Black Mass Desecration
interview
German extreme scene isn’t surprising so often, but once something is born in the underground, it's very worth, and this is precisely the case of NECROS CHRISTOS band. I have been fascinated by occult direction of the band, frightening atmosphere of the darkest dirty rituals and perfect composition in this kind of style. They are clearly the nastiest talent of obscure Death / Black Metal, they have sufficient originality and they are hard to be compared to any band. Availability of facts to send a few questions to the west of our borders, I was curious what aura will evaporate from the answers of Black Shepherd Ov Doom (bass).
Hell, how are things going for NECROS CHRISTOS these days? Finally there is becoming warmer weather and time for romance, but I think it should be enriched with a little horror. When will we see a new stuff from NECROS CHRISTOS?
Our second album "Doom Of The Occult" shall be unleashed in autumn 2010. We are in the middle of recordings right now.
Your band was born in 2001; can you clarify the circumstances of your band formation? What was the main idea to create a band of madness and to play such a dreadful music?
In the beginning, Necros Christos was a mere side project of Mors Dalos Ra that eventually evolved into a long-running band. A drum machine was used on the "Necromantic Doom" demo (2002), the "Black Mass Desecration" (2003) demo was recorded with a session drummer. It wasn't until 2004/2005 that Necros Christos became a working band with a steady line-up and started playing live.
Before you saw debut album, you have recorded amount of demos, splits, EPs and DVDs ... how important is debut album for you? Have you needed long 7 years to create a name in the underground in order to find a good label?
The musical concept needed some time to develop and also the right members had to be found. (I wish that more bands would take their time to properly develop their music before they release an album!) The deal with Sepulchral Voice Records had already been established long before the album was recorded.
So finally you have released debut. What is your view at it with distance of about three years? Would you change anything?
Looking back on it now, there are of course a few things that we would like to change, but that's minor details. All in all we are still very satisfied with the result. Nevertheless, we are very much looking forward to "Doom Of The Occult".
Your music is full of twist, desecration, blasphemy, madness, horror and degradation of holiness. Even at first listening I feel there occult direction, occult light and darkness itself. Personally, I was completely destroyed by your debut, seems that the atmosphere is extra important for you. Which other aspects of your music would you highlight?
Atmosphere is actually the main point. We have found our tone. You can tell that it's Necros Christos and no one else.
Have you ever had problems due to your lyrics or music? I am aiming to Christian defendants or something like that...
Not really. The only issue was a show that had been cancelled in Thessaloniki -- allegedly because the venue owners objected to the bandname. However, we were told that Rotting Christ played the very same location only a couple of months later, so I'm not sure if was the actual reason or merely an excuse.
Your music is mostly mid or slow paced what I, personally, like very much, slow or middle bass drums sound really killing, so there is also more space for better word pronouncing and clarity of vocals. Will NECROS CHRISTOS always be slower paced band?
Definitely. We however tried a few different things on "Doom Of The Occult" which stretch the musical concept a little bit. Some of the new tracks feature more complex arrangements than older tracks. At the same time we've also come up with some of the slowest riffs in the history of the band. Last not least our new drummer Raelin Iakhu brought some new aspects to our sound as well. But all in all everything is still very much Necros Christos.
You use many of, how to call it ... instrumental songs, intermezzos. Why so many of these songs? Of course, I like it very much due to the atmosphere.
Those Temples as we call them interconnect the songs and add to the ritualistic flow of the respective recordings. They have been part of the musical concept of Necros Christos since the beginning.
Till now you have released three spit CDs with excellent bands as TEITANBLOOD, GOAT MOLESTOR (now GRAVE MIASMA) and LOSS. How has it come to realize these things? Are you planning to record next split CDs for the future?
We actually only did one split CD with Goat Molestor (now Grave Miasma) that contained our respective demos, so it was basically only a re-release. The split 7" with Teitanblood was an idea we had because we are good friends with them and Sepulchral Voice were also very much into the idea of releasing a special collectors item.
We used to be in good contact with LOSS, so that was how the split 12" came about. Although I must say that it is the least satisfying release that we have done. It was a bit pointless because the material had already been released, the cover art is shit, plus there were endless delays. On top of that, the label ripped us off as we were sent less copies than had been promised.
At the moment we are talking about a forthcoming split 12" with The Devil's Blood containing exclusive material, which may be released early 2011.
Sure you are experts of occult sciences. Which occult direction is closest to you? Seems you are interested in Necromancy, Qabalah etc.
We certainly aren't experts, but both Mors Dalos Ra and myself do have a longtime interest in the occult, that is true.
What is your view on the occult works of Simon’s Necronomicon or Donald Tyson’s Necronomicon? Do you think the magic of these two works can be applied in practice or it is just a fake?
The Necronomicon is a literary idea invented by H. P. Lovecraft. Therefore all Necronomicons that claim to be occultish manuals are fake. Nevertheless, there are conceptual parallels between Lovecraft's fiction and actual occult ideas. Kenneth Grant for instance refers to some of Lovecraft's concepts in his writings.
Since we talk about Necronomicon, I’d like to mention name H. P. Lovecraft. What effect does his work have to you? Do you think he was visionary of the Ancient Ones? Would you like to meet with Lovecraft through necromancy?
He surely was a very unique visionary. I devoured his books as a kid and still go back to them now. My interest in horror/fantasy as a genre is very limited, but Lovecraft is way beyond categories.
Your lyrics talk about the Sumerian magic as well. What do you generally think of this vanished civilization, of Sitchin’s Annunaki theories, Nibiru planet etc..? I know it's very complex topic, but try at least briefly...
Ancient Sumeria, Egypt and other archaic religions have a lasting influence on the concept of Necros Christos. Yet, unfortunately, I am not familiar with the theories you mention. Personally, I am not interested in science-fiction but in Hermeticism and the occult.
Lets go back to your music. In my view you play original enough music, maybe no band I can compared to you ... how do you perceive NECROS CHRISTOS as for originality side? Where are you looking for inspiration?
Necros Christos is an entity of its own, a profound musical idea. Of course there are aspects that change and evolve, but there is a clearly defined edge that we are very conscious of. We do not desperately look for outside influences in order to change the essence of what this band is about. That will never happen. If the ideas are used up, the band will be history and new vessels will be found.
That said, we are of course influenced by everything we hear and see. As far as Mister Ra's writing is concerned, there is a considerable influence of Middle Eastern, especially Persian music, classical music like Bach or Pergolesi and also modern composers like Scelsi. On the other hand, there is the great, long Metal tradition that we hold very dearly, with protagonists like Black Sabbath, Mercyful Fate, Budgie, Thin Lizzy, Possessed, Morbid Angel, old Samael, Acheron, Autopsy, Incantation, Grotesque etc. etc.
How do your live shows look like, if you ever play any? Have you ever played outside of Germany?
So far we have played shows in Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Italy, Spain and Greece.
What do you think of the German scene in general? Of course I mean old bands like ATROCITY, MORGOTH, PROTECTOR, ETERNAL DIRGE but also new school as NECROPHAGIST, DEADBORN or occult scene as HATESPAWN, PHILOSOPHER ... Are you watching your underground? What other bands would you recommend?
Of course the old German Thrash scene was very influential for us when we were younger, with bands like Kreator, Deathrow, Sodom, Poison, Destruction, Protector etc. Good contemporary German Metal bands that I would recommend are Katharsis, Spancer, Hatespawn, Excoriate, Mortuus Infradaemoni, Secrets Of The Moon, Android Empire. Bohren und der Club of Gore are a personal favourite of mine as well, although maybe not very Metal on the first impression.
Yeah! Thanx for this interview! I want to thank you for answering my questions; I have the honor to do an interview with your band. Let NECROS CHRISTOS doing well exactly the way you want, and stay DARK HEAVY!
Thanks!
Black Shepherd Ov Doom 26. 5. 2010 Mortuary
http://www.darknessdamnationdeath.com/
Hell, how are things going for NECROS CHRISTOS these days? Finally there is becoming warmer weather and time for romance, but I think it should be enriched with a little horror. When will we see a new stuff from NECROS CHRISTOS?
Our second album "Doom Of The Occult" shall be unleashed in autumn 2010. We are in the middle of recordings right now.
Your band was born in 2001; can you clarify the circumstances of your band formation? What was the main idea to create a band of madness and to play such a dreadful music?
In the beginning, Necros Christos was a mere side project of Mors Dalos Ra that eventually evolved into a long-running band. A drum machine was used on the "Necromantic Doom" demo (2002), the "Black Mass Desecration" (2003) demo was recorded with a session drummer. It wasn't until 2004/2005 that Necros Christos became a working band with a steady line-up and started playing live.
Before you saw debut album, you have recorded amount of demos, splits, EPs and DVDs ... how important is debut album for you? Have you needed long 7 years to create a name in the underground in order to find a good label?
The musical concept needed some time to develop and also the right members had to be found. (I wish that more bands would take their time to properly develop their music before they release an album!) The deal with Sepulchral Voice Records had already been established long before the album was recorded.
So finally you have released debut. What is your view at it with distance of about three years? Would you change anything?
Looking back on it now, there are of course a few things that we would like to change, but that's minor details. All in all we are still very satisfied with the result. Nevertheless, we are very much looking forward to "Doom Of The Occult".
Your music is full of twist, desecration, blasphemy, madness, horror and degradation of holiness. Even at first listening I feel there occult direction, occult light and darkness itself. Personally, I was completely destroyed by your debut, seems that the atmosphere is extra important for you. Which other aspects of your music would you highlight?
Atmosphere is actually the main point. We have found our tone. You can tell that it's Necros Christos and no one else.
Have you ever had problems due to your lyrics or music? I am aiming to Christian defendants or something like that...
Not really. The only issue was a show that had been cancelled in Thessaloniki -- allegedly because the venue owners objected to the bandname. However, we were told that Rotting Christ played the very same location only a couple of months later, so I'm not sure if was the actual reason or merely an excuse.
Your music is mostly mid or slow paced what I, personally, like very much, slow or middle bass drums sound really killing, so there is also more space for better word pronouncing and clarity of vocals. Will NECROS CHRISTOS always be slower paced band?
Definitely. We however tried a few different things on "Doom Of The Occult" which stretch the musical concept a little bit. Some of the new tracks feature more complex arrangements than older tracks. At the same time we've also come up with some of the slowest riffs in the history of the band. Last not least our new drummer Raelin Iakhu brought some new aspects to our sound as well. But all in all everything is still very much Necros Christos.
You use many of, how to call it ... instrumental songs, intermezzos. Why so many of these songs? Of course, I like it very much due to the atmosphere.
Those Temples as we call them interconnect the songs and add to the ritualistic flow of the respective recordings. They have been part of the musical concept of Necros Christos since the beginning.
Till now you have released three spit CDs with excellent bands as TEITANBLOOD, GOAT MOLESTOR (now GRAVE MIASMA) and LOSS. How has it come to realize these things? Are you planning to record next split CDs for the future?
We actually only did one split CD with Goat Molestor (now Grave Miasma) that contained our respective demos, so it was basically only a re-release. The split 7" with Teitanblood was an idea we had because we are good friends with them and Sepulchral Voice were also very much into the idea of releasing a special collectors item.
We used to be in good contact with LOSS, so that was how the split 12" came about. Although I must say that it is the least satisfying release that we have done. It was a bit pointless because the material had already been released, the cover art is shit, plus there were endless delays. On top of that, the label ripped us off as we were sent less copies than had been promised.
At the moment we are talking about a forthcoming split 12" with The Devil's Blood containing exclusive material, which may be released early 2011.
Sure you are experts of occult sciences. Which occult direction is closest to you? Seems you are interested in Necromancy, Qabalah etc.
We certainly aren't experts, but both Mors Dalos Ra and myself do have a longtime interest in the occult, that is true.
What is your view on the occult works of Simon’s Necronomicon or Donald Tyson’s Necronomicon? Do you think the magic of these two works can be applied in practice or it is just a fake?
The Necronomicon is a literary idea invented by H. P. Lovecraft. Therefore all Necronomicons that claim to be occultish manuals are fake. Nevertheless, there are conceptual parallels between Lovecraft's fiction and actual occult ideas. Kenneth Grant for instance refers to some of Lovecraft's concepts in his writings.
Since we talk about Necronomicon, I’d like to mention name H. P. Lovecraft. What effect does his work have to you? Do you think he was visionary of the Ancient Ones? Would you like to meet with Lovecraft through necromancy?
He surely was a very unique visionary. I devoured his books as a kid and still go back to them now. My interest in horror/fantasy as a genre is very limited, but Lovecraft is way beyond categories.
Your lyrics talk about the Sumerian magic as well. What do you generally think of this vanished civilization, of Sitchin’s Annunaki theories, Nibiru planet etc..? I know it's very complex topic, but try at least briefly...
Ancient Sumeria, Egypt and other archaic religions have a lasting influence on the concept of Necros Christos. Yet, unfortunately, I am not familiar with the theories you mention. Personally, I am not interested in science-fiction but in Hermeticism and the occult.
Lets go back to your music. In my view you play original enough music, maybe no band I can compared to you ... how do you perceive NECROS CHRISTOS as for originality side? Where are you looking for inspiration?
Necros Christos is an entity of its own, a profound musical idea. Of course there are aspects that change and evolve, but there is a clearly defined edge that we are very conscious of. We do not desperately look for outside influences in order to change the essence of what this band is about. That will never happen. If the ideas are used up, the band will be history and new vessels will be found.
That said, we are of course influenced by everything we hear and see. As far as Mister Ra's writing is concerned, there is a considerable influence of Middle Eastern, especially Persian music, classical music like Bach or Pergolesi and also modern composers like Scelsi. On the other hand, there is the great, long Metal tradition that we hold very dearly, with protagonists like Black Sabbath, Mercyful Fate, Budgie, Thin Lizzy, Possessed, Morbid Angel, old Samael, Acheron, Autopsy, Incantation, Grotesque etc. etc.
How do your live shows look like, if you ever play any? Have you ever played outside of Germany?
So far we have played shows in Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Italy, Spain and Greece.
What do you think of the German scene in general? Of course I mean old bands like ATROCITY, MORGOTH, PROTECTOR, ETERNAL DIRGE but also new school as NECROPHAGIST, DEADBORN or occult scene as HATESPAWN, PHILOSOPHER ... Are you watching your underground? What other bands would you recommend?
Of course the old German Thrash scene was very influential for us when we were younger, with bands like Kreator, Deathrow, Sodom, Poison, Destruction, Protector etc. Good contemporary German Metal bands that I would recommend are Katharsis, Spancer, Hatespawn, Excoriate, Mortuus Infradaemoni, Secrets Of The Moon, Android Empire. Bohren und der Club of Gore are a personal favourite of mine as well, although maybe not very Metal on the first impression.
Yeah! Thanx for this interview! I want to thank you for answering my questions; I have the honor to do an interview with your band. Let NECROS CHRISTOS doing well exactly the way you want, and stay DARK HEAVY!
Thanks!
Black Shepherd Ov Doom 26. 5. 2010 Mortuary
http://www.darknessdamnationdeath.com/