– Hi John, thanks for taking your time. What’s keeping you musically busy right now?

Greetings, I’ve been working on the second Royal Arch Blaspheme album. I plan to have the music and artwork complete by the end of March.

– Your new piece, “Sickened by Holy Host” will soon hit the streets. First of all I would like you to tell us how did you come up with the idea of creating an “album” like this.

It was Paul’s idea. He wanted to try a different approach for this release and break the monotony of simply releasing another full length.

 

– And why to do it? What was your goal? As it’s a perfect piece for diehard fans.

It challenged us in a new way, especially in regards to the new songs. Normally when creating an album we go back and forth with ideas, so it’s built on a combined creative process. This album allowed Paul and I to have our own separate version of each song.

 

– This new work features many tracks, for instance there are the same titles twice, ones recorded by yourself and the others ones by Ledney. Why did you take this decision? And what are the main differences between both recordings? As drums and vocals are the same on all of them.

Paul recorded his part of the album as he heard it. He then gave me his drum and vocal tracks and asked me to create my own version without hearing any of his. The one rule was that it had to be within 20 minutes. I wanted to keep “As Tears of Blood Stain the Altar of Christ” close the 1992 version. In regards to “Jehovah Fading;” the first riff of the song was the last riff I wrote for Profanatica in 1992. I remember showing this riff to Ixithra in the studio while they where starting to record what would have been the first Profantaica album “The Raping Of The Virgin Mary.” Ixithra had the idea to drop the riff down a step when the drums came in, since I really liked that idea, I kept it in this version.

 

– We can also find 5 new songs which I think are still 100% PROFANATICA. When did you write these new songs? What can your fans expect from them?

I believe Paul recorded his in the spring of 2010. Mine where written and recorded in the Fall. A few months after I finished recording we started working on the 3rd Profanatica full length, which will be released later this year. The new album expands on the direction of the 5 new songs.

 

– You have included a medley of 5 songs. Would you please mind to elaborate a bit on this? Why those concrete tracks?

It was Paul’s idea to do the 5-song medley. The Grand Master Session was recorded in preparation for live performances we had planned later that year. The hymns are short and they have a similar feel. Blending them together keeps the aggressive feel of the songs going longer then if we where to pause in-between each one. It was great playing live.

 

– And finally, you have featured the whole “The Grand Masters Session” box set, is this a good way for people to get it? As this is the first time it has been released on CD.

Yes, this is the first time it’s available on CD. We have no plans to re-release this after these run out. The 7” style packaging is fucking killer! I still think the best way is the original box vinyl if you can find it. Hells Headbangers did amazing work on the packaging. I was truly impressed when I received my copy.

 

– And what could you tell us about the artwork? Have you prepared something special on the visual side as well? At least cover artwork looks as incisive as always.

Hells Headbangers are fucking pros! I’m always in awe of the shit they come up with. The work they’ve done with Sickened (both vinyl and CD) is even better then I anticipated. I’m sure there will be doing something special for the full-length release later this year.

 

– This work shows with all tracks, old and new, what builds up the PROFANATICA’s sound and personality but; how could you describe the band’s sound in just 3 words?

Unholy, Unclean, Blasphemous

 

– If I’m not mistaken, you joined the band in 2007 and, though the band was then around for some time, that same year you released your debut album, “Profanatitas de Domonatia”. Did you influence the band in any way to finally release a full-length effort or was everything already planned?

I first joined Profanatica in the fall of 1990 to record on the second demo Broken Throne of Christ. Prior to Profanatica Paul and I where in Toten (1986-1988), so was Aragon prior to Alex joining. We’ve all known each other for years, I met Aragon when I was 14. In 2005, I was working on a new Black Metal project “Aiwaz.” When I told Paul about it he offered to do vocals. Profanatica hadn’t been active since 2001. After further discussions I chose to dismantle the Aiwaz project and convinced Paul that it was time to release a Profanatica full-length album. A few of the riffs on “Profanatitas de Domonatia” came from the Aiwaz project including what would become Mocked, Scourged and Spit Upon.

 

– Later this year you will release the new PROFANATICA; what could you tell us about it? What direction will be heading to?

It’s the best thing we’ve done yet, its less doom and more ripping. I went back to standard tuning (instead of B tuning) which is how I tuned on the earlier recordings (1990-1992). Also the album is very raw, and very fast paced.

 

– And there will also be a new THE ROYAL ARCH BLASPEHEME’s album, your project with N. Imperial. Could you already tell us something about this upcoming record?

The second RAB album is very close to being competed. This new album is much different then the first. RAB is now a full band joining Neil and me are Alex Cox on bass and Blake Jones on drums. For this album I resurrected 2 older songs for the CD version. One contains a part of an old Toten song that was titled “Dreary Proximity” now titled “Vama-marga” the other “Resurrection of Depravity” was written in 2005 and pays homage to the early works of Quarthon, it has an early Bathory feel to it.

 

– This being said, what does PROFANATICA provide you RAB can’t and vice versa? How does one band compliment the other?

Profanatica is more of Paul’s project. While I’ve contributed riffs, lyrics, visual ideas, and even some complete songs over the 20 plus years, Paul has always had final say over the direction. In addition, Profanatica has a 20 plus year history. It’s important to me that any idea I bring to the table compliments all prior work.

With RAB I have complete control over how it’s defined and it’s path. While Profanatica provides a challenge to create hymns that could stand to those of its past, RAB challenges me to try new things and expand on my craft.

 

– And finally, what are your near-future plans?

Finish the new RAB album.

 

– That’s all from my side, thank you once more. Now feel free to add some final thoughts.

Praise to those who support.

Tania Giménez

tania@queensofsteel.com

 

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