In cooperation with my colleague Dalihrob we have prepared an interview with Dutch evil-makers THE BEAST OF THE APOCALYPSE. The interview follows this year's album "Henosos" and we have recived brief but straight answers. Enjoy!

1. Greetings! I appreciate your willingness to provide our zine with this interview. After all I haven’t seen many interviews with you both on internet or in printed zines. How come? Zines are not interested?

I guess not. What I gather from the reviews, not many people understand what we are doing. But we don't care. This is not trendy stuff, or popular stuff. We have no shocking artwork. This rules out all trendy/hipster people and kids. This is what we want to do. We don't care about trends and popularity. Only Dark Mystical Black Metal.

2. Although you run a Myspace page there is a veil of mystery around the band. I mean there are a very few photos and not many information. You do not perform live and your records don’t include lyrics. Does it mean that THE BEAST OF THE APOCALYPSE is strictly about music or is it because this mysterious image of a band goes hand in hand with your musical production?

No it's pure about the music. We had some photo's, but we took them off the myspace site. We have no interested in other aspects of being in a band, just music.

3. Before we start discussing the new album let’s talk about your music in general for a while. It’s beyond any doubt that occult feeling and touch of some archaic evil force is omnipresent here. Why did you chose mysterious atmosphere as the fundamental element of your musical performance?

This music is what both of us like and what works for us. So it comes natural. We did not choose anything so to speak. It probably also comes from the old black metal gods, who all had an aura of mystery surrounding them.

4. Looking at your artwork, song titles and absorbing your music I have a feeling that you consider Abrahamic god to be a perverse demiurge and not really a noble divinity as it is portrayed by YHVH’s followers. Maybe I am wrong here since I am not very familiar with Gnostic teachings. But could you speak in more detail here?

It's a basicly a different truth. To be clear: we believe in nothing, no deities, no higher beings. Gnosticism is something that interests me, a different truth, not the common knowledge or teachings. For instance: The Gospel of Judas, a lost bible book: in contrast to the Canonical gospels which paint Judas as a betrayer of Christ who delivered him up to the authorities for crucifixion, the Gospel of Judas portrays Judas's actions as done in obedience to instructions given by Christ. The document also suggests that Christ planned the course of events which led to his death. The Gospel of Judas does not claim that the other disciples knew about Jesus's true teachings. On the contrary, it asserts that they had not learned the true Gospel, which Jesus taught only to Judas Iscariot, the sole follower belonging to the "holy generation" among the disciples.


5. I think that you have a potential to become the most horrific metal band in existence. Have you ever felt a need to create as nightmarish music as possible? What made you to start the band with such repulsive musical content?

We started this band to combine our admiration for early black metal: Beherit, master's hammer, bathory, sacrophago etc. We also felt there was a distinctive lack of 'feeling' in new black metal bands. From this starting point (listen to our free-downloable debut album) it progressed into the entracing darkness we play now.

6. What comes first when you are creating particular songs and thinking about their structure? Is it a concrete goal you seek to achive- a particular atmosphere you want to evoke or you simply play with combination of riffs and rhythms you have composed?

We aim for a dark, mysterious feeling and to put the listener in a dark ritual trance. To totally submit to the aural darkness. I think it's both a combination of riffs and structure. We work out what works the best.

7. It’s not a rule but usually when there are two people in the band they have their stable position and instruments. How do you share your duties within the band? Are you both involved in composing of the music?

Yes we are both involved in composing. I (HTM) mostly handle the guitars. SS handles bass. We both share vocals and drums. We both also switch instruments. I depends who wrote what.

8. Ok, so „Henosis“ is out for some time at the moment. Would you care to comment your thoughts about it first? Where do you see the differences between „A Voice...“ and this album?

We are very satisfied how the new album turned out. I think compared to 'a voice..' the new album is a little more diverse. And maybe the new album is more aggressive in the vocal departement.

9. New record definitely posseses little more polished sound than its predecessor. What caused this change? I have to admit I personally prefer the previous chaotic production, but it’s true that clearer sound of „Henosis“ pushes particular instruments forward and makes up for a slightly different listening experience.

Yes we tried to have a little clearer sound. I think 'a voice..' was maybe a little to noisy. But we'll never have a polished sound. We aim for the bestial side of things.

10. If I had to compare your band to some other musicians then for some reason I always think about bands like Black Witchery, Teitanblood, Von or even Funeral Mist although they really do not play black metal the same way as THE BEAST OF THE APOCALYPSE does. It’s probably this authentic „evil“ thing and haunting atmosphere that you all have in common. Are you familliar with this artist or do you enjoy their production? Which bands do you consider to be influential on yourselves?

I think Black Witchery, Teitanblood and Von are very good! Some of the 'new' black music i enjoy. I have not heard Funeral Mist. I think these band capture the ancient spirit very good. We are influenced by old blackmetal cults: beherit, demo-era Samael, old rotting christ, old mystifier etc. All bands that had an original sound.


11. The Beast of Apocalypse, Gnaw Their Tongues, Hell Icon, Bunkur, Funeral Goat... Netherlands seems to have a knack for a disturbing and filthy bands. Do you think that the country itself is one of the reason why such bestial bands exist?

I don't think so. The netherlands is pretty good living. Everything is organised good, not real poverty etc. so that can't be the reason. From that list i only know Gnaw Their Tongues, because he does our sleeve art. The other bands I have not heard.

12. Our chat has almost come to its end so tell me in conclusion…what is best in life?

Dark Occult Mystical Black Metal!

13. I’d like to thank you on behalf whole Mortem zine and it’s readers for your time and I wish you all the best! We’ll be looking forward to hear from THE BEAST OF THE APOCALYPSE again.

Thanks for the interview. Greetings. H.