1 – For Those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
A. Sathsiva: We ‘re from Italy and we play Black/Thrash Metal with Occult, Esoteric and Traditional Magic
Rites lyrics; we was born, as band, in 2009 ‘cause I splitted up my first band, WAR, but I wanted play again extreme music with an Occult/ Esoteric approach. Too much people pass by Nyx, for line up, in my opinion… at least G. Azelyoth (our second drummer; he has recorded all our cds) and S.Flagellyon (in two different moment) joined the band and we recorded “HAIRESIS”. Back in the day my idea was about an hybrid style between Black, Thrash (for guitar lines) and Avant-garde Metal but after “…DEATH…” it was clear to us that a simply Black/Thrash was our own line for future. From here “Obnubilato Incesto Semen” “Fides Lucifera” and “Hairesis” go ahead on this way.
S.Flagellyon: I joined the band in October 2012 as bass guitar player, already in Schwarz Pest (as guitarist,
composer, bassist and backing vocals) and Herjan (vocals, guitarist, bassist, composer).
2 – So far you released 2 demo’s, an ep and a full length, how would you describe the musical sound that
is presented on the recordings and also how do they differ from each other?
A.Sathsiva: Yes, two demos: “…Death…” total different approach; Black Metal with Thrash Metal and a little bit of Avant-garde (about some structures and the LITTLE use of keyboards). It appears as an “ casual episode” within our discography if you consider the musical style, but at same time, we had the “ANTI” attitude yet, of course… this attitude is at the basis of Our Spirit and Birth. MNMO!! “Obnubilato Incesto Semen” is the second one and here the music is Black/Thrash Metal and we have no more keyboards and we play faster…is an unripe work but I like it and it starts our tradition to use paintings for covers. The EP “Fides Lucifera” maintaining musical style and, obviously the Esoteric lyrics; it contains two new songs – at the time – “ Reverteris” and “Tulpa Strigoi”, a Marduk’s cover “Jesus Christ Sodomized” and a re-recorded version of “Ejaculating Death”. “Reverteris” in particular, revealed the melodic part of us and a little technical way in the structure that we use more times in our songs. This EP is important for me ‘cause was published by Ordo Templi Serpentis a label created on purpose to honoring a Path between me and the Magician that make It. At last we arrived to “Hairesis”, our first full album, published by Vacula/Sathanath Rec. It represent Nyx in official way, and official sound. Black/Thrash Metal & Occult and Esoteric Lyrics. It condense the best parts of the past works…
S.Flagellyon: I started to play in Nyx in October 2012 and I only recorded “Hairesis”. The kind of Black Metal proposed in it is raw and fast, but still sough without too many compromises and strongly influenced by Swedish Black Metal style and Thrash Metal. I think the composition style is the same of the previous works, change the sound that in the past was certainly influenced by Death and Doom Metal and Thrash more than now. I believe that Nyx's sounds and atmospheres are unique and not easily to found elsewhere, something new and innovative for the genre.
3 –In the beginning the band had more symphonic, doom metal and thrash elements and the new album
has more of straight forward black metal style, what was the reason behind going into this musical
direction?
A.Sathsiva: Simply because I’m an old style Metal head, I played and listen for all my life old Metal style of
different subgenres (Tharsh and Black in particular, but also Death and Classic Heavy Metal). So when I listened the final master of “…Death…” I said “this is not my way, is too much light for me…missing violence here …I must come back to my roots!!”. After “…Death…” still remains the Thrash Metal riffs played in Black Metal way… I like to listen and play it. This is the simply reason behind!
S.Flagellyon: I joined the band and I started working at “Hairesis” when it's sound has already oriented
towards the current sound.
4 –Your lyrics cover a lot of Luciferian, Left Hand Path and Occult topics, can you tell us a little bit more
about your interest in black arts?
A.Sathsiva: I’m within Occult, Esoteric Arts. I study and practice Occultism. All my life style is around it. I’m arrived in this Part of Life, years ago, in natural way; I can say that I’m always here…the reason is private, obviously! The LHP is the way that I chose for the rest of my Life and for my Death. I’m practicing everyday a sequence of practice taken by different disciplines within LHP, and I’m practicing Necromantic and Occult experiment with sleuth people. At same time I’m interesting in traditional studies (Medical & Magical) ‘cause are very very very very important to practicing Magic. As musician, I’m interesting also in tradition of shamanistic chant and some disciplines of therapeutic use of music…all the results of my research go into my music for Nyx, but I like to keep ‘em all under the ashes. I believe it’s right that.
S.Flagellyon: Nyx's lyrics are written by A.Satshiva, I take care of the bass composition. I make music for
myself and I consider it my refuge, no praise for supernatural entities; I am not satanist and I am not interested in the Black Arts.
5 – I know that the band was named after the Greek Goddess, how does this name fit in with the musical
style that you play?
A.Sathsiva: Nyx is the Night. Night bring rest and dreams or torments and nightmares. When you sleep are in deep contact with yourself and if you can’t control this level you touch your “mask” in different part and
identifications, so I wanted to see this as a V.I. T.R.I.O.L. descent, a condition where you have no escape from yourself, you must face the REAL you, and you must to fight against your parts and your condition –
paradoxically - during wakefulness. This is one of the firsts steps to change your Spirit, fight with yourself, to
start your translation into a “Warrior Monk”. Nyx is a stance, inside and outside ourself. Also our logo contains contrast and messages, someone is visible and clear, someone else is hidden and Occult… when you start with a deep work in and on yourself, you ‘ll arrive in another dimension with your Spirit and your mind, from here, has no more boundaries…
6 – What are some of the best shows that the band played so far and also how would you describe your
stage performance?
A.Sathsiva: There isn’t a single shows can be named “the best”…they’re all important for atmosphere around and for the bill (we played with Handful of Hate, Natassievila, Helegion for example), we learned so much from other bands and the relationships with other bands are always great… So far our shows are great, ‘cause people are great and this is the important part for live performances, they are great for the energy exchange that’s create between us and people… I can say that differences between our shows, so far, are represented by different hour of our exhibitions: when we open the shows there are less people (but great people, believe me) and when we are late in the bill there are more people and, of course, is cool…about our attitude on stage, as I said I’m an old school Metal Head so our shows are more extreme metal old style! No scenography, no speech, no fake sacrifices on stage…only us that play our music with all the hate that live in us!! I like this way so I’m doing it.
S.Flagellyon: During these years we performed a dozen times and we had the honor to share the stage with big names like Handful of Hate , BlackFlame, Helegion, Funeral Whore, Enisum and Gotland. I remember with great pleasure my first performance with Nyx in May 2013. The best shows are the two with Handful of Hate in December and in April 2015, Release Party with Gotland in March 2014 and “Advnata Daemonica” with Schwarz Pest in October 2014. We usually perform in a direct way and without too many frills, always showing professionalism on and off the stage, the attitude towards the public is of detachment and respect as we believe it is right for the genre and in line with our personalities. The response of the public has always been positive.
7 – Do you have any touring or shows plans for the future?
A.Sathsiva: Yes, we speaking about shows with someone in Italy and in an other country but at the moment is too early to say something in official way…we hope that this can be achieved…at this moment is confirmed only “Slaughter Fest 2016”on February 5 & 6 with Blasphomus Noise Torment, Demonomancy, Necromass, Putridity and others…
G.Azelyoth: We have only a few gigs scheduled for 2016, mainly in the North of Italy, while so far we haven’ ’t planned any future tour dates.
S.Flagellyon: We are currently preparing for the next year exhibitions, at the moment there aren't tour dates but only individual in our city and in Northern Italy.
8 –A couple of years back you had done a Marduk cover, what was the decision behind doing your own
version of one of their songs?
A.Sathsiva: “Jesus Christ Sodomized” is the song ahahahahahahahaha yes, we played a version of this one
‘cause is a real raw riffed and blasphemous song!! I think that it’s sound well also in a more “punky” version, without a double bass and blasts…I like very much the original one, it’s clear, but I think that an “old style version” is good for it, no more tech in the execution of instrumental parts and more rehearsal atmosphere, as an old demo, make it more raw ahahaha an homage to the Spirit of first B.M.… we insert it in “Fides Lucifera” as a balance of melody and tech structure of “Reverteris” at the time…after this facts, I say Marduk of Nineties – ‘til “Panzer Division Marduk”- is my favorite Black Metal Band, I love as Morgan play guitar riff, and I find in their ‘90’s line –up the fury and the violence of the first Slayer…the best of the two subgenres!!!!
G.Azelyoth: It was a natural consequence rather than a decision… we thought i it could work l like that because it reflected our own style. So why not do i it?
9 –On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?
A.Sathsiva: It appears a really good feedback; my impression is that our style is appreciated especially World’s East Side and in South America, we have more contacts from Russia, Ukraine and other country of this zone and at same time from Perù, Brazil…for me is a great Honor ‘cause I like very much both people…they are so extreme, I think that if we ‘re appreciated from this people we doing well our job…from East Side – I think- Black/Thrash is a Cult and I like, anyway, the mind of people and ,instead, from South America, the Cult is violence in music so, I think, we are in the right way… as I said, this feedback is a great feedback for me. We have had a good response also from Italy, especially from other bands; so far I can say that I’m satisfied
G.Azelyoth: I think the feedback we had worldwide was not bad, i it was certainly better that the one we had in our country. We make music mainly for ourselves, i if people l like i it, so much the better.
S.Flagellyon: Our latest work has received much interest from Italian and foreign webzines and the reviews
were good . The feedback has been positive also between who followed our exhibitions in our city, the band with whom we have shared the stage and who has listened to our music. We will soon see it also among people who will see us in the coming concerts away from Turin.
10 – What do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
A.Sathsiva: Forever in Extreme Metal. I think we will never do “experiments” like Black Metal and Gospel to
be “originals & cool”…I don’t give a fuck, I don’t give a shit about this way. Of course Nyx will grown up with us and with my research in Musical & Esoteric Tradition so we’ll include sound experiments but always in a Black/Thrash Metal way and often, the big part of these experiments, will be hidden under the ashes, as now…
S.Flagellyon: I cannot know what will be the future of the band; what we can do is to work to try to get the best results possible and to bring our music to a level as high as possible. Then you know that music is also a matter of luck, find the right contacts at the right time. Surely we will continue to make music for ourselves.
11 – What are some of the bands or musical styles that had influence on your music and also what are
you listening nowadays?
A.Sathsiva: I like, for first, the old Bay Area Thrash Metal, I’have grown up with it…in particular the guitar
styles of James Hetfield, Jeff Hanneman and Dave Mustaine (at their Golden Age…) influenced me in my way to play guitar. So their albums ‘til 1994 are my favourites in T.M. about American area, but I like also Coroner, Celtic Frost, Mercyful Fate/King Diamond, fist Destruction, Sodom and Kreator, and again Hallow’s Eve, Dark Angel and Sadus. I’m influenced by Bathory, as I said by Marduk, Morbid Angel, Sepultura ( ‘til “Beneath the Remains”), Sarcofago, first Dark Funeral, Dissection… Is very important in my background Italian Metal, Handful of Hate, Mortuary Drape, Adversam, Maldoror, Aboyrm, Necromass, Death SS, Funeral Oration and something like Jacula/Antonius Rex, Malombra, Paul Chain, Goblin (“Deep Red” soundtrack is amazing) and I like also classical and ancient music as R. Wagner, Beethoven, A. Vivaldi…nowadays I added to all this Dark Ambient and Martial Folk (Mz412, DHG, Phurpa, Blood Axis, Hagalaz’Runedance, Arktau Eos …) and new Italian Black Metal Bands, Movimento d’Avanguardia Ermetico, Enisum, Comando Praetorio, Oltretomba, Natassievila…All of ‘em and all of these different styles influenced me and someone of them showed me parts of Extreme Metal from a different prospective…I like very much also the music from ‘60/’70 so bands like King Crimson, Coven, Black Widow, Black Sabbath…
G.Azelyoth: Personally I don’ ’t l listen much to black metal, therefore the i influence from bands belonging to this genre is minimal l, I try to process rhythmical languages and musical approaches deriving from death metal and develop them i into Nyx’s music.
S.Flagellyon: I listen to all Metal and in particular to Black Metal in every style and shade; the ratings are heavily dependent on periods and moods , as well as the composition. I prefer the Scandinavian scene (on all Dark Funeral, Behexen, Horna, Marduk and Gorgoroth) that is the one that inspired me much more, especially on guitar being primarily a guitarist. In Nyx I haven't particular reference band or artists for the composition; I rely a lot on my instincts and my good taste including Thrash and Death Metal influences too, in line with the band's style.
12 – Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
A.Sathsiva: Not in particular, for me. I wanna say thank You for this interview and for Your interest about us and I wanna say thank You also to our label, Vacula/Sathanath and to all people that follow and support us… MNMO!!!
G.Azelyoth: I would l like to thank Nyx and all the supporters of underground music.
S.Flagellyon: I would spend last words to thanks your webzine for interest in us and this place, as well as the
good review of our first Full-Length. Regards S.Flagellyon.