DEMONOMANCY name comes from the same demo name of the cult Finnish Beherit legend, but this name was also used by the Italian Black / Death perverse band playing a similar style to Beherit in the beginnings. DEMONOMANCY were formed in 2008 and till now they have two full-lengths, the first one is "Throne of Demonic Proselytism" from 2013 and the second new is "Poisoned Atonement". Of course, apart from these works, they also have demos, but also an EP or split. The latest album has been released by Invictus Productions and the feedback is very decent. After the listening I personally did not hesitate and contacted the band. We are glad we can present DEMONOMANCY name in our webzine, their style is not so extreme and intense, but they add a little different elements, more melodic sections and, in particular, they are rhythmically different. Herald (drums, backing vox) answered the questions.
What does the DEMONOMANCY band name, your logo mean to you? Did you choose that name because it fits to your music or it has a deeper meaning? How did you get the name?
Hails, this is Herald (drums/vocals) answering your questions. Demonomancy's name was taken from Beherit's legendary demo, one of the biggest sources of inspiration for us, but it hides a deeper meaning too. Just like the act of demonomancy is a connection between the material world and the unseen, we convert our most inner, invisible thoughts and instinct into music which is tangibile and real.
The new "Poisoned Atonement" album is a mixture of catchiness but also barbarism. Tracks are strong enough, memorable, but it's all wrapped up in unleashed brutality leading to chaos. Do you perceive it alike?
We can say these two aspects have always been a part of Demonomancy. Musical brutality alone is almost never enough to make an impression to the listener, so we always try to create memorable songs, each in their own way. "Poisoned Atonement" is definitely the most diverse album we have created, and in our opinion one of the most diverse albums out there today.
The thing everybody notices with the new album is a good bass and massive sound, which is not very common with War Metal. On the other hand it can be said this is your own understanding of sound and specificity of DEMONOMANCY. Do you believe you've brought new elements into the sound and music of War Metal?
Black/death metal can be played in a variety of ways, and the way we have chosen included the idea of exploring a more prominent bass. To achieve that we recorded, mixed and mastered this album on our own (at The Devil's Mark, W.W.'s studio) to have more flexibility in that sense. Vocals have also been a major focal point for us, we put effort into them like never before, both in the recording process and live. We don't exactly know how "new" these things are, but they do add a personal touch.
You come from Italy, from a state where the Church has absolute predominance and Catholicism has there its own residence. How does it affect you? Does it contribute to even higher fury to create extreme music with a dark link?
We are unaffected by it. Our music doesn't focus that much on anti-christianity by itself, but rather we like to use christian imagery and references as they are usually associated with "righteousness" and "goodness", which allows for powerful messages when we twist their meaning.
Do you think without religions, Christianity and God would not be Black Metal? Do you think these themes are the basis for so much hate, defiance and resistance to create the art of left hand path?
We don't think it's about defiance or resistance, not for us at least. The church has no influence in our lives as individuals, plus they have been merely a bystander after the division of power between pope and king, gradually losing their grip on people, so there is not much to defy against. That being said, religion is not the cause of defiance in people, so although black metal has a history of anti-christianity, all the barbaric thoughts and instincts in humans willl always manifest themselves one way or the other. A lack of religion would just mean that those tendencies would emerge in different ways. It wouldn't be called "black metal", but the underlying primal forces that give birth to it would be the same.
Could you describe how are DEMONOMANCY riffs created? Is it just a classic way to get a theme, to play it, to record it and keep going? When and on what occasion are you the most creative? I mean if the best music is written at night or in some special environment, or if it is affected by an altered state of consciousness, or some personal rituals to make deeper content?
No such things, we compose whenever a new idea comes up. We are influenced by what goes in in our lives too, so sometimes it's all about waiting. Riffs are mainly composed by W.W. (guitars/vocals), but arrangements are oftentimes done together. This might change or stay essentially the same in the future, hard to tell right now.
Your music feels like obsession with a demonic being, or several such entities at once. There are known cases or theories about a personal demon or demons, which may be the personification of some evil (negative) characteristics in a particular person (in a psychological level) whom he can not get rid of. Also obsession by a real demonic entity. Which of these versions fascinates you more and how do you perceive these entities personally?
Don't know about the specific theories, but I am fascinated enough by the realm of psychology to make some connections here. Many people live events (traumatic or long-lasting in time) that may very well be defined as demons. They only lack a physical form, but their influence on the individual is extremely tangible. Schizophrencs or people who suffer from sleep paralysis are also known to have hallucunations of demonic, malevolent entities. What is undeniable is that the negativeness that lies within comes out in so many ways that they are impossible to categorize.
Ones of the most famous daemons are the seven entities well known also by old Sumers - Asakku, Namtar, Utukku, Alu, Ekimmu, Galu and Ilu Limmu. They are said to have been planetary daemons, each of which then personalized one of the planets, including the Moon and the Sun. Do you think these demons could be also the Anunnaki geniuses? Does the Heptagram Prayer - Consecrated In Darkness track deal about these demons?
The song makes no reference to the demons you mentioned. About the connection you make between the demons and the geniuses, I personally don't know much about the Anunnakis, but I have heard of several cases of recurring elements in different ancient cultures, all leading back to a unified proto-civilization, so it wouldn't surprise me if that was the case here.
Can you say your music is a kind of outlet and music embodiment of your demonic qualities, and using it, whether as a creation or live playing, you get anger out of yourself? Have you ever experienced anything interesting while playing your songs you did not expect and surprised you?
We have never experienced anything unexpected but it's definitely a kind of music that deals with negative thoughts and feelings. These things don't necessarily translate into strange visions or mental alterations, but we definitely perform in a state we don't reach in any other situation.
According to Vatican the exorcists are nowadays more necessary than ever, they even organized special courses on this subject and trained new young exorcists. They argue this with the justification the people nowadays are too much interested in occultism and magic, and they play with things they do not even know. What do you think of these Vatican practices and exorcism at all?
We don't believe in any kind of spiritual entity, so we don't really care about exorcisms, although they can provide some interesting insight on the influence of some mental disorders that were consistently mistaken for demonic possessions. That said, what the Vatican does with its resources is their business.
Do you take DEMONOMANCY as a part of the War Metal scene, or you have an individualistic approach? Do you think War Metal had its best time in the 90s, or this scene is still the same and always going to be?
We are taking a more individualistic approach. We are not too interested in being categorized in this or that subgenre because it's just a way to put barriers to the realm of creativity. About the influence of black/death today, Blasphemy performing so much in major festivals is a sign that the genre is alive and kicking, although by its nature it has never been a kind of music that seeks huge recognition or visibility.
Thank you for your questions. As a final remark I want to say that we are extremely grateful to all the maniacs who came to our shows in Poznan, Lodz and Krakow, three of the most fulfilling shows in our recent European tour. We will meet again, Poland. Rise!
https://demonomancy.bandcamp.com/
Herald 9. 4. 2018 Mortuary
What does the DEMONOMANCY band name, your logo mean to you? Did you choose that name because it fits to your music or it has a deeper meaning? How did you get the name?
Hails, this is Herald (drums/vocals) answering your questions. Demonomancy's name was taken from Beherit's legendary demo, one of the biggest sources of inspiration for us, but it hides a deeper meaning too. Just like the act of demonomancy is a connection between the material world and the unseen, we convert our most inner, invisible thoughts and instinct into music which is tangibile and real.
The new "Poisoned Atonement" album is a mixture of catchiness but also barbarism. Tracks are strong enough, memorable, but it's all wrapped up in unleashed brutality leading to chaos. Do you perceive it alike?
We can say these two aspects have always been a part of Demonomancy. Musical brutality alone is almost never enough to make an impression to the listener, so we always try to create memorable songs, each in their own way. "Poisoned Atonement" is definitely the most diverse album we have created, and in our opinion one of the most diverse albums out there today.
The thing everybody notices with the new album is a good bass and massive sound, which is not very common with War Metal. On the other hand it can be said this is your own understanding of sound and specificity of DEMONOMANCY. Do you believe you've brought new elements into the sound and music of War Metal?
Black/death metal can be played in a variety of ways, and the way we have chosen included the idea of exploring a more prominent bass. To achieve that we recorded, mixed and mastered this album on our own (at The Devil's Mark, W.W.'s studio) to have more flexibility in that sense. Vocals have also been a major focal point for us, we put effort into them like never before, both in the recording process and live. We don't exactly know how "new" these things are, but they do add a personal touch.
You come from Italy, from a state where the Church has absolute predominance and Catholicism has there its own residence. How does it affect you? Does it contribute to even higher fury to create extreme music with a dark link?
We are unaffected by it. Our music doesn't focus that much on anti-christianity by itself, but rather we like to use christian imagery and references as they are usually associated with "righteousness" and "goodness", which allows for powerful messages when we twist their meaning.
Do you think without religions, Christianity and God would not be Black Metal? Do you think these themes are the basis for so much hate, defiance and resistance to create the art of left hand path?
We don't think it's about defiance or resistance, not for us at least. The church has no influence in our lives as individuals, plus they have been merely a bystander after the division of power between pope and king, gradually losing their grip on people, so there is not much to defy against. That being said, religion is not the cause of defiance in people, so although black metal has a history of anti-christianity, all the barbaric thoughts and instincts in humans willl always manifest themselves one way or the other. A lack of religion would just mean that those tendencies would emerge in different ways. It wouldn't be called "black metal", but the underlying primal forces that give birth to it would be the same.
Could you describe how are DEMONOMANCY riffs created? Is it just a classic way to get a theme, to play it, to record it and keep going? When and on what occasion are you the most creative? I mean if the best music is written at night or in some special environment, or if it is affected by an altered state of consciousness, or some personal rituals to make deeper content?
No such things, we compose whenever a new idea comes up. We are influenced by what goes in in our lives too, so sometimes it's all about waiting. Riffs are mainly composed by W.W. (guitars/vocals), but arrangements are oftentimes done together. This might change or stay essentially the same in the future, hard to tell right now.
Your music feels like obsession with a demonic being, or several such entities at once. There are known cases or theories about a personal demon or demons, which may be the personification of some evil (negative) characteristics in a particular person (in a psychological level) whom he can not get rid of. Also obsession by a real demonic entity. Which of these versions fascinates you more and how do you perceive these entities personally?
Don't know about the specific theories, but I am fascinated enough by the realm of psychology to make some connections here. Many people live events (traumatic or long-lasting in time) that may very well be defined as demons. They only lack a physical form, but their influence on the individual is extremely tangible. Schizophrencs or people who suffer from sleep paralysis are also known to have hallucunations of demonic, malevolent entities. What is undeniable is that the negativeness that lies within comes out in so many ways that they are impossible to categorize.
Ones of the most famous daemons are the seven entities well known also by old Sumers - Asakku, Namtar, Utukku, Alu, Ekimmu, Galu and Ilu Limmu. They are said to have been planetary daemons, each of which then personalized one of the planets, including the Moon and the Sun. Do you think these demons could be also the Anunnaki geniuses? Does the Heptagram Prayer - Consecrated In Darkness track deal about these demons?
The song makes no reference to the demons you mentioned. About the connection you make between the demons and the geniuses, I personally don't know much about the Anunnakis, but I have heard of several cases of recurring elements in different ancient cultures, all leading back to a unified proto-civilization, so it wouldn't surprise me if that was the case here.
Can you say your music is a kind of outlet and music embodiment of your demonic qualities, and using it, whether as a creation or live playing, you get anger out of yourself? Have you ever experienced anything interesting while playing your songs you did not expect and surprised you?
We have never experienced anything unexpected but it's definitely a kind of music that deals with negative thoughts and feelings. These things don't necessarily translate into strange visions or mental alterations, but we definitely perform in a state we don't reach in any other situation.
According to Vatican the exorcists are nowadays more necessary than ever, they even organized special courses on this subject and trained new young exorcists. They argue this with the justification the people nowadays are too much interested in occultism and magic, and they play with things they do not even know. What do you think of these Vatican practices and exorcism at all?
We don't believe in any kind of spiritual entity, so we don't really care about exorcisms, although they can provide some interesting insight on the influence of some mental disorders that were consistently mistaken for demonic possessions. That said, what the Vatican does with its resources is their business.
Do you take DEMONOMANCY as a part of the War Metal scene, or you have an individualistic approach? Do you think War Metal had its best time in the 90s, or this scene is still the same and always going to be?
We are taking a more individualistic approach. We are not too interested in being categorized in this or that subgenre because it's just a way to put barriers to the realm of creativity. About the influence of black/death today, Blasphemy performing so much in major festivals is a sign that the genre is alive and kicking, although by its nature it has never been a kind of music that seeks huge recognition or visibility.
Thank you for your questions. As a final remark I want to say that we are extremely grateful to all the maniacs who came to our shows in Poznan, Lodz and Krakow, three of the most fulfilling shows in our recent European tour. We will meet again, Poland. Rise!
https://demonomancy.bandcamp.com/
Herald 9. 4. 2018 Mortuary
Archaic Remnants of the Numinous
interview
