BEHEXEN – Praise The Dark Mother

To celebrate the release of Behexen’s ‘Nightside Emanations’ we sent Eternal Terror scribe Peter Loftus on a round trip to the icy wastes of Finland to get the full story. Here’s what he found out…

Your latest album ‘Nightside Emanations’ (due out on Debemur Morti Sept 21st) is pretty incredible! You must be really pleased with the way it turned out…

Thank you. Yes we are very satisfied with the album. Both production wise and the atmosphere. The darkest Behexen release SO FAR in my opinion.

We recorded it during one week in Tampere in Finland and then the mixing and mastering were done by Tore Stjerna in Necromorbus studios in Sweden. And he did a marvellous job I must say. 

In terms of production, composition and the structure of the whole it seems like ‘Let the Devil In’ was a reference point or that it was taken from the same template. Is that so?

Not at all. In Sargeist it is Shatraug that does everything from music to lyrics and composition. In Behexen it has been Horns that has done all the music up to "Nightside Emanations", but on that album every member has done their part and we have worked together towards the end result. 

I can’t see ANY resemblance between "Let the Devil in" and "Nightside Emanations" except the names in the booklet. That and that both records are well crafted Black Metal. 

Did you have a specific musical and lyrical agenda or outcome in mind, or do you just start playing and let the songs happen naturally?

Regarding the lyrics it is Hoath Torog that writes all the lyrics so he should be the one to answer anything regarding that. But I know that he takes it very seriously and his spiritual work is a big importance in that process, and on this record he has worked with a vision and an "agenda" I guess. To praise The Dark Mother.

Musically it’s hard to say. It’s a strange process, of course there is some planning, but when we step into the rehearsal room, start to play and let the atmosphere fill us up things will change. 

How important is it for the band’s output to reflect and spread the ideologies of the individual members?

We are one. Behexen is a tool for us to form the formless within and to channel dark and destructive forces. We have not set out to spread any ideology, those who carry the Black Flame within will find pleasure in our work, the others will live happily in ignorance.

And then you can ask yourself, if Behexen is a tool for us, what are we then a tool for?

Behexen are stalwarts of the Finnish Black Metal scene. Do you think it is still valid to describe BM acts by nationality or should we be looking at the genre on a more global level? (I mean is it important for you to be seen as flying the Finnish flag or do you give a shit about nationality?)

There is shit Black Metal and there is great Black Metal, mostly shit though, but I don’t really care were it comes from. The stupidest thing I see is when people try to use the nationality as a "sale-point" (hello Norway). 

But I don’t really have the time or effort to sit and think about such matters.

I don’t think it’s very important for Behexen to be labeled Finnish. Of course there is a strong love for the native country, but that has really nothing to do with what Behexen is about. But what do I know, I’m Swedish.

I know you are playing Nidrosian Black Mass next February in Brussels. Any other gigs coming up?

Nothing planned at the moment.

What are your plans for the future?

Hopefully there will be some more live rituals and maybe a tour. And then we will start working on new material pretty soon I think.

Any final words for our readers?

DEATH TO FALSE DEVOTION!!! HYLLA SATAN!

 

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