HEAVY METAL ARTWORK INTERVIEW
By: Alex Milazzo
*Original interview published online @ Heavy Metal Artwork (Dec 2012)
SUPREME LEADER VENIEN SPEAKS TO HEAVY METAL ARTWORK
2012 will see the long awaited release of the Satanic Blood full-length album and the beginning of Von Records. Supreme leader VENIEN speaks to Heavy Metal Artwork.
HMA:
Thanks for joining Heavy Metal Artwork. First off, tell us about your latest release?
VENIEN:
This is the first full-length album from my band VON called Satanic Blood. This album is based off all my early works and material from the early years of VON since 1987. Most of the songs were only captured within demo form through the early years but never fully realized for an album, so now it is complete and is finally a reality 20+ years later.
HMA:
Even though you have been creating blasphemies for a number of years, I believe “Satanic Blood” is your first full-length release. What motivated the band to have it released now?
VENIEN:
Again, these songs never made it to the album stage and since the band never was fully realized and disintegrated before it had a chance to grow legs, those that heard our material only heard it in demo form. This is a case of finishing what you started and that is exactly what I did.
HMA:
You have consistently maintained a monochromatic and visceral feel in the majority of your releases; how is this important for the band?
VENIEN:
The tone and landscape of the songs for VON is just that, a place where it can explore your emotions in rage, anger, relaxation, whatever it does for you, but it does just that, it sets you up for a ride. This is not for everyone and when people compare it to this or that, it just isn’t supposed to be compared, just play the fucking song, if you enjoy it good if you don’t then move on and play another band's album.
HMA:
…and what kind experiences or nightmares do you want to inflict to your listeners?
VENIEN:
These experiments are from the voices inside that tell me to create these songs and albums. Satanic and the material within it was from a long time ago, even though I collaborated with another on the songs, it still resonates within me that place in time where I was at and still am in some respects. Rage inflicts us and darkness engulfs your heart at times, we are a brutal species and these songs do reflect those traits in a specific way.
HMA:
I believe “Satanic Blood” is self-released; what kind of challenges and rewards have you experienced so far?
VENIEN:
There are always challenges and this does not stray away from that on any level. It was a long road to get to this point and it has had its ups and downs. I finished a long time ago, just never got it out until now.
HMA:
Is Von Records a full time occupation?
VENIEN:
Yes, this is my passion and my inter-most thoughts put on tape, and then released to you. It does occupy my time and consumes me more than I like it too.
HMA:
Who is the master behind the artwork?
VENIEN:
I have been illustrating since I was a child and when I met the original members I had drawn some things that were to represent VON but never were released outside of my logo. Goat and I had made some drawings for the demos and I drew up a simple logo for the band, but again we never got a chance to bring it all together for an album. Since then, my early illustrations were lost and never used for VON but Goat had a few drawings he did that made it onto the demos cassettes and flyers. Fast forward many years later I started drawing the images that I am using for the albums off and on starting around 7-8 years ago. Since Goat is no longer involved and I was never going to use any of his art for VON anyways, I created an entire new palette of work for all my albums.
HMA:
Please correct me if I am wrong… VON stands or signifies “nothing but images of darkness and blood”… on this note; what creative process do you execute on choosing or working on the cover art?
VENIEN:
VON stands for nothing and is not chained down by anything; it is and has become a pillar of nothingness and the escape to be free from the rules and the oppression of slavery. We all are slaves to society and will always be until we are once again savages as when we were created. The un-touched and uninhibited visions in turn manifestations from my psyche present themselves during the beginnings of the words and notes of my music, and then the vision is formed. Once that is done, it is translated through the graphite and then ink. An image, visions, anything else a person creates that is dark, comes from a place that is calm and chaotic at the same time. Darkness is what fills us and is everywhere, blood is the force that is the make-up of our species and provides the life, the energy, the ability to breath and be alive! Look within and you will see those dark thoughts and sometimes see a visual representation of it, possibly on the wall, on the ground, in fabric, in the lines of your hands, it presents itself all the time in many forms, you just have to open your eyes.
HMA:
You are often considered one of the first Black Metal bands from the US truly worth of attention as well as admiration, any comments on this matter?
VENIEN:
VON represents many for we are LEGION in our cause and some feel the same way we do. The labels are just that, but for my viewpoint this is music with grit and will forever be just that, I am free and so is VON from all. I gladly hold the flag that I have been given but there is so much more, so in the end all the flags I raise will not be in vain but a salute to those that have fallen in line and feel they have been vindicated in some way or the other, I hope to have all of us fully acknowledged some day but for now it means nothing but a tag in this industry of music. What matters and what is important, are those that listen closely to the whispers and hypnotic voices through the notes that speak to them, that’s what is real, not labels.
HMA:
What is the vision for the future, in terms of regular releases and live appearances?
VENIEN:
The future has been set for many, many years; it will be fully realized and presented as it comes to me. The VON albums, my VENIEN solo albums, my collaborations, and any other musical cocktail I create, are either cooling to serve or are in the fires cooking to the bone, either way, there will be enough to gnaw on for years to come.
HMA:
Thanks so much for your time and for your interest in Heavy Metal Artwork! HAIL SATAN!!!
VENIEN:
REVOLT!
(Source: heavymetalartwork.com) *site defunct