Here is a band that is strange, different, something you probably never heard before. BLOOD CULT from USA are a definite Must for anyone whose looking for something new. BLOOD CULT combines the essence of Death/Black Metal along with a little bit of Punk and Grind making them a unique band with a unique sound. Shahenil talks to Ryan Preston [The Reverend] of BLOOD CULT.

I'm sorry I have to do this.. But I guess every interview starts of with -> Tell us something about the band members [past and present] / a quick history of the band and WHY the name BLOOD CULT?

The band started as a project with me playing all the instruments and doing vocals around '94-'95. Hooked up with some guys and recorded some real shitty sounding demos. From, I'd say, '95-'98 Blood Cult had so many members quit, join, quit again, we really went through a lot of band members for a while. I had been busy with another band at that time, and B.C. really didn't do anything but record sporadically. We got more serious as a band with Brother Blood on drums and Minister Phibbes in between '98 and '99. This is the line-up that recorded "Kill And Kill Again" in '99-early 2000. We wanted to have our own sound, a mix of black metal and punk, porn rock, and grind. Phibbes went on to have his own band, and I still stay in contact with Blood since he left the group. We're all good friends. I hooked up with Lewy Hackett in 2000 as well (after knowing him for many years), who played the drums on "Ayohuhisdi". His son Justin (who is also vocalist of an industrial/punk group called M.R.A.) plays bass for us live. Hmmm...Why the name BLOOD CULT? I just thought it sounded cool.

BLOOD CULT seems to have different concepts for each demo. "Ayohuhisdi" is about the Indian Native spirit / BLOOD CULT was more of a porn grind kind of demo. Why this change?

Well, the change happened because I wanted to expand our sound. Lewy and I were jamming some really cool shit...to me, it sounded so much better than we ever had before. It is almost like a weird, perverted, blackened version of stoner rock. I also felt that this music is very different and I have never really heard anything like it. I feel a lot more comfortable playing this style, it is like a trip into my brain. Which may not be a good thing for some.

Illinois and the Midwest of America have a very healthy and growing brutal death/grind scene, does that affect BLOOD CULT in anyway [in terms of reaching out to people/getting to play at gigs/radio air play]. What kind of response do you guys get at shows? Any experiences at shows that you would like to share?

Where we live, it is filled with nothing but rap, country, and rap "metal". Most bands around here want to be Korn or Insane Clown Posse. I hate it. I see no scene really, the metal scene is small, at best. There are some really cool and great bands here, and playing clubs is great, but I can't help but think the scene needs more exposure than that. The scene everywhere around here sucks unless you dig shitty music. As far as shows go, I have seen a lot of cool people, and a lot of dumb people. Maybe more dumb ones than cool ones. People here get a Slipknot or Papa Roach cd and think that they are listening to the most extreme, crazy hardcore heavy death metal. Its the land of poseurs. And there is this strange love of Ozzy that I don't understand. His stuff with Sabbath was CLASSIC, and his first 2 albums were cool. But come on, listen to this shit he has put out for the past 10 years. It's crap. Most fans here think Ozzy is god, and for me that's just bullshit. It took a whole band to make the classic Sabbath songs, not just Ozzy. I mean, the man wore a dress, and he once licked up Nikki Sixx's piss. That's kind of...gay... Face it, Rhoads was the only guy that mattered during Osbourne's solo career. Ozz is a living legend and rightfully so, but so is Mick Jagger, and he sucks now, and needs to retire as well. People here are very biased, and our style of music does not go over well here. Especially when we used to play our song "Ozzfest Sucks." Not a crowdpleaser, to say the least.
 

What bands have influenced you to play the kind of music that you play and what are your favorite bands?

When BLOOD CULT started out, in the earliest days, it was Mercyful Fate, Venom, Hellhammer, and death metal bands, like Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Hypocrisy. We soon became more interested in bands like Darkthrone, Mayhem, etc..and Anal Cunt, Misfits, Haemmorhage, many more. I love a lot of music by alot of different artists, so I 'll just tell you a few of my favorite bands are Mercyful Fate, Darkthrone, GG Allin, The Mentors, Gwar, David Allan Coe. I enjoy Sigh as well.

What do you think about the metal scene today? Where do you see Blood cult 5 years from now? [I hope I see them signed to label and at least 3 albums old]

5 years from now I hope I am alive and healthy...I know that Blood Cult will always exist for as long as I am able to play music. We will always record. We will always play shows (provided we can get them!!!). We hope to get signed to a good label so we can take our musical vision to the people who want to hear it. I think we have alot to offer this insane world of metal. Right now if people want to get a copy of one of our demos, they can get in contact with us at blood_cult_666@hotmail.com

Do you watch a lot of porn/horror movies? What are your favorites? Are you guys full time musicians?

I watch a lot of horror. I like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Evil Dead, Zombie, The Beyond. Halloween is my favorite horror movie of all time. There are a lot of good horror movies. There are a lot of shitty porn movies. The weirder the better. I am a full time musician and I am also broke all the time.

As of today what's going on with blood cult as far as shows, fests, projects are concerned?

We are going to be on a Mentors tribute and will start recording again most likely by mid-2002. I am playing bass with a different band that is now starting the recording process. Blood Cult will take shows as we get them, and will be pursuing a record deal.

Who writes the material [music and lyrics] for blood cult? [if u do it alone] do other member of your band agree with your ideology/opinions or are they just dumb session musicians hehehehe?

I write all the lyrics. Lewy helps with the music. He is a phenomenal drummer and I have never heard anyone play like him. It takes you to another fucking world. He should be a fucking star, it amazes me to watch him play. I come up with all the guitar parts, and he comes up with the beats. Some people I had played with in the past are jackoffs. Dumb is too good a word for them.

How do you define BLOOD CULT's music? Do you think you are just perfecting your style or are you developing in any particular way?

I don't really know how to define it. Maybe blackened stoner metal. We really don't have any boundaries with this type of music and we like to incorporate some different styles into the music. I don't think we have perfected the style just yet.

I guess every land has its fair share of poseurs bands and people, tell us What is your 'definition' of a poseur? Do you think a guy is a poseur if he listens to cannibal corpse as well as mayhem or NOFX?

Hmmm...my definition of a poseur...anyone who gets into music solely because others like it. There are a lot of people who just go to shows to get drunk, and I think those people could be called poseurs as well. Wimps and bastards. Also, people who mosh to rap-core. Mallcore, whatever it's fucking called. People who mosh to that shit. What the fuck, I mean, people here mosh to shit like Korn and No Doubt. Give me a fucking break. These fucking kids moshing to that shit should be rounded up and thrown into a bus. Then, drive the fucking bus off the side of a god damn cliff. They should die. There's no place for 'em. Also, punk ass kids who listen to rap. Especially the ones that think they are hardcore for listening to rap. How in the fucking hell is rap hardcore??? Its dance music. Kill them all. I would not call a person who is into many different styles a poseur. It is a good thing to like different styles of music, especially rock music. Hell, I listen to all sorts of shit. I must say I absolutely hate rap, pop, hiphop, and r&b. That shit just fucking sucks.

You're a big fan of WWF. Tell us your favorites.

Well, I kind of have to be a fan of the WWF because it is the only wrestling on nationwide television here anymore. I used to like the ECW and WCW/NWA when they existed as separate companies (they have since been bought out by the WWF.) I have a lot of favorite wrestlers. As far as wrestlers from the current WWF roster, I like Rob Van Dam, Kane, Triple H, and Molly. I love that they brought back Mr. Perfect, Honky Tonk Man is one of my favorite WWF wrestlers of all time. As far as my favorite wrestlers from any organization, I like Leatherface, Terry Funk, Mick Foley (as Cactus Jack), Megume Kudo, Bad Nurse, and Jason the Terrible.

How important do you think is the role of internet for the metal scene? Do you think it kills the underground and the essence of true metal music ?

The internet is very important. There are a lot of underground bands that have their music on the internet, lots of good unsigned bands. I don't think it kills anything, it helps a lot, actually.

Have you heard any Asian band? Does it surprise you to know that there are metal bands in places like Pakistan, Bangladesh etc etc.

It doesn't surprise me that there are bands in those places. I'm glad there are metal bands there. The more metal, the better. I would absolutely love to hear any of the bands from that area, as I have not heard that much at all.

Why would anyone listen to BLOOD CULT?

Maybe if they are sick of hearing bands copy each other. If they want to hear something a little different and strange. Something they have never heard before.

Message to your fans?

Yes. Thank you all. Try to keep yourselves out of prison.

c/o Ryan
2021 W. Sunset Decatur, IL 62552, USA.
E-Mail: blood_cult_666@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.indietrax.com/metal/bloodcult/bc1.htm