Interview with Sepulchral Voices
Hail Gianpietro and Seb, hellcome to Archangel’s Lantern! First of all tell the readers, how and when you enjoyed the metal underground and about the beginnings of Sepulchral Voices. Did you play before it in another band(s)?
- First of all, thanks for your support and your dedication.
So about metal underground... Everything started when we met each others at school in 2008, we were introduced by a mutual friend called Tom. We spend most of the breaks together (we weren’t in the same section) talking about metal, listening to music in our MP3 player, you know like „hey listen to that stuff that i discovered”. That’s how our interest in metal underground grew up...
The years after, we saw each others less often but we kept the contact by facebook, still talking about music and stuff. In the meantime, Seb bought a guitar and Gianpietro stopped playing drums (he wasn’t a good drummer, anyway) and bought a bass.
So, in July 2012, Gianpietro invited Seb at his home and that’s how everything started... Two friends with no skills, no talents and cheap instruments who wanted to make noise, to play hellish blackened thrash. We chose the name „Sepulchral Voices” because we were mainly influenced by the first EP of Sodom (In the sign of evil) and we wanted to do the same (if you listen to the first songs we made you can clearly hear the similarities)... that’s why Gianpietro also do the bass and vocals hehe
Few months after, we were looking for a drummer but it was quite difficult because no one was interested to play blackened thrash (we are from an area were this style is not very popular) or start a project with beginner musicians... sometimes both haha :) but after a conversation with my friend Nicolas Dehasse from Goat Perversor , he told us that their drummer was looking after a new band so we got in touch wit J. and after few rehearsals, he joined the band.
I’m still so thankful for your kindness, as you sent me your promo-stuff, Rehearsal Demo '13 (included 5 tracks). As for me absolutely great feeling to listen to it, as you guys, back me to my young days in early ’90-s Share please some thoughts about this one.
- We wanted to record something but we didn’t had much money to go in a studio. Our drummer have this friend who had an audio recording device that he used for his art exposition, so we asked him to come in our rehearsal dungeon to record 5 songs for a demo. He recorded all the instruments first, the vocals after and mixed them in the end. We wouldn’t not say that this demo is bad because it was our beginning and there was some kind of black magic in the air during the recording... this demo have is little charm.
Your drummer J played in Goat Perversör, which band I liked/like a lot (Hail Nicolas Dehasse!). Unfortunately they disbanded but I would ask your opinion about that band, what are your favourite tracks from Goat Perversör?
- Goat Perversör was one of the best Blackened Thrash act from Belgium, the band had a real potential to go further... We could maybe collaborate together but in 2014, Goat Perversör disbanded.
Here are some words about Goat Perversor by our drummer J. :
The band started in 2009 and we release our first demo (First Sacrifice) back in 2010... Our first concert at Werwolf Metalfest with Excruciate 666, ( my other band, Black metal from France) Obsculum Infame , Infernal Kingdom , Dawn Of Crucifixion , Acherontas.
In 2012, we released a split with Nemesis Irae and Dark Managarm and did some concerts in 2013, we recorded 2 songs for a compilation but it was never released.
The band split in 2014 because our main guitarist didn’t have time to focus on band anymore but we didn’t wanted to continue without him because Goat Perversör was like an entity. Maybe we’ll release in the future a limited CD with the two unused tracks for the compilation.
In July 2017, the band decided to hire Jess Kvtthröat as a second guitarist.Tell us more about it.
- After 5 years, we realized that we cannot continue as a trio because there was something missing in our music : a powerful guitar sound (maybe some guitars solo too hahaha) and it will be a little bit disabling for the future of the band. We thought it was impossible to reach that power with only one guitarist and there were many friends who told us that our music will be better with a second guitarist so so it helped us to make a choice hehe. We had Jess Kvtthröat who is a friend of us (and also a co-worker from Seb), Seb talked to him about this problem and Jess asked him if he could join the band. After a convicting rehearsal, he was hired.
Your album is called "Defender of the Old". How old is the old that you defend? (Sorin)
- For us, the old means the ancient underground spirit without all these fucked up attitude that ruins the scene these days. We spit on all these fake, arrogant and posers who doesn’t understand a shit about being in the underground scene... the bands who play without passion but for the hype and the others who have a selfish attitude. For us underground is like a circuit based on mutual support, helping each others to find concerts and trading like in the 80-s. Some friends who have lived this era told us that things worked like this so this is how we see „the Old”.
When you gave answers for Sadistik Witchfukk in 2013, you told as you didn’t play at live yet. When has been happened Sepulchral Voices first show? (I’ve seen a few videos about your performances, absolutely great!). Enlighten us, please about your past concerts (experiences, et cetera) and new ones as well, what will be very soon)
- Time has passed since 2013...
We played our first gig in La Louvière in September 2013, the stress was very high and we were afraid that we couldn’t make it (not our drummer due to his experience hehe) but a lot friends was there to cheers us so finally, the gig was great.
We played a lot of gig mainly in France, Belgium and also Germany, we love being on stage, sharing good moment with other bands/peoples. We are not rock-stars, you can easily approach us... We are not like these bands who played and then disappear in backstage or somewhere else after the gig...
Of course everything is not perfect, we had few „accidents” due to alcohol consumption before going on stage, insecurity, some technical problems or lack audience/reaction hehe but generally, you can expect something good when you come to our shows, violence and rock and roll.
Since our last conversation you released a 7" split with Witch Trail. Whose idea was to record a split and how were the reactions? Are you satisfied with it? (Sorin)
- In 2013, Gianpietro met Laurens from Witch Trail in a concert. After some chats, we realized that we had a lot in common about the music, the influences and in the attitude so Laurens invited us for a birthday party concert in their area... so the idea to make a split came naturally after.
We used to be a lot in contact, we played together many times but everything’s gone when Witch Trail decided to change their music... started to play Post-black metal instead of their original blackened speed metal... Too bad because the split was great, We could also make a tour together... sometimes we missed those times hehe.
In 2014 You released a self-titled tape EP with Old Axe Cult Records? How did this collaboration began? How were the reactions for the EP? (Sorin)
- After we recorded the EP , we were looking for a label but we didn’t know who contact for it but few months after Alex from Old Axe Cult Records asked Gianpietro to release the EP after a chat on internet...
The EP was released in January 2015 and we had a lot of good reactions about it because it was a step forward after our rehearsal demo... so good that the one hundred copies of tapes were sold out in 24 hours. This EP helped us also to have more exposition in the scene.
I saw that you are no longer signed to Old Axe Cult Records anymore. Was it just a short time collaboration? Would you collaborate with them again in the future? (Sorin)
- It’s was a short time collaboration but of course, it will be great to work with Old Axe Cult Records again for a future release. Alex is very professional and he take care of the bands who work with him. If he read this interview, we wanna says (again) thanks to him for his work and for his dedication.
You are now signed with Maltkross Productions. How did this collaboration began? (Sorin)
- Gianpietro met Jeremy from Maltkross in a concert in April 2016, Jeremy asked him how was the band and he told him that the band recorded an album. After sent him the songs to him, he was very excited about releasing it.
Jeremy already knew our band because he saw us live before and he know also our drummer because he released the first demo of Goat Perversör back in time, that’s why we put our trust in him and we can says that he did also a great work.
What you can tell us about your new album "Defender of the Old"? Can you give more details about it? Who did the artwork? (Sorin)
- When we had enough songs to record an album, we decided to hit the studio and record „Defender of the old”... Our objective was to make to an album in the continuity of our first EP with that raw, dirty and evil sound but with different influences like Punk, rock and roll, black and also a little bit of Speed/Heavy metal... everything packed in an evil Blackened thrash style.
We were very excited when the album was released but now, after one year since the released of this album, we are less enthusiastic about it because we made some mistakes during the recording , we didn’t take the time to listen each songs carefully and we were also not very prepared for the studio session. We recorded it too fast, that’s the point !
BUT it’s not really a bad album because they are some goods songs in it and still this kind of punk attitude... this is why most of reactions about „Defender of the Old” are positives... you know that „fuck off, we are making noise” spirit.
I see you will torment our ears with another split, with Rekrucifixiön. Can you give more details about this? (Sorin)
- The split is released since September 2016 and we also did a release concert in their hometown (Würzburg)... it was a great party by the way hehe :)
The split was an idea of between Gianpietro and Ben from Rekrucifixiön, they wanted to make a split because they have both the same vision of the music... The evil Blackened Thrash in one side and the nasty speed metal in the other side, sounds perfect for a collaboration hehe.
But maybe if we can change something about this split, we will put two original songs instead of two from our album „defender of the old”...
Your track "Faster than Death" has also some blast-beats through, making it different from your previous material. Do you want to venture into another styles? Are there more varied tracks on your album? (Sorin)
- When we started Sepulchral voices we were mainly influenced by the early Sodom and we couldn’t play other stuff because we were beginner, it was the easiest way, for us, to compose songs... you know, copy paste some riffs and add some changes to look different.
After years, our experience increased a bit so we became more inspired during the composition process... it’s typical from a band who started from nowhere with beginner musician... you are evolving naturally and start to add some other influences, more elaborate riffs and so on...
„Defender of the old” is a blackened thrash album, of course, but some songs are more rock and roll oriented like „Black Leather Bitch”, others more "Black metal” like „No regret” and others contain a little touch of heavy like the title track „Defender of the Old”... each songs have the same base in the structure and we tried to add something like a personality to each one, if you know what i mean...
Now, the arrival of Jess Kvtthröat as a second guitarist will bring us more possibilities in the future compositions of the band and we’re gonna exploit this opportunity to make greater, darker, heavier, louder songs!
As far as you know, my great friends, my small work Eternally dedicated to Jon Andreas Nödtveidt (R.I.C.) (Satanized, Dissection, The Black, De Infernali, Terror etc). Would you be so kind to share some thoughts about him? Which band/album do you like mostly from his heritage?
- He was a Genius, you cannot doubt about it... We like „The Somberlain” and „Storm of the light’s Bane” albums because they are simply amazing and masterpieces also.
Perhaps you know, as DAMNATION cover, called Insulter of Jesus Christ by mighty Nifelheim featured Jon Nödtveidt of DISSECTION on guitar. (and He co-worked with them as lead-guitarist in a lot other Nifelheim-releases) What do you think about this hellish alliance? Your opinion about new Nifelheim track, "Devil’s Wrath"? and you’ve seen them at live, share some memories please.
- That Damnation cover is a great work and Jon could easily fit in Nifelheim so that’s normal. About Devil’s Wrath, this track is simply amazing even if the production is cleaner, the evil spirit of the group remains the same. We saw them live 3 times and we’re always in the front of stage, going crazy, crying, raising our fist in the air hahaha.
What is/are your favourite tracks/releases from Swedish Death Metal Rebels, called Necrocurse? Did you see them live?
- We had the opportunity to share the stage with them in September 2015 in Morbid catacomb fest in Berlin so yes we saw them live hehe and it was great of course... our favourtite track are „Infernal Rebellion” and „The Devil Cobra” .
Merci/Thanks so much my friends! Send some whispers of Sepulchral Voices in the end to the readers of Archangel’s Lantern...
- Keeper of the ancient spirit, Defender of the old
Sepulchral Voices will torment you!
Official facebook: facebook.com/SepulchralVoices/?fref=ts
(Interview has taken by Georgius and Sorin)
an old interview with Sepulchral Voices,
Sadistik Witchfukk web-zine, 11th of April, 2013,
it was taken by Sorin Witchfukker:
Hailz Sepulchral Voices, and welcome to the Sadistik Witchfukk zine! Because this is the first interview with you, tell us about your band!
GP. Angel reaper: Hi, dude! Sepulchral Voices is an old-school thrash metal band, which we started in July 2012. First, it was only me and Seb. Ironfist, who decided to make a band and after many rehearsals at my house (in the city of Tamines), we decided to find a drummer and so we found J. who joined us during October 2012.
Seb. Ironfist: The band started during the summer of 2012 with GP. Angel reaper and J., joined us in september. We are influenced by Sodom, Kreator, and all the speed metal, thrash metal scene from the 80's.
J.: Hail, we are a spiritual-philosophic band with hippies-pacific-christian-buddist-muslim tendencies... Alright, I stop my jokes. We are a thrash metal band, our music is simply aggressive.
Have you played in any other bands than Sepulchral Voices before? If so, give details about that!
GP. Angel reaper: Sepulchral Voices is my first serious band, because about few years ago, when i was a drummer, I started many projects, but it was nothing serious.
Seb. Ironfist: I never played in a band, because I have only 2 years of practising (guitar).
J.: I will tell you the most important ones, because if I will tell all the bands, it will take 2 pages : Lacerate (death-grind), Devoured (thrash-death), Extremist (thrash) and many others. Actually, I play in Goat Perversör (black-thrash), Vorax Virosus (grind-death), Sepulchral Voices and perhaps the come-back of Extremist.
You recorded a rehearsal-demo (I really like the quality, it sounds like it was recorded in 1984-1985, congrats to you for that!). What can you tell about it (songwriting process, lyrical themes). Who is writing the lyrics and who is writing the music?
GP. Angel reaper: Yes, it's a rehearsal demo with raw and dirty sound hehe. For composing songs, me and Seb are trying some riffs and when we found these good, J. put the drums on it. I write the lyrics, they're about metal, Satan, witches... nothing original hehe.
Seb. Ironfist: GP. found the ideas for the lyrics and for the songs, it's me and Seb, after J. put the drum on it.
J.: First, we have to give thanks to Gabriel Tapia (singer and guitarist of Vorax Virosus. He also drew the logo of Vorax, t-shirt of Dehuman, Slaughter Messiah and the artwork of Maleficence demo tape). It was a home-made recording with a dictaphone and all the instruments in same time. After we recorded the vocals, Gabriel put all on his laptop and did the mixing. The results were what we expected.
On what formats is the demo available on (apart of mp3 haha): vinyl, cd or tape? Do you have any artworks for it? Do you plan to send it to distros, or it is only promotional and it is only for labels and such?
GP. Angel reaper: We have a demo available in cd (it's CD-r), everything was home-made haha. The first thing is to share our music, so we send or sell our demo to many people. We'll think about an artwork for the EP.
Seb. Ironfist: Demo is available on CD, we try to make our band known. The artwork is for the future EP.
J.: Have we an artwork ???
What other bands can you recommend us from Belgium?
GP. Angel reaper: Slaughter Messiah, Maleficence, Evil Shepherd, Evil Invaders, Horacle, Nemesis Irae, Goat Perversör, Vorax Virosus and Gae Bolga
Seb. Ironfist: Horacle, Slaughter Messiah, Maleficence, Goat Perversör and Vorax Virosus.
J.: Goat Pervesör (black-thrash), Vorax Virosus (grind-death), Slaughter Messiah (black-thrash), Dehuman (death), Nemesis Irae (black-death), Maleficence (black-thrash), Spermafrost (black and roll), Dezhumanizer (black), Domine Hate (death) for the most underground.
Did you played any live shows yet?
GP. Angel reaper: No, we have to make more songs.
Seb. Ironfist: We are ready, but we have to make more songs because now, we can play only 15 minutes and it's not too much.
J.: Not for now, but later yes.
How is the response so far about your music?
GP. Angel reaper : I'm very glad, because many people like our music, we have a lot of support.
Seb. Ironfist: The comments are good.
J.: Our music is shit, don't listen to it, because she'll turn you from the way of god haha.
Do you take a look on Fenriz's Band of the Week? I know he recommends old-school stuff, and stuff that you play too. What do you think about the latest Darkthrone releases?
GP. Angel reaper: I don't know, I'll try to get a look on it. I've listened the last Darkthone and I liked it.
Seb. Ironfist: I've listened the last Darkthrone and I liked it, especially the track "Leave no Cross Unturned", but I prefer the "Dark Thrones and Black Flags" album, because it's more punkish.
J.: No and I didn't knew that, I will die less idiot haha. The last Darkthrone is good, but I have some difficulties with the clean vocals.
Your top 10 all-time favourite albums are...?
GP. Angel reaper: I can't answer because the numbers is over than 10 for me haha.
Seb. Ironfist:
Skull Fist - Head öf the Pack
Iron Maiden - Killers
Sodom - In the Sign of Evil
Kreator - Endless Pain
Angel Witch - Angel Witch
Darkthrone - Dark Thrones and Black Flags
Celtic Frost - Morbid Tales
Enthroned - Towards the Skullthrone of Satan
Violent Force - Malevolent Assault of Tomorrow
Destruction - Sentence of Death
J.: This question is too difficult for me, because there are many albums from many bands. I can't tell you only 10. It will take a long-time.
What bands can you recommend from Hungary, Ukraine, Romania and Moldova?
GP. Angel reaper: O-Zone from Moldova haha.
Seb. Ironfist: Tormentor from Hungary.
J.: In few minutes... From Ukraine, I know: Nokturnal Mortum, Drudkh, Hate Forest. From Hungary: Sear Bliss, Archivum, Hungarica and from Romania: Negură Bunget.
What hobbies do you have beside music?
GP. Angel reaper: Watching movies, playing old video-games...
Seb. Ironfist: Collecting vinyls.
J.: Drinking, eating and fucking.
What foods, drinks, cigars, tobaccoes can you recommend us from your area?
GP. Angel reaper: Fries, Fricadelle, Waffels, Carbonnades à la flamande, molds with fries. Many varieties of beer like Duvel, Chimay Bleue, Kasteel Donker, Trappistes de Rochefort, Grimbergen, Orval and many many others.
Seb. Ironfist: Beers, Waffle, Fries and Pekêt(walloon name for juniper).
J.: Mold with fries, Carbonnade à la flamande, Waterzooï, many kind of cheese with many special beers: trappist, from abbey, with fruits etc.... For all tastes and all ages.
What about your future plans?
GP. Angel reaper & Seb. Ironfist: Doing some gigs, it's the most important.
J.: Being famous with our band, so we can eat Jack Daniel's, lobster, caviar and pay some hookers haha. No, seriously, play much as possible with a lot of fun.
That's all for now. The last (threatening) words are yours!
GP. Angel reaper: Thx for the interview and your support, spread our music !
J.: Thank you, and cheers from Belgium.
