The Russian Metal scene gathers many bands we are not used to mention in our areas, and easily gather with their neighbours of Belarus and Ukraine. Some older Death Metal bands, as Tales Of Darknord, and Black Metal as Raven Dark, Nokturnal Mortum and side projects (Astrofaes, Munruthel, Lucifugum...), as well as newer bands like Hate Forest, Black Death, Alkonost, Butterfly Temple, Legion666 and IQ form a diversified and solid Black Metal scene worth of all our attention.
   Ithdabquth Qliphoth or IQ to make it easier, is one of these Russian Black Metal bands, that gathered in 2001 and presented their first full length, "Demonic Crown of Anticreation" in 2002 on Misanthropic Propaganda productions (Belarus).
   IQ play a primitive and cold Black Metal with intense atmospheres and a very catchy guitar sound that adds a huge depth to the minimalist compositions.
   IQ is composed of by AL-LA-ShT-ORR and Adramelech, and their hermetic name is extracted from the Qabbalah, AL-LA-ShT-ORR presents here Ithdabquth Qliphoth path and evolution.

 – Hi AL-LA-ShT-ORR, honoured to get you here to unveil a bit more about your band and as well the Russian scene that we rarely refer to when it comes to Black Metal. Do you think it's because of the geography, the difference of language or the lack of a proper promotion?

 – Heil! It would be great if Black Metal in general become a thing really rarely refered to, and geographical position doesn't matter.
   "Russian scene" is not worthy to be presented even on a gay porno site.
   Note please, that Ithdabquth Qliphoth is not a part of any scene, be it Russian or any other.

 – To begin with the name of your band, as Russian is a rather abrupt language that is not readable nor understandable in our areas, I never succeed to spell Ithdabquth Qliphoth properly, but as the music is highly worth a listen I so reduced to the name to IQ, does it still embody correctly your band and could you explain us the meaning and choice of this name?

 – Ha ha, do you really think that "Ithdabquth" and "Qliphoth" are Russian words? As you mentioned above, my band's name is extracted from Qabbalah, so it is in Hebrew language of course (but transliterated into Latin alphabet). And I think it's not a problem to spell it properly: "idapkUt klifOt". The band's name is Unsacred and Occult Symbol that creates the functional athmosphere so I really dislike your reducing to IQ. As for name's meaning, try to penetrate thy mind with the following words:
   When Evil Serpent of ye Tree falleth, He embrac'd Malkuth and channel'd it to Qliphoth... Sephirah Malkuth is link'd to Hell of inverted Sephiroth also known as Qliphoth or Evil Demons... That is why ye lowest point of Malkuth toucheth Qliphoth, this is Ithdabquth Qliphoth, Ye Qliphotic Adhention…

 – When did you begin to play Black Metal and is IQ the first band you played with? When did the members of IQ gather and could you present us the actual line up of the band?

 – Ithdabquth Qliphoth is the only band worth to be mentioned. It is the beginning of my "musical career", ha. It was founded in the very end of 2001 anno bastardi. About half a year ago Adramelech was replaced by Xefinrakh, person much more suitable for Ithdabquth Qliphoth, he is really fucking great composer and guitar player (and he is mentally sick of course).
   So, the actual line up is: AL-LA-ShT-ORR – bass, vocal, drums, qliphotic poetry; Xefinrakh – guitars.

 – IQ use programmed drums, does it fit the sound and feel you wanted to deliver in IQ releases, or are IQ looking for a "real" drummer for their future outputs?

 – Raw programmed drums fit the sound of "Demonic Crown of Anticreation" very well. On the second Ithdabquth Qliphoth's output there will be live drums performed by me, I suppose.

 – You participated in the Misanthropic Propaganda Productions compilation "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum", a compilation presenting 10 UG and larger bands from East Europe and Scandinavia playing Pagan, raw or harsh Black Metal (http://reviews.demonichorde.com). You played "Succubus' Black Tongue", a track except from your first full length released on the same label. Is it your first participation into a compilation or did IQ already provide official or unreleased tracks to other UG releases?

 – This was our first participation. Ithdabquth Qliphoth is a very young band and we're not highly interested in musical underground activity.

 – "Demonic Crown of Anticreation" is your first full length, composed of 6 outstanding tracks of primitive Black Metal. 2 tracks are in Russian and executed on a catchy mid tempo, 2 tracks are instrumental, and 2 tracks are in English and played in a rawer and faster style. Could you present us better this album, and the different titles composing it?

 – The album was recorded in period of 2-4 January 2002 anno bastardi at Adramelech's home "studio". It is not conceptual album, but it's a kind of Satanic Magickal diary, both musically and lyrically, in straight True Black Metal style. As for presenting titles, well, let me do it in song-to-song way (for the first and the last time):
Mundi Vesper (The World's Evening – lat.): primitive and raw guitar instrumental filled with pre-Apocalyptic and Suicidal feelings. The beginning of the End.
Paroxysm of Spiritual Chaos: track in Russian about my astral experience of self dissolution.
Succubus' Black Tongue: detailed report of my contact with succubus, expressed in poetically encoded form. Musically – the most old stylish tune of the album.
Nyarlathotep: the Russian translation of fragment extracted from Al Azif Liber Logaeth text. Hymn to Crawling Chaos. Slow, Dark, monotonous.
Demonic Crown of Anticreation: Anthem to Total Apocalyptic Annihilation reflected through my Tantric and self-torture spiritual experience. The most successful accordance between musical and lyrical forms.
Lux Tenebriis (The Light of Darkness – lat.): Cold and supreme guitar instrumental. Nonexistence. The End.

 – The grim vocals and the marked and catchy guitar sound add much emphasis to the compositions that keep a dry and raw sound but a very melodic feel along the whole album. You released this album without any rehearsal, are some parts purely improvised and is the research of a proper sound important for IQ?

 – There was some improvisation in intro. The research of a proper sound is important for Ithdabquth Qliphoth, but it has nothing common with so-called trivial "musical development". Our second album will show what I mean crystal clear.

 – Some of your compositions remind at times of older old school bands like earlier Darkthrone, even slightly Burzum in the instrumental parts. What are the bands you that inspirited you or that you listen to or appreciate nowadays?

 – Yes, we were influenced by early Darkthrone and Burzum (the best of well-known BM bands) in our 1'st album. But I don't listen only to Black Metal. Such ASM-friendly electronix as Hallucinator, Aphex Twin, Mlada Fronta, Speedy J and S:D are my favourite tools of mind-raping and extatical self-exploration. Also I appreciate harshnoise, dark folk, dark ambient and ritual folk stuff a lot. Not to forget such timeless masters as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Manowar.

 – You're inspired by the Qabbalah, the great old ones, could you unveil some of your personal values and beliefs?
   You also notice that the track "Nyarlathotep" is taken from Al Azif' manuscript Liber Logaeth. This document, originally presented by John Dee, is related to the Cthulhu Mythos and inspired H. P. Lovecraft for writing his Necronomicon. Are these writings important references for your inspirations and writing IQ music?

 – The fact that Ithdabquth Qliphoth performs Black Metal unveils my values and beliefs quite clear, and there's really no need to talk a lot about it.
   Necronomicon symbolizes the Black Grail, the Absolute Lore of Darkness. Al Azif, Lovecraft's and some other writings are emanations of its energies in material yet artistic plan. Of course, these writings are important for me, but the existence of authentic Necronomicon in a shape of material book is nonsense...

 – Are texts, mythology and writing your principal source of inspiration and interest, or do you draw your inspiration from other aspects of life, experiments, art or thoughts? What are your own thoughts about (anti)religion?

 – I am interested in Aleister Crowley, Kenneth Grant, some Tantric and Qabbalistic writing a lot, but the true inspiration takes place only if my knowledge is crystalized through practical work. Also a great spiritual inspiration can be drawn out from marijuana and hashish overdosing, the thing that I practise quite often now.
   True religion is the Abyss of mind and means fanatism. I am absolutely religious person. I am .:.SATAN.:.ist.

 " – From where are you going?
 – From Fire Eternal.
 – Where are you going?
 – To Fire Eternal".
   Sufficit.

 – Who in the band writes the lyrics? You wrote some titles in Russian and some in English, why this duality and in which language do you prefer to write your lyrics?

 – Ithdabquth Qliphoth belongs to me, so I am the author of all the lyrics and the guardian of band's conception.
   Language duality of "Demonic Crown of Anticreation" was natural for my creative power for that time. All the lyrics of Ithdabquth Qliphoth's second album shall be in Latin, and this is the language in which I prefer to write my Hellish Litanies.

 – You are originally from Russia and released your first full length on MPP, an UG label from Belarus, any reasons to this choice?

 – I am not originally from Russia but from Belarus. I just lived (and still live) in Russia for many years. And Belarusian underground is the best of those of CIS states. These facts plus the interference of Chaotic Powers were the reasons to this choice.

 – This first full length is released on a pro CD-r, limited to 500 ex., also available on tape format, why this choice?
   Do you think CD-r format is an important format in the UG and for the collector, and do these releases deserve as much care as an official or CD release?

 – I haven't understood what's wrong with CD-r format? CD-r is obviously better than the tape. And it's seems really strange for me that tape format is still alive.

 – Is there a good Metal scene in Russia and which is the most active country, Russia, Belarus or Ukraine when it comes to Black Metal?
   What are the bands you appreciate or support from your areas, the bands we should also discover as very infos are available in our areas?

 – Russian metal scene is certainly the most shitty one in the world (maybe only the scene from Ukraine can compete with it, he he). Dumb teenagers, pacifists, lobotomized, mongolized and jewish "NS" "aryans", life-loving hippie pagan bitches and so on and on and on. I prefer to stay away from such a shit. True Black Metal had never taken part in any "scene" for It dwelleth much deeper.
   I don't want to advertise any bands, but I think that releases of Belarusian label Possession prod. and of course of Misanthropic Propaganda should be checked out by everyone interested in true UG.

 – The layout of this album is bare and dark, with silver texts, display lyrics both in English and Russian, and the statement "Unholy War Against Humanity…". Is it a nazi skull adorning the front cover?

 – The front cover is adorned with Enneagram (the Lunar nine-pointed star) and Mooncrowned Totenkopf (the Dead Head, it's not a nazi symbol here, it symbolizes human Death in its purest form). As for nazi ideology, I hail all that brings Destruction and Death and sows the seeds of Chaos amongst the human herd, but I think that humans that live in Kali Yuga don't have any kind of "pure aryan blood"; racial and national identity is crushed by pre-Apocalyptic mixing. It's not strange to see muslims or jews in so called nsbm and oi! bands (especially if talking about CIS "scene"). Hail Chaos, ye Veil of Nonexistence!

 – Are they some Heathen or NS bands you appreciate and do you have any thoughts about bands that also mark their ideologies in their releases?

 – I can appreciate some Heathen or NS bands only if their music is really outstanding, and only for their music, not ideology. The only acceptable ideology (better to be said Religion) is .:.SATAN.:.ism. The others should be (and will be) slayed.

 – A quote from "The Prince" (N. Machiavelli – 1513) says "Here a question arises: whether it is better to be loved than feared, or the reverse. The answer is, of course, that it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved...". Do you have enemies and what do you really hate in life?

 – Of course, being feared is much better than being loved. My enemy is creator, and his tree of life is what I really Hate (not only in life). Sufficit.

 – Did you already get some response abroad for your first full length, and are you satisfied by this first album?

 – The only "official" response I've seen is the one of your site. I am absolutely satisfied with the first album, it means one more step into Darkness, ensounded in Black Metal tunes.

 – Are IQ working on their upcoming releases, what can we expect from the band in the near future?

 – There were enough announcements in my answers (maybe too many even). There's something you can expect from the band in the nearest future, and it shall be the most authentic and terrifying Black Metal work I've ever dealed with thus far.

 – I thank you for this dialogue, be sure of my support, I let you add the last comments and useful info.

 – By the words and by the signs all powers are awakened. Die!
   WE MUST DESTROY THE EXISTENCE OF FUCKING PEOPLE AND THE FUTURE FOR FUCKING CHILDREN. SUPPORT 14 WORDS PROPAGANDA IN BLACK METAL!
   .Shugal et Choronzon Ignem procreant.
   .DCLXVI.AL-LA-ShT-ORR.MDXLIII.

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