Belphegor [ Black/Death metal | Austria | Interview on May 19, 2008]

Metalthai.com >> Interview Index >> Belphegor [Date of interview: May 19, 2008]
Belphegor [Date of interview: May 19, 2008]
[Click here to read the review of Bondage Goat Zombie 2008]
"SEX, SATHAN, ART...I really dig that stuff", the words of heretic grunts&chainsaw "Helmuth" that can prove the long road 15 years of Belphegor. The new album "BONDAGE GOAT ZOMBIE" released in this year, let 's get to know more about this new album, comrade!

First of all ,please introduce yourself to Thailand...
Helmuth | Belphegor: Hey you metal demons in Thailand, whats up? Well, first off, lemme tell you, this is so far the first BELPHEGOR interview for a magazine from Thailand, thats pretty cool u know.

Here we go Mr. Sorn, BELPHEGOR formed in 1993 with the intention to create some of the most brutal and extreme music possible, since this time we shred the six string chainsaws in the name of the devil.

Back then we were inspired by some of the most brutal Deathmetalbands and later also incorporated highspeed Blackmetal influences into our music, which since then became one of our trademarks. BELPHEGOR was the first band in Europe that used this Death/ Black Metal term. With each album we bring our sound onto the next level, the feeling, the production, the songs,....it was amazing to create and record BONDAGE GOAT ZOMBIE, our sound has never been so vital, dark and full of demonic passion.

How's the metal scene in Austria,Bro'?
Helmuth | Belphegor: Well for the size of the country we have some great bands, there are some ppl that respect what we?re about and have been supporting us for years, that makes us very proud.

Belphegor was formed in 1993, you made a stand until now around 15 years, that's fuckin long road, Bro'. How can you keep the step ot Belphegor and shred for Sathan 'till current?
Helmuth | Belphegor: You know, it seems like everyday there's a new subgenre of Metal. But while trends come and go, Death and Black Metal is forever, real Metal in general. I saw so many bands come and go the last 15 years, especially that overnight-hype-sensations har har har. Okay for starters, to becoming mightier, more intense with every opus has always been our aim since 1993, we all have exercised a lot on our instruments the last years, to improve our playing and compositorical abilities, raise intensity and dynamics, to just get better in all musical aspects,…stagnation = death. The most important thing is, that when you play a BELPHEGOR album - song, you immediately recognize that it is BELPHEGOR.

What do you think when the metalheads or media always said about the band who move away from the underground label to major label and their music will be change for the world wide?
Helmuth | Belphegor: To be honest, I don?t care man, BELPHEGOR never was a commercial band, followed a trend nor changed their style drastically. So what should i say, we?ll do what we always do, to keep the evil spirit in metal music alive,....to try to unleash more energy, to give the die-hard brothers and sisters ultimate hell har har.

And how about your band when you came to Nuclear Blast?
Helmuth | Belphegor: For BELPHEGOR it`s a big step forward in aspects of distribution, promotion, and touring, we feel honored being on a label like Nuclear Blast, and it`s also an evidence that our music has gotten more demanding Nuclear Blast is up to now the best and most professional label which we’ve had the pleasure to work with, its an important thing to have a good company behind you who gives support.

I think your music is aggressive brutality with the clear melodies. Please define the hymn of Belphegor, what is the character of your music that make your band unique from the metal bands around the world?

Helmuth | Belphegor: Music/Art has to be provoking and controversial,... to hell with censorship, the masterplan means to kill musically in the name of the devil and to recrute new followers for the crusade of metal. BELPHEGOR in a live stituation means musicwise fucking 666!!!

I've heard you were looking for the permanant drummer, how's the progress,Bro'? Already got it or not? I saw your tour schedule in the end of May 2008. During that time, Will Torturer perform in this position?
Helmuth | Belphegor: Yeah, its not easy to find dedicated musicians, who like to be on the road and spend many time in the rehersal room / studio and for who the band is on the first place.

Since years we work with rotating drummers, we always recruit experienced musicians to gurantee the demons an intense BELPHEGOR live chaos. We are on the road the whole year, the core is solid and ready to kick some serious ass, thats all you need to know.

Can you brief the music and content on your new album "Bondage Goat Zombie"?
Helmuth | Belphegor: BONDAGE GOAT ZOMBIE is the freakiest, wildest BELPHEGOR Werk concerning guitars. More shredding, more cold melodies, more epic harmonies, more cyber-blastbeat-terror.

The 9 sound collages reached a higher level of complexity and structured brutality. I?m totally blown away by the diabolical atmospere, its like a crushing extra punch in your face har har.

How many language that you wrote and sang in this album? Why you choose to sing in the vary language, not only English?
Helmuth | Belphegor: Exactly, we used our mother language first time on the OBSCURE AND DEEP 7? inch Ep in 1994, i like the effect. Songs with German lyrics, like SEXDICTATOR LUCIFER became an own morbid charme. Each verse is connected, i mean, each language has its own atmosphere, toughness in its pronounciation, and it sounds kinda unique, a trademark u know,...i really dig it. Besides, you can?t translate some of the old verses, magics, incantations we use, cause the sense would be defaced, or the words don't exist anymore. Its the highest blasphemy to growl in latin, the churchs speech, and mock them with their own words.

What do you think about the graphics, front cover and concept of photography that is resulted by Ralph Manfreda? Why you choose this guys for the essential nasterouece?
Helmuth | Belphegor: The lyrical content just has to always fit the cover-photo-booklet art and melt the whole into a cold unit, u know it give the mu-SICK kinda extra-super-power. Ralph Manfreda a great artist from Austria did an amazing job on the whole booklet art, it look sick, and it was cool to work with him again, he?s the man when it came to that morbid-twisted-fetish stuff.

Think what you may man, but at the very least, you can always count on BELPHEGOR when it came to that stuff. People get what they deserve, if it says BELPHEGOR on the outside, it`s BELPHEGOR what you get.

And what's the meaning of the concept of your artwork, tons with nun-slavery, sadiam and definitely worship the Sathan?
Helmuth | Belphegor: SEX, SATHAN, ART. I really dig that stuff.

Basically the lyrical concept of this album deals with the fascinating life of the Marquis De Sade, the topics are bite wounds, flagellation, all the cool fetish/ nylon stuff and the devil. First u have to realize the word "sadism" comes from Marquis de Sade's name. I'm more than impressed since 1997 by De Sade as i get my hands on 120 Days Of Sodom, Justine or Julliette etc. I really recommend this scripts, his work was a battlefield full of perverted sex, violence, humiliation, but on the other hand his writing is pure poetry...its amazing man.

Also his live was very impressive, I used many of his original verses for the new album, he was a rebel and was in jail about 25 years for his art, ideals and even that long he took refuge, he always refused to kneel down.

The flagellation at the end of THE RUTENMARSCH is not fake and we used original verses from Donatien Marquis De Sade ( 1740-1814 ) and as always, one very important sentence from F.W. Nietzsche ( 1844-1900 ). The last spoken words "...drown me in your fukk, drown me", are perfect and blackest poetry to me.

Lemme describe the abum title: BONDAGE = The album deals with S/M you know and overall inspired by the themes in the work of Marquis de Sade.

THE GOAT = our trademark since the end of the ninties.

ZOMBIE = This goes along with my opinion that there are people who are fucked up zombies who sleep-walk the earth, infesting it like a plague.

The message is clear, its about rebellion in man, free will and to take your own decision, walk your own path,....in my opinion freedom is the most important thing in life

Finally,Bro', thank you for your time. Hope you guys success with this new album, any last words for the metalthai's readers.
Helmuth | Belphegor: Your welcome Sorn, regards to ya readership and all metal demons in Thailand, check out our new album BONDAGE GOAT ZOMBIE. Throw thy horns, BELPHEGOR are back to skull - fukk you. www.belphegor.at
myspace.com/belphegor