Interview with US Death Metal band Manifesting. Contributed by James Goatfukk.
1. Hails! As an introductory, tell us a little bit about your band, MANIFESTING – the type of music you perform – and the bands that influenced your sound.
MAW & SEPULCHEROUS: We have set on our path to perform Death Metal as we see it should be, as a primitive, ritualistic embodiment to worship and explore the spiritual depths this world can offer, and to see into the world beyond the walls of life. Death Metal, to us, represents transcendence through black spiritual magic and esoteric philosophies.
Since the beginning it has been solely the two of us. We have played with several other musicians, and will utilize them for live performances, but we will remain a two piece in our concept and creative processes.
As far as influence goes, our inspirations stem from the hordes of Vasaeleth, Cruciamentum, Nyogthaeblisz, Wrathprayer, Grave Miasma, Teitanblood, Martial, Proclamation, and Temple Below.
2. I understand your band – MANIFESTING – is very much a recent endeavor –
and that one can find almost next to nothing about your band on the net –
does that bother you somewhat or are you happy with your current status?
What are your thoughts on the whole rockstar temperament that so many bands
tend to fall into after a little attention?
S: It bothers us none, when someone stumbles upon our manifestations and finds them spiritually and musically gratifying, that is the true essence of the underground to us verses promotions on every outlet to the point where individuals know the name not for the music, but for the advertisement factor. Rockstar temperament is for those who have chosen this outlet as a social stance and reputation.
M: There may not be a lot of information on the internet because there is not a lot of information to share. As you said, we have only recently begun forming our material together, and our next release will only be our second undertaking. This interview will help get more information out and available for anyone that is interested. Rockstar temperament comes about when the attention from the music, and your persona within the band, become so ingrained in your ego that you feed off of that. It is parasitic both to the band and to its audience.
3. As an underground band, how important is the recording of demos for you?
Does it help the band and individuals within the band with musical growth?
Some so-called “underground” bands tend to skip the demo chapter and be liable to release a rather mediocre first album; your thoughts?
S: Demo recording is important, it allows listeners to see how the band progresses and also forms a signature for what is to come, therefore it is vital to display growth as a band. Not to mention, it's what keeps the underground alive, forwarding demo tapes to each other, trading, that whole experience alone provides something on another level. Bands that skip the demo route seem to be in a rush, and wanting to be the next big talk with a fancy LP or professional CD.
M: The recording of our first demo, Primeval Adulation, was an important step for us. Being a first release for both of us, we were very fortunate to come into contact with Antitheist Disseminations who released and distributed it. Writing and practicing those first four songs established our rhythm of working together and coming up with new ideas for riffs and transitions that flowed very well. I can not imagine working with a third party involved in the creative process, since we work so well together and our minds are always in the same sphere.
4. So what would you say are the prime aspects for an underground band such as yourselves – especially in the more obscure realm of things?
S: The prime aspect for Manifesting is indulgence of the dark and sinister spirit through creation. For us, the prime aspects are more than just music creation and production, we live and write through another plane of thought, it is the most important aspect for us and to not hinder such creation with technicality and over the top nonsense.
5. Please elaborate on the type of direction that you opt for with MANIFESTING and whether or not there is any specific type of atmosphere that you set to achieve with your music? Does having an “original” sound have any significance to you?
M: I alluded to this in a previous question. We strip away convention to reveal the dried, cracked bones beneath. Death Metal is our tool to express the fascination death holds, and to emulate our thoughts and experiences from our journey so far. Our atmosphere is the black fog of death and our worship to the true lord of the Earth. Focusing on making our sound original was never a large goal in my mind. I already know what I like to hear music wise, so I will emulate that as best I can while retaining some semblance of identity. I would prefer to avoid the “-clone” tag but if that happens, it happens.
S: The direction we choose to walk through our music is a dark ethereal form. The atmosphere we set to achieve is disgustingly evil and marauding, coming from planes of existence that is a foreboding elemental field. However, this path cannot be achieved by harsh music alone, it is the lyrics that are what are truly important and what I encourage people to read. Originality is important, however tribute and salutation to previously etched signatures is a way of the underground. While having originality is immense, showing the musical influence goes without question.
6. Elaborate on the band’s ideology and the source of inspiration behind your sacrilegious testimonies.
M: Manifesting, for me, is the perfect outlet to express where I am, and what I have experienced in my spiritual journey. All of the lyrics I write are based upon things I have seen while meditating. Certain songs came about differently, such as Archon of the Red Temple, which wrote itself following the events of the Rites of Darkness III festival in San Antonio, Texas. The only force worth following is DEATH because it is a human constant. No matter who you are, where you are, or what you become, death will always find you. That is a truth I realized at a very young age, and it will follow me until the end. That is definitely a mindset I bring with me at all times.
S: Our ideology is that of death and various left hand paths of the occult. I find that Manifesting is a form of my spiritual views and admiration of the darker spheres of practice and also past experiences that were mystifying and mysterious. Most influence comes from the absence of light, the presence of unseen entities felt around me not only physically, but mentally, and past experiences during live rituals of which I walked away with the idea of what doctrine I choose to forge in the band.
7. In your personal Satanic philosophy, are you aligned with any existing institutions/movements or is your path a purely individual one? What do you think should define a Satanist?
M: I can not identify with any group claiming the Satanic title. I have several friends and brothers who do, and that's fine, but it is not for me. Individuality should define who is and who is not a Satanist, and I think you lose some of that in a group setting, which is only natural and perfectly acceptable as human nature. Satan is, to me, the primal force permeated throughout the undercurrent of the Earth. It is the lion being hand fed a juicy steak; he is going to be full tonight. Satan is the survival of life in its purest form. Only death is a stronger force, because death is constant. Life may always exist in some form, somewhere, but death will always persist.
S: I am not aligned with any organization or movement and never will be. While I agree with M, its fine for those who choose it, it is not where I see myself. Meditation and practice is much more vitalizing when experienced in a primal state, alone.
8. When considering the concept of morality, do your views align with dualism?
M: I can not say so, no. The idea of the eternal struggle between good and evil, bad and good, is a pattern in human culture, but it does not reveal the truth of the world. Morality is a milky grey soup, not split between two extremes. We all operate within the ocean of moral ambiguity and rarely is there ever a case of purely good or purely evil. These are romantic notions. The real world is fantastically dull.
9. What advantages does your mode of perceiving morality hold over others?
M & S: We aren't blind with what is good and what is evil. The world is ultimately devilish and evil, in essence, only the strong survive. Our viewpoints allow us to overlook the propaganda others thrive and talk about and make ourselves stronger. A lot of people are concerned about things beyond their control. We shy away from that illogical stress and manage ourselves accordingly with the realistic demands of life that we can meet head on.
M: To go on a small tangent, being a part of MANIFESTING has become a surreal experience because it is the first tangible element of my life that has the potential to become bigger than myself.
10. What’s the connotation behind the monicker? ("Manifesting" and your pseudonyms)
M: The name for MANIFESTING came about once we started formulating songs and lyrics together. The theme we had started with our material spawned on its own and as soon as I said it aloud, it became our title. Its inference should be obvious with one glance at our lyrics. The best part about it is, when you search for "Manifesting" on Youtube, you probably won’t find our material immediately. Instead, you'll find dozens and dozens of people's videos about "manifesting" love, money, and power. It makes me laugh every time.
"Maw" came about after out first performance on Halloween of 2011. A badass and personal friend of the band, David J., said to me afterwards, "I have never seen your mouth open so much." Inspiration, haha.
S: Sepulcher refers to a site of burial of the dead. Sepulcherous is the title I chose because of unearthly experiences in the past on sacred land. While afraid at the time, I was deathly intrigued. It only made sense for me to create and manifest through this title because it still hasn't left my thoughts this day.
11. You guys are from Minneapolis – so maybe you can tell us a little bit about the local scene over there – what are some worthwhile bands to check out, and how often are you able to attend good shows?
S: The scene here, as far as underground, obscure metal is suffering yet still alive in a small circle. Local bands we support include Teratism, Diabolical Sacrilege, and Malidecere. Our support and hails go out to Antitheist Disseminations for the unrelenting help and faith in us as a band. Good shows are rare; however, once in a blue moon there are some immense bands that roll through such as Inquisition, Archgoat, Ghost, and others.
M: At the time of this writing I am finishing my last year of college in a smaller town four hours away from Minneapolis. This makes it impractical to practice often with S, and impossible to attend many shows that happen throughout the school year. Luckily I am almost done and then shortly thereafter will have much more time for practice and concert attendance. I will be driving to the cities for INQUISITION on October 19th, however.
12. Are there any recent bands that have caught your awareness?
What have you been listening to lately? Also, don’t feel shy to mention some of your favorite albums/releases (old and recent).
S: Salem Rages is my most listened to recent discovery, I found their first 7 inch in a bargain bin here in Minneapolis and was hooked ever since. Patecabra had caught my interest from complete darkness the past year, pure Chilean darkness. I have somewhat of an obsession with the Chilean metal scene. My favorite bands from the Chilean scene include Temple Below, Wrathprayer, and Perversor. For a less christraping atmosphere, I indulge in Green & Wood and The Builders and the Butchers first LP lately.
Anything Southwestern and American I will whole heatedly enjoy and worship. Among my favorite bands; Vasaeleth sticks out, along with Nyogthaeblisz.
M: TENTACLE from Boston, Massachusetts has caught my ear recently. Fantastic Doom/Sludge material there, and their first release is on Youtube in its entirety, truly great stuff. INTO DARKNESS from Italy has also caught my attention recently - top quality Death/Doom channeling Asphyx and Mythic. I’ve been listening to Antediluvian, Cruciamentum, and Sanguis Imperem constantly for the past few weeks. As far as favorites goes, my favorite band over all others is INQUISITION, a band which has done no wrong in my book. Every album is a masterpiece. Hail the Cult!
13. Tell us about any upcoming material and what your plans are for the future?
If any worthy maniacs out there are interested in getting in touch, how should they do this?
S: We have just finished recording an upcoming EP entitled "Descension Through The Seven Forbidden Seals". Layout is in progress at the moment and is scheduled for a CD release through Antitheist Disseminations (Antitheistcult.com). This is the label that released our demo tape when we had no name for ourselves. Our eternal respect and support goes out to Antitheist. We are in talks now to release the LP through Satanic Skinhead Propaganda later on after the initial CD release. Until then, we plan on playing local shows and perhaps even going on tour, but that is all speculation as of now.
Maniacs can summon us through Manifestingdeath@hotmail.com
14. Well, that’s that – thanks for your time!!! Feel free to cast your final curses!!!
M
& S: Thank you, James, for our first interview! It feels good to
finally get some of our larger ideas written down. An immense thank you
and salutations to all of the insane maniacs who have supported us in
the past, and to those who are interested in the unending chasm of
MANIFESTING. FYHS
