INTERVIEW: Arghoslent (August's Artist of the Month)

This month's artist of the month, while late, is Death metal legends Arghoslent. Having met the band several times, and seeing them play on a few occasions, I figured it was about time to ask for an interview. Arghoslent are known for there crushing riffs and historically based infamous lyrics. This should have been up sooner but the Uprise Direct office is done and we are back...

It’s been awhile since we spoke last, what is new with the band?
POGROM: At the moment we’re putting the finishing layout touches to a split CD with MARTIAL BARRAGE that will be released around August. We also just returned from Europe a few months ago and played a show in Virginia on Memorial Day for a Confederate Hammerskin gathering.

You previously shared that you had some issues with show bookings and venues overseas, how was your European tour altogether?
POGROM: The tour was a success overall although 2 of our 6 shows were canceled. We were unable to relocate in Belgium, as the police took in the organizer for questioning for about 4 hours. When he got out he found another venue, he only sent the invite to 50 people and within an hour the new club had been contacted again. Nobody knows who the infiltrator is but it’s pointing to some homosexual German DJ that spends his days on the computer writing threatening emails. I think this one is still pissed off about the SMASHING RAINBOWS CD.

The French gig suffered the same kind of death threat against the club owner and he closed down his club in front of us, refused to call the cops to report the death threat, jumped on his scooter, and took off. Another venue was found, some biker club, but this time in Marseilles, not in Aix en Provence like originally booked. The problem was that there was another metal gig going on there at the time, so we were allowed to play after it was over, around 3:00AM. Only AFFLICTION GATE played after us then everyone split as you could imagine what time it was.

The first shows in Finland and the one in Italy were great, however. Only in Belgium were we not allowed to play.

Often, as much anything else, the metal scene seems to divide itself and there is constant back and forth, yet, Arghoslent generally does not involve themselves in such stuff. Is there a general anonymity that your band members take to avoid such issues, or is it the scene just loves you so much?
POGROM: The scene doesn’t love us, they just love our music. Not all the marketing and advertising in the world could make our ideas "popular" or "accepted" within the underground or anywhere else. The more we’re known, the more we’re despised and ostracized. Our American label once told us "If you guys didn’t sing about slavery and homophobia, you’d be a best-selling band based on your musicianship alone!!" It has been mentioned had we sung about flowers and mountains that we’d be fairly "successful" as musicians in the metal community.

As you see, it is party by choice, but also partly by the fact that we’ve been alienated by virtually every level of the scene. This is why you don’t see much written about us anywhere.

HOLOCAUSTO: I don't care a bit about controversy and would be just as happy releasing instrumental albums. But as long as we write lyrics, we write them about what suits, what interests. Aren't people tired of discussing the lyrics, whether they're offensive or just history lessons, whether a Jew can listen to Arghoslent, whether we advocate or merely present? I have many opinions about this but it's all too obvious to type here. I'll just say that I couldn't care less who likes it and who doesn't. If you like the riffs and lyrics, cool, so do I. If you don't, then put in a CD you do like. I don't care one way or the other.

Your site contains a hate mail section, and obviously you music is reaching the ears of more listeners, have you guys had to deal much with opposing views other than the occasional email?
POGROM: No opposition in person, it’s mostly anonymous messages and comments made on queer forums. I think everyone expects cowards to behave that way. Where drunks have liquid courage, pussies have internet courage.

Your latest and awaited album "Hornets of the Pogrom," from what I read has been getting good reviews from generally mainstream metal listeners. This has always been one of Arghoslent's attributes I think, would you mind sharing your thoughts as to why you guys are so well received?
POGROM: I don’t think anyone reviewing our work really approves of our message or out interpretation of history. Their words speak for themselves. Yes, you might be reading a lot of good reviews of our albums but we’re one of the few bands worldwide that requires a disclaimer in the package, much like the Al and Tipper Gore PMRC label in the old WASP albums.

Reactions to our music are always good; reactions to our lyrics are always bad. I think also that some of this attention we’ve been getting it thanks to the widespread availability of the internet as well. Don’t forget that old types of zines and traditional avenues are non-existent nowadays.

We’ve been playing death metal for about 20 years, so I would hope that it is appreciated for what that’s worth. It’s not rocket science, it’s only negative death metal.

HOLOCAUSTO: This is not classical music; it's not some profound intellectual movement, not some technically virtuosic achievement. It's ridiculous to pretend to be some sort of deeply-insightful artist in these genres. If one craves profundity, listen to Mussorgsky; if one craves poetic art, listen to Vicente Amigo. If one responds to riffs and thrash, listen to metal.

You guys have been re-releasing a bunch of material as of late, is the demand up for out of press copies? Any new material in the works?
POGROM: I’m not sure how many copies of any of our albums have really sold. I reckon a lot of our music is pirated, downloaded for free, and copied. Most bands suffer the same level of diffusion however in our case I think people rather copy our work and download it in order to avoid feeling guilty about paying for our demeaning work. In their eyes listening to the band for free isn’t really supporting us. It’s a way of justifying them liking our work which has so many people menstruating and wishing they had been born with a vagina between their legs.

The split album will contain 20 minutes of each band with new material. These songs were recorded during the HORNETS session so you can expect more of the same. MARTIAL BARRAGE is a true kick in the face in terms of aggression and contemptuous death metal. The lyrics are top-notch and cannot be rivaled.

You guys have had some line-up troubles in the past but as of late it seems you have a real solid line-up. Am I correct to assume this is rather motivational as to writing new material?
POGROM: I don’t think we have a recurrent problem but then again remember we’ve been around since 1990. Not every original member signed up to play in the band for 19 years. Our first drummer left the band after GALLOPING THROUGH THE BATTLE RUINS due to not feeling comfortable with our fascist views and incorrigibly bigoted attitude any longer. Our original bassist lost the tip of his finger in a work-related accident after INCORRIGIBLE and never played bass again. GRAVEDIGGER was replaced by a better vocalist, and in turn this vocalist did his sentence and decided to abandon the vessel. You also have to remember that we’re all professionals and the connection with this outfit is somewhat problematic for our personal lives.

HOLOCAUSTO: The line-up changes a lot not so much because there is some intrinsic problem, but rather because Arghoslent is, at its core, a riff band. The guitars are the root of everything else, and all other elements, though admittedly important, are interchangeable. The only things we can't replace are the guitars; everything else is incidental. Pogrom and I are collaborators, co-conspirators. We work with each other at length to arrange and compose our songs; the two guitars are the very center of Arghoslent.I know you have had past involvement in other bands, are you or any other members currently working on any projects; old or new?

POGROM: We don’t have side bands. All bands we’re involved in are not projects.

What are the future plans for the band and anyone you'd like to thank?
We're looking to perhaps play outside of the East coast, however, for a band like ours that does this on a part-time basis, and confronts the hypocritical and politically correct douchebags with every step, it must be well coordinated. We live in 4 different states and even rehearsing can be a hassle.