INTERVIEW TO VARATHRON

INTERVIEW MADE AGAIN BY OUR FORMER COLLABORATOR M. AND HAVE THE HONOR OF INTERVIEWING STEFAN, LEADER AND FOUNDER OF VARATHRON. FROM CAI CAI VILU # 4 TO THE MOST ANCIENT AND REAL BLOG IN CHILE.

We welcome you to the pages of the great evil serpent Cai Cai Vilu. Tell us what the band is into lately. We found out you’re working on a new record, tentatively named “Untrodden Corridors Hades”...

WELL, WE’RE WORKING ON OUR NEW OPUS “UNTRODDEN CORRIDORS OF HADES”. WE HAVE 7-8 TRACKS ALMOST READY. WE START TO RECORDING THE DRUMS ON MAY AND THE REST OF INSTRUMENTS ON SUMMER. I HOPE THE ALBUM WILL BE TOTAL READY THE FIRST MONTHS OF AUTUMN!

ALSO, WE HAVE OUT, A GREAT 3-WAY WITH THORNSPAWN AND BLACK ALTAR.

THAT RELEASE WAS OUT ON VINYL AND CD AND WILL BE OUT ON A-5 DIGI AND TAPE ON THE NEXT WEEKS! IN MEANTIME, TOMASZ FROM PAGAN RECORDS WILL RELEASE A SPLIT-7” VARATHRON/SATHANAS, ON THE NEXT MONTH!!!

THAT’S MY CURRENT MUSIC NEWS! RULES!!!!

The work of a musician is never something to make a living out of (unless you’re a member in a band like Metallica or Slayer). What do you do besides the band to earn a living?

I’M AN ELECTRIC ENGINEER FROM UNIVERSITY OF MECHANICS. THE OTHER MEMBERS ARE STUDENTS ON MUSIC-UNIVERSITY AND MECHANIC-UNIVERSITY, TOO. OUR BAND IS LIKE AN INNER-SELF EGO WHO ETERNAL WORSHIP!!!!!

We know some members have (or had) a radio show. Tell us about that. How do you combine it with the rehearsals?

I HAVE A METAL RADIO SHOW FROM 1997 UNTIL NOW! MY SHOW CALLED “TWILIGHT ZONE” 98.7 FM, EVERY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY ON 16:00- 17:00.

I PLAY A LOT OF STUFF WHO I RECEIVED FROM ANYONE AROUND THE WORLD!

Did you premeditate the incorporation of new members? Did you expect a change to the old sound?

I HAVE A MEMBERS AND I DON’T LOOKING FOR NEW. THE SOUND OF VARATHRON IS SO UNIQUE AND PERSONAL WHO I NEVER WANT TO CHANGE ANYTHING ON THAT! VARATHRON HAVE OUR OWN STYLE THROUGH THE YEARS!

AND STAY IMMORTAL!!!!!!!!

Why changing the programmed drums for real ones?

WE USED –IN PAST- SOME PROGRAMMED DRUMS ON STUDIO LIKE ALL THE OTHER GREEK BANDS AND INTERNATIONAL BANDS, TOO. I THINK THE REASON FOR THAT WAS THE DRUMMERS! HERE YOU CAN FIND SO MANY GUITARISTS AND BASS PLAYERS BUT A FEW GOOD DRUMMERS! IN 2013 WE CAN FIND A FEW GOOD DRUMMERS, SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THE SITUATION IN 1988????? OUR FIRST DRUMMER- CAPTAIN DEATH- HE GONE TO OBLIGATORY ARMY SERVICE- AND ON THE FOLLOWING RELEASES WE USED THE DRUMS FROM THE STUDIO.

NOW, I HAVE A GREAT DRUMMER WHO KILLS AND I DON’T WANT ANY MACHINE!!!

Personally, I’ve always been fascinated by the myth of Prometheus, the god deposed by Zeus, the Greek homologue of Lucifer. The eternal richness of Greek mythology is already known. Do you take communion of the Greek cosmogony and its conception of everything we know?

YES, I KNOW THE MYTH AND I LIKE IT. I READ A LOT OF BOOKS ABOUT THAT. THE GREEK COSMOGONY IS THE BASE FOR ANY “FUTURE” RELIGION AND YOU CAN SEE SO MANY SAME ELEMENTS ON ANY OF TODAY RELIGION!!!! I DON’T USED SOMETHING ON MY LYRICS EXCEPT SOME LINES AROUND!

Monotheist - Demiurgic religions were born to create a gregarious mass. Many polytheist religions fell to the Judeo-Christian propaganda. For example, the roman religion. What do you   think about the idea of rebuilding and professing the faith for the ancient polytheist Greek religion?

YOUR IDEA IS GOOD AND WILL BE SO GREAT FOR SOME PEOPLE. FOR ME, I DON’T WORSHIP THAT IDEA. I HAVE OTHER BELIEFS AND I FOLLOWING ETERNAL!!!!!!

Conrad wrote: “the belief in some kind of supernatural evil is not necessary. Men themselves are already capable of any evil deed”. The concept of evil and the being incarnating it is original, quite prior than Christianity and its popular icons. What does this figure represent to you and your music? Is it something “human” or “divine”?

WELL, MY MUSIC, MY LYRICS AND I, WE INFLUENCED BY LUCIFER! A TOTAL DIVINE IDEA WHO LIVES ETERNAL THROUGH THE AEONS! ARRGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is there any psychological weight by being treated as “of worship” when you compose? Are the elements that inspired you at first the same ones now? What elements have changed trough time?

I DON’T KNOW IF I’M POSSESSED OR I’M A ROMANTIC FREAK OR I’M A PERSON “FROZEN” TO THE PAST, BUT I FEEL MORE MAD THAN THE FIRST DAYS OF VARATHRON. THE NEW LYRICS OF THE BRAND NEW TRACKS ARE SO APOCRYPHAL AND BLASPHEMIC LIKE THE FIRST LYRICS WHO I WROTE IN 1988!!!

SO, THE LYRICS STAY “IMMORTAL” THROUGH THE TIME. ABOUT MUSIC, OFCOURSE WE HAVE AN EVOLUTION ON SAME RIFFS BUT THE BASE IT’S STILL REMAINS TOTAL VARATHRON!!!!!!!!! THAT IS AN OATH!!!!!!!!!

How has the “technological” evolution of the band been when’s time to record and distribute the band’s material?

TECHNOLOGICAL EVOLUTION? THE FIRST DEMO RECORDED ON 8-CHANNEL AND THE LAST ALBUM ON 64-CHANNEL! OFCURSE WE HAVE SO MANY GREAT INSTRUMENTS AND AMPLIFIERS! ALL OF THAT GIVEN TO US A GREAT EVIL SOUND WHO WE WANT!!!! SO, THE RELEASE IS OUT AND THE LABEL LOOKING FOR THE BEST DISTRIBUTION. FOR ME THAT SITUATION WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT, BECAUSE YOUR MUSIC WILL BE POPULAR TO THE OTHERS FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD!!!!!!! RULES!!!!!!!!!

Where does the idea of using pseudonymous come from?

IN 1988, SARCOFAGO WAS ONE OF MY BEST BANDS AROUND THE WORLD AND AN EVIL INSPIRATION FOR US!!!! SO, JIM MUTILATOR HE STARTS TO LOOK FOR PSEUDONYMOUS! NECROABYSSIOUS WAS MY PSEUDO-NAME AND COMING FROM MY ABYSSIC VOICE! ARGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What happened to Kawir? Do the other members work with any other band?

WELL, IN 1992-1993 WHEN WE WORK FOR OUR DEBUT ALBUM “HIS MAJESTY AT THE SWAMP”, PANOS (A FRIEND OF JIM NECROSLAUGHTER) HE ASK ME IF I’M INTEREST ON A NEW BAND. THE NAME OF THE BAND WAS KAWIR AND THE MEMBERS WAS: PANOS- BASS, CHRIS (BROTHER OF JIM, WHO WAS ON AGATUS) AND ME- VOCALS. THE FIRST SONG CALLED SINN (THE BLAZING QUEEN). THEN I WAS IN TOUCH WITH MY FRIEND NIHIL FROM CACOPHONOUS RECORDS, SO, I TALK WITH NIHIL AND MY BROTHER MIRAI FROM SIGH AND THE RESULT WAS AN AMAZING SPLIT-7” KAWIR/SIGH!!!  THAT RELEASE WAS SOLD OUT VERY SOON AND NIHIL HE ASK ME IF WE WANT TO RECORDED A FULL ALBUM AND A TOUR WITH CRADLE OF FILTH. IN A MEANTIME, CHRIS AND JIM LEFT THE BANDS AND THE COUNTRY AND THEY GONE TO AUSTRALIA. SO, WE START TO LOOK FOR NEW MEMBERS AND THE RESULTS WAS GREAT! MY LOST BROTHER NICK FROM SADISTIC NOISE ON GUITARS, PYRPHOROS (GUITARIST, MEMBER OF VARATHRON FROM “WALPURGISNACHT” ALBUM UNTIL “THE LAMENT OF GODS”),

KOSTAS- DRUMS FROM SEPTICEMIA, JOHN-SYNTHS, PANOS-BASS AND ME VOCALS!!! SO, THAT LINE-UP RECORDED AN EP-7” CALLED “EUMENIDES” AND RELEASED FROM DARK SIDE RECORDS. REALLY, THAT BAND WAS THE FIRST GREEK BLACK METAL BAND WHO WORKING ON ANCIENT GREEK HISTORY AND MYTHS! THE NEGATIVE SITUATION WAS THE BEHAVIOR OF PANOS AND WE NEVER RELEASED A FULL ALBUM ON CACOPHONOUS RECORDS AND NEVER PLAYED A TOUR WITH GREAT NAMES! PANOS HE DECIDED TO MAKE SOME OTHER RELEASES WITH A SECOND VOCALIST AND THE MOST OF THE OTHER MEMBERS LEFT THE BAND! THAT’S WAS THE TRUE STORY, MY FRIEND!

FOR MY PURE OPINION, IF WE CONTINUE WITH SO PASSION LIKE THE TWO FIRST EP’S, I THINK KAWIR WILL BE SO GREAT BIG BAND! I BELIEVE IT THAT!!!!

What happened to the former members? Are you still in touch?

WELL, I’M IN TOUCH WITH OUR DRUMMER SPYROS-CAPTAIN DEATH. ALSO, I SAW- AFTER A LOT OF YEARS- JIM MUTILATOR! YOU KNOW THE YEARS PASSING AWAY AND THE PEOPLE HAVE SO MANY RESPONSIBILITIES! IT’S A NATURAL THING, MAN!

The other greek monsters, Rotting Christ and Necromantia, have always been present in your productions. Are you close to them?

WE’RE THE UNHOLY GREEK TRINITY!!!! SO, THESE OLD GLORIOUS DAYS WE’RE SO CLOSED LIKE BROTHERS! JIM MUTILATOR WROTE THE MUSIC AND LYRICS, I WROTE SOME LYRICS AND I MAKE ALL THE FLYERS OF VARATHRON, ROTTING CHRIST AND NECROMANTIA. WE STAY TOGETHER, WE HEARD MUSIC AND WE HAD A GREAT COMMUNICATION WITH SO MANY BANDS AROUND THE WORLD!

WE HELP EACH OTHERS AND WE MAKE THE BEST FOR THE THREE BANDS!

I NOSTALGIC THAT SITUATION, THESE YEARS WITH SO PURE DESIRE FOR METAL CREATION!!!!! ARRRGHHHH!!!!!!!

In general, how has the work been with the different labels? Black Lotus for example is from your country and has also released material with Necromantia, Thou Art Lord or Astarte.

REALLY I WAS SO UNLUCKY WITH THE LABELS! WE START ON A DUTCH LABEL “CYBER MUSIC”, THEN ON UNISOUND RECORDS – (WAS SO UNTRUST PERSON WITH SO MANY LIES) AND LATER TO PAGAN RECORDS – (TOMASZ, HE HAD SOME ECONOMIC PROBLEM AND HE RELEASED A MINI-LP NOT A FULL ALBUM!!!). IN 2003, WE SIGNED ON BLACK LOTUS RECORDS- A LABEL OF MAGUS- NECROMANTIA AND A GUY –ANDREAS- WHO HAD EDITOR OF A METAL MAGAZINE, METAL INVADER MAG! THE BLACK LOTUS RECORDS SPLIT-UP AND WE SIGNED ON DEATHRUNE RECORDS. NOW, ONE MORE TIME, WE’RE LOOKING FOR A NEW LABEL!!!!

What do you think of Mark Riddick’s art and the one he did for you guys? Did you contact Ra.Design for the layouts of “Stygian Forces of Scorn” and “Darkness has landed”?

WELL, MARK HE’S A GREAT BROTHER OF MINE FROM THE OLD GLORIOUS DAYS! HE MAKES SO GREAT WORK; HE’S AN AWESOME PAINTER, FROM THE EARLY YEARS OF 1990 UNTIL NOW!!! HE MADE FOR ME A GREAT DESIGN, THE DEMON WITH AN INVERTED CROSS- (IT’S AN ETERNAL GIFT FROM HIM)- AND HE WILL CREATE OUR NEW COVER FOR OUR UPCOMING ALBUM “UNTRODDEN CORRIDORS OF HADES”!  ABOUT ASTRUS-X (RA DESIGN), HE’S A GREAT DESIGNER AND FRIEND OF MY GUITARIST ACHILLEAS – (THEY HAVE A BAND CALLED AENAON)-. HE MAKE A GREAT WORK WITH OUR LAST FULL ALBUM AND SPLIT-7”, TOO. HE WILL HELP US IN ANY CASE; IF WE WILL NEED HE’S HELP!

WE DECIDE TO USE COVERS FROM GREAT PAINTERS ON BLACK/WHITE COVER! FOR THE TRUE, YOU CAN SEE OUR LAST WORK, THE 3-WAY ALBUM WITH THE FANTASTIC COVER OF MY BROTHER J.CASTELLANO! TOTAL BLASPHEMIC RULES!!!!!!

How was the work with NWN! With the re-edition of the demos? What is different about it this time (compared to the other re-editions)?

WELL, I FEEL SO SATISFIED WITH THE AMAZING WORK OF MY FRIEND YOSUKE! HE MAKES SO FANTASTIC WORK AND THAT RELEASE HAS SO GREAT MATERIALS. BESIDES THE TRACKS, THE PERFECT BOOK WITH FOTOS, INFOS AND INTERVIEWS! THAT BOX IT’S SO GREAT AND THE REASON FOR THAT RELEASE WAS THE THOUSAND MAILS WHO THEY WANTS THAT OLD STUFF OF VARATHRON!!!!!! ETERNAL RESPECT TO THEM!!!!

Are you satisfied with the work of Manuel Tinnemans and Tilmann Benninghaus in the art of this edition?  

YES TOTALLY! MANUEL HE’S A GREAT BROTHER, TOO! HE’S ONE OF THE BEST PAINTERS WHO I KNOW AND WE’LL WORKING TOGETHER ON A FUTURE STUFF!!!

What happened to the plans to play at the NUCLEAR WAR NOW! FESTIVAL III?

THE SITUATION WITH THE LIVE SHOWS IS A PROBLEM FOR US. THE REASON FOR THAT IS THE DIFFERENT PLACES WHO THEY WORKS OUR MEMBERS. ME AND MY GUITARIST ACHILLEAS WE STAY HERE IN IOANNINA. MY DRUMMER HARIS , HE’S STUDY IN HELVETIA AND HE’S BROTHER SOTOS, HE’S WORKING IN ATHENS. MY BASS PLAYER, STRATOS, HE’S STAY NEAR  TOO. SO, AFTER SO MANY PROPOSALS AROUND THE WORLD, I START TO LOOKING FOR NEW SESSION MEMBERS – ONLY FOR LIVE SHOWS- AND WE’LL READY FOR THE NEXT NWN FEST! BESIDES, IN LAST NWN FEST, CHUCK-ARES KINGDOM- AND I WE PLANED A SURPISE FOR THE PEOPLE. WE PLAYED ON STAGE 3 OLD HYMNS OF VARATHRON! BUT OUR BAD LUCK STRIKES AGAIN! MY BROTHERS MORBOSIDAD THEY HAD PROBLEMS ON AIRPORT AND THE WHOLE PROGRAMM WAS MINIMAZE OF  PLAY-TIME. I FELT SAD, BECAUSE I WANT TO BE ON STAGE WITH MY ETERNAL BROTHER CHUCK. I HOPE NEXT TIME! OTHERWAY, THE FEST WAS SO INFERNAL AND SO GREAT WITH SO FANTASTIC BANDS! BLASPHEMY, SABBAT, BLACK WITHERY, ARES KINGDOM, REVENGE AND MORE!!! RULES!!!!!!!

There’s much of the original sound of your demos in the old sounds of the South American bands. Are you or were you influenced by any bands from around here? Do you keep contact with any band?

WHEN WE CREATED VARATHRON, THE BIG INFLUENCES ARE: BATHORY, HELLHAMMER AND THE EARLY DAYS OF SARCOFAGO! AFTER THE CREATION OF VARATHRON, I WAS ON CONTACT WITH SO MANY GREAT BANDS FROM SOUTH AMERICA UNTIL NOW! BANDS LIKE SARCOFAGO, NECROFAGO, SEX TRASH, DORSAL ATLANTICA, HOLOCAUSTO, CHAKAL, MUTILATOR,VULCANO, ATTOMICA, MASACRE, HADEZ, MORCROF, HECATE AND SO MANY OTHERS! I LOVE THAT SCENE AND I HOPE TO “BORN” NEW GREAT BANDS LIKE TO GLORIOUS OLD!!!!

The Norwegian sound can also be identified as an influence. Any band in particular that you admire from that country?

SORRY, BUT THE NORWEGIAN SOUND IS NOT AN INFLUENCE FOR US! BESIDES, MY PAST FRIEND QUORTHON OF BATHORY WAS A SWEDISH BAND! I HAD AND I HAVE SO MANY GREAT FRIENDS FROM THERE, BUT VARATHRON THEY NEVER INFLUENCED FROM THAT SCENE. OFCOURSE A LOT OF BANDS FROM GREEK METAL SCENE THEY INFLUENCED FROM THERE!

Speaking of Norway, what do you think about the latest release of Ihsahn, which adds a saxophone to an intricate musical structure? Have you ever thought of adding these or other elements to Varathron’s music?

IHSAHN, HE’S A GREAT MUSICIAN AND HE CREATE SO GREAT MUSIC FORM YEARS. I DON’T HEAR HE’S LAST RELEASE. ME, I’M FULL OF METAL AND I DON’T LIKE TO USE ANY DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS –EXCEPT THE BASIC- NOW!

You guys did a cover of Mercyful Fate in Laments of Gods, in which the intro is simply great. What does this band mean to you all?

HAIL MERCYFUL FATE!!!! IT’S A TOTAL- WORSHIP BAND FOR ME! THE “HISTORY” FOR THAT COVER SONG IS THE FOLLOWING: A FRIEND FROM POLAND, JULIOUS FROM STILL DEAD PRODUCTIONS, HE ASKS US TO ENJOY ON A TRIBUTE –CD TO MERCYFUL FATE IN 1997! WE RECORDED A SONG FROM MY FAUVE-MINI-LP

- (WHO RELEASED BY DANISH EBONY RECORDS) – CALLED “NUNS HAVE NO FUN”! THE TRIBUTE WAS HAD SO GREAT BANDS LIKE NOCTORNUS, ACHERON, NECROPHAGIA, MEMORY GARDEN AND OTHERS. IT WAS THE FIRST TRIBUTE CD EVER, BUT JULIOUS HAD MONEY -TROUBLES AND THAT CD WAS DELAYED.

SO, THE FIRST TRIBUTE -CD TO MERCYFUL FATE, COMING FROM LISTENABLE RECORDS. THE TRIBUTE-CD OF STILL DEAD PRODUCTIONS COMING SOME YEARS LATER –“THE SOUND OF THE DEMON-BELL” AND RE-RELEASED BY AMERICAN DWELL RECORDS, TOO! 

THE TRIBUTE –CD WAS DELAYED AND THAT THE REASON WHO WE USED THAT SONG ON OUR MINI-LP “THE LAMENT OF GODS”! GREAT!!!

Are you planning to make any more covers?

WE ALREADY MAKE ANOTHER COVER FOR THE 3-WAY ALBUM! THE GREAT SONG OF MY BELOVED BAND-BLACK SABBATH- , CALLED “ANCIENT WARRIOR” FROM THE “ETERNAL IDOL” ALBUM!!!! MAYBE IN FUTURE WE WILL MAKE SOME OTHER, TOO!!!

Any chances of playing in South America? How about Chile?

AS I TOLD YOU, WE START TO LOOKING FOR A LIVE-SESSIONS MEMBERS FOR LIVE SHOWS. WE HAVE SO MANY PROPOSALS AROUND THE WORLD AND –WHO KNOWS- MAYBE YOU SEE US ON STAGE!!!! CHILE RULES!!!!!

Lastly, how has your country’s political/ financial situation affect the band?

THE SITUATION HERE IS A TOTAL SHIT! NO WORKS, NO MONEY, THE FOOD AND THE OTHER STUFF ARE SO EXPENSIVE AND THEY MAKE THEM MORE EXPENSIVE DAY AFTER DAY!! SOMETIMES I FEEL LUCKY WHO I LEFT ATHENS AND NOW I LIVE ON A SMALL CITY CALLED IOANNINA. THE WHOLE SITUATION HERE IS BETTER THAN THE BIG CITIES. THE FUCKING POLITICIANS LEAD US INTO THE TOTAL HUMILIATION. I DON’T LIKE TO IMAGINE THE FUTURE. CRUSH THEM ALL!!!!

Stefan, I thank you for the change you give the serpent, Cai Cai Vilu, for Varathron to express its dark thoughts. Anything else you want to add for the followers in Chile and South America?

THANX FOR YOUR SUPPORT MY FRIEND! EMBRACE THE ULTIMATE ABYSMAL HYMNS OF VARATHRON AND WORSHIP HIM!!!!!!

BEWARE FOR OUR NEW INVASION! OBEY THE STYGIAN FORCES!!!

INFERNAL EVIL HAILS TO ALL OUR METAL BROTHERS THEIR IN CHILE!!!

ARRRRGGGGHHHHHHH!!!! I WISH TO SEE THEM ALL ON DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

END

For M.