Diabolical Conquest Webzine (Rob Aloi): Nunslaughter has been around since '87 and thus far has garnered an overwhelming cult following in the underground Death Metal genre. In fact, so much so that there's even been a tribute compilation released in the band's honor. So I have to ask, does it at all frustrate you that the band isn't revered in the same breath as say, Obituary, Morbid Angel, Massacre, Autopsy, etc.? In other words, shouldn't Nunslaughter be considered just as much a founding pioneer of the Death Metal movement as those acts? Or is Nunslaughter solely an entity of its own?

Nunslaughter (Don of the Dead): All of the bands you mentioned have one thing in common. They have all signed with record labels. NunSlaughter has always had our feet in the underground and that is where we have stayed. Most bands/people actually want and expect something out of music whereas I want nothing. I only want to make music for the sake of music. We have been asked by quite a few labels to sign but it always comes down to giving up the rights to the music. Plus lots of other bullshit. I/we have worked hard to do things on our own and no one pushes us around. Am I worried because the MTV metal music crowd does not know or like NunSlaughter? Not at all. The people that are truly fans of underground death metal know us and we aint mall metal.

DC: To date the band has amassed quite an overwhelming catalog that includes literally hundreds of 7 inch EP's, live concert recordings, and other various musical offerings. Why does the band need to be so prolific? Have you ever been concerned or worried about possibly burning yourself out creatively and/or wearing out your welcome with your long time supporters and fans?

N: I think when a band does not write and record then it becomes difficult to continue down the same path. I have never wanted NunSlaughter to change so we have never stopped writing. We are all only here for a short period of time and I want to make the most out of it.

Sure I have had some people tell me they stopped collecting Nunslaughter and that is fine. You gotta remember I did not start or continue this band based on selling records. We will continue to write and record regardless of people buying our records.

DC: Of course, Nunslaughter has always been purely a DIY effort since day one and as sufficient proof of that, the band has never been affiliated with nor financially supported by any one of the oxymoronic "major" independent labels out there thus far. Yet you've managed to do quite a lot of extensive touring, especially overseas. So how does one of the most obscure and primitive sounding Death Metal bands in existence manage to support it self well enough to undertake such ventures? Surely there is little to no profit involved so then do you find that you've had to make a lot of personal sacrifices in order to continue doing this?

IN: You got that right. We all have regular jobs and earn a living doing something else. I think that is another reason we still have a "fuck you" attitude. We do not depend on NS for money so it is only for fun. We are making music because we want to make music not because a label is telling us to.

We have been fortunate enough to work with some very solid people going on little more than my word. Some tours we loose and some we make money in the end it comes out about even. The first tour I had to sell my motorcycle for the airfare. I bought all four tickets for the band because that was something I wanted to do. It all comes back to not needing to make a living from the band. After the tour I come home and go back to work.

DC: With studio technology becoming ever more sophisticated and bands opting for more shall we say "accessible" aesthetics and/or technical wizardry these days, how difficult is it then for a band like Nunslaughter to maintain its primitive sound? Do you see bands like yours slowly becoming a dying breed like dinosaurs so to speak? If so, then what is your sole reason or motivation for carrying on?

N: Most new bands are not savvy to the studio and they rely on an actual producer to make their music into something. NunSlaughter has not done that yet. We produce everything ourselves. That is why it does not have a clean a polished sound like the majority of bands. This is not the best way but it is our way and that is what lends itself to the primitive sound.

Dying.we are almost dead. People barely talk about NunSlaughter and as you said after 20+ years no one even knows we exist but that is their fault not ours. I plan on keeping NS going as long as I enjoy metal and I think we can keep doing different material. I have no expectations beyond that.

DC: Taking into consideration all of the violent imagery and hateful attitude that is expressed deeply in both lyrical content and compositional style, does the band have to be in any particular sort of environment or frame of mind to capture your ideal inspiration? For instance, posting various cut outs of bestiality porn on the walls with the virgin Mary's face on the willing female models, setting the inside of the studio on fire, etc., etc.? Further, considering the band's overall garish presentation what would be the ideal Nunslaugher live show be, that is if anything and everything was possible? Would you consider breaking a few laws for the sake of your art?

N: I think we are four of the tamest guys you will meet. Our studio consists of a few Black Sabbath, Venom and Iron Maiden posters. Three of us have college degrees and two of us own our own homes.

My inspiration lies dormant until needed.

DC: If you don't mind my saying so, I kind of find it a bit strange that Nunslaughter and other metal acts with the same DIY-minded ethic have given to the Myspace and MP3 trend. That is, bands that have all put so much hard work and effort into presenting their music in such elaborately detailed packaging and often accompanied with eye catching artwork. So do you at all feel that this serves as a bit of a contradiction of sorts? Further, what would perhaps motivate a potential listener to buy the package if he/she is afforded the luxury of downloading free MP3s?

IN: Our Myspace page was created and maintained by the guys at Hells Headbangers. We do not have anything to do with it. But it has put me in contact with some very cool people. The internet is just another way of communicating. Neither good nor bad.

Our layouts have been quite elaborate in the past. It is just another way for an artist to express themselves. Getting an idea and developing it into an actual release that is unique is quite difficult. Remember we do not have a big company making this stuff. Most of it is printed and shipped to us and we hand assemble it. I am talking folding and gluing covers and everything else. Tons of work but worth it.

As for MP3's...I think it is an ok way to sample music but most of them sound like shit. MP3 is a compression and inherently reduces the quality of the music. I can hear it with ease can you?

DC: Undoubtedly, Nunslaughter has acquired a worldwide 'kvlt' following (myself included!) yet I've noticed that the band apparently tours more over in Europe than here in the United States. Why is that? What is it perhaps about the European audiences that see you gracing their stages more than over here? Is it perhaps that they have a more grassroots approach and attitude towards Metal than we do?

N: Touring in the USA is another difficulty. Because we all have jobs time off of work is usually limited to a few weeks a year. We would rather be touring around Europe seeing things that are new than be here in the USA visiting things we have already seen. In addition the audiences are better and more 'into" the shows in Europe. We do play shows every once in a while here in the USA but touring Europe and other countries is the way to go.

DC: Evidently, the staunching anti-christian sentiment has been prevalent in Nunslaughter since day one and seems to be the vessel through which you're able to express those views. Further, you've occasionally expressed such hatred through fictitious pornographic acts that have entailed sodomy, bestiality, etc. As a result of that, have you as well as other members of the band been on the receiving end of physical threats by the bible belt of America? If so, how has the band dealt with said threats? Is part of the intent behind this band to invoke controversy?

N: Venues and promoters have played with the Name a few times like Nuns Laughter or Sun Slaughter but in the end we are so far under the radar people don't care what we do. We have had many projects delayed or canceled because of the name. Pressing plants and printers do not want to press vile lyrics and obscene images.

NunSlaughter is just doing what we do. Some people don't like it that is fine it will not change what we do.

DC: What other currently existing bands do you feel share the same ideals and principles of Nunslaughter? Any of them that perhaps owe their existence to your influence perhaps? Any personal bonding moments you care to share?

N: I think that bands like Blood, Agathocles, Sabbat, Sadistic Intent, Deceased and Cianide(just to name a few) All have captured and continued to do right by music. None of the bands have achieved fame but they continue to do what they do and it is commendable.

There are a few bands that have used NunSlaughter titles as their band name and that is an honor. Quite a few people have emailed me about NunSlaughter and how the music affected them.

We have met many people over the years and I must say the enthusiasm the metallists have that come to our shows and collect our records is quite astounding. We have a friend his name is Oliver and he traveled from Germany to Japan to see NunSlaughter play. Then a year or so later he came to a bunch of shows in Europe. Another friend, Dave, drove 14 hours to come see NS because we were only doing one show that year in the USA. The list is long and getting to meet these people is killer because there are not enough people out here that care about music like them or us.

DC: When the influential band Venom first emerged on the scene they were sort of seen as a gimmick for the obvious tongue in cheek approach in their blasphemous edge. Thus I have to ask do you feel it is acceptable to have "fun" with this music in order to be taken seriously? Do you perhaps feel that there exists certain bands that make a mockery of what Nunslaughter holds dear or do you feel it's necessary to have a sense of humor in order not to be taken so seriously and therefore not be seen as a parody of itself?

N: It is a fine edge and I did not realize NunSlaughter was walking it until about 5 years ago. Venom is an institution and I hold the dear to my heart. Cronos was a big influence on me and my writing style.

Make no mistake I have no intention on being a comical band. If people see it that way it is fine and I do find humor in the absurdity. With that being said I do not sit down and try to come up with something in the vein it just happens. Life is short to be serious. The music stands on its own and with my lyrics maybe some people like it even more.

DC: Apparently Nunslaughter is your one true vision and as such how do the other members' contributions both lyrically and musically fit accordingly to your expectations? Do you consider yourself the so called "dictator" in that you are very strict on who is able to contribute what? What does a potential member of Nunslaughter need to keep in mind or possess in order maintain his role in the band?

N: When I met Jim I knew that he was going to be able to contribute to NunSlaughter I just had no idea how much. His writing style and ability is unparalleled. We argue about song arrangements al the time but from that comes what we know as 'our style'. People try to compare us to other music but it really is Devil Metal. It is an amalgamation of punk song writing and metal lyrics. It has the ferocity of punk but the sound of metal.

I basically call people out and some band members don't like that. I expect people to participate in writing and performing and if you are not up to speed then I will tell you. I have worked too long and hard to allow someone to just sit there and take it easy. When things go well band members will include themselves in the positive accolades. But when something does not work out they blame me. That is the burden I carry. Not everyone can be a leader in a band or in life. I have done the role so long in this band that the responsibility falls solely on me.

People and band members have to realize that they can not come into the band and change the style. I would not join Motorhead and try to tell Lemmy how to write a song! Nor would I tell Geezer "that bass line is not really 'Sabbath'". So I don't expect to defer decisions about what is NunSlaughter to someone else.

DC: Last question. Seeing as to how you're deeply intent on keeping this band going for as long as it can possibly go thus surpassing the legacy of other noteworthy acts in existence, why then keep the band at such a near obscure level? While I'm indeed aware that Nunslaughter was never meant for commercial status (and therefore any progression of sorts may induce stagnation) still why forge on even at the risk of repeating the same riffs, ideas, etc. that perhaps you came up with 20 years ago?

N: The reason to forge on is quite simple..We have not finished our body of work. I believe I will have the ability to know when we must stop. I think that in recent years we have written some of the best material of our career. The ideas are the same, Death and Satan, but the riffs are different.

NunSlaughter has been kept at an obscure level not necessarily because of choice but rather because of our inability to lie down and take it in the ass. Some people would rather trade their musically legacy for popularity. Usually bands are promoted by their label and when the hype dies down they go away. This is because they do not have a fan base stronger than the labels ability to widely promote them. The bands do not own their music or recordings nor do they have control over their own merchandise. This is not the case for NunSlaughter. We are not signed to a label yet we release recordings. We do not have a promotions department yet we tour and have toured many places. People know who NunSlaughter is because we are NunSlaughter not because we are associated with a popular label. NunSlaugher owns all of our music. I have the right to say "no" to offers deemed unacceptable. We do not have to do shitty tours with washed up bands. We release, record, tour and do what we want to when we want to. It is not the easy route but I can sleep at night knowing that I did not prostitute myself just so some person can read about me in Metal Maniacs. We are the one percenters. The filthy few that have chosen to stand up on our own feet and declare "we are who we are".