THE ORDER OF APOLLYON (Ent.)

– Hello and first of all, thanks for taking the time. How is everything going right now with THE ORDER OF APOLLYON? What are you currently up to?

BST: Hailz. We’re currently preparing for shows, rehearsing, and booking whatever we can. And, obviously working on the promotion of the album on every level possible.

– First off, and as you haven’t released a new album in 5 years, I would like to know how are you currently doing and what’s been the main reason behind those several line-up changes?

BST: The main reason would be that the members of the original line-up all had other commitments either professional or with other bands. Daniel got hired by Carcass, so it was clear he could not spare the time for another band, especially as small as TOOA. Plus booking shows was a nightmare, very hard to set a date for anything, we had to cancel shows that had very nice fees at the last minute, that sort of thing..I truly loved playing with these people, but at some point it was necessary to be realistic, and this band could not function with people so far appart.

– How did you choose the new members and what do they bring new to the band?

BST: All the new guys are people I’ve known for a long time, have played with on several occasions, people who’ve been active in the underground scene for a long time, and were on the same page as I was. So the choice was quite simple to make, really.

– And have these changes affected in any way the band and/or its creative process?

BST: Not at all, as the album was already written and mostly recorded when they joined the band. I’m sure they’ll have an impact on the next record, somehow, though.

– Previous members weren’t French, and now they are. Is more comfortable to you to work with people in the same country or with the Internet isn’t that necessary any more?

BST: It’s more convenient, especially when it comes to booking recording sessions, or rehearsals. And it allows us to ask for smaller fees when booking shows. Appart from that, I have no issue working with foreigners. The main problem will always be that bands like us have limited budgets, so we have to keep things as simple as possible.

– As I said earlier, you have just released your newest album, entitled «The Sword and the Dagger». What are your expectations on this new opus?

BST: No real expectations. We’re happy with the album, with its musical and lyrical content. If people understand it, like it, that’s good for them… If some buy it, then it’s good for our label. At the moment the only hope I have is to be able to make something I’m proud of, and now as far as this project is concerned, it would be to do proper live rituals that render the music decently.

– The album title itself is quite epic. How do you think fits the musical and lyrical content on the album?

BST: A lot of attention was paid to having a coherent ensemble of tunes. We deleted two songs that were recorded but didn’t really go the same direction as the rest, and spent quite some time arranging things, making those interludes that bind the songs together, so it feels like a whole.

– And would you mind to elaborate a little bit on the artwork and how good depicts what this album is all about?

BST: It was made by a talented French artist named David Fitt, who’s known for his previous collaborations with Secrets of The Moon, Temple of Baal, Aosoth, amongst others… The front cover is a blend of genocide pictures and drawings of Abel and Caïn. The LP cover is a sigil that we conceived together. I wanted it to be a form of totalitarian war symbol based on the Orthodox crucifix, with the addition of a Hebrew « Alef » letter (Being the first letter of the name Abaddon, which in Greek is Apollyon). I wanted the Hebrew letter to have a swastika like shape, so it’s a very ambiguous symbol. This symbol sums up very well the idea behind the lyrical theme of the album. Boundless hatred, universal, human, and divine.

– This new «The Sword and the Dagger» deals with human instincts, intolerance, oppression and genocide. I guess there’s enough real life situations to take inspiration from unfortunately but, what do you base your lyrics upon? Where do you draw inspiration from?

BST: Obviously, our world, its past and its present, are constant sources of inspiration for me. I find the old scriptures most interesting as well. But all the current outlets of religious fanaticism and totalitarianism have been my main motivations to write. Beyond the fear they spread, I see in them a form of poetry and beauty. They are pure Death, the violation of all sacred things, and the victory of the God of Death over life.

– All this about «The Sword and the Dagger» being said; how could you describe it in just 3 words?