Interview: Maja Trstenjak (maja@venia-mag.net)

Photo: Elena Crnković

Austrian black/death metal band Belphegor has visited Croatiaon December 17^th 2010 to headline first Koprivnica Winter Metal Fest. Their new album “Blood Magick Necromance” will be released on January 14^th and that was the reason to talk about with Belphegor singer, Helmuth.

VENIA: Tell me something about your new album Blood Magick Necromance, what is it about?
HELMUTH: Its all about musick. Its Belphegor to the highest, more heavy and epic than ever, that was the masterplan as we started with the songwritting/ rehearsals. There are a lot of new elements and structures added, to explore our chaos sound and take it to the next level, more shredding, more magick, more of everything.

VENIA: How does the meaning of the album reflect on the album plot?
HELMUTH: It was time for a new chapter, for a new challenge u know. The first track In Blood – Devour This Sancitity reflects exactly how we want to sound in 2011.
The chorus melody is inspired by the classical composer, Johannes Brahms “Hungarian Dance” # 1 (1833 – 1897). Or the titletrack, a seven minutes opus, we worked eight months on this complex hymn. And arranged acribical everything in each detail. You find everything there, spoken words, chants, choirs, grunts, acoustic guitars, doom parts which turn to ultra blast beats. I’m really proud of this massive song. the most difficult – varied track we ever created.

VENIA: Where did you record the album, how did the album-making process go?
HELMUTH: It was time for a new challenge. We needed a new soundwall for Belphegor to enter the next level, so we decided for the Abyss Studios in Sweden with producer Peter Tägtgren.  He is experienced and motivated us to give a lot extra energy. We recorded five weeks, devided in 4 sessions, so everything could grow and you get the best result. The musick rules above all. I mean, it is always a pleasure to try something new, its important u know….or see our musick from another perspective though, I’m blown away by the brilliant soundwall.

VENIA: Your lyrics are combination of German and English. What makes you combine those two languages in a single line, what is a meaning behind that?
HELMUTH: Its a Bephegor trademark. Three fukker, u forget Latin, its the church´s speech, so its most blasphemic to hit them in their face with their own words. Besides, you cant translate some of the old verses, magicks, incantations we use, cause the sense would be defaced…

VENIA: Speaking of German language, you are from Austria. Tell me something about Austrian metal scene, firstly about Austrian black metal scene?
HELMUTH: No. I dont care so much about scenes, nor waste my time. Nowadays when it comes to extreme musick and true metal attitude you have to mention BELPHEGOR.  We shred everything to death!  Whatever try to cross our path, doesn’t matter where and which country we play.

I promote our new monster Blood Magick Necromance. Release date 14th January in Europe. Better be prepared…

VENIA: What inspires you in song writing, which are your musical influences?
HELMUTH: Anti Life – Magick – Art – Freedom – Sex – Death.

VENIA: Recently you posted new track via Myspace. What do you think about this kind of promotion via social services like Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, etc.?
HELMUTH: I don’t care so much u know, I’m old school, I dig to have a LP format or a CD in my hands.

VENIA: What is the future of Belphegor?
HELMUTH: We are one of the hardesd touring bands around.  So nonstop touring, worldwide after the CD release dates, we do 3 USA/CAN runs – two are solid booked, one with Deicide and second with Sepultura. Also some open airs in Europe and loads of shows. Also again a four weeks to South America raid and of course to bomb Europe. Will be a massive touring year for Bephegor, for sure about +/- 150 shows. Hope we also can retun in 2011 to Croatia, was a real pleasure to shred there, alot good memories stuck in my head. Anyways, at the moment all is focused now on the new monster, Blood Magick Necromance.

VENIA: Your message for Venia-Mag readers:
HELMUTH: Thanks for the space in Venia Magazine. Regards to ya readership and all demons who stuck with us, who just got into the band, or who came to the shows, see ya all on the road. An honour this horror!  www.belphegor.at