Interview with black/thrash/death metal from United Kingdom - NECROMANIAC.
Answered Sadistik Fornicator (guitars), thank you!
Recenze/review - NECROMANIAC - Sciomancy, Malediction & Rites Abominable (2025):
1. Ave NECROMANIAC! Hello to the underground. I hope all is well with you. It should be, you have a great debut album. I have to admit, it drove me up the wall. It's dark and energetic, and it cuts with a knife edge! It's very telling that you've done a great job and have a great deal of talent. How do you feel about the new record compared to your previous EP and demos? Where did you want to go and how do you think all your releases differ from each other?
Ave maniac! This is Sadistik Fornicator (Guitarmageddon) answering your questions. First, thanks for your kind words about our debut album and for giving us a platform to promote our sinister art. To answer your question, while our morbid vision and main sources of inspiration have always been the same from day one, there are slight variations in all our studio recordings due to us becoming better players and songwriters throughout the years in between each new release. And also, due to strengthening our chemistry as musicians after so many years of playing together as a band. This slow development helped us mature our sound and songwriting skills to the required standards needed to write and record a magnum opus that's bound to leave a strong black mark on listeners and make its decaying presence felt within the international underground Metal milieu. That was always our aim, and we were aware we would have never been able to achieve this if we had tried to speed things up instead of taking as many years as needed. I strongly believe new bands should earn their stripes, so to speak, before releasing an album. Hence why we spent a long time honing our craft and only put out two demos and an EP before we even considered we were ready to record an LP. We could have released a full-length back when we started but if we had done that, then no one would remember it now as it wouldn't have been that impressive. Great achievements take time and shouldn't be rushed, or as the saying goes, "Rome was not built in a day!".
2. "Sciomancy, Malediction & Rites Abominable" has all the attributes of good Death, Black and Thrash Metal. For me personally, it is a record that I love to come back to. How was it made? How do you compose new NECROMANIAC material?
True evil has no boundaries or genre constraints! I always decompose the music in my dungeon and later exhume it with The One (Basstard Tremblings) and V. Pestilencia (Apocalyptic Drumonitions) at the rehearsal crypt. Once we have a song finished, C. Howler (Throat Possessions) works on the lyrics and vocal patterns, and based on the particular vibe that the song gives him he chooses which specific subjects to write about and we build it up from there. Lastly, we complete the final touches by adding synths, samples, effects and additional instruments when recording at the studio to help create an atmosphere that resonates deeply with the lyrical subjects that the song in question is about. It's a slow process since we do take our time to always try and craft each song to perfection, but usually, everything falls eventually into place naturally and organically. We know instinctively if something doesn't feel right, and if that is the case, the song gets reworked as many times as needed until we're fully satisfied with the final command. We always write with the aim that the full release in question that we're working on at the time needs to be varied, flow well and feel cohesive as a whole, both musically and lyrically. This is the main reason why we always take our time with all of our releases. We don't write "X" amount of songs and slap them together on a record like a lot of other bands do. Each recording has to feel like one long musical piece that takes you on a dark journey into the unknown, so a lot of riffs or sometimes even whole sections get discarded and/or fully reworked during the songwriting sessions if we feel that they disrupt the flow of the release in question. A corpse always takes its time to rot, therefore you can't rush the decomposition process!
3. Who was hired for the sound and mix? I have to confirm that it literally kills! It makes me turn up the volume on the hi-fi tower. You have a sound that is harsh, raw, dark and animalistic at the same time. How did you achieve it? What studio did you record in and how did it all work?
You're right, the record sounds amazing and the end result went above and beyond any of my already sky-high expectations. I must admit I most definitely felt like a mad scientist gone even madder by the time we were adding the finishing touches to this magnum opus of ancient morbidity. So much so, that I needed a break from playing any music altogether for a few months afterwards as I was completely drained, both physically and mentally. But anyway, regardless of the stress suffered after staring far too deep into the abyss on and off for over 8 months, in my humble opinion, we were very lucky to be able to work with three of the best and most passionate engineers and producers in the current underground metal milieu. They were crazy and patient enough to take the time to follow our sorcerous vision and experiment while spending countless hours working their asses off to get the album to sound exactly like we wanted it. Our brother Am, who also plays in the local bands Grave Miasma and Eihort engineered and recorded all the vocals, synths, samples, and additional instruments at Morbisound Studios here in London. He also engineered, recorded, mixed, and mastered the last promotional demo that we released before we commenced the album recording sessions, and which secured the record deal with Invictus Productions in Europe and The Ajna Offensive in North America. Shauny Cadogan engineered and recorded all the guitars, bass, and drum tracks plus the choir on "Caput Draconis" at Sound Training - Studio One in Dublin, Ireland. He also mixed the whole album and did an immensely incredible job, as mixing this beast was no easy task considering all the different instruments and layers that we recorded. Last, but not least, Greg Chandler mastered it at Priory Recording Studio in Birmingham, UK. He also did an amazingly outstanding job and managed to keep all the dynamics created by the different layers and instruments used intact without losing any of the punch. Another thing worthy of mention is that all the basic guitars, bass and drum tracks were recorded live and then we overdubbed any mistakes made separately. Absolutely no click tracks, guide tracks or drum triggers were used during the recording, which is why the album sounds like a real band jamming together, not a studio project.
4. An integral part and kind of an extra bonus for fans today is the CD. You released it on Invictus Productions and it comes with a morbid medieval cover. Who is the author? How did you choose the motif and how does it relate to the music on the release?
I'd say vinyl is a much better format but I like CDs too (and tapes also, although I prefer that format for demos). The album is actually a co-release between Invictus Productions in Europe in conspiracy with The Ajna Offensive in North America. As for the artwork, we used 2 engravings (both from the 17th century). The one shown on the cover is entitled "Aeson decrepitvs fit ivnior opera Medeae", and it's taken from the book "Bellissimum Ovidii Theatrum". A sequence of pictures illustrating Metamorphoses of Ovid. It was engraved by Johann Wilhelm Baur and published in 1685. The scene depicts the sorceress Medea in the foreground, casting spells and draining the blood of her husband’s father, Aeson, to rejuvenate his body with her special brew boiling in a cauldron where one of two winged demons seen flying above it is urinating. Two altars can also be seen burning with sacrifices - including a black sheep. Medea also summoned the moon, represented by the goddess Diana, who was identified by the crescent moon on her head. The other engraving shown on the insert is entitled "Saul spricht mit Samuels Geist bei der Hexe von Endor", and it was engraved by Gabriel Ehinger in 1675. This scene depicts Saul consulting the Witch of Endor to summon the spirit of the prophet Samuel with the wish to receive advice on defeating the Philistines. However, the spirit summoned delivered a prophecy of doom, and Israel's army was defeated in battle the morning after. We thought both engravings would fit perfectly with the themes of witchcraft, divination of the dead and macabre maledictions permeating the album's lyrics.
5. I've been roaming the underworld for over thirty years and I go to London often for music as a matter of course. I think we have similar moods and tastes when it comes to Metal. I like your bands a lot and follow your scene very closely. I might even be a little envious, we only have a few Death/Black Thrash metal packs here that are worthwhile. How do you explain why Underground Metal is so successful in your country? How do you perceive your scene, fans, and labels?
I think as an outsider you're perceiving it quite differently from how it actually is in reality! Considering how big this ancient metropolis is, there's only a very small handful of bands in the London underground metal scene that are worth listening to, and while we all enjoy varying degrees of international success (some more than others), the reality is that locally only a very small handful of dedicated maniacs support us, so we try and support one another as much as we can if there's mutual respect and admiration for each other's music.
6. You play Death/Black/Thrash Metal influenced by the old school. Nowadays a band can't avoid the obligatory comparisons, but I would like to know how the idea to start NECROMANIAC came about, who are your role models, and how far you want to take your band. Are you tempted by big festivals abroad, for example, and are you willing to tour with a more famous pack?
We play Morbid Metal, which is a much broader and less specific-genre-confined term. The idea to form NECROMANIAC was primarily born out of the necessity to express myself through art, but also due to the lack of bands playing the type of music that I wanted to hear. I don't have any particular role models as any true artist always follows his own individual path, but if you're asking about my influences, I am for the most part still inspired by the same old ancient cults that I've been worshipping since my formative years (although admittedly I discovered some of the ones I mention here later in life). I'm talking about legendary Metal acts such as Bathory, Hellhammer, Absu, Samael, Slaughter, Darkthrone, Celtic Frost, Venom, Nifelheim, Treblinka, Blasphemy, Sarcófago, Grotesque, Tormentor, Infernäl Mäjesty, Vulcano, Mortuary Drape, Slayer, Massacra, Pentagram (Chile), Vomitor, Imperator, Poison (Germany), Kat, Face Of Evil, Beherit, Tiamat, Protector, Repulsion, Holy Death, Mutilator, Necrodeath, Morbid, Sodom, Necrophiliac (Spain), Mystifier, Varathron, Mayhem, Sepultura, Master’s Hammer, Sadistik Exekution, Merciless, Burzum, Ancient Rites, Root, Hobbs' Angel Of Death, Mercyful Fate, Death SS, Black Hole, etc. The darkest works of these bands were a huge influence on the creation of NECROMANIAC; and without their output and legacy, our outlook on music in general just would not be the same. But also, some of our strongest influences come from different sources outside of the music realm too. Thus, we take inspiration from all that is born of iniquity and exudes the sulphurous stench of death and darkness; be it either drawn from personal experiences, ancient manuscripts, visual art, or literary form. We are fascinated by the inherent Devilry emanating from clandestine practices of sorcery and divination of the dead which are used as gateways to enter otherworldly spiritual planes outside of the physical realm. Our lyrics deal mainly with necromantical themes portraying the most sinister aspects of Death and the esoteric mysticism which can be found in all the folktales, myths, and rituals from different cultures all over the world which have been surrounding it throughout the centuries. Occult beliefs and practices are an integral part of our morbid coven that you'll find unequivocally permeated all over our concepts. Thus, we feel they are just as important as our music, and should be experienced as a whole along with the artwork and visual aesthetics of the band to get the full picture of our sinister art. Regarding the last part of your question, we intend to take this band as far as possible, but it will always be on our own terms, no one else's. There's just no way we will ever compromise that. We have zero interest in sharing any gig or festival bills with bands that we don't feel any affinity whatsoever with. This has been of utmost importance to us since day one and it shall remain that way until the very end. We will never sacrifice our artistic integrity as a means to try and gain more popularity. Our party, our rules...
7. When I started my site seven years ago, I had a vision of trying to support bands that I thought weren't as visible. Let the world know about them. I think I've been pretty successful, at least by the response. How do you approach promotion? Do you leave it up to the label or do you send out CDs yourself for various reviews? I buy albums that I really enjoy, for example. What about you? Are you also a fan who likes to support your colleagues often? Do you go to concerts? Do you party?
No, we also do a lot of online promotion and network internationally with many other bands, labels, 'zines, promoters, and underground metal maniacs. If you want your band to be known internationally then you should do some of the legwork yourself, just like it used to be back in the day, the only difference is we don't communicate via snail mail anymore. We certainly don't send out any CDs for review (who does that in 2025 anyway?), but I have done trades with many bands, labels and zine editors. And yes, we all buy music, go to concerts and party occasionally.
8. On the one hand, a band starting today has a lot of opportunities to make their presence known, but on the other hand, there are a huge number of bands and fans get lost in them. A lot of people are just downloading MP3s from the internet and spitting venomous spittle on Facebook instead of going to a gig. How does modern technology affect you as NECROMANIAC? What do you think about downloading music, google metal, streaming music, etc.?
That's an interesting question. However, it is an outdated one as no one downloads music from the internet anymore, everyone streams these days. But anyway, I don't think the state of the underground metal scene or whatever digital platforms are being used more popularly to promote music should dictate or affect how you choose to conduct your business and present your work to the public. Ultimately, if your music is strong enough people will find it one way or the other. But of course, while the state of things is always far from perfect, everything has a positive and a negative side to it. If you're smart enough to figure things out and see through the fake plastic veil, you'll use whatever tools you have to your advantage without falling into all the trappings that could turn you into one of the many scene clowns that everyone is laughing about behind their backs. Unfortunately, a lot of artists these days become slaves to social media platforms and end up ruining their public image by coming across as being extremely insecure, deluded, narcissistic, or just plain desperate for likes, adulation, and celebrity-like status. Since we have no desire or need whatsoever for any of those meaningless things to be a focal point in our lives, we prefer to spend most of our spare time honing our art and networking internationally with like-minded individuals, rather than whoring ourselves on social media platforms to massage our egos and feed the neverending hunger of the algorithm beast.
9. I like to ask musicians what Death/Black Thrash metal means to them. How would they define it, is it more of a philosophy and lifestyle for them or just relaxation? What does it mean to you? How do you perceive and experience it?
Well, things have certainly changed a lot in these modern times, and while those genres used to be 100% underground and part of the DIY scene where bands and fans networked internationally and exchanged music and ideas purely out of passion, a lot of people commercialized it and in turn ended up sacrificing its pure essence in the process. This is the main reason why we decided to describe our music as MORBID METAL, since we wanted to distance ourselves from a lot of modern Black and Death Metal bands whom we cannot feel any affinity whatsoever with due to their profuse lack of authenticity and complete disregard and unawareness of the genres' history and traditions. The foundations and viewpoints that the ancient bands professed during the early gestation periods of those genres were built upon passion, dedication, attitude, solemnity, maniacal conviction, and most importantly, a strong desire to stand out from each other by forging and following their own individual paths. This was magnificently exemplified by some of the 1st generation Black Metal bands hailing from your country like Master's Hammer, Root, Törr, Amon, Crux, Tudor, Avenger, Necrocock and Valenta demos, etc. Unfortunately, the number of acts who take the time to create something unique and meaningful these days is far lower than those who are more concerned about getting instant gratification via social media likes gained through blatantly plagiarising someone else's art or chasing underground trends. Also, as I'm confident you must already know, "Morbid Metal" is the name of a song by the legendary Swiss band SAMAEL included on their debut album "Worship Him". Therefore, we not only felt the term was apt and self-explanatory of the macabre overtones we convey within our music, visual aesthetics, and lyrical concepts; but we also decided to use it to show our deepest veneration for the early works of the old Swiss masters.
10. Finally, a classic but important question. What is NECROMANIAC planning in the coming months? Where can we see you in concert and what about a tour in Europe?
Only Death is certain! For now, we are booked to play a show in Tilburg, Holland, on the 20th of September with Tormentor, Concrete Winds, Misotheist, Ultra Silvam, Necrowretch, and Bad Omen amongst more to be announced. Such an event will undoubtedly be a very special ceremony for those in attendance, so we're looking forward to bringing our MORBID METAL to the Netherlands for the first time and desecrating the stage once again... Death approaches!
11. Thank you very much for the interview. I wish your new album a lot of success and may the ranks of your fans expand as much as possible. I look forward to seeing you live somewhere and may you do well both musically and on a personal level. I'm going to go and shove "Sciomancy, Malediction & Rites Abominable" into my head again!
Thanks again for your support and interest in NECROMANIAC. May the arcane mysticism contained within the very essence of our black art mark your damned soul with the unmistakable stench of Death and darkness until the very end of times! To all the Morbid Metal disciples who wish to stay up to date regarding all band-related news, live desecrations, and forthcoming releases you can follow us on Facebook and Bandcamp. Serious and dedicated Czech promoters are encouraged to contact us, we'd love to come and defile your beautiful country! A new band from the Czech Republic I'd personally like to share the stage with is Bahratal! MORBID METAL TO THE DEATH!
Recenze/review - NECROMANIAC - Sciomancy, Malediction & Rites Abominable (2025):
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