Albums of Purgatory interview Netherealm's Night

Albums of Purgatory: Firstly, what’s the band up to right now?

Night: I’ve just wrapped up the new recording two weeks ago and am now linking up with various labels to have it released professionally. Hopefully, this will be put out before the end of the year so let’s see how it goes.

AoP: How would you describe the Netherealm sound?

N: Dark, primitive black metal with an epic Oriental feel.

AoP: How did you get involved with the band?

N: I started the band in 1995, having been inspired by a desire to forge my own interpretation of black metal. Initially, I tried looking for other musicians to form a full line-up but it never worked out due to differences in vision, so I have remained the only driving force behind the music. Some session members were roped in for the recording of the debut demo, after which I handled all instruments through the second split demo to now.

AoP: Can you remember your first gig (how did it go)?

N: Being a one-man band has been quite restrictive with regard to playing gigs, so I’m sorry that there is no live show to speak of.

AoP: What sort of reaction have you been getting for the new material?

N: So far, feedback has been positive… the general vibe is that this is the best Netherealm material to date, in terms of composition and production. I guess many could already hear the dark Oriental characteristics that I was cultivating in the first demo; on the new material, these and other traditional black metal elements are really shining through, bringing out the band’s identity further.

AoP: What are your favourite Netherealm tracks?

N: My current favourites are "Shadow Tempest" and "Unspoken Passages" from the new material; both have a good blend of aggression and atmosphere with memorable riffs. Older favourites would be "Ashes of Time" (interesting song flow with a catchy speed metal touch) from the split and "Masters of Centuries Black" (captured the old black metal feel quite well I feel) from the first demo.

AoP: What are your favourite all time songs?

N: Too many to name… here are some really outstanding ones: "Heavy Chains" by Loudness, "Banish From Sanctuary" by Blind Guardian, "Art of Life" by X-Japan, "Kratos" by Algaion, "Under the Guillotine" by Kreator, "Det Som En Gang Var" by Burzum, "Evil Dead" by Death, "One Rode to Asa Bay" by Bathory and "Power Thrashing Death" by Whiplash.

AoP: What was the first record you bought?

N: It would have to be Manowar’s "Kings of Metal". That record was what got me into heavy metal and is still one of my favourites from the band. I remember being at a friend’s place and stumbling upon a box full of cassettes that his brother had. The Manowar cover simply grabbed my attention and when "Wheels of Fire" came on, I was totally blown away by the pure heaviness that blasted forth. The next day, I immediately bought a tape of the album and have since added the CD and LP versions to my collection.

AoP: What would be your dream band line-up?

N: Quorthon on vocals, Jon Nodtveidt (Dissection) and Andre Olbrich (Blind Guardian) on guitars, and Yoshiki (X-Japan) on drums.

AoP: What do you think of the position of metal and music in general today?

N: The same as it has always been – increasing steadily in audience base and bands. Technology and loosening social markets have made metal more accessible than ever before, and even the underground is no exception to this phenomena. We have seen many bands rise from the depths of obscurity to attain larger statuses, and lesser-known groups will find not much difficulty gaining more exposure either deliberately or involuntarily due to the wide network of communication today. There will of course always be those who strive to keep the underground as far away as possible from mainstream ideals, and I hope this will continue on because it is this indomitable spirit that keeps the passion and fervour running in the scene.

AoP: Which other bands in the scene really stand out for you at the moment?

N: I haven’t been listening to many new bands lately but Morrigan has been releasing some fine stuff. Even though their music is total Bathory-worship without breaking much new ground, they manage to do it very well, presenting an authentic atmosphere that would not sound out of place on the middle-period Bathory albums. Another outstanding act is Aborym… their second album had a real apocalyptic feel to it, a fitting soundtrack for doomsday.

AoP: Do you have any funny stories about the band you can share with us?

N: There was an interesting incident that happened in the early days of the band when I was auditioning a drummer. This guy showed up half-drunk at the rehearsal studio, holding a can of beer and spouting all gibberish. Nevertheless, we continued with the session and he just attacked the drums hopelessly in his attempt to impress, tearing a gaping hole in his leather pants in the process. Naturally he was told to bugger off (not before he broke down and kept asking for another chance) and has not been seen around ever since.

AoP: And finally, what do you see in the future for Netherealm?

N: It is limitless… the Netherealm sound will be developed further with more quality releases to come in time.