Summon: How did the band get started?
Innoctus: Dehumanized Deity started in the summer of 2013. I had actually stopped playing music for a year and a half or so and I started to really miss it. I bought myself a cheap guitar and amp from a local pawn shop just to get reacquainted and immediately started working on writing music. Originally I had a bass player so we were a two-piece but he didn’t work out so I decided to take it all on myself.
Summon: What kind of music do you play?
Innoctus: My sound is a combination of death metal and black metal with a lot of other influences thrown in there as well. Thrash, doom, melodic death, etc. I try to keep it sounding old school as I am a much bigger fan of 80s/90s era DM and BM than the modern bands.
Summon: How has the fan response been?
Innoctus: The fan response has been extremely positive for the most part. The metal community is truly amazing in how they will support up and coming underground artists. I have received quite a few messages from fans telling me they loved the album. I haven’t heard barely anything in the way of negative response but perhaps those people just choose to ignore it haha.
Summon: Where did the band name come from?
Innoctus: The name Dehumanized Deity has several meanings. One meaning refers to the fictional Christian God and how if he did exist, he has really disconnected himself from all of humanity and left us on our own here to die. Another meaning refers to each and every one of us. I believe we are all a god unto ourselves and really, how much humanity is left in humans anymore?
Summon: Introduce the band members and what they do in the band.
Innoctus: My name is Rhett Anderson, aka Innoctus, which is my stage name. I am the sole member and handle all instruments, vocals, and recording.
Summon: Who writes the music? Lyrics?
Innoctus: I write all of the music and lyrics myself.
Summon: And where do the lyric ideas come from?
Innoctus: My lyrics cover a broad spectrum of topics from war, politics, human behavior, and social commentary to the old fashioned death metal topics of religion, death, and murder.
Summon: What is your view in Satanism and Occultism?
Innoctus: Satanism strives for greatness. A lot of the ideals have their heart in the right place. It’s not something I subscribe to however, because I don’t believe anyone has to conform to any set of ideals. We should all decide for ourselves what we think is right and wrong. I do not discriminate against anyone for their beliefs though. It is a personal thing and none of my business. But satanic and occult imagery will always be interconnected with metal and my music is no different.
Summon: How many albums/CD’s have you released?
Innoctus: I have released one full length album Forever In Blood in July of 2014 and am currently halfway through the recording of a second full length.
Summon: Tell me about some the songs on the latest CD?
Innoctus: There’s a song on Forever In Blood called Runaway Devil which is about a murder case in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada which is a couple hours away from where I live. A 23 year old man became involved in a relationship with a 12 year old girl. They were big fans of movies with a husband and wife killing team like Natural Born Killers, and when her parents tried to end their relationship the pair decided to brutally murder her parents and younger brother. A gruesome and disturbing case which works well for extreme metal. Some songs are about humans and our self destructive behavior like The Darkness of Man and The Awakening. Huntress of Human Flesh is about Lilith and her fall from the grace of God.
Summon: Do you have any side projects?
Innoctus: No side projects at this time, I focus all of my musical energy into Dehumanized Deity.
Summon: Who are some of your musical influences?
Innoctus: My main influences come from the black metal and death metal genres, particularly the 80s and 90s era. Some black metal influences would include Bathory, Burzum, Emperor, Darkthrone, and Mayhem. Some death metal influences would be Dismember, Unleashed, Death, Cannibal Corpse, and Bloodbath. I am also a huge fan of progressive bands like Opeth and Mastodon so those influences creep into my sound somewhere as well. But don’t worry, I keep it extreme! You will not hear singing and acoustic guitars from me anytime soon!
Summon: Which current bands?
Innoctus: Among the current bands I do not have a ton of favorites. I do enjoy The Black Dahlia Murder, Skeletonwitch, Belphegor, 1349, and Behemoth but those bands have been around for a decade or two as well.
Summon: What is the band like when you play live?
Innoctus: As I have never played live questions 14-17 are omitted.
Summon: What do you think of the US Black Metal/Death Metal scene?
Innoctus: The US extreme metal scene seems to still be going very strong, though as I said I don’t listen to a lot of the modern bands. Some US bands I love are ones who have been going on for a long time like Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, Deicide, Suffocation. For black metal I love Wolves in the Throne Room, Leviathan, Xasthur, and Nachtmystium (though because of Blake Judd’s theft from his fans I do not support them any longer). Extreme underground metal will always live on but I would like to see a return to it’s roots.
Summon: What do you think of the Overseas scenes?
Innoctus: The European scene is as strong as ever. You’ve got amazing bands popping up from everywhere such as Gojira in France, Aborted in Belgium and Decapitated in Poland. And then the Scandinavian scene which is still seeing strong releases from bands like Darkthrone, Bloodbath, Opeth, 1349, Amon Amarth, etc.
Summon: What are some of new favorite black metal/death metal bands?
Innoctus: Among the newer bands I enjoy The Black Dahlia Murder, Job for a Cowboy (and no, they are NOT fucking deathcore), Skeletonwitch, and a few others. But in the true underground I see some fantastic up and comers like Haunt, Lurid Reign, Unsung, and Deathymn.
Summon: When do you guys plan on writing any new material?
Innoctus: I am always writing new material. I have one song complete for a third album and a ton of riffs to sort through and piece together that will eventually form songs.
Summon: What does the future hold for the band?
Innoctus: The future is looking bright for Dehumanized Deity. My second album titled Project Genocide is nearing completion. I recently joined a small label called Stillborn Twins Records that has a lot of talented artists and is run by great people who are all about the music and helping further careers. The future looks very bright!
Contact them at:
https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=489834394447286&ref=bookmark
https://dehumanizeddeity.bandcamp.com/releases
https://soundcloud.com/dehumanized-deity
