First of all, congratulations for your latest creation, it’s one of a few that respect the standards of true melodic doom – death metal, please tell us the story of the band, how it all start?
Hi and thanks a lot! The project has a short history of existence, but a rather long background. Important incident in my music life is meeting with the singer Thanatos in the mental hospital and subsequent accession to the project of Nyarlathotep and other participants. The project only really took shape in 2018. Closer to 2018, when we started recording, we thought it would be cool to invite friends from all over the world to record. It was one of the longest album preparation processes in my career (we have other projects). A little later, it was a time for the official release of the album. To do this, without thinking twice, I turned to my friend Aleksey, the owner of the Satanath Records label and several sub-labels. And on March 30, 2020, the King took his form in physical editions and digitally, for sure.

How will you described your new creation?
This work included the very different compositions that were composed over the years. In a way, it can be called "the best of", only united by a common concept. For a long time, for some reasons, I did not want to release them, it needed a suitable time to complete the gestalt. We opened a very old tomb, where the entrance was closed for far too long. On one hand, this is an abandoned badlands burnt to the ground, but at the same time, it is a lunatic vision, phantasmagoria of a morbid mind and an adventure across the infinite fields of illusions. We invite everyone to meet a strange world full of the broken hopes, madman killers, The Great Old Ones.

Is there good compositions or bad compositions on it? (in my opinion they aren’t)
I think there is always something better, something worse. My favorite song is constantly changing, it's hard to choose. But it depends solely on the mood of the listener, the relevance of the mood of the music and internal perception. Now I practically do not listen to the old album, completely focusing only on the future release. It will be a work of a different mood.

Would you be so kind to explain what every song is all about? What themes do lyrics approach?
Each song is a different kind of pain. Like a life. But we see not the only real life, but also our dreams, fantasies, the imagination of a sick mind. Everything that can be imagined is real. Each song is both a true life story and a lie at the same time. Because nothing is true. Some stories are inspired by personal experience, some - by fantasies, horror/fantastic/fantasy books, films and even games. There was a place for mythology, religion and history. Part of the answer can be found in the lyrics, but direct references are not always possible to find. But I believe that our listeners are just as wonderful explorers of life and everyone can put their own meaning in musical weaving and words into our songs.

The productions is also very good, did you have good time in studio?
Thank you! Much had to be done remotely. But as a result, a wonderful master of his craft, Koliopanos Filippos, did everything possible to put together all the fragments. I personally would like to remake a lot of arrangements. And maybe it will be good to rewrite the vocals in separate fragments without haste, but it's time to move on and discover new facets. This is not the time to get hung up on perfectionism, there are still so many stories to tell.

What can we expect from your new album, will be in the same line with your latest?
The new album will be angry and experimental. At the same time, these are very sad stories, not whining, but causing real existential grief. I still can't finish the individual arrangements, because every time I feel too crappy and uncomfortable. Too personally have to go through every story. And certain themes of the lyrics evoke true disgust in me (although it would seem impossible). But the compositionally new material is already ready and partially recorded, new people from all over the world have been attracted. I can't wait to hear the completed result.

What hobbies do you have except music, by the way your favorite musicians are?
I do a lot of art, sculpture, constantly read something, watch, research, and constantly get upset that my whole life is not enough to immerse myself in all the secrets of the world. I have so many favorite musicians, primarily creators and composers. Many of them are no longer alive. And there are many favorite listeners. Every person who is part of the dialogue about art is of interest. The essence of art, even underground, is that it exists as a dialogue with contemporaries, and as a message to future generations. Without this chemical connection art would not exist. Therefore I want to say hello to all our supporters from all over the world.

The cover illustration is interesting, who’s ideas were and the meaning?
Olga Kann was responsible for the design of the work. Cover is not overloaded with an unnecessary surrealism. This is the King in all his magical splendor in his eerie representations in a moment before his fall. 

In the end, you have the final word for all our readers…
As I said before art would not exist without a magic chemical connection between musicians and listeners. So we create an immortal legacy together. Many thanks to everyone! And thanks to your webzine!

Interview by Ionut Dimitriev / Answers by Abhoth (composer, bassist)

March 2021