The Buried Scrolls

2005

1. How did your band begin? What albums have you done so far and what reviews did they get?

Taanak – We began in October 1998 as a 3-piece band: my best friend Ashtaroth on vocals, my brother on drums & I on bass. Until today, we’ve always suffered of unceasing line-up changes. We crave for stability, but it seems that it always end up the same. But God knows exactly what He’s doing with everyone’s life & so we have to welcome that situation & praise His Name! As for Demoniciduth’s career, we released our first demotape “Pre-Release” in 1999. It came just as an essay & I think everyone knew it. In fall 2000, we entered the studio for the first time to record “Post Tenebras Lux”, a CD-EP of 6-songs. Some ‘zines welcomed the CD, some hated it. We just took note of each critic & tried to improve in our musicianship. And in debut 2003, we recorded “Dogs of antichrist” as a split-CD with Sabbatariam from Brazil. So far, ‘zines took note of an improvement in our musicianship, but some aren’t objective & definitely hate us just for what we represent: a Black Metal band with Christ-centered lyrics. But we will never sink under the weight of their intimidation. We’re not there for fun ‘cause “God commandeth all men every where to repent” (Acts 17:30).

2. How would you define your music? What kinds of music styles has your band changed thru and what were the reasons for the changes in musical direction?

Taanak – We would define our music as a sort of Black Metal-Core. We’ve always enjoyed the raging screams of Black Metal. But to be honest, most Black Metal bands are (musically) too much linear. It’s rapidly boring. They’re so similar. It seems that there are million Black Metal bands, but in the end, they play exactly the same stuff & I often question myself why should I buy this CD rather than this other one? Metal-Core is more crunchy & brutal. In conclusion, we were searching to create impact & that’s why we tried to mix the catchy rhythms of Metal-Core with the raging screams of Black Metal. Nevertheless, we enjoy a lot the dark atmosphere in Parakletos or Renascent as well as the folk side of Arvinger.

3. Tell us who is in the band and what are their personality characteristics like?

Taanak – Right now, Demoniciduth is just Ashtaroth-Karnaïm on vocals & I on bass. It is funny to think that 7 years ago, we founded the band & today we’re like we were in our debut. Ashtaroth & I are diametrically opposites. He’s Portuguese & quite very hearty. He’s a very joyful person while I should describe myself as a bit cold or very prudent in my relations & certainly a boring person. I believe it’s a question of culture (laughs). My family is originating from Poland. But we both love Metal & of course, above all, we both love Jesus!

4. What are your interests/occupations of yourself (and your members)?

Taanak – I work as a postman. Out of my job, I play in a soccer team & of course I play & listen to music. I read a lot too. I have many Christian books, principally about Israel, this small land that I love so deeply!

Ashtaroth-Karnaïm – I work as a storekeeper. Out of my job, I’m really into music, video games & movies. I also am evangelizing my girlfriend as she isn’t born again.

5. What is your favourite track from some of the album(s) you have done? Why? What influenced you to write this song and do you wish to state with this song?

Taanak – I liked a lot “Megiddo massacre” on the “Post Tenebras Lux” EP. I remember that we wrote it just after Ashtaroth & I came back from a biblical lesson. The lesson led into the subject of demons, evil spirits & their cowardice to attack those who are especially easy preys. We decided to write a song of Armageddon with Angels cutting demons into pieces. As for “Dogs of antichrist”, I really dig “Oppression”. We were real fans of horror movies, but at a point where it became too much extreme & at a precise moment we felt seriously oppressed. Anyone gets easily caught up in the system. We wanted to write our experience as a warning to everyone. Last but not least, the song “Notre Père” received a lot of eulogies from Christians as well as non-Christians; certainly because everyone knows that famous prayer. We wanted a praise song to play in the end of our shows. Ashtaroth came with the idea of adapting that prayer into an Extreme Metal song.

Ashtaroth-Karnaïm – These 3 ones are also my favourites! (laughs)

6. What struggles have you gone thru as a band and as a band member?

Taanak – Too many. Patience. Faith when trials come. Discouragement. And certainly, the most dangerous thing is to remember Whom belongs all The Glory when people eulogize your band. Searching for God’s Will in every situation isn’t an easy thing too. And as a band member, we always have the danger that the art we practice could supplant Christ’s place in our heart & motivation.

Ashtaroth-Karnaïm – Sometimes the band took so much importance that we came to forget the essential: unity, friendship, brotherhood.

7. What have you achieved as a band? How has your life (lives) changed because of your ministry?

Taanak – I will say that when you’re serious in your ministry, when you really want to submit to The Will of God, many things will change in your life. I learned a lot of important life lessons. But we don’t necessarily need a name & a big ministry to bear fruits for The Kingdom. Loren Cunningham of “Youth With A Mission” wrote in his book “Is that really You, God?” that searching for God’s Will is to better learn to know Him. We can preach The Gospel wherever we are. I take a lot of times on weekends with non-Christian friends who love Black Metal & we talk a lot about Jesus. They’re more open than anyone should think. At start, they’re just full of false ideas on Christianity. They never met convinced & fundamentalist Christians I think. People who are hungry of truth need a message that’s as clear as the crystal. That’s why we don’t support the new trend in Christian Metal with embedded messages, etc…

Ashtaroth-Karnaïm – I met a lot of brothers in the scene & made lot of friends. But for many, we have become the enemy too.

8. What do you think of the present Christian Underground Metal music scene and how it has evolved?

Taanak – Musically, there is a huge improvement, but lyrically we face a crisis. The bands fear to be labelled as a Christian band & you can feel it in their lyrics. This disease has particularly reached the old Europe & it is slowly reaching the United States. The lyrics are so far of The Word of God that most of the times I even ask myself what they’re really talking about. I’m not kidding, I am serious! I don’t understand the meaning of their lyrics (laughs). We definitely place our hope in “poor” countries like South or Central America where Christian Metal is still considered as a mission of high importance.

Ashtaroth-Karnaïm – We will never forget our Aussie friends too. They’re really serious Christians.

9. Are there any things that help the underground movement grow?

Taanak – Yeah, there are. Christ-focused ‘zines like The Centurion Outpost in the USA or Metal Mission & Extreme Brutal Death in Brazil, as well as The Buried Scrolls now constitute a real help for the movement. And there are also some good radio stations. They have a vision.

10. What things are hampering the underground?

Taanak – Bands, ‘zines & radio stations who don’t pay attention to the signs of the times of the end. The Bible contains 30% of prophecies & so we cannot live as if they weren’t a part of The Holy Scriptures. If more Christians were attentive about that fact, they would understand that it is 2 minutes before Midnight in the clock of God & there’s no more time for such nonchalance in our faith. The clock of God is Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:3). And Israel is the proof of God’s existence & of the truthfulness of The Scriptures. Christians have to wake up!

11. How do you describe your faith in God as a band and as an individual?

Taanak – “Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach” (Hebrews 13:13). We’re fundamentalist & Zionist Christians. One thing is sure: you can’t say that you’re a believer if you don’t want to bear His reproach. You can’t talk about the love of Jesus if you want to be spared of the reject & the opposition, continually searching for harmony with your friends. To be a Christian means to belong to Christ alone in a world of tolerance, a world full of adoration of many idols. This also implies that our way, according to The Word of God, can even be qualified as ultra fundamentalist by the Christendom. To break away from all ecumenical links should provoke anger by the so-called Evangelicals. It is precisely there that the mystery of our Christian nature will be manifested: that we’re ready to go forth unto Him without the camp, where we have to endure the shame, the jeering, the isolation, the freezing cold, the slander.   

12. What are your future plans for your band?

Taanak – We have stopped to make any plans. It’s a hard situation. Since April 2004, we have been without a drummer & a guitarist. We did all our possible. Today, we think that Demoniciduth is God’s concern. We’ll not get mad about our difficulties. It is an easy thing for God to find the “labourers” to complete our line-up. If the band should call its quit, we should accept it. The important is to be where Jesus wants you to be. It is shocking to see that Churches propose seminar like “Me & my vision”. It’s always about the “me”. What about God’s vision for our lives?

13. What message would you like your fans to receive from your music?

Taanak – We want them to understand that Jesus is The Saviour. He is the only hope in a world that’s fallen. The Bible is truly The Word of God & all His promises will be accomplished, word for word. In Him is eternal life.

14. What impressions do you want your music to make on people?

Taanak – Most of the times, when we compose a song (music & lyrics), we approve it only when we feel the war. When we don’t feel like warriors on the battlefield, we use to think that this is a bad song. We want people to feel the war. The war against Satan. We want people to feel that God is Almighty, terrible & faithful. Full of Grace for those who repent. The world must tremble before The God Who maintains His Alliance with Israel (Leviticus 26:44-45). The former Palestinian terrorist Taysir Abu Saada stated that he felt a strong fear before the Bible, through which he still gave his life to Christ & became born again.

15. What effect would you like your music to have on your audience?

Taanak – We want them to recognize that they’re sinners. This is a good step to conversion. And in the same time, we want them to understand that they’re not lost, if they repent: “God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). He doesn’t want anyone to perish, but to have eternal life through the faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16).

16. Parting comments?

Taanak – Thank you for this opportunity, brother. Jesus is coming soon. The removal of the Church will arrive. Are you ready?