Greetings Mythral! Let's start from the birth of ASGAROTH...

- Well, the band formerly started as a one-man band in 1994 by Lord Lupus after playing with other BM bands but without luck. He decided to recruit a guitarist / keyboardist so I succeeded to his proposition of joining the band. I had just left my band NOSTROMO after two unefficient years of playing dark metal. I had several problems with the other members then. We used to have a session drummer by then who abandoned us two weeks before recording the miniCD. That's the reason for the drum programming. We payed by ourselves the studio sessions and recorded "The Quest for Eldenhor".
After that New Gotia offered a deal for a miniCD and a CD. A drummer  was recruited, Katu-Marus, who had been playing in two of the oldest BM bands here (BEHEADED LAMB / GORTHAUR). Then in Autumn 1996 we recorded our CD "Trapped In The Depths Of Eve" which due to unprofessional deed of New Gotia Recs has been delayed almost 3/4 of a year. We have now recruited a new guitarist and possibly a keyboardist to help us live, as I cannot cope with eveything by myself live!

Do you consider ASGAROTH as something completely new in European BM scene?

- Obviously what people know about us is thanks to the miniCD, so they can't have an idea of what the band is. The miniCD was recorded in bad conditions and with difficulties.You'll be able to hear more of us soon as the new CD should be out by now. Our next 3rd CD will impress more than a close-minded ignorant. The listeners have to give their opinion. I write music to satisfy my  soul and to express my feelings; that's what I really care of. The rest is less important.

It seems that lyrics of "Quest For Eldenhor" represent one whole story... Am I right?

- Yes, It's a concept album that explains the deeds of a character that envolved in a mythological environ expresses as a metaphor the ideas and feelings of Lord Lupus, who wrote the lyrics for the miniCD. It's for people to find out. I strongly believe that one of history's errors was to deny individual interpetations of life. Take Galileo G. for instance, ah! except for Pontious Pilate, he he.

Who writes the lyrics and who composes music in the band? What is your personal participation in ASGAROTH?

- I'm in charge of the songwriting and of the arrangements, as well as the basic production. I play the synthesizers and guitars and also I've collaborated lyricwise in the "Trapped In The Depths Of Eve" CD in its first track "Victorious Men Of Earth". Lyrics are dividedly written by the other members as well. The songwriting is a thing where I specially want to be in charge of. Lyricwise our new guitarist has tons of interesting stuff; he studies philosophy in the University and is finishing soon, so he will influence in future lyric writing.

Spain was never famous for its black metal bands, do you think that you will change this situation?Are there any other dark hordes to be mentioned as Spanish BM premier acts? What about your label mates: ATMAN and XHARATHORN? Do you have anything in common with these bands?

- Well, this is a difficult question to answer. Spain has been known for its death metal acts so far but we don't care about them; we live in a kind of Olympus here in Catalonia in what BM respects. I must also quote that I'm english by 3/4 of my family, so... Anyway, we are one of the group of pioneers for our connection to the first "horde" of BM here.We live in Catalonia, which is different from what people think of Spain. Our region that is placed under the Pyrenees, was a powerful nation in the middle ages. Anyway politics are trying to mantain some spanish cultural items but I despise them.  Returning to your question... Old "hordes" were here but many have failed to their principals. The new ones are too envious towards us, and only show their weakness by talking wrong things about us. I don't care about them specially the ARGAR wimps, who enthrone themselves as the new leaders. I went and asked for explanations and they were left in evidence and prooved to be just gossipers.  XHARATHRON are from Madrid but Goab the singer is a great friend. They really live up to what they seem. A great salute to them. We have nothing in common music-wise; they play raw BM and we prefer more complex majestic and epic hymns into BM. They also started with BM way back in 1992.

The absolute majority of bm bands take their names from different Occult or mythological literature, did you follow the same way? What is ASGAROTH; and where did you take this (rather strange) name?

- This was an old concept that Lord Lupus created a long time ago, which represents much to him, and it might at first look have a link with Lord of the Ringsesque features. Many bands have copied names of demons and names related to the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, so Lord Lupus created a concept for himself that symbolised his beliefs and emotions, as simple as that. Everything has its meaning, but that's for us to know and to listeners to work out. Mythological literature can often be misunderstood and can really mean the opposite of what people might want to express if there's no serious study effort behind. Besides that myths are mostly of local application,  so...

Tell me about your band's concept...

- There is no particular concept to be applied. It's free for individual interpretations. We want to express, though, our feelings towards what we fight. Wisdom is the object of life, the aim for a better existance.The power of wisdom can devote itself into defeating mass blindness, to make them open their eyes.There is no political / religious concept behind this whatsoever.

Your opinion about christianity? I think its not the right way to oppose this religion becoming a satanist... Following any kind of religion you turn yourself into voluntary slave, don't you think so?

- Christianity is just an ordinary moral code where man has based his
beliefs. You're right by saying that satanism isn't the way. I believe people and several BM bands have tried to hide their ignorance in the matter and have been seduced by the "glamour" of its items. I also think that some of these mentioned really put up to it seriously and deserve my respect. Yet the contradictions are quite usual.  The historical deeds must have been correct in a rational interpretation, but once man's ignorance in those times caused much of the so-called "miracles". Just imagine for once that any ordinary ilusionist-magician of nowadays stepped back in time... people would be amazed. Besides that loads of bible scenes are invented and don't represent what really happened. Many symbolised events such as the 25th of december being the Romans sun's feast and the uncoordination of some dates or for instance the scientific explanation of the origin of man (which has been for centuries believed as the bible says) are a fact that one cannot disregard.  Remember that hand copying bibles lasted until the second millenium...

You and Lord Lupus are the only ASGAROTH members, is it correct? Isn't that hard to create and record music, being in the band, consisting of only two persons?

- Not at all, it's somehow easier to record, but it limitates you if you want to play live, or if you want opinions about the songs. It's also much more mind-bending in order to create new songs, you're right.  Anyway we are now 5 as we have a keyboardist, guitarist and drummer for live performances.

E.Cabral did all engineering / mixing work on "The Quest..." and also programmed the drumset; who is this guy? Will he become ASGAROTH member in the future? Did you ever think of adding some additional musicians into your band?

- Edward Cabral is the studio owner and he is a proffesional drummer. He is into KING CRIMSON and similars and he isn't a member. In fact we did the mixing and also the drumming. It was the deficient lay out of our company that changed so many things. We did the drum tracks in a very little time as we were paying for the studio. As I've said before we are not 2 members any more.

Are you pleased with "The Quest..." outcome? Are there any things which you could do better now?

- We are not very pleased with it because it didn't represent the real potential, but as i've said when we recorded this it was without any type of deal. Anyway, the budget limited it a lot. Our 2nd CD that after 3/4 of a year delay almost will be released in December.The new CD is better in every aspect. It's very varied musicwise and there are more synths, and arrangements as we had more time in the studio.Our 3rd CD will be recorded next year and it will be much better and complex. We haven't a deal now but there are several propositions we have study.

When are you going to release a full-length album? How long will your band exist, how do you think?

- We are now preparing our 3rd CD as I've just said, even though our
second won't be released until December due to the excessive delay. Even an advertisement appeared in Metal 'pathetic' Hammer announcing our CD for June 1997. Our ex-company is really mad: spends money putting ads in hard rock magazines and has no money to actually release the CD! It's so sad...

As far as I know you have very strong christian movement in Spain, does it cause any problems? What about organisations opposite to the church? Do they exist in your country?

- Not really. Things are not what they seem. There used to be a
dictatorship in Spain so the christian beliefs mostly catholic were common but never judge a book by it's cover. Not here in Catalonia though... The south of Spain is the bullfighting and pathetic traditions and it's the poorer regions of the country. Nevertheless these are like any average regions of Greece or Portugal. In Catalonia there are many Satanic organizations and we live in a rather liberal country, not like USA or conservative Britain, etc. We are lucky to live in such culturally rich countries in Europe, like we live. I just laugh when Vikings feel superior: they were one of the most underdeveloped cultures in Europe in the old ages if we compare with the important countries in Europe, like the Romans, Greeks, British, French, Spanish empires, etc...

What do you think of the fact that Spanish inquisition was the most
furious European massacre that time?

- Well, it was the downfall of a great era in Spain's history you see. Since Felipe the 2nd and the Catholic monarchy the fall of the empire was a constant issue. Unfit monarchies were overthrown by those days' generalized religious ignorance, so catholic church needed to make its own justice. It also happened but in a different way in other countries as well. I dare compare it with nazi prosecution more or less. Lots of valuable monuments and ideas have been destroyed because of fanatism and religion. Anyway that's in the XV-XVI centuries...

What is beauty in your opinion? How do you understand "darkness" and "light"? Do they mean anything to you in metaphorical way?

- Beauty is the closest to perfection. Beauty is a very undefined
conception that is left to subjectivity.  We use the concepts mentioned some way as they are easy understandable metaphors. But darkness can be misunderstood in my opinion. Darkness is a source of intra-mental power that can lead to one's soulsearch.It obscures the banal and trivial aspects of life and helps the feelings of hate and mysticism which remain in one's spirit flourish.

ASGAROTH's music is based mostly on keyboards, can you explain me why?

- Synthesizers are the most complete musical instrument after human's
voice...

What do you know about my country? Have you ever heard any of Russian BM bands?

- I know your political environ, I admire some Russian ideals but refuse many others as well. I've heard mostly of Lithuanian bands but what respects to Russian BM I've only heard of THY REPENTANCE. I believe it's pretty difficult to have any iniciative there, I admire all your effort.

What do you think about nature? Does it influence your musical creations in any ways?

- Nature means a lot to us, everything comes from nature and by all means it influences me in my creations. The bad use of nature is the cause of many problems now. Even though I think the excess of population is the cause of this. I hope muslims and chinese were reduced so we could live better.  Ignorance of the underdeveloped is a problem... Why must these bloody muslims have to muck our countries up with their immigrations? Ignorants, they are so wrong in their lives... I almost see Islam as a greater problem than christianity now; it's all so disgusting, just look at France, it makes you want to do something serious about it.

"Evil" corpse paint, black clothes, mysterious pseudonyms... is it a
necessary attribute for BM bands?  What is more important - music or
image? If some guys play brilliant music but act themselves as brainless idiots, would you care about their behaviour?

- Well those attributes help to a creation of an image/concept that links with blackmetal "philosophy" and it's up to the bands. As long as they feel it it's ok, but I think many of the new bands haven't experienced what that means yet. If those act as brainless idiots it's a lack of respect to the people that believe in BM, so must have to pay their insolence and ignorance. BM isn't strictly music, there's a feeling linked that influence's one's creations.

When you will have a child, are you going to educate him in an
antichristian manner or will you let him have a choice in his education?

- Of course there's no need to educate anyone in an antichristian way; that can lead to controverse. Anyone nowadays can find out they can't believe in something so inverosimile.

Final words of wisdom...?

- Thanks for the interview, anyone interested in contacting us write to Mythral (Asgaroth) P.O.Box 9351 08080 Barcelona. In nostro omnium fletu...

ASGAROTH
Email (Mythral):
mythral_chr@hotmail.com