Summon: How did the band get started?
Thiago Baphomet: Hello! Firstly, thanks for support! Neverchrist surges at April 2000 (e.v.) at the small town of Vila Velha, BR, from the ashes of Death Metal band Traces of Death, that had a short duration. Since then various line-up pass by, in 2008 I returned to Rio de Janeiro, my hometown, and the line-up changed. In the meantime we released 4 official materials, including 2 demos and 2 EP’s, attended a 3 Ways Split on Tape and 3 compilations. The factor for living in a small town at the beginning of the band and the lack of compromise of members led the band to pass by multiple hiatuses, and such instability prevented us from acting more times live. The band was a long period as a one-man-band and I recorded all the instruments. Now, after 14 years, the band follow as a trio, with the same line-up from 2009, but with only a guitar. We studied the possibility of the addition of a new member, but so far nothing is 100% confirmed.
Summon: What kind of music do you play?
Thiago Baphomet: We make now a Black Metal with influences of Death, Thrash and Doom, reflecting the musical preference of each member. Have had other phases, when times were different and the members, but today, with a musical maturity and more understanding with the instruments, we decided to get our own sound. It’s something to aim for less.
Summon: How has the fan response been?
Thiago Baphomet: Until today the response was very positive for about the people. There is always who criticizes, but the good critical we take as a possibility to evolution, inside, off course, in the proposal we embrace. The negative critical, that at nothing contributes for our growth, we discard. Our materials was distributed in various countries, still in a very limited quantity of copies. At the people that have contact with us at the internet, we received positive critical and emails from several countries, as China, Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Panama, Chile, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Belize, Holland, Germany, England, Australia e Indonesia. All critical and support are important, because if not were the people, the scene would not exist and we not be here!
Summon: Where did the band name come from?
Thiago Baphomet: The name of the band comes in response to the false Neversatan, a band that had news of existence, and the fact that we do not support the “White Metal”, I did not call Metal, and in response to such infiltrations that were proliferating at the scene location. But the part that, Neverchrist means our contrary sense of religion and its false dogmas. Christianity has long labored in question the enslavement of the human race, perpetuating a culture of terror, wars, hunger and fear, severs human beings of their true freedom, his true will. We do not like the metaphysical idea of “God” and “Devil”. Man creates a god in the form of egregores, to create a favorable psychological condition to evoke the forces that it has, and creates a horrendous and monstrous devil to blame for the mistakes that they make, as for humans becomes very difficult to admit their own mistakes. Many times, no responsibility for such. Then, either by shame or sheer irresponsibility, creates an alternative to get rid of the guilt that own and know that they have. We advocate an ideological posture of strength and responsibility, critical analysis and individual sense of reasoning about the world and everything around us. No charges, no absolute truth. The only certainty in life is death imminent, and we should be guided by our own true Will, while living in this world.
Summon: Introduce the band members and what they do in the band.
Thiago Baphomet: Okay. me, Thiago Baphomet, Guitar and Vocals, David Morthimuss, Bass and Fabian Lajes, Drums.
Summon: Who writes the music? Lyrics?
Thiago Baphomet: I spent a long time composing alone, and the participation of members in the compositions did not get along since 2004, for the reasons already mentioned as instability, but nowadays I write riffs, record, show for members and work on them. The lyrics I write alone, always thinking of expressing the thought of all the members, because we have very similar ideas.
David Morthimuss: At Neverchrist all the songs were composed by T.Baphomet. We have democratic views in relation to content, instrumental melodies etc.
Summon: And where do the lyric ideas come from?
Thiago Baphomet: Ideas come from our everyday world and the chaos that spreads every day. We live in a violent city, the brink of civil war, and ignorance propagated by the media, government and churches, with members in considerable number in the government wished to base laws on Biblical passages, and very limited growth of this country, which is unfortunate! Brazil lives today, just a pure image, as we know that here, in fact nothing has changed! What happened was that the government gave some crumbs to the people and invested in advertising, just this, but if we analyze reality, things are even worse than in the 90s! Also, in my particular case, much of my fascination comes from the Cosmos, by Quantum Physics, by Thelema and studies of ancient cultures in a global context. Also for considering some ideas about the Humanist Satanism Anton LaVey.
Summon: What is your view in Satanism and Occultism?
Thiago Baphomet: Well, as I said before, I appreciate the vision of LaVey. To me, Satan is an allegorical vision of the idea of opposition, subverting the modus vivendi of society, with their masks and tyranny, the way you always try to seem what they are not in a desperate attempt to fill the void of her pale and bucolic existence. Represents true freedom to say ” hey, I’m in this world, I am free, I am my own god and I can be my own demon, just want to “. It’s like saying the famous Native American proverb that ” the lion in me act the way I feed “. For me, in my particular view, one who worships Satan as “devil” worship Christianity he so claims to be against, as Satan, Lucifer and Demons names were created and vilified by the Roman Orthodox Church, in a desperate attempt to enslave humanity in a prison without bars physical, but mental grids, which unfortunately perpetuates the same today. Occultism I see as categorical studies of all physical, psychological and scientific reality, based on a certain mystery, to make people think, study and reflect. Nature is very complex, and humans do not know the workings of your own body. We can not even decipher more than 1 % of our DNA, then see how a set of systems and psycho – scientific methods to achieve certain skills that we all possess but do not know how to access, how is training for the manipulation of energies that surround us with a specific purpose, returned to our evolution. Those who did not use to this, self – destroying, often grounded in misconceptions propagated by society and religions.
David Morthimuss: A symbol of rebellion against Christianity that have always manipulated humanity. The occultism concludes than magic itself is a branch of science of the ancient sages, hidden in mysterious symbols that frighten the ignorant… In other words a symbol of freedom.
Summon: How many albums/CD’s have you released?
Thiago Baphomet: We released 4 materials until the time, distributed in a fairly limited way, and it’s something we want to change from now, and are the Reh Demo 2002, as the name implies, a rehearsal from April 2002, with another line-up, and still recorded at the town of Vila Velha; The controversy Latino American Elite of Antinazi Black Metal, from 2007, a direct attack on neo-Nazi groups that are infiltrating the local scene, which is totally ridiculous, especially when dealing with such a culturally and racially diverse country like Brazil. This demo features 7 songs, with an intro, and another 5 tracks, including “Anti-Nazi Black Metal”, sung in Portuguese, and much criticized by people who naturally did not understand the meaning of it and judged the book by its cover. Aside from the music, the themes dealt with Satanism, anti-Christianity, and Infernal Chronicles, an allegorical form of expression. Many support us today for this release, and the material is more accepted that ever we released, was opening doors for the band, then went out on a Tape in a 3 Ways Split, released by the label Viceral Vomit Records, from Costa Rica, the same year 2007, under the title “The Suffering of the Messiah”, alongside the legendary Peruvian Black/Death Metal Black Angel and the Brazilian Raw Black Metal band Sagrada Blasfemia. The demo was included in full in this material. In 2008 we participated in 2 compilations nationally and globally, released in 1000 copies, and were “Fortaleza Metal Comp. Vol 3”, by the label Anaites Records, from Northeastern Brazil and “Headbangers Metal Reunion II”, by the label Music Reunion Distro & Prod, from Rio de Janeiro, next to well known bands on the national scene as Amen Corner, Inhumane Rites, the Crux Cullum, etc… In November 2009, came out in Full Album Tape called “Corrosive Rivers of Blood”. This 13-track material had a Black/Death Metal raw and dry with themes talking about Anti-Christianity, Demonology, always in an allegorical way, and ancient Amerindian cultures, such as references to gods and civilizations as Mochicas, the bloodthirsty Mundurucus, from the North of Brazil and Aztecs. In March 2010 was recorded Infernal Possession, an EP with 3 songs, the title track being a composition in partnership with Hector Corpus, from Black Angel (Per), and brought a more focused sound to Black/Death traditional with influences of Hellhammer and Black Sabbath, plus a breakdown of our former bassist, Vultur Gryphus, the track “Massacre to Christianity”. After a time on-hold, in 2013 decided to return it and re-record the track Neverchrist and 2 more songs 2001 that had not been recorded. This raises the 2013 EP “The Unholy Spirit”, the name of one of the tracks. These songs were a parallel band that had gone by 2001, Duxgor, but after its end we spent playing in Neverchrist and reworked over time. This EP, like his previous one, also has 3 tracks.
Summon: Tell me about some the songs on the latest CD?
Thiago Baphomet: The last material, as mentioned, was an EP with 3 songs called “The Unholy Spirit”, and the ideological basement tell about the same issues. Anti-Christianity, valuing human beings as his own god and his freedom from what he thinks or does, as it operates in your life. Brings fierce criticism of religion and their way of manipulating human beings with their false morals and ethics.
Summon: Do you have any side projects?
Thiago Baphomet: Right now I have a project of Death/Doom/Folk called BohrCurie, in allusion to the physicist Niels Bohr and scientist Marie Curie, and addresses issues related to Cosmology, Astronomy, UFOs and theories about the emergence of life on Earth, with intervention from “god-astronauts”, something that I believe is possible, even by mathematical probabilities, to know that not monitor or 1% of what there is in the universe, and we already have knowledge of at least 100 million galaxies! Apart from this project, I have the Antropofectus, Death Metal band, when one-man-band, I have Crepusculic Shadows, with the bassist of Neverchrist, Black Metal with melancholic passages, with lyrics based on dark dreams and Kill The Whore, Pornogore/Grind project from Belize, where we recorded online and recently recorded the first full-length album “First Stage of Decomposition” and is looking for labels.
David Morthimuss: Yes! Crepusculic shadows is one of the projects we’re most excited about, is a special ritual where we express what we are feeling at the moment and all our hatred of humanity that is self- destructing.
Summon: Who are some of your musical influences?
Thiago Baphomet: I can name several of the Nordic Black Metal 90’s such as Mayhem, Dissection, Marduk, Emperor, Satyricon, Gorgoroth, Isvind also bands like Slayer, Kreator, Necrodeath, Nuclear Assault, Satan (UK), Cannibal Corpse, Abazagorath Helloween, Iron Maiden, Morbid Angel, Deicide, Resurrection, Eulogy, are many.
David Morthimuss: I spent my teenage years listening to the good old Heavy Metal and several bands have influenced me over the years. Bands like Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Mercyful Fate and Bathory were my biggest influences. Of course there are other bands, but many to name right now.
Summon: Which current bands?
Thiago Baphomet: From current bands I can highlight the Cubans from Ancestor, who are now based in Miami, Uneartlhy, from Rio de Janeiro, Belphegor, Torture Squad, Humanitas Error Est, from Germany (band with Arnaud, former drummer from Enthroned), The Black Cold, from Rio de Janeiro, band I’ve ever done part, among others.
David Morthimuss: Current from what time? I’m so outdated that I do not know the “new” bands.
Summon: What is the band like when you play live?
Thiago Baphomet: I not understand the question. In what sense?
Summon: Have you guys ever played in another country?
Thiago Baphomet: Not yet. It would be great being able to do this, but in a country as big and as bad income distributed as Brazil, it becomes very difficult for us ordinary workers to organize to play in other regions of the country, let alone in other countries. It’s very difficult for national bands, and is usually paid big money to realize it, but we intend to do it as soon as possible!
Summon: How big of crowd shows up at shows usually?
Thiago Baphomet: As we had countless problems, the band did not have many live performances. The most that I remember were shows to 500 people at the first show in 2003, and in a few other smaller events, an amount of usually 200 to 300 people, which was considerable for a country town like Vila Velha.
Summon: How is the crowd response when you play?
Thiago Baphomet: Generally have a good answer. By the time the acceptance has been very good and always ask us when we will return to play more regularly.
Summon: What do you think of the US Black Metal/Death Metal scene?
Thiago Baphomet: One of the best in the world, with its own characteristics! The Death Metal scene especially! I really like bands like Insatanity, Novembers Doom, Phantasm, Resurrection, Sadistic Intent, Disgorge, Exhumed, Eulogy … from Black Metal, Killgasm, Immersed in Darkness, Texas, Abazagorath, Absu and Averse Sefira.
Summon: What do you think of the Overseas scenes?
Thiago Baphomet: Well, during all the while keeping in touch with people around the world, I see many strong and cohesive scenes, not in the sense of quantity but of quality. The people have been dedicated to making extreme metal with quality to it without having to fall into the mainstream. In Europe and North America, it is known that the scene is very strong , even in the countries of Eastern Europe. But it gives me pride to find dedicated people in places like the Middle East and Cuba! At Cuba, even with the difficulties of a dictatorial government, latent economic problems, etc…, They does a lot with a little! There is a vast scene that takes 200-6000 people from Thursday to Sunday in Havana, for example, and have space on state TV without surrendering to commercialism in Cuba, why would not that obviously! At the Middle East, in countries with fundamentalist cultures, they risk to die doing the sound they want and defending their ideals. Imagine you, to make Black Metal in countries where you simply listen to music that is not Muslim you can be shot, and still does! I fully support the bands and bangers these countries, they actually live what they preach, all the opposition to this mass of alienating their countries!
Summon: What are some of new favorite black metal/death metal bands?
Thiago Baphomet: I don’t have heard many of the new bands recently, but I can detach the Norwegians from Vinterbris, the England from Beautality, the Brazilians from Brutal Morticínio, Unlight Domain, from Cuba, Tummor and Horror Chamber, from Southern Brazil, Incinerador and Visceral Slaughter, from Northern Brazil, Pervencer and Depressed, from Sao Paulo, Seeds of Iblis, from Iraq, etc.
Summon: When do you guys plan on writing any new material?
Thiago Baphomet: Has been written and is being recorded. Nightmare by Weakness is a material with 8 songs and will be the most old school ever released. The sound flirts with old Thrash Metal and Doom. The lyrical concept is always the same, expressing our different points of view on the whole and the world we live in, as opposed to this failed culture of the societies that proliferate as mere numbers unnatural and unwilling.
Summon: What does the future hold for the band??
Thiago Baphomet: We are searching for labels to release this next job, and hope to return to play more consistently, promote our sound and soon, perhaps a tour by the Mercosur. At the most, continue recording, composing and spreading our message to those who feel identified with our ideology. Keep the Black Flame Burning!
Contact them at:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Neverchrist-Brazil/127105120647606
https://myspace.com/neverchristhordebrasil
http://neverchrist.bandcamp.com
