience and unverified foreign believes.
Nihilism is the result of
realizing that every modern and moral value is completely fake and
improductive. Is thus the idea of ‘looking inside’ and to take shelter in the
necrocosmic spirit?
DNS:
Nihilism can be divided into different philosophical doctrines. In any way it goes beyond merely realizing that we’re a living in a sanctimonious society. Self-awareness can be triggered in many ways. Not necessarily just by amoral treatment. There is no correlation between our latest album and nihilism. Furthermore taking shelter in a “Necrocosmos” isn’t a good idea. The process of self-knowledge implies that a seeking individual should walk the heavens as we all as all the hells. It is a helical path leading to the spiritual meadows of God as well as down into the abyss of human behavior. The significance of this effigy means that we need to unveil as many “regions” as possible during our lifetime. Our base allegedly called reality is not more than a metaphysical point of rotation.
DNS:
Nihilism can be divided into different philosophical doctrines. In any way it goes beyond merely realizing that we’re a living in a sanctimonious society. Self-awareness can be triggered in many ways. Not necessarily just by amoral treatment. There is no correlation between our latest album and nihilism. Furthermore taking shelter in a “Necrocosmos” isn’t a good idea. The process of self-knowledge implies that a seeking individual should walk the heavens as we all as all the hells. It is a helical path leading to the spiritual meadows of God as well as down into the abyss of human behavior. The significance of this effigy means that we need to unveil as many “regions” as possible during our lifetime. Our base allegedly called reality is not more than a metaphysical point of rotation.
Why did you only re-record tracks
from the first EP for the record “Evoking a decade”? Why did you not include
tracks from the other records?
DNS:
DNS:
Because merely the first chapter “The Pest Called Humanity” was limited to
strictly five hundred mCDs. All other albums have several editions and are
available to interested people even years after their release. Those who were
unaware of the band in the early days had no possibility to check out our first
official release. Thus we decided to rerelease these tracks after a decade. The
original release remains untouched – thus Evoking a Decade is a collectors
edition only.
Have you felt the need to add
elements that are far from the most pure metal to the music and message of the
band?
DNS:
Any element may be added to the music as long as it is an enrichment in regards to the intended purpose of the song. It would be foolish to ignore such an enrichment - just for the sake of it not being metal. On the other hand at the moment there is nothing coming to mind that would make sense for D. N. Slaughtercult to add as a non-metal element.
DNS:
Any element may be added to the music as long as it is an enrichment in regards to the intended purpose of the song. It would be foolish to ignore such an enrichment - just for the sake of it not being metal. On the other hand at the moment there is nothing coming to mind that would make sense for D. N. Slaughtercult to add as a non-metal element.
You always name Satyricon as
one of your big influences. What do you think about their latest works,
specially the homonym?
DNS:
There is not a single band with a big influence on us. We’ve always named the Scandinavian forefathers in general as our preferred style of Black Metal. Not just Satyricon, but also Emperor, Enslaved, Ancient, Immortal and the likes. All these bands have released remarkable albums, especially during their early years. These brilliant masterworks were not surpassed during the following years, not by themselves and not by others. Pretty much all of these bands lost our interested at some point. Progress and evolution so to speak is natural for any band. Whenever it comes to changing the allegiance a band should stop. Unfortunately many of the older bands kept on going.
DNS:
There is not a single band with a big influence on us. We’ve always named the Scandinavian forefathers in general as our preferred style of Black Metal. Not just Satyricon, but also Emperor, Enslaved, Ancient, Immortal and the likes. All these bands have released remarkable albums, especially during their early years. These brilliant masterworks were not surpassed during the following years, not by themselves and not by others. Pretty much all of these bands lost our interested at some point. Progress and evolution so to speak is natural for any band. Whenever it comes to changing the allegiance a band should stop. Unfortunately many of the older bands kept on going.
You make a cover of the
glorious Immortal for an LP version of your second record. Have you thought
about recording another cover? Of which band would it be?
DNS:
DNS:
Official releases include cover songs of Immortal, Ulver, Deathstrike as well
as Purgatory. If there would be another cover song we’d probably choose another
non black metal band. The split “The Legion of Chaos” with Purgatory was an
interesting experience as each band covered a song of the other. As they
perform old school death metal it was a bit of a challenge to black metalize
one of their tracks.
You have a few gigs contemplated
with Purgatory. Is it possible for Onielar to share a stage with them?
DNS:
As Onielar appeared as a guest vocalist on Purgatorys “Cultus Luciferi – The Splendour of Chaos” album released in 2008 she joined them on stage just for the debut show. Anything else is out of the question.
As Onielar appeared as a guest vocalist on Purgatorys “Cultus Luciferi – The Splendour of Chaos” album released in 2008 she joined them on stage just for the debut show. Anything else is out of the question.
Are you still in touch with
Ariovist? Is he working on some new band?
DNS:
After many years of silence without any specific reason, contact to Ariovist was reestablished a while ago. Whatever he is doing or not doing will be revealed by himself or not at all.
Necrovision has been around in
the metal circles for a while. How has the reception been? Any offer to play in
some European festival?
DNS:
DNS:
The album has been out for about a year now. The reception has been very, very
well. After so many active years in the scene concert offers are made with and
without a new album. So, yes last year there were some interesting shows. For
instance as a premiere we performed in Spain and Lithuania. Which means that
we’ve performed in fifteen different countries by now… for an underground band
not bad I’d say!
END
FOR M.
CULTOALCHIVO@GMAIL.COM
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