The subject of progression is a tricky one. Some acts find solace [and a dedicated fanbase] within the comfort/confines of repetition. For others, however, there is no question: move forward or die. In the case of France’s Glorior Belli, the lure of the latter has borne rich fruit in the form of what is surely a black metal milestone. Meet Us At The Southern Sign breaks on through to the other side of black metal’s third wall, infusing the genre’s traditional murky blackness with an even more filthy sheen—that of the swampy, southern doom variety.
Sure, sections of the status quo may always prefer Glorior Belli’s orthodox black metal beginnings, and stylistic purists may balk at this album’s clean vocal arrangements, and the soulful, bluesy pentatonic playing of Glorior Belli’s mad mastermind Infestvvs, but make no mistake: Meet Us At The Southern Sign is a record which is destined for year-end status, kvlt status be damned.
Infestvvs laid everything out on the table for us here at Blistering.com. The following is what transpired, unfiltered and unapologetic.
Blistering.com: Methinks that Meet Us At The Southern Sign ushers in a new era for the band sonically and thematically, does it not?
Infestvvs: So far the streaming tracks are making quite an impression on the audience, though obviously some people didn’t like the new “turn” of the band, or should I say ‘natural evolution,’ because this is what it truly is, you know? It’s a very big step forward in our honest campaign against the Demiurge. A good definition of Meet Us At The Southern Sign would be a mix between black metal and southern rock, or just post-black metal maybe, but to put it simply—as I’m not really one for the labels—it’s just something genuine, vicious, intelligent and catchy: a real and sincere ‘fuck off’ to the conservative narrow-minded people of the kvlt.
Blistering.com: I’m supremely impressed with this sort of amalgamation, or marriage, between Glorior Belli’s black metal heritage, and this almost doomy, dirty atmosphere/vibe. Was this intentional, to sort of break down barriers and experiment a bit with this release?
Infestvvs: Things have obviously evolved, and nowadays it just feels right to explore new territories and new aspects of the sound itself. There’s no point for me to release the same album every year, so I decided not to play by the rules and do my own thing. We’ve been working really hard on the new record, and—though it might not be as catchy as our last record, Manifesting the Raging Beast was, the songs won’t be as easily forgettable, so to speak. They all have their own personalities; some tracks even have six guitar layers…nothing was left behind. We used a few samples, and I came up with a more flexible voice. It’s not only ‘clean’, but also really heavy…sometimes in a sense that I was fucking screaming my guts out!
We also invited our brother Jeremy Christner [Author of Kosmology] to write some lyrics for a song called “The Blazing Darkness (Of Luciferian Skies)”. A few months ago, I made an announcement about Obscurus Advocam, a side project that we had together with Antares, our old drummer. We made the decision to put it to an end after the first and only full-length, as the composition line between both bands was becoming too thin. This allowed me to include all of those influences into Glorior Belli, and—to tell the truth—this was an awesome step forward! What was once puzzled is now back in one piece, and the result is a strong album, which is raging…yet in a subtle and hypnotic way. This new record is dedicated to Illumination…ours and yours!
Blistering.com: As a debut, O Laudate Dominvs more or less adhered to this sort of “orthodox” black metal doctrine. Do you feel at this point that Glorior Belli is well on its way to finding and truly achieving a headspace and “sound” all its own, getting to the point where you yourselves can now influence new bands coming up? If so, how does this all feel to you?
Infestvvs: We were/are considered to be part of this religious strain of bands which give their own beliefs an important place in their art, operating under the (reducing) ‘Orthodox’ trademark, and—though we might not be the very first pioneers of this movement and might not appreciate this adjective at all—it cannot be denied that Glorior Belli made a strong impact on the genre, and imposed itself upon an intoxicated scene. Five years later, it feels like we’ve really come to a point where there is nothing to prove anymore; though it doesn’t mean we can now rest, as there are still a few stones missing to our temple. We certainly are an influence for some bands, I guess, though there are some other bands which have been/are influencing me as well. It does feel good to be honest, as our nature by definition has always been to raise doubts in the listener’s mind, and speak the truth.
Blistering.com: You’ve had a two year span within every release: how has the composition process progressed over that time? How do you view songwriting now, as compared to when you first started? Do ideas begin in the rehearsal room, or does the band trade files back and forth?
Infestvvs: I usually come up with a concept and ideas first, and then all the songs tend to come in a row, almost as if I’m under some kind of supernatural inspiration. Sometimes I even dream about riffs. I can’t help but play guitar and record some stuff for a few weeks, keeping in mind every ingredient of the album; then most of the composition is done. True story. Think about King Diamond, for instance: if you hear The Graveyard and Voodoo you can tell, of course, that this is the same artist…but still, those albums are different. They may not be as different as ours can be, but I bet you can also find some similarities between our records, so in the end you know it’s always Glorior Belli. That’s a good thing I guess, having a few trademarks of our own and being able to somehow maintain our aura whatever we do. Our music is raging, with heart-eating intensity. It’s filled with seasick riffs, guttural vocals and surprisingly melodic yet dissonant lines. It is as darkly beautiful as it is gloom inducing. Glorior Belli is the trumpet of Lucifer, and the melody which blows is the one of your endarkenment.
Blistering.com: “In Every Grief-Stricken Blues” is an amazing song, and probably the most striking departure for the band. Were you ever concerned how some BM fans—a notoriously close minded lot—might react to material like this? What sort of factors influenced this track in particular?
Infestvvs: I couldn’t care less about the reactions of any disrespectful 16-year old Burzum fan (of the demos only, of course), who would probably get choked anyway once finding out that I’m also a huge fan of Pantera, Down, Alice In Chains and so many more! I mean, get over it really. As I said before, this song could be the perfect way for me to point out my middle fingers at the face of those pretentious fucks, as in ‘Yes, Glorior Belli is not part of your CD collection, and look, I’m actually proud of it!’ That being said, I always wanted to try some clean vocals, and I think it turned out great, so there’s a good chance I’ll use more of that in the future, as well as some more different sounds and structures. If you think this record was quite a surprise, just wait until you hear the next one!
Blistering.com: Do you feel that Glorior Belli exemplifies or defies what black metal, and French BM specifically, is known for? Do you feel that the genre should be a breeding ground for the forward-thinking, and that Glorior Belli follows in the tradition of say a Les Legions Noire as far as creating something new and reputable for your homeland?
Infestvvs: As far as creating something new and reputable for our homeland, YES - But that only! Glorior Belli is a reference in matter of creativity and our essence is to defy and challenge the limitations of any kind. The reason why we chose “Black Metal” in the first place was because this was the most appropriate style for bands with strong beliefs, and it was one of the last bastions for honest and dedicated artists.
Blistering.com: What are your feelings of the current “hipster” fascination with BM in the States? Are you aware of the genre’s “trendiness” lately? What are your thoughts? Is this a GOOD thing, to perhaps infect more people with propaganda, or do you think it’s a fruitless and hopeless endeavor, given the attention span of so many popular music fans?
Infestvvs:Is it really that hyped? I know that Glorior Belli is doing well in the States, much more than in Europe to be honest, but I thought you guys were just more receptive to the tunes and open to different styles. The fascination can be a good thing, as long as it doesn’t spoil the message…but I don’t see any reason why it would. I don’t think black metal should be kept underground and secret, as this is the voice of the very few artists who really have something to say which actually matters. Again, it’s just a question of how the listener will understand this message. Of course, nowadays most people don’t give a damn shit about what’s behind the music, but I’d rather be optimistic here and hope that at least some will care and “see the light”, so to speak.
Blistering.com: Are you excited to tour the States in June? What can we expect, and what sort of expectations do you have?
Infestvvs: Well, the tour is supposed to be kicking off in three weeks, and we still don’t have our visas and plane tickets, so the agenda is really stressful! It’s been a fucking struggle to get things done the way it should be, but yeah I mean, we’re really excited about this tour. It’s just Absu now and two other bands that I personally wouldn’t have chosen but it’s not my call in the end. I believe this should be a fucking blast anyway! We get a lot of messages and support from there. I have a few friends there as well, and I’m really looking forward to meeting them. Murderers of the former faith, here’s to your illumination! Children of darkness, meet us at the southern sign!
(Editor's note: A few weeks prior to the start of Glorior Belli's support slot on Absu's North American tour, the band decided to pull out due to "paperwork issues." It is also rumored the band is debating on ceasing all live activities from this point forward. Stay tuned...)
