Interview by: Lord Baalberith
1.-Infernal greetings Asbel!! First of all, could you tell us what inspired you to create Asbel, beginning from how you started enjoying metal to the conception of your project or band?
Greetings, first of all thanking you for the opportunity to have this interview, well what exactly what inspired Asbel what just the simple fact of creating music, Metal has always been a part of me, passing through different sounds as industrial and hardcore to metal and finally Black Metal.
2.-Where do you draw inspiration (musical, artistic) for Asbel? And where did the name Asbel come from?
As I have always quoted no band really influenced me, musically I just represent my emotions in the moment of composing a song, and there lies the variety of sounds heard in my music, you can have density, rawness, sadness and also, of course hatred, Asbel is the name of a fallen angel, the different, thee who marks the difference, I really did not want the typical black metal name where Satan worshiping is represented.
3.-What is your actual line-up and / or session musicians?
For recording, composition just me, for live performances the members of the horde Misanthrope, just the guitar player and drummer.
4.-Have you played live shows in Colombia? Has there been any trouble from government or local officials?
Yes I have played many times here in Colombia, and to the moment there has not been any trouble from local officials or government.
5.-Could you tell us about some of your more violent shows?
Exactly violent as meaning the best , well the best shows have been outside of my hometown Bogota, I have to say that for sure, one unforgettable gig was in a town called Fusagasuga, excellent scene, a very calm show.
6.-Have you opened for bigger bands at shows who and which ones is your favorite to play with?
Not to the moment and it is not an actual goal for Asbel. If it comes good and if not the same, I will not search for the opportunity by the way. Band promotion for does issues really suck here in Colombia.
7.-You have always had guest musicians in your releases and even in some gigs, is this collaboration going to continue in the future?
Well to clarify a little, in my releases, there hasn’t been any guest musician, all production, recording, programming and instrument playing has been by Me, also to clarify, yes drums are programmed in Asbel´s recording but not programmed as some ignorant says around there in guitarpro, first of all guitarpro is not for recording real-time music, or editing. Drums are not looped in Asbel it’s a different process which I will not explain here, but just to let them know first of all, if they so call themselves musicians, well to do a little research before they spit out arguments with lack of sense, and second for them to get a life.
Live collaboration has always existed for Asbel, many musicians have past by its existence, and yes live support will continue.
8.-What do you think about the Colombian scene these days, when compared to the old days? Any bands you particularly like?
Ignorance and mediocrity always come by the hand, so simple to describe such repugnant scene compared to foreign metal-life styles, only gossip and fashion and sicken recognition describe this land. Now and then has always been the same, just a few playing around with an instrument trying to be musicians and yelling out blasphemies which have no sense and not credible to even themselves. I do not listen or have contact to any local band; I do not like anyone in particular.
9.-What motivates you to keep making music?
Creativity, the knowledge of believing that music is such an enormous universe, just waiting to be discovered by the brilliant minds of us who really worship the sense of sound.
10.-By the way, are there in Colombia real metal pubs? Do you usually go there or do you attend many live shows with your friends?
Yes of course, many but not real, just rat-shitty holes where you can see the decadence of the human being. I used to attend these holes, but now, it gets boring and not useful for the intellectual brains, the only live shows I attend here are when Asbel is playing.
11.-What can we expect from most recent release “Grim, cold and alone” and what will it be released? And why you only included three tracks in this CD?
Marks the difference, you can expect a black metal band / project (whatever) playing non black metal music, it’s a mixture of depressive-punk-metal, described in the rhythm of the drums, the song Grim gives in intro to the album as if you were to here a depressive suicidal black metal album, but Cold turns the whole idea around, by the exaltation of guitar riffs and the groovy drum tempos, of course always maintaining the melancholy which describes Asbel since its beginning, Alone starts out like a down-tempo song, where it just around the middle fastens the song making quite moving. I am not offended when Grim, cold and alone is not taken for a black metal album. I only included 3 tracks, for I think the amount of tracks doesn’t make a musical album better or worst, my releases are know by not having a numerous of bored, plain tracks.
12.-You´ve released a split cd with Lucifago Rofacale (México)? What can you tell us about this Mexican black metal horde on the split?
This band has and will be always one of my true band-brothers, for I started like at the same time they started, with Marbas we spoke a lot according to our tastes in music and philosophy, I felt really numb when I heard he passed away, anyways I keep in touch with his eternal beloved Bael.
13.-Which of your releases are you mostly proud with it? Why?
Personally I like a lot the Elegist album, am quite proud with it, the musical composition took time, that’s why I like it, I gave my best effort to making it sound different speaking of guitar performance. Lyrically I just touched issues which I feel not conform with.
14.-What progression musically speaking, do you hear from the first Asbel release “Legions” (2004) to your new cd “Grim, cold and alone” (2008)?
Creativty for composition will always be a progression heard through out my releases; the sound quality has been a big progression. Now that I have more sophisticated equipment and more technology.
15.-If you were to make a cover albums, which tracks from which bands would you cover?
Live I play metal covers, from Burzum, Satanic Warmaster, Nargaroth, etc. but for recording I´ll keep the bands in silence, further you may acknowledge my musical tastes for recorded covers.
16.-Why do you sing in English and not in Spanish, what do you think about the bands that sing in their native language?
I always think that a band should sing in their native language, my native language is English for I was born here but educated in the USA, my vocabulary fluency is better in English.
17.-Now, about your own beliefs, do you consider yourself a Satanist? What do you believe in?
Never have I thought that, never shall I be, for I do not sing to Satan or any other hidden entity, of course I have been mistaken by a few cause of my song titles, for example Lucifer, am not talking about the entity or the man with horns, Lucifer is the bringer of light (Lux Ferre); Light a synonym for knowledge, the bringer of knowledge, as what happened in the renaissance. We woke our minds to better things, we know the world is huge and we must not prison ourselves, because prison brings ignorance. My logo of course we understand it as the goat with two inverted crosses, Asbel logo represents what I don not sing to, nor to Satan nor to Christ, the goat is a symbol of rebellion.
18.-Apart from Christianity (obviously) is there anything you’re vehemently opposed to?
Of course opposed to any ways of fanaticism, like Christianity and also Satanism, also to the idea that black metal has to be played by scum,(a well know philosophy reigned here in Colombia).
19.-Do you feel that the essence of black metal and similar kinds of underground music is lot when they are so easily available in internet to everyone?
Internet is a great market, a great way to show your musical talent, I do not believe in the term “underground”, what´s the idea about that stupidity? Making music, having a band just for myself? The idea of music is for someone else to listen duh!!, I just thing that term is used to showoff how “evil” or “sinister” is a band. Anyways if your band is so underground someday it will be listen to, so if that happens, is the band less “evil”?? fuck that, music is to be heard.
20.-How do you think a black metal band can have its own distinguishable sound amongst the uncounted black metal trendy bands that one usually finds?
Creativity, leaving aside the fact that Black Metal has to be only dedicated to unseen evil figures, it can be dark, cold and not necessary dedicated to evil beings, I have heard great black metal with lyrical themes such as positive issues, nature, being someone really day to day experiences. Leaving behind the thoughts that we have to be scum , be the worst , or being more evil cause I have a demonic look in my eyes, dressing like a bum,
21.-As far as I understood, you promote for a total anti-life message, don’t you? Have you ever really thought about committing suicide?
Well , not exactly anti-life, more like anti-metaller “philosophy”, I mock the scene, I mock the metal listener here, I find them funny, of course not in all my songs, I do not leave messages in my music, just like I said, what iam feeling in that moment. And I shall never commit suicide nor sing to it, that’s for the weak.
22.-Do you have any other projects musical or artistic?
In this moment I belong to a project called M42 (the name is not defined yet), it is an Electro-industrial/Electro-Dark project which I am giving all my best effort into it.
23.-Could you tell us what order you record your music in and what kind of equipment you use?
The basics, I use Ibanez guitars, Zoom pedal effects, Shure mics, for recording Creative labs, Soundblaster sound cards, Adobe audition software, Cambridge sound for monitoring.
24.-Why did you decide to dedicate “Throne of the Forsaken” to Marbas of Lucifago Rofacale and which it deals with the track?
One of my best friends, which shall never be forsaken, he will never be part of the throne of the forsaken.
25.-Do You have contact with Satanic Propaganda from Sweden?
I had, I no longer work with them.
26.-What do you think of Myspace? Is it helpful for the band?
Of course as I already said, internet is a great promoter.
27.-Thank you for the interview and I hope you will come to Mexico soon, send a message to those who are about to listen to
Thanks to you, I have always respected the Mexican metal scene for I think it’s one of the most mature worldwide, many bands I here from your country, keep up that great work, thanks for your support and the support you give others, and well a message is for them to grow up, fuck you and your immaturity, get a life, and sorry to say Asbel will go on and on until I die or get killed jajaja losers you are all. And wait for a new total concept for Asbel in the future that I know you will hate, but that’s the point anyways.
Osculum-Reh-Demo [1994]
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