1.Hails please introduce yourself to the readers? When did you first discover Black Metal and what is it about this genre of music that you love so much?
I am Misanthropocene, The Queen of Hate, and I am the sole member of Unholy Calamity. I first discovered black metal while listening to music on my phone circa 2014-2015. I was 12 at the time. The most extreme thing I had heard up to that point was the Doom EP by Job For A Cowboy, and I wanted to hear more music that was even more extreme than that. Pagan Fears by Mayhem came up one day and I was mesmerized by the darkness of the opening riff. Right out of the gate I knew it was the most extreme thing I had ever heard, and it started a lifelong obsession with dark and evil music. My favorite thing about Black Metal, and why I keep coming back to it so much, is how passionate those who make this type of music are about their art. It’s such a small community in the grander scheme of things, but the community is endlessly creative and dedicated to this dark, satanic craft. I am very glad to be a part of that.
2.Who were the first bands that you heard?Who are some of the current bands that have caught your attention?
Mayhem, Darkthrone, Burzum, Bathory, 1349, and Dark Funeral have always been with me. I have been researching the happenings within the Norwegian Black Circle for as long as I can remember. They were my first inspirations, much like most of the Black Metal community. I have been listening to Bereft Raven, Antichrist Siege Machine, Castrivenian, Capel Beulah, and Spirit Possession as of late. I have been really drawn to the rawer and more aggressive sides of Black Metal more recently.
3.When did you first become interested in writing and performing music?What instruments do you currently play?
I became interested in writing and playing whenever I first got exposed to the heavier side of music. I saw a video of somebody covering a WhiteChapel song on drums and from that point I wanted to play drums. I even had a pots and pans kit at one point! Soon after I got interested in guitar, bass, and vocals. I currently play Guitar, Bass, Drums, Vocals, and some keyboard every now and then. I also record all of Unholy Calamity’s music on my own.
4.Are you self taught or did you take lessons when first starting out?Who would you say are some of your influences and favorite musicians?
I have been mostly self taught. I did have lessons on guitar when first starting out, but it didn’t really go anywhere because I didn’t want to play anything he was teaching me. I wasn’t interested at all in AC/DC or anything, I wanted to play Black Metal. Soon after quitting that I got drum lessons, which also only lasted a few months for the same reasons. My main influences for Black Metal are Euronymous, Frost, Quorthon, Varg, Onielar from Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult, and Wlad Drakksteim. Onielar has always been a guiding force for me as a woman in the Black Metal space.
5.When did you first get the idea to start Unholy Calamity? Are you satisfied with how things have gone with the band so far?
I first got the idea to start Unholy Calamity at a very sad time in my life. At the end of 2020 I felt like I was the ugliest person that has ever walked the earth, due to just figuring out that I’m actually a girl and not a boy. I got tired of making music using computer controlled instruments at this time, so I just said fuck it and wrote a demo that I channeled all of my sadness and anger into. The project just evolved from there and my devotion to Satan has grown as well, which certainly helps the creative process. I am very pleased with how things have been going so far. I always want more eyes on my music, which has been rather difficult so far, but I’m not worried. As long as I’m creating the sound that is in my head, and continuing to evolve it, I am content.
6.How did you choose Unholy Calamity as the name for this project? Who would you say are the bands biggest influences?For the readers unfamilar with the band how would you best describe the musicial style?
I wanted one of the words to be a synonym to Mayhem, so I chose Calamity since it was one of the least used by other bands. The Unholy part was added because there are several bands already named Calamity. For the demos I took a lot of inspiration from Burzum and the demo days of Hulder, but as the project has gone on I have explored a faster, more Dark Funeral and Immortal influenced sound, while still retaining as much aspects of the bands previous output as possible. The tagline for Unholy Calamity is “Raw Godslastering Black Metal,” which I think describes the mesh of ultra-primitive production and blistering sound palette quite nicely.
7.I believe you are a solo project/band would you like to work with more musicians in the future or do you prefer working alone?
Yes this is a one-woman project. I have entertained the idea of working with others in the future, for a live show maybe if that would ever happen, but in the studio I would prefer to work alone. The only exception would be for vocals. My voice is definitely not meant to do the things that I put it through for Unholy Calamity, so somebody with a healthier voice might be an option in the future. For now though, it is just me, and the core of Unholy Calamity will always be Misanthropocene.
8.The second full length "Intravenous :In Our Blood" was recently released through Humanity's Plague Prod. when did you first come in contact with this label?
They contacted me in May of this year. No label had ever shown interest in my music before so they were a natural choice. They even compared my music to that of Darkthrone, which warmed my cold, decaying heart a bit. I also don’t make much money at all from my music, so having a pressing of 100 CDs without paying anything was very appealing to me, haha!
9.How long did it take you to write the music for the songs on the new release?Where do you draw inspiration for the lyrics?What are some topics written about on the new reelease?
It took me two years to finish work on the new album. The guitars and bass were recorded a year ago, and the drums and vocals took shape in April of this year. I really have no good excuse for why it took me this long to record drums and vocals, even I don’t know myself why it took me that long. The lyrical inspiration for the new album is solely focused on how I became a Satanist. It’s sort-of conceptual, with the first two tracks being about skepticism, the third being about my personal experience living as a diehard Black Metal fan, and the others being final declarations against God. “The Carbon Baphomet” also has to do with my personal identity and how that has formed my individual Satanism.
10.Besides the "Intravenous :In Our Blood" release are the past releases still availible for the readers to purchase?Besides physical releases do you currently have any other merchandise availible for the readers to buy? If yes what is available and where can the readers purchase it?
As of right now, there are only a few copies of the past releases left to purchase, so act quickly if anybody wants one. I don’t have any other merch for sale as of now, but I am always thinking of new ideas. I really wanted to make shirts and flags, but there needs to be demand for them, first. The readers can purchase my new album from Humanity’s Plague Productions or unholycalamity.bandcamp.com
11.What does Black Metal mean to you?
Black metal is knowing that you are bigger than what God tells you. Black Metal is turning your back on God in favor of the higher state of being that Satan allows for you. Knowing that you are capable of being bigger than yourself is crucial. It is not just a music genre, not at all. Anybody who believes that Black Metal is just about the music should be driven out of our community. Black Metal is a force that ignites the flames of hell onto Earth. A big aspect of it, in my opinion, is having a deep, immense hatred for all of humanity. That is why I have named myself Misanthropocene, the Queen of Hate. Satan runs through my veins and my music. The sign of Satan is the sign of Black Metal.
12.Besides working in Unholy Calamity do you currently work with any other solo projects or full bands? If yes please tell the readers a little about them?
Yes, I do. I play drums in two local bands with some of my close friends called Code Red News and Macho Preset (I did not choose those names). Both of them are pretty much alternative punk music. Besides those, I have a Goregrind project called Blastulabia which I use to blow off steam when not working on Unholy Calamity material. I use a very different vocal technique for that one.
13.Thank you for taking the time to fill this interview out do you have any final comments for the readers?
