With ‘Diabolatry’, released at the end of 2023, one of the standard bearers of Singapore’s Extreme Metal scene made itself heard again. While a new album from Infernal Execrator always guarantees quality and musical integrity, recent years have seen an increasingly tentative musical shift. The band seems to be moving further and further towards a Necrophobic-like melodicism. On ‘Diabolatry’, that move is more prominent again, making it the most all-round album from this respectable and esteemed band. I spoke to singer/guitarist and founder Lord Ashir about this subtle musical shift, the new album and about the current state of the scene in South East Asia…
Lord Ashir, welcome to these pages. You have recently released ‘Diabolatry’, your third full-length album. Although it is a logical continuation from what you have done before with Infernal Execrator, it also felt like you have done a few things different this time. In my review I mentioned that some Necrophobic-like melody crept into your sound. About the melody we’ll talk in the next questions, but as a whole, how do you look back at the album now it has been out for a couple of months?
6.6.6. Infernal hails to you Felix! First of all, appreciate the interrogation in The Whispering Darkness. I’m proud to have the latest opus finally unleashed after rehearsing has to be put on hold when pandemics struck. We have received tons of positive reviews. That doesn’t matter much to the hordes, as it is based on our self-satisfaction.
As said, to me ‘Diabolatry’ feels like a logical continuation when compared to your previous two full-length records. I personally love the dynamics within the album; there’s a lot of aggressive grinding and chaotic guitars as well as sharp-edged melodies and guitar tone, lots of tempo changes as well. How would you personally describe the music on ‘Diabolatry’ and how do you place it in the Infernal Execrator tradition?
Infernal Execrator has been execrating Ultra Barbaric Assault since 2005, and to put it in simple terms, it’s black death metal. This applies to all the releases we executed and will remain unchanged. With the bestial influences of Abhorer, Sarcofago, Beherit, Impiety, Blasphemy, Conqueror, Angelcorpse, Archgoat, old Marduk, Abominator, old Belphegor and many more to mention.
Not that the concept of “melody” is completely new to your musical DNA, it feels really like you have struck a great balance between the more barbaric sort of primal sound of Infernal Execrator with a more new found melodicism. For sure it gives the music some blessing freshness to it. Was this a deliberate choice of further exploring these territories or did the music just naturally evolve in this direction? Can you mention something specific that served as an inspiration for this interesting development?
All hymn compositions were written by me, and I believe the path to composing a new album and ideas came through as they are. And yes, this is the choice I made, and it will naturally be within my directive.
In the review I’ve written for ‘Diabolatry’ I mentioned that the current sound of Infernal Execrator, with a bit more dynamics and a clear progressed song writing, might open new doors with new musical possibilities. What do you think about that? And what can we expect from the band in the future, how do you expect your sound to further evolve?
I’ve worked with Nizam from Chamber 47 Studio since 2007, he understands what I need and want. We did some comparison between the first album, “Ad Infinitum Satanic Adherent”, and the second album, “Obsolete Ordinance”, before we dominated with the mixing and mastering to gain the sound we needed for the album “Diabolatry”. I’ve started to work on upcoming EP’s and split releases. Expect it to be raw and more chaotic!
I also mentioned that you have progressed quite a bit on song writing, subsequently you have been able to forge more all-rounded and overall mature tracks – yet without losing much of the primal corner stones of the Black/Death Metal genre. How would you characterize this musical evolution in yourself as a musician?
I grew up listening to black/death metal up until now, and with all the influences in me, I don’t require a skill or be a guitar hero to forge a song. As mentioned before in previous questions, this is the choice I made, and it will naturally be within my directive of what and how it shall be.
While you are around for almost two decades now, you have only released three full-length albums, including ‘Diabolatry’. Does this mean you have always taken the time to properly and precisely craft your songs? Or is it just the way you work, wrapping the band around all other things that take up your time too?
Affirmative! We will start to rehearse after all the songwriting is completed. We will desecrate the studio when it is done. This is what we have practiced since the demo era. We do have commitments, but we don’t give excuses. Passion and strength are the keys of M.C.B.L. Heathen Cult.
To me Infernal Execrator has always been the band that from all the “newer” bands had the most in common with the classic Singaporean Extreme Metal acts: Abhorer and Impiety. With the latter you also shared a split LP/tape. Can you take us along in what these bands mean to you as a person and to Infernal Execrator?
They are forever the kults gods from Singabyss!
You have been around since 2005, which makes you one of the older and longest running bands in the region. As a veteran in these South East Asian territories, how do you look upon the scene the way it is now compared to the moment you have started the band in the mid 00’s? Keeping it personal, there is always some pretty enthusiastic talk here about the scene on your side of the planet. What is it really like?
Time, things, and the world have changed. I’m not against it but unfortunately, I don’t see anything great happening here in Singapore either scene or band (only a few are real), even though it’s trying very hard to grow compared to Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, etc. people come and go. Too much of a self-proclaimed black metal joker elite. Lots of bedroom bands which I can’t deny some are worth listening to and getting their releases. I do see some shows happening here and there with great and small crowds depending on the show and what band is playing. It seems people rely on social media for band news, shows, releases and rumours to survive their day. I believe these people, especially the newer generation, can’t survive without it. Not to forget there are way too many labels nowadays too. Not much trading happening in Singapore like how it used to be during my era. No written zines in Singapore nowadays at all. It is dead! Not many people are into listening to or collecting any format of physical releases.
Can’t say much for Thailand or Malaysia scene as there are many great bands there and still worshipping the old era regardless of old or new comrades I knew and yes, we still do trades. Nowadays, the new generation doesn’t support any form of physical release or understand the word trade, zines or cassettes. They don’t bother to get to know it. They prefer YouTube or Shitify and expect free stuff from you! Happens to me many times and big fuck off to these scums! The same goes for newer bands, they prefer their songs to be on digital releases and become famous quickly instead of working hard on something they believe in. They prefer not to release physical copies or cassettes for a demo. I do understand how easy this works and not many costs are involved but for the newer band, please wake up your mind and do it with passion, not fashion! Strength through adversity! Just to add, here are some recommended bands from South East Asia that have a strong passion and release great stuff:
Impiety, Battlestorm, Vrykolakas, As Sahar, Lycanthropic, Nozturnized, Damned Eternal, Tartarean Vengeance, Surrender of Divinity, Zygoatsis, Battle Hymn, IEON, Humiliation, Barbalan, Kilatus, Korihor and Absit Omen.
Continuing on the previous question, since Infernal Execrator is one of the only bands that actually played and toured in Europe and beyond. How would you compare all the different scenes on all the corners of the world? Where are the similarities and, perhaps more interestingly, where can you find the differences?
I don’t agree with you. Impiety has toured all over the world. I’m proud to raise the Singapore flag high after execrating two European tours, and it’s not an easy ride for us, which involves lots of sacrifices that not all bands in Singapore can do. Both European tours are violated without mercy! It was great to meet some of my contacts on some of our ritual dates after many years of firing emails. Great hordes support, killer crowds on every show and they are ready to obtain any merchandise you brought over. We only carry limited merchandise on our European tours or rituals and all these shall never be reprinted. Not to forget all the countries we have decimated before. The only difference is communication and the weather. We have plans to invade Europe again in 2025.
Officially you are also still in Imperial Tyrants, but the last thing the world has seen or heard from the band was the split with… Infernal Execrator, back in 2010. You only have released two splits and a demo, so the wait was for a full-length album. So, any news on Imperial Tyrants?
I’m a session guitarist for Imperial Tyrants. Kommando Antichristo is the founder of the Imperial cult! M.C.B.L. Heathen Blood Cult split is the last release of Imperial Tyrants. There won’t be any plans for upcoming releases or shows as of now. Let’s see what the future holds. Invoke imperial_tyrants@hotmail.com to get further information.
A bit of a standard question perhaps, but quite an important one too: what will Infernal Execrator be doing the remainder of the year? Anything specific that we need to keep our eyes on in the coming period?
We will be working on our upcoming opus. You have been warned!
Alright, Lord Ashir, that was it for now. Thanks for sharing your time with me, I’m leaving the last, closing words to you…
Eternal hails to you lord Felix of the Whispering Darkness, and thanks for the great 666 blasphemous interrogations. To all heathen soldiers, get Infernal Execrator’s latest opus, “Diabolatry”, via these labels or distributors.
Pulverised Records: https://www.pulverised.net/
Cudgel: https://www.cudgel.de/
Nuclear War Now: https://www.nwnprod.com/
Invoke the M.C.B.L. goathordes: infernalexecrator@gmail.com
