Remember that old article about Christian Black Metal Necromag did last month? Well we managed to contact several bands for interviews, and one of the most popular bands of the genre, Fearscape.
Due to their schedule, we could not get an interview in time for said article, but we can now present to you the interview in full!
Check this very heavy, very brutal band here.
NM. As a band incorporating Christian elements into your music, do you find it difficult to get your message across whilst playing such an extreme style of music that,for so long, has been mostly associated with anti-christian themes?
( Mercury-vocals/lyrics) I wouldn’t say difficult. The message we have is 2000 years old and revolves around treating people as equals, centering on charity and compassion to all humanity. There are not to many people who would disagree with being treated in this way. The difficulty I think is that there is a veneer of religious institutionalism which most secular communities find hypocritical or self-righteous. We happen to agree with the judgement of the man made institutionalism. Christ opposed this institutionalism, ‘brood of viper’ i think is what he described the judging, hypocritical, self-righteous, conservative elites of His time. We discuss what we believe all the time with punters at club shows-they usually start it as they want to discuss their views which is great. We love conversing with people with all degrees of opinion. Almost all the time, those who disagree with our beliefs are disagreeing with man made elements which we find abhorrent as well.
The Bible is a fascinating book It is full of complex moral situations. Elements such as genocide, sexual deviancy,war, rape, sodomy,racial and religious intolerance, spiritualism and mysticism, the future,the true potential of mankind, freedom,humility,overcoming adversity, triumphing of evil of all kinds and guidance for holistic fulfillment of a person are all contained within the scriptures. Unfortunately the boring institutional ‘elites’ have watered things down so most non-christian people have no awareness of how ‘colourful’ the Bible actual is. It is a book of liberation-not control!
We write from a perspective of illustrating scenes and emotions that exist in the scriptures-many of which secular metal bands like to write about, without a context though. We believe God created all things including music, and especially metal. The devil has always been a counterfeiter-plagiarising what God has already created-metal isn’t anti-God, if anything it is the perfect expression of God as it is limitless. You can play as fast or as slow as you want, heavy or mellow, light or dark etc etc. No other music has this quality and is so expressive.
NM. What attracts you to Blackmetal (or unblack Metal) style of music that you play?
(Mercury-vocals/lyrics) I guess it is the extreme nature of the music. I don’t see black metal oriented music as having limitations, it can be added to or made quite minimalist. I have been fascinated by the attempt to attach all kinds of ‘dark’ spiritualism to the music which is interesting as an expression of one’s soul. The idea that black metal isn’t black metal unless it is satanic is rubbish. Music is music and meanings are attached by the musician and interpreted by the listener. The argument is really about semantics. It is like someone calling us an ‘unblack’ metal band. The title is ridiculous and most christian who play black metal styled music think it is stupid as well. For us, and i think for many people these days, black metal is a genre style that appears to carry a great deal of spiritual and philosophical view points. We believe God created all things-therefore the genre belongs to Him before any one as the originator of all music. Fearscape aren’t strictly a ‘black metal’ band by genre. If anything we are really a ‘progressive blackmetal’ band. Our future directions however will probably take us further into the sonic core of the black metal genre though.
NM. Do you ever accidentally get accused of being Satanists because of the stigma attached to this style?
(Mercury-vocals/lyrics) I can’t say that has ever happened, it would be quite amusing if it did though! We do get a few raised eyebrows at some christian music festivals we have played at, not for the music as heavy music is quite popular amongst christians around the world, but the presentation. I have been known to pour fake blood all over my self during a show as a representation of the covering of Christ’s blood. I mean literally drenched. The metal crowds love it, but the clean up often gets a few queries. mainstream conservative christian culture doesn’t understand-but this is to be expected because mainstream conservative secular cultures don’t understand either. We do have dialogue with satanists of all kinds and those who claim to be atheists as well. Fearscape has always been a vehicle for discourse. I am an Ancient History teacher by profession, sometimes some students jokingly call me ‘satan’ in the play ground, it always brings a smirk to the face.
NM. How big is the Christian Black Metal scene in your country today? Is it becoming more popular?
(Mercury-vocals/lyrics) The christian metal ‘scene’ in Australia is quite diverse and black metal is certainly an influence. Australia has been the home for quite a few of the most famous christian extreme metal acts such as Mortification ( Scrolls of the Megilloth and Post Momentary Affliction are legendary death/grind-core albums), Horde ( first christian blackmetal band to be signed to a secular label-Nuclear Blast) and doom legends Paramaecium (Exhumed of the earth). At present Mortification are still alive, Horde has done a recent live dvd in Norway and Paramaecium have morphed into a brilliant death metal act called InExordium ( Carcass meets Bolt Thrower). Synnove are a symphonic black metal act from South Australia who might be categorised with a sound not to unlike Emperor. There are a few smaller acts coming up but most are thrash/death in style. The christian ‘scene’ has some fantastic black metal acts such as Crimson Moonlight and Stronghold who can go toe to toe with any band in the world in regard to speed, technicality and aggression. Sympathy from Canada are amazing, more in the ilk of Suffocation and U.S death/ black metal and Spirit’s Breeze from Brazil are absolutely brutal, in the same category of Krisian and Nile. There is a plethora of small one man black metal ‘projects’ all around the world, most are garage/bedroom bands and there is a real infatuation with black metal at present. The number of bands that turn into something of quality is small, but when they do they appear to be very good.
NM. Which bands influence Fearscape?
(Mercury-vocals/lyrics) Our last album ‘Scent of Divine Blood’ was influenced by Enslaved, Opeth and to a lesser extent Immortal, Emperor and My Dying Bride. Our bass player is a big Coroner fan and is quite fond of technical bass lines. As I said before, our sound is moving towards a more core black metal sound so it won’t be a surprise to hear more Immortal, Keep of Kalessin, Amon Amarth and earlier Enslaved as musical influences. There will probably be more speed and brutality on the next disc I think, time will tell.
If you want to listen to Fearscape, their whole album is availiable on their MySpace.
Interview by [OxKing]
