Occult Death Metal, eyes full of obsession, bad signs, smoke pulling from afar, mind going mad... that what's going on? Chilean Black / Death Metal INVOCATION band has released its latest "The Mastery of The Unseen" work in September 2018, although it is like being involved in a spiritual session where it may also come to a tragedy. Sense of Clairovoyance on bass guitar, Sense of Clairaudience on drums and Sense of Premonition on guitar and vocals, this is a three pieces entity that doesn't let you sleep. The band is set in the deadly underground and it builds its occult name with the shards. So far they have released only the "Emanations" single ´16 and "Seance part. I" demo '16, but their new EP has the power of strong incantation even though it is only two songs. The questions were answered by Francisco (vox, guit).
To begin with, I would ask your INVOCATION name. Many bands are named according to something because it fits well for the Metal band. Seems that this name has a deeper meaning for you. Could you describe in more detail your relationship to this expression and how much does it reflect spirit of the band?
Salve, our sound fits perfectly with our name, and you know, the name INVOCATION comes quickly if you are involve into the paranormal and occult topics, we wanted an easy name to remember, so you can interpret it at your own way.
After listening to your recording I have been amazed, your style is unique and there appear flashes of horror, the premonitions of evil and the breeding madness in the mind. Aligning of the riffs, rhythms and vocals points out to the strong potential and the sign you know well what you do. By which flow do you let yourselves be inspired at writing process ?
The music has their own vibe and atmosphere, this two elements in communion with the artwork creates a formidable mix in that our listener can experience all the magic of sound and can be transported to different ways in search of the correct entity, we are inspired by a lot of early south American Black/Death Metal bands of course, and some of new European acts too, I would say that our sound are where Black and Death metal do not differ. For the record I can mention some of our big influences like the whole classic underground scene of South America of the 80/90 (Pentagram, Death Yell, Sadism, Darkness, Sarcófago, Vulcano, Exterminio, Expulser, Mutilator, Bestymator, Impurity, Mortem, Hadez, Typhon, Reencarnación, Parabellum, etc, etc.), added to the sound impregnated by Demoncy, Cultes des Ghoules, Embrace of Thorns, Teitanblood, Temple Nightside, Grave Miasma, etc. and also a lot of the Polish, English and Australian / New Zealand scene.
The Ouija (Mystifying Oracle) track as if exactly embody the theme of the track. Is it absolutely essential for you to keep the music purely in line with the lyric to form a unified whole? Many bands just write down some riffs that fit together and write some lyric that comes to their mind, but it won't be your case...
Sure, it's totally intentional, and this is our attempt to communicate and accept other spirits in an astral plane, we choose our music as "the medium". In some passages of our songs you can find a very hypnotic atmosphere created by the communion of our instruments and the voice of an obscure demonic possession, so, clearly this create a “whole”. We want approach more to this paranormal topics, moving away from hackneyed anti-christianity
Do you own Ouija? Do you think by this device can be contacted an spiritual entity and how much can its messages be true? Have you had a paranormal experience which take your breath away?
Of course, anyone is capable to own one!, if you’re physically, spiritually and mentally prepare, you can perfectly manipulate one of these instruments, I can’t comment personal experiences, but we are more susceptible to this forces, we constantly pay attention to those energy around us, even more now, that our minds are being slaves of the current civilization, sometimes it is necessary to raise our heads and open all our senses, Although, we know that manipulating these instruments can be quite dangerous, especially in the wrong hands and maybe make your life change irreversibly living eternally in a nightmare.
How do you look at the theme of necromancy? Many rituals have been performed, e.g. well-known Erichto witch lived at the cemetery, sleeping in tombs surrounded by bones and funeral objects. Her specialization was necromancy. There is well-known case she have helped Sextus, the son of a Roman ruler, when she awoke corpse by the spirit and it predicted the evil end of his troops' battle and his own death. Do you believe the necromantic rituals are working and effective?
I think these topics were taken out of context, or in some cases exaggerated, more than old stories, I can tell you some current practices, like in some African communities, magic is still practiced without intervention of modern books or re interpretations, Kimbanda, It is a cult with a philosophical approach, Bwiti Dissumba is a initiation rite (through IBOGA), Candomblé (a Brazilian cult) and the Yoruba Shamanism (Cult to Egúngún) , although one thing is clear and repetitive, you must sacrifice and offer something to enter in these planes. It strikes me to be able to understand this type of thoughts of ancient cultures and how they were revealed to them.
Although obviously, it is always necessary to know all the edges and types of dark manifestations, there are very interesting writings too, about some "rituals" regarding the position of the human body, where you can achieve an induced trance state and / or self-hypnosis, there is a well-known psychologist who devoted his life to studying the different tribes (around the world) and especially old shamans who still continue with this particular ancestral practice, offerings, and sound patterns or mantras that are (in some way) being replicating in the Black Metal. This material will be revealed in our debut album. The key is in South America.
What do you think of spirit and soul? Many religions say the soul lives in the body or around it for three days after the physical death, so the funerals are usually held after three days. What do you think can happen when the body is immediately burned or buried?
The first thing that happens, it ceases to be a soul, and becomes a Spirit. Kardec says, each one dies as he lived. For who lived well and is not slave of physical body or material goods, he disembodies peaceful. Who clings to the physical body, jewelry, a life of luxury, often passes away, but forced and with much difficulty. And some cling so much to physical body, that the body dies and decomposes, but they continue to suffer, stuck in physical Body.
Are you worshipper or rather an observer of death? How do you perceive death over time? Do you perceive it all the same or do you still think deeper how it will be at the last moment and then? Do similar thoughts affect the creation of INVOCATION?
Yes, we are both and we accept death as our only way.
Are you using skulls, bones, incense and similar objects at live performances or in rehearsal room? Do you think it can strengthen atmosphere of music, live performances, ritual, better to focus, or helping to open up the gates of perception so you can feel the spiritual sphere even deeper?
Of course, In our live appearances we have used ritualistic elements, specific lights, backdrops / sidedrops, aromatic essences and intros / interludes that, together with the music, creates an intense atmosphere. We want to induce the listener to a darkened trance, we have listened to people who have been hypnotized by our sounds, if you call upon DEATH, DEATH will come!
Anyway, we respect our audience, and not including a saturation of paraphernalia we care about running our instruments decently as a seal and quality assured to people who would pay a ticket to listen to us, I think that before putting on hoods, tunics, bullets and chains this should be a minimum requirement!
Is there a place that makes you afraid, or where did you experience such a negative vibes you are afraid to approach, but at the same time it attract you? Why do you think a man wants to know also such a morbid findings and to examine them from a psychological point of view?
Man is a curious animal by nature. And it is that curiosity that characterizes us, has led you to seek, from the beginning of time the meaning of things… about negative vibes and places… there exist all over the world, even here in my town or your town!, and I'm not talking about cemeteries or places for depressed girls… This modern society is a cradle of negative feelings and it's enough inspiration for day to day.
Did you meet in Chile with strange funeral practices or rituals around a dead body? Such rituals are often practiced in small towns, villages or settlements where civilization has not intervened so much as in cities. For example over here they covered the mirrors after death and the clocks stopped at the time of death, they opened the windows to let the soul flee, the fire fell out for three days when the body was lying dead.
Interesting practice!, I can tell you something about our indigenous roots, The “Mapuche” people have a lot of ancient rituals, but the practices have been almost erased due to the Spanish arrival (XV Century) and today due to the existing capitalism in the country, for many people being a “Mapuche” and understand their traditions it’s almost a joke, curious thing, anyway, they had funeral ritual called “Amulpüllün” something like (take out the soul), in which the ancestors (alwe) 4 women and 4 men, drink wine and they throw it through the grave among several invocations “today you will become ashes, your heart became Stone, you do not care about anything”, in some communities they sacrifice a bird while they pray around.
How do you perceive the Chilean extreme Metal scene? From my point of view you have a lot of quality Death / Black / Thrash / Heavy bands. Could you recommend some names which you think are worth mentioning?
Sure, the Chilean Metal is in very good position and was a consequence for our true essence and compromise with the underground traditions, we take this very seriously!, I'm a fanatic of the traditional metal, specifically the Black and Death Metal sound and all the underground arts, I run 2 fanzines (since 2009), a black/death metal label and distro and a lot of more things, so clearly this is not a trend for us... I can recommend some good new bands of the Chilean underground acts like Putrefactio, Malignant Asceticism, Scientiam Templum, Theurgia, Black Beast, Verbum, Devotion, Buried, Mortify, Consecrate, Deathly Scythe, Horda, Slave Spirit, Lacerate, Septiembre Negro, Necrolatría, etc.
Ok, that would be all from my side, thanks for this interview and wish INVOCATION many transcendental energy and inspiration!
Thanks for your interest in the band, we already finished the recording of the next material, expect some interesting news very soon! There is also some copies of “The Mastery of the Unseen” available via Iron Bonehead Productions (shop.ironbonehead.de) and remember…
THERE’S NO LIGHT, ONLY PURE HYPNOTIC DARKNESS.
https://invocationtemple.bandcamp.com/
Francisco 16.12.2018 Mortuary
To begin with, I would ask your INVOCATION name. Many bands are named according to something because it fits well for the Metal band. Seems that this name has a deeper meaning for you. Could you describe in more detail your relationship to this expression and how much does it reflect spirit of the band?
Salve, our sound fits perfectly with our name, and you know, the name INVOCATION comes quickly if you are involve into the paranormal and occult topics, we wanted an easy name to remember, so you can interpret it at your own way.
After listening to your recording I have been amazed, your style is unique and there appear flashes of horror, the premonitions of evil and the breeding madness in the mind. Aligning of the riffs, rhythms and vocals points out to the strong potential and the sign you know well what you do. By which flow do you let yourselves be inspired at writing process ?
The music has their own vibe and atmosphere, this two elements in communion with the artwork creates a formidable mix in that our listener can experience all the magic of sound and can be transported to different ways in search of the correct entity, we are inspired by a lot of early south American Black/Death Metal bands of course, and some of new European acts too, I would say that our sound are where Black and Death metal do not differ. For the record I can mention some of our big influences like the whole classic underground scene of South America of the 80/90 (Pentagram, Death Yell, Sadism, Darkness, Sarcófago, Vulcano, Exterminio, Expulser, Mutilator, Bestymator, Impurity, Mortem, Hadez, Typhon, Reencarnación, Parabellum, etc, etc.), added to the sound impregnated by Demoncy, Cultes des Ghoules, Embrace of Thorns, Teitanblood, Temple Nightside, Grave Miasma, etc. and also a lot of the Polish, English and Australian / New Zealand scene.
The Ouija (Mystifying Oracle) track as if exactly embody the theme of the track. Is it absolutely essential for you to keep the music purely in line with the lyric to form a unified whole? Many bands just write down some riffs that fit together and write some lyric that comes to their mind, but it won't be your case...
Sure, it's totally intentional, and this is our attempt to communicate and accept other spirits in an astral plane, we choose our music as "the medium". In some passages of our songs you can find a very hypnotic atmosphere created by the communion of our instruments and the voice of an obscure demonic possession, so, clearly this create a “whole”. We want approach more to this paranormal topics, moving away from hackneyed anti-christianity
Do you own Ouija? Do you think by this device can be contacted an spiritual entity and how much can its messages be true? Have you had a paranormal experience which take your breath away?
Of course, anyone is capable to own one!, if you’re physically, spiritually and mentally prepare, you can perfectly manipulate one of these instruments, I can’t comment personal experiences, but we are more susceptible to this forces, we constantly pay attention to those energy around us, even more now, that our minds are being slaves of the current civilization, sometimes it is necessary to raise our heads and open all our senses, Although, we know that manipulating these instruments can be quite dangerous, especially in the wrong hands and maybe make your life change irreversibly living eternally in a nightmare.
How do you look at the theme of necromancy? Many rituals have been performed, e.g. well-known Erichto witch lived at the cemetery, sleeping in tombs surrounded by bones and funeral objects. Her specialization was necromancy. There is well-known case she have helped Sextus, the son of a Roman ruler, when she awoke corpse by the spirit and it predicted the evil end of his troops' battle and his own death. Do you believe the necromantic rituals are working and effective?
I think these topics were taken out of context, or in some cases exaggerated, more than old stories, I can tell you some current practices, like in some African communities, magic is still practiced without intervention of modern books or re interpretations, Kimbanda, It is a cult with a philosophical approach, Bwiti Dissumba is a initiation rite (through IBOGA), Candomblé (a Brazilian cult) and the Yoruba Shamanism (Cult to Egúngún) , although one thing is clear and repetitive, you must sacrifice and offer something to enter in these planes. It strikes me to be able to understand this type of thoughts of ancient cultures and how they were revealed to them.
Although obviously, it is always necessary to know all the edges and types of dark manifestations, there are very interesting writings too, about some "rituals" regarding the position of the human body, where you can achieve an induced trance state and / or self-hypnosis, there is a well-known psychologist who devoted his life to studying the different tribes (around the world) and especially old shamans who still continue with this particular ancestral practice, offerings, and sound patterns or mantras that are (in some way) being replicating in the Black Metal. This material will be revealed in our debut album. The key is in South America.
What do you think of spirit and soul? Many religions say the soul lives in the body or around it for three days after the physical death, so the funerals are usually held after three days. What do you think can happen when the body is immediately burned or buried?
The first thing that happens, it ceases to be a soul, and becomes a Spirit. Kardec says, each one dies as he lived. For who lived well and is not slave of physical body or material goods, he disembodies peaceful. Who clings to the physical body, jewelry, a life of luxury, often passes away, but forced and with much difficulty. And some cling so much to physical body, that the body dies and decomposes, but they continue to suffer, stuck in physical Body.
Are you worshipper or rather an observer of death? How do you perceive death over time? Do you perceive it all the same or do you still think deeper how it will be at the last moment and then? Do similar thoughts affect the creation of INVOCATION?
Yes, we are both and we accept death as our only way.
Are you using skulls, bones, incense and similar objects at live performances or in rehearsal room? Do you think it can strengthen atmosphere of music, live performances, ritual, better to focus, or helping to open up the gates of perception so you can feel the spiritual sphere even deeper?
Of course, In our live appearances we have used ritualistic elements, specific lights, backdrops / sidedrops, aromatic essences and intros / interludes that, together with the music, creates an intense atmosphere. We want to induce the listener to a darkened trance, we have listened to people who have been hypnotized by our sounds, if you call upon DEATH, DEATH will come!
Anyway, we respect our audience, and not including a saturation of paraphernalia we care about running our instruments decently as a seal and quality assured to people who would pay a ticket to listen to us, I think that before putting on hoods, tunics, bullets and chains this should be a minimum requirement!
Is there a place that makes you afraid, or where did you experience such a negative vibes you are afraid to approach, but at the same time it attract you? Why do you think a man wants to know also such a morbid findings and to examine them from a psychological point of view?
Man is a curious animal by nature. And it is that curiosity that characterizes us, has led you to seek, from the beginning of time the meaning of things… about negative vibes and places… there exist all over the world, even here in my town or your town!, and I'm not talking about cemeteries or places for depressed girls… This modern society is a cradle of negative feelings and it's enough inspiration for day to day.
Did you meet in Chile with strange funeral practices or rituals around a dead body? Such rituals are often practiced in small towns, villages or settlements where civilization has not intervened so much as in cities. For example over here they covered the mirrors after death and the clocks stopped at the time of death, they opened the windows to let the soul flee, the fire fell out for three days when the body was lying dead.
Interesting practice!, I can tell you something about our indigenous roots, The “Mapuche” people have a lot of ancient rituals, but the practices have been almost erased due to the Spanish arrival (XV Century) and today due to the existing capitalism in the country, for many people being a “Mapuche” and understand their traditions it’s almost a joke, curious thing, anyway, they had funeral ritual called “Amulpüllün” something like (take out the soul), in which the ancestors (alwe) 4 women and 4 men, drink wine and they throw it through the grave among several invocations “today you will become ashes, your heart became Stone, you do not care about anything”, in some communities they sacrifice a bird while they pray around.
How do you perceive the Chilean extreme Metal scene? From my point of view you have a lot of quality Death / Black / Thrash / Heavy bands. Could you recommend some names which you think are worth mentioning?
Sure, the Chilean Metal is in very good position and was a consequence for our true essence and compromise with the underground traditions, we take this very seriously!, I'm a fanatic of the traditional metal, specifically the Black and Death Metal sound and all the underground arts, I run 2 fanzines (since 2009), a black/death metal label and distro and a lot of more things, so clearly this is not a trend for us... I can recommend some good new bands of the Chilean underground acts like Putrefactio, Malignant Asceticism, Scientiam Templum, Theurgia, Black Beast, Verbum, Devotion, Buried, Mortify, Consecrate, Deathly Scythe, Horda, Slave Spirit, Lacerate, Septiembre Negro, Necrolatría, etc.
Ok, that would be all from my side, thanks for this interview and wish INVOCATION many transcendental energy and inspiration!
Thanks for your interest in the band, we already finished the recording of the next material, expect some interesting news very soon! There is also some copies of “The Mastery of the Unseen” available via Iron Bonehead Productions (shop.ironbonehead.de) and remember…
THERE’S NO LIGHT, ONLY PURE HYPNOTIC DARKNESS.
https://invocationtemple.bandcamp.com/
Francisco 16.12.2018 Mortuary
interview
The Mastery of the Unseen
