Belphegor pour l'album ''Conjuring The Dead''

Hi Helmuth, I'm really happy to be able to hear again some fresh blasphemies from Belphegor, can you explain to our readers such a silence ?

In September 2011 I almost died by getting infected by a Typhus virus while touring South America. I had to undergo a difficult heart operation at the beginning of October the 4th, 2011. It took me almost a year and a half to come back and be able to perform again. First months after the operation were tough, I couldn’t play musick, nor doing anything else, that was frustrating, just sitting around like a zombie. It isn’t easy for a person who was always very active. Also, a lot of setbacks during the healing process didn't make it any easier. For the first time, my body showed me borders and how fast it can be that your life can fully change within a few days. But what are you going to do..survive and to get back on track, front BELPHGEOR again was my goal!!
Yes. It changed my whole life, my thinking, my lifestyle. I mean, I was 6 hours dead, only surviving through machines, it was a nightmare. There were some moments where I really thought, 'damn, I can’t ever finish this record'. At the end of this battle with death I was successful and survived...I have to say, that this goal, to create and work on a new project helped me a lot to recover.

« Blood Magick Necromance » dared unexpected experiments, what was the aim on « Conjuring The Dead » ?

Expect the unexpected. Stagnation = Death! It’s important to keep a band going after all those intense years, and get excited again. You know, we never wimped out, nor split up or changed our sound drastically. There was always room for experiments and to aim towards getting better, more intense with every Lp and also in live situations. BLOOD MAGICK NECROMANCE in 2011 was very epic, the tracks were mostly over 6 minutes playtime…still an extreme piece of Diabolical Death Musick.
As I got better after my forced break regarding my operation and following rehab, I felt that I wanted to do a more direct, brutal album-- way more brutal than the last Lp´s with a, lets say, more Death Metal approach. Of course, with all the typical BELPHEGOR trademarks, like obscure melodies. But all more edgy and haunting. Can’t wait til the Lp gets released and I have my physical album in my hands. That’s always a very special moment to me. I always listen to the record a few weeks in a row hahrrr. I dont know why, it’s sort of a ritual. But I don’t listen to it after the mastering is done, which means till the release dates that are around 2 months…so, in this time I’m just waiting on my physical album. It’s like a big present to me. Then I get to see all the hard work, the sweat the sacrifice, that it all was worth it.

Why did you choose Erik Rutan for the production ?

It all sounds exactly as we wanted it to. A brilliant American soundwall, still diabolical and full of European Metal magick! We recruited Erik Rutan at the helm as producer and we recorded in Florida. It was an honor and very important to have him in the team. We wanted it to sound as if the band plays in the same room for you, more towards our raw live sound, you know….not too polished! Intense!! We knew Eric Rutan was the man for the job.

Can you explain the theme behind « Conjuring The Dead » (artwork, music and lyrics) ?

It’s all about freedom to express yourself, marching your own path, making your own decisions. On top anti-god, anti-life as always..still obscene and sinister. On the new record we celebrate Diabolical Death Musick.

Seth actually did an impressive job, what do you think of his work as an artist?

Yes, Mr. Seth did an outstanding job on the art. I always control each process, and decide the artist I want to work with. I never let anybody else let that do for me. It was teamwork, he brought great ideas, and I also had some visions that were important to me. I guess Mr. Seth never worked that long on an album cover. I can be a pain in ass when it comes to BELPHEGOR, haharrr. You know, I just want the people who support the band to get the best for their hard earned money. Musick thrones above all, and remains at the end, but I’m old school, for me the art also has to be killer. All this details and symbolism in the cover, the downfall of the priests, I dig it, it is exalted - evil and majestetic.

« Gasmask Terror » is the first track unveiled, it shows a return of a guttural voice from your early days, too much Jack Daniels in studio ?

In the studio while tracking a new Lp there is no time for drinking. GASMASK TERROR and BLACK WINGED TORMENT are typical BELPHEGOR highspeed slashers. We always try to raise the intensity with each release and develop the dynamics, add new structures/ elements within our style and bring it to the next level. As I said, musick is absolute #1 and will remain at the end. Eternal! Regarding my vokills, I have to admit, I never spent so much time on it. I felt I had to do more Death growls, as we did on THE LAST SUPPER, 1995 or NECRODAEMON TERRORSATHAN 2000 albums, but with our current musical abilities. We’ve developed a lot, we are way better musicians nowadays, learned a lot over the years when it comes to arrangements. That’s important for a band to try and raise the bar. Anyways, I feel the growls fit better to the overall atmosphere of the riffs because the tracks are really rough. But still, there are plenty of my typical grunts on the Lp. I'm very proud on this vocal work for CONJURING THE DEAD.

The monsters Glen Benton and Attila Csihar are the guests on « Legions Of Destruction », how happened the meeting ?

First off, it wasn't a marketing thing. I just had this vision for a long time. It was just for myself, to please my ego, hahahrrr. I mean, it’s really an honor to me and as I said I dig their vocal styles.
I wanted to have those two guys, not just any dudes from some other bands. My plan was either them or fukk the plan. I think I first asked Attila about it in 2007, as we recorded BONDAGE GOAT ZOMBIE. Back then, there was always a problem, they were on tour, or we were on tour, it was difficult to the schedule. Both bands in the beginning were very important and inspiring to BELPHEGOR, and I still respect them a lot. This is just great to have these two guys putting their magick on that track.

The recording of « Conjuring The Dead » was more than a year ago, have you begun the writing of its successor ?

BELPHEGOR is like a world war tank. Consistent, brutal, and rolling in worldwide without compromise!!

Why your drummer Marthyn is not a permanent member of Belphegor ?

Marthyn is a solid session drummer, we always recruit experienced musicians for live concerts, to guarantee ppl an intense Ritual. Our supporter only deserves the best. BELPHEGOR stays a two piece band. Myself, and Serpenth as loyal soldier on my side. Hes very important for BELPHEGOR, since he is involved in arrangements/ drum patterns and bring music-wise a lot of great elements to the sound collages. I’m pleased to have Serpenth in the troop since mid-2006!! The core is solid to command and storm, while the session members bring new blood into the force.

Playing Belphegor's songs is not only extreme, it's also some sport! Which song is the most hard to play, physically speaking, live? I would go with "Lucifer Infestus", am i right?

Physically a BELPHEGOR live show is sport, exactly. Some people describe it as noise, some hate it, some feel offended, all fine by me man. Thing is, the people who love, understand the legacy, what we are doing, they are the reason why we still march on and on.
Besides, it is an honour and we really appreciate it if people support BELPHEGOR. We’ve fought hard to get the band where it is now, so much sweat, sacrifice... When I look back on many highlights, it was all worth it. We never kissed ass…nor let a record company do marketing, or control anything BELPHEGOR-related. We never worked like that, like so many cheap whore bands are doing nowadays. It was never about, how many Lps we sell, how we can sell 1,000 more, etc. Fukk this attitude..

Do you have some news of your old acolyte Sigurd ?

Yeah, he,s alive and doing well. I dont live in Salzburg anymore, so we meet 1 or 2 times a year, and it always ends with excessive drinking, like in the old days, haharr. We have a lot to talk about, he was in the band for 13 years, and an important influence to BELPHEGOR. He also wrote lyrics on the new album, for the hyperblast tracks BLACK WINGED TORMENT and REX TREMENDAE MAJESTATIS.

Do you think Belphegor will reissue some of their old albums (I think of your masterpiece “Necrodaemon Terrorsathan”) ?

Yes, we will via SEASON OF MIST. I don’t know exactly when it will be, since I'm not a fan of putting loads of BELPHEGOR releases out together. It always should be something special for our supporters. At the moment, CONJURING THE DEAD gets all the attention, so there is no release planned after it. Maybe beginning 2015, we will see. I haven’t spoken with Michael ( SOM owner ) in a while, but will do so, probably after Summer. But yeah, we definitely will re-release NECRODAEMON TERRORSTAHAN.

Did you listen to the last Lvcyfire and Dead Congregation ? What are you listening right now ?

I have not, I do not know of them. At the moment, I listen to VAN HALLEN – A Different Kind Of Truth. I dig Mr. Eddie Van Halen, and that album is really one of the best Hard Rock Lps I’ve heard since years. Those guitars are awesome, and David on the micro is the man. Of course MOTÖRHEAD is in my player at least once a week. I also listen to classical composers and flamenco guitarists. The core of Rock/ Metal however you wanna call it, is just impressive. I never will stop listening to this great music. I adore it!! Of course, I also really LOVE METAL - it’s WHAT I DO!!!!!

And TV shows/movies ?

I despise the idea of TV, and all that surrounding this propaganda/ brainwashing stuff for the hordes. I don’t wanna get to much into what's going on in this world, you know. I love the lakes, the mountains, the magnificent nature here in Austria, I don't need that mass-consumerism, “terror society” crap. I try to live in my own word with my own rules. I do not conform to how the world is nowadays, it’s disgusting. Anyways, I dig movies here and there...

You worship the Marquis de Sade, have you visited his castle (Lacoste, described in "The 120 Days of Sodom") in France (in the beautiful and sunny Vaucluse) ? Could be a nice place for a perverse video.

Unfortunately I have not visited it, but I would love to do it and travel there. I’m sure its a magickal place, I need to put that on my to-do list.
Damn, 120 Days Of Sodom, this book is still a masterpiece of extreme art. Nothing is more taboo-breaking than this book. Back then when he wrote it, it was not just that you were shunned if you wrote an offensive book, it was life-threatening, but De Sade always was smart and continued.

A fitness advice for our readers, what do yo think of the TRX Suspension Training ?

Never heard about it, man. I’ve trained my whole life. I was always into heavy weights, lifting is good for the body and so is the discipline to stay motivated. Unfortunately, since my health issues and the operation I’ve had to stop that, and fukk, I miss it. I always loved to train my body, when you get this adrenaline rush while training or when stopping…insane. I mostly also trained on tour; I brought my steel to stay in shape. But I still try to stay in shape with lighter weights and doing other sports. Cause BELPHEGOR shows are an powerful experience…you need a lot of energy for it.

Thanks for your answers Helmuth, last words are yours.

Thanks for the space Mitch. We really dig shredding in France. We already did 5 shows this year and in August we return to France again for the Motocultor Open Air, August 17th. We’re doing 4 open airs this weekend and travel + 6000km with a van. This will be a big challenge again..

I just want to say thank you to the BELPHEGOR supporters who listen to our records, buy merch at the shows, and all who attend BELPHEGOR live rituals. You are the reason why we can shred on maximum capacity. Guys, run to your local store and check out the new album, it’s going be released the 8th August in Europe. Mark that date in your calendar. The limited digipak comes with a Bonus Dvd, with a running time over 70 minutes.

An honor this horror..