PROBING THE ARCHAIC:

INTERVIEW WITH
ANTEDILUVIAN

With Through the Cervix of Hawaah impending through the inimitable Profound
Lore Recordsthis fall, Antediluvian are set to spread their unique sound and
aesthetic further into the broken rungs of the underground. With a number of
sought after demo cassettes to their name, as well as the respect of many
behind them, this fall will mark the the debut full length for a band now in its sixth
year of existence. LURKER dug in head first with an inquisition aimed at
expectations, philosophy and purpose. Featuring a new track (Scions of Ha
Nachas (Spectre of the Burning Valley)) and new label, Antediluvian are set to
reclaim the regressive death metal tag with a virulent, informed set of beliefs that
set them on a different plateau altogether.

-Care to elucidate Antediluvians purpose as we approach the dawn of your

full length release?
We are a blasphemous entity, channeling destruction and doom from beyond.
Regarding the upcoming full length: We propose to embrace the regressive
tendencies in death/black metal while simultaneously destroying stagnant norms
in the spirit of genuine lurkers at the threshold.
-What sparked the move away from the black metal sound of your early
demos to the darker realms of death metal?
When you look back at all the satanic and morbid music that has ever been made
from Von to Abigor to Morbid Angel it should be evident that there isnt a
particular black metal or death metal sound that can be easily defined.
Therefore I think it makes slightly more sense to label bands based on their
thematic elements if at all. Personally I think black metal is aggressive, dissonant,
satanic themed music
We have always had the same channeling process with song writing, external
circumstances have affected the sound more than any particular attempt on our
part to sound black metal or death metal.
-What themes are at play on the full length? Do you see this as an
opportunity to expand on Antediluvians philosophy or instead to continue
those on your demo releases?
The full length specifically deals with the adversarial bloodline described in the
Hebrew bible as the ultimate corrupting force hindering the protagonists of the
Old Testament. It is also a chronologically reverse reflection of the accounts of
the creation of matter and consciousness as described therein (in the Hebrew
bible).
Every release is an opportunity to write about the same theme: inversion, illusion,
and the cracking of the veils of mind and matter.

-You have said that the upcoming album will mock the morality we ascribe
to and the bible. Will this idea diverge much from the over-trodden path laid
down by the magnitude of other death/black acts?
Visually, we dont use the same common imagery, though we share influence with
many artists who do display goats etc prominently. Similarly the way we present
our lyrics is a bit out of left field. We are using well researched but less common
terms to talk about many of the same ideas that satanic music has always
embraced, especially themes of a particularly biblical bent. As I mentioned in the
last response, this album specifically deals with the adversarial entities described
in the Hebrew bible. Apart from the being described as ha satan, the main focus
of the lyrics delve deeper into the idea that there were other evil supernatural
beings subtly described in the Hebrew Bible.
One example is Azazel, mentioned in conjunction with sacrificial law in Leviticus
and later linked with the origins of war and sexual abomination in apocryphal
texts Azazel can basically be seen as a source of all the goat warrior worship
imagery associated with extreme underground metal, so in that sense its nothing
new, though Im not sure how many are aware of the more intricate details of the
story behind these characters. The link with sexual sin and Azazel/the watchers
described in 2 Peter 4-6, while part of the New Testament and not the Hebrew
Bible, aptly sums up the reason we called our song dealing with Azazel
Gomorrah Entity. This passage is also one of the pieces of writing that helped
us originally decide what our band name would be.
In the Hebrew bible, the perpetrators of the same blasphemous acts are
presented as the mysterious bene ha elohim, members of the divine council
mentioned in Job as having been present at the time of the creation, and are also
mentioned as the perpetrators of the blasphemous coupling with human parents
to produce the abominable race of the Nephilim. Our lyrics emphasize some of
the other tribes who were the product of this line and were at war with the
Hebrews. The Hebrews were commanded by their god to wipe these specific
tribes out completely as they were of an unnatural or unearthly bloodline. As a
lyricist Im fascinated with the idea that the bible actually perpetrates the
descriptions of these evil gods that existed before creation as part of the same
literal truth as YHVH and Jesus etc, and also with the kind of demonizing view of

their offspring, the other races that the chosen people attempted to
systematically exterminate in order to regain the promised land.
-You refer a lot to interpreting the unknown in previous interviews. What
exactly do you mean?
We mean looking beyond the obvious surface reflections and interpreting the
hidden meanings below.
-How does the full length build on tracks laid down in your back catalogue?
Can you tell us a little bit about the development of sound.
There is no conscious effort to develop our sound. As we continue to write songs,
our bodies become physically able to express our channeling in stranger ways.
We are always evolving back to the same particular pre-starting point
-Will we see any new musical elements introduced?
Its pretty much the same as always, though we have a 4 piece line up so the
sound is thicker and there is a person dedicated specifically to bass which has
made things quicker and better in my opinion. We dont really attempt involve
anything new, as opposed to just being vessels for the music. We let the songs
direct our process more so than vice versa.
Spin Scions of Ha Nachas (Spectre of the Burning Valley) from the upcoming full
length:
-What do you make of the current bestial/suffocating/old school death
metal revival?
Well I like a lot of this stuff personally. There are many great bands out there. I
like thick ugly vocals and production, and I like music that is hard to predict.
Obviously then a lot of these bands fit my taste, more so than those from other
genres of metal.
-Why choose death metal as a framework over other sub-genres in metal?
We didnt choose death metal nor did we ever label ourselves death metal. I think
if anything we should be called black metal because of the satanic elements we

are based in. I am not overly concerned with labels though. Apart from that, I
obviously just really like certain sound forms, I do feel they tear the walls of
existence at times.
-Do you listen to a lot of metal? Care to list some artists you have enjoyed
in or outside of the sphere of metal?
Dont really care to list bands, personally I like bands that sound destructive,
oppressive, experimental, degrading, regressive, absurd, etc. Genre labels are
not as important to me as a genuine creative/destructive aspect to the sound and
ideology being presented.
-I feel like your philosophy has a strong focus on internal factors, like
genetics, base instincts, the reptile brain. What does Antediluvian think of
the external and the vast cosmos that completely engulfs our
surroundings?
I think its all the same really The imagined separation between microcosm and
macrocosm is keeping people feeling safe and sane but when we die we lose
that imagined separation. This loss of separation is perhaps what people thirst for
in a transcendental experience.
As far as genetics/reptile brain, I find it interesting to consider the difference
between a humans idea of life and a creature that is basically a long tube with
teeth for eating at one end, a hole for shitting at the other, and has the ability to
reproduce. Is it any wonder people are so frightened of such a simple
representation of the ultimate purposes of material existence?
-Given Antediluvians purpose and idea, what comes to mind when you
hear about the last remaining uncontacted tribes in the rainforest bordering
Peru/Brazil and the deforestation/ldogging companies that wish to
mindlessly erase this forest and their home?
I dont harbor romantic ideals about this sort of thing Change and death are the
only things certain to living forms. Attempting to slow these processes delays the
inevitable and often causes more discomfort and awkwardness than otherwise.

-What does the future hold?

The same wars that have been going on for thousands of years

Your thoughts on the following

-Ouroborus: Life feeds on death
-The transvaluation of all values: This must have been useful for someone
-The society you live in: Great.
-H.P. Lovecraft: Ive actually explored very little of his work, maybe someday Ill
read more.
-Conscious life: . . .

Expect Through the Cervix of Hawaah to drop later this year through Profound
Lore. If the wait seems to much, pick up the demo compilation Watchers Reign
from Invictus Productions and Revelations In Excrement, the latest demo
material, from Bird of Ill Omen Recordings.

Interview: ANTEDILUVIAN
05/01/2011 / THKD

Everyone whining about the current state of death metal (and there are
many) needs to shut their mouths and give Antediluvian a thorough
listen. Over the course of several demos, an EP and a split w/
Nuclearhammer, this Canadian duo has concocted a sickening take on
DM that is primitive and punishing w/o being self-consciously retro or
blatantly re-hashing the sounds of 1990s Sweden and Florida. This
death metal that reaches back into the primordial ooze of pre-history
itself to harness an energy that is desolate, otherworldly, and above all,
heavy. I contacted guitarist/vocalist HT to learn more about
Antediluvians realm of chaos.
THKD: For those who may be unfamiliar, can you tell us a little
about how Antediluvian got started?
HT: Antediluvian was started in Guelph, Ontario in 2005 by HT and MS.

THKD: Invictus Productions recently released Watchers Reign,

a compilation of your first two demos + tracks from you split w/
Nuclearhammer. Whose idea was this release and how did it
come about?
HT: If I remember correctly, Darragh and Wes of Invictus/Warfare Noise
were interested in reissuing the early demo material. I think Darragh
initially suggested a cassette version which is still in the works, but we

all decided to do the CD first as the material was available (separately)

on cassette for some time.
THKD: It seems like most metal bands dont even bother with
demos anymore before releasing an album. What prompted
Antediluvian to stick with this more traditional approach?
HT: We wanted to spend some time developing our ideas for our sound
and our ability to execute them accurately, before doing an album.
THKD: How has Antediluvian progressed from the first demo up
to this point? How would you describe the bands evolution
thus far?
HT: With each release we have improved. The basic idea is the same
but our ability to execute that idea is exponentially better on each
release.

THKD: Your
most recent release is the Revelations in Excrement EP. What
can you tell us about this release?
HT: This is an exploration on the nature of evil. Death appears to be the
ultimate end from our perspective, but really our flesh is reintegrated
into matter. We are exploring the seemingly contradictory idea of
forces reaching from or back into non-existence in an attempt to

disrupt or affect this cyclical pattern. Musically we incorporate abstract

patterns of sound in a disorienting fashion, channeled from the
unconscious. By purposefully disregarding rational thought/discretion
we reflect from beyond the urges of substance and flesh. The MLP
discusses in certain terms this contradictory possibility of existence
beyond physical matter, and how this is naturally perceived as evil.
THKD: When will Antediluvian unleash a full length? What can
listeners expect from your debut album?
HT: We plan to record our full length in the summer of 2011.
Thematically it will mock the right/rational morality we ascribe to
existence in attempt to make sense of the absurd contradictions of
nature. We will continue to expose the Bible and related cornerstones
of western thought as the starting point of the false ideals of the
current system.
THKD: What sorts of lyrical themes are you dealing with in
Antediluvian? Many of the songs seem to deal w/ chaos and
prehistory
HT: Our songs do deal with chaos and prehistory, as well as the
exploration of the unconsciousness as described above in my previous
answers. Prehistory really implies times before oral or written records
and perhaps before human consciousness existed. I find it very
interesting to imagine if before human consciousness, the social
veil/front/filter we use to veil the self-devouring nature of existence was
absent. Living creatures ate each other and procreated without some
kind of strange moral front keeping certain instincts in check. However
the paradox is that humans now overrun the planet entirely, and
perhaps this moral filter is exactly what allowed us to truly conquer

matter to an extent that weve become the absolute alpha predator

and also our own worst enemy.
Thematically we are dealing with how in our current culture the
right/rational/ordered side of things attempts to soften or hide the
actual terror and constant sacrifice of the cycle of sustenance.
Comparing early mythology with pre-historic (pre written word)
existence gives an interesting perspective on how humans have always
been trying to come to terms with the unknown and the mysteries of
the ouroboric cycle of life feeding on life. There has always been a
rebellious intuition that guides this questioner to examine life for what
it is, and to question the veil of order over chaos and that is what is
driving our explorations.
THKD: Antediluvian works as a duo. What does each member
bring to the table?
HT: We each play our own instruments and recently MS has been
handling some songwriting duties as well. Up until this point I have
written all the music but a lot of the material on the album we are
preparing has been written by MS. We have always worked together on
arrangements.
THKD: With that said, what do you see as the advantages and
disadvantages of having only two band members? Would you
ever consider expanding the lineup?
HT: The advantages with two members are that you have less chance
for scheduling conflicts and can be more spontaneous with rehearsals
and playing live. The disadvantage with two members is that bass lines
and additional guitar layers composed for recordings cannot be
performed live. We nonetheless have a very low end, heavy live sound

with two members, but the recordings have some subtle harmonies
that that are not present.
Having said that, we are currently rehearsing with a bassist who will
also be doing backing vocals live. This will take our already devastating
live performances to a new height of abhorrence. We will likely
incorporate a second guitarist in the future as well.
THKD: How would you describe your songwriting approach? Do
you compose as a duo or separately?
HT: We usually compose separately and arrange together. A lot of times
we change/improve/add onto sections of a song spontaneously as we
begin to rehearse it. I write on the guitar and MS writes on the piano
which is opening us up to patterns of notes that seem quite strange,
atypical, and interesting when played on guitar.
THKD: Is the raw, chaotic nature of your recordings a reaction
against the overproduced abomination that is most modern
death/black metal?
HT: Its less about being close minded to whatever the specific trend of
the moment is and more about being open to that beyond
consciousness and matter. Time/budget for specific recordings is really
the only thing that has ever restricted us and perhaps some of the
rawness you mention is due to such restrictions though its also a part
of the destructive (un)nature of what we channel.
THKD: Antediluvian does not use social media such as
myspace/facebook/etc to promote itself. Why do you prefer not
to self promote in this way?

HT: Myspace/facebook to me seem to be a really contemporary fad,

fads come and go, and I think that being really with the times is a good
way to get out of date really quickly. Some kind of online resource can
be very useful for people interested in the band but I dont think these
specific sites are necessary. Just a standard website with the relevant
info seems appropriate to me.
THKD: The Canadian metal scene seems to be extremely strong
at the moment. What characteristics make Canadian metal
stand out?
HT: Part of what makes it stand out are bands that dont sound alike;
creativity seems to flow untainted and unbridled. The idea of bands
from the same country, but living thousands of miles apart is really not
hurting this factor. It cuts out the usual inbreeding that creates clone
after clone in some of the more tight packed areas of the world.
THKD: What are your plans for Antediluvian for the rest of
2011? Will there be any more new material aside from the EP?
HT: We are recording the debut in the summer for Invictus Productions
and Profound Lore Records. We have two split releases that will
probably be released before the album is complete, One is a 12 inch
split with Adversarial (3 songs each on NWN! productions) and the
other is a 7 inch split with Witchrist (1 song each on Nuclear Winter
Records). All that material is recorded already. Also our third demo
Under Wing of Asael will be out on 12 inch late spring on Parasitic
Records. We also plan to play at least one live set this year.

Assembled in Blasphemy - A Conversation With

Antediluvian (Part I)

Though

technically

from

Canada,

the

music

of

the

perverse

and

chaotically

enlightening Antediluvian suggests their origins lie in the primordial afterbirth of some apocalyptic
heresy that predates even the devil himself. Black and death metal bands invoking biblical monstrosities
and mythos to sell their product is old hat, but the difference with Antediluvian lies in the combination of
presentation and a far beyond cursory knowledge of their topic. Their lyrics suggest an obsession with
the gestation of evil and blasphemy itself - a kind of precursor to the void. While Portal spins their
destruction into the surreal and futuristic mayhem of Lovecraft, Antediluvian dig beneath the wormridden soil of our ancestry, both real and imagined, uncovering the dark conception of a consciousness
that slithers and lurches beyond the nameable or imaginable. What follows here is the first installment
of the interview which features drummer Mars-Sekhmet.

The second installment will feature

vocalist/guitarist Haasiophis.

How do you personally see your own evolution as a musician/artist from the point when
you first picked up an instrument or penned a lyric to where you are now?
Mars Sekhmet: I would describe some of my earlier works as more of a distillation and summarization of
music that I had already heard. Its unique form came more from my passive perspective rather than

active engagement. Over time, I feel that I am more actively involved in my creations as I understand
them from a more intellectual standpoint.
What was your childhood like, and do you see certain experiences or moments that
worked as catalysts (both conscious and unconscious) to push you in a creative direction?
Mars Sekhmet: I spent the majority of my time as a child understanding how the world works and
creating things. Its not much different from what I do now.

Were there any specific bands, heavy or not, from your childhood or adolescence who
influenced the direction you took as a musician? Do those same bands still influence you
on some level today?
Mars Sekhmet: It would be hard for me to name specific bands that had an influence on me, as my goal
has never been to create music that is like something else. Of course, its largely inevitable even if its not
the goal. In some sense, everything I listened to has had an effect on what direction I took for the
mundane reason that all input to an organism influences its physiology and thus influences its output.
What was it that brought you guys together to form Antediluvian?
Mars Sekhmet: It was not planned. The name and concept came later once we realized what we were
creating.

What does Antediluvians songwriting process (musically and lyrically) usually entail?
Mars Sekhmet: I write riffs on piano or keyboard because I can translate from the notes in my head to
physical notes the easiest using this medium. I then write them out using musical notation and transcribe
it into tablature with marked rhythmic structure. In addition, some of the riffs come from dreams (one
riff from Consumate Spellbound Synapses came to me this way, but the rest I wrote while I was awake).
Typically for Antediluvian, one of us will write all the riffs for a song, but sometimes we will combine riffs
to form a song. In all cases, riffs are written alone. We then go through riffs together and I write drum
parts separately for each riff. I do not write lyrics for antediluvian. All lyrics and artwork are done by
Haasiophis with the exception of the lyrics on the Septentrional Theophany EP which were written by
Jason Campbell.
What headspace or consciousness do you find yourself immersed in when writing? Is it a
mental place thats easily accessible, or is it a kind of creative struggle to access it?

Mars Sekhmet: I think as of late my normal reality has slipped more into this creative mindset rather
than vice versa. I have not had any trouble writing music lately. In fact, sometimes I write music at
inopportune times.

Whats been the most challenging part of your journey as a musician so far? How did you
face and overcome it?

Mars Sekhmet: The most challenging thing is practicing and perfecting something I have already grasped
intellectually and feel is already complete. Overcoming it just takes patience.
So much of the debate in music today revolves around originality. Is originality
something youre unconcerned with as an artist, or is it something you feel is still relevant
in the 21st Century?
Mars Sekhmet: Music as a whole is still evolving through small mutations in style. Identifying the critical
mutations is part of what it means to become a more engaged and active listener. These changes are
essential to the experience of music to anyone that is heavily involved in it. What stimulates our brain is
music that is overall similar to things we have grown to like, but maintains an aspect of surprise.
This is why works that are too innovative can sometimes be ahead of their time and are only respected
later, when it can be more easily integrated into ones musical repertoire. For me, this kind of change is
part of what makes it interesting to be a musician. However, in a practical sense its not really that
important. Most people only find new music for a short period in their adolescence and early adulthood.
Whether an individual band is innovative is not critical for their short-term success.

Thanks to Mars-Sekhmet for her time.