Interview: Bornless Fire

Out of the ashes...

“Every move is a lesson in the music business, good and bad. However, all I can say is keep thick skin and always watch your back. There are too many leeches trying to drain your blood.”

Bornless Fire is the new industrial project from Kristof Bathory, better know as the driving force behind industrial-black metal outfit Dawn Of Ashes. Featuring members of Dawn of Ashes, Bile, and Carved Souls the project is a return to Bathory's early industrial sounds that characterised the initial years of DOA. This time however, Bathory returns to that style a battle-hardened veteran of the scene with a renewed vision and fire within him.
The band's debut album is scheduled for release in early 2018 via Metropolis Records, so we caught up with Bathory to talk about his motivations in revisiting a purer industrial sound and his inspirations behind the new project.

Intravenous Magazine: First of all how did the idea to create Bornless Fire as a band come about?

Kristof Bathory: For many years, I have had high demands that I do Industrial music again. After, the last Dawn of Ashes tour, the idea just happened while randomly listening to Hocico in the van. I started to think about the fans asking me when I would or if ever I would do this style of music again. Then, I came to terms that I am going to bring back an era of Industrial that has been buried and modernize it with my current skills.

IVM: The band features yourself along with members of Bile and Carved Souls as well, how did you go about recruiting them and are their contributions purely in a live capacity or are they actively writing?

KB: Its actually myself and Angel from Dawn of Ashes and members from Bile and Carved Souls. The recruiting happened by a tight friendship from me and Krz from Carved Souls. During the last DOA tour Brendin from Bile actually approached me in NYC and we bounced back thoughts about this idea. It just came into place perfectly.


IVM: The band's moniker has a strong sense of the Luciferian about it with allusions to the Bornless Ritual and The Black Flame. How did you come to settle on that name and how do you evoke it sonically?

KB: I wouldn't strictly classify it under "Luciferian", even though the symbol does have the sigil of Lucifer in it as a symbol of light. However, I would say it would be classified under various sects of the Left Hand Path. The name itself is derived from the "Bornless Ritual" that is from Greaco/Egyptian origins which the term "Bornless" actually means without a beginning. I then tied it in with the "Black Flame" to represent the divine spark that is within the evolution of human beings.

IVM: The band's Facebook page describes the genre as industrial/dark electro. With Dawn of Ashes evolving into a primarily black metal based sound over the years, how important is it for you to keep writing electronic music and will there be any similarities between the two projects?

KB: I think I made the decision to separate the two in order for DOA to move forward in the direction that it has been going and to give the fans that miss that old era of DOA something familiar but new. So to answer the question, I will always make Industrial music.


IVM:You're currently working on your debut album under the new moniker, what can listeners expect to hear on the album?

KB: An era of Industrial that has been dead and now it's time to dig up it's bones.


IVM: Names such as Suicide Commando, Grendel, and Tactical Sekt have been mentioned as remixers for the album, how important is it for you to maintain this practice with other artists?

KB: I felt that if I am going to make a come back with this, might as well have my old EBM pals back me up on it *Grin*.


IVM: How has the songwriting and recording process differed for Bornless Fire?

KB: Well, I am DIY-ing everything myself so I am in a portal messing with various alchemy ingredients and honestly loving it. No more pain in the ass / arrogant / self-entitled band members to tap on my shoulder every second which is a goddamn blessing.


IVM: Musically and thematically what have been your primary influences when recording the new album?

KB: Musically: Late 80s to early 2000 Industrial music. Thematically: My wisdom from the Left Hand Path and the crisis within the downfall of humanity.  

IVM: When can we expect the debut album to be released?

KB: The debut album will be released 1st quarter of 2018. Unfortunately, I can not reveal any further details until closer to that date.

IVM: Is there a title for the album (working or otherwise) that you can share with us yet?

KB: This info won't be revealed until sometime towards the end of this year.

IVM: The album is scheduled to be released through Metropolis records who also released the last few DOA albums. Did you entertain any other labels for Bornless Fire or was the plan always to stick with Metropolis?

KB: Metropolis Records immediately jumped on this once I told them about it. They are one of the largest Industrial labels so I felt that the album would be handled properly. Also, since there has been a high demand that I do Industrial again, I think the label knew it was something to invest into.

IVM: Can we expect to see Bornless Fire on the road anytime soon, and if so have you made any plans as far as the live presentation of the band?

KB: Probably looking around the same time when the album gets released. Bornless Fire features members of Dawn of Ashes, Bile, and Carved Souls so we have an amazing live lineup.

IVM: You've been involved in the music scene for a while now, what have been the hardest lessons you've had to learn and what advice would you give to new artists?

KB: Every move is a lesson in the music business, good and bad. However, all I can say is keep thick skin and always watch your back. There are too many leeches trying to drain your blood.

IVM: Finally is there anything you'd like to add?

KB: I'm very excited to jump into this again and I am looking forward to seeing all of the reactions.

Bornless Fire's as yet untitled album is slated for release via Metropolis Records in early 2018. To keep up-to-date with the band, including release dates and tour news, follow their official Facebook Page.  

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Review: Dawn Of Ashes – 'Daemonolatry Gnosis'

DAWN OF ASHES
'Daemonolatry Gnosis'
METROPOLIS RECORDS

After last year's spectacular return 'Theophany', it's good to see the Californian black metal / industrial outfit capitalise on their newly found momentum sooner rather than later. The result of which is another incendiary and heavy offering in the form of 'Daemonolatry Gnosis'. The symphonic elements this time are pushed to the fore while the black metal backbone is once again pushed harder than ever before.

The vocals are the most demonic too date and any resemblance to their earlier hellektro style is now 100% lost to time. There are still industrial elements floating within the electronic textures, but once again under the guiding hand of Anaal Nathrakh's Mick Kenny, the band continue to metamorphose into a more brutal and extreme incarnation.

The album is an unrelenting discourse in modern black metal. Sumptuous symphonic elements frame a core of blistering drums, violent guitars and throat wrenching vocals. Songs such as 'Gods Of The Antimonian Path', 'Guardians', 'Sermon From The Horned God', 'I Am Nephilim', 'Rulership Of The Inner World', and 'Magick For The New Aeon' provide the album with a solid metal back bone that shows a great leap forward in their song construction and execution. While tracks such as 'The Initiation', and 'The Ritual' provide nice, if short, counterpoints to the metallic mayhem with their sinister symphonic industrial construction building tension nicely.

The only track that doesn't really work is the pretty straight cover of Mayhem's 'Freezing Moon' which, while heavy in its execution, lacks a lot of the individual stylistic elements that makes the previous eleven tracks really pop. It may have faired better hidden after an outro that book-ended the core tracks to be discovered.

The production is nice and heavy. It's always great to see the signature of someone such as Kenny so perfectly interwoven with a band's sound so as to create something big and bold in its own right. 'Daemonolatry Gnosis' picks up pretty much where 'Theophany' left off, but pushes everything harder and faster this time round.

This is a big step, perhaps even a milestone in the development of the band. Whereas 'Theophany' was an exciting and visceral push forward, 'Daemonolatry Gnosis' is a consolidation of their intent into a focused and brutal assault. Dawn Of Ashes are very much a black metal beast now. And while it would be interesting to see how they reconcile their older sounds moving forward, it is safe to conclude that if they can continue on this path and incorporate that previous progressive and experimental mindset of their early work, then there should be no limit for Dawn Of Ashes.  

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Review: Dawn Of Ashes – 'Theophany'

DAWN OF ASHES
'Theophany'
METROPOLIS RECORDS

Three years on from the band's last – and for a time it was thought final – album 'Anathema, Californian industrial black metal outfit Dawn Of Ashes return with their heaviest assault to date. The break must have reinvigorated the fire in the band's collective guts as their latest outing, and second release for Metropolis Records, hits hard and fast with a blistering blend of aggrotech influenced industrial and necro black metal pushing the band to the extremities of their sound.

The aggression is front and centre to hammer home the band's now familiar blend of horror and occult themes. Searing symphonic and hellektro leads crash into maniacal guitars and thunderous drums while vocalist Kristoff Bathory hisses like a demon crawling from out of the abyss.

Tracks such as 'Tribe Of Chemosh', 'Still Born Defect (The New Breed)', 'Fire Of The Phoenix', 'Bleeding Perfection', and their cover of Nine Inch Nails' 'Last' personify the band's renewed intensity effectively and keep a strong core to the album that sees it hurtle past at break-neck speed.

While the likes of 'Rise Of The Ancient East', 'Malleus Maleficarum (The Hammer Of The Witches)', and 'Valhalla' explore the more symphonic and soundscape orientated side of the band's songwriting to add more depth to the aggression.

The production is thick and heavy. The band have been ably steered by the experience of Mick Kenny (Anaal Nathrakh) who combines the band's catchy electro leanings with their all-out aggression with ease to find a balance that will appeal to long-time fans as well as those just coming to the band.

This is a great album that sees the band at their most ferocious in years. The harder metal core still holds dominance over the band's sound, however the electronics are balanced quite nicely so as still to keep their industrial legacy intact. Hopefully the band will maintain this energy into a follow-up sooner rather than later.  

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