1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the solo project since the recording of the new album?
The creative process never ends. While working on my second album, I was already working on the music videos. My third album is already in the works. I have more than enough ideas, but it all takes a lot of time and energy.
2.You have a new album coming out in September, musically how does it differ from your previous full length?
In terms of content, the new album follows on from the first one. It continues to focus on criticism and contempt for religion—especially Islam—but also, once again, on myself, my personal experiences, thoughts, and view of life.
Musically, I’ve developed further. the entire sound and my guitar playing have improved. Overall, I’m very satisfied with the album.
3.A lot of your lyrics cover Anti Islam themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your hatred in the religion?
I have always rejected religion, and Islam is currently the greatest threat to Western values. If we continue to tolerate it, it will spread like a cancer. The more I research the subject and read the Quran, the greater my contempt becomes. When you look at the countries that have already been taken over by Islam, you see clear parallels to other forms of dictatorship. Most people don’t realize that it’s more than just a religion. It’s a political system, and its representatives make no secret of that. Unfortunately, the Western world’s tolerance and stupidity are too great for it to consistently oppose this movement. When you study the history of other countries and talk to people from there, you quickly realize the direction we’re heading in here.
4.In black metal a lot of bands have covered their hatred from Christianity but receive a huge backlash for attacking Islam and also get cancelled on social media platforms and have their shows cancelled, has this project received the same backlash despite being based in the Middle East?
First of all, I’m not from the Middle East, and I’ve never even been there. When I started this project, I knew exactly what I was getting myself into, but I won’t let anything stop me. You must never let fear keep you from speaking the truth and let this religion win! The problems online haven’t been that big so far; the criticism, of course, comes mainly from some stupid Muslims, but you can’t take that seriously. It’s clear that you can’t put on concerts with music like this. No promoter would take the risk of an attack or having to deal with some Antifa idiots. But since I’m a one-man band anyway, I can’t play concerts.
5.I know that the bands name means 'infidel', how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?
There’s probably no better name to convey my message. It not only reflects my own rejection of Islam, but also defines me as the enemy in the eyes of the faithful. And if you’re familiar with the Quran, you know exactly what’s supposed to happen to the kuffar.
6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
The photo for the new cover was taken at an abandoned coal mine, where I also filmed footage for the fifth music video. It was a very hot and exhausting day, as my cameraman and I had to carry kilos of internal organs and equipment to the location. The cover shows me praying on a prayer rug, surrounded by pages from the Quran, blood, tar, and organs.
The Quranic verses on the wall were added during post-production. The cover is symbolic of the album title, which represents impurity.
7.With this project you record everything by yourself, would you be open to working with musicians depending on the circumstances or do you prefer to work solo?
I do prefer working alone, since that way I can bring my own ideas to life without having to compromise. In general, I’d be open to collaborating on tracks if the opportunity is right.
There’s a bonus track on the new album that I made with Manāt. She’s a very good singer, so I played the music, wrote the lyrics, and she recorded her vocals and sent them to me. I really like the track, and I could imagine doing similar collaborations in the future.
But I find it hard to imagine playing in a band on a permanent basis, since I’d have to rely on others.
8.Can you tell us a little bit more about the mask you wear in the promo pics?
I make all the masks in the pictures and videos, as well as the props, myself. My main costume, which appears repeatedly, is based on Muslim clothing with a kind of mummy bandage as a mask. I welded my pendant myself. In “I Hate,” I wear a splatter mask like the ones used in World War I. In “Burn the Pages of the Quran,” I wear clothing inspired by Hezbollah. In “Fitna,” I wear a devil mask; the woman in the video wears a Muslim wedding dress with a hijab until she switches to the devil mask in the second half.
I share the scarecrow mask in “An Act of Defiance Against That Which Is Pure” with one of my friends, who tortures and stones me in the video.
There will also be new outfits in the upcoming videos.
9.The new album is going to be released on 'Satanath Records', how would you compare working with this label to your previous label 'Trench Warfare Productions'?
I like the guy behind Trench Warfare Productions because he’s very motivated and does it all out of conviction and passion. Satanath Records, of course, has the advantage of being a large label with a strong international network and an international merch shop—I keep getting messages from fans all over the world asking where they can buy CDs and T-shirts. Since I don’t want to deal with that kind of thing, it’s better to have people with experience handle it. I’m also glad that Satanath Records doesn’t try to dictate anything to me and that I can continue doing my own thing the way I want.
10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
The response has been surprisingly positive. When I started the project, I didn’t expect this much support. At first, I thought I was making music for people like me—people who see Western values as threatened by Islam and are tired of seeing this religion spread even further. But I get the most messages from fans in predominantly Muslim countries. Young fans who suffer under the social and family constraints of religion and see me as a voice for their own thoughts. They ask me for advice and are grateful for what I say. People from Iran who have suffered their entire lives under Islam’s dictatorial regime of terror. People who are brave enough to take to the streets, fight for their freedom, and risk being shot by a cowardly government! When I receive messages from Iranians who can no longer reach their loved ones and send me photos showing bullet holes in buildings and blood on the streets, let someone try to tell me that my criticism isn’t justified in any way!
11.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?
I’m going to keep doing exactly what I’ve been doing. I’ll keep getting better, producing music and videos—the third album is already in the works. I think that in the future I’ll be able to connect more deeply with people who think similarly. Maybe I’ll find a way to involve the Black Metal scene from the Middle East more closely with the West, so that people realize that Islam is rejected everywhere and must be fought against.
12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that you are currently listening to nowadays?
Oh, there are so many bands that I really like. It all started for me with Gorgoroth. My absolute favorite band is still Mgla—they play to perfection.
I really enjoy listening to Nornir, Windswept, Batushka, Patriarkh, Lömsk, Vspolokh, Lebenssucht, Doodswens, Theotoxin, Houle, Akhlys, Animal Man Machine... and of course the classics like Mayhem, Burzum, Marduk, Nargaroth, Darkenend, Nocturn Slaughtercult... and I love going to concerts. My last concert was Kokeshi in Tokyo.
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thanks to all my kuffar for the support. Get ready for some new stuff. Stay strong, think for yourselves, and keep questioning morality and the system.
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