- Since Imynvokad is probably still unknown to most, let's start with the usual stuff: a short history of the band. Is this your first band/project and are you involved in others?
Imynvokad began solely as my own project. At the time, I was in a new city, and a good portion of my time had been devoted to reading, practice, et cetera. Ideas started to incubate in my Spirit, and after conversing with a friend of mine, I decided to begin a project under the name of 'Imynvokad'. After releasing a demo, someone asked me if Imynvokad would like to perform. I didn't object, and I came across a very competent drummer who is now a full-time member of Imynvokad.
Currently, I am not involved in any other projects. However, that is looking as though it will change soon. I am collaborating with another right now, getting ideas hammered down for another project, but Imynvokad shall have precedence over all.
- I know that you're not fond of band names that don't have a meaning. So, where does the name Imynvokad come from?
Austin Osman Spare wrote extensively about the 'Alphabet of Desire'. In chaos
magick, it is a means by which one manifests one's ultimate Will into a sigil or
a phrase, and by means of gnosis, causes that avatar of the Will to bloom into
reality. 'Imynvokad', therefore, is a sigil of the Will of myself - that is, the
Will to invoke the Shadow, which is the Darkness of the Soul and gate through which
the Aethyric powers birth themselves onto this plane. It is, literally, the Summoning
of the Shades of the Void.- What first caught my attention was the sigil of Imynvokad. Is there a special meaning to it? It appeared to me that more or less all of the letters of the name Imynvokad can be found in the sigil, was this intentional? Also there are a lot of symbols hidden in the logo, are they closely related to Imynvokad's concept?
The Sigil of Imynvokad is, again, the visual manifestation of the Will of the project, which is to summon the Shadow. A study into chaos magick will reveal how the Alphabet of Desire coincides with a certain sigil. As far as the logo is concerned, all the symbols are closely related to Darkness and the Void, and thus represent the Will of Imynvokad.
- What bands inspire you for making your music? Only Black Metal bands or also other music? What other music do you like?
I try not to let any bands particularly inspire me, but rather, I attempt to become an avatar for the energies that currently exist. I heard it stated once that, 'Black Metal is black magick, only in musical form.' I strive to achieve that, and therefore attempt to channel the music as a form of sorcery, rather than an attempt to make something superficially.
However, I do find myself listening to other forms of music. Classical music has always held a special place in my heart. I also enjoy the more 'gothic' forms of music, like some of the stuff from the 80s. Anything that adequately captures the essence of the Dark catches my attention. Neo-folk, ambience, industrial, et cetera, all strike me as something striving to reach beyond itself, and thus holds a certain interest in me…
- You will also play live in a few months, will the live members be full members from now on or merely live session members? Will they also contribute to the music or are you despotic bandleader?
The drummer is permanent, and after the show we will see how the second guitarist fits in. I think that both add a certain necessary element to the band, as they bring a different yet unified perspective to the nature of Imynvokad. As of now, their contribution is very helpful, although I am still holding the 'forefront' as the leader of the band. Time will reveal, however, how these things will come into fruition…
- I know you study the writings of several occult writers. How important do you think this is with Black Metal? Is it good enough that bands are just hateful, depressed…? And what with bands that just use the word occult because it has gotten an evil connotation (which seem to be many)?
As I mentioned above, I hold to the idea that Black Metal is black magick. It is a form of sorcery that shouldn't be taken lightly. Hatred and depression are helpful tools, but without a certain esoteric direction, they will remain only depression and hatred. While there is nothing wrong with that, I personally strive to tap into that which ever surpasses humanity. Unfortunately, many bands have attached the word 'occult' to their music just to gain a certain respect amongst others. However, there is a very distinguishable sound between the works of true occultists and the works of those who attempt to fake or mimic certain sounds and tones. There is a sincerity that cannot be duplicated. And that is to be expected, for how can a mortal being imitate the infinite?
- Could you maybe also elaborate a bit on which path(s) especially attract(s) your attention?
Personally, I am very attracted to the more orthodox Luciferian worship. I guess you could say that my stance is more or less influenced heavily by chaognosticism. The wisdom of early fetish cults particularly appeals to me, especially in regards to the psycho-sexual currents of the human body in relation to the Sephiroth and Qliphoth. For that reason, the more feminine spiritual currents arouse my attention notably. The avatars of Lilith and her children appeal to me greatly.
- Was it the music that turned your sight towards alternative/adverse paths of spirituality, or was it rather your own adverse spirituality that caused you to search for fitting music?
I believe it was a combination of the two. In the music, I understood my own personal views more acutely; for it was through the music that I came to understand the calling of the Void. But adversely, it was through the Calling that I came about the music.
Personally, I feel that it is a more elite thing. The Darkness does not call to all; however, through careful alignment of the Spirit with the ideology of Left Hand Path ideologies, it can become easier to discern whether or not one is called. It never hurts, though, to seek out the Path on one's own…
- Do you think the later spiritual evolution and interest in paths that lead one away from the flock can be traced back to childhood?
For me, it can be traced back to my childhood. The bible has a bit of truth when it says that the sins of the parents shall fall upon the children, heh. Both of my parents were involved in some very light occult activities, but of course it scared them into becoming Christians (it is, to be sure, the religion of the weak). I feel that their opening up to the occult current attached a certain mindset that followed down the bloodline. It makes sense, as I have always had a rather fierce interest in occult subjects. I remember reading through my father's collection of books about the occult; and as biased as they were, I gleaned a bit of truth from them. Something about the 'forbidden knowledge' has always appealed to me in a way that has surpassed my own understanding.
- I'm under the impression that mainly the USA spawns more seriously studied occult Black Metal bands (going from old bands as Absu, Bloodstorm… to newer ones as Nightbringer, Legions of Astaroth and you). Have you got any idea why that could be?
Being that we are a markedly Western society, Christianity, in one form or another, has held a very firm grip upon us. America especially is very Christianised, and one need not even breathe a prayer or step into a church or even believe in god to be prey to that mentality. It is an ideology, a mindset that has a very firm hold in American mentality since the inception of the 'United States.' Writers like Nietzsche and Evola have understood this, and written vehemently against it, because it is a very detrimental ideology, especially when an entire nation is built upon it. I believe that such a repression of natural instincts and natural spirituality has led to the growing interest in 'alternative' ideologies - namely, the occult. It could seem almost reactionary from a certain perspective, but I feel that it is a very natural progression for those who know the Calling and are not fooled by the degenerative neo-spiritualism that pervades Western culture.
- The occult and the Left Hand Path doesn't only deal with evil things. Do you care whether your lyrics are "evil" or do you just write about what you feel like as long as it fits in the occult context of Imynvokad?
As I progress in my own spirituality and attempt to mirror the Void, what results is the essence of that Darkness. Imynvokad is, by its nature, the manifestation of 'evil'. It is Darkness, it is the rising up of the Shadow, and the Herald of the Beast. It is only natural that it should be, for before there was Light, there was Darkness, and after the Light ceases, there will be Darkness. I attempt only to be a Gate for the Eternal. So naturally, what comes from Imynvokad is evil, but at the same time it transcends that duality and simply 'is'. The occult has never been something that is happy and nice like publishing companies such as Llewellyn try to make it out to be. The occult is dark, the occult is unfriendly, the occult is opposition, and most of all, the occult is POWER. Imynvokad seeks to ensorcell that power and hold it as its own.
- Do you see any right of existence in Left Hand Path orders? One argument some people have against it, is that it's paradoxal to be in an order/group, when the focus is on oneself.
I do not see anything wrong with Orders existing; however, I do feel that they are not for all occultists. Personally, I feel a drawing towards the more traditional coven - a small circle of like-minded brethren gathering together as a cult to bring about something beyond themselves. One can still focus intently on oneself and still be focused on the work of the cult.
- Do you have the feeling you've got to hide your believes in every day life? It was just the USA that said that Belgium isn't tolerant enough on religion because small groups are declared as being sects too fast. This while I always thought that a lot of people in the USA are still fanatic Christians and not too tolerant for non-christians…
Being in the USA, one is indeed pressured to hide certain 'unacceptable' beliefs. The irony of the whole thing, though, is that America tries to uphold the image of being 'liberal' and 'tolerant' and whatever other mindless vomit they feed to the sheep. But it is very oppressive against non-Christian ideologies. That just speaks clearly about the contradictory nature of the herd instinct. They are all a bunch of weak hypocrites who cannot handle anything beyond their own lifestyle and ideology of comfort. However, I do not hide my beliefs, for what good is a candle kept out of sight?
- Every normal person would probably tell you "isn't all that is wrong in the world in the world the fault of the dark side?" Your reaction?
Every normal person is a part of the herd. All that is 'wrong' in the world is actually the fault of the herd, because they are led around by their noses into anything anyone with true power wills. They are offended by things like death, murder, war, pain, and suffering, because it upsets their shell of comfort; so of course they are going to blame all the ills of the world on things they don't agree with. But what they fail to understand is that all these 'evils' are really just methods by which nature eradicates the unwanted aspects of life. The strong survive, and the weak perish. That is the way of nature. People who cannot catch onto that are stupid and weak.
- If you say that reality is how you perceive it, doesn't this incline that madhouses should be empty?
It does. The 'insane' are seldom understood, because they deviate from the norm that society in all its weakness has constructed. Whether one is truly 'mad' or just experiencing things on a different level is not for anyone to really decide, for how can anyone tell me that I do not see what I see?
Empty the madhouses! Let them run about and subject society to their ways of lust, murder, and complete immoral debauchery. Anyone who follows that path is truly strong, for to shake off the constraint of conventional morality is a step towards power.
- If all men would do whatever they wanted and all would loose the bonds of morality, would there still be a possibility for a society to exist? I don't mean a society as we know today, but would there still be a place for the things that are part of nowadays society you like (fill in for yourself what this should be)?
If all men did such, we would see them gravitating to certain groups. There would of course be much war, but what is wrong with that? It is the way of nature. Society as we know it would fall apart, and a new order would come about that would be entirely alien to our comfortable way of thinking. I think that the negation of morality is a step in ultimate human enlightenment. Right now, we are in the Age of Horus - a warring age, an age of atheism and material understanding. But to break free from all of that, we will begin to find ourselves leaving the Kali Yuga and entering the Age of Baphomet, in which only the 'aristocrats of the soul' and pure of spirit will survive.
- Isn't it strange to see that it is often those with a dark mindset that have respect for wild nature?
At first glance, it would seem so. But if you take into account the essence of wild nature - the process that is both creation and destruction, life and death, war and peace - you start to see how that isn't too different from what those of a dark mindset envision as to what the world should be. Nature is pure, and unadulterated by the social diseases that comprise human creation.
- Should mankind extinct or is there still hope for something better? And how large a population would you allow on this planet?
I would not have any problem with humanity going extinct, because it will happen at some point. But until then, things like war, death, and disease will continue to eat away at the corruption of human society, and even within the society itself we will always have warring factions in which the strong come out on top. And that is all we can hope for: that the strong flourish, and that the Age of Baphomet brings with it the esoteric knowledge that is eternal and unending.
- Lastly, please give a (short) reaction to these various subjects:
Heavy Metal: Entertaining, but still falls a bit short of what I'd like in music.
George W. Bush: A tool, more or less. He represents Western morality and ideology, which must be destroyed and fought against whatever the cost.
Politics in general: All politics are byproducts of human waste. I do not focus too intently on politics; however, occult fascism seems to appeal to me, as it is part esoteric and part political. Everything else is filth.
Ouroboros: The cyclic pattern of nature and spirit. The endless repetition of death and birth and death and rebirth.
Gathering of Shadows: An understanding and manifestation of the cult spirit of black metal. There is a strength in our small numbers, and the covens that stand in Kameradschaft with each other shall be key in bringing about the birth of the void.
Paganism: A perversion of elemental ideas, but still deserving of some respect, if only in the sense that it is anti-monotheistic and anti-christian.
Orthodox Devil Worship: It holds a special place in my heart, to be sure. I find it interesting, the similarities between all the primal gods and demons, and the possibility of tracing it all back to the force that is Satan.
Hexentanz: An excellent project! The idea behind it is interesting as well, since the Witches' Sabbat has always been a bit of an obsession on my part.
- Please enlighten us with some future plans. Also, if you feel so, any last words, contact addresses…
We are currently working on a full-length album, and are hoping to have that done soon. But you cannot rush the Great Work.
May the world be filled with disease and pestilence
May the ashes of God's kingdom be the foundation for the New Empire
May Darkness consume the very last spirit of the very last man, so that humanity shall forever be forgotten.
The Night is eternal.
Contact: sunovtiphareth@gmail.com