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Hailing from Austin, Texas, the black metal band AVERSE SEFIRA was formed in late 1996 by its sole members, Sanguine Asmodel Nocturne (Sam Spoor) and Wrath Sathariel Diabolus (Jeff Tandy). Drums on their debut "Blasphomet Sin Abset" demo are performed on a drum machine, but the band has taken steps to keep its sound as natural as possible to avoid resembling an industrial act. The name, "Averse Sefira", is actually part of the mythos of the Cabala, which claims that a group of angels called the Sefiroth exist in heaven. While they are not expressly evil, the Averse Sefira emanate out of God's left hand; each one serving as an opposite counterpart to the Sefira at the right hand. The Averse Sefira for the Angel of Mercy is the Angel of Vengeance, for the Angel of Victory, there is an Angel of Defeat, and so on. The music itself is what many have come to expect from black metal genre as it is extreme, fast and brutal. The thematic elements, however, are different from other bands of this kind, since all of the lyrics tell an ongoing story. This material is the Averse Sefira's tale about the demon god Blasphomet and his unrequited love for Abset, an empress of Hell. Rather than delving into Viking or Vampire lore, the duo have assumed the roles of two Averse Sefira and created their own mythology to compliment the music. This tape was completely executed and produced by the band in a home studio, and it is currently receiving recurrent airplay on Austin's only FM metal show. Averse Sefira are in the process of preparing new material in anticipation of a full-length release in the winter. And now read the interview with Wrath Sathariel Diabolus and Sanguine Asmodel Nocturne. They tell some interesting aspects of the band.
Anything about the band for those who haven't heard about AVERSE SEFIRA before?
Wrath: AVERSE SEFIRA is the expression of divine anguish in the form of extreme Black Metal.
Sanguine: We are the forge of the new soul reshaping divinity.
You formed AVERSE SEFIRA together with Sanguine Asmodel Nocturne. What were the influences for that?
Wrath: Our band influences were IMMORTAL, SATYRICON, DEICIDE, IMMOLATION, and most of the worthwhile Death and Black Metal that most people know.
Sanguine: We felt that our common vision should be honed and expressed through this type of art and let loose on the unsuspecting.
The demo songs have an excellent production, did you spend a lot of time to get such quality sound?
Wrath: Yes, though it was difficult because I produced this myself. Four tracks is not much to work with, but I think it came out the way we wanted it.
Where did you take that strange demo title from? Can you explain us its meaning?
Sanguine: The songs revolve around the story of the unrequited love of the demon lord Blasphomet for Abset, an empress of Hell. The title literally means, "Blasphomet without Abset".
What did you try to express through your music and lyrics?
Wrath: For this demo, we were simply tryin to tell Blasphomet's story.
Sanguine: The new material we are working on takes inspiration from early esoteric and mystic texts that we use as a backdrop for tales of mythic irony.
Your band appeared in 1996 when Black Metal trend had begun. Have you played in any other band before 1996?
Wrath: Yes. From 1990, I was in a band for three years before called DIABOLUS and I also played in a band called THORNSPAWN for a short time before AVERSE SEFIRA was devised.
Sanguine: I have played before in a couple of other bands of no consequence, but this is the first band that I have had any control over.
Today many young kids telling shit about VENOM, CELTIC FROST, HELLHAMMER... This kids say that these bands were not Black Metal. What is your point of view on this?
Sanguine: Well, once there were no subgenres like Black Metal or Death Metal. All the bands were just METAL, but as we look back, we tend to categorize bands as speed or thrash, black or whatever. To call those bands Black Metal now works as well as anything else.
Wrath: Regardless of the terms, these bands were and still are an important part of extreme metal music.
You play without drummer, but you make gigs. Who play drums on live concerts?
Wrath: We use the drum machine live. We hope to have a drummer as soon as a truly good one comes along.
Sanguine: ...but in the meantime, we have secured the services of Proscriptor from ABSU to perform drums on our full-length CD, "Homecoming's March".
What is Black Metal for you? (money, hobby, religion, ideology etc.)
Sanguine: Black Metal is the blood that runs through my veins.
Wrath: It is truly a way of life for us. This music is an important part of how we define ourselves as people.
You are from USA. What is your opinion about American Church of Satan and LaVey's ideology and philosophy? Are you satanists?
Sanguine: In our own ways, we are Satanists, but ultimately, everybody defines that however they please. The Church of Satan is a good starting point for someone on this path, but each individual is the ultimate authority for what is right for him/herself. We have no affiliation with them. Evil and good reside in man regardless of what religion they follow.
Your opinion about American Black Metal underground (ABSU, BLACK FUNERAL, DARKNESS ENSHROUD, etc.)
Wrath: Obviously, we think very highly of ABSU, but there are many other worthy bands like FOREST OF IMPALED, KRIEG, IMPRECATION, THORNSPAWN, LYCANTHROPY. We think that the US Black Metal scene is diverse and very intense. It seems to grow by the day, and hopefully we shall become more accepted in the world Black Metal community.
What can you tell about the future for AVERSE SEFIRA. How will your next work be?
Sanguine: I do not think it is too egotistical to say that we will probably be signed very soon, due to the positive responses we have gotten so far. The music that we are writing now buries what we have done before.
Wrath: The new material is much more vicious and epic, with a much grander story to unfold.
Last words for the end.
Wrath: Be prepared for "Homecoming's March". It will not disappoint.
Sanguine: Support the underground. If you have any questionable beliefs, at least have the courage to stand by them.
Thanks for the interview!
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