For all that are consumed by the fire of pure metal and its endless passion, Brazil’s Torches of Nero fan the flames of discontent and desire. Their music is raw powerful and malevolent. ‘’The Sermon of the Impure: Prophecy and Disgrace - Live Ritual’’ and new masterpiece ''Mokk'' is steeped in the tradition of all things true and dark. It is maleveloent chaotic and unhinged in its fiury and its dedication to being extreme metal, yet it is their own unique voice and the formation of like-minded individuals.
Baal Seth Penitent ( Vocals) ‘’What led to the creation of the band was a renewed desire to honor the bands we love with their own music as well as keeping an impure spirit alive despite the passing years.
‘’In 2021 these desires were able to be brought to life and thus, Torches of Nero was born.
The name comes as a faithful representation of this feeling and this spirit of aversion to everything that represents a form of slavery linked to religion, which is just one of the forms of slavery to which man submits.
‘’A cross with an Abrahamic messiah on fire says a lot about what our thoughts, actions, lyrics and songs are about.
‘’It is an image true to ourselves.
The decision to praise the real metal bands of eighties?
‘’I wouldn't call it a proper decision due to the fact that it's a natural choice. The 80s and 90s are part of my musical background, but also as a person. At 44 years old, I can't even imagine what my life would have been like without some of these bands that made and still make history. For me, it's an easy choice to work with this musical period, it's part of my life. It even surprises me that people are guided by other forces, some of which I certainly respect. However, our oracles are those that hide in time, that need to be invoked at night, among the mists and the egregores with ancient sacrifices, with baphomets of flesh and blood, no, and therefore all the work is done with naturalness aiming at pay homage to this perhaps the most important period in the history of heavy metal.
Has modern metal become less dangerous and should remain pure?
’Good question. If we were to answer taking into account that people like Rok, Mikka, Euronymous, Dead, Jon, Killjoy don't exist anymore in the sense that you don't see them producing music and having tougher postures, maybe yes. Philosophically, I prefer to believe with a certain tendency towards frustration that many still maintain this more anti-social, anti-system, more "punk" stance. Including us... I would like not to have social networks, not to have many contacts because contact with human beings is at least exhausting (to say the least). But we would never have had the chance to produce something and show our way of seeing the blasphemy and parasitism of human beings if we stayed hidden in the bedroom. So I live a daily dilemma, between publicizing our work and having contact with people, many of whom are not worthy and, somehow, go against my personal reason for isolation and feeling of aversion to human beings. I prefer to believe that the purity of darkness, its core is still within each of us. Let us look carefully at the morning star. Purity lies in the knowledge that darkness provides and thus transforming our darkest desires into acts.
Should black metal always wear the shroud of darkness?
‘’Yes, definitely. Unfortunately, many do not think so. Black metal is above all a spiritual path, a philosophy, a lifestyle linked to darkness, to the eternal questioning of the omnipotence of the Demiurge. However, an important portion thinks of it as a musical genre only.
‘’For us, the blood of Dead, Euronymous, Jon and so many others cannot have been spilled in vain. To the scum described above, our immense contempt is what I offer. .
Your album Mokk? your heaviest release yet?
''I believe so, we don't have a commitment to do something heavier with each release, the songs and arts respect the individual concept of each work. A work dedicated to Sadistik Exekution could not have melodies, or any kind of aesthetic beauty that goes against everything that Sad-x and Rok's art represents - hate, suffering, death, pain, darkness.
For the full that will be called "The Harmony of Prey" and that will bring even more obscure concepts, we will use musical structures present in previous works, like our influences from Greek black metal but always keeping the Pillars of the Temple of Decomposition standing: Sadistik Exekution, Profanatica, Mayhem, Rotting Christ, Venom, Hellhammer among many others that are part of our lives and that have shaped our way of seeing the world since forever.
‘’This full will come even deeper with a concept about sacrifice-suicide and all the perverse nuances of existence.
Your decision to make a tribute to Rok probably the most metal human being alive?
‘’I completely agree with what was said about Rok. One of our Great Oracles in the Temple of Decomposition.
‘’He was already "Rok" before all other "scenes" and historical figures had developed. So for us it was kind of obvious. I even believe that this somehow brought a new local interest in Sad-x as more people started to be interested in its legacy.
‘’Anyway, TON is first and foremost a band designed to honor those who came before us and who changed our lives.
What is Satan Command?
‘’It is the official YouTube channel of the record label we are part of Hammer of Damnation, one of the biggest in Latin America and certainly the biggest in Brazil.
‘’Master Warlord and his entire team do a gigantic and high quality job and the channel is just one of Hydra's heads. He has an immense background in world underground metal. We are very proud to be part of your pack even though we are the detritivorous vultures that eat the remains of other people's existence.
‘’Our Wolf-Vulture Pact will make us stronger.
You are well studied in the occult and Gnosticism? how does influence your music?
‘’A beginner and always curious. Never an advanced in this subject. Everything that comes from the dark influences us, but our main focus is on occultism and pessimistic philosophy using metaphors to express our disillusionment with existence and with human beings in all their flesh and flaws. Nothing is more serious than our routine and all the suffering and hatred it entails. So these philosophical expressions are fed by what we see in everyday life.
Is it mans realized potential?
‘’No, the capacity of human beings to be worse every day is infinite and therefore their potential is incalculable. From man always expect the worst.
What do you consider the ultimate blasphemy?
‘’Self-sacrifice. But it's not for everyone, maybe it will never be for us.
Considering that life is a grace of God distorted and cursed by the Demiurge, self-sacrifice is the greatest possible offense.
Greatest band ever? Rotting Christ or Sadistik Exekution?
‘’Judas Priest and then Venom. Because they are the foundations of all for me. But RC and Sad-x have a great place in my heart and my mind. Surely.
Top 6 albums of all time?
Difficult question but let's try. I respond according to my personal taste in order to honor the history of these bands:
Judas Priest - Metal Works
Venom - At War With Satan
Black Sabbath - Sabbat B. Sabbath
Iron Maiden - Live After Death
Slayer- R. in Blood
Sepultura- Arise (I dont know if it’s my fave of them but it is a fantastic album)
Rotting Christ - Thy Might Contract
with special mention to:
Motorhead - Ace of Spades
Mayhem- Live in Leipzig
Emperor- Anthems
Candlemass – Nightfall