Blackened Horde: How did the band get started?
Vernon: The band started of in 2012 when I just got out of high school and used my first salary on recording gear. I’ve wanted to make music since I was 9 and now I had the funds and years of material to do so. I was joined by Daniel on guitar and bass while I took the vocal and drumming duties. December that same year we released our first EP.
Blackened Horde: What kind of music do you play?
Vernon: Sinister Superstar currently plays black metal with a lot of experimentation. There are trades of blackened death and depressive black metal too but mostly black metal.
Blackened Horde: How has the fan response been?
Vernon: People didn’t care much for the first EP which was a industrial/nu metal record. It wasn’t until the band shifted to black metal and released the second EP “Tentamen Suicidii” that the people started talking in the underground scene here in South Africa.
Blackened Horde: Where did the band name come from?
Vernon: The name was very much inspired by Marilyn Manson’s Antichrist Superstar,which was an album which captured the whole idea of what I wanted to be. To be infamous for all the wrong reasons. To shock people and make them fear the things they do not understand. The name is not cared for much now a days.
Blackened Horde: Introduce the band members and what they do in the band.
Vernon: At this point of time I am the only official member. I kicked the drummer and guitarist out because they took more time screwing around than they did making or writing music. Specially the drummer who would talk and post on Facebook more about making music than actually doing it. They did not get the idea or feel of it but to answer your question. Vernon Eksteen-Vocals, programming and synths.
Blackened Horde: Who writes the music? Lyrics?
Vernon: Every one does their own part for example the guitarist would write the riffs, I, the vocalist would write the lyrics and so on.
Blackened Horde: And where do the lyric ideas come from?
Vernon: They come from being alive. I use music as a scapegoat to which I take all my hatred and sorrow out on. Basically all the concepts that would land me into a psychiatric ward.
Blackened Horde: What is your view in Satanism and Occultism?
Vernon: I’ve read the Satanic Bible when I was younger. Some Sinister Superstar photos of me that an ex girlfriend took actually has that bible in them. It basically equals to Atheism. Theistic Satanism is foolish and reeks of “posers”.Occultism is an interesting subject to say the least. There is room for neither in Sinister Superstar though except to shock or to piss off people.
Blackened Horde: How many albums/CD’s have you released?
Vernon: Two. “Sin Crawling In Her Skin” in 2012 and “Tentamen Suicidii” in 2014.The later being released by Kill The Light Productions limited to 66 hand numbered copies.
Blackened Horde: Tell me about some the songs on the latest CD?
Vernon: The track called “Black Rose Of Zhane” was also released on the South African Metal Compilation Volume 1.It sounds very Norwegian I’ve been told. The third track called “Bloed Loop Rooi” is Afrikaans for “Blood Runs Red” and is the bands first non English song.
Blackened Horde: Do you have any side projects?
Vernon: No, Although I have been a guest vocalist for New Zealand based Crackpot Theory and will be a guest vocalist for South African death metal band Grim Homicide for their debut full length album.
Blackened Horde: Who are some of your musical influences?
Vernon: Marilyn Manson, Joey Jordison, Kurt Cobain, Dead and Maniac of Mayhem.
Blackened Horde: Which current bands?
Vernon: Shining, Satyricon, Darkthrone, Behemoth, Mayhem, Gorgoroth and mostly Burzum.
Blackened Horde: What is the band like when you play live?
Vernon: Sinister Superstar has never played live to date.
Blackened Horde: What do you think of the US Black Metal/Death Metal scene?
Vernon: In my opinion the U.S is where death metal started. Americans love their gore and they do it better than any one else in the world.
Blackened Horde: What do you think of the Overseas scenes?
Vernon: The Norwegian black metal scene is where I would have love to be.
Blackened Horde: What are some of new favorite black metal/death metal bands?
Vernon: Well I have been really into Vulvodynia which is a brutal slam death metal band here in South Africa. They have raised the bar for the local scene. As for black metal, I’ve been listening to a lot of Azaghal.
Blackened Horde: When do you guys plan on writing any new material?
Vernon: I’ve teamed up with the guitarist of another local band known as Nephilim and we have written and recorded a blackened death metal track which should be released in a week or two under the Sinister Superstar name.
Blackened Horde: What does the future hold for the band??
Vernon: Sinister Superstar will be located in New Plymouth,New Zealand in 2015.There I will recruit new members to record our first full length album and play live shows. A rebirth of the project which I’m sure of you will hear about.
Contact them at:
https://m.facebook.com/SinisterSuperstar?refid=17
http://sinistersuperstar.bandcamp.com/
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