Well, actually this interview had to appear in the previous issue, however John was really slow in answering, and when I finally got the answers I decided that including this intie into the 6 / 7th issue(s) after almost half a year passed since putting 'em online seems to be utterly useless. So here you are...

Hellish greetings, John! Let's begin with the latest news concerning  INCANTATION...

- WELL WE JUST FINISHED RECORDING OUR NEW ALBUM "INFERNAL STORM" WHICH SHOULD BE OUT AROUND MARCH 2000...

You're the only left of the original lineup, moreover - INCANTATION's  lineup endured numerous changes throughout years... What would you name as the principal reason for that? Does it happen because you act yourself in a kinda 'irreconcilable' way as the band's leader or what?

- NO I WOULDN'T SAY THAT AT ALL. THERE ARE VARIOUS REASONS PEOPLE LEAVE THE BAND, BE IT OTHER OBLIGATIONS, PERSONAL REASONS,  FINANCIAL REASONS, ETC. EACH MEMBER HAS THERE OWN REASONS FOR NOT BEING IN THE BAND  ANYMORE. I DONT ACT AS THE LEADER OF THE BNAD, WE ALL SHARE  RESPONSIBILITIES AND WE ALL REAP THE REWARDS.

Let's get back into the very beginning and talk about the first demo you  ever spawned...

- THE DEMO WAS RECORDED WITH THE SECOND INCANTATION LINEUP, AND WAS RECORDED IN JUNE OF 1990. IT HAD 4 SONGS AND REALLY HELPED GET THE NAME OUT IN THE UNDERGROUND.YOU CAN FIND A COPY OF THE DEMO AS BONUS TRACKS ON OUR LIVE IN THE STUDIO CD "TRIBUTE TO THE GOAT" (out through Elegy Records - ED)

Also, what about "Entrantment Of Evil" and "Deliverance Of Horrific  Prophecies" EPs? Unfortunately I didn't have a chance to listen to these ones, so perhaps you'd get us acquainted with aforementioned works?

- "THE ENTRANTMENT OF EVIL" 7'EP HAD 3 SONGS FROM THE DEMO PLUS ONE DIFFERENT SONG. IT WAS DEFINETLY A BIG HELP IN SPREADING THE INCANTATION NAME, SELLING 1000S OF COPIES WORLDWIDE. THEY HAVE BEEN OUT OF PRINT FOR A LONG TIME, AND VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND NOW. "THE DELIVERENCE..." 7'EP WAS RECORDED WITH THE GOLGOTHA LINEUP AND EVEN PUSHED THINGS TO A  BETTER LEVEL THAN WE WERE BEFORE. IT IS A RELEASE THAN I AM PROUD OF, ANY HAS BEEN OUT OF PRINT FOR MANY YEARS ALSO.

Getting back to present... Probably, this question sounds rather hackneyed, however I'm going to ask it anyway. Are you pleased with the way "Diabolical Conquest" turned out?

- YEAH I AM DEFINITELY HAPPY WITH THE WAY IT CAME OUT. THERE ARE AREAS WHERE I WOULD IMPROVE IF I COULD, BUT I AM REALLY HAPPY WITH IT.

This CD seems to have an emphasis on bass, don't you think so? What was the reason for such a move? Also, I don't have any info concerning the recording place as well as it's staff, so...

- I DON'T REALLY THINK IT'S EMPHASIZED ON BASS, JUST IT'S OUR SOUND. THE RECORDING SOUNDS EXTREMELY HEAVY. THE CD WAS RECORDED AT MARS STUDIO IN OHIO, BY BILL KORECKY. WE ARE VERY PLEASED WORKING AT THIS STUDIO, WHICH IS WHY WE DID "INFERNAL STORM" THERE ALSO..

Both, "Onward To Golgotha" and "Mortal Throne Of Nazarene" (as well as  aforementioned EPs) were unleashed through Relapse / Nuclear Blast, however "The Forsaken Mourning Of Angelic Anguish" surprisingly was released by... Spain's Repulse Records, while it's full-length followup marked the return under the banners of Relapse. Well, here we have a couple of q's arising inevitably: firstly, why did you leave Relapse and signed a new deal with 'em later; secondly, what are your impressions of the work with Dave Rotten and co. as well as his label in the whole, and finally, what caused a delay of three years between "Mortal Throne..." and "The Forsaken Mourning..."?

- THE REASON THAT WE LEFT RELAPSE WAS ALOT OF BUSINESS PROBLEMS DUE TO NUMEROUS LINEUP CHANGES. THIS ALSO HAD TO DO WITH A LONG TIME BETWEEN  RELEASES. AFTER THE RELEASE OF "FORSAKEN MOURNING..." ON REPULSE, RELAPSE REALIZED THAT THEIR LACK OF TRUST IN US WAS WRONG, AND THAT WE WERE STILL A KICK ASS BAND AND THEY GAVE US A GOOD DEAL TO GO BACK TO WORK WITH THEM. AS FAR AS REPULSE GOES, WE WERE EXTREMELY HAPPY TO WORK WITH THEM, THEY SUPPORTED US WELL, LETTING US HEADLINE THE REPULSIVE TOUR IN EUROPE, WHICH WAS AN EXCELLENT EXPERIENCE. AND IT WAS GREAT TO WORK WITH REPULSE
BECAUSE ALL THE STAFF WERE BIG FANS OF INCANTATION AND SUPPORT
THE DEATH METAL SCENE IN GENERAL.

"The Forsaken Mourning Of Angelic Anguish" stands against the background of all the other stuff you ever created due to the way it sounds... those  keyboards as well as some 'retro' (thrash) elements differ it a lot from f.ex. "Diabolical Conquest". While the latter one strikes as typical INCANTATION's product, the MCD mentioned above seems to be done by completely different band... Any comments?

- NONE OF THE SONGS HAD KEYBOARDS EXCEPT THE OUTRO, AND I DONT SEE WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM WITH THE RETRO THRASH SOUND. AND I DEFINITELY DONT THINK IT STICKS OUT FROM ANY OTHER RELEASE. SINCE IT WAS A MCD WE WANTED TO BE MORE BRUTAL AND TO THE POINT AND NOT QUITE AS EPIC SOUNDING AS OUR OTHERS.

Would you reveal us the way you create the lyrical canvas for INCANTATION? Such titles as "Shadows Of The Ancient Empire" or "Twisted Sacrilegious Journey Into Our Darkest Neurotic Delirium" suppose rather interesting, exciting and poetic verses... the ones which would fit certain sympho-black metal act better... You know, there're plenty of decent DM bands around, although their lyrics most often leave much tobe desired...

- AS FAR AS THE LYRICS THAT I WRITE, ITS JUST NATURAL THAT I WRITE THEM IN A POETIC AND SURREAL WAY. ALL THE LYRICS I WRITE HAVE PERSONAL MEANINGS AND NOT NESSECARILY BLACK AND WHITE LIKE MOST OF THE DEATH METAL  STYLE...

Among other tunes "The Forsaken Mourning..." features "Scream Bloody  Gore", a cover from DEATH. Who came up with such a magnificent idea? Also, did you want to pay a sort of tribute to Chuck and co. this way?

- WE CHOSE TO DO A DEATH COVER BECAUSE ALOT OF PEOPLE SEEM TO FORGET WHAT AN IMPACT DEATH HAD BACK IN THE LATE 80S. PEOPLE SEEM TO REMEMBER BANDS  LIKE CELTIC FROST, POSSESSED AND SLYER, BUT SEEM TO FORGET BANDS LIKE DEATH, NECROPHAGIA, AND NECROVORE, SO WE DID IT, 1) BECAUSE WE LIKE THE SONG, AND 2) BECAUSE WE DONT FORGET WHERE THE STYLE OF MUSIC CAME FROM.

I always defined your style as 'unholy death metal', since I believe that no Christian band would give such titles as "Impending Diabolical Conquest" or "Desecration Of The Heavenly Graceful" to their songs, ha ha! And if seriously, I just wanted to make you to share with us your views on religion in general as well as christianity and satanism, these Siamese twins, in particular.

- MY VIEWS ON RELIGION ARE THAT BEFORE BELIEVING IN ANY KIND OF GOD OR SUPREME BEING, YOU SHOULD BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND OF YOUR ANIMAL  INSTINCTS. ITS A VERY SIMPLE AND BASIC CONCEPT THAT ALL AINMALS HAVE AN INSTINCT OF SURVIVAL.I DONT FEEL THAT YOU SHOULD NEED THE CRUTCH OF CHRISTIANITY OR ANY SORT OF GOD TO DO THINGS GOOD OR RIGHT OR WHATEVER. HAIL THE GOAT!!

As far as I remember, one of the interviews you answered featured furious  attacks on Garris Shipon because of his slapdash work when it comes to sound engineering on "Mortal Throne Of Nazarene"... Then let me ask you: why did you choose exactly his person to be your producer? Moreover, even if his work didn't satisfy you, couldn't you find another man and re-record / re-mix the album?

- THE FINAL STUDIO DECISION WAS NOT UP TO US, BUT UP TO THE RECORD COMPANY. NUMEROUS TIMES THROUGHOUT THE RECORDING WE SUGGESTED TO RELAPSE THAT WE WERENT HAPPY WITH THE WORK OF GARRIS, BUT FOR SOME REASON AT THAT TIME THEY WERENT INTERESTED IN HEARING THAT. AND WE ALSO MENTIONED WE WANTED TO CUT THE RECORDING SHORT THERE, AND MOVE TO A DIFFFERENT STUDIO, BUT ONCE AGAIN RELAPSE REFUSED TO WORK WITH US IN THIS SITUATION. AND THEN WE ENDED UP WITH SOMETHING WE WERENT HAPPY WITH, AND RELAPSE WASNT HAPPY WITH, AND OVERALL JUST ALOT OF PROBLEMS.

Well, if we broached “Mortal Throne Of Nazarene” CD, I’d like to ask you about it’s lyrical concept. I mean, I haven’t read the lyrics though someone told me that they appear as a saga of the Second Coming… Is that correct?

- IF YOU WANT THE MOST ACCURATE EXPLANATION OF THE LYRICS OF MORTAL THRONE, YOU SHOULD CONTACT CRAIG PILLARD, HE WROTE ALL THE LYRICS TO THAT ALBUM.

While lots of short-sighted critics foretold the death metal’s decline back in 1993 / 1995, we can behold, perhaps, absolutely contrary picture. This genre seemed to vanish into oblivion few years ago, however now it endures some kind of a revival. I bet, many people were truly surprised by such a sudden change… I’m wondering, whose semen (speaking metaphorically, of course) brought it back to life?

- ANYONE WHO FELT  THAT DEATH METAL WAS OVER IN 93 WERE JUST A BUNCH OF TREND JUMPERS. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT DEATH METAL NEVER DIED, IT WAS JUST MORE UNDERGROUND. AND ALL THE TRUE FOLLOWERS OF THE MUSIC STAYED TRUE TO IT. THE SO CALLED DEATH METAL REVIVAL IS BASICALLY JUST TRENDY PEOPLE THAT ARE SICK OF BEING INTO THE MORE COMMERCIAL BLACK METAL SCENE OF TODAY. THE DEATH METAL SCENE  NEVER DIED AND NEVER WILL DIE., IT ALWAYS OUTLASTS THE TRENDS.

I have few favorites when it comes to so-called ‘unholy death metal’ and such bands as VITAL REMAINS, DEICIDE are among them… as well as two acts with almost similar-sounding names, INCANTATION and IMMOLATION. I don’t know, maybe it’s a stupid question, but I just wanted to ask you about the latter band. You thanked ‘em on the “Onward To Golgotha” CD booklet, so it strikes as there’s quite good relationship between you?

- WELL WE THANKED MANY BANDS ON THE FIRST ALBUM, AND ARE FRIENDS WITH ALL OF THEM. AS FAR AS IMMOLATION GOES, IVE KNOWN THEM SINCE I USED TO PLAY IN MY OLD BAND REVENANT. BACK IN LIKE 88. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN GOOD FRIENDS AND SUPPORT EACH OTHERS BANDS, ROSS AND BOB EVEN REHEARSED IN INCANTATION BACK IN 1990 FOR A FEW WEEKS AS A FAVOR WHEN INCANTATION WAS BETWEEN MEMBERS, AND OBVIOUSLY BY NOW YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD THAT I TOURED WITH IMMOLATION ON THEIR LAST TOUR FOR THEIR NEW ALBUM “FAILURES FOR GODS”, BECAUSE THEIR GUITAR PLAYER WAS UNABLE TO TOUR AT THE TIME. SO I GUESS YOU COULD SAY WE ARE PRETTY GOOD FRIENDS. BUT DEFINITELY OUR MUSIC STYLES ARE EXTREMELY DIFFERENT. ITS JUST THAT WE BOTH COME FROM THE SAME ERA OF INFLUENTIAL BANDS.

Well, seems like that’s all for now. As always, your future plans and few words for our readers…

- WAITING TO RELEASE OUR NEW ALBUM “INFERNAL STORM” AND GETTING READY TO TOUR WHEN THE ALBUM COMES OUT, AND CONTINUE TO WRITE AND RELEASE BRUTAL FUCKING DEATH METAL. THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT AND THE INTERVIEW. HAIL THE GOAT.
 

"Infernal Storm" was released on April 18th through Relapse Records. It's a pity it was unleashed before I put this interview online.

INCANTATION contact -
Email: S666incant@aol.com