Live-Metal.Net - Interviews: Belphegor

Since the release of its first studio album in 1995, Austria’s self-described “supreme death/black metal art” band, Belphegor, has been the embodiment of extreme. Offensive, evil, bizarre and disturbing, Belphegor has tried to shock us and bleed the last drop of blood from our ears with each of its albums and outrageous live shows. For years, the band has appeared in blood-drenched promos, and has featured blasphemous album artwork and controversial lyrics dealing with S&M and other intense subject matter. But for some reason, Belphegor never had achieved its maximum threshold—that is, up until now. Finally, they have articulated the perfect balance of all of these extreme elements with their new release, Blood Magick Necromance (Feb. 8, 2011, Nuclear Blast Records), an album that many are sure to hail as their best offering yet.

Just before the album’s release, Belphegor vocalist/guitarist Helmuth fell victim to the latest LiveMetalNet interrogation. We extracted some important information regarding the new album, the nature of Belphegor’s extremity and much more.

LiveMetalNet: Musically, what type of direction in extreme metal did you aim to take this album?

Helmuth: Blood Magick Necromance is exactly how Belphegor wanted to sound in 2011.

It has always been our goal to bring our sound to the next level of intensity and raise the dynamics. I know we succeeded and proved once more that we are able to redefine our own sound and explore the chaos. You hear a lot of influences of classical composers such as Brahms, Beethoven, Mozart and Bach.

Necromancy historically dealt with relics of death—corpses and skulls being especially important in ceremony. Possession. Actually, the entire lyrical and conceptual concept deals with chaos, the flesh and the devil, the strong anti-Christian sentiment—the blackest of love sent to the bowels of Hell.

The album cover is just wild. How did it come together? What is it exactly? Was it all done graphically in Photoshop, or is it partially a real image/photograph?

No, (we didn’t use) Photoshop. This is a montage of two photographs; a selected goat head and a photo from my longtime friend, Rachael Kozak. I wanted to get away from this Photoshop crap—you can find it anywhere. It is so boring. I can't stand to see this same shit over and over, the same motifs, the same ideas, colours…

Only dead fish go with the flow.

Did I read correctly that the band worked on the title track for seven months? Describe the overall experience and work involved that comes with something like that. By the way, I really like the Morbid Angel-type David Vincent vocal effect you use here.

This is the most varied track we ever wrote. Every detail was like a pact with Hell. It is 17 years of Belphegor in seven minutes. You find everything there; spoken words, chants, choirs, grunts, acoustic guitars, classical harmonies, epic orchestrations and doom parts which turn to ultra blast beats.

We arranged this death collage in eight months. Yes, I used a similar effect for the two verses, (which was producer) Peter Tägtgren’s idea. You get the feeling of two singers, making everything more chaotic. We also used the first-time dude, Sebastian Lanser, who created orchestral elements to get that sinister, dark atmosphere.

We didn't overdo it like some bands do; it is just there to strengthen the overall sound. I’m really proud of this majestic opus.

How important is the shock value of Belphegor to the music, or to your fans?

Not important anymore, you know. On the contrary, all this intense stuff comes easy to us—it’s fascinating. Many verses are original from figures like [Aleister) Crowley or (Marquis) de Sade. You get “death ritual musick” here, the way it is meant to be.

Sure, in the early days, around 1993 to 2002, it was a lot fun to piss these moralizers and Catholic rats off—the more they prayed and begged for mercy, the more we gave them the utmost hell.

Belphegor is here since 17 years. We never cared about any trend whatever. Which band can say that nowadays? Maybe a handful are left. Most sold their souls and changed their style and sound drastically, or changed their attitude, lyric, or the band logos. Belphegor still has the same grotesque message, and we still stay hermetically to all and everything, and do our own thing in our own Reich.

Would Belphegor be the same, or at least equally as brutal musicall, without all of the black metal type imagery, gore, horror and S&M?

We work with imagery that goes beyond most of all the black metal bands out there. Most definitely, we are more fucked up, more raw and direct. Some people understand it; some don't at all. I really do not give a fuck. Music is what matters to me most in the end —it thrones over all.

There is no hypothetical situation—I hate this (question). I mean sure, "what if" I only had one eye, or I grew up in Israel? Know what I mean? It is bullshit. Accept it as it is—this is Belphegor.

What initially drew your interest and/or beliefs to Satanism, the occult and all things evil, and why?

I have been interested in Occultism and magic for decades. I read a shitload of books on the topic and whatever surrounds this theme. We never were a Satanic band or practiced this religion. I am possessed by all that is different, the darkest aspects of humanity. I see the word “Sathan” as a metaphor against the Holy Spirit. He is the creator of invention, the adversary, the lightbringer, the first rebel. It is important to walk a different path. Decide for yourself. Make your own decisions. This is about free thinking. Freedom, in general, under the banner of the devil.

Tell us the background behind your new music video for “Impaled Upon the Tongue of Sathan” And what is the concept and meaning behind the video?

We wanted a disgusting, possessed bloodbath. We made it. I know it is hard to shock people nowadays, but we went full force in two days of shooting.

The clip is contrary to life, its total anti—it was not about shocking. On top of it, Austria has a long line of very extreme art. The ritual action caught on tape was also inspired in part by the world-famous works of Viennese Actionists such as Hermann Nitsch and Gunter Brus.

Outside of the band, do you lead fairly normal lives? I have asked this question to black metal bands before; its just that its hard to imagine you guys working 9-5 day jobs, mowing the lawn and out buying groceries, that sort of thing.

I am not a family guy, nor do I have any regular 9-5 job. We are busy touring all year, plus practicing and spending time for rehearsals. When we are not busy with that, we are involved in writing new material and then recording in the studio. For me, the most important thing is silence. I need a lot of time to myself, to follow my own path and make my own decisions. I need to reload the batteries between raids without having a ton of people around all the time. This music is not created to be playing in Walmart restrooms. This is elite.

Mayhem, Cannibal Corpse, Marduk, Uunleashed, Exodus, Nile and Gorgoroth are still strong and always guarantee for amazing, aggressive soundwalls. You know, the list is endless. I am very open minded when it comes to metal and rock in general. I adore the (New Wave of British Heavy Metal), which is one of the best periods when it comes to music. Hails to England, for these important metal bands and creativity. I also listen to classical composers and many other guitar genres. Music is passion—magic. It is the highest art. Life without music is worthless.

Nonstop worldwide shredding, starting with terrorizing North America again with Deicide, later with Sepultura, followed by European open airs and a 26-date tour through Europe, where we cross a lot of important cities.

Cheers to your readership and check out the new monolith, entitled Blood Magick Necromance, available in North America on the 8th of February.