Throne Ov Damnation

 

It’s always a joy to meet an enthusiastic musician from the UK black metal scene who is near the beginning of their creative journey, and so it was with pleasure that I was able to talk to Helvetia, the sole mind behind Throne ov Damnation, and drummer for emerging act Earthwhore. Having raked over the past, we chatted in depth about the process of creation and the ideas which black metal compositions can embody and convey, along with what we can expect from this artist over the next year.

Hierophant Nox: Hail Helvetia, how are you doing?
Helvetia: Hello there, Hierophant Nox. I’m honoured to be a part of this interview, thank you very much indeed for having me.

Hierophant Nox: You’re very welcome. We’ve come together principally to discuss your now solo project, Throne ov Damnation. What was the origin of this band and what have been the key points of its history?
Helvetia: It began with myself and a friend of mine called Andre. He was an excellent guitarist, but unfortunately Black Metal wasn’t his forte. He left after we recorded our demo/album, “Labyrinth Eternal”. Recording was a key moment for Throne, as it’s a sculpture of our work.

Hierophant Nox: “Labyrinth Eternal” was released in October of 2008; what does this represent in terms of your creativity so far? Is it a collection of earliest songs or compositions from a range of times?
Helvetia: It’s an odd mix really. Some songs were almost written during the recording process, which is a shame because we had very little time, and that limited us in terms of how much time we were able to spend on them. Songs like “Pentecost”, “As The Battle Commences” and “Mirror Ov Lies” were the tracks that were at the heart of the band.

 

                         

Hierophant Nox: Where and when was the album/demo recorded? Was the writing and producing for this record difficult or did it come together easily?
Helvetia: Most of the production process was very difficult, some times it seemed just impossible that we would get the job done, but it eventually came out Ok. I had Alex Magnvs of Antichthon performing vocals on one of the tracks, which was amazing. Recording the drums was such a conundrum. We recorded drums at the same time as the band Dagonoth recorded their new material. I’m a good friend with the band and we help each other out, which is great. Josh Proctor (Dagonoth drummer) engineered the entire Throne recording, so we ended up ferrying the drum kit in 2 cars across Leicestershire for 3 weeks, back and forth to the studio. It took me 5 hours to record the Throne songs. As I said, time was limited. The drums were recorded in about 2 takes each, which is disappointing, as I would like to have spent more time on them. There was so much more, but I would be here for ages talking about it. The recording of the guitars was slightly easier, but still a difficult process. I think it’s difficult for any band that wants to record. It’s certainly not a simple and easy process.

Hierophant Nox: As of 2008 you have been flying the Throne ov Damnation flag alone; what are the advantages and disadvantages of being a solo artist?
Helvetia: Well, some may have contrasting opinions. I personally feel that being a solo artist has its advantages, as you are solely making your own art, nobody else’s. Everything you ever wanted is in yourself, not in other people, and only you know how you want your work to be created. This was impossible when I worked as a duo with Andre, as he introduced his own styles into Throne’s music.

Hierophant Nox: If I’m good at reading (questionable), you’re firstly a drummer. How does this affect your approach to song-writing and creation?
Helvetia: Drums are the backbone, they are what moulds creation together. You can create a vast range of beats, which can then be furtherly incorporated with other forms of instruments; in my case guitars and vocals. Emotion can be expressed in various interesting ways on a drum kit. It’s where I feel my aggression lies, and it’s a reflection of me as a person. That’s the beauty of an instrument and its player, for anyone, for anything.

Hierophant Nox: It’s hinted that we can expect new material in 2009; are you in a position to reveal what we can expect?
Helvetia: Its early days yet. I have more ideas than definite plans. Of course, I have a goal I would like to achieve, which is to record my own material. Because this is my work this time, I want Throne to develop into what I’ve always wanted, which is to become far more extreme than it is now. I have written two tracks at this moment in time. I can say they are very different to the “Labyrinth Eternal” album.

Hierophant Nox: The material on “Labyrinth” has a really nice ‘early and aggressive’ ring to it; was there a particular musical aim or sound you were attempting to achieve with that album? In what ways is the new material different?
Helvetia: We had ideas what sound we were trying to achieve at the time, but it just kind of flowed really. I’m a fan of the ‘raw’ Black Metal sound, so it was a combination of raw drums and raw guitar. The biggest thing I regret with “Labyrinth Eternal” was the mixing process. Again, time was of the essence, but I’m not excusing the fact that too much treble was used! Some parts of the album, the cymbals of the drums really cut through your ears. It’s a good lesson learnt there, as its something that will be noted for future recordings!

Hierophant Nox: Like most black metal, there appears to be a core philosophy at play on “Labyrinth Eternal”; what concepts or ideologies would you say the album explores? Do you see black metal in general as having an obligation to impact on thought and spread a defiant message?
Helvetia: This was difficult. I wrote the lyrics for “Labyrinth Eternal”, and I had someone perform them on the album. I can say that Kurt (Vocalist for album, also Dagonoth Bassist and sole Trilithon member) had no clue what some of the lyrics meant! Relating back to the idea of your own work, no one else can ever express your own feeling and true emotion from heart, even if some lyrics of mine didn’t make sense in the first place! The main theme of the album is just a concoction of despising humanity and Armageddon. Call it coincidence, but the lyrics in the track “A Fatal Ending” relate to the 2012 Mayan prophecy in great detail. This is odd for me, as I didn’t have a clue what the 2012 prophecy was at the time. But yeah, I see Black Metal as defying a lot of things. It all depends upon the individual…

Hierophant Nox: Of course Throne ov Damnation is not the only string to your bow- you joined Earthwhore as drummer earlier in the year. Can you tell us some more about this band and their current activities?
Helvetia: Earthwhore is where my main concentration is currently lying. It’s an odd story how we came together: I wanted Hypnoticvs (Earthwhore guitarist) to replace Andre in Throne Ov Damnation, but then he introduced me to Yyseth (vocalist/bassist), and he somehow pulled me into Earthwhore. Hypnoticvs asked if Yyseth could play Bass for his previous band, Shadow Ascension, but Yyseth pulled him into Earthwhore. The three of us think alike, which is great for me as there is an understanding between us. I’ve never had that with Throne Ov Damnation. And somehow, as we began to rehearse, the material we have written has become a lot more sinister and a lot faster. We will be going live frequently in 2009, beginning in February. We will be definitely recording our debut around summer 2009, if not earlier.

Hierophant Nox: I believe Earthwhore have discussed an exciting live date with Funeral Throne at the beginning of 09; are live performances going to be a priority for the band in the coming months? Throne ov Damnation have so far only had a couple of live outings- is this on the cards as well?
Helvetia: We were asked by black metallers Infernal King to support Nocturnal Depression in Birmingham, along with Funeral Throne of course. So far a date has not been confirmed, but it will be early 2009 for definite. Earthwhore and myself are extremely eager to start getting out and playing live, as we feel our ideas and material sound promising. Regarding Throne Ov Damnation, however, it’s very difficult to say whether a live date will happen…

Hierophant Nox: How important is it for you to identify with both projects as ‘UK black metal’? Do you think we have a right to be proud of our current scene?
Helvetia: Of course lots of UK based bands do. It’s difficult to answer, as I’ve just seen it as Black Metal acts that have originated from the UK.

Hierophant Nox: Martin Linde of Misantropia and myself have a theory (a highly biased theory in favour of ourselves) that the extreme metal scene as a whole is well due a kick in the ass by those under the age of 35. Do you agree that we’re onto something or are we thoughtless iconoclasts?
Helvetia: That’s a difficult one. Who knows? You could be on to something!
Hierophant Nox: You know we are! Vive la revolution…

Hierophant Nox: Something that prevails from the ancient times (‘91 or so…) is the use and evolution of corpse paint, which you make use of in both projects. What meaning does this continue to have for you? Does black metal carry with it a need to be ‘other’ or a need to disguise?
Helvetia: It’s never really been a disguise as such for me. To my mind it reflects the world as it is today. ‘Corpse Paint’ is ‘filthy’ looking, and the world is just one huge lump of waste and excretion. People can judge me in ‘Corpse paint’, but they don’t realise they’re staring into a living mirror.

Hierophant Nox: What are your plans for 2009? Do you have any particular targets you have set for yourself that you would like to realise?
Helvetia: I want to focus a great deal more on my music and playing live shows regularly. I am currently trying to get Throne Ov Damnation up once again. As for Earthwhore, we shall see you on the road. Earthwhore will definitely be recording our debut very soon.

Hierophant Nox: Thank you very much for speaking to us; if you’ve any other messages for the world, please go ahead:
Helvetia: Thank you again for having me. I wish you the best of luck for your future…
“Every breath we take is a war to exist. Order=Chaos”