Interview with Exaversum done on 2-10-21

 

1.Hails Northen, please introduce yourself to the readers.

N:Hey, whats up Patrick... I'm NORTHEN, I'm the creator of EXAVERSUM, Guitarist and producer, nice to meet you.

2. When did you first discover black metal music and who were the first bands you heard? Who are some of the current bands that you have been listening to?

N: I grew up listening to many types of music, but speaking specifically of Black Metal, I discovered it when I was in high school, when we were borrowing records and one day they lent me the album "Cradle Of Filth - Cruelty and the Beast" ... It blew my. head. I still keep hearing that album and I keep feeling the same. I tell you, I listen to a lot of music, I have a too restless mind and I tell you, I hear a lot of music of all kinds, but speaking of Black Metal I hear a lot of Mayhem, Gorgoroth, Orcustus, Satyricon, Trelldom, Obtained Enslavement, Immortal, Beherit, Abbath, Graveland, Mgla, 1349 , in short ... there are many groups, the list could go on.

3. When did the idea of forming the band Exaversum first occur to you? Are you satisfied with how things have gone so far with this band?

N: I had the concern of making black metal for a long time, only because of prejudices, to see everything except Art, I never dared to do it, until relatively recently that everything led me to think, as we say in Mexico: " Today you are here, tomorrow who knows. " I don't know what to say about the word "Satisfied", but I am happy with so much support received in such a short time. Interesting things are coming for the project.

4. I think Exaversum is yourself when you started this band, do you plan to work alone or would you like to add more members soon?

N: After going through a lot of trouble with some former band members and waiting to put together a new one, especially after dealing with many very different individualities. I knew that there was the possibility of doing this alone, I wanted a band, I couldn't, in the end, as they say, "whatever happens, the band must keep working." Of course it's great to play live music. Without a doubt. But I do not close to that possibility of making a band, but at the moment I am well, I am not interested in the live show, I reserve my opinion about it.

5. What do you think is the easiest and hardest part of being the only member of the band?

N: Being alone Everything is easier, really. The difficult thing is when it comes time to do a live band and the truth is that most people prefer to see other things than make music. Also for that reason I'm fine like this for now. I was in a musical project where they limited me too much, in many professional aspects, they stopped me ... I got tired and almost instinctively I completely distanced myself from all that luminous and blinding world. Thanks to that experience I learned that it is better to be alone and that the only important thing is to make music and nothing else. The rest is banality and falsehood.

6. Then you wrote all the music for this band, when did you first become interested in writing and playing music?

N: Back in 2000, songs with all kinds of projects and sounds ... I'm just cleaning my house and I found the first folder of lyrics I made, one occurrence after another: FATAL. But that's how it is to write and compose songs, you can't help it, you must write what you see. For EXAVERSUM I have been interested since I listened to black metal.

7. What were the first instruments that you learned to play and are you self-taught or did you take lessons when you started?

N: The guitar, since I was 14 years old when I first strummed the first guitar I had and still have. At first I took a course at a local school. I learned to play music by doing it, for better or for worse, so I was self-taught for 10 years, getting riffs and songs "by ear", songs and music of all kinds, then I studied music in the city of Guadalajara.

8. Is there an instrument that you would like to learn to play one day? If so, which ones would you like to learn?

N: I would like to play all the ones I use, but that I play them well (haha), due to the lack of musicians, you have to solve the problems as best as possible anyway. The instrument that I would like to learn a lot is the drums. All the instruments in the world would be great.

9.You also take care of the vocal duties of the band, when did you start growling and yelling? Do you do anything special to keep your throat and voice healthy?

N: I don't have any care for that, I am actually very messy for many things.

10. What are some of your favorite influences and musicians over the years? Who are some of the vocalists that you really admire?

N: I have too varied influences but they all agree on something ... that I like, that they have an interesting harmony and construction. Anyway ... Speaking of Black Metal, I really like how Infernus composes for Gorgoroth , I'm a very simple guitarist, I don't like virtuosity. Others ... the music that Obtained Enslavement makes can easily be arranged for orchestral with all instruments. Black Metal in general is really great inspiration... Other stuff As did Queen, who obviously Freddy Mercury is one of the vocalists I admire, Attilla from Mayhem, who is very varied in his voice and when he does melodies. Bach, Schoenberg, Mozarth, Narciso Yepes... I could go on talking about music and musicians, it is an interesting and extensive topic man!

11.Exaversum will soon release an EP. How long did it take you to write the music for the debut release? How long does it usually take to complete a song?

N: That's right, it will be released through Quetzalcoatl Records in Mexico and the UK with Marwolaeth Records soon. It took me the whole month of November of 2020 ... and well, the time it usually takes to complete a song depends on how much time you dedicate to the profession of making songs. I really like composition, I always try to finish a song completely, with all the instruments and arrangements.

12. Where did you get the inspiration for the lyrics and what are some of the songs you wrote on the debut release?

N: From the dark side of the human being, from the things that I see every day, life is a total inspiration. Of a kind of natural misanthropy that the human being lives. Of everything that the human being has destroyed throughout history by self-imposed decadence and imminent self-extinction. For the album I wrote some songs, but mostly they are written by Prosatanvs who is my colleague at Ancestral Domains.

13. When will the EP come out? is available for readers to buy and where can readers buy your release? Do you have any other merchandise currently available to readers? If so, what is available and where can readers buy it?

N: For now the album that will be released in the UK in tape format, in a limited edition through Marwolaeth Records, UK. Later the CD will be released in Mexico through Quetzalcoatl Records Mex. and it will also be available to everyone soon. The merchandise of the band and all the information about that and more is available on the official EXAVERSUM social networks and the Labels.

14. What does Black Metal mean to you?

N: very simple, For me there are three words: Freedom, Honesty and Sincerity. It's a state of mind of total honesty in every way.

15.Exaversum comes out of the Mexican black metal scene, what do you think about the black metal scene in Mexico?

N: Very individualistic, despite that, there are many projects that make excellent music of which I am proud to see them go everywhere with their material.

16. Who are your all-time favorite bands coming out of Mexico and what are your new bands that you could recommend to readers?

N: There are good bands everywhere in Mexico making good music. I've been listening a lot to Tenebrarum and Sargatanas, also Luciferian Rites, Veneral Baptism, Phobos Monolith, from my city. Also Excecraris from Nayarit, mx.

17.In addition to working in Exaversum I think you have some other bands and projects that you work with, could you tell the readers a bit?

N: I am a Guitarist, Composer and Producer for ANCESTRAL DOMAINS. I also work in the artistic area of graphic design, audiovisual, mixing and mastering of Quetzalcoatl Records Mexico and I am eternally grateful to Francisco, the owner of the label, for the support received, there is no doubt that music unites the right people. There are many plans and things on the way but they will be discussed in due course.

18. Thank you Northen for taking the time to complete this interview. Do you have any final words for readers?

N: Thank you very much Patrick, also very grateful for the support of you and VIOLENT DEMISE ZINE... And stay tuned for all the material to come this year 2021. For Official info please go to facebook: @EXAVERSUM and of course to #ViolentDemiseZine                                                             Band Contacts                                                                                                                                               https://www.facebook.com/ExaversumBlackMetal                                                                                     https://exaversum.bandcamp.com/music                                                                                                      https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc5Fx2TAfvAeYXlDE3zXF6A?reload=9&reload=9