Azaghal – “I have always been a huge fan of 90’s Swedish Death Metal”

The actually ever-productive Azaghal unexpectedly was very silent for several years; after ‘Valo Pohjoisesta’, released in 2018, it was years of waiting for a follow-up to this solid album. But in 2022, some digital singles arrived there. These turned out to be teasers, a prelude to a new album that saw the light of day early this year. And fitting into the Azaghal tradition nicely, the band has some surprises in store on this latest album again. About this new work, ‘Alttarimme On Luista Tehty’, with its rather unexpected Death Metal sound, I spoke to founder and guitarist Narqath…

Hi Narqath, welcome to The Whispering Darkness and thanks for taking the time to answer some questions that were burning inside me since I’ve heard your latest album, ‘Alttarimme On Luista Tehty’. The album has been out for two months now, that might be a good moment for a first and brief reflection. How do you think the album turned out?
Very pleased with the result, and it has been well received so far. I intentionally wanted to make shorter and more compact songs and we succeeded in that, also killer performance from our new vocalist Thirteen. All in all, the album turned out pretty much exactly like I envisioned it.

Azaghal has always been a band that seems to be in a constant shape shifting state. You’ll not find many records in the band’s, quite impressive, back catalogue that sound really alike. If we’ll leave out ‘Alttarimme On Luista Tehty’ for now, we’ll go more into detail of the album later, how would you describe and explain the constant overall development of the band’s sound?
We have had the same songwriting process for years now actually, with me coming up with some riff ideas then Lima laying down the drumtracks upon which I then flesh out my ideas further into full songs. But yeah, I would say there has been 3 eras of Azaghal, from Mustamaa to Of Beasts, then from Perkeleen Luoma to Nemesis, and then from Madon Sanat to nowadays. But I think there is always the underlying Azaghal sound in all we do.

While the sound of each album might differ from album to album, the band’s primal core, which is Black Metal, remains intact. What do you consider the main driving force behind the band, being it either musical, thematically or spiritually?
It’s a simple need to create, both musically and spiritually, nothing has really changed in that since the beginning of the band in the 90s. I would go (more) insane without an outlet for my thoughts both in musical and written format.

If we’d go to the nitty-gritty of ‘Alttarimme On Luista Tehty’ there is one thing that need to strike anyone who has been following the band for a couple of years. The aforementioned shifting in sound seems to be more drastically this time. While there was already some hints of a Death Metal-tinged sound on the previous album, there evidently is more Death Metal to this new album than ever before. Can you take us through the creative process of creating this latest album?
Like I stated earlier, the process has been pretty much the same for years now with me and drummer Lima, hoping to change things up a bit in the future with lead guitarist Ruho contributing more to the song writing, and of course now Thirteen handles a lot of the lyrics. But yeah, I agree, there have been hints of death metal sound in the past, and its a bit more prominent on the new album, altough it’s still 100% black metal in ideology and spirit.

The new album has been linked to a sound close to “Swedish Death Metal”, even adding comparisons to Dismember and ‘Alttarimme On Luista Tehty’ might even creep up to the dark and heavy characteristics of ‘Poisonous Path’ of your country mates of Behexen. Can you relate to such comparisons?
Haven’t heard Poisonous Parth, so can’t comment on that. But yeah, I have always been a huge fan of 90s Swedish death metal, and while composing this album I did notice it myself that fuck, hopefully I am not ripping-off Dismember completely here hehe. But instead of starting to change the songs, I decided to embrace it and went even more in that direction, since it simply felt correct to me.

Aside from the sound that might or might not have Death Metal ring to it, the album seems a bit more versatile and divergent. For instance, I personally liked the keyboard melodies in a song like ‘Myrkkyä’. That might not be totally new to Azaghal’s sound, but it definitely seems to be diversifying the nature of the band. What is your personal view on this?
I  have to disagree here, I tried composing short and compact songs, that would work well live, and I think mostly they have so far. I mean, each song is their own creation, and naturally they are different, but that wasn’t something I thought about while composing them. Also, there is no synths in Myrkkyä, only in Kultti and Seitsemän Ihmisen Irvikuvaa.

One very obvious change with this latest records is the addition of a new vocalist, Thirteen. As far as I know he wasn’t much of an active musician, at least I was not able to track anything down about possible previous bands. How did his joining Azaghal came about? And how do you feel his presence has reflected the band and the overall sound?
Niflungr moved back to the cold depths of Lapland to concentrate on his farm and family, so needing a new vocalist. Thirteen was an obvious choice who I would ask to replace him. He has a long history in the Hyvinkää scene and with JLNokturnal, our old lead guitarist, who still plays some leads for us in the studio. He brings a lot of new energy, lyrics and a great stage presence to Azaghal, and of course he is a great and like-minded dude. He is mostly known for his long career in horror punk with Scarecrow and Panzercrow.

Since the lyrics are all in Finnish, as with almost everything Azaghal released so far. Did the change of vocalist also change the lyrical side of the band?
The lyrical side has changed a bit, but that’s my decision, not because of the new vocalist. I wanted to make more direct, less philosophical lyrics for this album because according to me that approach fit the more compact and stripped down songs better.

‘Alttarimme On Luista Tehty’ is the second album you have recorded for your current label, Immortal Frost Productions. From my end they seem very dedicated and judging on their current roster I think Azaghal is the label’s best known act. How do you judge and value the work done by Immortal Frost Productions?
Their work and support has been excellent, and we communicating constantly, unlike with some previous labels where you would have to wait 6 months to get a reply to anything. It feels like for the first time since maybe Evil Horde we are on a label that gives a fuck about us and what we are doing.

You have just returned from a short tour with Corpus Christii and Liber Null. Can you share some of your experiences from this tour with us?
It was a great tour, good people in great bands (not to forget from this Sidious),  everything went smooth and the audience response was very good. We are also right now probably the tightest live than we have ever been in the past because of having a killer line-up in Azaghal and we have been busting our asses rehearsing more than ever these days. My hats to the organizers, bands and everyone who came to see the tour, good times.

Something else that must strike anyone that browses along your last records, or actually, last two records, is the magnificent artwork. But let’s focus on your latest album, it is adorned with great piece of art and I am quite curious how that came about. Did the artist, Ronarg of Ars Veneficium (with whom you have also shared a 12” EP with) have free rein to create whatever he came up with or did you give him some hints in what you have in mind?
He sent me some stuff he had ready, which, while nice, didn’t really fit in my opinion. So he did us a bunch of sketches on pencil until we agreed on the one that we found fitting.  The artist was suggested by our label, and it worked out great. I think it’s a suitably old school painted cover for the album and fits the title.

Having your roots all the way back in 1995, Azaghal is one of the longest running Black Metal bands from Finland. I am sure that within these decades things have changed a lot for you, not only age is a thing that comes into play, but also the (Black) Metal scene as a whole changed a lot over the course of those 25 years. If you’d look back and have to describe “the scene” in a couple of sentences, how would you do that?
Never been a part of any scene. What I will point out is that that apart from Horna, we are the only band that has kept on goiing since the 90s,. Everyone takes a brake for work or children. For me Azaghal has always come first, so take that for what it is.

And, as a whole, have your main sources of inspiration changed over the quarter of a century that you are now making music with Azaghal?
Not really, there is the same underlying theme of Satanism and Dragonrouge, and musically we always end up with early 90s norweigian black metal. Ho Drakon Ho Megas.

I once read a thread at the Nuclear War Now! Productions forum where Azaghal was the centre of ridicule and jeers because no one in Finland would take the band seriously, with the lyrics being the main target. So, a bit of a continuing on the previous questions, more specifically on the role of Azaghal in the Finnish Black Metal scene. Can you share your thoughts on this?
Never given a fuck what people thought about us/me. I know what I am doing and I have a calling to do it so I have no choice. We have always been the outsiders and I am happy with that.

A more light-hearted question to start wrap things up, I’m always very curious about what keeps musicians musically engaged in terms of other people’s work. What good records have you heard lately and are worth recommending?
I am obsessed with Blue Öyster Cult, greatest band ever. From new bands I would mention Messa, great occult stuff from Italy. And yeah, check out our singers Scarecrow, it’s killer. Otherwise I just stick to my 90s black and death metal.

Thanks a lot for your time and sharing your thoughts with us, if you feel I forgot something or have anything to add, please go ahead, the last words are yours.
Thanks, hope to see you on tour again still in 2023, if everything goes to plan.