1. Hails Azaghal!
My first question is a compulsory one because it has been a just few days since you released your newest album „Teraphim“. How are you satisfied with the final result?

Musically and lyrically I am very satisfied with "Teraphim", also the overall mood and feeling of the album is pretty much what we wanted, giving it that 90s vibe while still keeping things fresh and interesting. I would have liked to have some more with the mixing process, but with every album there are things you are not 100% satisfied when the album is done.

2. To which album´s aspect you dedicated the biggest attention? If someone listens properly he can admire the nicely balanced sounding which allows the atmosphere and instruments to sound very sophisticated. So I guess you paid most attention to the sounding...

Well, the sound and mixing is the part which I would have liked to pay even more attention to, but it's nice to hear that you think it turned out well hehe. To me the overall feeling of an album is always the most important thing. Having the right songs in right order with a suitable sound that makes the songs work out as well as possible.

3. Personally I´m very satisfied with the many, more than just catchy, melodies which are at the right moments replaced by intense furious riffing carnage. Where do you see the basic difference between „Omega“ and „Teraphim“?

"Omega" and "Teraphim" are pretty similar albums to be honest. If it isn't broken, don't fix it. I would say that "Teraphim" is perhaps more varied and "sophisticated" (altough I hate that word when talking about black metal) with more slower and melodic moments than "Omega".

4. Many times I have met with opinions that „Teraphim“ is like a heavy dose of energy injected right under the skin. Easily said, the album would make cadaver headbang. So what do you think? Do you agree or not?

It's hard for me to judge my own creation, so I can't say much on the subject, but this is very nice to hear of coprse hehe.


5. From your albums I get the feeling of obstinacy and a deep dedication to the true black metal. What do you think about the recent demonizing of black metal which hurts the genre more that it helps.

I don't really care either way. We've been doing this for almost 15 years now and have never followed or been part of any scene. We just concentrate on our own doings and don't care about what is going on with black metal in general.

6. As the band you have created your significant and recognizable manuscript. Competition is tough but tell me what do you think. How do you stand as the band in the northern scene?

I have no real idea how people view us, we've never really promoted ourselves in Finland or elsewhere in the north, so we are not very popular here. I think (and hope!) that people view as some sort of outsiders in the modern black metal scene, who don't sound like every other band coming from Finland.

7. What about the black metal gigs in your home country? I´m observing situation in Czech republic and I am disgusted. There is always a fixed amount of 30-40 people going on the gigs. Only clothes are changing, people are remaining same. Does such „crisis“ reached even a dominant North?

It varies a lot. In Helsinki the turn out is usually pretty good, but if the gig is pretty much anywhere else in Finland there is only a handful of people. It was pretty depressing to see only maybe 10 people at a recent Belphegor gig for example.. In general I don't go to see that many black metal shows nowadays, so I can't be sure if this is the thruth, just my own observion.

8. Do you think that there is still something which deserves to be called musical underground? If yes, could you define its borders and tell me if you consider AZAGHAL to belong into such underground?

There is definately still musical underground, but I am not sure if (most) black metal belongs in it. I think the real underground nowadays is various noise/ambient/experimental stuff. Again, I might be wrong I've been living and breathing black metal for so long that for me it doesn't seem to be underground atleast heh.

9. I have a long-running problem with the drummers in AZAGHAL, I just canˇt tell who´s playing on which release. Could you enlighten me on this matter and tell me who is playing on „Teraphim“?

The drums on "Teraphim" are played by our drummer Chernobog and in parts by our bass player JL Nokturnal, because Chernobog is usually very busy with his job and can't always work at the same pace as the reset of the band.

10. How do you think that the concert show should look like? You´re one of the few who deliver really demonic and unbound performance…

My first advice to all new bands would be that they should stop masturbating with their instruments. No one cares if you miss some notes, just fucking headbang and let the dark aura of the music take over your soul and let loose on the stage.


11. With the previous question I would like to point out the Blacklights festival where you also played. How would you evaluate the festival as the performer? And also I wonder if you liked it here. I guess that it was the Czech beer you enjoyed the most :).

I think it was an excelent festival, very well organized and everyone seemed to have a great time. The only sad thing is that because of the low turn out from the audience the organizators lost a lot of money.. Overall I'd say it's one of the best fests we have ever attented.

12. I was very surprised that you decided to re-record let´s say „cult“ song „Kyy“. This song canˇt be absent on any AZAGHAL´s gig! Why you decided to re-record this song?

Because the original had terrible computer drums and was only available on the limited "Kyy" MCD, so we re-recorded at the end of the recording sessions, it was nothing we planned on doing when starting the recordings.

13. Are planning to go on tour to propagate „Teraphim“? If yes I hope that you won“ t miss the Czech Republic!

We have a few gigs coming up in November / December.. Atleast in France, Belgium and Italy. No news about Czech Republic at the moment unfortunately, but it would be great to return there once again, we've always had a good time there. And of course the beer is excelent heh.

14. That was last of my questions. I hope I havenˇt bored you much and the last words are yours……

Thanks for the interview and support. Now time for some beer!