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1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?
We took a short break because production had taken up a lot of work and energy. Afterwards we played some concerts and festivals like Steelfest, Odyssey to Blasphemy and Under the Black Sun. We also toured Mexico. So we used our time to rehearsal for the live performances.
2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
The new album is more mature, more adult and, thanks to the new technology, more professional than the old ones. I wrote the songs in a relaxed manner at home in my small studio without any time pressure. This meant I could rework it again and again until I was ultimately satisfied. I then sent it to the others and everyone was able to engage with the song, interpret it for themselves and add their ideas. We put the finishing touches on the whole thing during rehearsals and in the studio. From a musical perspective, the album is still in the typical Tsatthoggua style but just not as chaotic as the old albums. This time we also decided on slower and mid-tempo songs because we just felt like it.
3.Back in the day you referred to your music as being 'hyperspeed metal', can you tell us a little bit more about this term?
*laugh* at this time we just wanted to be different to other bands and stand out. We played a really fast and chaotic music with crazy vocals. We called it just like that, to do something different than everyone else.
4.The band was also broken up for more then 20 years, what was the cause of the split and also the decision to reform?
In fact, we never really officially broke up. But at the turn of the millennium we somehow lost our motivation. Our drummer and I started families, had children, everyone pursued our professions and so everyone slowly went their own way. In 2002 I moved to another city for professional reasons and as a result we completely lost touch with each other. So the end was virtually sealed. But under no circumstances did we part in a gruesome manner. In 2019, Northwind met our old manager at a concert and talked about meeting again in a cheerful atmosphere (they enjoyed a few beers together). A few weeks later, Northwind contacted all band members and arranged a meeting with the entire band. At the meeting it felt as if our paths had never parted and we had just seen each other yesterday. After many beers we came up with the idea of giving a concert. At that point we weren't even thinking about making a new album. The audience's feedback from the concert was incredible and we really enjoyed it, so the next steps were clear: we wanted to continue as a band!
5.During the past 2 decades the black metal scene has changed since the band released the last full length, do you feel black metal in general is very tame back to the earlier days when more bands where willing to be more risky and creative?
There is still the mainstream and the underground. I think the new generation in the scene thinks that BM has to be either raw or atmospheric. In my opinion, there are hardly any really crazy things these days. When I think of the first Napalm Death, Carcass or Impaled Nazarene etc., that was definitely riskier and more experimental. There's nothing like that anymore these days and that's exactly what made these bands so special, because they did something different, something crazy. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the scene no longer allows as many experiments as before.
6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer album and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?
With 'We are God' we invoke our ancient virtues. It's a mixture of nihilism, sardoism, coupled with a touch of Lovecraftian myths. As far as songwriting goes, I think we've all evolved. We are no longer so chaotic and have become calmer as we get older. To do this, we use the new circumstances that technology offers us. This way you can work more professionally.
7.The bands name came from the 'Chthulu Mythos', can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this particular diety?
What fascinates us to this day in Lovecraft's literary work is the dark magic of the "old ones". The Cthulhu mythos is bigger than Lovecraft and the cosmic horror described in it follows interesting philosophical paths such as existentialism or nihilism. The terror of the unknown is an archetypal fear and Cthulhu itself is based on old sailor's tales, i.e. weaving in folklore. You can see from the choice of protagonists: academics, journalists, bon vivants, artists, detectives, rarely children, in which elements the strange is sought. They were pulp stories that were partly reminiscent of Edgar Allen Poe, but were also something completely new. That fascinates us!
8.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
We wanted to do something unusual again, based on our old recordings. We searched for a suitable cover in various forums that were common in the genre. This is where we came across Kay from MorphArts. An outstanding artist and photographer active in the bondage and latex scenes. Our current cover immediately caught our eye and we knew that it was what we wanted. For us it means that we do not bow to religion in general and only worship ourselves. We are our own gods – We Are God!
9.Out of all the tours and shows the band played back in the day, which one stands out the most?
I don't think you can really highlight any of them, as every concert itself was great and had a lot of energy. But what I remember well was the tour with Marduk of his time and, most recently, the concert at the Baroeg in Rottendam. The Dutch are really crazy people, they always give their all, party really well and go crazy. This went so far that a fan had to be picked up by an ambulance because he hit his head on a concrete pillar. That was crazy.
10.Do you have any touring or show plan for the new album?
Because our singer Northwind had to have surgery on his shoulder, we are forced to slow down a bit at the moment until he is fully recovered and ready to play again. From October we will play three concerts in Turkey. Concerts in Paris, Belgium, a tour through Colombia and a concert in Germany are also planned. We have also already been booked for festivals in Romania, the Czech Republic and Finland in 2025. There may also be an American tour and I think it won't be the only ones.
11.In the 90's the band was very heavily into bondage and sado masochusm, are these themes still very important with the band like they where back then?
For us they still play a role in our lives but we don't really want to shock people. I think that our text topics are quite interesting for some people who love sex. We don't even call it kinky sex. It's exactly what people want to do in their private lives, some people are even part of some kind of public scene, for example in underground clubs in capital cities. Usually the foundation of S/M sex is trust and love. These are values that we use as inspiration for our art. And of course our Western society is not free and open to these values. Everyone knows this. Especially the old remnants of Catholicism and other religions still think that these open and free (and S/M) people are anti-Christian or anti-religious. We really like the idea, haha!
12.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your newer music by fans of black metal?
She was outstanding and more than we expected after all these years. On the one hand, we were able to convince the old fans of our new work and on the other hand, we gained more fans who didn't know us before. You can see this in all the worldwide orders and messages that have reached us.
13.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We're not thinking about it at the moment, we're just living in the moment. What I can say is that we want to continue making extreme music for extreme people.
14.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are listening to nowadays?
We like the same music as we did twenty years ago. Fast, raw, hard, angry metal or hardcore/punk, black metal, thrash, death metal... of course the good old bands, but we are open to new acts and always keep an eye on what's happening in the global scene, even if It's almost impossible to know all the good bands. Our bassist False Prophet is also in the techno-hardcore Gabba scene. The main thing is brutal and wild.
15.How would you describe your views on Satanism?
I wouldn't describe ourselves as satanists. We don't practice that either. We see ourselves more as atheists who support the rejection of belief in a God.
16.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
We are still amazed that there are people like you, the OSMOSE staff or our fans worldwide who still like or love what we do and support us. This is the greatest possible honor! Thank you very much! Stay bizarre, kick some ass and dominate!
Nar Marratuk by TSATTHOGGUA
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