Aosoth Interview is up 1/6/2010
- MKM tell us the birth of the very Grim Occult/Ritualistic unit called Aosoth.
*** this birth was mostly due to Antaeus being locked in the reh’ room and having always a missing band member not showing up, so we wouldnt waste the time & create something different than what we used to perform, also slower and well, to those who wants to give it a listen, it’s still easy to find... in the mean time, the band had to undergo drastic line up changes, different musical direction & got reborn when Antaeus went to record “blood libels” at BST studio, with the sound engineer (bst) we did discuss about doing again a band together (we’ve known each other for over a decade & also shared a band some years ago) so it all made sense.
2. Aosoth seems to have a few splits on Debemur Morti Productions and a full length out on Total Holocaust Records. Is the material very different from Ashes of Angels release?
*** ? we just had one split on debemur morti, with french act TEMPLE OF BAAL, in the past we also had a mlp split with ANTAEUS on paleur mortelle (reissued lately by Battleskrs on cd format), two demos I mostly didnt spread (one is enclosed in the reissue on cd), then the first full lenght on THR. All those materials are indeed VERY different from each other and all this is due mostly to the line up changes, I was & am the only link in between those releases. Even one of the tape was mostly dark ambiant & rituals whispered/screamed. The work we just achieved is somehow the one of a more matured work combination with BST, since we got to perform live with the first album for the first time since Aosoth got created, that somehow did create the wish to express ourselves in this more sinister way, while the first album was more “built to be performed live”, more catchy riffs I guess...
3. You seem to work with different labels on each release; is Agonia going to be your home now or will you continue to work on a label by label release ideal?
*** Thing is, Aosoth or Antaeus are very small acts & barely noticed, we had to go from label to label just to have our releases out, just like we also were to have a split with sargeist out some years ago & that never happened... it’s always been the same I guess, being a french band gets you to be considered as pure shit to most label & not worth the attention. (unless recently & only for a few selected bands like DSO for instance). So far all is going very well with Agonia & the next release will be done under their banner.
4. MKM, you had a long run with Antaeus; why was the project put on hold?
*** It became nearly impossible to go on, too many issues, and this european tour we did after the release of blood libels really did drain the remaining energy I would have had left. I felt like this tour RUINED all I did in “blood libels” & this was my most precious release and the feeling of “betrayal” towards my own work really made me more bitter than ever. Also we did have the usual line up issues, which leads us to the actual situation : just Seth (main guitar) & myself : being the core of the band & remaining like this. We will use a session drummer in case we record anything else, but NO, we will not perform live anymore, it just doesnt make sense. Too much effort & money lost for such a fucking shit result...
5. Aosoth has a very Dirty Grim Dissident Black metal sound with a strong Ritualistic feel almost in the same way bands like earlier Marduk, Deathspell Omega and a more obscure band called V.E.G.A. Was this a progression or is this what Aosoth was intended to sound like all along?
*** VEGA for instance, I am not familiar with, did listen to one track or something like “cocaine”, I’m not too sure... there is no discussion with BST during which we would name bands we would be interested to “copy” or be in the vein of. I guess both our musical backgrounds just gets to influence us into this writting but the main direction was to create something that we wouldnt necessarly perform live (on the opposite of the first album which was way more simple in the structure)
6. Is there a theme on the very powerful " Ashes of Angels"?
*** Lyric wise, this album got written in the same kind of process as “blood libels” from Antaeus, those who did get to listen to that album can get an idea or a glimpse of what it is about. Mostly an exposition, like a window inside my world, my words, an offering somehow.
7. Does Aosoth have any real alignment with " Order of Nine Angels" or is the name just taken from that belief as it fits you feeling and view of the world?
*** The earlier releases were strongly related to the ONA principles but the band does not claim to belong nor to be doing any kind of propaganda on that field, those willing to be educated or know more can look for themselves.
8. With Aosoth be doing many shows in 2010 and for someone that has never seen the band before is there a stage show or is just raw Black metal fury live on stage?
*** So far, there has been a talk for a mini european tour in april 2010 & that would be it. I doubt we could afford to do anything else for that year but who knows... maybe nothing will be done in the end. No there is no stage show nor anything planned, this is just adreline and exposition. There are some videos online I guess with “ok” result and you can get to see the difference in between the first gigs with the earlier line up (first album era) & the latest we did (gigs at the frontline in belgium).
Ah and some gigs in Belgium got secured as well, but that will depend on if we do find a suitable session drummer by then, since the latest we had is now impossible to afford it seems...
9. What are your thoughts on the current digital age with Black or Extreme metal? Do you feel it's too easy to get exposure to bands that are not ready or does it weed out the garbage to the world before the labels see or hear them?
*** I seriously dont care. In the end, the bands from scandinavia will get interests from the listeners & labels and will mostly be it.
10. It's very timely right now so I'm asking most BM bands this: what are your thoughts on all the hype with new Burzum release and do you feel that in 2010 Varg holds any importance to the scene any more after a decade out of the sound or vision on Black metal?
*** Just got to read one sentence of the man saying that he has nothing to do with “black metal” but yet his music will be affiliated with the genre.
To each its own, I did play a good amount of times the first two releases on my vinyl player but never got much in the rest... Just like I never heard anything after “hvys...” I will not give a listen to this piece either, be it well written or not, I just dont care – if I want dark folk or ambiant industrial, I go check with tesco or cold meat industry...
11. Will Aosoth be touring or performing in the USA at all in 2010?
*** Impossible. How could we? Just like this one time Antaeus performed in New York, was such a mistake... the promoter must still be pissed on how ridiculous the turn out was. There is no reason to go and do gigs for us there, who would care anyway? It’s already like 20 people showing up in europe, so I guess it would be 5 in the USA. We’re not anything “hype” or having the support from bands over there, so no. Nothing, yet I have great memories of my stays in the USA but not with Antaeus, on a more personal level. But trust me, if some promoters would show interest, we would agree, but DOUBT IT.
12. Do you feel Corpse paint is a needed element to the live ritual of Black metal music? I just saw Marduk tour and the bands with corpse paint seem to have a more powerful showing.
*** I did perform ONCE without paint since I felt like the whole gig was just a pathetic joke and I couldnt stand the idea to be part of that, I still wonder why I even did the gig myself, I guess I wouldnt let the others down... but yes I do consider the paint as an emphasis somehow – though with all the sweat and anger & me always having hair in my face, it doesnt get to be seen much.
Marduk really managed to get an amazing turn out with Mortuus on vocals, when Antaeus toured with them in 2002 or 2003, really thought that the band was soon to be dead. And now they’re stronger than ever.
13. If you have any closing thoughts please place them here:
616 all hails to you Clint for the coverage in your zine.
Give a listen to the french act VI, the guy is also our second live guitarist & we shall soon do a split ep with him, great work !!
Also in the latest releases, the demo tape from Ascension from Germany is a must have.
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