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Into the Darkest of Realms
interview
Release of the first demo such as "Morbid Metal" made me to contact Necromaniac band. Old mangy Metal based on Thrash / Black / Death Metal with unclean sound and underground approach will probably appeal only to a certain group of fans. The band makes me feel drastic and dangerous, their music can be taken only seriously. On the other hand, it should be noted that members of NECORMANIAC have been involved in many bands, either as full members or just as live musicians, for all I appoint at least Macabre Omen, Lvcifyre, Glorior Belli, Binah, Pantheist or Esoteric. The band was formed in 2011 in London and to this date they have released only one "Morbid Metal" demo which you could read a review some time ago. I think this interview belongs to the best ones, so enjoy it and do not forget to support this cruel band. The questions were answered by Sadistik Fornicator (guit).


Hello, your band was formed back in 2011 but your first "Morbid Metal" demo was released only a few months ago. What happened in the meantime?
Sadistik Fornicator: Hails Mortuary! First of all thanks a lot for your kind review and for giving us a chance with this interview; we really appreciate your support! Power and strength to you brother!
It took us indeed four long years until we unleashed our debut demo to the public back in May. There are various reasons for this delay: Line-up problems, personal lives getting in the way of progress and a slow song writing process due to the maniacal obsession of wanting to make those songs really stand out from the mass of average bands out there.
To put it plain and simple; we wanted to make a big statement and the end result has been quite satisfactory to say the least, which is the only thing that really matters regardless of how long it took us to achieve this. We could have released something earlier but we chose not to as we are firm advocates of the “quality over quantity” example led by others that came before us.




Could you write in a few words the reason why you put Necromaniac together? Would you have thought for example in 1998 that sometime in 2015 good old Metal would still be played with the original sound and traditions that go with it?
Sadistik Fornicator: Why did I form this band? Two reasons; the inherent hunger to unleash the black fire burning inside of me and the growing need to let that fire manifest itself and explode into musical form.
In 1998 I was definitely not thinking about what things would be like in 17 years time. Back then I was very young and mainly focused in the “here and now”; although I already knew that I would certainly be into this type of music until the day I fucking died. A predicament that still remains to this day since I am still alive last time I checked…

The name of your demo ("Morbid Metal") and the name of your band (Necromaniac) are speaking it all for your music. Was it intended from the beginning to create a concept that defines you? Do you refer to your music as “Morbid Metal”?
Sadistik Fornicator: Indeed, there is always a conscious effort in making sure that everything that we do be it musically, visually, lyrically or conceptually reeks of total darkness and ancient morbidity. Anyway; it must also be stated that this was not strategically planned. Those sentiments naturally found their way into our music, lyrics and visuals as we have all been drawn to the left hand path for a very long time so for us it’s just business as usual.
Our music is deeply rooted in the old traditions of Black, Death and Thrash Metal. Since every single one of those genres has been bastardized countless times throughout the past two decades and we don’t want to be associated with any of the clownish acts that are responsible for such bastardization, we chose the “Morbid Metal” moniker to avoid being considered a part of such circuses, thus also evading guilt by association.
And yes; as you already pointed out I think that moniker represents our music, visuals and lyrical concepts rather well. Oh, and just in case someone missed out on it; it is also a fitting tribute to an old band that has a song with the same name and which definitely left a black mark upon us…


Which bands have influenced you to start playing your style of Metal? Are you fans of the old Metal legends only? What do you say to new bands arising today that try to emulate the most authentic spirit of old Metal?
Sadistik Fornicator: Influences? Easy question; just the basic mandatory stuff that every self respected Underground Metal Maniac should not just have in their collections but also imprinted on their DNA: Bathory, Hellhammer, Absu, Samael, Slaughter, Celtic Frost, Venom, Necrovore, Nifelheim, Sarcofago, Tormentor, Vulcano, Mortuary Drape, Possessed, Slayer, Massacra, Pentagram (Chile), Vomitor, Imperator, Poison (Germany), Nocturnal Graves, Voivod, Protector, Morbid Angel, Repulsion, Bestial Warlust, Mutilator, Necrodeath, Morbid, Sodom, Necrophiliac, Varathron, Mayhem, Destroyer 666, Sepultura, Master’s Hammer, Sadistik Exekution, Merciless, etc, etc.
The most obscure works of these bands were a huge influence for the creation of Necromaniac and without their output and legacy our outlook on music in general just would not be the same. We are also influenced by the eerie chilling atmospheres heard on the soundtracks of tons of old cult horror classics.
Regarding us being just fans of the legends; well, those older bands obviously made a bigger impact on us since they are the ones that we grew up listening to in our formative years, but I should clarify that we’re not stagnant music fans and we’re constantly checking out newer bands too. We also listen to lots of other types of music outside of Death, Thrash, Black, Doom or traditional Heavy Metal. However; the main influences for Necromaniac musically speaking are the bands listed above, and that’s something that will never change regardless of us listening to other genres that have absolutely nothing to do with what we are about.
As for new bands arising today, I don’t think they should try to emulate anybody. They should try hard to find their own sound before recording anything or setting foot on a stage; and most importantly they should just be themselves, follow their hearts, be honest and not follow any scene trends in order to fit in. One thing is being influenced by the work created by others and another is blatantly copying it, thus having absolutely nothing interesting to offer.

Unfortunately we’re living in an age where there’s too many pointless bands, too many pointless releases, too many pointless labels and too many so called fans that just press “like” on social media websites and think that’s enough to support the bands they supposedly worship.
It is time for these people to just get out and find something else to do with their lives, as all they’re doing is either polluting the scene with their childish retro trends that have expiry date tags attached or trying to make a name for themselves by hijacking the work of others; which just goes to show their total lack of drive and talent masked under a lazy transparent veil of plagiarized mediocrity. No army has ever conquered anything by moving backwards or running around in circles; only by marching onwards and forward into battle!


In my review I mentioned that your music reminds me to some extent of the early works of German legend Protector. I don't know how much this band influenced you, but I have been listening to them since the early 90's and they’re pure cult to me. I have also compared you to American legend Possessed...
Sadistik Fornicator: Thanks for the kind words. Those two bands along with countless others were definitely an inspiration and it is an absolute honour to be compared to them. However, I personally find the similarities to those two particular bands are kept to a minimum. But hey, everyone’s entitled to their opinion and at least you compared us to two bands that absolutely rule so I can’t really complain about that!

Could you describe the working process of "Morbid Metal"? Who composed most of the music and what was the involvement by other members of Necromaniac? Do you think this model will work in the future as well?
Sadistik Fornicator: I wrote all the music at home and I showed it to The One (bass) and V. Pestilencia (drums) at the rehearsal studio. Then we usually ended up re-working some of the arrangements together; like bass lines, drum beats or fills, etc.
Thanatophilia R.G. (vocals and f/x) wrote all the lyrics and then we both worked on some of the lyrical arrangements together. He is also responsible for all the f/x on the recording and for the killer bulldozer bass sound, as he re-amped and processed The One’s raw bass tracks. So all in all you can say the whole thing was a band effort and everyone was involved to some degree in one way or another. We’re all proud of the outcome and we feel it worked pretty well, so we will continue to work in this manner for the time being. If it ain’t broken don’t fix it!


Your music has a lot of negative and dark feelings. Melodies sound as if they were dug out of an ancient crypt and the vocals sound like a very demonic ode to horror. All this, of course, cannot work without a proper stale sound; without which all that would be completely different. How did you get such a sepulchral sound? Could you reveal where did you record your demo and what atmosphere prevailed during the recording sessions?
Sadistik Fornicator: Thanks again for your kind words; the man responsible for the morbid sound is Tom Vallely. He engineered the whole thing and mixed it under my watchful eye while I was going through tons of notes filled with suggestions and demands (with time frames included) that everyone in the band had previously written. We knew exactly what we wanted and he worked to the absolute best of his capabilities in order to get that ancient sepulchral sound. We’re very proud of the end result and of his professional “can do” attitude, so we will most likely work again with him for our next release if we can manage to fit our schedules as he is a very busy man.
The recordings took place in two different studios: Drums, guitars and bass were recorded at Eidola Studio during Samhain MMXIV whereas all the vocals and effects were recorded at Parasomniac Studio during the full moon of November MMXIV. The whole thing was then mixed back at Eidola Studio and finally mastered at Wormhole Studios by Vladimir Uzelac.
The atmosphere prevailing during the sessions was that of everyone being extremely focused on getting the best performances that we possibly could immortalized on those recordings. We didn't have much time so sessions were long, stressful at times and quite intense to say the least, but we proved to work well under pressure and managed to pull it off without many major obstacles.


How do you see the future of Necromaniac? Do you still want to record only demos and EPs, or do you plan to record a full-length album as well? If there would be a debut would you have a more professional production than on the demo? In my opinion many bands lost the atmosphere of their demos due to better productions when they recorded their debut albums...
Sadistik Fornicator: We do not wish to be confined to just recording demos or EPs; that has never been the plan. We have only just got started and “Morbid Metal” is our very first release, so we thought it was fitting for it to be released as a demo tape. Regarding future endeavors all I can say for now is that our next release will be a 7” EP. After that, only time will tell what atrocities we shall bring forth from the abyss and on which format they shall be unleashed…

What does Necromaniac mean to you? Do you take it dead serious or the band is just some form of entertainment to you? In my view your demo is a hidden gem. If someone gave it to me without me knowing anything about it I would think it is some killer demo from the 90s!
Sadistik Fornicator: Thanks again for the kind compliments. The band is definitely dead serious to us, although that doesn't mean that we want to make a career out of it or have any desire to become rock stars. I can guarantee you we will forever remain underground, as that’s where we belong and where we’re proud to lurk. Let’s put it this way; we don’t plan on making a living out of this but we fucking live for it!
I think probably the main reason why our music captures the same essence that a lot of the old bands had it’s because it is difficult to pigeon-hole us within one particular genre, thus making our music a little bit more original than that of the average band (even though we’re not really doing anything new). A lot of Death and Black Metal bands sound very similar to each other these days, whereas in the old days the main focus was for everyone to sound completely different to each other. That is something that we have also set ourselves to achieve, hence the demo having that same ancient vibe.


Could you write something about the lyrics you prepared for your demo? Which topics resonate mostly with you? What would you say to the fact that many people take such topics as unnecessary metal clichés?
Sadistik Fornicator: We are drawn to the darker side of life and obsessed with death, necromantical themes and otherworldly spiritual planes, so our lyrics are based on such topics, thus setting the right vibe and eerie atmospheres along with the music in order to convey total darkness and ancient morbidity. The vocal delivery plays a major part on this too. I could go into detail and explain what every single song is about, but I am of the opinion that if I did that I would be giving away too much and the mystery would be gone, thus losing some of the (black) magic contained therein. The lyrics were printed on the demo so it is up to the listeners to delve deep into them if they wish to.
As for anyone considering such topics as Metal clichés I honestly couldn't care less. Metal per se is clichéd and that’s the way I like it to be. If someone doesn't like bands that follow the old traditions that’s fine by me; they can just go and listen to any of the pretentious pseudo-intellectual safe modern hipster bands out there instead. We’re not here to please anyone but ourselves so outsider opinions are completely irrelevant to us.


You are from London, England. For me personally it seems the scene in your country is growing. Maybe now you don’t have such strong names as in the 90s when certain big bands were born there, but the underground must be pretty good. Are you interested in other English bands?
Sadistik Fornicator: I think it should be revealed that even though we are based in London there is not one single member in the band of British heritage, therefore I don’t consider Necromaniac to be an English band but a European one instead. The One was born and raised in Greece and comes from a Greek and Dutch family background. V. Pestilencia was born and raised in Poland and comes from a Polish and Ukrainian family background; and both myself and Thanatophilia R.G. were born and raised in Spain and come solely from Spanish family backgrounds. I believe all the different European backgrounds, upbringings and cultures shared by all the members have played a major role in our music; since all of us have been exposed to (and therefore influenced by) different European scenes instead of just the UK one. It should also be mentioned that collectively the band speaks fluent English, Greek, Polish, Spanish, Dutch, German and Russian; which will definitely come in handy if we ever get to tour Europe!
As for the scene in the UK yes, the quality of the bands has definitely improved in the last decade or so and there’s a lot more people attending underground gigs these days. Some of the bands I follow and respect are Grave Miasma, Lvcifyre, Cruciamentum, The One, Indesinence, Adorior, Binah and Macabre Omen.
It is no secret that certain members of Necromaniac are or have been involved at some point in some of the bands I mentioned, although none of them sound similar to us or each other and that’s the greatest thing about them all. They all follow their own path and have their own particular sound rooted in old traditions, yet that sound is original and delivered with iron will and strong convictions! Hail Brethren!


What were the reactions to the "Morbid Metal" demo? Perhaps it is still a bit too early, but nonetheless, you may have already read some reviews. What were reviewers blaming you for and what did they praise you for the most? Do you consider such reactions as important?
Sadistik Fornicator: It is indeed perhaps a little too early to say. So far I have only read two reviews and they have both been very positive (8.25/10 on Necrosphere done by you and 9/10 on Chaos Vault done by Oracle). Both reviews were written in Slovak and Polish, languages I do not speak, so I could only read them using Google translator and a lot of things get lost in the process or don’t make much sense. I think the praise for the most part has been on the strong song writing and the ancient vibe. Also, I think you criticized us for not having guitar solos right? I can’t really play them so that’s why there’s hardly any in there. Apart from those reviews there’s also been some praise on a few well known Metal forums which is definitely a rewarding thing to see.
We do indeed take critiques very seriously, as long as if there’s any criticism in there it is of the constructive type. So far we haven’t seen any negative comments so we can’t really complain!


Today the world is caught up in chaos; it seems as it is boiling in all parts of the world. In addition, nature has had enough already and it seems like our days are slowly nearing the end. Do you think there’s any chance to reverse everything? Are you optimistic?
Sadistik Fornicator: I don’t really think that much about such topics and I’d be lying if I said I care. As long as both myself and those close to me are strong, healthy and successful in whichever path they choose to take, the well being of the world or the rest of its population doesn't concern me in the slightest.

Ok, that would be all from me. If I forgot something you can add some info. Glad I could help you to promote your band in our country and I hope that some fans will get to know you and appreciate the old Metal you play with honesty and from the heart. Once again, thank you for this interview and I wish you a lot of creative ideas and great days with Necromaniac!
Sadistik Fornicator: Thanks a lot for the interview and hails for your support! We’re working on a Bandcamp page to make our demo tape available on digital format too so stay tuned for that: http://necromaniac.bandcamp.com/
If anybody wishes to contact the band feel free to send us an email to: sadistikfornicatorATgmail.com. We’re also planning to make some merchandise so if anybody is interested please drop us a line.
MORBID METAL TO THE DEATH… UGH!!!!!!




http://beta.last.fm/music/Necromaniac




Sadistic Fornicator                                  16. 8. 2015 Mortuary