Interview with Tom Bishop of Blood Ritual |
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Diabolical Conquest (Nin Chan): Hails, Blood Ritual! I have to say, first of all, that you play death metal the way it SHOULD be played. Punishing, cruel, sinister, ominous, totally enveloping and unique. So much of the magic in Blood Ritual's music lies in what you DON'T play, as opposed to what you DO, which reminds me of bands like Immolation, Thanatos, Bolt Thrower, who are more oriented around evoking atmosphere through more deliberate, simple structures. Tell me about your guiding philosophy behind writing music. Blood Ritual: Music should be a reflection of who you are. For me it is Dark, brutal and evocative. A release for the many pent up emotions that I carry. It also serves as a forum for me to express much of my interest in Black Magic.
DC: There is such a fascination with technicality and precision in extreme music nowadays that it's almost sickening, really. I guess it's the whole post-Gorguts, post-Death syndrome, where people think that crowding the mix with blastbeats, pinch harmonics, solos and 039829048230498 riffs constitutes good, listenable music. Obviously Blood Ritual can play, this is more than obvious throughout the record, but there are so many memorable riffs and passages here. Again, what is your perspective towards this trend towards ‘'technicality''? Blood Ritual: It's music, not a contest to see who can play the most notes in one song. No one is going to give you a trophy for cramming a bunch of pointless changes into each song. Music needs room to breath and should express emotion. You don't dump everything in the spice rack into your food or it spoils the flavor.
Blood Ritual: Absolutely, it is a way for me to release the darkness inside of me and give it life. It is very much a part of me. DC: It is clear throughout the record that Blood Ritual isn't a mere antichrist band, there is no overt “FUCK YOUR GOD, I'LL JIZZ ON YOUR BIBLE” type imagery here, everything is very straight-faced and intelligently cohered. Let's discuss your Satanic philosophies and how they form the experience that is Blood Ritual. Blood Ritual: My philosophies on Satanism can be viewed by anyone who goes out and buys a copy of “The Satanic Bible” by Anton Szandor LaVey. As to how it forms the music of Blood Ritual it is an integral part of me and anything that I do, musically or otherwise. DC: I definitely think that somewhere along the line, people stopped looking at American death metal as Rottrevore, Sathanas, Nunslaughter, Acheron, Immolation, Morbid Angel, Fatal, Blood Ritual and looked towards all this crappy technical breakdown-intensive stuff as being archetypal ‘'American death metal''. Why do you think death metal took this direction? Blood Ritual: I think that it is indicative of the American culture as a whole, who's mantra's would seem to be “more, more, more…me, me, me”, “I'm better than you are” and “I don't feel anything, when's my next fix?”.
DC: I was informed that Blood Ritual is now a one-man project, after having had various members in the past. Having had one-man projects myself, I certainly enjoy the creative liberty of sculpting a uniquely personal musical experience without having to deal with in-band bickering. How do you regard this freedom yourself? Blood Ritual: I enjoy the artistic license it grants to me, although I would like to be a better guitarist to fully express myself. I imagine it will grow as my abilities grow. I would eventually like to put together a full band and perhaps tour next year.
DC: I definitely think there's a trance-inducing, psychedelic, almost Autopsy quality to a lot of structures on the new record. A lot of riffs are given more emphasis by repetition, spectral leads float atop of repeated passages giving them textural dimension, bewitching melodies weave in and out of the mix, oftentimes the record feels like it would be better experienced in a heightened consciousness. Do you feel drugs would enhance the Blood Ritual experience? Blood Ritual: I would have to say that is a decision for the individual listener to make. I personally don't feel that drugs “enhance” anything, but if that's your thing, who am I to nay say it. Each person will probably get something different out of the experience. If they feel they need drugs to better experience it then I guess that is what they will do.
DC: Reading the lyrics of your previous album, it is apparent that Blood Ritual is very oriented around ancient Satanic deities (Moloch, Astarte, Ashmodai, Shaitan etc.). There is a very mystical, esoteric edge to Blood Ritual that roots it in ancient Satanic traditions. Let's discuss how ancient mythology informs the Blood Ritual cult. Blood Ritual: I don't know that there is a cult per se, but these archetypal forces are a great part of me and who I am. I view them as elemental forces of consciousness that one can tap into for power to drive the ritual and channel their energy into what they wish to achieve.
DC: I definitely think the overtly Satanic, demonic imagery that populated much of American metal for the better part of the ‘80s/'90s (as manifested in bands like VON, Profanatica, Havohej, Deicide, Morbid Angel, Acheron, Satan's Host, Slayer) has really taken a backseat to lyrics that are more grounded with terrestrial, physical experience and earthly issues. How do you regard this? Blood Ritual: If that's what people want to write about and listen to then go for it. I don't personally care for that sort of thing. I like Satanic metal the best, always have. It seems to have more energy to it, to me at least. I had enough of political lyrics in the late eighties and am bored to tears by gore lyrics. It's like the difference between a movie like Dagon and Friday the 13 th part whatever. One has thought and energy put into it while the other is pretty much mass produced.
DC: That's about all from me for this time. I congratulate you on the fucking sublime record, and look forward to the next- hopefully there won't be an 8 year gap between this and the next one!…HAILS! Blood Ritual: Rege Satanas!
August 17th, 2006 |
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