Interesting interview with Shaxul (ex-DsO)

[Billy]

HexenHammer: Greetings Shaxul. I want to get down to business and ask a question that’s been on the minds of many North American black Metallers: Why did you leave Onion Munchers?

Shaxul: The reasons of me leaving DSO are the following (I thought it was something well known now): they jumped on the "religious Black Metal" trend, which I shit on even more than you do on the "War Metal" trend. In 2002 they suddenly changed their mind totally. I could go on for ages with anecdotes about this, like them releasing CD versions without my agreement in UNLIMITED pressings (fucking money worshippers) and blurring my lyrics because they are ANTI-religious. People who still support this band and the whole "Religious/Orthodox BM" movement have shit in their ears and eyes for sure.

HH: What exactly is your problem with “religious/orthodox” Black Metal?

S: My problem with religious/orthodox BM? Easy one but I could go for hours. First there is something personal, as I have been betrayed by the other members of DSO when they suddenly joined this fucking sect. Because indeed, it is a sect. You should read their lyrics and their interviews. When they say they believe in the Devil (in "Him"), it is at first degree. They REALLY believe that Satan exists and dominates the world. They think they are slaves to "Him" (how great to be proud to be a slave, right?!)...Their aim is to sell a lot of records(they don't even hide this fact) because they want to "evangelize" the scene (their words). When FUNERAL MIST titled their album "Salvation", do you think it is a metaphor? No! They REALLY think that "He" saved their soul!!! Come on, that's ridiculous, and there's only in Europe and USA that people think it's so great and extreme. When I just tell the words "religious BM" to an Asian or South American friend, he just dies laughing!!! But here many retarded kids think it's the real thing!!! Once again it proves that Europe is the cradle of trends.

HH: Seems like it goes hand in hand with the current Polish Christian “Un-Black” metal scene

S: You're right, it's not so far from the Christian Black Metal movement; Except that the "religious BM" fucks claim to be the only REAL BM movement.

I’m going to name four topics and I want your views on them:

Suicide
Suicidal Black Metal
Satan
NSBM (life loving bullshit!!-ed)

S: Suicide...I respect it a lot. In the western culture it is often seen as something done by cowards, but I disagree. I think that life is a piece of shit, it's up to everyone to make it better, and by the way extremely few humans succeed in this task. When you think that living has became too senseless, and then it is very natural to me to commit suicide. I have 2 friends who did it. I respect their choice fully. Also I like the Japanese way of seeing suicide. On the contrary of the western way of seeing it, it is a question of honor. The easiest description is to quote Japan's SIGH: "No one can take my life; I can use my own knife". Better killing yourself instead of being killed by someone else, but it also can be done in a metaphoric way. You can kill yourself instead of letting time taking your life little by little.

Suicidal Black Metal? To me it is childish, nothing more, nothing less. If they are so unhappy with life then why not committing suicide NOW instead of recording shitty boring fake Black Metal! Many bands wrote very great lyrics about suicide, but these "suicidal" bands are here just to play the "I'm more extreme than you"-game. I doubt that in their everyday life these guys are depressed to the point of committing suicide.
Oh something I forgot about suicide: I hate the ones TRYING to commit suicide but failing each time. These people just want to get some attention from their friends, family etc... This is ridiculous. If you REALLY want to kill yourself, then you can't miss!!!

Now about the idea of Satan. It's funny, I was thinking about it today. I've heard an interview with NACHTMYSTIUM, I don't listen to this crap at all but I was curious to know what they have to say and they guy stated that to be satanic means that you worship Satan, and that Satan has been created by the Jews, in the Bible. This proves the huge lack of knowledge of people in the scene. The concept and word "Satan" exist for thousand years BEFORE Jesus Cunt!!! The Jews didn't invent Satan but just STOLE it to pagan tribes from Mesopotamia!!! Knowing that it existed in other parts of the world as well (but under other names). I see myself as a Satanist and I won't change this just because some idiots think that Satan has been created while the Christian Bible has been written! To me, Satan is death. Death is above all, and I worship it. I follow my own path, I am not a sheep like all religious people, and it includes religious Satanists of course. I like to quote THY ANTICHRIST from Colombia: "I am possessed by my own Satan". You have to forge your own Satan, without following blindly rules coming from someone else. It is also a way to be above the normal humans infesting this planet.

NSBM is a non-sense. Any band mixing religion and politics with Black Metal must be boycotted. I agree with you, these people worship life, as they do care for the future of humanity and want to protect their children, etc... Such things are just the opposite of what Black Metal is all about! NS guys can't be misanthropic at all as they are afraid of the future of the so-called "white race", while a Black Metaller like me believes in one race which is the "human race" and I would like to see it DEAD!!! NSBM is just a trend, it's not as strong as in the past though, depending on the country but in France I think there are less and less bands like these. I remember during the HIRILORN days, we have been threatened by teenagers. They sent a letter with a Nazi flag and the words "We are here", so what?! Moreover, when it comes to the musical side, all these bands can't play Black Metal... I'm not talking about musicianship, I don't care about that, but they are unable to create an atmosphere, emotions that would deserve to be labeled as "Black Metal".

[Tom]

wagnerantichrist said:

a question that’s been on the minds of many North American black Metallers: Why did you leave Onion Munchers?

Brilliant ;D

[Billy]

HAHAHAH! I didn't think about the auto-replace working on that too! Made me laugh out loud!

[Wayne]

I also laughed at that!

Whether I agree with all of his views or not is irrelevant really but it made for interesting reading. As a staunchly unreligious person myself I couldn't care less what DsO or Funeral Mist think about Satan, I just like them.

"S: Suicide...I respect it a lot. In the western culture it is often seen as something done by cowards, but I disagree. I think that life is a piece of shit, it's up to everyone to make it better, and by the way extremely few humans succeed in this task. When you think that living has became too senseless, and then it is very natural to me to commit suicide. I have 2 friends who did it. I respect their choice fully. Also I like the Japanese way of seeing suicide. On the contrary of the western way of seeing it, it is a question of honor. The easiest description is to quote Japan's SIGH: "No one can take my life; I can use my own knife". Better killing yourself instead of being killed by someone else, but it also can be done in a metaphoric way. You can kill yourself instead of letting time taking your life little by little."

I agree with this part entirely! Suicide is something I think about a lot, to be honest. Fear not, I'm very pleased to be me and to have my pretty comfortable life. However, should I one day not see the point anymore then this is my plan of action. I'm sure I've got a few Reanimators left in me first though.

Also agree with him on the NSBM thing. I can't be arsed to go into why, they're just arseholes.

Now I want to hear what Tath thinks!

[tath]

Shaxul ironically changed his tune as soon as DsO changed, when in an interview printed in Northern Heritage that I've found on the internet, Shaxul bangs on wildly about making black metal for Satan. He falls over his own feet with what he says so many times, I can't take the man seriously.

The way DsO also express their idea of Satan (the metaphysical ego of evil in mankind), is far different from 99% of people who claim to believe in Him as a horned beast (pagan: Pan).

Here's a section of lyrics from Hétoïmasia, from Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice:

"Contemplate and say, what is earth, else than a frenetic psalmody for His venue?
Arise O Lord. Let not man prevail... visionary words indeed
For man is the key and man is the device
And out of his ranks shall arise the saviour draped in the blood of the unborn
Scriptures say "We do not think him to be the devil or a demon as some others do
but one of mankind in whom Satan shall dwell totally...
for he is the man of sin, the son of perdition,
such that he will seat himself in the Temple as if he were God" "

I like to quote THY ANTICHRIST from Colombia: "I am possessed by my own Satan". You have to forge your own Satan

I take it he's never understood DsO's lyrics at all, then?

Shaxul is a decent vocalist, but the guy has no idea what he hell he's on about, he's hypocritical to everything he says since he changes every minute and when he one day grows up, maybe he'll look back on this with embarassment?

[tath]

As for the other things, he's right about suicidal black metal, but I've read a whole forum about that on metal archives forum, some good justifications as to why they haven't killed themselves yet. Plus, that remark usually comes from someone as narrowminded as he, he appears to be the kind of 'party metaller' that enjoys life a great deal, only has interests in music and having fun/getting drunk; with the inability to empathise people who think differently to him.

As for NSBM, politics usually fits into EVERYTHING in nowadays life, you can't comment on anything without politics being involved somewhere, particularly religion, when in the middle ages, the church ran everything anyway.

Even to be anti-politics is still political.

[tath]

Most of Shaxuls lyrics are hypothetical bollocks that would never happen, made purely for rebellious means, yet:

instead of recording shitty boring fake Black Metal!

A story about glass houses and stones, making a meal with a kettle and black pot fits nicely here.

I don't see Shaxul doing any of this:

"Orgies and massacres show no escape. Evil is the ultimate vermin. Victims are drowned in their own blood- The most insane rapes gives way to necrophiled. As torture is like a lethal sculpture. Real masters don't need slaves for they need them dead. Their quest is violent but sublime. When a soul is cursed, it is for eternity. Sometimes they also suffer. As sons of the devil, it makes them stronger. Impiety will be enthroned. As mankind shall be soiled entirely".

[tath]

Billy, where's the link that you found this interview? I want to update the metal archives page, since not many people know why he left, so this is quite an important referance source.

[Billy]

No link, private interview that isn't published yet.

[ed]

I thought that this interview was quite interesting too. It struck me as quite similar to a discussion with Noctu of Celestia/Mortifera. That said, the theme I see was also included in the Anja Offensive Deathspell Omega and Famine of Peste Noire interviews.

The concept is that of having a true, personal grasp of Satanism and laughing at or despising those who have a different take. Whilst all of these artists have a novel (or not so novel) appreciation of Satan, they all seem to share the conviction and strength related to being a Satanist. This is not a criticism as much, just something that seems apparent.

I suppose that this is the appeal of elitism. Not the philosophy of joining a movement, rather rising above those who don't understand.

This comes to mind having just read an interview with Skamfer of Heresi. Whilst retaining the 'elitists versus the sheep' concept, he had time for other bands within the Swedish scene, and indeed the French and Finnish too.

I agree with Wayne's take on suicide too. It occurred to me that Jon Nodtveidt's suicide over lapped with my philosophy quite well. He'd achieved all he wanted to achieve, and wanted to end his life his own way. I admire his strength of conviction, if not his other ideals. I'd like to think that suicide is a viable, rational option if one so chose. Although again, agreeing with Wayne, it's not like it's on the agenda any time soon.

As for literally absorbing the religious manifestation of Satanism, I'm not sold. I think my prerogative as a scientist takes over. I take a dim view of any story of creation, it's all mythology to me; Sumerian, Norse or Christian. By extention, Satanism cannot be literal. That said, there is clearly an appeal, since both religion and black metal attract me.

Any thoughts?

[Nickyboi]

Religion can make for interesting motifs in metal, be it anti-Christian, pro-Satanic or Norse - but generally, the concepts leave me cold. I'm just not that way inclined; so sometimes, I find stuff like Watain a little puerile (but sometimes, I think it's absolutely brilliant, too). I quite like some death metal that is anti-religion in general.

Generally, I like black metal to be nihilistic and anti-human ("Anti-Human, Anti-Life, True Norwegian Black Metal!!!"), but even then, they aren't concepts I necessarily agree with. The weight of the world hasn't quite crushed my spirit yet, so there's still hope for humanity as far as I'm concerned

As for suicide... it's surely the most basic of all human rights to choose whether one lives or dies. In that sense, I see it as neither cowardly nor honourable - it's merely a choice. I don't want to do it, and I'd be pretty gutted if someone I cared about did. Euthenasia is an interesting point, but maybe one that's not really worth exploring here and now.

[Billy]

nnnick said:

As for suicide... it's surely the most basic of all human rights to choose whether one lives or dies. In that sense, I see it as neither cowardly nor honourable - it's merely a choice. I don't want to do it, and I'd be pretty gutted if someone I cared about did. Euthenasia is an interesting point, but maybe one that's not really worth exploring here and now.

I totally agree with you about the status of suicide, but I'm not sure I'd be that concerned if someone I cared about decided to end their life - as you said, it's their choice, and they'd obviously have wanted to do it for whatever reason.

[Nickyboi]

Well yeah, but from my perspective if say Jess decided to top herself I'd be pretty gutted.

I was having an interesting conversation with my dad this weekend, about over-population of the planet. Basically, I made the point that farming and healthcare are massive contributing factors to the problems that the planet is facing, as they are both massive contributing factors to over-population. Anyone else agree with that?

[Wayne]

nnnick said:

Well yeah, but from my perspective if say Jess decided to top herself I'd be pretty gutted.

I was having an interesting conversation with my dad this weekend, about over-population of the planet. Basically, I made the point that farming and healthcare are massive contributing factors to the problems that the planet is facing, as they are both massive contributing factors to over-population. Anyone else agree with that?

That's quite a good point, to be fair.

However, all of these points concern me not. Fuck, who cares about the environment, humanity, trees or energy-saving? Fuck the lot, we get about 60-80 years each on this planet and I'm making the most of mine.

If that seems ignorant or self-important then I don't really care.

[ed]

I'm not sure it can be argued that being an environmentalist is rational, if you've little interest in civilisation when you're gone. I suppose in that respect it's an abitrary choice; care about some one else's future or not.

I think for some people the choice is made on the promise of their own continued lineage. If you're having children, or like the idea of a growing family with grandchildren, then perhaps you ('you' in the none specific sense) would care about the environment.

Personally, I'm not decided on kids, but I am interested in the continuation of the human race. As much as I agree with many BM concepts, I wouldn't consider myself anti-human. There's just too much in life that I like, which is a direct product of humanity. It'd be hypocritical for me to claim otherwise.