1. Can you update us with what is going on with Nibiru these days?
Greetings! Right now Nibiru is in hibernation mode, waiting for the time of awakening to get closer. It will come very soon though...
2. How would you describe your sound to those that have never heard your music?
Nibiru is "astral occult metal". Very dark and atmospheric musick, sometimes even epic. It's meant to take the listener to an alternate conciousness. Like an awakening of sorts.
3. I know the band name is Sumerian, what was it that interested you about this part of Sumerian Occultism to make it the band name?
Well this Nibiru project actual started out as an space synth project back in 1996. So it was already alien in nature. But what probably inspired the name the most was the old myths and legends of Planet X, the 12th Planet, or Nibiru. The Sumerian Creation myth of how "man" was made. How some of the old Sumerian stories were even older versions of stories from the Holy Bible. And of course there's also the Magan Text found in the Necronomicon telling of the war between Marduk and Tiamat as also mentioned in old Sumerian texts.
4. You have an ambient side project, Temple of the Dreaming Serpent, that deals with Aztec deities, can you tell us more about this project?
After Nibiru turned more into a metal project, I decided to start a new alien synth project called "Temple of the Dreaming Serpent". I was always fascinated by the Meso-American cultures like the Anasazi, Aztec, Mayan, Olmec, and others. So this new project is my tribute to the Gods and warriors of past. There is already one recording which has been finished called "Entrance", but has not been released yet. It's a very disturbing and chaotic recording at times, yet calm and enhancing at the same time. There was also a track called "The Feathered Serpent" which came out on the Reflections From the Abyss - Kthulu Productions compilation CD. In the future, I will also incorporate some other non-electrical sounds like drums/percussion, guitars, flutes, seashells, bones, etc.
5. So far I have only heard the demo that came out in 2004, when can we expect the new material?
Well, there's 2 full length albums that have never been finished. The first one will be called "A Rememberance of Things Past" and the second is "Of the Generations of the Ancient Ones". I think both should see the light of day before 2012 comes.
6. How would you describe the musical progress over the years and what direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?
The Nibiru project just keeps getting more technical, more organic, yet more mechanical at the same time. I've always wanted to turn Nibiru into a fully orchestrated project, and maybe one day in the future some more members and various instruments will be added.
7. What are some of the best shows the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
Nibiru has played as a live project only a handful of times. It's been a solo project this whole time, but there was a few select dates that it was possible to have some comrades fill in and play live. The best and most memorable shows were in Mexico City, Hell Cajon, and atop the Rocky Mountains in the forests of Colorado. Nibiru has a very dark, strange, and haunting atmosphere live, almost an uneasy feeling. But still very heavy and powerful. It will suck you in and take you to a different level of existence.
8. What are some of the bands or musical styles that have influenced the music of Nibiru?
I'm influenced by all types of music, especially the energies and powers of it. Some favorites are Rush, Devil Doll, King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Dio, Ozzy, Metallica, Lycia, Type O Negative, Alice Cooper, and others. But Nibiru has a style all its own. It just comes out naturally when I'm writing, learning, or remembering a new song.
9. What are some of the occult philosophies that have influenced the lyrics or music and how did you get interested in the occult?
Nibiru is mostly influenced by old Sumerian myths and stories of the Anunnaki. Like the battle between Tiamat and Marduk, human creationism, science, astronomy, etc. As for how I got into the occult, I was just always fascinated with life, time, space, the unknown, etc. I'm positive I came from a different time period that the one we are in now, and I always have been sure of it.
10. What is going on with your record label (Kthulu Productions) these days and what are some releases that we can expect to see in 2010?
With the dropping economy in the world, the label has been put on pause as far as new releases go. The Kthulu Productions online musick distro/occult shop is still up and running, but there's just not too many people buying CDs anymore. Its just easier to download them I guess. Who knows, I might just stop the distro completely and just make it a record label only once the time is right. So like many other small and independent labels and record shops, we might have to close our doors soon.
11. How has your music been received so far by black metal/ambient fans worldwide?
So far Nibiru has gotten an extremely well response from everywhere. Even people who don't like metal, or maybe don't like ambient/atmospheric stuff have told me that they really enjoy Nibiru. I think once the CDs are finally finished and released, the fans of planet Earth, and the old Gods will really be pleased.
12. What are some interests that you have outside of music?
My life is always surrounded by music, but I like to spend time traveling and learning about history and different cultures. Death has always interested me as well.
13. Any final words or thoughts?
Hails and thanks for the interview! For more info about Nibiru, including official merchandise and up to date news go to www.nibirux.com and www.myspace.com/nibiru666
