Heathen Deity. With their debut album True English Black Metal out at last and the genuinely fantastic reviews rolling in, we were keen to get some words from this uncompromising band. So, a tentative message, a little fear and gratefully vocalist, lyricist and the founder of Heathen Deity, Dagon agreed to sit down and have a chat.
AN: Hello and Hails to Heathen Deity. Eternally grateful for the opportunity to ask a few questions and hopefully explore the band a little. I hope all is good.
Dagon- Indeed it is, thank you for this opportunity.
AN: So. 1998. Nearly 23 years of Heathen Deity and now during the plague years after live albums, demos and singles we finally have the first studio album under the banner. How did it feel when the last note was recorded, the final mix done and that was it. Relief? A quiet sense of achievement? What? Since the overwhelmingly positive reviews have started coming in, how has that feeling changed?
Dagon- There was definitely a sense of relief, when we knew that we had finally recorded to the best of our abilities, and also that our songs would now have their definitive version. A couple of the songs which feature on the album had been released before as a demo, which was great but always lacked something, notably real drums, not that that particular element took away from the songs or that release, it was more that the band was created as a whole band, who all played a part and I have tried to keep it that way.
The track, “For the Glory of Satan” for instance had been recorded back in 2002 and circulated on a release of the same name. We were never happy with the final mix and mastering of the release, so it’s good that such a popular song is now as good as it can be.
The large majority of “True English Black Metal” had been written a good few years ago, so yes to get them competed was a great achievement, which gave us all a great sense of pride. I have said many times before that we would never release anything that we wasn’t completely happy with, and with this album we have all suffered and worked very hard, for this particular work to reach its completion.
True English Black Metal has received some great reviews so far, and of course we are grateful. I wouldn’t say my feelings have changed in the slightest, I can only speak for myself obviously when I state that the music I create and the words in which I speak are for me, I write what I write for my own personal journey within life and within the music we create, of course it’s good to read other people’s thoughts and observations in relation to our work but in all honesty other people’s thoughts are not something I take in for very long or even at all. Whatever people’s opinions of Heathen Deity may be, be them positive or negative they wouldn’t sway me either way from my path. Remember that old saying, opinions are like arse holes, everybody has one.
AN: Lets touch upon the period of hiatus. Why did that happen, as since your return its clear the fire has not diminished in the least? Was it supposed to last that long? If not what happened?As the album lineup has been very active in the intervening years in other acclaimed bands and projects of the UKBM scene I am assuming that disillusionment with the music wasn’t an issue.
Dagon- There wasn’t any nefarious or underhanded actions which brought on this hiatus. Nothing more than life and the varied paths of the band members at that time. Around 2004 after the Infernal Damnation Festival in London, our drummer Sathan moved to Norway, he subsequently joined Pantheon I, Sarkom and The 3rd Attempt, and probably a hundred more projects. Azrael also moved over there a little later, I forget the exact time. Over the next couple of year’s I auditioned a number of musicians to take their places, in an attempt to keep the band alive. After a few years and a number of failed attempts it became brutally apparent that it just wasn’t going to work, So at that point Heathen Deity was put on hold. It’s not like I had totally lost touch with Azrael, being as we are the two core members of Heathen Deity. We corresponded as much as possible, and met up whenever he came back to England to visit family. We all got on with our own projects, Azrael joined up with Sathan and formed “Ethereal Forest.” I started a solo project which I named “Frostwork” I am still trying to find the time to finish up the second album and the second novel.
Azrael continued to work and develop the songs we had started to write as Heathen Deity while he was living in Norway, so when he moved back to England in 2012, we picked it all back up and started working on the rebirth of Heathen Deity. To this day I don’t believe that our hiatus was wasted or even lost time, the songs we had started writing matured to the level they are now, and we developed as musicians because of it. No time was wasted, all paths will eventually lead back to Heathen Deity, it’s just the way it is.
AN: You did a live show at the Blackwoods Gathering (I think) early on in your reactivation. For those who don’t know, can you explain what position Fellfoot Woods holds in the UKBM scene, what makes it so special? How much was that gig a catalyst which led to this album?
Dagon- We did indeed, we performed our “Rebirth of Heathen Deity” show at the Blackwood Gathering in 2016, which was our first show in more or less twelve years! Crazy when you think about it. What makes a black metal festival set deep in the woods of Cumbria, overlooking the magnificent lake Windermere special? I think the answer is in the question. The venue and the festival is full on atmosphere, a near on perfect back drop for black metal.
The BWG Rebirth wasn’t a catalyst as such, but more of a continuation. We were already on the path we needed to be on before we were asked to perform at Blackwood, we just used the opportunity to the best of our ability at the time and made it more of a monument for us.
AN: Musically I think it’s fair to say that, like any good band, your influences are held up with pride – in my review I mentioned Mayhem, Emperor but there are others of course and you have taken them and melded them into your own sound with integrity – a word that always seems to come to mind with the band. The thing is that sound, to me, is what the album says – a very English sound as opposed to the very Caledonian sound of someone like Saor, say.
What has influenced that aspect of the sound? I’m particularly interested in the influences outside of strictly music that bring the English aspect. Why is it important to you? What does ‘English’ mean in the context of black metal on such a small but haunted island?
Dagon- Lyrically for Heathen Deity I do find some inspiration from the relation of England’s past and the forced ingress of religion, but I only touch on this very lightly, but most of the vitriol is my personal experience and connection. Personally speaking, I don’t really draw any real inspiration from, for example the countryside in relation to the lyrics, this form of inspiration to me is the more ambient side of music, and of course acoustic/ folk work. I leave this side for “Thornland” which is a dark ambient project that I work on with Azrael.
I will have to clear this with Azrael but as far as I am aware, in regard to the music specifically, with Heathen Deity, there isn’t any conscious thought that goes into the sound of the work we do, in relation to the country or our surroundings. It’s not like we have the very distinctive and instantly recognisable din of the bagpipes to drag the listener kicking and screaming back to the tartan clad mountains of Scotland is it. We perform and record the music that we would want to listen to ourselves, the song writing and sound all reside within that remit, down to the song length and guitar tone. The integrity you speak of is a direct result of our dedication toward the band and its members as musicians, remaining true to ourselves and the original focus of the band.
We do always make an effort to have at least one acoustic track on our releases, I feel this is important to tie the band into our musical heritage and to the core song-writers other projects. But aside from this, we just do what we do. Personally, I wouldn’t know how to do anything else, the thought of trying to mimic other bands or musicians, no that isn’t us, it wouldn’t be right.
AN: Well I’ve started so let’s delve a little more into the lyrical outlook of the band if we may. Firstly and foremost you are one of the most directly and virulently anti-Christian bands regardless of your own religious path (more of later). Is this a shared outlook amongst all members? And although I guess you scarcely need a reason, how did you come to this outlook?
Dagon- Again I can only speak for myself, and on such a subject as this, it would be very disrespectful to even attempt to do so, so I’m afraid if you want the perspectives of the rest of the band you will have to ask them. Personally, I think over the years my views on such things have been made apparent enough. So, I will let my lyrics answer this question for me on this occasion.
AN: Linked to this, the lyrics are also overtly Satanic and with the music and performance genuinely present a sense of worship often missing in lesser bands. How did you arrive at this place? Do you follow a particular path or is this purely a personal journey?
Dagon- The lyrics I write for Heathen Deity, will always be blatantly Satanic and anti Christian, isn’t that what black metal should be about after all? My words I think speak for themselves in regard to my personal beliefs. In respect to my “particular path” or arriving in a “place,” I am still walking on that path, I suspect I may be traveling for a long time, if and when I arrive in whatever place it carries me to, well, I will make every conscious effort to mail you a post card.
AN: I hope I’m not going to step out of my depth here but I was also intrigued by the use of the word ‘Shemhamforash’ (allegedly a hidden name of god) whose invocation as blasphemy I have always associated with a very LaVeyan brand, the Church Of Satan, which is essentially a non-theistic religion. I don’t see it used often. What does its use mean to you?
Dagon- I have always used the term “Shemhamforash” as another way of saying “Hail Satan” ritualistically speaking.
The LaVeyan usage was more of a form of disrespect if I remember correctly, I may be wrong, it’s been many years since I have read anything regarding LaVeyan Satanism, or any form of Satanism in that respect, I have learnt over the years that while books and text are good for research and seeing where other people’s opinions are based, all that really matters in the end is your own opinion. My own mind and my own path is the most truest form of Satanism.
AN: Related, I’d like to ask you about the name Heathen Deity itself. I have never been one who has associated Heathenism in any form with Satanism. What is the link for you that led to using the word?
Dagon- The name is used quite literal. Historically the term “Heathen” refers to an individual, or a people that do not believe or do not actively acknowledge the God of the Bible, be them Pagan or otherwise. A “Deity” is a god head or an apparent figure of authority.
So “Heathen Deity” could be simply be portrayed as none believer of god.
I don’t see the point in hiding or over complicating things, I try to keep the work we do with the band as open and blatant as possible. We have nothing to hide.
AN: Musically one of the greatest things about the album is the variety of moods, tempos and atmospheres the songwriting masters. Are the songs brought complete by Azrael and arrangements worked on collaboratively, or is more writing down within a framework song?
Dagon- The song writing for Heathen Deity happens naturally, as in it happens when it happens. It’s not like we suddenly decide that we have to write a new song or anything. Songs can be formed, like you have mentioned, Azrael can offer an almost complete song, whereas we will discuss how its formed and the arrangements within it, we could dissect it down to the sum of its parts and rebuild it or it may be a case of just repeating a section later on in the session, everything is open to discussion. Sometimes Azrael just has a collection of riffs and it can grow from there, I could offer him a song title or a songs worth of lyrics with a few tempo suggestions or ideas formed from inspirations. We have been working together on music for so long now that we both know to a point obviously, what the other is getting at. However, it happens it is as true to our path as it could possibly be, if either of us isn’t happy with anything it will be addressed, no questions asked.
AN I would like you to expand a little on the deeply melancholy song ‘Beneath The Fires Of Albion’. With, really, no lyrics, what does this song represent in the conext of the album?
Dagon- Like I mentioned before, having an acoustic track on our releases is just something that we have always tried to do, we see the acoustic interlude as not only having a link to our past and England’s rich heritage but also, I feel it offers the listener a slight reprieve from the chaos just for a moment, a moment of clarity and refreshing the pallet, offering the listener a “calm before the storm” opportunity.
In regard to ‘Beneath The Fires Of Albion’ in particular, the song is a reflection of our attitude and posture within the scene, “Where we forever dwell.” I think we have proven our staying power and our resilience over the years. We are too old and to fucking stubborn to give up now, Heathen Deity is in our blood and we have shed that blood for it.
AN: We also get two of the most bruising UKBM songs around, in the shape of live favourite ‘Gut The Church’ and the much newer but utterly crushing ‘True English Black Metal’. The consistency of writing between these songs is remarkable – how has this been maintained over the inactive years? And what was the catalyst behind the deep disgust of the lyrics in TEBM?
Dagon- The “Inactive years” as you call it, may have been publicly inactive in regard to Heathen Deity, but I can assure you behind the scenes we are never inactive. Be It working on our own solo projects or working on Heathen Deity, we are always marching onwards with our personal progression, be it musically or otherwise.
The lyrics behind the song “True English Black Metal” is but a small taste of the malice we hold, It wouldn’t take a lot to figure out the specific sparks that ignited that fire. I will let you cast your own assumptions and hypotheses on that one.
AN: I’d also like to ask about the closing song ‘The Shards Of Winter’. It’s another beautiful piece of songwriting with such a great melodic touch. Lyrically this whilst no less harsh, and desolate, seem to take a different spiritual path which although still anti-Christian has a more pagan feel in it’s respect for the seasons, even the most bitter and brutal aspects. How does this link to the more Satanic lyrics, and is it a pathway you think you will be exploring more with Heathen Deity?
Dagon- The lyrics to “The Shards Of Winter” are simply a metaphor for one’s faith dissolving and melting away like ice, when you have had the realisation that all religion is false and a form of control through fear, I guess it was my attempt at anti-Christian poetry! We try not to limit ourselves with our song writing, if something sparks interest in us we will pursue it, if the outcome is good maybe it will be used, so I don’t know if something similar will be written in the same ilk as “Shards” again.
AN: The album is released by Cult Never Dies and the wonderful cover by the brilliant David Thiérrée whom I gather you have collaborated with before. Did one lead to the other, or how did the deal with the esteemed Mr Patterson come about? How were you first introduced to the work of Mr Thiérrée and why does his work resonate so much with you.
Dagon- I have been an admirer of David’s work for years, his work for “Satanic Warmaster” and “Mortiis” are simply amazing. I initially met David at Hellfest in France, I think it was 2012, I picked up a couple of art prints from him, and managed to persuade him to draw me a troll there and then, on the spot on the back of one of the art prints, which he most humbly obliged, I was probably in a bit of a state at the time in all honesty, covered in mud and dust and no doubt half drunk. He probably just wanted the drunk English man to promptly leave his stall and stop talking about commissions and depictions of Satan for future cd covers.
I would like to say that we kept in touch over the years but we didn’t, nothing more really than the occasional message anyway. I noticed one day on Facebook that he was selling art prints, so I contacted him, and introduced myself properly, he remembered me from Hellfest, “The English man who wanted more” I remember him saying, I guess it’s good that I make an impression! Anyway, we started talking from there. I bounced a few ideas off him in regard to the album art and we came up with what you see on the cover now, I was blown away with the final result, simply amazing work and it was a true honour to have him work with us on it.
I have known Dayal for a good few years, over that time I have bought a few books and other items of merch from his ever expanding stock at “Cult Never Dies” I have always tried to have a chat and catch up when I have bumped into him at festivals and shows. We had spoke about the upcoming album for years, and we often joked that the damn thing would never happen, which I’m glad we were very much mistaken. Dayal had always shown an interest in us and the new album, so once we had something to offer him in respect of demos or music, I sent it him over and spoke about a possible arrangement to work with in and “CND”. Dayal has done really well for himself with “CND”over the last few years, owning himself a good solid professional reputation, so it was an honour when he agreed to open the lines of negotiation in regard to a deal. We needed to work within the already well -stablished deal that we had with “Death Kvlt Productions” but I think we have come to a good agreement that will benefit everyone involved.
AN: Finally, let’s look to the future – the dreaded question as to if and when you think you will be able to return to proper gigs. Are you hopeful that this will be soon? I know you have hopefully one more appearance at Fell Foot Wood soon but how much faith do you have that you will be able to get out there and Play this album live?
Dagon- If we are permitted, by the apparent powers that be, we will be headlining Friday at ‘Northern Darkness Open Air (Summer Festival) over at Fell Foot Wood in Cumbria in August, with ‘Winterfylleth’ headlining the Saturday. We will also be headlining a show in Derby in September with our friends in ‘Abduction’ all the details for the shows are on our official Facebook page.
We know as much as the rest of the country in regard to this situation, very little. So aside from the two shows mentioned, we are not currently looking for anymore, until the situation is really over with, if that is possible.
We have been fortunate over the years to have ‘Death Kvlt Productions’ in our corner, producing amazing quality vinyl releases and shirts for us. In regard to the new album, ‘DKP’ will be releasing a cassette and double gatefold vinyl version later on in the year, which we are really looking forward to seeing. Now with the added reach of ‘Cult Never Dies’ working with us, so far producing the CD version of ‘TEBM’ which has come out great, the new album is doing very well. Looking forward, I hope we can continue this arrangement well into the future.
We will continue to write for the next release. I can assure you the next one wont be in twenty years time.
Well simply thank you for your time,. I hope it has been worth it and I hope the album does every bit as well as its incredible songs deserve.
Dagon- Thank you for the opportunity of saying a few words to your readers. And thank you also for your kind words.
Support the war against Christianity.
Support the underground scene.
Remain true to yourselves.
And Gut the Fucking Church !
Heathen Deity people. One of the best, and most authentic black metal bands the UK. Their superb album True English Black Metal is out now in Cult Never Dies. Go get it people. And as the man says gut the church
(Interview Gizmo)
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