Conversation with Isaak Insulter on behalf of Death Metal band Nocturnal Vomit

How did you want to influence your audience through the music you created? What kind of impact you wanted to channel towards the listener?

First of all let me say that the idea to form a band was in the works since many years, but after 1997 I moved and resided to Australia for almost 5 years and had a full job working many hours 6 days per week so I just left it aside....

Been a huge fan of metal music since 1988 and listening to non stop to music, writing letters to bands, reading fanzines, trading , and living the life style of D.I.Y. it was obvious that wanted to form a band.....

Let me also mention that my first appearance with a band started around early 1993 when me together with an old friend first formed a band and horribly started to rehearse and it was nothing more than "Rhadamanthys",but the rest is history.....which lasted only a few moons, so around 2000 me together with my mate Chris Newell from the old Aussie death metal combo "Excarnated"jammed 2 times together.....

First of all we wanted to play something that we liked and listened to, since we had many things in common and shared many things ,so in second rate came what the listener would like back then didn't even bother us at all, just didn't care....

Surely the early days of nocturnal vomit were very chaotic, messy, raw, crude, hard.......

Don't forget also that back then our musical skills were much worser and limited, and even to this day I never considered myself a musician but a fan.....

Are you still in touch with your old aussie band mate Atomic Decimator? What is he doing nowadays?

Yes,I'm still in touch with Chris"Atomic Decimator"Newell, as he's one of a very cool bloke and share many things in common ...

Of course our daily obligations and as we get older some things get more strict and not much time.

In 2003 he visited me here in Greece together with his wife and stayed a few days at my joint, we also jammed together with Nocturnal Vomit....

What was the main motivation that driven you to create music?

Pretty much mentioned as above question....back then we wanted to create and channel something anti-trendy, repulsive, emetic, sleazy against most listeners.....surely didn't want our music to be so widely accepted to most average idiotic metalheads .....

Back then our main influences were: Beherit(old), Blasphemy, Treblinka) Tiamat(old), Mystifier, Behemoth(bra), Samael(old), Celtic frost/Hellhammer, Sarcofago.......

Despite that I formed nocturnal vomit a bit late for me and not in the 90s meant a lot, and I was just 27 years old....but on the other hand many older metal heads still remember that late 99s and early 2000 wasn't the best time in metal since it struggled so much and we wanted to be a fist in the face of back thens scene....no matter how strong or long would the diameter of punch be, we stood 1000% being it, and still do nowadays....

Taking a look back at your extensive discography, it clearly shows you followed the real underground way and released many demo tapes and split EPs, but only one full length album during your circa 20 years old career. How do you see the band’s career years later?

Yes, during the 20 years of dark saga by nocturnal vomit's existence we managed to release a few demo tapes, also back then I used to dub and spread to many pen pals and traders a lot of unofficial stuff as live and reh. material as well...I just grew up with this sub-culture of underground (DIY)and just simply followed it coz I always listened and still listen to tapes and collect vinyls since then, never had a minute "break"or to sell my collection and make a comeback as many do nowadays, no way...I was always here in the hard and easy days, in the cold, in the hot, in the day, in the night....so after releasing some demo tapes we put out a couple of 7EPs ....at least by then, we were the only Greek death morbid metal band to release a couple of 7EPs, surely from northern Greece though and for our style and sound.....personally it was my plan which I told to other members in the band to take some time for the full length and work 120% coz I wanted something special....so the recordings from all our eps was to test the waters and improve not only musically but to perform a song in it's most utter shape as well.....we wanted to focus on other things and not how fast and tight we can play.....that's why if you take 99% of Greek bands since the last 25 years they sound so boring, lame, uninspiring and nothing to remain, utter crap in a few words ....I can recall easily that not a single album has grabbed my attention, music without background and foundation, how much worser you can get than that?sure, the band during the years of practice had improved and it's obvious on our album"cursed relics" while listening to it ,but to be honest I dislike the drumming I did on that album which has many mistakes and wish one day to be justice, but its too late....I don't like repeating or try to clockwise backwards the clock, just leave it there...working so hard back then 10 years to release a full length and get those results, an insult, but no way back....

Nocturnal Vomit’s only full length the above mentioned ‘Cursed Relics’ is a real old fashioned Death Metal album, a classic in the underground for many. What are your thoughts and feelings about this record 8 years later it’s release? Would you please comment the album in details, the title, the lyrical themes, the musical influences and structures etc.

About "cursed relics" we all worked hard in the band, personally for me it was a dream to come true!

Almost all music was written by the guitarist/vocalist which he focused on it and sort of ended as a solo album more, too bad when cannot play bass or guitar even not the best but things change, and you wait the music to be served in the plate and after sometimes it comes the payback, which happened to me.....

Some songs as "sacrosanct..","cursed relics" and more we were working on them since 2005.

We were changing all the times, riffs, parts, tempos etc...we wanted a perfect finalise and to sound perfect, but perfection in a different meaning .

We also paid attention to the atmosphere and first time used some keyboards as well and adding many guitar leads, which most bands nowadays don't use.

Also wanted a solid, clear raw production and most important if all we all wanted a production sounding organic and not compressed...

dispute been a digital recording, wanted to sound more as much as analogue....

I remember playing with my high hat open and told the producer to keep it like that sounding like early napalm death and slaughter(can).....

As every band and musician isn't 100% pleased....and having their objections....as mentioned earlier I firstly don't like my drumming as mentioned.....but since time was running and we paid the whole recording cost on our own, and keep in mind it was exactly in the heart of economic crisis which affected us all, at my job they had "cut" -50% of payment and this killed me.....don't wanna think about it how we survived...

In the studio it was the first time to record a 47 minute full length....I don't know to play double bass drums properly and also I was stressed but at the same time wasn't in my best mood.

Also the producer it s a good friend of ours and also a drummer as well and suggested me to change some tempos, so playing all those years some tempos and within a day to change it, was hard for me....

It's something I haven't mentioned to anybody or in any intie but my relation and bond with other members since years started to fade away firstly bandwise....just simply didn't have what I wanted, there wasn't no chemistry, no motivation, no spirit, just nothing....also many other issues in the past and to sum it up then you get this blur feeling and picture....

Even in the studio when recording, after I recorded the drums I was going sporadically there....

Just only cared for the album to be out and nothing more.....I just didn't care anymore, it was gone....

Also back then I lost interest to sing, because on all other previous recordings it was me together with the bassist that shared the vocals...

Also another reason I didn't sing was that I was suffering from nasal polyp for 4 years and couldn't breath and voice changed so left it to the guitarist to take over all vocals .since I done the operation in mid 2012...

About the lyrics,I had written songs in rough text, without been sentenced syntax so the guitarist/vocalist scrapped most songs and used only 2 songs from mine....

To be honest, didn't like this move much, even had a guest lyrics from a guy we knew, but the lyrics did not reflect at all to what we stood for......at least could have informed me first....had many lyrics written which reflected to what nocturnal vomit stood for...

I can easily open a book and copy paste words and sentences and try to act as a poet, philological death metal has no place before my eyes, so simple, it's so odd....

Another thing I disliked was this hyper Asphyx/Pentacle rip off....thru the vocals and music as well....from first note when the vocals were laid, I just said.....what the heck.....don't say anything and move on with it which I actually did.

Nothing personal, as I give him full credit for working hard on the album and coming up with some killer ideas, but it doesn't stop there, the coin has 2 sides.....

I can understand the influences we all have, not a problem, but when I read comments and reviews of been an Asphyx or Pentacle clone don't like it, also the timing was the worst .back in2009 or 2010 and afterwards when Asphyx had put out "death the brutal way "album it caused this hysteria and many bands were copying their sound so not the widest move though .......just clockwise didn't match at all....

Despite nocturnal vomit never been a high skilled band or whatever at least we managed to create an own style after our first 7EP "Arts if tenebrous.."...we never belong to this brutal Gore style, neither were this high pitch black metal band, nor the next Blasphemy/Beherit clones or either another lousy retro thrash band and I wanted to keep this trademark and take it further for the album, but......

Thomas Eremite who composed most materials for Cursed Relics is none other than Tribes Of The Moon from Polish black/death band Doombringer. How came for him this co-operation with the Polish fanatics. Do you like the music they create with Doombringer

Honestly spoken don't even know what stage name he uses in Doombringer......

Despite we haven't spoke since some years now, as our relation is just typical and nothing more, nothing less...

I remember back in the Nocturnal Vomit days around 2009 if not mistaken that was asked by Adam from bestial raids to play some lead guitars on the first demo and after telling us he's a full member....

I remember when I was in contact with Adam adach (Bestial Raids, Doombringer, Cultes Des Ghoules) that sent me 2 first demos and an 7EP of Doombringer which to be honest didn't attract me much, just some empty, lame, retro black death without potential.......sorry guys....

Also during the last year's I sold and got rid of many after 2000 ad stuff that didn't like much or enjoy, found them so odd ....

What is your personal credo? Do you follow a religious, moral or theoretical code?

I am a laveyan Satanist,of course I follow my own rules, way of life code in this life, but I adore the work of Anton Lavey into the modern world....

Carnal pleasure is the begging, let the feast begin....

What are the answers that only black metal can provide to the recent life we live in?

Very difficult to answer your question....so much to mention.

Personally I mostly stopped buying black metal around 1996 and back then I sold a couple of stuff, it wasn't because I didn't like black metal but I just felt that this musical abyssic cult was the last bastion to keep it alive against trends and business....but sadly it all started to fall apart.....

It was a huge nail in the coffin for me back then....

First of all when I got into black metal in late 1992 things were much different, few labels, bands, zines, distros etc....

Everyone knew who was who and you could sort of keep up with what was going around, after some years later only total chaos ....forget it...

Black metal has a background and moves together ,it starts from the individual of what he/she wants, theories, but mostly what choices and what do you do to stand tall as a satanic individual.....we all go thru a process though.

The devotion, dedication, black flame etc...

Personally as many idiots and morons I've met didn't deserve no support from me personally and never will, so I don't care and bother firstly for the local scene and then international scene when comes to black metal and those around it.

I'm 45 years old, and I've lived this "movement" when started back then, it was something fresh, new bands and individuals hungry with fresh ideas ready to conquer the mortal world....so many killer bands that sounded original with cosmogonic changes......

who needs a retro of a retro band nowadays to show what? 5 th generation copy band and their members some 20 year old kids that weren't even born when the 2nd wave of black metal started ,to say what??????

do I need to say more???????

You have been there at the dawn of Hellenic Black/Death Metal. A scene that became world famous about it’s trademarks. How do you see the recent status of greek underground compared to the ancient times? What is the recent status of your local black/death metal community?

Well, my first ever Greek band I came across that adored and still do was "Flames",remember a school mate in high school bought a pro tape of their album "last prophecy" in 1989 when came out,I was hooked by their intense thrash in the vein of early Sodom/ Kreator......also some local acts here as: Acetic Voice, Deceptor, Exhumation, Stigma, Medieval Death....also Thanatos inc./Nigel Foxxe inc.,Epidemic, Acid Death but to be honest I can recall that I wasn't much into the Greek scene back then in late 80s, was a bit prejudiced, but around 1992 when first heard of Rotting Christ, Necromantic, Varathron.....and a few more then changed my point of view 180 degrees haha...still to this day cannot believe what those bands have delivered and offered not only into our local scene but into the worldwide scene....

After 30+years people still talk about them, mentioned them as a major influence and their material is no coincidence that get re pressed over and over again....

But let me put a full stop here. In some stage even that "Greek sound" had become a trend or had back then in mid 90s when had bands poping out of nowhere and kissing the ass ok the label boss of Molon Leave Records which he would offer them a lousy deal for an only 7EP and been recorded in Storm Studio with that characteristic flat lame sound, so cheesy....the few first bands and originators managed to make it in parts sound better but after it turned out into a parody....every band was thinking to be the new rotting christ....

Also another major minus is that the mid/late 90s Greek black/death bands managed something prototype world wide by been the first and only of having the most bands and recordings with a drum machine, which I found so pathetic....

Over 85% were used by a drum machine....

but overall, all era's and periods have their I positive and negative aspects though, but surely i prefer and give credit to the 90s Greek metal scene and bands than rather after 1996 and especially after the 2nd millennium...

from the past I like:rotting Christ, Necromantic, Varathron, Nightfall, Sadistic Noise, Septicemia, Death Courier, Exhumation, Stigma, Lemegethon, Medieval Death, Thou Art Lord, Septic Flesh, Mortify, Selefice, Blood Covered, Danger Cross, Vomit, Tenebrium, and many more....

If you ask me about bands in the last 2 decades I mention: Goatvomit, Unholy Archangel, Heptameron, Nuclear winter/Dead Congregation, Sickness, Cranial Torment, Atavism(early), Dreadful Relic.....nothing more, nothing less, not even a note from any other band not included here in the list....

Status?????hahaha don't make me laugh, it's been many years I dropped out from the current scene in general as not interested at all, some years ago I sold many stuff especially from current Greek bands as demos, EPs,LPs,CDs etc......so much trash,I don't care about losers or wimps, got many other more worthy things to do or could have done even more.......no interest at all, as my motto goes......"boycott your local scene now...."!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know you are a huge collector, with many rare and cool items in your collection. Please, tell us about this passion: the rarest items, holy grails, the most beloved treasures etc.

Oh,first of all let me tell ya that I buy and collect since 1989 non stop.

Have spent a fortune and mostly a lot of effort, passion, dedication and devotion...

Let me mention that I don't collect to collect and to show off what most do nowadays....

I ain't no simple collector or audiophile,I just collect and buy because I love music and metal madness runs insane and rapidly in my veins, whatever I do I do for personal satisfaction...

No need to be a Narcissus....

mmmm,don't even know what to answer but some rare items I have under my possession are:

Parabellum both eps

Necrodeath-Into the macabre LP original

Celtic Frost-Morbid Tales pic LPoriginal

Mercyful Fate-Nuns have no fun mLP

Torturer-Oppressed by the force LP

lost tapes of Cogumelo comp. LP

Beherit-Drawing Dawn the moon lp original

Morbid-December Moon mLP

Samael-Medieval prophecy 7ep

Treblinka-Severe abomination 7ep

Pentagram-Demonic possession 7ep

just few instant random gems that came first into my mind....

As we are Hungarian crew, we'd like to ask that what do you know about Hungary? Have you ever been here, what kind of expereinces you gain here during your visit? What do you know about the Hungarian Black Metal underground?

Hungary always inspired me with those stories of vampirism,Elizabeth bathory a lot....

Of course read the wars and resistance you had against the ottoman empire, and early 20th century with the Austrian Hungarian war......

Sadly never been to Hungary but from friends that have been there and seeing videos I was so astonished, my jaw fell, hope you guys keep up with pride from were you came from while most of Europe is a sold out.....

About bands....the first band I heard and I consider it the alpha and Omega is "tormentor"....

Both their demos are not human, they weren't recorded on planet Earth ,also back in 1986 from a communistic country back then and to see this band emerging, for me means so much, no words....I didn't like their comeback album in 1999.....so I leave it there....

some other bands I heard and have are: Pokolgép 2 first albums, Fantom, Angel Reaper demos, Subject, Resurrection, Extreme Deformity, Necrotomy, Sear Bliss(old)...and a few that escape my mind right now.

I know you are a busy person with many daily life issues, but don’t you think to reform Nocturnal Vomit or do something new?

You are absolutely right,I'm an individual with many obligations and my daily life is so hectic and busy....also since the last 5 years since my mothers health is in very bad condition ...

No way,I have no intentions ever to resurrect Nocturnal Vomit, even though I always try to avoid mentioning big words, but hope this will never happen...

First of all, I lost interest in the current scene as I find it so sterile, uninspiring, unpotentional, lame, fake....also all those years got tired and sick with bands and had to deal with wrong people dealing at the end of the day to a dead end or hitting on a brick wall....

Also since I know how is the situation here in the city if Thessaloniki I live in, so I done the wisest move....don't want to remain stagnant just for the sake of it to run a band like others do....

Also since years now the ex members of nocturnal vomit that formed a band around 6-7 years now, their repertoire is of 90% of old nocturnal vomit tracks since at least 15 years old, so it's odd enough in retrospective.

I do have plans some day to do something, but prefer more of a garage band situation to play and rehearse in the studio that will.please me, no major ambitions...

Tell us a bit about your first formation Rhadamanthys, a Black Metal combo that released 3 demos in its short existence.

Another bitter story here....

Well,as been a teenager back then in early 1993 and been the first steps to play,I found it interested to rehearse and play since our love and passion for music was and still is huge.

The band Rhadamanthys officially released only 1 promo tape in 1994 which includes an intro, outro and 1 song....

Some rehearsal tracks were recorded for us only and never to be spread since they sound so horrible, so the rest is history....

As mentioned earlier it was the beginning, were were young, didn't have the clear vision of what we wanted or not,naive in some way but let's not forget that everybody starts from number one....

Which Nocturnal Vomit materials do you like the most and which ones would you recommend for someone who just discovers your music now?

For me every Nocturnal Vomit recording has something special ,what one recording lacks or hasn't much has the other one and vice versa....so I enjoy from the early chaotic demos recorded in Australia from 2001 until the Cursed Relics album.....

Every session has the plus or minus so cannot get a full specific answer on that....

Sure one thing I can say is that we stood 1000%what we done, worked hard and never retreat what we done or said(at least from my side).....