Finnish Black Metallers SATURNIAN MIST are about to release their debut-album, entitled ‘Gnostikoi Ha-Shaitan‘ on the 15th of December via Ahdistuksen Aihio Productions. ZT spoke to vocalist Famulus Zetekh:ZT: Can you tell us about the process of creation of ‘Gnostikoi Ha-Shaitan’ (more about the writing itself rather than the recording process). How did it differ from previous material?
Famulus Zetekh: The process of creation was a very holistic one. The concept was named ‘Gnostikoi Ha-Shaitan’ at a very early phase. It combines the ancient Greek word “Gnostikoi” (Capable of knowing) and Hebrew name of the archetypal Satan “Ha-Shaitan”. The main and most intensive era of creation was in 2008-2010, but the whole process began when Saturnian Mist were founded in 2005-2006, but some ideas needed time to mature, leading to a handful of smaller releases before the debut. ’08-’10 we literally worked 24/7, always holding true to the undercurrent of the themes on ‘Gnostikoi Ha-Shaitan’ and keeping a ‘practice what you preach’-approach. For us the rift between “band” and “everyday life” is nonexistent, this is key for personal exploration of the album itself. The themes, lyrics, journals and music found on the album were built in the delicate sense of paranoia and ferocious yearning for knowledge verified by our own experience. ‘Gnostikoi Ha-Shaitan’ differs from our earlier work largely in the quality of production and in the wideness of the album concept, both thematically and musically. Let the art speak for itself…”
ZT: Can you reveal us the concept behind the album? Is there a satanic undercurrent on the record? Either way, what (other) ideologies do you follow?
FZ: ‘Gnostikoi Ha-Shaitan’ is about Occultism, Satanism and the archetypal Satan. It deals with the questions behind the essence of Satan, essence of the Self, the archetypal world view, the essence of God and the meaning of existence in general. It is a portrait in theory and practice – whether to approach it philosophically, psychologically or religiously or not at all. It tells a journey that’s checkpoints are supposed to be the same to all who deal with these things – just with minor differences or ways of emphasis. Satanic undercurrent? It is the whole current. Our “ideology” is occultism if it can be referred as such (ideologies are limiting, occultism is not). We have many influential aspects in our works and life but mostly the movement of theistic Satanism; yet I should say that if it has a name it merely represents the tip of the iceberg and you can’t speak below the sealine…”
