I N T E R V I E W

Interview BST (by Email)

Could you introduce the band? You and the drummer Daniel come from Aborted, right? Do you still play for this band or is The Order Of Apollyon your only project right now?

Daniel and myself both parted ways with Aborted last summer. He also plays in TRIGGER THE BLOODSHED, and I play in AOSOTH, and a few other projects...

Are you the only one to write the music or did your bandmates help you during this step?

I did the work on my own for this album, but things will be different for the next album. Everyone will get more involved in the writing process.

As you live in Paris and the other musicians live in England, I think it's difficult to meet each other. Is TOOA a real band or just some kind of "BST's band"?

London is only an hour and ten minutes from Paris by train, we do meet, although there is no need for intensive rehearsing. The album was recorded without a single full rehearsal with every member, we work by distance, and email tabs, and demos... It all works fine this way! As I said, everyone is intending to be more and more involved and it is meant to be a real band.

Let's talk about the lyrics: what is the concept of this album? I heard you are interested in some religious stuff; did you create an album of black christian death metal?

"Christian" isn't what I would call it, as I think we are wider than that, and our ideology and our spiritual views are influenced by other religions as well, and there is also a fascination for totalitarianism, which is very present in our lyrics and imagery. On this album in particular, the concept is focused of the notion of passage from spirit to flesh, and flesh to spirit, respectively symbolising decay, and ascension.

As a "man of faith", what did you think of the fact that christian politics (Mr De Villiers and Mrs Boutin) tried to cancel the Hellfest, which is the only big french metal festival?

I found it amusing to watch failed politics using a successful event to promote themselves, it's quite a paradox isn't it? Without this so-called satanic festival, who would they have to talk about, and who would be there to hear them? Apart from that, I don't really care if that festival lives on or not, playing there is pleasant, but the rest of Europe has many other similar events to offer, and most of them are better organised, and more respectful of musicians.

There is one song in German ("Ich bin das Licht") and one song in French ("L'orgueil"). Why did you do that?

French is my first language, and I enjoy using it in my music. Concerning the German part in "Ich bin das licht", I read that sentence, which is a part of a prayer, in a church in Germany, and it struck me as something both powerful and beautiful, and I felt like using it in a song.

Which bands would you name as the greatest influences of TOOA? When I listened to "The flesh" I thought to Behemoth, Enslaved and Immortal, did I hear right?

You're right, those bands did influence us. I would add Dissection, Deathspell Omega, and even classics like Slayer.

Stupid question; what is your favourite song of the album?

"Never", I like the fact that this one is fairly simple, very effective...

When will we be able to see TOOA live? Have you got some contacts to support one big band?

We're looking for a bunch of gigs as we speak, we'll be playing Slovenia's Metalcamp on the fifth of July, our first french show will be on October the 23rd, and we should have a few UK shows later on...

What question that we usually never ask you would you like to answer?

In a perfect world I would never have to answer any question. Judgement is upon us. True servants will be rewarded.