This is the first interview that Bill Zebub conducted with King Diamond, which was recorded on camcorder (lens cap was on – it was recorded this way because the audio was better quality than a micro-cassette). It was played on Bill Zebub’s college radio show. This was done during the THEM tour and the interview was conducted backstage at a club in Brooklyn called “L’amour.”
Category Archives: Metal
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“Metal” refers to music that cannot easily be categorized, or that has no strong traits that are associated with any of the subcategories. It is thus simply called “metal” and if you don’t like it, your brain will auto-categorize it anyway,
Mercyful Fate
This transcription was included int the first issue of the Grimoire. Bill Zebub handed this issue to one of the guitar player’s of Deicide, and this is why Glen Benton told the tale of intimidating King Diamond on an airplane, which is stupid because the issue SPECIFIED that Kind Diamond didn’t say anything out of disrespect. Additionally, Glen Benton’s words, which I have on tape, didn’t depict an outright challenge to a fight, so I don’t know why he bragged as if there was some kind of gauntlet slapped – and Glen’s story indicated that it was the hulking guitar player who did the intimidating. But even if the guitar player were normal-sized, ganging up on someone, especially when there is no reason to start a fight, isn’t something that should be bragged about.
Are the rest of the members into Satanism the way that you are?
No. No.
Are you a card-carrying member of the Church of Satan?
Yeah.
What do you think of Deicide and their version of Satanism?
I haven’t heard the band. I think they’re portraying the old christian view of Satanism during the time of the Inquisition.
So you think that their image could hurt you?
It’s bad that people are discriminatin in a completely wrong way. They must be a christian band – putting out the christian word on what they think it’s all about. (THIS IS WHAT I PUT IN PARENTHESIS RIGHT AFTER THE STATEMENT – THIS WAS PRINTED, SO GLEN BENTON SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN UPSET – “When you read, it is easy to put emotion behind written words. King did not say this with anger or disgust. Nor did he issue challenge.”)
Did you have a Satanic wedding?
We had a civil wedding.
Do you remember the song “Burning the Cross” – there was a mysterious musician who played in it called Benet Peterson. Was that you, Kim Peterson?
No. Not at all. He was a man who was in the band for a short while.
Did you know that you have a backwards message on “Melissa?”
No. Tell me about it.
When you play the words “Satan’s Cross upon the wall” you hear “What message is this?”
Is that really what is says?
You didn’t plan that?
No. We always did it the right way. It would be stupid for us to try and put something in there when you played it backwards, because it’s all there. It’s all straightforward.
Some people criticize you for excluding Satan in your lyrics. Others say that your music isn’t heavy anymore. How do you feel about that?
People who know about Satanism also know that we have not excluded anything. We may have changed some of the words. We omitted “Satan” and “Lucifer” because many people got turned off as soon as they heard those words. They’d grown up hearing from christians that this is what Satanism is all about – killing babies, and stuff like that. “Satan” means “the powers of the unknown” and that’s very much what I’m singing about. I certainly don’t feel that I mellowed out in any way.
What made you decide to sing in falsetto?
The first band I was in – we did covers of bands like Deep Purple and Rainbow, and I had to strain the vocals a lot to hit those notes. I was not very good in the beginning, but a lot of hard practice made it easier for me. I learned how to use my stomach. It enabled me to hold the notes longer and make them cleaner, and all that. One day, a fan came up to me and said, “You should use your falsetto some more.” I didn’t know what the word meant. But I started to work on the high vocals a lot more.
DODECAHEDRON – Kwintessens (Season of Mist)
This is a deliciously demented album that should be heard at least once. I am providing a video clip that you should start hearing at the 1:08 mark if you are impatient, but let it ride out if you can.
The vocals make this much crazier than it would be if someone else performed, and I love the song so much that I would buy the album if it just contained this one tune. Beware! You might be charmed by it as I have been. I think that I have heard it 50 times in a row. I can’t get enough of the craziness.
I tested it by posting on my facebook page, and I am happy to report that people have almost immediately made purchases. Don’t let this masterpiece die the death of apathy.
ANTARKTIS – Ildlaante (Agonia)
This odd band, sometimes sludge, reminds me a little bit of Cultus Sanguine – but just a bit. Maybe it is the essence here and there, and maybe something that only I perceive.
I would like to call your attention to the video clip that I have snooped out. Put the cursor at the 7:32 mark and play from there. That particular segment of music should be the selling point for you. It is for me. I will trust that to be what pushes you toward a purchase.
THE ORDER OF ISRAFEL – Red Robes (Napalm Records)
Riffs as delicious as those from the early Black Sabbath era house singing from an older world. Listening to this album, as well as the previous ones, gives a feeling of great taste, a music to be savored.
The warmth of the guitar distortion is perfectly paired with the vocal style. There is no band like The Order of Israfel, but the music sounds familiar. I had to find a video clip to show you that my words are not lies, and you should be impressed by the quality of the band live. I long for the day when I can be a member of the audience, as will you if you consent to view.
WARREL DANE – Shadow Work (Century Media)
Listening to this album inflicts the same sadness as when I see “The Crow” because I know that this will be the last offering by the artist. It is ironic that Warrel sings, “Mother is the Word for god” – a line from the movie “The Crow” (and it is sorrowfully coincidental that I recently met the writer of the graphic novel prior to hearing the song).
It is hard to hear “Kill me in my dreams” – I wonder if Warrel was conscious when he died.
The guitar on this album seems imitative of Jeff Loomis at times, a tad shameful, not so much for the mimicry, but because the style isn’t why I like the music – it is, and always was, Warrel’s voice that carried the tune.
There are some new approaches, however.
It doesn’t seem necessary to review this album – it will be heard out of respect, curiosity, or a friend’s insistence.
I am grateful that enough was salvaged to finish this final work. Another Great One is gone, and I see no replacements for those we lost. Farewell.
Nevermore interview with Warrel Dane
This interview was conducted on a camcorder years ago. The reason why it surfaced in a mostly-unedited form here is to show another side of Warrel Dane.
Warrel Dane and Bill Zebub became friends after a fan of Bill’s showed Warrel Dane an issue of THE GRIMOIRE OF EXALTED DEEDS magazine that highly praised a Nevermore album during a tour. Warrel and Bill’s fan exchanged contact information, and it was suggested that Warrel and Bill meet at a New Jersey venue, which was Obsessions in Randolph.
After that first meeting, the friendship and familiarity grew , and the comfort level is evident in this drunken interview. There is a serious interview conducted a few months before Warrel’s death. It was just 10 minutes or so, sort of as an antidote to the comical chats that were captured throughout the years. There was to be a longer, interview during a future tour, but death prevented that.
Please enjoy this night of absurdity. Bill Zebub was going to post it sooner, but he did not Warrel’s death to be the reason why people watched. Watch this to see another side that only a friend, and a clown, like Bill Zebub brought out…. oh, yes, and the vodka. Don’t forget the vodka.
Hornwood Fell – My Body, My Time
You should start your journey with the second track “Her Name” which has vocals that remind me of a spirit being summoned to speak warnings, or of a mystic uttering in trance. Without further delay, let me list a stream of it for you.
At times, I am reminded of experimental Voivod, which is quite pleasing. This is my first venture into Hornwood Fell, but I am impressed enough to seek out their earlier albums. I had to enlist a friend to obtain this one directly from the label because no merchant near me had any information for getting it into the stores, and the Internet options were bare. I am sure that this has been corrected since those days. I had a promotional version and wanted to show my support with an actual purchase, as I do with every band that has made music that affected me.
Dead City Ruins – Never Say Die (AFM Records)
Sometimes it is appropriate to hear warm distortion in upbeat songs. This album, however, sometimes goes too far into the land of the lowest common denominator. Years ago, some of it would be considered poser-ish, but in the present era, some of the guitar fuzz is welcome.
The retro vibe in some parts doesn’t seem contrived, but it helps to de-poser-ize some of the riffs, I’d say that the songs are best in small doses, like one song in a mixed batch of other bands, perhaps as a palate cleanser, restoring the ear to accept other styles.
The lyrics seem to be in the same radio-friendly vein.
Perhaps the best thing to do is to link a video.
Orphaned Land
This is an interview with Kobi, conducted by Bill Zebub