Funeral Fornication recently took part in the Blitz Quitz feature from Pest Webzine.
The Blitz Quitz is a sort of standard interview feature created by Pest Webzine.
You can view the feature at its original location here: http://pestwebzine.ucoz.com/index/funeral_fornication/0-351

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FUNERAL FORNICATION
“Pandemic Transgression”
HDR – 018
Hypnotic Dirge Records


 
       

 H.P. Lovecraft once wrote, “I have harnessed the shadows that stride from world to world to sow death and madness.” With those powerful words in mind, Vultyrous, the man behind the band Funeral Fornication, humbly and respectively presents his latest offering Pandemic Transgression to the masses. This latest full-length is scheduled for worldwide release mid 2011. 

 “Pandemic Transgression has been the biggest and most grandiose endeavour yet for Funeral Fornication.” Explains Vultyrous, “I feel that I have tapped into something with the new material that I had not previously explored. There is new elements at work on the album, both in style and structure. On the whole, I find the songs to be more progressive, more epic, more ambient, and at times, more symphonic while still maintaining the depressive black metal edge, albeit soaked in atmosphere.” 

 Pandemic Transgression is the first full-length Funeral Fornication album that showcases not only Vultyrous' skills as a guitarist, bassist, and orchestrator, but also his ability to sing as well as scream. “The clean vocals on Pandemic Transgression are much more upfront than they have been on anything I've done prior with Funeral Fornication. The mix of clean singing, shrill screams, and low gutturals is something I always wanted to do, but Solitude And Suicide was not the right album on which to showcase that. Pandemic Transgression is.” Says Vultyrous, “I can easily say that this album is my best work to date.”  

 When it comes to theme, Vultyrous explores the notion of mankind being a disease, and with dark and often esoteric lyrics, tells of the shadows that stride from world and world to sow death and madness. Our world is next. Doomsday comes in June 2011! 

 The album was recorded in Vancouver at Artep Studios, where it was mastered by Petra “Artep” Sobotka.

On the forthcoming Hypnotic Dirge Records compilation release, I have contributed a short story to the text portion of the compilation release which I've entitled "The Bleak House"

I've decided to release a short excerpt from the story ahead of time:

The Bleak House

Hypnotic Dirge Records Compilation #2: Melancholic Epifany

(The Trance Formation Is Shattered)

Text Portion

Written by: Vultyrous (Funeral Fornication)

Oct. 28^{th 2010}

Anyone else might have fled in terror; however, I was in such a state that I was unable to trust my eyes, as I knew all too well the tricks they could play upon an intoxicated mind. I chose to ignore the rug, and instead turned my gaze back to the closed door on the far wall. I stared intently at the crack between the door and the floor. All I saw was the blackest darkness, though I swore I could hear whispering emanating from behind the door. At first, I thought it was merely the fire crackling over the constant thrumming of the rain and the wind’s whistling, playing more tricks on my excited imagination, but the longer I sat in the rocking chair, the more I became convinced it was two voices whispering back and forth, and definitely coming from behind the door.

I stood up and tiptoed across creaking floorboards towards the door. Kneeling down, I placed my ear next to it in silent eagerness. As I did, the whispering ceased immediately. I glanced back to the opposing wall and realized I was now in a room with only the one door! The door through which I had entered the house was gone, as if it had never been there. The gnawing fear I had felt before returned, this time to raise the hairs on the back of my neck. I ran to where the front door had been, and felt the wall in its place. My mind swam, the metallic taste of fear sour in my mouth, until I convinced myself aloud that it was the drugs playing with my perception. To this day, I’m not sure if I truly believed my own words, but I managed to calm myself and allowed my breathing to return to normal. I approached the closed door once again, this time reaching out to grasp the doorknob. It was now the only exit from the room, so it would be only a matter of time before I’d be forced to go through it in any event. Perhaps it was an inner need to be in control of my own fate, or possibly a readiness to welcome my own death, that caused me to open the door at that moment. It mattered not. I eased it open with a loud creak and found myself at the foot of a long and precarious stairwell leading upwards into darkness.

For a long moment, I simply stood there and stared upward, as strange and terrible shadows, whose very presence was inexplicable in the already black stairwell, crept menacingly downward toward me. To my dazed and drug-induced vision, the shadows seemed to coalesce into nightmare shapes with long arms and ragged claws, eager to grasp my person. They swarmed about me, drenching me in darkness, and then flowed around and past me into the room, casting out the waning light from the windows and snuffing out the fire. I waited another short moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, which they eventually did. It was then that I chose to brave the stairs.

Step after step led me upward in a seemingly endless ascent. I climbed forever, turning back only once to see how far I had come. The door was naught but a faint and tiny dot at the base of a myriad of never-ending stairs. I could not correctly sense the passage of time, for it seemed to me hours since I had begun the journey up the mountain of steps. More time passed, slower than ever it had, or so it seemed. Several times within the passing hours, I had to pause to catch my breath. Eventually, at long last, I could see the top step in the far distance. My legs ached madly, and my heart was pounding -- not from fear, but exhaustion. Time seemed to stand still, and after an indeterminate period (it might have been moments or hours), I finally reached the summit of the stairwell, only to collapse, my legs refusing to work for a second longer. My feet felt blistered inside my shoes, and the sweat soaked all my clothes. Glancing down the stairs brought me to tears, for I saw then, and only then, that I had climbed thirteen steps to the second floor of the house. The door below was shut once again.

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If you are interested in reading the rest of the story, you can download the compilation at www.hypnoticdirgerecords.com on November 7th, 2010.

-V

Interview with Funeral Fornication 2010

By Bradley Smith

Bradley Smith - Is your new album, Pandemic Transgression finished yet? Can you describe the progression you have made since Solitude and Suicide? How do you feel you have developed not just the music but the philosophical and emotional foundations of Funeral Fornication in this time period?

Vultyrous - It is nearly finished, a bit more recording needs to happen, then the mixing stage. There has been quite a bit of progression since Solitude And Suicide. With that album, I was diving into unknown waters with a new sound for Funeral Fornication, and I was not sure what the public response was going to be. Fortunately, it has been quite positive. Now I feel that with Pandemic Transgression I can take this project to the next stage of its evolution. The sound you heard on Solitude And Suicide returns, only this time with additional elements. There are clean singing vocal parts, which are something I used to do on older Funeral Fornication demo material, and the songs are a bit more progressive. Also, I think Pandemic Transgression is the most ambitious and grandiose undertaking of Funeral Fornication to date. As for the philosophical and emotional foundations of Funeral Fornication, I think the message or emotional stance is never stationary. For example, I may have two or three different songs that are trying to convey, and are inspired by, two or three different emotional states. By exhausting my own emotional palette through the musical and lyrical ideas, I am hoping to spark the listeners’ emotions. In a way, I intend Funeral Fornication to act as a mirror, leaving the listeners to decide their own emotions and philosophy. I am not trying to convey a philosophy of any sort. Depressive black metal isn't about a philosophy to me. It’s about depression and all the levels of it as explored from an artistic angle. I leave the philosophy to the NSBM groups.

Brad - On Pandemic Transgression you composed the lyrics first. How does that affect your approach to writing and arranging the song? Do you find this a more constraining approach to songwriting than writing the music first? Why or why not?

Vultyrous - Ummmm...actually if you re-read the interview you read that in, you'll see that i stated that for Pandemic Transgression I wrote the music first. I find the process of writing the music first more freeing as I can be more experimental. When I wrote lyrics first, it was too easy to fall into the trap of holding back the music and limiting it to a predictable song structure. I feel that now I am able to delve deeper musically into the ideas I am putting forth, and really take the listener on a journey.

Brad - As you put it, black metal is “the most primal and emotionally violent side of human nature released through the medium of music.” When you visualize primal urges in the context of black metal, what do you mean? Do you not believe there is a philosophical/spiritual element to black metal?

Vultyrous - When I said "the most primal side of human nature", I was referring to a more reptilian way of thinking. Kill or be killed, no morals, no conscience. Raw aggression through the medium of music. Although I agree that some may hold a certain philosophy or spiritual belief behind the music, for myself, I merely use black metal as an emotional outlet. Black metal means something different to everyone who likes it.

Brad - Based on the pictures you have had taken and what I have seen of British Colombia, Canada it seems there are vast amounts of Natural beauty on display. How has living in this environment affected your development as an artist and what does nature mean to you?

Vultyrous - Nature holds a great beauty to me, that at times inspires a lot of my music. "The Weeping Tree" off Solitude And Suicide is a good example of this. I was walking through a dreary meadow on a cloudy day and came upon a creepy looking tree that was void of leaves. It was truly a depressive yet beautiful sight, and I wanted to recapture the feelings it gave me and "The Weeping Tree" was the result. This is one time out of many that I've been inspired in this way, so I guess you could say that living where I live has affected my artistic development quite a bit, but definitely in a positive way. Nature to me means escape from the things of man. I find I write some of my best material when I go away camping for the weekend, and get out of the city.

Brad - Many trains of thought can be started with the words “mankind as a disease.” How do view this in relation to your music and what is the logical conclusion to man’s existence? Or do you think that in general our fate is unknowable?

Vultyrous - Hmm...interesting question. "Mankind as a disease", of course being the theme of Pandemic Transgression. The journey that I take the listener through on the album ends with the destruction of the self, which is inevitable because even the speaker is part of humanity, ergo part of the disease. I think all black metal has a degree of misanthropy to it. It goes without saying that the idea of hatred towards humanity is a crucial element in black metal in general. I think its fair to say that a lot of the themes I've used since the inception of Funeral Fornication perpetuate the idea of hatred for humanity. As for the fate of man, I think in the end our fate lies inevitably with self-destruction.

Brad - I read in an interview that you are opposed to the elitism within black metal that occasionally rears its head. Why do you think there is this pull for some bands to be elitist and why do you dislike elitism within the scene?

Vultyrous - I honestly have no idea why so many bands choose this elitist attitude. There is no reason for it, and taking that stance achieves NOTHING. I understand the idea that black metal began as a revolution against the music industry, and that over the years it became commercialized and watered down to some degree, and I suppose the elitist bands are trying to preserve the original idea of black metal, but quite frankly, I don't hate the music industry so much that I'm going to waste my time playing in a band that I intentionally don't want to have people be aware of. I guess that makes me not "underground"? I will continue to play the form of black metal I enjoy, and if I am considered to be false black metal or whatever by the elitists, I couldn't really give a shit. The only thing I have against the elitists is that their plight is getting old, repetitive, and boring. No one cares anymore what black metal started out as. If people took that attitude towards metal in general, we'd all sound like Black Sabbath.

Brad - What was the oddest thing that ever inspired a musical or lyrical composition for you? What is your primary inspiration for your art? And what atmospheres and emotions have the strongest pull on you when you are focusing on your artistic creation?

Vultyrous - My inspiration often comes from within. Sometimes I will remember a dream I had and write a song about it, or I will just start writing, and see where my mind takes me. Outside of that, nature inspires me quite frequently. Those are the primary sources of my inspiration. I've also been inspired by movies, other bands, classical music, even memories from my past. I don't suppose any of that is really odd though. When writing depressive black metal, the atmospheres and emotions I generally cling to when writing are quite rightly the more negative ones: Anger, melancholy, rage, shame, sorrow, pain, suffering, utter defeat, and of course, depression.

Brad - With the death of Ronnie James Dio you mentioned that you Shared the grief of his family at his passing. How does one share grief? I mean how does an event unite us disparate humans and what in particular is so unifying about grief? Are there any other of metal’s stars that you have mourned?

Vultyrous - We as a species for some strange reason tend to unify in the face of grief rather than in the face of joy...which is something I find very interesting, because I think it grows out of a subconscious worship of death. Dio has always been a huge influence to me, and I was very sad to hear of his passing. I tend not to mourn the deaths of fallen metal brothers, although I am sad they are gone, and have sympathy for their loved ones. Rather I find it a tragedy that their music is dead. I felt the same way when Chuck Schuldiner and Quorthon died. And as for sharing the grief of Dio's family, I wasn't only speaking for myself. The man had fans worldwide that worshiped him. He will be mourned by all of them.

Brad - I noticed that one of your influences for Funeral Fornication is existentialism and wondered how you thought a philosophy that centered on man’s existence as an individual played into another influence of yours, the mentality of suicide and suicide itself. What about these two intertwined themes appeals to your creative output?

Vultyrous - I am often amused by human mentality. Existentialism to me is designed to build up an individual’s self-confidence, as it declares that it is up to the individual to give their own life meaning, thereby removing the idea of God from the equation. This indirectly gives the individual a sense of being their own god. Existentialism promotes the vanquishing of emotions such as despair and anger, and living your life as passionately as you can. Now, on the opposite side of the spectrum you have the concept of suicide. Suicide is a unique topic because it is an inherently unique decision: To voluntarily end one’s own life. The irony of existentialism is that there are some who cannot handle the idea of an absurd universe void of God, and when given the idea that they are responsible for their own life's meaning, find it too enormous a concept to accept...and then entertain thoughts of suicide, unable to accept the enormity of their lives. Perhaps I am stretching that a little far, but in the end I find the idea of one gaining power of mind from being their own god, and the idea of an individual feeding the negative emotions that lead to a suicidal mentality, opposite though neither one void of lyrical inspiration. These two concepts have been two things I've studied in my leisure and written songs about, but it would be more apt to say that human mentality in general has been a bigger factor in my creative output.

Brad - While we are on the topic, could you ever see yourself committing suicide? Do you find it in general a “romantic” concept? I mean is the act an idealized statement for you that transcends the mere killing of oneself? Or is it just a flat act where everything about it lays upon the surface?

Vultyrous - Could I ever see myself committing suicide? Not at the moment. I don't find suicide a romantic concept, but rather I am attempting to portray it, and death, as a romantic concept. What interests me is what causes one to decide to kill one's self. What goes through an individual's mind when they were preparing their own death. The act of suicide is simply what it is. It’s the events leading up to it that interest me.

Brad - You are active in several other projects, can you tell me which ones and what activities these projects are involved in currently? What are your upcoming plans for Funeral Fornication besides the new album?

Vultyous - I am in ARTEP, and we are currently preparing material for our second full-length album. Our first has just been released. ARCHSPIRE has just completed recording our EP, "All Shall Align", and we'll be going on tour in July. Other than that, I plan to promote the new Funeral Fornication album, and as always continue writing new material. There will also be A Funeral Fornication split release with Uruk-Hai from Austria forthcoming.

Brad - I will leave any final words of atavistic regression to you.

Vultyrous - Thanks for the interview, and keep listening!

www.nocturnalcult.com

FUNERAL FORNICATION INTERVIEW W/ WINTER TORMENTS ZINE

WT - Greetings vultyrous! how is your weekend going? Please tell the readers a little about yourself.
V - Greetings! My weekend is going pretty good, albeit rather busy. I am Vultyrous, founder of depressive black metal project Funeral Fornication. I reside in Vancouver, BC Canada where I am constantly working on music.

WT - When did you first get the idea to create Funeral Fornication? How did you come up with name of the band? For the readers who have not had the chance to hear Funeral Fornication, how would you describe the music?
V - I created Funeral Fornication in 2002/2003 just after I had graduated from college. Prior, I had just released a CD for a different solo project which received good praise, but for myself, it wasn't dark enough. I was getting more and more into bands like Bathory, Darkthrone, Immortal and Emperor. I knew I wanted to create something similar, so I put the other project to bed and started Funeral Fornication. The name just came to me one day when I was at work. I thought it would make a great band name, so I went with it.. When I started out, Funeral Fornication was raw black metal with some pagan and thrash elements along the lines of Bathory, who at the time I worshipped. The natural evolution of this project has brought me to a more depressive sound, and thats how I'd describe this project, now that its matured: depressive black metal.

WT - You are the sole member of Funeral Fornication, When you started up the project did you want to work alone or have you thought of looking for more members to join? What would you say are the advantages and disadvantages to being a one-man band?
V - Originally I wanted Funeral Fornication to be a full band, but I found a lot of the musicians in my community either didn't want to play this kind of stuff, or were just flakey musicians. In the end I decided to make it a solo project. The advantages of being a one-man-band are that I can compose whatever I like and don't have to meet with approval of four or five other guys. It gives me the chance to make it a very personal, very emotional project, and it allows me to work at my own pace. As for disadvantages, I'd have to say the main one is the drum machine. I am a horrible drummer, and the drum machine has been good to me, but it still sounds like a drum machine. The other big disadvantage is that I can't play live. This has always been a recording project.

WT - If you had the opportunity to work with any musicians past or present who would you like to work/write with?
V - Well I am just finishing work on a split with Uruk-Hai from Austria. I have been a huge fan of Uruk-Hai for a long time, so for me, getting the opportunity to do a split with him is a dream come true. I am also starting up a new project called CANTICLE with Adrian Miles, a good friend of mine, and singer for British doomsters SOLSTICE. There are lots of musicians out there I'd love to collaborate with on something, but I don't think the result would fall under the black metal genre. I have a wide range of musical tastes, and a lot of my favourite musicians are from other styles of metal.

WT - You have told me you are currently working on Funeral Fornication's 4th release "Pandemic Transgression". How are things going with the writing/recording process? Do you have a "release" date set? How many songs will be included on the new CD?
V - The process is going rather smoothly. All the songs are written, I'm just half way through the recording process. There will be 8 songs, plus an intro, interlude and outro. There is no release date yet, but it will be released this year.

WT - Will it be released through the mighty Hypnotic Dirge Records? How did you first come into contact with the label?
V - Both the split with Uruk-Hai and Pandemic Transgression will be released on Hypnotic Dirge Records. Nick from HDR I had known briefly before signing, as he was a big fan of my music. We had discussed doing a split between Funeral Fornication and a solo project of his back then called Satanic Scums. The split never happened, but in the end I was pleased to discover that Nick was running HDR, and everything just seemed to fall into place. I signed, and haven't looked back.

WT - As mentioned earlier in the interview you play all the instruments yourself. Which do you feel was the easiest for you to learn to play? Which one was the most difficult?
V - Well guitar and bass have always come quite naturally to me. I had my first gig when I was in grade 8, shortly followed by a demo EP of the band I was in at the time. In high school I released my first demo of solo work, whilst at the same time playing in a rock band with three of the teachers at the school. Upon graduation, I left for college with the Jazz Musician of the Year Award and a district scholarship for Jazz. In college I learnt to play piano, and this one for me was moderately difficult. I still struggle with it from time to time. Somewhere along the way I managed to teach myself to play the theremin, which I don't use as often in my music as I'd like to. It's definitely the most difficult thing to play correctly.

WT - Which usually comes first for you the lyrics or music? What are some topics/subjects you write about?
V - I've done it both ways, but I find more often than not I write lyrics first, then the music...interestingly enough on the new album, I tried doing the complete opposite. All the songs on Pandemic Transgression had the music written first. My lyrical content is not bound to any one idea. Sometimes I'm venting emotions, sometimes I'm telling a story, sometimes I am merely trying to induce an emotional response in the listener.

WT - Speaking of writing music what brand of instruments do you use the most to create Funeral Fornication's darkend metal sounds?
V - For guitar I am currently using the Ibanez Jem Universe. The Steve Vai model 7-string...though I hope to get the Ibanez 8-string guitar very soon. For bass, I have my trusty MTD Kingston Z 6-string fretless! I love that bass! A lot of my keyboard sounds are generated from plug-ins in the recording software, but I do own a Korg Triton ProX. My drum machine is made by ZOOM, and I record everything using Logic Pro.

WT - You come out of the mighty canadian metal scene. What is your opinion of Canada's metal scene? Who are some of your all-time favorite canadian bands? Are there any new bands you feel the readers should watch out for?
V - There are a lot of good bands in the Canadian metal scene, but not as many as you'd think. A lot of the canadian bands I like are older, like Razor and Black Knight, though there are some great bands emerging like Black Lotus, Excommunicant, Mitochondrion, and Mother Died Today. Augury and Monarque are two other favourites of mine.

WT - Everyone has their own idea on what "black metal" means/stands for, so I was curious of your opinion on the subject what does the term "black metal"mean to you?
V - To me, Black metal is the most primal and emotionally violent side of human nature released through the medium of music. I don't pay much attention to these elitists who claim "unless your Venom or Bathory, your not TRUE." Elitism in black metal is stupid. These are the same people who have bands that record an album as raw as possible...but not for any artistic value...and release only 25 copies on 8-track tape. Like it or hate it, black metal is a style of music. Treat it like one. Don't try and keep it secret as if you're embarrassed by it. People who like it will always gravitate towards it. Those who don't, won't.

WT - Besides Funeral Fornication, are you currently working on any other projects or side bands? If yes please tell the readers a little about them.
V - I currently sing and play guitar for symphonic black metal band ARTEP, and bass and backing vocals for technical death metal band ARCHSPIRE. Artep is currently writing material for our next album, and Archspire is in the studio right now recording our 5 song demo. Archspire will also be going on tour late July/early August around British Columbia and Alberta. Anyone interested can check these bands out here: (www.artep.com) & (www.myspace.com/archspire). ;

WT - When not writing/practicing music or other band related busines, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
V - Spare time? What's that? (laughs). I suppose when I get the chance I like to hang out with my friends. When the mood strikes me, I can be a very social person. I like to go to concerts and do things like that. I like doing outdoorsy things like camping, though I don't get much opportunity to do so lately. When I'm at home, I tend to read a lot, though music pretty much dominates my life, and thats the way I like it.

WT - Well my friend it looks like we have reached the end of the interview. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to fill this out. Do you have any final comments for the readers?
V - Thanks for the interview, it was my pleasure! Also, there are still copies of my last album, Solitude And Suicide, available from Hypnotic Dirge Records - www.hypnoticdirgerecords.com, Buy or die!

BIG NEWS! A split album with URUK-HAI [Aut]

2010 is going to be a great year for Funeral Fornication. Not only will the 4th full-length album PANDEMIC TRANSGRESSION be released, but there will be a split with Austria's Tolkien influenced battle-ambient legend URUK-HAI !!

The split will be released before the full-length.
Here are the Funeral Fornication tracks from the split...

The Weeping Tree
Stargates Eternal Beheld My Nightmares
Chamber Below The Abyss
The Keep (Solstice cover) / Obsidian Tarn

Apart from "The Weeping Tree", which appeared as track 2 on "Solitude And Suicide", all the other tracks are exclusive to the split. They will not reappear on "Pandemic Transgression".

I have been a big fan of Uruk-Hai for years now, and it is truly an honour that I get this opportunity to share a release with a band that has influenced me so greatly!

-V

Funeral Fornication - "Mankind...as a disease"



Truly melancholic and somber. Funeral Fornication creates atypical depressive black metal, with undertows of an elegiac lament for the forlorn past, and present. Listening to this auditory plight, I conversed with Vultyrous, real name Jaron Good, the mind behind Funeral Fornication.

What are the origins of Funeral Fornication; when and why did it begin?

Vultyrous; I started writing for this project in late 2002 and self-released the first demo The Worm Of Control in 2003. Initially, Funeral Fornication was created because I had a growing passion for black metal, but I wanted to create something that held an element of ambient beauty as well.

How has the project evolved thus far, and is it still progressing in to a different sphere?

Vultyrous; When I started this project it was based around a raw black metal sound with some thrash elements, and even some power metal elements. It was rather a shaky start as it is very difficult to meld these styles together with any degree of coherency. When I listen to my old material I can hear how I, as a songwriter have matured. I think the new Funeral Fornication sound is more defined, and definitely more along the lines of what I was searching for in the beginning. As for the future, I am confident I'll keep it as it is now.

Funeral Fornication’s music has been described as depressive black metal, however it possesses enchanting motifs that truly hold the listener, are unique in their forms and hold greatly with the raw aggression presented. What is the personal context of your music, what are you liberating?

Vultyrous; This project has become a very personal one for me. It didn't start out that way, as in the beginning I just wanted to make the music. But I think when I really started throwing my innermost feelings into it, is when a lot of people started to listen. A lot of the time I am getting out a lot of emotions, or at least, trying to convey those emotions through the medium of music. I, like a lot of people, carry my share of emotional baggage. Funeral Fornication is simply my outlet.

While creating or performing your music, do you find yourself in an almost meditative state, and do you feel that you need to force a certain emotional stance whilst writing or does this come naturally?

Vultyrous; It comes very naturally. I've been performing and composing for years with a bunch of different bands, and after so long, my mind is trained to just go into music mode.

Does your music hold any religious or political views, if so what are these?

Vultyrous; None whatsoever. My music is purely about my personal issues. When I was younger I went through the whole Satanic phase, but honestly, there are just way to many bands using the idea of Satan as their excuse for shock value. It's been done to death. That being said, I have on occasion lyrically referred to ideas like God or Hell, purely out of emotion and not out of a desire to promote Satan. As for political views, I personally feel that politics have no place in my music.

Keeping on the same subject, your compositions hold a strong folk/Pagan feeling, would this stem from personal preference towards the musical style, the belief system, or both?

Vultyrous; I have always liked Pagan/folk music. It has influenced a great deal of my songwriting, although I have no beliefs in that regard. Concepts like Odin and Valhalla make for excellent stories, and I have referenced them lyrically back when I took Funeral Fornication to a more Pagan theme, but that’s as far as it ever goes with me.

Your music further holds an ambiance, and brilliant musicianship which at times is brilliantly juxtaposed with distant, raw vocals. As the lyrical content is hard to understand, what other subjects do you cover in your writing?

Vultyrous; Apart from conveying personal emotions, I have written songs talking about the downfall of man. But in the end, it all stems from my own feelings towards the world.

Can you elaborate on these?

Vultyrous; I am a very skeptical, very cynical person and I consider myself to be aware of how backwards society is. Call me paranoid, but I think most people have just been brainwashed into thinking everything is fine. Look around, something is fucked up.

In the beginning of 2009 you stated that the record 'Solitude and Suicide' “will be an important landmark in the history of Funeral Fornication. It will be the beginning of a new black era.” Can you elaborate on this description, and from a year on, do you feel that it achieved what your intentions held?

Vultyrous; Solitude And Suicide was a ground-breaking release for me because several new elements were involved. Firstly, the change of musical direction towards depressive black metal. Secondly, I had access to much better recording gear than I did when I made everything prior, so there were more options to explore musically. Thirdly, I had it mixed and mastered at Artep Audio, whereas before I was doing it all myself with minimal knowledge.

I think the end result surprised a lot of people who had been familiar with my older material. For myself, I think I achieved what I set out to do on that album.

How will 'Pandemic Transgression' be different from your 2009 release, as well as prior records?

Vultyrous; Pandemic Transgression is still going to be depressive black metal, but this time the songwriting is a lot more progressive. The album as a whole I think will be a lot more epic than Solitude And Suicide.

What is the concept behind this album?

Vultyrous; Mankind as a disease.

You are evidently misanthropic toward society, and I am tempted to ask if this is coming from any political or moral stance, despite you stating that politics do not enter your music? In addition, have you found the writings of any philosophers to further your opinions and ideals?

Vultyrous; I have a certain disdain for society, its true. It does not come from a political point of view, but rather just from the fact that I can form my own opinions and thoughts and don't believe everything I'm told. 

I have read a lot of philosophy, and I find a common view in thinkers like Friedrich Nietzsche and Jean-Paul Satre.

When can we expect the release of 'Pandemic Transgression', and can you give out any further details about this record?

Vultyrous; This album is still in the preliminary recording stage. I imagine it will be released mid to late 2010. It will be released on Hypnotic Dirge Records once again, and I hope, will top Solitude And Suicide.

Returning to 'Solitude and Suicide', I wanted to speak about the track “The Weeping Tree”. You’ve stated that this is an example of the new direction that you have taken with your music; however I am more interested in the agony and melancholia that the music produces. How did “The Weeping Tree” grow, what spawned it?

Vultyrous; The whole song is a metaphor. In essence, I am comparing a once strong individual made weak from the pain caused by the world around him to that of a great tree that is dying. It is a song about utter defeat, and giving in to death from lack of will to fight. I wrote this song when I was feeling much the same way. If the agony and melancholia comes through in the music, then I am doing something right.

The auditory aesthetic of your music is very Nordic, what are your musical influences?

Vultyrous; My influences have often changed, and that change is noticeable in the different eras of Funeral Fornication. Early on, I listened to a lot of Bathory, Immortal, Emperor, and Absu. Lately, I spend more time listening to Leviathan, Xasthur, and Weakling, among others.

I listen to too many bands to mention; needless to say they have all influenced me at one time or another.

I get a great deal of influence from classical music too. Composers like John Williams, Olivier Messiaen, Krzysztof Penderecki, and Edgard Varese are great inspirations to me.

Apart from music, what literature, film, historic events et cetera influence you?

Vultyrous; Other influences and inspirations come really randomly to me. I've been inspired sometimes by the oddest things, basically it’s anything that provokes a dark emotional response in me. Sometimes it’s a movie or a book, sometimes it’s a random situation I'm in. Writers that have often inspired me are Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, J.R.R. Tolkien, Edgar Allen Poe, and Charles Baudelaire.

Have you featured any guest musicians in your music?

Vultyrous; Only once, on Murder Cult Eidolon, I had a buddy of mine do the guest guitar solo on “Where Ravens Dare”. Other than that, it’s been me every time.

Apart from the Symphonic Black Metal outfit Artep; have you participated in other musical endeavors?

Vultyrous; I also play 6-string fretless bass for a technical death metal band called Archspire. I have played in numerous bands over the years, but Funeral Fornication, Artep, and Archspire are currently what I am working with.

I also have a dark ambient solo project called Ringbearer that I work on from time to time, and I will soon be working on a traditional doom metal project called Canticle with Adrian Miles of Solstice [UK].

There was mention of a three-way split with Artep and Aron Crimeni, how is this progressing, or is the project lying dormant for the moment?

Vultyrous; This project is moving forward, albeit at a snails pace. Everyone involved with this project is a super busy individual so finding time for it is tough, but this split will get released. It’s just a matter of when.

Will Funeral Fornication ever perform live?

Vultyrous; Probably not. I am too busy with Artep and Archspire to put together a live line-up for this project. Never say never, but I can't see it happening any time soon.

What have you found the response to be to your music, both internationally and from your home land in Canada?

Vultyrous; The response overall has been small, but positive. I think I'm better known internationally than I am locally. I get fans messaging me from all over, but not much of a local response, though I attribute this to the fact that Funeral Fornication doesn't do shows.

After Funeral Moonlight Productions, you were signed to Canada’s Hypnotic Dirge Records, how has the experience and relationship been with Nick Skog, and the label in general thus far?

Vultyrous; Nick [owner HDR] has been great to work with. Here you have a guy who truly loves what he does and goes out of is way to help the bands he represents. Hypnotic Dirge is a small label, but it is growing, and I'm very thankful that Nick liked my music enough to let me be a part of that.

What are the plans for the future of Funeral Fornication?

Vultyrous; Pandemic Transgression will be released this year, after that, we will see. I'm just getting warmed up. 

Last words?

Vultyrous; Keep listening! More good stuff to come!

Funeral Fornication's latest album 'Solitude And Suicide' is available through Hypnotic Dirge Records. To listen to Funeral Fornication and for further information on the project, visit the official MySpace page at: www.myspace.com/funeralsex.

YOU CAN VIEW THE INTERVIEW AT ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION HERE: http://www.voltagemedia.com.au/news/2010/03/25/funeral-fornication-mankind-a-disease

Hails my friends.

With the pending release of "Solitude And Suicide" only days away from laying its scourge upon the world, things in the Funeral Fornication camp have been gathering some serious momentum.

With regards to "Paganheart", I have decided to re-record the vocal parts and have the overall album remixed and re-mastered by Petra (ARTEP) Sobotka, who graced "Solitude And Suicide" with her sound engineering wizardry.  For this reason, it will take a little longer for Paganheart to see the light of day, but when it does, I will be self-releasing only about 100 - 200 copies on pro-CDR.  This album will not be actively promoted as all the Paganheart material is almost a year old now, and I believe in keeping this project moving forward.  The very limited Paganheart release will be reserved for true fans of my music, and when they are sold out, I WILL NOT BE RE-PRINTING THEM.

Also, A 3-Way split is in the works between Funeral Fornication, Artep (with which I am also a member), and an as yet unnamed solo project from Aron Crimeni (Ex- BLASPHEMY)!!!

I am also planning the next full-length album, which will be released after "Solitude And Suicide" has had sufficient time to poison the airwaves.  I have not yet spoken to Hypnotic Dirge about releasing this yet, as it is a ways down the road, so we shall see what happens. 

Thats all for now.

-V 

[Originally posted on Funeral Fornication's Myspace Page April 18th, 2009]

Things have been moving along quite quickly for Funeral Fornication, which suits me just fine as this project has only recently come out of a lull.  My 3rd album "Solitude And Suicide" is scheduled for an early June release thru Hypnotic Dirge Records.  This label has been great to me.  Skog, the owner and runner, has shown the utmost professionalism and genuine interest in my music.  If anyone reading this hasn't been to the Hypnotic Dirge myspace or website, I urge you to check it out and have a listen to some of the fine releases this great label is putting out...

www.myspace.com/hypnoticdirgerecords

www.hypnoticdirgerecords.com

Now the bad news.  Due to some financial trouble on my end, the release of Paganheart might have to wait a little longer.  Nothing is for sure yet though, we shall see.  

New tracks from Solitude And Suicide will be posted soon!!

Thats all for now,

V