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BLOOD AXIS The following interview took place just before the release of BLOOD AXIS’ Live album “BLOT- Sacrifice in Sweden”, to say, during the second half of 1998 Era Vulgaris. Interview answered by Michael Moynihan:
Blood Axis: The key to Blood Axis is simply: Will to Power. This, in my belief, is the key to all art, and indeed to higher evolution itself. My beginnings in music go back to the influence of my father, who exposed me to the music of Wagner, Beethoven, Bruckner, Strauss, and the other titans of European Classical Music. As I grew up I became interested in underground music at a young age, and this eventually led to the early industrial music of Throbbing Gristle, Monte Cazazza, and SPK. When I was about 14 or 15 years old, I started recording “music” itself, although is was very primitive. Some years later I decided that my real desire was to try to create sound of a more epic, disciplined nature - organic and forceful. It would have to combine both the modern or futuristic and the archaic. This is what I’ve trying to do with Blood Axis. It is a union of the ancestral and the Technological, and this is the “axis of the blood”, for the same European blood from which arose the myths of ancient days, also created those innovations which surround us now. With a record titled “The Gospel of Inhumanity”, the Imagery is going to reflect the suppression of “humanity”. As far as I’m concerned, “humanity” as a concept is purely an abstraction and means nothing in real life. Humanity should be suppressed and surpassed. If mankind stop worrying about the sorrows of humanity, we might be able to return to the path of higher evolution, instead of remaining bogged down in the mire which is presently drowning all intelligent life on the planet. P.T: You were taking part in a project called Coup of Grace. What do you think are the main differences between that project and Blood Axis, both musically and conceptually? B.A: I started experimenting with recording “music”, or rather just plain sound, when I was about 13 years old. I first built some oscillators from a home electronics kit and then manipulated tapes I made of bizarre radio broadcasts. Needless to say it was very primitive. Later I started to accumulate more equipment and develop more complex ideas, but all of this was still limited to two-track cassette recording. From a personal view it is quite reactionary in retrospect; it reflects my emotions at the time. Things are much farther evolved now (it’s nearly 15 years later!), and the music is really completely different. It evolves, plain and simple. We learn to use new weapons and tools and apply them. We gain experience from our previous faltering first steps; we learn to walk and then later, to run. I would only say at present we have learned how to walk and carry ourselves well. There is much to be discovered and rediscovered in the future.
P.T: Blood Axis has a fascist/nazi connotation. What does this doctrine mean to you and why did you choose the Gothic Cross as a symbol of the band? B.A: Blood Axis considers itself a cultural, musical and spiritual force. We are really not interested in following “doctrines” or ideologies. No one playing in Blood Axis has ever been a member of any political group, whether it be Right Wing, Left Wing, or anything else. So I don’t think it is really correct to say we have a “connection” to such things, although of course it is true that people have accused us of being things like that, but I think they don’t even understand us in the first place… The Kruckenkreuz (or “Gothic Cross”, as you say), originates in the Soul of Pagan Europe, although it was later adopted as a Christian Cross, specifically during the Crusades. This impregnates it with a second connotation, as a symbol of the Holy War. In the 1920’s it was taken as the sigil of the Order of the New Templars, Jorg Lanz von Liebenfels’ ariosophist lodge in Austria. It is still employed as a nationalist symbol in Austria, as well as appearing in Masonic and Christian Iconography. It seemed to me a perfect symbol for controlled and contained power- the Will to Power. There are a number of other ways to view it as well: two overlapping sunweels in opposite rotation; four Thor’s Hammers projecting out of a center point; and these only confirm my instincts about adopting it. P.T: Tell us about Storm Productions. Why was it created? What kind of Productions do you release? B.A: Storm is an umbrella company to release different projects: books, music, art, etc., that I find worthy. So far, four different singles have come out, as well as the Blood Axis CD (a joint release with Misanthropy), and there are releases from Changes, Peter Gilmore, and Factrix among others.
P.T: You are a member of the Church of Satan. What were the main reasons which motivated you to become a member? What kind of relationships exist between Blood Axis and the C.O.S? B.A: I met Anton LaVey in San Francisco in 1989 for the first time. We got on well and at the end of the evening he asked if he could bestow a membership upon me. I was flattered, and naturally pleased to accept. He is a truly impressive personality. Since then I was appointed a priest as well, so clearly he finds value in my work. I also did a long article on him a few years ago which appeared in Seconds Magazine, and I interviewed him again more recently and this material will appear in a Book about Black Metal called “Lord of Chaos” (ED: Now it’s available from Feral House, 2532 Lincoln Blvd. #359, Venice, CA 90291 USA) which I have written. It was one of the last interviews done before he died in 1997. LaVey was always very complimentary of Blood Axis. P.T: What can you tell us about the show you did in Sweden (November 97). What kind of reactions did you obtain from the audience? What do you normally expect of a live show? B.A: The show in Linköping (at a 10th Anniversary festival for Cold Meat Industry) was a success in just about every way, which was a relief since it was the first proper live show Blood Axis has done. We had the privilege to perform in front of a respectful and enthusiastic crowd of people who came from both Sweden and Norway as well as points as far away as Belgium, Latvia and Germany. We played a mixture of the old and new material all of which seemed to go over well. One of the most charged moments was when we began a rendition of “Reign I Forever” and I held aloft a large wooden Thor’s Hammer to an ecstatic roar from the audience. We have a good multi-track recording of the show which we were later able to re-mix for a release on Cold Meat Industry, who were the organizers of the concert (it was public celebration for their tenth anniversary), not to mention fine hosts for most of stay in Sweden. The album will be called Blot i Sverige (“Sacrifice in Sweden”). We knew things would work out well when Roger Karmanik and Lina Babydoll handed us a bottle of old-fashioned wormwood liqueur only minutes after our arrival on Swedish soil…what more could we ask for? P.T: What do you think about the overwhelming influence that some fundamentalists are inflicting over American society? B.A: I think it is unfortunate these people have any influence, but I also think the best thing is to just ignore them and do what you need to do. Most of the Time they are too confused to really affect your life.
P.T: Future Plans for both Storm & Blood Axis? B.A: There are two books I’m working on publishing in the near future. One is a project I started about 8 years ago, which is an English translation of the Esoteric/runic occult writings of Karl Maria Wiligut. This will be published in cooperation with Edred Thorsson and his Runa-Raven Press and should be released this Fall. I have also bought the rights to Men among the Ruins by Julius Evola and commissioned a translation into English. This should be published by early next Year, and hopefully will contribute to a growing interest in the works of this magical philosopher. As well Annabel Lee and I are in the Process of creating a new publishing company which will deal exclusively in lost and obscure works of European decadence and Mysticism. These will be printed in limited editions of exquisite design and presentation, only available to a selected few. Anyone interested in any of these projects is encouraged to write for more details. For Blood Axis we will be playing an extensive European Tour this Fall/Winter (ED: It was already finished, the so-called Indoeuropean Tour). P.T: Last words for our readers… B.A: Thanks for the interview! Anyone interested in Blood Axis, please contact us directly. Send an IRC or US $2 for more information to: Blood Axis P.O BOX 129 WATERBURY CENTER VT 05677
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