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sobota 25. října 2025

Interview - FROM THE CRYPT - Moldy, raw, devastating old-school death metal that will grind you to dust! You will be buried alive and cursed forever!


Interview with death metal band from Netherlands - FROM THE CRYPT.

Answered Luuk (guitars), thank you!

Recenze/review - FROM THE CRYPT - Born in the Grave (2025):

Ave FROM THE CRYPT! Greetings to the Dutch underground. Let's get straight to the point. You have a new album out, "Born in the Grave," which is literally packed with honest, dirty death metal. How did the album come about and how do you feel about it? How has FROM THE CRYPT moved on since the demo?

Comparing the new songs to the demo tracks there's definitely progress. The new songs are a bit more challenging without losing the band's vibe and sound and they still do justice to the old-school death metal we represent. The drums were recorded in the studio while the guitars and vocals were recorded by ourselves so you could say it was a partly DIY process.

I'm listening to the album right now and I have to say that this time it took me a while to get into it. I put the album in my player and listen to it in my car. I really like the sound. It's lively, organic, old school, and at the same time easy to understand. Where did you record it and who is responsible for the sound?

For us it was important that the album had a raw sound. Many records these days are overproduced and unnatural. We use tube amps, not digital equipment and we didn't use drum samples either. We recorded the way we sound live giving the listener an honest impression of the band. We recorded most of it at Overdose Audio in the Netherlands where everything was ultimately mixed. The album was mastered by Audiosiege in the US. Rawskullrecordz released the album including three early demo tracks on CD and In To It Records released it on cassette tape.


I think you'll agree with me that the cover sells. You've really done a great job with it this year. Who is the author? How did you get together with the author and what exactly is the motif supposed to express in relation to the music?

I really appreciate this question. Yes artwork sells. You can have great music but if your cover is something everyone ignores in the record store it's useless. Unfortunately we're seeing a trend where A.i. covers are slowly taking over. Just like our honest sound we also felt it was important to have an honest cover that matches the record. We searched for artists with a sinister dark vibe. We ultimately approached Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration. Adam creates hand painted artwork that immediately resonated with us. We were particularly drawn to the color scheme and the inclusion of a big-ass skull in the design that completed the picture for us.

I keep listening to "Born in the Grave" over and over again, and I think what I like most about the album is that hard-to-describe old school death metal feeling. It seems we're cut from the same cloth. Who was and is your role model? Every musician started out somehow, and there are role models who shaped their style. What were yours?

There are so many and it will be different for each band member. As for the style I've developed as a guitar player I admire Allan West (ex. Obituary) and Steve Swanson (ex. Six Feet Under). When it comes to drummers there are only two for me. Dave Lombardo and Nick Barker but perhaps other bandmembers will mention Chris Reifert (Autopsy). Chris Barnes is the ultimate frontman for me. Early days of Cannibal Corpse and Six Feet Under stand out.


What do you think about the current trend, widespread mainly among young bands, where they try to play as technically as possible, often incorporating saxophones and various keyboards into death metal, and generally seeking a very complicated approach? Do you enjoy such bands? For example, when I go to a concert and someone like that is performing, I'm confused. It seems like an exercise in jazz school, but in the end, I don't remember anything. What about you and current trends in death metal?

For us it's all about vibe and groove. No we don't have unfollowable guitar solos, no we don't play 240+ bpm riffs but what makes From the Crypt stand out is its accessibility. You can see at our live shows that people seeing us for the first time easily pick it up. They klick with the band. It's accessible and catchy so the riffs stick and it's almost impossible not to move. We also have bands like Cryptopsy, Immolation and Dying Fetus in our own music collection but I can imagine a first live experience can be confusing if you don't own the album. We keep it simple.

Let's go back to the beginning... What was the initial impulse that led you to form a band? And why death metal? It's not exactly a style that would bring you great "fame." Please walk us through the history of your band.

I think this style has always been like a silent killer within us in a positive sense of the word. In the '90s metal was practically dying. You saw bigger metal bands start making more mainstream oriented music. Then you saw the rise of Nu Metal and a genre like Goregrind was a big hit. When you reach a certain age you go back to basics which is Death Metal for us. The love never went away but it was temporarily put on the back burner. In 2022 this fire has been rekindled and it's wonderful to see that this scene is still alive and that what we do is appreciated.


You come from the Netherlands and play extreme death metal. Our readers would certainly be interested to know how the death metal scene works in your country. To tell you the truth, lately I've been hearing only great bands from you. Does that mean that the scene is currently very strong in your country? What about concerts, how many people go?

I can honestly say that we're spoiled in the Netherlands when it comes to venues. If you want you can go to a show several times a week. There's a distinction between bar shows for up to 100 people, club shows for up to 1.000 people, one day indoor festivals for up to 800 people and multi day outdoor festivals for up to 5.000 people per day. And right there is the problem. There's so much to do that you have to make choices especially considering the prices of these venues have risen considerably in recent years. We already have a great Dutch legacy with Asphyx, Gorefest, Sinister, and Pestilence but it's great to see new bands like Deadspeak and Bloodcrypt taking over the torch. I do see that Slam, Metalcore and anything Post-black/metal related is very popular with the younger crowd.

Your music shows that you are influenced by both the American death metal school and old European bands. How about you as fans? Do you prefer the original death metal of the nineties, or do you also draw inspiration from new albums? If so, I would be interested to know which bands had/have the greatest influence on FROM THE CRYPT.

If you listen to our music you'll undeniably hear influences from pioneers like Obituary, Six Feet Under, and Bolt Thrower. It's all about the groove and catchy riffs with these bands. What's different I think are the slow blunt parts we use which are comparable of bands like Mortician and even Crowbar. It's great to see a kind of new wave of Death Metal emerging in recent years with bands like Gatecreeper, Creeping Death, and Frozen Soul which definitely inspire us as well.


We are approaching the end, and I always ask a slightly philosophical question. How would you define death metal and what does it mean to you? I don't mean the technique of playing, but rather what it brings you, what it takes away, how you perceive it in relation to fans. Did you grow up with it?

Okay, then you'll get a philosophical answer back ;). The heart is pure and clean and from there comes the love and passion for this music. We believe it's important that our music triggers and ignites something in ourselves and in others. In the past when we where young other bands have triggered that in us when we went to a live performance. This is what we want to share with others.

What does FROM THE CRYPT have planned for the coming months? If you want to say something to fans, labels, promoters, or just have something on your mind, here's your chance...

On November 29th we'll be playing a “BORN IN THE GRAVE” release show at our hown town. It's not about us as individuals but about having a great time with the people around us and other bands. In early 2026 we'll hit the studio so we can release new music for you in late 2026 / early 2027. You can listen to our music on all the major streaming services and buy it through Bandcamp or the music labels.

Thank you for reaching out and all the people that had a listen to “BORN IN THE GRAVE”.

Stay brutal en keep supporting the scene.

Thank you very much for the interview. I appreciate it. Now let's let the music do the talking. I'm going to play "Born in the Grave" really loud! I wish you all the best with the new album and hope everything is going well in your personal lives. Thank you!

Recenze/review - FROM THE CRYPT - Born in the Grave (2025):




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Rozhovor - FROM THE CRYPT - Plesnivý, surový, zničující death metal ze staré školy, který vás rozemele na prach! Budete pohřbeni zaživa a navěky prokleti!


Rozhovor s death metalovou skupinou z Nizozemí - FROM THE CRYPT.

Odpovídal Luuk (kytara), děkujeme!

Recenze/review - FROM THE CRYPT - Born in the Grave (2025):

Ave FROM THE CRYPT! Zdravím do nizozemského undergroundu. Pojďme rovnou k tomu nejdůležitějšímu. Máte venku novou desku „Born in the Grave“, která je doslova narvaná poctivým, prašivým death metalem. Jak album vznikalo a jaký z něj máš pocit? Jakým směrem se FROM THE CRYPT posunuli od demonahrávky?

Když porovnám nové skladby s demo nahrávkami, je jasně vidět pokrok. Nové skladby jsou trochu náročnější, ale neztrácejí atmosféru a zvuk kapely a stále dělají čest oldschoolovému death metalu, který reprezentujeme. Bicí jsme nahrávali ve studiu, zatímco kytary a vokály jsme nahrávali sami, takže se dá říct, že to byl částečně DIY proces.

Právě desku poslouchám a musím napsat, že tentokrát mi chvilku trvalo, než mi pronikla do krve. Narval jsem si album do přehrávače, poslouchám ji v autě. Hodně se mi líbí zvuk. Je živý, organický, old schoolový a zároveň dobře čitelný. Kde jste nahrávali a kdo je pod zvukem podepsán?

Pro nás bylo důležité, aby album mělo syrový zvuk. Mnoho nahrávek je dnes přehnaně produkovaných a nepřirozených. Používáme lampové zesilovače, ne digitální vybavení, a nepoužili jsme ani bicí samply. Nahrávali jsme tak, jak zníme naživo, aby posluchači získali upřímný dojem o kapele. Většinu jsme nahráli v Overdose Audio v Nizozemsku, kde bylo také vše finálně smícháno. Album bylo masterováno v Audiosiege v USA. Rawskullrecordz vydalo album včetně tří raných demo skladeb na CD a In To It Records ho vydalo na kazetě.


Asi se mnou budeš souhlasit, že obal prodává. Vy jej máte letos opravdu povedený. Kdo je jeho autorem? Jak jste se dali s autorem dohromady a co přesně má motiv vyjadřovat ve vztahu k hudbě?

Tuto otázku opravdu oceňuji. Ano, obal prodává. Můžete mít skvělou hudbu, ale pokud je váš obal něco, co všichni v obchodě s deskami ignorují, je to k ničemu. Bohužel vidíme trend, kdy obaly vytvořené umělou inteligencí pomalu převládají. Stejně jako náš upřímný zvuk jsme také cítili, že je důležité mít upřímný obal, který odpovídá desce. Hledali jsme umělce s temnou atmosférou. Nakonec jsme oslovili Adama Burkeho z Nightjar Illustration. Adam vytváří ručně malovaná umělecká díla, která nás okamžitě oslovila. Zejména nás zaujal barevný styl a zařazení velké lebky do designu, která pro nás obrázek dotvořila.

Dávám si „Born in the Grave“ znovu a znovu do hlavy a říkám si, že nejvíc se mi na albu líbí asi takový ten těžko popsatelný old school death metalový feeling. Vypadá to, že jsme stejné krve. Kdo byl a je vlastně vaším vzorem? Každý muzikant nějak začínal, existují vzory, které formovaly jeho rukopis. Jaké byly ty vaše?

Je jich tolik a pro každého člena kapely to bude jiné. Pokud jde o styl, který jsem si jako kytarista vyvinul, obdivuji Allana Westa (ex. Obituary) a Steva Swansona (ex. Six Feet Under). Co se týče bubeníků, pro mě jsou jen dva. Dave Lombardo a Nick Barker, ale ostatní členové kapely možná zmíní Chrise Reiferta (Autopsy). Chris Barnes je pro mě ultimátní frontman. Vynikají raná období Cannibal Corpse a Six Feet Under.


Jak se díváš na současný trend, rozšířený převážně mezi mladými kapelami, kdy se snaží hrát co nejvíc technicky, často do death metalu vkládají třeba saxofon, různé klávesy a vůbec hledají cestu hodně komplikovaným způsobem. Baví tě takové kapely? Já třeba když někdy přijdu na koncert a někdo podobný tam vystupuje, tak jsem zmatený. Přijde mi to jako cvičení v jazzové škole, ale nakonec si vůbec nic nepamatuji. Co vy a současné trendy v death metalu?

Pro nás je nejdůležitější atmosféra a groove. Ne, nemáme nesledovatelné kytarová sóla, ne, nehrajeme riffy s více než 240 bpm, ale to, co From the Crypt odlišuje, je jeho přístupnost. Na našich živých koncertech můžete vidět, že lidé, kteří nás vidí poprvé, to snadno pochopí. S kapelou si rozumějí. Je to přístupné a chytlavé, takže riffy ulpívají a je téměř nemožné se nehýbat. V naší hudební sbírce máme také kapely jako Cryptopsy, Immolation a Dying Fetus, ale dokážu si představit, že první živý zážitek může být matoucí, pokud nemáte album. Držíme se jednoduchosti.

Když se ještě podíváme do začátku…Co bylo vlastně tím prvním impulsem, že jste dali dohromady kapelu? A proč zrovna death metal? Není to zrovna styl, který by vám získal velkou „slávu“. Proveď nás prosím historií vaší kapely.

Myslím, že tento styl byl vždycky v pozitivním smyslu slova tichým zabijákem v nás. V 90. letech metal prakticky umíral. Viděli jste, jak větší metalové kapely začaly dělat hudbu více orientovanou na mainstream. Pak jste viděli vzestup nu metalu a žánr jako goregrind byl velkým hitem. Když dosáhnete určitého věku, vrátíte se k základům, což je pro nás death metal. Láska nikdy nezmizela, ale byla dočasně odsunuta na druhou kolej. V roce 2022 se tento oheň znovu rozhořel a je úžasné vidět, že tato scéna je stále živá a že to, co děláme, je oceňováno.


Pocházíte z Holandska a hrajete extrémní death metal. Naše čtenáře by určitě zajímalo, jak u vás funguje death metalová scéna? Abych pravdu řekl, tak poslední dobou od vás slyším jen samé skvělé smečky. Znamená to, že je u vás v současnosti scéna hodně silná? Co třeba koncerty, kolik chodí lidí?

Mohu upřímně říci, že v Nizozemsku jsme, co se týče koncertních sálů, rozmazlení. Pokud chcete, můžete jít na koncert několikrát týdně. Rozlišujeme mezi koncerty v barech pro maximálně 100 lidí, koncerty v klubech pro maximálně 1 000 lidí, jednodenními indoorovými festivaly pro maximálně 800 lidí a vícedenními outdoorovými festivaly pro maximálně 5 000 lidí denně. A právě v tom je problém. Je toho tolik, že si musíte vybírat, zejména s ohledem na to, že ceny těchto koncertních sálů v posledních letech značně vzrostly. Máme již skvělé nizozemské dědictví v podobě kapel Asphyx, Gorefest, Sinister a Pestilence, ale je skvělé vidět, jak štafetu přebírají nové kapely jako Deadspeak a Bloodcrypt. Vidím, že slam, metalcore a vše, co souvisí s post-black/metalem, je u mladšího publika velmi populární.

Z vaší hudby je cítit, že jste ovlivněni jak americkou death metalovou školou, tak i starými evropskými kapelami. Jak jste na tom jako fanoušci? Máte radši původní death metal devadesátých let nebo čerpáte inspiraci i z nových desek? Pokud ano, zajímalo by mě, které smečky měly/mají na FROM THE CRYPT největší vliv.

Když posloucháte naši hudbu, nepochybně uslyšíte vlivy průkopníků jako Obituary, Six Feet Under a Bolt Thrower. U těchto kapel jde především o groove a chytlavé riffy. Rozdíl je podle mě v pomalých, tupých pasážích, které používáme a které jsou srovnatelné s kapelami jako Mortician nebo dokonce Crowbar. Je skvělé vidět, jak se v posledních letech objevuje nová vlna death metalu s kapelami jako Gatecreeper, Creeping Death a Frozen Soul, které nás rozhodně také inspirují.


Blížíme se k závěru a to vždycky dávám lehce filozofickou otázku. Jak bys definoval death metal a co pro tebe znamená? Nemyslím tím teď techniku hraní, ale spíše co ti přináší, bere, jak jej vnímáš ve vztahu k fanouškům. Vyrostl jsi na něm?

Dobře, tak dostaneš filozofickou odpověď ;). Srdce je čisté a ryzí a odtud pramení láska a vášeň pro tuto hudbu. Věříme, že je důležité, aby naše hudba vyvolávala a rozněcovala něco v nás i v ostatních. V minulosti, když jsme byli mladí, to v nás vyvolávaly jiné kapely, když jsme chodili na jejich koncerty. To je to, co chceme sdílet s ostatními.

Co chystají FROM THE CRYPT v nejbližších měsících? Pokud chceš něco vzkázat fanouškům, labelům, promotérům nebo máš jenom něco na srdci, tak zde je prostor…

29. listopadu budeme hrát koncert k vydání alba „BORN IN THE GRAVE“ v našem rodném městě. Nejde o nás jako jednotlivce, ale o to, abychom si užili skvělý čas s lidmi kolem nás a dalšími kapelami. Na začátku roku 2026 se vydáme do studia, abychom vám mohli na konci roku 2026 / začátku roku 2027 představit novou hudbu. Naši hudbu si můžete poslechnout na všech hlavních streamovacích službách a zakoupit ji přes Bandcamp nebo hudební vydavatelství.

Děkujeme za váš zájem a všem, kteří si poslechli „BORN IN THE GRAVE“.

Zůstaňte brutální a podporujte scénu.

Děkuji moc za rozhovor. Vážím si toho. Teď již nechme mluvit hudbu. Jdu si pustit „Born in the Grave“ a to pořádně nahlas! Přeji vám, ať se novince daří a ať je vše fajn i ve vašich osobních životech. Děkuji!

Recenze/review - FROM THE CRYPT - Born in the Grave (2025):




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úterý 21. října 2025

Interview - PYROMANCER - A dark and raw black death metal ritual! Iron forged from the finest of hell's raw materials!

Interview with black death metal band from United States - PYROMANCER.

Answered Master of Graveyard Torment (drums, vocals) and Conqueror Horus (guitars, vocals), thank you!

Recenze/review - PYROMANCER - Absolute Dominion by Fire (2025):

Ave PYROMANCER! Greetings from the underworld. I'm listening to your new album "Absolute Dominion by Fire" and I must say that it has a literally magical effect on me. It acts like some evil, ugly, and dark mantra. How did the album come about and how do you feel about it? Have you played any songs live yet? What did the fans say about them and what feedback have you received?

Master of Graveyard Torment - We have been around for a long time, but finally decided to push ourselves to record the LP. It was time to make our statement. Several songs from the album have been in our live set for years. The feedback has been very positive so far. We look forward to getting out more and spreading the evil.

Conqueror Horus - After the demo came out we became increasingly busy with our other projects for quite some time. However we decided that it was finally time to unleash this expression and all the material we’ve been sitting on and slowly writing in the background. We routinely play songs from the new record, and a couple of them are redone from the demo and the last EP. So far the reception has been positive.


Apart from PYROMANCER, you all play in other bands (Altars of Suffering, Apochryphal Revelation, Catacomba, Master's Curse, Rotting Kingdom, etc.). Who actually composes the music for PYROMANCER? Is it Anton? Is there any difference in the approach and method of creating new songs for PYROMANCER and the other bands?

Master of Graveyard Torment - The songs are collaborations, ideas being about 50/50. Everything is very chaotic, with the best material coming together very quickly. We set an intention for the track, as every song must have it's own unique set of influences. From there, the pieces usually come together quite naturally. If it feels forced or requires too much thought, it doesn't belong in this project.

Conqueror Horus - Our songs excel when being written off the cusp and with a large degree of looseness. Most of the material starts off this way however afterwards we refine it further. I handle the guitars, Master Of Graveyard Torment handles the percussion. We both attack the vocals and make suggestions concerning arrangements as needed. Aesthetics and philosophies are entirely a fusion of both of our headspace’s.

I really enjoy the sound of "Absolute Dominion by Fire"! So much darkness, so much filth, evil, and coldness! Where did you record the album? And how did the recording itself go? Did you talk a lot about the sound?

Master of Graveyard Torment - The drums were tracked in my dungeon rehearsal room, then we travelled to the engineer's home to finish. The recording went very well, especially considering our focus on rawer sound, which requires more effort than your typical modern extreme metal recording. It was important to have a good balance of dirt and clarity. We are influenced by older bands, before there was a uniform, plastic production everywhere, so it was important to reflect this approach but also indulge in modern tools when necessary.

Conqueror Horus - We opted to record in a humble setting intentionally. In fact, we had recorded the previous EP in a professional studio and were not as pleased with the sound in regard to Pyromancer specifically. While some artists might prefer that, we feel like our sound lends itself much better to a colder, rawer, and more primitive approach. We definitely deliberated for quite some time regarding the approach to how we wanted to track this record and the overall fidelity. It may not be for everybody but it has an undeniable charm that would have otherwise been lost had we gone a more “pro” route. We also intentionally worked with an engineer in our area that specializes in garage quality recordings and does a lot of stuff with tape reels, etc. In fact, all of the rhythm guitars and percussion were all done in analog tape reel with single takes. I think that is definitely a big part of this record’s authenticity and dark essence.


Who is the author of the cover art? How did you work together and what does the motif actually represent? The artist who painted it really manages to express darkness accurately. How did you choose the cover and how did you get together?

Master of Graveyard Torment - I left this choice up to Conqueror Horus and am very pleased with his decision. The imagery definitely reflects the fire and darkness contained within.

Conqueror Horus - This image is titled “The Volcano At Night” and dates back to the late 1800s. The artist is named Jules Tavernier. I searched for a while before finally deciding that this was the perfect image. In many ways, it reminded me of Bathory’s “The Return”, but a much more infernal volcanic take on that concept. Perfect for us!

The description of your band says that your lyrics are about death, blasphemy, and destruction. Where do you get your inspiration for them? And who is the author? Do you draw from old books? Or from movies?

Master of Graveyard Torment - Like most other aspects of the band, it is a 50/50 effort. Our focus and theme is obviously fire and black magic. Inspiration can come from many things, but starts with wrath, disgust and arrogance. Occultism of various sorts and RPGs are the main source of inspiration, but very earthly matters also have their place. Reality is much more violent and grim than any fantasy.

Conqueror Horus - All of our lyrics are written by us and are directly inspired by all sorts of dark musings and heinous occurrences on the earthly plane as well as our occult interests all coming together to make this expression. This project is a baptism in fire. There’s really no room for anything else.


In recent years, the US has been full of great death metal bands. But you are a big country. You come from Kentucky. What is your underground scene like, what about labels, fan support? And what about concerts, how many people attend? Are there any other great bands you can recommend from your area?

Master of Graveyard Torment - Our scene is small but dedicated. There was a lot of momentum a decade or so ago, but the key personalities involved had to take some time away from it all. We hope to lead the way and bring more violence and evil back to the region again. Between ourselves and the live musicians, collectively we are involved with most Black/Death in the state in one way or another at this point. Regional favorites include Valdrin, Paimon Gate and Process of Suffocation

Conqueror Horus - Other than the two of us and our affiliated projects there isn’t really a whole lot of old school evil metal in our area. As was said previously, the KY scene is relatively small however there are some dedicated heads that continue to support and have through the years. We try not to play locally that often, and most of our strongest crowd reactions are when we trek into other territories for gigs. My mentions for other regionals to check out would be Valdrin, Purulency, Flesher, and Nogothula.

How are PYROMANCER doing with concerts? I know that everything is mainly concentrated in big cities, but are you planning a tour with the band to present your new album? How about a big festival, are you tempted?

Master of Graveyard Torment - I am a very private person and do not enjoy the social aspect of gigging at all. I prefer to keep our live activities as one offs or no more than 2 or 3 shows at a time. Playing out is great for us, but only in measured amounts. We are open to festivals and special gigs, depending on the circumstances of course.

Conqueror Horus - I’m probably the more social of the two of us however taking on large tours is not too appealing for us. Small one offs as well as specialty appearances are more our style however a perfectly curated mini tour might be possible. I would personally really like to try and get this project out to another country at some point and further reaches in general.


I listen to "Absolute Dominion by Fire" over and over again and feel like I'm locked up somewhere deep underground. In an old moldy dungeon. The album is gloomy, with a lot of black and death metal vibes. Music is about conveying emotions. When you rehearse together, how do you get into similar states? When does inspiration come?

Master of Graveyard Torment - Anger is the fuel for this band above all. Conqueror Horus and I share a similar contempt for our fellow humans and you can definitely hear this in the performances. Alcohol also acts as an accelerant to the fire of course. Our activities are very sporadic due to the demands of our other bands, but when we get together, it flows effortlessly. Fire, power and fury.

Conqueror Horus - I would say our daily life and the grind of existence fuels a lot of our hate and anger that we pour into this project. This project is a boot to the face of all surface dweller culture in general. I guess that goes without saying.


I've always been fascinated by the darkness and coldness of death and black metal. The rawness. What does this style mean to you? Why did you choose death/black metal? How would you define it and how do you perceive it as a musician?

Master of Graveyard Torment - Black/Death has been a lifelong pursuit personally. There is a certain feeling that comes from evil metal that speaks to my spirit like nothing else. Ever since hearing these extreme bands at 12 years old, it has been a non-stop quest for more and more. Black and Death Metal is the last true bastion of creativity in music in my opinion, aside from ambient and noise. We are here to do the devil's work and when this theme is absent from metal, I lose interest in most cases.

Conqueror Horus - I agree there is a feeling that it gives you that is unlike anything else, and in many ways is not entirely something we can verbalize with mere words. When I play and listen to this type of music, I get a sense get of dark pride and separation from everything else that is viewed as acceptable or conventional. I’d say overall, the experiences is spiritual for me and allows me to explore dark ideations and mock what I hate . I can also live out my personal mythology through creating this type of art.

The inevitable question at the end. What does PYROMANCER have planned for the coming months? What can fans look forward to? If you have a message for fans, labels, promoters, here's your chance...

Master of Graveyard Torment - We are playing a series of local gigs with our new live lineup. Hopefully, we can find time to compose more tracks, but this will happen when it is meant to. Hail Lucifer.

Conqueror Horus - We’re going to be hibernating for the foreseeable future, but will return when we have more spells to cast…perhaps after the winter.

Thank you very much for the interview. I'm going to listen to "Absolute Dominion by Fire" again. It's damp and cold outside. Ideal weather for listening to PYROMANCER! I wish the album the best sales and sold-out concerts. I look forward to seeing you live somewhere. All the best in your private life too!

Recenze/review - PYROMANCER - Absolute Dominion by Fire (2025):

Rozhovor - PYROMANCER - Temný a syrový black death metalový obřad! Železo ukované z těch nejkvalitnějších pekelných surovin!

Rozhovor s black death metalovou skupinou z USA - PYROMANCER.

Odpovídali Master of Graveyard Torment (bicí, zpěv) a Conqueror Horus (kytara, zpěv), thank you!

Recenze/review - PYROMANCER - Absolute Dominion by Fire (2025):

Ave PYROMANCER! Zdravím do podsvětí. Poslouchám vaši novou desku „Absolute Dominion by Fire“ a musím říct, že na mě má doslova magický účinek. Působí jako nějaká zlá, ošklivá a temná mantra. Jak album vznikalo a jaké z něj máš pocity? Už jste hráli nějaké songy naživo? Co na ně říkali fanoušci a jakou máte zpětnou vazbu?

Master of Graveyard Torment – Jsme tu už dlouho, ale nakonec jsme se rozhodli, že se pustíme do nahrávání LP. Bylo na čase, abychom se vyjádřili. Několik skladeb z alba hrajem na koncertech už roky. Zpětná vazba je zatím velmi pozitivní. Těšíme se, až se dostaneme ven a rozšíříme zlo.

Conqueror Horus – Po vydání dema jsme byli po dlouhou dobu stále více zaneprázdněni našimi dalšími projekty. Nakonec jsme se ale rozhodli, že je čas uvolnit tento výraz a veškerý materiál, který jsme měli připravený a pomalu psali v pozadí. Pravidelně hrajeme skladby z nové desky a některé z nich jsou přepracované z dema a posledního EP. Zatím jsou ohlasy pozitivní.


Mimo PYROMANCER hrajete každý i v jiných kapelách (Altars of Suffering, Apochryphal Revelation, Catacomba, Master's Curse, Rotting Kingdom, atd.). Kdo vlastně skládá hudbu pro PYROMANCER? Je to Anton? Liší se nějak přístup a způsob vzniku nových skladeb pro PYROMANCER a ostatní kapely?

Master of Graveyard Torment – Písně jsou výsledkem spolupráce, nápady jsou rozděleny zhruba 50/50. Vše je velmi chaotické, nejlepší materiál vzniká velmi rychle. Stanovíme záměr skladby, protože každá píseň musí mít svůj vlastní jedinečný soubor vlivů. Odtud se jednotlivé části obvykle spojují zcela přirozeně. Pokud to působí nuceně nebo vyžaduje příliš mnoho přemýšlení, do tohoto projektu nepatří.

Conqueror Horus – Naše skladby vynikají, když jsou psány na hranici a s velkou mírou volnosti. Většina materiálu začíná tímto způsobem, ale poté jej dále vylepšujeme. Já se starám o kytary, Master Of Graveyard Torment o perkuse. Oba se věnujeme vokálům a podle potřeby navrhujeme aranžmá. Estetika a filozofie jsou zcela spojením našich myšlenek.

Neskutečně si užívám zvuk „Absolute Dominion by Fire“! Tolik temnoty, tolik špíny, zla a chladu! Kde jste album nahrávali? A jak probíhalo samotné nahrávání? Mluvili jste hodně do zvuku?

Master of Graveyard Torment – Bicí jsme nahráli v mé zkušebně v podzemí, pak jsme jeli k zvukaři domů, kde jsme nahrávku dokončili. Nahrávání proběhlo velmi dobře, zejména s ohledem na to, že jsme se soustředili na syrovější zvuk, který vyžaduje více úsilí než typická moderní nahrávka extrémního metalu. Bylo důležité dosáhnout dobré rovnováhy mezi špinavostí a čistotou. Jsme ovlivněni staršími kapelami, které vznikly ještě předtím, než se všude začala používat jednotná, plastová produkce, takže bylo důležité tento přístup zohlednit, ale také se v případě potřeby nechat unést moderními nástroji.

Conqueror Horus – Rozhodli jsme se nahrávat záměrně v skromném prostředí. Předchozí EP jsme nahrávali v profesionálním studiu a nebyli jsme tak spokojeni se zvukem, konkrétně u skladby Pyromancer. Někteří umělci to možná preferují, ale my máme pocit, že náš zvuk se hodí mnohem lépe k chladnějšímu, syrovějšímu a primitivnějšímu přístupu. Rozhodně jsme dlouho zvažovali, jakým způsobem chceme tuto desku nahrát a jaká bude celková věrnost zvuku. Možná to není pro každého, ale má to nepopiratelný šarm, který by se jinak ztratil, kdybychom se vydali více „profesionální“ cestou. Také jsme záměrně spolupracovali s technikem z našeho okolí, který se specializuje na nahrávky v garážové kvalitě a hodně pracuje s magnetofonovými pásky atd. Ve skutečnosti byly všechny rytmické kytary a perkuse nahrány na analogový magnetofonový pás v jediném záběru. Myslím, že to rozhodně tvoří velkou část autenticity a temné podstaty této desky.


Kdo je autorem motivu na obalu? Jak se vám spolupracovalo a co má vlastně motiv znázorňovat? Umělec, který jej maloval, dokáže opravdu přesně vyjádřit temnotu. Jak jste obal vybírali a jak jste se dali dohromady?

Master of Graveyard Torment – tuto volbu jsem nechal na Conqueror Horusovi a jsem s jeho rozhodnutím velmi spokojen. Obraz rozhodně odráží oheň a temnotu, které v sobě obsahuje.

Conqueror Horus – Tento obrázek se jmenuje „The Volcano At Night“ (Sopka v noci) a pochází z konce 19. století. Jeho autorem je Jules Tavernier. Chvíli jsem hledal, než jsem se nakonec rozhodl, že je to ten správný obrázek. V mnoha ohledech mi připomínal Bathoryho „The Return“, ale v mnohem pekelnějším vulkanickém pojetí. Pro nás perfektní!

V popisu vaší kapely na se píše, že vaše texty jsou o smrti, rouhání a zkáze. Kde pro ně berete inspiraci? A kdo je autorem? Čerpáte ze starých knih? Nebo z filmů?

Master of Graveyard Torment – Stejně jako většina ostatních aspektů kapely, je to 50/50. Naším zaměřením a tématem je samozřejmě oheň a černá magie. Inspirace může pocházet z mnoha věcí, ale začíná hněvem, znechucením a arogancí. Hlavním zdrojem inspirace jsou různé druhy okultismu a RPG, ale své místo mají i velmi pozemské záležitosti. Realita je mnohem násilnější a ponuřejší než jakákoli fantazie.

Conqueror Horus – Všechny naše texty píšeme sami a jsou přímo inspirovány všemi druhy temných úvah a ohavných událostí na pozemské rovině, stejně jako našimi okultními zájmy, které se spojují, aby vytvořily tento výraz. Tento projekt je křtěn ohněm. Opravdu není prostor pro nic jiného.


Poslední roky jsou USA plné skvělých death metalových kapel. Jste ale velká země. Vy pocházíte z Kentucky. Jaký je váš underground, co labely, podpora fanoušků? A co třeba koncerty, kolik tak chodí lidí? Máš i nějaké další skvělé kapely, které mi můžeš ze svého okolí doporučit?

Master of Graveyard Torment – Naše scéna je malá, ale oddaná. Před deseti lety měla velký rozmach, ale klíčové osobnosti se musely na nějakou dobu stáhnout. Doufáme, že se nám podaří vést a vrátit do regionu více násilí a zla. Společně s živými hudebníky se v současné době podílíme na většině black/death metalových aktivit v našem státě. Mezi regionálními favority patří Valdrin, Paimon Gate a Process of Suffocation.

Conqueror Horus – Kromě nás dvou a našich přidružených projektů není v naší oblasti moc old school evil metalu. Jak již bylo řečeno, KY scéna je relativně malá, ale existuje několik oddaných fanoušků, kteří ji podporují a podporovali po celá léta. Snažíme se nehrát tak často lokálně a nejsilnější reakce publika zaznamenáváme, když vyrazíme na koncerty do jiných oblastí. Z dalších regionálních kapel bych zmínil Valdrin, Purulency, Flesher a Nogothula.

Jak jsou na tom PYROMANCER s koncerty? Vím, že se vše soustředí hlavně do velkých měst, ale nechystáte s kapelou nějaké turné, kde byste nám nové album představili? Co nějaký velký festival, neláká vás?

Master of Graveyard Torment – Jsem velmi uzavřený člověk a vůbec mě nebaví společenská stránka koncertování. Raději bych naše živé vystoupení omezil na jednorázové akce nebo maximálně 2–3 koncerty najednou. Hrát naživo je pro nás skvělé, ale jen v přiměřené míře. Jsme otevřeni festivalům a speciálním koncertům, samozřejmě v závislosti na okolnostech.

Conqueror Horus – Jsem asi ten společenštější z nás dvou, ale velká turné nás příliš nelákají. Malé jednorázové koncerty a speciální vystoupení jsou více náš styl, ale perfektně naplánované mini turné by bylo možné. Osobně bych rád zkusil tento projekt v budoucnu rozšířit do jiné země a obecně do dalších oblastí.


Poslouchám „Absolute Dominion by Fire“ stále dokola a připadám si, jako bych byl zavřený někde hluboko pod zemí. Ve staré plesnivé kobce. Deska je pochmurná, má v sobě spoustu black i death metalových nálad. Hudba je o předávání emocí. Když třeba zkoušíte dohromady, jak se do podobných stavů dostáváte? Kdy přichází inspirace?

Master of Graveyard Torment – Hněv je pro tuto kapelu především palivem. Conqueror Horus a já sdílíme podobné opovržení vůči našim bližním a to je v našich vystoupeních rozhodně slyšet. Alkohol samozřejmě také působí jako urychlovač ohně. Naše aktivity jsou kvůli nárokům našich dalších kapel velmi sporadické, ale když se sejdeme, vše plyne bez námahy. Oheň, síla a zuřivost.

Conqueror Horus – Řekl bych, že náš každodenní život a dřina existence jsou palivem pro velkou část naší nenávisti a hněvu, které vkládáme do tohoto projektu. Tento projekt je kopancem do tváře celé povrchní kultury obecně. To je asi samozřejmé.


Mě na death a black metalu vždy fascinovala temnota a chlad. Surovost. Co znamená tento styl pro tebe? Proč sis vybral právě death/black metal? Jak bys jej definoval a jak jej vnímáš ty, jako muzikant?

Master of Graveyard Torment – Black/Death je pro mě osobně celoživotním koníčkem. Zlý metal ve mně vyvolává určitý pocit, který oslovuje mou duši jako nic jiného. Od té doby, co jsem v 12 letech poprvé slyšel tyto extrémní kapely, jsem se neustále snažil najít další a další. Black a death metal jsou podle mě poslední skutečnou baštou kreativity v hudbě, kromě ambientu a noisu. Jsme tu, abychom konali ďáblovo dílo, a když toto téma v metalu chybí, ve většině případů ztrácím zájem.

Conqueror Horus – Souhlasím, že vám to dává pocit, který se nedá s ničím jiným srovnat, a v mnoha ohledech to není něco, co bychom mohli vyjádřit pouhými slovy. Když hraji a poslouchám tento typ hudby, mám pocit temné hrdosti a odloučení od všeho ostatního, co je považováno za přijatelné nebo konvenční. Celkově bych řekl, že pro mě je to duchovní zážitek, který mi umožňuje prozkoumávat temné myšlenky a vysmívat se tomu, co nenávidím. Tímto druhem umění také mohu prožívat svou osobní mytologii.

Nezbytná otázka na konec. Co chystají PYROMANCER v nejbližších měsících? Na co se mohou fanoušci těšit? Pokud máš nějaký vzkaz pro fanoušky, labely, promotéry, tak zde je prostor…

Master of Graveyard Torment – Hrajeme sérii lokálních koncertů s naší novou živou sestavou. Doufáme, že najdeme čas na skládání dalších skladeb, ale to se stane, až to bude správný čas. Hail Lucifer.

Conqueror Horus – V dohledné budoucnosti budeme hibernovat, ale vrátíme se, až budeme mít víc kouzel k seslání… možná po zimě.

Děkuji moc za rozhovor. Jdu si „Absolute Dominion by Fire“ znovu pustit. Venku je sychravo a zima. Ideální počasí pro poslech PYROMANCER! Přeji albu co největší prodeje a vyprodané koncerty. Budu se těšit, až vás uvidím někde naživo. Ať se vám daří i v soukromí!

Recenze/review - PYROMANCER - Absolute Dominion by Fire (2025):

středa 15. října 2025

Interview - PROSCRIPTION - A blasphemous, dark, and cold black death metal ritual! Heaven is burned to ashes!

Interview with black death metal band from Finland - PROSCRIPTION.

Answered ChristButcher (Guitars, Vocals), thank you!

Recenze/review - PROSCRIPTION - Desolate Divine (2025):

Ave PROSCRIPTION! Greetings to the dark underworld. I first listened to your new album, Desolate Divine, on my way to work. I walk past an old cemetery and then an abandoned factory. At times, I felt like I was seeing ghosts! The album is really great. You've returned after five years and seem even stronger than before. How did the new album come about and why was there such a long gap between albums?

The time gap? It wasn't intentional! HAHAHA, I guess it takes the time that it takes. I didn't even notice until a few album reviews made a huge deal about it. I didn't realize taking my time would cost rating points for those reviews, but now I know, but still couldn't care less. The first album had so much positive acceptance, and I felt that pressure of making lightning strike twice somewhere in the back of my head. But regardless of that, I am super picky about riffs. We just waited until we felt ready, it just happened to be 5 years. There was a pandemic which was a distraction during that time so, maybe something went there too? I don't know.


I'm an old fan of yours, I enjoyed listening to your 2017 demo "Promo" and I like that you have your own style while maintaining your own signature sound. How did the idea to start a band in 2017 come about and why did you decide to play death metal? I feel a strong influence of old American bands in your music. Were they an inspiration for you?

I had songs written that were intended for Maveth’s next album, but I wanted to bring in fresh energy and see where they could go with someone else’s imprint. I contacted Cruciatus immediately — we already knew each other through a mutual acquaintance, we both had bands on the Dark Descent Records roster, and had a strong bond in terms of music and vision. He injected his style into my material, and it felt like everything I had always wanted Maveth to sound like, but hadn’t quite achieved.

As for why death metal — that was inevitable. From the moment I heard Altars of Madness, I knew this was the music I was meant to create. And I was always more drawn to the darker, more obscure side of death metal — bands like Morbid Angel, Incantation, Immolation, Demilich, and Gorguts. That influence still lives in Proscription.

If I understand correctly, PROSCRIPTION is a kind of successor to MAVETH? The band has a number of great musicians. How did you actually get together? How did you get together with the current lineup, and was it difficult to find musicians who wanted to play death metal at such a level? For example, in the Czech Republic, not that many people play extreme metal.

Yes, essentially Proscription rose from the ashes of Maveth. When that band ended, I reached out to Cruciatus, who I had known for about 15 years. He was interested, and we began shaping the first songs. M.K. joined soon after — he’s the cousin of Matti Mäkelä (Corpsessed), and once I saw a video of him playing, it was obvious he was the right fit. Apep came into the fold shortly after as bassist, and once I realized he lived near M.K., it was perfect since they could travel together for rehearsals in Kuopio which is 4 hours drive from where they lived.

At first Apep was only going to play bass, but in the studio I asked if he could handle some vocals. He had experience as a backing vocalist before, so we tried it, and the dual-vocal approach worked really well — his black/thrash energy is a great counterpoint to my death metal roots.

Recently we had a change: Cruciatus decided to step down, and our longtime friend and producer Kalle Laanto (Sonic Violence Studios) joined us. He was actually one of the first people I considered when forming Proscription, so it feels like things came full circle.


Let's move on to the new album. Do you know what I like most about it? The atmosphere. Yes, the album is very dark, brutal, but sophisticated, and the mood changes throughout. Sometimes rawness comes to the surface, sometimes coldness, sometimes rotten blood. Can you tell us how PROSCRIPTION composes new material? Who writes the songs?

Up to this point, I write 95% of the riffs. I just sit and write all the time. I throw away far more riffs than I keep, as I’m sure many others do. Once I get a few riffs that start to feel like they have a relationship, I start recording and arranging a rough concept. Then I send them to M.K. and he will do several demos with alternate beats to see what the riff needs or wants to become. He has been doing some arrangements on the new material we’re working on now, and I can’t even say what a huge weight off my shoulders that has become! When I’m the only riff machine, THAT would be my biggest barrier. I start to feel like I’m repeating myself, and sometimes throw away sick riffs out of frustration, thinking I’ve written something too similar previously. But then M.K. will make a drastic tempo change, or sick break, or present a drum idea that was nowhere in my mental library which changes the idea completely for the better. This new evolution is extremely exciting to me.

And now, with Kalle in the band, he’s one of the main riff machines in his other projects and already has material for Proscription flowing. I would dare to say the wait for the third album should NOT be five years again. Hahaha.

Sound is very important, not only in death metal. I like how massive and majestic it is on the new album. Dave Otero is responsible for it. How did you work together? Did you ever have different opinions about the sound, did you have a say in the final result? Or did you leave everything up to Dave?

Dave has been my friend for over 25 years. We are old bandmates as well! We played in the Colorado based Dethroned back in the day. So, I already knew his production and ideas on sound. He mixed and mastered the first album as well. First album we told him to use the tones we already had from the studio, and work his magic from there. That guitar tone was already 90% what I wanted to hear, drum tones were all natural, so just add his "special sauce". I mean, all I had to say on bass was "thrash bass" and he already knew what I meant. You know? Same minded in those aspects. So, on the new album we did the same, but let him have liberties in tone we took off the table for the first album. Opinions on that have been "hit or miss" but, when is that not the case? To be honest, we ourselves had a different vision for the guitar tone, but there was no time to change it before the deadline.


Thanks to you, Samuel Araya and Artem Grigoriev have become my favorite cover artists (I love Samuel's work for your previous album). The cover for the new album is very dark and mysterious. It gives me the chills. Can you tell us how you got together with these excellent artists and why you chose these particular motifs? And why is the cover different on the CD and vinyl?

Ah yes........ there IS a story here. So, Artem was contacted back in 2018, to create artwork for Conduit. He said he would need 6 months to do it and we agreed it was perfect timing for our release window. But, the time came and went, and we had to get something together for the cover unless we were to miss that window. And, I can't remember who pointed me in Samuel's direction, but I looked through his galleries and the painting we used for the cover was just there, in his personal collection. All 4 band members agreed that it spoke to us so I contacted him to use for the cover art. It was meant to be because it truly IS perfect for that release, and it was complete and ready to go instantly. Then, when I was feeling like this new album is almost ready to hit the studio, I was talking with Naas about lyrics and he was too busy with Akhlys to offer anything new at the time. So, I sat and started working on concepts I had WAY back in the Dethroned days that never were used lyric-wise. When it was done, I remembered another painting from Samuel that told the story of "Desolate Divine" if you interpret it that way, and SAME DAY M.K. said "Hey, what about that other painting from Samuel we were discussing before?". We all agreed on this art I called “Behemoth of Woe” and it had to be the one. Then, we realised Artem's art was just sitting in my inbox collecting virtual dust, and it was too detailed and amazing to not use. it took almost 2 years to get it from him!! But, coincidentally it actually has similarities to the opening tracks on both sides of the vinyl. So.......we decided BOTH needed to be on the album. Samuel for the CD, and Artem for the vinyl. I mean, why not? It satisfied so many things on OUR end.

What are the lyrics on the new album about? Where did you draw your inspiration from? Like you, I enjoy old occult films and books. So, I wonder, do you believe in hell? Do you think it really exists?

I’ve always been drawn to darker, mostly anti-Christian themes. Organized religion has always felt like hypocrisy and mental slavery to me. Over the years, I’ve collaborated with Naas (Nightbringer, Akhlys), who has an immense knowledge of esotericism, the cosmic, and the satanic. Some of his writings became Proscription lyrics when they didn’t have a home in his other projects — that’s one of the reasons why our first album was called Conduit.

For Desolate Divine, I wrote about half the lyrics myself, with Naas guiding me through sources and ideas when I needed it. The themes explore cosmic horror, spiritual decay, and the rejection of false light.

As for hell — I don’t believe in a literal biblical hell. But as a concept, as a state of existence, as a reflection of human madness and suffering — yes, it exists in that sense.


How are things going with PROSCRIPTION concerts? Do you play a lot and often? What about a tour for the new album? Are you planning one? Do you prefer smaller clubs or big festivals?

Live shows are the main reason I do this. Albums are important, but they exist to bring people to the gigs. Until the day I can no longer do it physically, I’ll be on stage.

We’ve had our share of obstacles — especially with the long gap between albums — but with Desolate Divine, we plan to push harder with touring and festivals. Personally, I enjoy both clubs and festivals. Clubs have that intimate, violent energy, while festivals give you the chance to bring the music to a much wider audience. As long as the atmosphere is right, both are vital.

We really have the strong desire to tour for this album. The tour we did in 2024 was originally meant to be for "Desolate Divine" as it was recorded in summer 2024 actually. But, it wasn't possible to get it in hand in time.

I've been listening to death metal since the nineties, and Finland has always been a country where a lot of good bands came from. But what is the situation like now? I follow your scene, write about new bands, try to get interviews, and everyone agrees that it's still very much alive. What is your opinion of your scene? What about labels, fans, promoters? But you also have musicians (Christbutcher) from the US. Can you compare the two scenes in any way?

The Finnish underground is alive and well — there’s a new wave of younger bands playing old-school death metal with real conviction: bands like Azatoth, Malformed, Disguised Malignance, Tramalizer. They’re hungry, they’re touring, they’re working hard, and it’s inspiring to see. And there are always gigs with Corpsessed, Krypts, Gorephilia, Lantern etc. To keep things quality. hahahah

Of course, the scene, globally has its flaws. Too many small labels are pumping out mediocre records, oversaturating things. But at the core, there are still great bands, dedicated fans, and promoters who keep this alive.

As for the US vs. Finland — both have strong undergrounds, but they’re different in spirit. The US scene is vast and diverse, with many regional differences. Finland is smaller, tighter, but very passionate, and it has always produced death metal that feels uniquely cold and dark. American fans are way more energetic and violent, much more pit activity. But, finnish gigs seem to draw more numbers!

How did you get started with extreme music? What was the first band you heard that got you into music? And what about your musical beginnings? What instrument did you start with? Who was your role model? And what about your first concert, your first performance on stage? Please reminisce for us.

My first real exposure was hearing Altars of Madness blasting through a friend’s brother’s door in the early ’90s. It stopped me in my tracks. I knocked, fully expecting to get punched, and demanded to know what it was. That day I was introduced to Morbid Angel, Deicide, Death, Obituary, Napalm Death… and there was no going back. Even Slayer lost its hold on me after that. Death metal was my calling.

My first concert real was in 1992. Malevolent Creation, Cannibal Corpse, Agnostic Front, and Obituary at The Gothic Theater in Denver. That was fucking amazing. First time I ever heard Malevolent Creation, and they were supporting the Retribution album. Cannibal Corpse had recorded Tomb of the Mutilated but it wasn't released yet and they played most of the album if I remember correctly. I was only 14! Ah, that's another scene difference between Finland and the U.S., 99.9% gigs in Finland are 18+, which is a shame.

As a musician, I was drawn to bass guitar! I had friends who were disgusting guitar players but I wanted to play bass. I wanted to be Cliff Burton, or later Alex Webster! There was an old hippy living downstairs from my family in the same apartment complex. My mother heard him playing bass sometimes and went to ask him if he had any interest in teaching. He thought she was going there to complain about the noise!! AND, when she said “my son wants to learn to play” He was like “No kids WANT to play bass, you probably misunderstood.” but she mentioned I worshipped Cliff so, he said “Send him to me”. He taught me a few riffs and licks. Then showed me how to read tablature on a few evenings, and out the door I went on my own from there. Over the years, one thing or another always forced my into the guitar role, so I accepted my fate. I consider myself a mediocre guitar player at best, especially after playing next to Cruciatus, and now Kalle! I am sub-par at best.

My first performance: Cursed Divinity at Cafe Euphrates in Denver. Maybe 1998? 97? There was no stage but once I stepped "on stage" and felt that energy, I knew this was something I’d never walk away from.


I'm an old dog who still remembers copying cassettes and exchanging them. Writing letters to bands. Those were beautiful times, we were young. You are much younger than me, but I can't help asking... do you remember how PROSCRIPTION started? Most bands in our country were formed in pubs. Can you walk us through the history of your band?

I believe the band formation was covered in question 3?

But, I seem to be much older than you think! At the time of typing this, I am 48 years old and in the scene since 1990 or so! We had no internet then so, tape trading was essential in the parking lot before gigs! We did a lot of VHS trading as well. I got introduced to so many new bands that were on copilation mix tapes, and gig videotapes! I have 1 VHS tape with me doing vocals for Cryptopsy on 2 songs even hahaha. Mike DiSalvo had a throat infection, and Jason from Divine Empire (and Malevolent Creation) literally threw me onstage since they were performing with no vocalist due to MANY shitty circumstances on that tour.

My first band was called Cursed Divinity in 1997 or so. Then I joined Excommunion in late 1999. I did a good handful of guestspots or session spots throughout. I moved to Finland in 2007, where I formed Maveth. Lots more sessions or guestspots. And now, Proscription.

How would you define death metal? What does music mean to you? Is it a lifestyle, a hobby, relaxation? I'm still fascinated by darkness, I'm drawn to the energy. How about you?

Death metal is power, darkness, madness, and truth through sound. For me it’s empowerment, belonging, and freedom — musically and emotionally. Outside the love of my wife and child, it’s the deepest passion I hold. At the same time, am I a hobbyist? I mean, I could never make a living with my music it seems. So I am not pro. But I spend all my freetime writing music, playing gigs, listening to music. I don’t do sports or any crafting or whatnot. Just death metal. Nothing gives me the same feeling in any way.

The classic question to end with. What does PROSCRIPTION have planned for the coming months? If you have anything on your mind that you would like to say to fans, labels, promoters, here's your chance.

Now we have only a couple of finnish gigs left this year, and a possible fest in Poland, though the polish organizers have gone full radio silence, so who knows where that sits. A festival in Germany next spring but, we would love to turn that fest into a stop along a tour of course!

We are demoing new material this autumn as well to see where we stand, and moving forward towards the 3rd album hopefully before too long!

I'm already looking forward to putting my headphones on again tomorrow morning and blasting "Desolate Divine" into my head. The album turned out great. Thank you for the interview, I really appreciate it. I wish you success with the band, full concerts, and good album sales. All the best in your personal life as well! PROSCRIPTION RULES!

Thanks to you man!! We always say “Thanks for the support” so much that it feels like a simple passing by “whats up”. But, it’s true! We need to support, we need the promotion! All we can get!! So again, from the soul, Thanks for the support!!


Recenze/review - PROSCRIPTION - Desolate Divine (2025):

Recenze/review - PROSCRIPTION - Conduit (2020):




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