M: Raw and heavy black metal like if it was something released in the second half of the 80's.
S: Even though I prefer not to think about music in genres I would tell people we play black metal. It is ambiguous enough to let your mind wander for a bit as different people have a different idea of what is black metal, from Venom to Bathory to Sarcofago, Ved Buens Ende and everything in between.
2.You have a new ep coming out in March,musically how does it differ from your previous single?
M: This time we decided to experiment a little bit more by adding a whole concept to the album, each song has a different vibe and personality, as it was intended to portray and project musically and lyrically a different entity in each song, we are celebrating the fallen and also the characteristics of them that makes us grow as persons and as spiritual beings, this is our way to express gratitude to them.
S: It differs in nothing and everything at the same time. I would like point out two concepts that have been essential to finding our own sound and those are experimentation and tradition. As I see it, most of the black metal bands that have inspired us have, in some way or another, been considered experimental, out of the norm, unique bands yet at the same time they are now considered the foundation where people base their sound upon, following the tradition so to speak.
Having a clear definition of these two concepts helped me adopt a “anything goes” attitude towards creating the new EP. I am aware of the limiteless limits and creativity flows as long as something feels right to me.
3.This is also your first release in 6 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?
M: In my case I decided to step away a little bit from making music and completely from the metal scene, I started an inner journey to become a more whole human being by delivering myself to knowledge and hedonism.
S: I simply didn’t feel It until very recently. We're not any sort of prophets or vessels of God on Earth, however, Satan's Cross isn't a business or a factory to churn out a product as soon as possible for people to consume.
4.A lot of your lyrics cover Occultism, Alchemy and Magick themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?
M: In my case, the interest has been there since I was a child, I grew up in a very religious family, I have studied the bible myself and I remember that the mentions about magic, witchcraft or possession in the bible woke in me a very keen interest for what the christians refer to the "occult". Years later as a teenager I became obsessed with acquiring some of that knowledge and tried to reach people who had the same interest to enrich myself and also to share some ideas, later on my university days I got the chance to dive into Carl Jung and his own psychoanalytic view enriched with occidental and oriental mysticism, thanks to him I had a more profound knowledge into alchemy and tarot, and decided to start my own process of individuation.
S: I think my religious background and the way I was raised and lived brought out to conscience elements that were already dormant in me and were just waiting for me to seek the most fitting ways to express them, not just the “dark arts” but whatever I find useful in my work towards communion with my Self.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Satan's Cross'?
S: It represents the unity of the numinous and the earthly; the unconscious and the conscious; the symbol and the meaning; no-self and self; As Above So Below
M: "I'm kneeling in front of the altar, Satan's cross upon the wall".
6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the ep cover?
M: The cover of the EP portrays a Lacanian borromean knot, respecting the principles depicted by him but also relating some of those aspects to the properties of the fallen ones, aspects like light, darkness, and the union of opposites, the first deity represents the "symbolic" and the order in which we live and that is imposed to us but within itself lies the answer to break free, that's why it's related to light, the second deity represents the "real" in the Lacanian perspective, pure darkness and blackness, everything related to the grotesque and what you can't name, the very deeps of the unconscious, and the third one represents the "imaginary", a deity who is made by the plain of images through desire and reason, the deity of one thousand faces, which is made of dark and bright, and everything that the unconscious absorbs, projects and forcluses, and all of that is us in the end.
S: We basically used our own symbols to describe our personal life experience. Other than that I believe is to find their own meanings in them, everything is reflected like in a mirror.
7.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?
M: We'll remain a duo artistically but for live appearances we already count with a complete line up.
8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
M: The band and our previous release has been very well accepted in the underground scene, generally we have received positive reviews and some people of other bands that we admire have contacted us to congratulate us and say they consider themselves as fans, which is something very touching.
S: It surpassed my expectations. Firstly, the feedback we’ve gotten from friends, zines, labels and people we respect have been really positive and secondly, both of our recordings have been released by European labels rather than on our own country, I guess that says a lot. Thanks to their support we have been able to turn our eccentric ideas into reality.
9.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?
M: Currently I'm not part in any other musical project related to metal, I must say I'm also a huge fan of underground hip-hop, I like to make organic and obscure beats using instruments but I take that as a hobby.
S: Same thing as with Satan’s Cross, they are just different channels through which I can express myself the best.
10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
M: We are not sure about when we'll release a full lenght, we have had some talks in which we agreed to remain for the moment as a singles and EP's band, we'd also like to release an split, but who knows, maybe not too far in the future we'll feel ready to release a more complex and mature first opus.
S: When we feel It again. This might take another 6 years, 6 months or 6 minutes. You never know. M. and I have been talking about how we feel like our recordings sound too clean for our own tastes so that will definitely change in the future. Other than that we are always heading upwards and downwards.
11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
M: Regarding musical styles I can say that antique forms of black metal, speed metal, obscure heavy metal and doom metal, now talking about bands I can say that some of our biggest influences as a band and also talking by myself are Paul Chain Violet Theatre, early Death SS, Black Hole, Venom, Bathory, early Sodom and Destruction, Master's Hammer, Root, Sabbat (JPN), and the almost forgotten but great Tudor, that's why Satan's Cross plays Ultra Black Metal. Now talking about what I have been listening nowadays, as I told you on a past answer, I listen to a lot of underground hip hop, mainly 80's and 90's gangsta rap, G-funk and early forms of trap like Three 6 mafia, very obscure shit; besides that I love to listen to blues, 50's rock n roll, psychedelia, lots of punk rock as well and also traditional metal, mainly thrash and black metal.
S: The Italian dark sound, satanic/occult heavy metal and the first wave of occult black metal. Everything that has evil riffs, atmosphere and intensity. I would like to add to M’s list bands like Mercyful Fate, Mortuary Drape, Tormentor and well, you get the idea.
Nowadays I’ve mostly listened to bands like The Cure, The Chameleons, UK Decay, Mighty Sphincter as well as Pescado Rabioso non-stop.
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
M: I can only thank you for your interest and support, Satan's Cross will remain live, long live the violet drapes of death.
S: Thanks for the interview. Support Sun & Moon Records by buying our new EP once it’s out. Play the CD, listen to the music and read the lyrics.
Ars totum requirit hominem.
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