Not to be confused with IHOP but equally something to lovingly gorge on, IMHOTEP is a highly regarded Norwegian webzine focussing on in depth articles about the important artists within the extreme metal scene. It has been inactive for a while and eight years since the last issue; I believe this is partly to do with editor Roy Kristensen being afflicted by Long-Covid. Resurrected under UK publisher Cult Never Dies it is finally back and issue 12 winged its way to me to absorb. I thought it was going to be a walk in the park as it is only 112 pages long, silly me. This is not a publication to flip through and quickly read but is dense and packed with information as the artists within are given thorough and exhaustive attention in a variety of different ways.

Indeed, the first third of the large-format A4 paperback centres on French avant-black dissonant act Deathspell Omega. Albums such as ‘Paracletus’ (2010) and most recent ‘The Long Defeat’ (2022) are painstakingly covered in non-conventional ways. The first is digested in diary format over a 50 plus listening routine which took two weeks. The second, which the author did not at first like, in a similar fashion but in poetry form. Not something we will be adopting here but it’s certainly different and an informative thought process worthy of the band’s complicated works. There is also a head spinning essay or perhaps thesis written about themes and ideologies behind the bands output. It’s wordy, scholarly and to be honest on first read went straight over my head. Theoretical, psychoanalytical and philosophical it is not something to break down here but it goes to show just how seriously all parties involved undertook the task. Thankfully, due to a massive interview the presented facts make a bit more sense as we delve into a series of Q&A sessions with the mysterious act and take a look into their history and creativity. This itself has taken thirteen years to complete and takes us up to where the band were at in 2020. Completed with various full-page illustrations painted by Valnoir, you also get a random design from these presented as a separate art card with the zine.

From here we go into a career defining interview with Jon Nödtveidt of Dissection composed and transcribed by Bo Christiansen in 2005 from a 160-minute phone conversation. Historically taking place after just hearing a couple of rough demo versions from forthcoming swansong ‘Reinkaos’ (2006) it starts at Jon’s formative musical influences and all the early bands he played in and moves through to the birth and rebirth of Dissection themselves. It’s a fascinating read taking in his belief system and involvement with the MLO (The Misanthropic Luciferian Order) his incarceration and the trials and tribulations of keeping a band together when not everyone has the same passion and determination as the driven interviewee. It is perhaps flippant describing it as an exercise in “everything you ever could have wanted to know” about the band but in effect that is exactly what we get, warts and all. Considering what occurred after, it is also a story that is sadly, pretty much complete and a concluding piece of historical black metal apocrypha.

The second half of the book is somewhat more concise and strikes as eclectically random as one would maybe expect of this type of publication. There’s absolutely nothing included that devotees of the art-form would want to skip so this is not a problem in the slightest. Cult Never Dies editor Dayal Patterson himself is on hand to chat with Satanic, English black metal group Heathen Deity taking us through their two distinct time-lines. The first of these was particularly nostalgic for this writer reminding me of early performances I had seen them at including London’s sadly defunct Red Eye with Hecate Enthroned in 2000 and at Infernal Damnation Festival in 2004 prior to them going on “extended holiday.” Bringing us bang up to date two decades later we anticipate late November release of new album Satan’s Kingdom.’ More on that at a later date!

Not doing things by halves in the slightest and having listened to 2018 release Ebony Tower, the one to date album by Norwegian group Mare over 50 times, Roy next puts guitarist Nosophoros on the inquisition stool. The album is talked about in detail along with reasons for hardly ever doing interviews, the Nidrosian scene, problems faced by the band playing live and the fact their music is probably not for kilt wearing Germans swigging mead from horns. Even Guns and Roses get a look in. Don’t let that fool you though, this is deadly serious stuff from an elusive act who again also went on hiatus after this album. Back for a recap fans can also read about a new era of both music and performances as well as touching upon Nosphoros playing live with both Whoredom Rife and Djevel.

Entering the realms of the really obscure we get an archive interview which apparently itself went missing after the IMHOTEP website closed down. Heard of extreme symphonic Norwegian metal band Gromth? Me neither. They released double album The Immortal in 2011 and frankly on the evidence of this interview it sounds fascinating. The band includes past and present members of Khold, Dimmu Borgir, Susperia, Abyssic and Chrome Division among others and although nothing for years Metal Archives lists them as active. Could a resurrection be on the cards?

With the very sad decline in the UK of magazines writing about the extreme music spectrum it strikes as a rare pleasure actually reading some Reviews in the printed format. Here RK espouses on some firm favourites such as the latest Abigor opus which gets a whopping write up and over 40 listens to.  With others albums he isn’t always backwards about coming forward in his disapproval either so there’s a couple that get a big thumbs down. Although there are a few older albums included there are plenty bringing things bang up to date such as the latest 1349, Mork, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Nile and Koldbrann to name a few. We all have our own way of doing things and style wise things are well written and authoritative. Most of what was written regarding those I knew fairly well were accompanied by my head nodding along in agreement too.

IMHOTEP and Cult Never Dies essentially have much common ground as far as readership is concerned and it seems like a perfect opportunity here for an editor to editor interview. Roy talks to Dayal Patterson about the new expanded edition of Black Metal, Evolution Of The Cult as well as the slings and arrows of the publishing industry here. One thing I found particularly interesting about this discussion was how to stay relevant to an expanding audience and age range, something that I find a major stumbling block for those that are still involved in the production of metal related music magazines in the UK. Whilst an old sod like myself may well have grown up and witnessed the emergence of black metal as it happened, others in their thirties, as Dayal sagely points out, were drawn to it by bands such as Mgla. Mentioning that it is important to appeal to younger people, without compromising intent or becoming an older people’s scene or subculture was a point that is incredibly valid (especially with all the gatekeeping involved with the territory). Very much a case of food for thought as far as I am concerned.

Last is a three course discussion with Erik of Watain conducted between 2018 and 2022. The 25-year career of the Swedish band is overviewed with both albums and individual songs, members, stage shows and rites of blood and fire talked about. The ever amiable host comes across as honest, determined as well as deeply respectful to the fans of the band. Not without humour, he is most amused at hearing that a silly magazine poll has declared Watain as the 12th most Satanic band in the world and as ever this is an engaging set of conversations packed with information which will have the reader wanting to listen to the group’s back-catalogue whilst eagerly anticipating what will come next…

I was rather surprised that rather than a quick read it took me a week to actually consume this book and know that I will be dipping into it again in the future. Certainly one of the best examples of in-depth information of its kind IMHOTEP fills an important niche in the printed press with its coverage of extreme music. Even if all the bands do not appeal you will be drawn into its pages as the editor and writers succeed in getting the very most out of the interviewees. Hopefully with this new pact drawn between them and Cult Never Dies it will not be so long before the next instalment arrives. Considering the cost of the glossy music mags, which hardly touch on the subject matter nowadays the price tag of just £9 seems more than reasonable too.

Pete Woods

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