VENEFICUM- Agressive intense black metal act with melodic keyboards and technical guitars, VENEFICUM is one of the new revelations of United States Black Metal scene, the new MCD "Dysphoria", released by FOREVER UNDERGROUND RECORDS, is a masterpiece of misanthrope atmospheres and melodic agressivity, a lesson of good black metal ! Antarktis (keyboardist) aswered our questions.

KREPUSKULUM:  Talk to us about the creation of VENEFICUM. What is the reason to play melodic Black Metal (this kind of music is a underground fashion now...) ?

ANTARKIS: We play what comes naturally to us. Each member of the band derives inspiration from different sources and in the end this is the result. We don't try to sound a certain way nor do we intentionally try to shock with our music... We make music that we like to listen to and enjoy.

Your music is very agressive but the melodic aspect is present in all compositions. Do you believe that is possible mix agressivity with melody?
Well, between the guitars and keys there is always some melody going on there. Usually with the melody we express melancholic feelings and mix it up with some very dark emotions. We seek to convey moods through melody in our songs. As far as if it's possible well... I believe you answered your own question with your first sentence.

What are the 10 best black metal bands for you and the 10 best Black Metal albums?

I don't like rating things in that manner and I really have no preference... whatever I am listening to at the time is most important to me as it is making me feel good. Currently I am very much enjoying the new Emperor CD, And Oceans..., Limbonic Art, Summoning, Dodheimsgard, Diabolical Masquerade, etc. I know some other guys in the band listen to Mysticum, Marduk, Old Man's Child, Darkthrone, and I could go on forever...

Your lyrics didn't talk about Satan but it talk about darkness, silence and solitude. Are you nihilists? Do you believe in Satan or God??

We don't believe in religion and we don't really identify with any labels on ourselves. We don't wear any gimmicks or put on any false image... this may not be too exciting as I am not a demon from some netherworld out to destroy the earth but just a guy who plays keyboards in a fucking band.. We aren't actors we are musicians.

What do you think about the "named" new metal of KORN, LIMP BIZKIT & LINKIN PARK?

I bear no animosity towards these bands... It is what the people are buying so that is why it is so popular. I don't dislike Fred Durst any more than the anonymous local band down the street that sounds just like him. I don't really care for any of the music these groups put out and well it's quite sad that people call this metal. But that is the scene's own ignorance. The mainstream popular music always follows the vocals for melody cuz that is what the average joe listens to and the music is really secondary in this US "nu metal scene"... Even the damn euro dance scene has more melody... and that's DANCE music for fucks sake.

What is the meaning of the name VENEFICUM?

The poisoner, bringer of death, or the magician in Latin. It is an altered version of Veneficus which is the true Latin word.

The USA is a country dominated by the musical fashion created by MTV. Is hard to play underground music in your country?

Well yeah there aren't many places to play in even our home city of Chicago. There is a scene here but yes it is very underground. Most people over here have never even heard of the genre of black metal and just can't understand what we are doing with our music. But things are changing... more and more bands are popping up and a lot of these bands are really supportive of each other... We play what we want regardless of what MTV dishes out. MTV are fucking corporate whores that rape music for commercialism. MTV has become the worst thing to ever happen to music... it's a real fucking shame.

What do you think about the WORLD TRADE CENTER ATACK? Are you support the war??

I am still shaken from the events that transpired Sept. 11th and will the images will be burnt in my mind forever. It's quite surreal really... it's one of those things that happen that make you think... like what is really important...It's like in our culture everyone was becoming so complacent and trivial with their concerns... It is still there really but in the back of their minds everyone is worried that tomorrow will be the end of the world... it's a whole new era of panic for the populous. Even when I drive to rehearsal in Chicago I make sure to gaze at the Sears Tower for there is a possibility it might be the last time I see it.

Talk to us about the creative process behind your music.

About half of our songs are started on the guitar and the other half on the keys. Mendoz and I are writing all the music for the next release together but Dysphoria was mostly Mendoz and our ex guitar player Ceja. No one member really writes a whole song as it is a whole band process and we arrange the music together at our rehearsal space in Chicago.

You played in the famous underground festival MILWAUKEE METALFEST. What is the sensation to play in this great festival? Talk about your gigs, Do you use corpse paint?

Yeah this fest is really close to us and we have played it the last two years... it's an exhilirating time and we get our biggest turnout at these events. We do not wear corpse paint at our shows... we just wear basically what you see of us in the pictures... no fire breathing or bloodletting... we mostly let the music speak for us not theatrics. That has been the foundation of what this band is about since the beginning. In the next year we will be playing around the country at various fests and look forward to playing with other bands and for new people.

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