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Lamashtu, smeared in blood
From the corners we drink your blood
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BLACK FUNERAL. Across twenty-seven years and eighteen-plus releases there has perhaps been no name more synonymous with USBM. One of the originators of the style, each release has been an event in itself; inspiring admiration and reverence from initiates and derision from detractors in seemingly almost equal measure. Now, we here at Black Metal Daily are incredibly proud to collaborate with the mighty Iron Bonehead Productions to present an exclusive stream of the highly anticipated tenth full-length Black Funeral opus Scourge of Lamashtu, for you today.
Highly anticipated indeed; ever since Akhtya Nachttoter welcomed Australian Azgorh Drakenhof (of Drowning The Light) into the fold for 2016’s exquisite Ankou and the Death Fire the project has undergone a sort of renaissance, going from strength to strength with 2018’s The Dust and the Darkness EP and leaving followers of the path salivating at the thought of what might come next. Well, good news – Scourge of Lamashtu continues this bountiful partnership with blazing, sulfuric intensity. Right from the opening ‘Kassaptu Lemuttu’ the album radiates a powerful and ancient sorcery, Azgorh‘s riffs winding around Akhtya‘s impactful orations and blood-chilling otherworldly ambient-scapes, ensnaring in a cacophonous yet sophisticated symphony of spectral anguish and feverish moonlit mysticism… driven also by an underlying savage and lupine hunger, raw and ravenous, that never relents for the duration.
I don’t want to delve too deeply into the album during this introduction – for we have been blessed to have contact with none other than Akhtya Nachttoter / Michael Ford himself, who lifts the veil for us all in an in-depth discussion about the album, his other creative and spiritual outlets and much, much more. So listen, read… and let your flesh be seized by the Scourge of Lamashtu!
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Greetings, Akhtya Nachttoter. It’s a pleasure to be speaking with you today for the stream of the tenth Black Funeral album, Scourge Of Lamashtu. Before we begin it would be remiss of me to mention that you have also recently completed an delightfully in-depth interview over at Swallowed In Black (readers can peruse that HERE) – so to keep things interesting for all I’ll attempt to ask about topics not already touched upon in that piece.
Now, the album is named for Lamashtu, the female demon who is also depicted on the glorious album art. For those unaware, could you tell us a little about Lamashtu and why you have entitled the album after her?
A.N. – Lamashtu is an ancient Assyrian and Babylonian demon-goddess who is the origin for much of the myth of Lilith. In the cosmology of the Babylonians, Anu is the ancient Sky god (heavens) who by joining with Ki (Earth) beget the Seven Udug-hul/Uttuku (Evil Demons known also as the Sebitti) who were not bound by any cosmos-structures, no offices or authority. That is what defines in the ancient world as what is a ‘deity’ or ‘demon’: gods/goddesses had a role to play in the order of the cosmos and were attached to natural and unnatural phenomena: weather, fertility of land, human concerns, plague and concepts as Justice, a psychopomp for the dead, healing, war, magick and wisdom. Lamashtu, born of Anu was defined first as a goddess by her “birth”. She was born of the highest deity, also sister of Ishtar yet was called ‘istitat’ (singular, individual, alone) among the gods. She was described in incantation texts uniquely (demons are rarely termed as gods) as ‘ilat’, ‘she is a goddess’. Because of her bad or evil disposition, translated from ‘temu la damqu’ and her insubordinate proposal, ‘malku parru’ ulsah’u) Anu, her father, expels her from heaven. The request she proposed which got her cast from heaven was her request to have human flesh (i.e. babies) and blood for dinner! Lamashtu was thus a rebel from the cosmos and natural order, she was a goddess, a daughter of heaven, who chose to exist and go forth as a demon. Demons, unlike Deities, had no status in the offices of authority in the cosmos – they were often messengers, doing the nasty punishing things the gods required done. Demons also acted and did as they wished indiscriminately, and the gods could be called upon to limit or resist what they were doing. The rebel, anti-cosmic forces could not fully stop them (or did not wish to).
In another myth known as Atra-hasis, the god Enlil is so annoyed with humanity, he creates the flood (Noah). The human cosmos was re-organized and to keep human population in check, certain types of women were not allowed to bear children. A name of Lamashtu, Pasittu (The Exterminator), is called up to “snatch the baby from the lap of her who bore it”. Here, Pasittu/Lamashtu is a part of the divine order of the cosmos, she feeds on innocent beings because they are considered too many.
The Sumerian name of Lamashtu, Dimme, has Seven different names and she found along with the Utukku as “the brood of heaven and earth”, having no fixed place in the universe. Along with Lamashtu was the class of storm and night-demons known as Lilitu, Lilu and Ardat-Lili. Ardat-Lili is also identified in some ancient texts as Lamashtu. The Lilitu spirits was both female and male succubi/incubi, who drained their victims.
The Vampyric aspect of Lamashtu is manifest as one who is a predator – draining life force and is the immortal essence of our dark subconscious. The album is dedicated to Lamashtu and the Mesopotamian pandemonium – the great balancing anti-cosmic demonic powers which act unrestricted (for the most part) in the natural world.
I have spent many years researching and developing an initiatory practice concerning the Demonic in many forms and traditions; more on Lamashtu is found in “SEBITTI – Mesopotamian Magick & Demonology” and other published works of mine as Michael W Ford.
Lamashtu’s voice is sweet in its’ cacophonous whispers and howlings in the abode of night. I seek to open for her more gateways into our world. This is part of the isolationist magickial workings of Vampyrism in the Black Order of the Dragon; thus, the Winged Skeletal Vampyres’ holding the pentagram: the Varcolaci Sigil (as a Black Mirror into the acasual/anti-cosmic abyss). Ciphers are found within our albums by aesthetic and sound.
Whilst I have not yet had the opportunity to read the complete lyrics, across its seven compositions the album also deals with other entities – the final of which is Pazuzu, in ‘Pazuzu King of the Lilu-Demons’. Forgive my tenuous understanding of such matters, but from what little I know of Mesopotamian practices I believe Pazuzu may have often been called upon to protect against Lamashtu. I’m not sure if every track on the album is expressly connected (the available lyrics to ‘The Vampyric Rabisu At The Threshold’, which also speak of Lamashtu, certainly suggest it might be) but if so, I’m intrigued as to the implications of that. Do these incantations tie together in any kind of narrative flow?
– The entirety of the album is formulated in the context of the word for the ancient Sumerian circle – the translation being ‘ensorcel’ or ‘to encircle’. This album structures the complete series of specific invocations using my black ambient ritual soundscapes to introduce the black metal tracks in short fashion. Thus, sounds of winds, desert, owls, and associated with elements are veiled in each track. Pazuzu is a beautiful image of the ancient world: Pazuzu is the King of “Lil-Demons”, that is he is one of those of Lilith. He is both beneficial and destructive to humanity and world. Pazuzu’s power over the malefic spirits of the winds could be restrained or directed elsewhere by those utilizing sorcery and magick. The album sinks deep into the incantations of ancient Babylonia and a modern structure of sorcery and demonology.
Scourge Of Lamashtu notably continues your bountiful collaboration with Azgorh Drakenhof, which, if I may say, has resulted in some of the best Black Funeral recordings to date – the creative flame you share seems to burn brighter with every release. However, due to the nature of Black Funeral and the remarkably synergistic relationship between music and lyrics for each release, I’m curious as to an aspect of your creative process. You have stated in the above linked interview that you give him total musical freedom as you have a mutual understanding of the black magical workings you envision for the project, whilst you create all concepts, soundscapes, lyrics and vocals. In regards to this mutual understanding, do you both have any concepts for the thematic flow of the album in place before he composes his part, or are you inspired to create the finer detailed theme/lyrics for each album after hearing Azgorh‘s work?
– Yes, Azgorh Drakenhof has introduced a new type of energy for Black Funeral that I had previously looked for but until his addition, could not find. Waters of Weeping was a collaboration with the spirit behind Vrolok but ended shortly after the recording back in 2006-2007 or so. After Choronzon Blood Rite, I was not interested in continuing Black Funeral really. It was only when Azgorh suggested we work together on a new Black Funeral that I decided to visualize a new ideal of Black Funeral, rising from the grave so to speak. I did something different – I practice some very dark magickial initiatory works with each book I am writing, not all of it is totally demonic. I utilize a harmonious structure of Balance with working with ancient pantheons – they are beyond good and evil. I must create a musical manifestation of each current I am practicing sorcery within to fully embody it. Each work is a dedicated modern honouring of the ancient spirits found in old traditions I am preparing to present new gates for their coming forth. Not only on this earth in nature, yet also within myself and others. Azgorh was invited to be a full member of Black Funeral after Ankou… was recorded. Our alliance is a brotherhood and as an artist, we have a synergistic dark energy which is directed in the creation of our albums. Typically, when we are ready to start work on a Black Funeral I present him with the overall concept of the album in which I am visualizing, lyrical invocations are formulated and he is able to compose accordingly. I then will begin basic black ambient pieces to provide an emerging support of the atmosphere of the incantations of each song. Once he finishes and records the black metal tracks, I adapt the lyrics to each track and record vocals are inspiration dictates. The black ambient pieces are finished and mixed with the songs. This is the creative process, allowing the mutual freedom of our individual artistry. This is very important for Black Funeral and so much more pleasing for me personally. I approached Black Funeral in 2001-2006 as mostly myself recording almost everything, which I found lacking something I wanted. Vukodlak was lacking (no fault of the session member really, it was on me) and Choronzon Blood Rite were overall not what I wanted to project with Black Funeral. Once I understood Azgorh was ideal for Black Funeral, bringing to the cult what I alone could not, he was natural for being inducted as a full member – something I never really do! Now we continue and record as time permits, on several projects and guest appearances. I appreciate this process.
Aside from Black Funeral you also created another superb album with Azgorh in Strigoii‘s The Oldest Of Blood, back in 2018. What’s happening with this project? Will we see more of Strigoii?
– Strigoii is indeed a fantastic project I was invited into, which I welcomed! We are working on a follow-up to The Oldest of Blood and have much planned for the future. We are both busy individuals with life and our works so it must proceed as we can. I do not want our projects to be a burden for either of us, it is an area of projecting our dark emotions, myths, nightmares, and predatory energies into a musical form. This is black arte which mutates, devours, and takes different forms as it persists upon this earth.
I believe there is one more person who has been involved with the creation of this album – the mysterious An Unnamed Spirit. Who is this enigmatic being, and what was their role on the record?
– An excellent drummer, it is summoned by Azgorh to record and work with on our invasive and cruel Black Funeral sorceries.
As mentioned, this is the tenth Black Funeral album since the formation of the project back in the magical days of 1993. That’s an incredible run – although as we know, you have ended the project before. Given that, is it surprising to you that you are still continuing with Black Funeral after 27 years? Can you forsee yourself ending the project again, or are you now in a comfortable position?
– I do not foresee Black Funeral ending as long as we possess the inspiration and drive to continue this form of black musical art. I have long ago dedicated to keeping Black Funeral out of the “machine” of more commercial metal (I am not against musicians and bands touring and being ‘commercial’; it is up to them and can work for them as long as the integrity of being artists is intact) as I felt I did not want Black Funeral to become a mere empty vessel of ‘tour, record, tour’: like I stated, some bands work well that way, I don’t in that sense, however. Black Funeral must continue as a force of a black magickial vortex expressing the Vampyric in a metaphysical sense.
Something I’ve noticed is that even amidst black metal “fans” Black Funeral often seems to be divisive or misunderstood, more often than the usual fare, anyway. One only has to glance at the reviews on Encyclopedia Metallum to see the wildly diverse opinions and tolerances of listeners, especially for albums like Vukolak or Ordog (both albums I’m personally quite partial to; Ordog was even the first Black Funeral album I obtained a physical copy of). Have you ever paid attention to such things? Why do you think Black Funeral, even amongst other artists who have switched styles, has inspired such strong and varied reactions?
– I think over the years I have wanted Black Funeral is explore different concepts of Satanic and Vampyric workings, with some variants on the music. Each album has been very extreme in its’ own unique way, I prefer then some extreme changes in each album. You see, what can keep Black Metal creative and avoiding stagnation is to express darkness in different ways each album. That is what I admired so much back in the 90’s from bands like Burzum, Darkthrone, Nastrond, etc. Now with Black Funeral I do not feel that way with the direction of our albums. I much prefer this enveloping and evolving style which shall crystalize the Black Funeral essence.
When Black Funeral was formed and throughout its’ existence, the amount of bad comments, hateful reviews and such really toughened me on not caring what those who hated Black Funeral wrote and said. When you read 500 hateful comments or reviews, it becomes less impactful. For all the hate, it only fuelled and strengthened Black Funeral as it is today. Since Ankou… we have so many more fans and actually good reviews. We appreciate that and it humbles me personally as a recording artist among other things.
Black Funeral enjoys the status of being one of the true USBM originators, and has been quite influential. How do you feel about holding that status?
– Honoured and so blessed by the Devil! From an early age as a child, I wanted to wholeheartedly manifest the Satanic spirit in different ways. Then I was unhappy there was no “career” as a Son of Satan but soon I found a way of different types of Satanic expression! Black Funeral in 1993 was to go beyond Sorath and I had a very darksome Vampyric vision for the cult. So hated was Black Funeral then because it was trendy to only accept Norwegian bands as “true”. Black Funeral endured and my spirit grew vaster in this miserable world. I found many ‘true black metal Satanists’ over time lost the shallow-aesthetic for the Luciferian/Satanic spirit and either evolved as individuals or revealed they were trendy bastards! There is a difference: beliefs evolve, change and other similar supplant via experience and insight over time. Some never believed the depth of their so-called loud “proclamations” of how “evil” they were. Initiation requires serious devotion to your individual path and can be terribly difficult over the years. I remained steadfast and my Daemonically inspired journey has proved beyond my expectations of expanding (as an author, artist, Luciferian Apotheca co-owner and Luciferian), I have been doing the Devil’s work for an exceptionally long time. May it continue until I enter the vortex of the Varcolaci Sigil!
I appreciate the fans, allies, and friends of Black Funeral for supporting the cult all these years!
Following on from that, I recall when you first ended Black Funeral you shared a negative view of the entire black metal scene. Has this changed at all? What is your opinion of how the scene has evolved nowadays?
– Yes it has. Over the years I stopped focusing on what I did not like and the stupid black metal standards I had then (you have to be this or that, etc) – as a practicing Luciferian I discovered on area of research and attaining knowledge, then applying it to a modern focus and philosophy. This opened me up to finding what I did like and such. The internet really opened a pandora’s box of both good and bad expressions in black metal. Honestly, I like it much more now as I can hand pick bands, I like it better than waiting for snail mail to deliver tape trades and bands I wanted to hear. So, for me this is good. I enjoy many newer cults and their albums of all types.
Whilst Black Funeral is certainly one of your most well-known, you also have many other active musical outlets. Are you working on anything else that will see the light of day shortly?
– Akhtya (also my magical name) is my dark ambient ritual project which I record a lot with, new albums coming soon! Akhtya has some albums on Bandcamp. Also, I still record with Darkness Enshroud (on Dark Adversary records and Bandcamp), Valefor (as time permits), Strigoii with Azgorh and some other projects in the works. I enjoy collaborating with other like-minded musicians much more than before.
Aside from your music, as most would know you are also a prolific author and have your own magickal supply shop, Luciferian Apotheca. Having just released a book last year, what lies in the future for these endeavours? Do you have any forthcoming works planned?
– I have published over 25 books now, which translations and publications in Italian, Spanish, German, Serbian, French and others planned! Luciferianism is expanding and is a vibrant Left-Hand Path philosophy for those who are like-minded in spirit and perception. Last year was “Apotheosis” and this year being “Demons of Solomon”. I also have 5 other books in the works, on different dark magickial traditions and topics. Luciferian Apotheca endures, Doing the Devil’s Work Since 2007 as a centre for all things Left-Hand Path.
And finally, seeing as we are sharing the full-stream of Scourge Of Lamashtu today, I will leave the last thoughts about the album to you. Do you feel you have achieved your aim with the album? What effect do you desire its release to have upon the world?
– Yes I do feel comfortable on attaining the aim of this album. The desired effect is to reach the subconscious of our listeners to call up the spirit of Lamashtu and the Udug-hul in a way not seen for ages! Hail!
Sincerest thanks for your time, Akhtya. It has been an honour. Any parting words or wisdom for us all?
– Individualism requires the self-confidence to not care what another believes or thinks. When you join your emotions and passion into the mob-mentality or the masses, you become not a wolf but a limited, mindless sheep controlled by someone else. This is what limits humanity and in many ways invites a genocidal cleansing by nature itself.
Scourge of Lamashtu releases July 3rd via Iron Bonehead Productions.
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Purchase Scourge of Lamashtu from Bandcamp HERE or the Iron Bonehead webstore HERE.
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