Averse Sefira [ Black metal | USA | Interview on June 21, 2001]

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Averse Sefira [Date of interview: June 21, 2001]
"Since their inception in 1996, the name of Averse Sefira has reverberated through the underground with relentless intensity. This Texas trio has become notable within the American Black Metal vanguard as they struck in Europe and North and South America with a succession of tours alongside veteran acts Dark Funeral, Candlemass, Watain and 1349."

Hi Wrath, please introduce yourself to Thailand.
Wrath | Averse Sefira: Hello Thailand! I'm Wrath of Averse Sefira!

Can you tell me a little story about the history of Averse Sefira? Where you men are from? How do you describe your music?
Wrath | Averse Sefira: Sanguine and I formed the band in Austin, Texas, in 1996. We are both from Texas. We released the "Blasphomet SIn Abset" demo in 1997, moved to New York in 1999 and released the "Homecoming's March" album, then moved back to Texas in 2000 and recruited The Carcass on drums. Our music is Texas Black Metal, simple as that.

Please tell me about the local scene (metal) in your city? What do you have contact with other bands?
Wrath | Averse Sefira: The good metal bands in Austin are Acerbus and Death of Millions. Most of the other ones are shitty posers who wish they were The Kovenant. Most of the contact we have with them is hostile. We do talk to plenty of other great bands around the US and the rest of the world though. Local scenes are usually weak.

What's the band that is the main influences to your starting out?
Wrath | Averse Sefira: Immortal and Mayhem are the two biggest influences, though we also really like Enslaved, Sodom, Immolation, Incantation... a whole lot of older black and thrash stuff too. They influenced to us in different ways. I feel that we finally have gotten enough experience and momentum to not rely so strongly on those influences now.

How do the name 'Averse Sefira' come from?
Wrath | Averse Sefira: Sanguine found it in a book about angelic theology, though the name itself has a much larger meaning. We knew right away it was an important name.

Wrath, what do you all do aside from 'Averse Sefira'? Other bands? Wage slave fuckin job? Hobbies?
Wrath | Averse Sefira: I don't have any other bands. For hobbies I help other people build webpage and work on graphic designs for various projects. I actually do have a wage slave job as a computer technician because the kind of music we make will not make me rich, which is fine by me. This band is my main endeavor and I spend so much money and time on it that there's not much room for anything else. I like it that way, though.

How did you get the demo out there and what kind of response did you get? And tell me about the reaction to 'Blasphomet Sin Absent'?
Wrath | Averse Sefira: "Blasphomet" was a surprise to us in that it got quite a bit of good press and response. Everybody was very supportive and enthusiastic. We printed 300 of them with a complete inlay booklet and sent them to zines. It caught on and the band slowly began to gain more recognition.

Who's created your band's logo? What does it mean?
Wrath | Averse Sefira: Sanguine drew that by hand. The version you see is the version he drew with virtually no alteration. His concept was to make the logo look more like some unearthly winged creature, tattered and ancient. I like it because it has become a very powerful symbol. It preceeds us and sometimes it is more quickly recognized than the actual band name.

How would you describe the musical progression between 'Blasphomet Sin Absent' and 'Battle's clarion'?
Wrath | Averse Sefira: It's funny to consider that progression because "Battle's Clarion" was more of a move back toward the demo's approach. We had made "Homecoming's March" a long and sweeping album with much longer songs, and on the new one we made them much shorter and more direct again. That isn't to say that "Homecoming's..." was any kind of failure as I will always be proud of that effort, but for this album a swifter execution was more appropriate.

Who's write the lyrics? I received CD promo from Lost Disciple and I can't get the lyrics in the CD...so, please tell me about the lyrics what about? Tell me a little about your lyrical content?
Wrath | Averse Sefira: Sanguine and I share lyric duties. The lyrics are a long saga about the fall of goD and the fostering of divinity within mankind. The narrators are the Sephiroth, extracelestial beings who dwell at the edges of Elysium. "Battle's Clarion" is actually more about goD's angels and their civil war in heaven after goD rejects his power. All the lyrics are metaphors and parables in the end.

What's the inspiration to write your song? Books, movie, Real life,or,...what?
Wrath | Averse Sefira: We often draw from classics of literature. Milton is definitely an influence. However, a great deal of our content is taken from our perceptions of the world- religion, society, even the metal scene- and we use these ideas to further the ideas and concepts within the story arc.

Tell me your opinion about many bands that played black metal and mark corpse paint on the face, need to do that? Why to paint like that?
Wrath | Averse Sefira: Corpse paint is only done well when it has meaning. When bands look like pandas, it's clear that they don't understand the idea. I feel that it's necessary to wear the paint to live up to the black metal paradigm, to transform into something larger than your mortal reality. However, if the paint doesn't inspire you and it's all just out of obligation, forget it. Don't play black metal. As for our paint, the pattern across our eyes is representative of the crown of thorns- the blindness of Christianity.

O.K. about 'Battle's Clarion' album, how would you introduce it to someone who haven't heard it yet?
Wrath | Averse Sefira: "Battle's Clarion" is the halfway point in a story that is to span four albums. It also features our drummer The Carcass for the first time. It is fast and loud with no compromises. This is a statement of purpose, a restoration of a damaged empire. We do not use keyboards, we do not have female vocals, we do not sing about vampires! The old ways in black metal live and breathe within this disc.

I know in 'Battle's Clarions' album features MkM of Antaeus and Imperial of Krieg as back up vocal, u know - Antaeus is the band that's really awe grim, brutal black metal. How do you feel about it?
Wrath | Averse Sefira: Antaeus is a phenominal act, and MkM has been a good friend and supporter to the Averse Sefira cabal. We were honored and lucky to have him and Imperial (whose band Krieg also destroys!) participate on the recording.

About your artwork, what do you think about Jonzig?
Wrath | Averse Sefira: What is there to say? Jonzig rules! He did a great job on both our albums. I'm glad that we are helping to expose him to audiences outside the US because he's very talented and deserves the attention. I built a website for him at www.jonzig.com

What's the Averse Sefira's plan to do in the future? Touring Soon? Where and with who?
Wrath | Averse Sefira: We are playing the Milwaukee Metalfest this summer with bands like Immolation and Gorgoroth so that's going to be exciting. Outside of that we'll have to see if the album gains us more opportunities for tours. We definitely want to play in Europe and South America so that's being planned as well. Outside of that we will begin work on the new album soon. No rest for the wicked!

Well, that's all at the end of interview, want to say something to Metalthai readers.. Go ahead...
Wrath | Averse Sefira: Thanks a lot for the interview and your support. You Thai metalheads are crazy! Keep it up!
Averse Sefira PO Box 40342 Austin, Tx 78704-0342 USA
www.aversesefira.com