NECROPHAGIA Interview with KILLJOY by Unholiestgoddess (03/15/05)
Necrophagia fuses all of the eerie chills of a good horror movie and all the
thrills of metal into a single gratifying sensory experience. Spawned in 1983 by the
macabre-minded Killjoy, and driven along by his unswerving commitment to the direction of
gore and horror, Necrophagia has hit plenty of speed bumps and potholes along their
journey.
Soon after the band's 1987 "Season of the Dead" release, the other members
expressed a desire to pursue a more mainstream sound. Unwilling to compromise his vision,
Killjoy allowed Necrophagia to dissolve, but later resurrected the band when Pantera's
Phil Anselmo offered to write a Necrophagia album.
Phil Anselmo's split with with Necrophagia was announced in 2002, and became the subject
of much speculation. In later interviews Killjoy talked about how the scheduling conflicts
had just proven to be too much, and in order to keep Necrophagia going, to keep writing
and touring, it would have to be with a different line-up.
Their 2003 post-Anselmo album "The Divine Art of Torture" introduced Fug on
guitar, Iscariah (ex-Immortal) on bass, and Mirai Kawashima (Sigh) on keyboards. These new
members joined Frediablo (guitar), Titta Tani (drums), and voice of horror, Killjoy, to
create the strongest line-up to date.
Now in 2005 with this same crushing line-up, Necrophagia gets ready to release
"Harvest Ritual Vol. 1." Killjoy took the time during breaks while on a tight
schedule finishing the recording in Florida to complete this email interview about the new
album. I was able to squeeze in some other subjects as well.
Harvest Ritual Vol. 1 is finally coming after a long time in the making. You've always
promised Necrophagia would continue to get sicker and more vile. Describe Harvest Ritual
..
KJ: Hell-o .. Harvest Vol. 1 is a very creepy, heavy and diverse record for us. It
continues taking our base sound way further into realms of utter horror, and it's easily
our best release thus far. The songs are all very catchy without losing the extreme metal
roots which we will always have, but it's definitely a whole new side that will continue
to be taken further with each release in the future. There's a really vile song called
"Stitch Her Further" that Joey Jordison [Slipknot] co-wrote. It's just sick!!!
Rumor has it that Bill Mosely, who plays Chop Top in "Texas Chainsaw Massacre
II" and Otis in Zombie's "House of 1000 Corpses" in involved. How has he
contributed to this project?
KJ: Bill is a very good friend. I met him a few years back and we hit it off. He portrays
a morbid schitzo Disc Jockey introducing one of the songs called "London (13 Demon
Street)" and will also be in the video for the song as well. He's truly a very
talented and great guy for sure.
Are there any elements of this new album that long time Necrophagia fans might be
surprised by?
KJ: I think by now most know to expect the unexpected. We are audio horror - a horror/gore
film in music medium. We follow no guidelines, no trends. There's a song called
"Akumu" which means "Nightmare" in japanese, and it's kind of like a
morbid nursery rhyme/song with a layer of clean vocals, which is a first for Necrophagia
for sure .. ha ha... but all in all it's a very heavy, dark and creepy record for sure ..
very unique.
What kind of bloody, violent horrors do you have planned for the stage show during
the tour?
KJ: We're currently having the new stage props designed now for the "Harvesting the
Dead" 2005-06 Tour. We've got a lot of sick and disturbing images, but I really don't
wanna give too much away in advance. We wanna do things in a very sick, twisted and gory
way without becoming a parody ala Gwar. So there is a fine line between horrific and
overkill. But we know what we're doing and it's gonna be depraved for sure!!!
You've spent most of this year in the studio. Are you feeling claustrophobic? Are
you excited about getting out on the road?
KJ: Yeah, it has been a very looong process. We've never spent 10 months recording before
so it's just really insane at this point. But we're done and it was very much worth it.
The sacrifice was not in vain. We've come up with something very unique, which is a rarity
these days. We will never lose our roots, only expand upon them without ever losing the
true heaviness and sickness which is the core of our sound.
How long a tour do you have planned and what areas will it cover?
KJ: We are still looking at different touring possibilities. We definitely wanna start in
the USA this time so we are looking at that. We might tour with Danzig but nothing is
certain. Hopefully within the next month things will be more clear and then I'll update
you for sure.
At one time you had planned to make your debut feature film with the title
"Harvest Ritual." Is this still in the works, and will it still be called
Harvest Ritual?
KJ: Indeed that's still the plan. It's just been a matter of having enough time to do it
properly. I need a year off which hasn't happened since the mid 90's. But when it happens
it's gonna be the real deal. Nothing will touch this film. It's pure terror, evil and
horror. A real throwback to films of the 70's!!!
You were also at one time working on authoring a review guide for obscure and rare
horror films. How is this coming along?
KJ: The book has nearly been completed for many years. Again, it's a question of having
time to do it properly. Joel McIver ["Extreme Metal" -2000 & "Extreme
Metal II" -2005; "Justice For All: The Truth About Metallica" -2004;] has
agreed to edit it, so that in itself is a big step towards getting it finished. Just need
to update it a bit and hand it over to him.
You describe Necrophagia as the soundtrack from your worst nightmare. What is your
worst nightmare? Does it involve eyeball violence, or do you enjoy that?
KJ: My worst nightmare is being burned, tortured, having acid poured on me, then being cut
up while still alive .. a very hellish scene that makes for sure. Necrophagia is like
listening to a nightmare instead of conjuring one up within your mind.
Do you ever still get spooked or experience fear while watching horror movies?
KJ: I miss the feeling of fright, dread and being scared. There will be things that can
still make me jump a bit, but nothing that keeps the feeling going for too long. I really
wish it were possible to experience that feeling for extended periods of time.
What makes Vampira superior to Elvira in your opinion?
KJ: Vampira was just sooo fukking amazing to watch: long fingernails, black hair, pale
skin, and that thin waist. And she was just generally creepy at times with certain looks
or ways she would move. Elvira really does nothing for me. Way too goofy.
Kiss' "Hotter than Hell" was the first album you ever bought. Were you
influenced at all by Gene Simmons' blood vomiting?
KJ: Black Sabbath, Kiss and Alice Cooper all definitely had an influence on me when I was
a child. Of course Simmons spitting blood and blowing fire, etc. must have had a major
impact even if I'm not fully aware of it. I started getting into punk when I was twelve
and stayed there until hearing Venom when they started. Venom had elements of punk but
with a whole new twist. I was fukking hooked big time. And soon after, Necrophagia was
created.
How did you first get introduced to absinthe and what's your favorite brand?
KJ: I started drinking absinthe in Europe a few years ago and haven't stopped .. ha ha ..
My favorite is made by Absinthe America. I drink their stuff all the time. They have it
down to an exact science.
Do you consider yourself to be "goth"?
KJ: I really don't fit into any category. I do what I feel like without thinking about it.
If wearing black nail polish and make up is goth, then yeah, I'm goth. If it's listening
to a certain type of music and walking around depressed, then no, I'm not. Goth is nothing
like it was in the 70's with bands like Joy Division, Sisters of Mercy, etc. I still
listen to Nick Cave a lot to this day. The man is a genius.
Do you play any gore video games... Resident Evil? Silent Hill?
KJ: Unfortunately not, although from what I've seen they can be quite amazing. I haven't
learned how to play anything past Atari .. ha ha .. but the graphics, stories and music to
these games are fukking great. Someday I'll sit down and mess with them.
What's going on with your label Baphomet Records these days?
KJ: Baphomet is going stronger than ever, got some great releases coming up. The new
Nokturne disc is just fucking mind blowing .. so utterly raw and full of hate .. the best
black metal stuff I've heard in years!!!
A lot of young kids consider themselves experts on the old Norwegian black metal
scene because they've read that Vikernes was a true hero and say extremely rude and
hateful things about Euronymous, which seem to be regurgitated inaccurate versions of
Varg's unflattering comments about Euronymous in his LOC interview. When you see and hear
things like this, are you able to shrug it off as ignorance, or do you have anything you
want to say to them?
KJ: That's something I don't wanna talk about. I'm not here to educate these mindless kids
that wanna believe he's some kind of hero. He took away the greatest black metal musician
ever and one of my best friends. I miss Euronymous every day of my life, and I don't wanna
give that guy any power by saying anything about him. To me he simply doesn't exist. He is
nothing.
Lastly, I understand that you hate interviews, and so I really appreciate you
allowing me to torture you. Why were you willing to do this for me? And will you be doing
quite a few more to promote the new album?
KJ: I am just to the point of having really said everything I need to say. A new record
does not change my ideals, thoughts or what the band is about. I worship Fulci, I'm a
horror junkie, and I love creating horror on many different levels and mediums. I would
rather create and have others find a meaning than to sit and explain it. Everything is the
same even as it changes. It's a morbid evil-ution. I talked with you because you are a
friend and you're ultra cool. I'm sure I'll have to do some interviews along the way this
year but I'm hoping some of the other guys can do this stuff. Anyway .. thanxxx for your
support. See you on tour soon .. Gore forever .. Fulci liiives ..
www.necrophagia.com
Unholiestgoddess link The Dirt
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Killjoy | Unholiestgoddess | 3/21/2005 | |
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