Bahimiron
Wywiad przeprowadził Wouter Roemers
Decimating the underground in 2006 with a split CD with Teratism and their aptly titled debut album, "Pure Negativism: In Allegiance With Self Wreckage," Texan black metal fiends Bahimiron have signed with Moribund Records. The label recently released the band's second opus "Southern Nihilizm" to critical acclaim throughout the world. Masterful Magazine was able to contact Blaash (drums) and Deacon Krag Daggon (guitars) to talk about the band's formation, their second record and the current state of the United States.First off, I'd like to thank you for taking time to speak with me today. What is presently going on with the band? What new things are happening for Bahimiron right now?
Deacon Krag Daggon: Much deserved rest... We just played a show in L.A. with our boys from Inquisition, Nokturne, Sumeria and several other awesome bands. We also await the arrival of our soon to be released split, with brothers-in-arms Unchrist on Graveless Slumber Records. We recorded it well before "Southern Nihilizm". Can't wait for people to bite on that sucker. Plus, one more gig coming up in support of Mutha Frickin Horna!
Since this is your first interview for Masterful Magazine, could you provide us with a brief history of the band up till now?
Blaash: Bahimiron was an ideal borne out of the sickened minds of Dave "Grimlord" Herrera and Brian Fernandez in around 1993, when Grimlord was still the vocal vomitter for Imprecation. He wanted to move towards a blacker blight, so he joined up with a few blokes, one of them being Brian - however, they ran only into those who either drank too much, or did too many/too much drugs, and nothing transpired. Grimlord proceeded to commit a few a years towards debauchery and criminal violence, and Bahimiron was put on ice until roughly 2001 or so.. At that time, he met JenOside and Blaash in Houston. Grimlord found out that Jen was a guitarist/bassist, and Blaash had been trying on and off at skins. So, finally after finding those with the correct ideals of blackened vomit, hate and bitterness, he brought the three together to form the original triumvirate of terror. A demo was released in 2002 and then work began in earnest for an EP to be released on BFD/Regimental Records - "Hunting Down the Weak". It was also at this point when it was realized that a second guitarist was needed to compliment the hymns that were being conjured - a known ally for years, and one borne of outlawness and pissing on churches, Krag Dagon (now the Deacon Krag) was recruited as a hired gun. Years have passed, and as of now, the current line up stands.
Where did the name Bahimiron originate from and is there a special meaning to it, according to you?
Blaash: Our singer/guitarist/founder Grimlord came up with the name with Brian Fernandez sometime around 1993 or 1994 - the name is a Crowley-ian term meaning "Bestial" - both thought that it fit the style of blackened vomit that they wanted to conjure.
Congratulations with your new record "Southern Nihilizm" - this is definitely the best we have heard from Bahimiron to date. How have the reactions from the specialized press and fans been so far?
Deacon Krag Daggon: Well, to tell you the truth. Surprisingly, not too bad. I've seen some really decent reviews for the album. And so far the fan-base that we may already have are pretty stoked.
Blaash: As usual, varied - everybody, everywhere, has an opinion, and what sounds good to one person, may not sound good to another. It's been a mixed crowd so far, with some persons finding great violence in our attack, and others just finding redone Northern styled black metal.
How long was the process of putting the album together, as far as writing the music, the concept and arrangements is concerned?
Deacon Krag Daggon: Spring of 2006 is when I first started to piece together rhythms and by summer, with the help of Grimlord's conducting we had several songs ready for recording. We actually started recording for an EP or mini-CD at first. We had scheduled studio time already when the Moribund offer came in. From there it was a constant process of creating. Blaash and Jen flying down for recording, drinking.... and hangovers. Some songs stayed in the original format that they were wrote in, others were whipped into shape during practices.
This is your first album for US black metal specialist label Moribund Records. Are you happy the way Moribund Records handled the record, regarding promotion, distribution and marketing?
Deacon Krag Daggon: For me, I couldn't be happier with Moribund! They have supported us from the get-go. I have no complaints. I only hope that this album will make a return, as in monetary profits, for them.
Blaash: Working with Odin has been great. He let us have total control and freedom to create our vile brew and now he's in charge of shoving it down the throat of the masses.
Much of the population of east, central, and north Texas have a white Protestant heritage, primarily descended from ancestors from Great Britain and Ireland. Houston is home to the largest "church" in the nation, Lakewood Church. Lubbock, Texas has the most churches per capita in the nation. How is it growing up for a kid in an isolated place like this?
Deacon Krag Daggon: Texas does have the most churches per capita! We are a big fucking state with only six million people less than Canada's total national population. I myself grew up in and out of small towns and big cities. Houston is the fourth largest city in the US, along with the Dallas/Fortworth, San Antonio, Austin areas.
Isolation is really a state of mind and in most instances, your own choice. I've felt the backlash from living in small towns and being a little different than others, but Texas, in my opinion, can be the most relaxed region I've ever been to. Of course, I still have a lot more places to go.
Blaash: Isolated? Shit man, there's no fuggin' isolation. I lived in Houston for 20 years and there was always something happening. Be it violence, work, school, hating fuggers, vomiting, puking, hanging out at various hellholes. I felt "isolated" only in the fact that I could not relate to many of those around me: church - heh - fuggin' hypocrisy. They're the ones that are usually molesting their daughters/killin' their neighbours/fuggin' their neighbours' wife etc, and they call themselves Christians or Baptists or whatever. Fun stuff to watch on the television, I suppose.
You hail from Houston, Texas, a place in the American Bible Belt. Can you tell us how growing up in the Bible Belt has influenced your outlook and disgust with organised religions and its many blind disciples?
Deacon Krag Daggon: Like your question above states we have the biggest hypocritical church in the entire god forsaken country! So yeah, you get a lot of blind faith morons! A lot! I personally hate any and all organized religions. Makes me extremely mad, sick and angry. Isn't this supposed to be the Age of Reason?! But what are ya gonna do? Well, I'll tell you... Fucking Join a USBM band, and instead of trying to be angry! Let the shit flow through you like a night of eating bad Mexican food.
Blaash: Society in general fuels my disgust, as I stated, hypocrisy and just way too many fuggers around me breathing. But that's everywhere. Organized religion, I can see has its use to control the ignorant, so in that respect I can see why it still exists. But I don't' see it as anything more than an annoyance. I recall running into the same problems with the Christians running around in Norge back when I was living there for a little while in the 90s. Or even here in Arizona (where I currently reside) there are blind fools everywhere. Well, as long as they keep they're fuggin' goddamn opinions to themselves, I won't have to go on a shootin' spree just yet..
So, after 8 years of George W. Bush in office America finds itself with its economy crumbling, unemployment rates skyrocketing, the education system perishing by the minute and its population is engaged in military conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq under the banner of "bringing democracy" to these places. While the US is a mega-power in the global economic and political sense, it also has a lot of its believability over the last couple of years. Any thoughts/comments?
Deacon Krag Daggon: This is it, people! The beginning of the end! If you know anything about history, you can see the signs. Much like the Roman Empire, our enemies are at the gates and ready to rape and pillage our foundations. Along with a power corrupt power system, we will fall. No amount of Obama Binladins will save you or super liberal Republicans. Be prepared to fight!
-Blaash: When has the economy, society and the rest of the American system not been in a state of chaos? It's always the same shit. America needs a good war to generate economy. So, we make some shit up, attack some dirty lowlife countries, and then we "create" terrorists (when you attack a smaller country, those that survive will hate you) and then they come to kill Americans in unsavoury fashions (flying planes into giant phallic like buildings, something tells me somebody is jealous) , who then in turn ignite "patriotism" and we are whipped into a war atmosphere, etc, etc... It's just the way that the world works: violence, more violence, and the need for power and money. I didn't know things were any worse than the 80s (cold war), 70s (Vietnam war), 50s (Korean War).. I mean, shit, do I need to go on? It's a giant swirling shiatebasket. But hey, I like it here, so I guess I'll just kick back and watch the firestorms grow from the Middle East till it spreads ‘round the world.
Now that we're talking on subjects of politics and religion. Since 1980, most of Texas voters have supported Republican Presidential candidates. The American elections have always have had a knack for theatrics and circus. In a sense of choosing the lesser of two evils, do you endorse Barack Obama or John McCain?
Deacon Krag Daggon: Bahimiron fully endures Chaos! Nothing more, nothing less!
Blaash: Whoever wants to pour money into the war effort.
Is it difficult operating as a unholy black metal unit in a region where religion (Christianity or otherwise) is so ingrained in daily life?
Deacon Krag Daggon: No, not really. Sure, there might be a club or something that might not want us unsavoury people around... Oh well!
Blaash: It's annoying when I drink heavily and I'm in the local populous. I've learned after many years that if I am living in society (i.e. not living in the backwoods like Ted K., the Unabomber who lived in a shack with no electricity etc) that if I shot every fugger that pissed me off, I would have been in jail and probably turned into somebody's buttboy - SO.. for now.. I just don't go out much.
A lot of black metal bands such as Antaeus, Corpus Christii, Enthroned, Glorior Belli, Secrets Of the Moon have been stating that they make spiritual black metal. How important is Satanism for you, the band and in the context of black metal, in general?
Deacon Krag Daggon: Satan, darkness and evil of all sorts is essential to Black Metal. Everyone in Bahimiron have their own systems of belief. I myself do not subscribe to any Evil church or entity... But BM wouldn't be BM if it did not at least support the minimal level of Chaos, death and destruction.
Blaash: As the Deacon said, everyone in the band approaches it differently. The orthodox (spiritual) blokes - hm, I know what they're trying to do, but I'll stick to the straight up use of firearms for righthand path removal.
What are the last black metal albums which made a big impression on you personally?
Blaash: ABYSSIC HATE is one of those that burns all the time for me.. Other items currently causing fury and frothing would be one song, new INQUISITION, new BEHEXEN, AMPUTATOR (US), FAMINE (US), BEASTCRAFT, BETHLEHEM ("Dictus.." only), the one song "Imago Mortis" from 5:12 ROM - MARDUK, new DAGON, NECROS CHRISTOS, TEITENBLOOD, PROCLAMATION, ARCHGOAT, OBSCURE ANARCHONISM, ORCIVUS.. Tons more, but that's an idea of what's getting' played by DJ Blaash
Thanks for the interview, and good luck with all your future endeavours. Feel free to add anything you want...
Deacon Krag Daggon: Thanks to you for the time and effort. Whiskey, fire and pillz!!
Blaash: Whiskey VOMITS.
Booking: www.moribundcult.com
