1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
TR. Destruction Ritual was born in 2020 in New England and is an alliance between MKM, Arafel and I. At the time, I was living in Providence, Rhode Island, the place where I met Arafel. I was not really active in music anymore because the distance between me and the NECROBLOOD guys made it difficult for us to pursue a regular activity. So after a long time doing almost nothing musically I felt the urge to express myself again. Doing music is something cathartic for me so at some point I had to do something. It felt even more pressing during the few months off we got because of the huge wave of fear that engulfed our civilization in 2020. With all that free time in our hands Arafel and I started to write the first riffs that would become the song “A Blade as Pure as a God”. After a few weeks the three songs of the demo were completely written.
In the meantime, I was still in contact with MkM. He was one the first persons who saw potential in NECROBLOOD and we became friends since then. I sent him the demo asking if he would be interested in writing and recording vocals. That’s how DESTRUCTION RITUAL metamorphosed from a project into a band. The alchemy between his voice, his mind and our music was obvious and immediate. He brought a concept to the demo and from the ideas he had, we wrote a final song that would close this first recording as its Outro.
To give birth to this first act I then asked for the help of another close friend, Blastum, who did a hell of a job behind the drumkit on both the demo and the album.
We also had the chance to have both acts released by a cult and revered label, End all Life Productions.
2.Recently you have released a new album, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?
MkM : Aiming at a specific musical style wouldn't really be how we run things, well at least this was not how we approached it. the Base of the recording had all the riffs and structure of the music genre both Arafel and TerrorReign are into, then we had discussion about how to arrange and make them as a whole. Our musical background could also differ, on my end I would inject more of the early second wave black metal and any work related to EAL/NoEvDia as well as industrial elements or soundtracks. It was quite obvious that we would go on with the same patterns used on the demo, with less classical/choir samples and more sinister extracts that would fit the narrative.
TR. In my mind DESTRUCTION RITUAL is definitely rooted in old school Black Metal. There are obviously other influences depending on what Arafel, MKM or myself brought but I hope the music of DESTRUCTION RITUAL is a testimony of what Black Metal was, is and should stay. All the recordings were done with real instruments and real amps to have a sound that would remind the most glorious era of Black Metal. It was very important to me since I absolutely didn’t want the music we wrote to sound exactly like the billion other things being released every month. Nowadays many people use the same digital plugins, the same softwares or the same I don’t know what else and many bands sound the same. That’s kind of a big issue lately in the scene… I also want to mention BST Studio who did an amazing job mixing and mastering both the demo and the album. I was also talking about alchemy earlier and I have to say that I am amazed how easy it was to work with all the people involved in both recordings (musicians, label, sound engineer…). We all brought our own touch to transform ideas into deeply personal songs that represent what I think Black Metal should sound like : vicious, uncompromising, hateful and desperate.
3.Most of the band members are veterans from other band, what is it that you bring into the music of 'Destruction Ritual', that you have not been able to do with your previous or current groups?
MkM : Destruction Ritual is the only active band of mine. Aosoth ended at the release of the 5th album, but could as well go on without me yet I do not think there is anything in plan for that to happen. Antaeus has been on standby and judging on how things were lately, I do not foresee any release or live performance either. When I got added to the band, it was a perfect timing for me, I still had the urge to express what was within, otherwise I would have remained quiet and distant from all.
TR. I can obviously just talk for myself here but indeed DESTRUCTION RITUAL allows me to express myself differently. As said in my previous answer it is deeply rooted in Black Metal while the other bands I am involved in at the moment are more in the Black/Death Metal part of the spectrum because of their strong Death Metal influences. The music of DESTRUCTION RITUAL sounds less primitive to me and the atmospheres we want to build there are totally different. It’s colder, less brutal but more vicious and venomous. Even the riffing itself is different and much more tainted with Black Metal influences.
With DESTRUCTION RITUAL I am also taking more time to think about orchestrations and the different atmospheres I want to build. It allows me to think more about the release as a whole. For instance, the B side of the album was written to be a sole act that we splitted in three songs. Arafel wrote “Closure” (it was the first song of the album actually written) and I worked on “Washed away Sins” and “Decaying Mask of Remorse” to complete what Arafel started to build with this song. It was for sure the first time I was making music this way.
4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with this project and lyrically how does it differ from the songwriting of your other groups or projects?
TR. I have zero involvement in the writing of the lyrics. The way DESTRUCTION RITUAL is working is very simple, MkM trusts Arafel and I for the musical part and we trust him for the concept and lyrics so I will let him develop his ideas and concept.
MkM : Somehow of a continuity, AntaeuS had the raging outburst of Youth, Aosoth had a more sinister sick excess approach and I project some negative and downspiral projection of my own demons and path.
I initially wrote more texts and ended up cutting a lot, we had 9 tracks at first, but it made more sense to have only six released. I am already doing my own collage for what would be our next recording.
Compared to other recording the vocals are done at home with my own equipment now, and not recorded on a scheduled studio time, which would not be possible anymore for me.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Destruction Ritual'?
TR. DESTRUCTION RITUAL was actually not the first tentative name of the band. Arafel came up with another name idea that felt too close to the bands I was already involved with and that was not satisfying to me. I felt it wasn’t matching what we did musically. When I wrote to MkM to talk about the demo I unintentionally changed it to what it is now. When I noticed the change it made total sense to me given the music we wrote, given the atmosphere built in these songs. It became even more obvious when MKM worked on the concept and wrote the lyrics. It’s kind of amazing to see how serendipity can sometimes give a deeper meaning to something you don’t know how to express. On a side note that unintentional change even added another sense to DESTRUCTION RITUAL when you think about how this band started. This is obviously and absolutely not the reason for the band to be named that way but the first time I met Arafel was at a Krieg show. Serendipity did once again it’s (black) magic hehe.
6.The album title is 'Providence' which has a Lovecraftian vibe to it, do you have any interest in the writings of H.P Lovecraft?
TR. Indeed the name of the album is “Providence” and it definitely is a way to pay tribute to the origin of DESTRUCTION RITUAL but this album has nothing to do with H.P. Lovecraft. I’ll let MkM talk more about the album title and concept if he wants to since all this originated from his mind. To answer your question, I personally have an interest in Lovecraft’s writings indeed. When I was younger I was interested in his very specific horrific style and the cosmogony he created. Then I had the chance to live for many years in Providence. I was living like 5 minutes away from his birthplace and 30 minutes away from Swan Points Cemetery where he is resting. Many DESTRUCTION RITUAL songs and riffs were written there. I rediscovered Lovecraft in Providence since I was living in this very specific atmosphere New England, the kind of atmosphere that haunts you in his writings. Everytime I was walking the Eastside of the city in College Hill or the Wayland and Blackstones area I was seeing houses he mentioned in his stories, the most famous being the “Fleur de Lys” art studio. The way I felt about his writings even periodically changed when I visited all these spots with the different seasons. Even if the album or the demo are not referring to Lovecraft writings I can positively say that this specific atmosphere and period of my life influenced the music. I also had the chance to go to many literature and movie conferences about lovecraftian work in Providence, it was very rewarding. Now that I am back in France I wonder if the new songs I will write will sound differently.
MkM : I did read many of his books but over 30 years ago. I should revisit some, though I feel that his legacy is present in most of nowadays alternative culture (visuals, cinema, stories), a delicate and appealing approach to Reality as Horror.
7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
TR. Once more this is not a question for me to develop but I like how the cover elevates the concept of this album. This is the interesting thing when you are not the only decisionner on board. I would never have gone in this direction for the artworks, I am more a classic black metal cover kind of guy. But I am sure it would not have had the same impact and the same coherence if I had been in charge of this part of the album or even the demo. Here the music, the lyrics and all the artworks make a whole
MkM : Obviously related to the movie Possession, which we also used some audio on the closing track of our demo, as well as on the closing track of this album.
Ideally our artworks will have a link in the structure and Art.
This piece has been painted by Benjamin A Vierling who has done many artworks, also in the metal scene and I got to work with him with Aosoth.
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8.The band members live in both France and the united States, what impact does the long distance between most of the band on the musical style that you play?
MkM : Nowadays I doubt it does any difference with how much band do compose, the only difference is that we don't get to rehearse the tracks together to exchange views when all comes together. Apart from that, even Aosoth or late Antaeus were composed that way. We never had to meet either and could work when times allow on our projects.
TR. I would say that everything takes MUCH longer but the distance is not a big problem here. The band was built this way and this alchemy we have is working pretty well so far, even if we are thousands of kilometers apart. And even if we were all living in the same area I am not sure DESTRUCTION RITUAL would be the kind of band that would practice every week. However, I guess it’s gonna be difficult if one day we are transposing our music live. But I am sure we will manage to deal with it if one day we have to.
9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
TR. I honestly have no idea. I am not the kind of guy who is actively searching for reviews. I only know that people I have in highest respect like the music of DESTRUCTION RITUAL and that is all that matters to me. However when I see what kind of shitshow a growing part of the black metal scene has become I can assure you that many so called black metal fans won’t have any interest in this album or this band since we don’t have ridiculous masks, we are not dressing up as beekeepers or seamen, we don’t have an inept concept about coal mining or other kinds of bullshit you see popping out there…
MkM : Considering we do not perform live nor had any exposure, this is the second interview we got offered in 4/5 years for instance. I would stay we are rather confidential, we got a good feedback on the demo (both the tape and vinyl version) the album release being still close to us answering, we might need more time to provide a better answer.
But in the end, this is a release with 500 copies, it might be sold out at some point in 3 or 4 years.
10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
MkM : Nothing as far as I am concerned.
TR. On my side we are trying to get NECROBLOOD back on track. I also started a new band named INVOKETH and I am doing live duty with HEXEKRATION RITES. All this keeps me busy, that’s good, and all these projects bring me something that others can’t. I also started a label to produce some bands I am playing in or friends releases.
This is interesting to be on that end of a music release but on the other hand it made me realize how bad the underground is doing lately… The ratio of youtube views vs tapes distributed is… how to say it… interesting…
11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
MkM : Dwelling ever deeper in this current state of mine with my own demons to keep me company.
TR. I am sure we will keep doing Black Metal because that band was meant to be Black Metal. Sometimes I am thinking about introducing more ambient parts here and there in the next releases. We have actually already kind of done it with the long outro of the demo but DESTRUCTION RITUAL is and will stay anchored in old school Black Metal. If I want to do something else I will start another project.
12.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?
TR. I can already tell you that during the time I was writing this interview I listened to “Intolerance” from PRIMIGENIUM, “Ain Soph Aur” from HETROERTZEN, “Phantoms of the Dark Symmetry” from GAUNTLET RINGS, “The cold earth slept below” from JUDAS ISCARIOT and I am finishing this interview listening to “III” from AIN SOPH.
Despite what I said earlier about how ridiculous that new trend of bands cosplaying Black Metal was I also still listen to new Black Metal bands, my friends from HEXEKRATION RITES for instance are doing great music and I also wanted to highlight EVIL DECEIVER demos and all the work done by THE ANCIENT HOUNDS released on Medieval Prophecy Records. And how not to mention VENEFIXION and RITUALIZATION, these are definitely the best Death Metal bands in France !
Otherwise I am listening to heavy metal and extreme metal classics as well as prog, noise, ambient…
MkM : I have been increasing my collection of vinyl OST lately, mostly horror movies or independant movies. Getting older you either tend to consider all new acts are not matching expectations or get tired of everything. I still discover a few acts here and there or end up having an experience, for instance the last TEITANBLOOD album, I placed the vinyl and was doing whatever while it was playing and then I stopped and just got to wonder what the hell was going on and i fully got into it, without yet capturing all.
Live, I thought the french bands PROFANATION and VENEFIXION were killer live. HEXEKRATION RITES too but then again, I also coreleased the ep so I'm obviously totally supporting them.
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