Christopher Szpajdel (2001)

1 - Hail, Chris... That shadows always welcome your inspiration to a higher
level... Being a part of the underground scene as a graphic artist ( and
more ) for so many years, has made you meet numerous projects and persons...
Do you think nowadays everything is going for the better ( has the
underground a future? ) or do you sometimes think that the more mainstream
approach of certain bands, is ruining what can be called true underground
spirit?

Well, my inspiration level is going higher but I also would like to reach
many higher levels, not only for the metal circle but also for some
non-metal individuals, like even tattoos, artworks and graphic decorations
in the medieval style. I am pretty much interested in the baroque style and
everyday I am exploring some new styles. Everyday there is a new stream of
inspiration.by the way, I am listening to the new Belphegor album
Necrodaemon Terrorsathan » and it is killer ! Mainstream approach of
cerrtain bands.no but labels are ruining the real underground. Take the
example of these losers from BlackEnd/Plastic Head who are the biggest
opprobrium of the whole underground. The boss behind the label does Black
Metal releases only to make some easy money. Look, he is totally into such
crap as Green Day, Limp Bizkit, Dog Eat Dog and he signs a few excellent
bands to kill them. Take the example of ENTHRONED album « Armoured Bestial
Hell » which has more than one year of delay while it has been recorded. It
was planned to be out in March, now it won't be out before april 28th while
I was planning the show on the march 17th for the official CD release party.
Instead on the 4th of may I will plan the INFERNAL LEGION cd release party.
It is an excellent thrash/death metal band from Belgium and their long
awaited debut album will be released through LSP company (ex-Shiver records
linked with the Biebob). The true underground spirit is based upon
cooperation, collaboration and mutual help, creating a kind of family.
Everyone should help eachother, dialogue and exchange services in the
underground. Bands who come from far are especially in need to play a lot of
gigs in Europe. I especially mean the brazilian bands DESCEREBRATION,
ABOMINATTION, IMPERIOUS MALEVOLENCE, QUEIRON, NECROTERIO, FUNERATUS and more
who are planning to come over Europe. They really need to play a lot of gigs
and I do my best to help them.
>
>2 - What fascinates you the most when you observe the world around you? Do
you get your inspiration from themes beyond the physical boundaries of time
and space or do you sometimes are inspired by your own soul or what a
certain musical atmosphere provides you? Do you have some strange and eerie
story to tell us about when you were doing a certain logo?

I am very much passionned and fascinated by the natural surroundings, the
wildness and the mighty forces of nature, especially in the mountains, then
also the architecture of ancient monuments but also the futuristic ways of
technology. As well as movies and the charm and beauty of women ! Sometimes
I am myself inspired by a personal state of mind or the presence of a
person, especialy if it is a woman, women have a very important influence to
me and I always feel like a kind of creative energy growing in myself when
female arms embrace and caress me though I havn't the support, love,
understanding, tenderness from a girlfriend around me. Weird and unexplained
matter of fact, I am still single and lonely. Musical ambiances are linked
with states of mood and even the dialogue I have during I draw a logo may be
a drastic external factor to my creativity influenced. Eerie experiences
when drawing a logo were when I was climbing on the Pico mountain, on the
island of the same name, in the Azores. In that time I sat down to draw the
logo of a portuguese band named Obscenus. They are from São Miguel but now
it is been some years the band split up. Pity because this band was really
great and they perfectly recreated the mood of the Azorean scene. During my
stay in the Azores, I became very familiar to the scene and I was used to
meet quite often bandmembers from Sanctimoniously, Obscenus, Luciferian
Dementia, God Sin, CHC, Morbid Death, Classic Rage, Carnification ; Not a
big scene, unfortunately and very few concerts. It's like confinement ; in
another hand, the Azores are really great islands, so pure and so
fascinating when it goes to nature. I kept an excellent memory until today.
On these islands I managed to create some very original logos, mostly for
portuguese bands as I was on the ideal ground.
>
>3 - Which are the bands that mean a great deal for you in musical and
thematic terms? Regarding literature, which are the authors that were
decisive in your intelectual and spiritual growth?

When it goes to bands, I am extremely open minded as I listen to many
different styles of metal and not only. It goes from
atmospheric/ambient/darkwave like Visage, Gary Numan to extreme death metal
madness like Incantation, Mayhem, Darkthrone, Demoncy, Grog, Genöcide,
Krisiun, Rebaelliun, Terrorizer but I am mostly sitting into bands like King
Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Sodom, Darkthrone, Mayhem, Iron Maiden, Iron Angel,
Decayed, At the Gates, Sarcofago, Desaster, Asphyx, Thanatos (NL, the
godfathers of european thrash/death metal), old Kreator, Destruction, Iron
Angel..
The most important bands for me are from the Brazilian scene. Especially
these playing intense death metal but also straight forward black metal or
mysterious dark metal. Every band from south america has its own charm and
it is hard to describe them. I already saw and accompanied on tour bands
like Krisiun, Rebaelliun, Imperious Malevolence, Hibria, Descerebration who
came from Brazil to Europe in view to spread their unholy metal spirit over
here. Rebaelliun had the biggest success so far as they are simply brazil's
finest ! Authors of my interests are Stephen King, he is simply the master
of horrors and thrillers, especially Carrie, Cujo, The Shining, Misery. I
like quite a lot Quentin Tarantino for his masterpiece Pulp Fiction. As for
culture I appreciate the numerous books of Camões which is a portuguese
classic. He linked the medieval charm and the renaissance with his very
personal way of writing sonnets and poetry.
When it goes to litterature, I truly prefer a good, intricate, high-tension
suspense or thriller or adventure through vast landscapes but I don't have
too much time to read. Sometimes I go to watch a good movie like Sphere, a
good thriller/suspense/horror as well as a deep sensual erotic movie but no
lowclass, second rate porno/gore. When it goes to inspiration, the best
place is to be in the middle of the action. Real things counts for me.with
sometimes a possible bridge to the virtual but NOT on the internet or the
chat. It's purely virtual, Only real meetings with people count. Discussion
with people are much more enriching and can bring me much more influence
than reading or watching TV, except some documentaries of high
interests.scientific, discoveries, social aspects and even so, to be on the
field counts much more than behind the screen.

>4 - Beeing in contact with many individuals in the underground you must
have come across with diferents beliefs... What is your life's philosophy?
Do you think one can live without believing in anything superior to all
(without any religious belief, I mean ), simply wandering towards the
unknown, finding in everything that lies beyond the curtain of knowledge, a
reason to live another day? Should everyone find it's own philosophy rather
than sticking to what others have thought since centuries ago?

It's a matter of fact I came across of a lot of individuals since 1987 and
some are really memorable like Bob from Asphyx, Stefan from Thanatos,
Gunther from Ancient Rites.all of them have their unique touch of humor. The
real ones still remain in contact while the mindless ones pass away by
themselves. What I appreciate are mature people who know what they want and
that is also what I expect from women I hope to meet in the near future
; I am still single and I believe a lot in Nostradamus, the destiny and I am
very interested in any kind of occultism, science, astrology.finally I
believe in myself above everything. My life's philosophy is mostly based on
real personal experiences I endured during the last years. A superior is
needed in the first steps of exploring a new domain but sooner or later this
superior starts to be embarasssing, especially on the moment you are trying
to surpass yourself. On that step your own inuitive feeling is the best
guide you could ever have. That is the crucial moment when you transgress
the imposed laws by your guide and you start to follow your own native
instincts. Everytime I tried to listen to someone, I did some major mistake.
I can take in count some constructive critics or suggestions but NOT trying
to change to please someone, reason why I am still what I am. I hope there
are some women who are able to appreciate me for what I AM and not for how
they would like to see me. Behind the curtain of knowledge there are a lot
of strange secrets you will never know about. Thoughts from the past century
should serve as a lesson to the future generations and year to come. So it's
needless to stick to a past philosophy if it didn't work out. From
Generation to another, the mentality is changing and what was valid years
ago doesn't fit the actual breed. The evolution of philosophy is based upon
wounds and still changes along with the ages. Being 30, I really evolved and
now I know what I want and I expect the same from a woman which would like
to unite her forces with me.
>
>5 - How long ago did you draw the first logo for an underground project?
What did you felt back then? Do you still feel the same nowadays when doing
a logo for a band or other underground project or is it just getting the job
done? What were the most known projects through the years and recent ones to
which you did a logo for?

I did the first real logo in the fall of 1988, it was for a comp tape called
Morbid Noise. 8 volumes have been released and the last one is dated from
1992. For bands, the first official logos made were for Disgrace (fin),
Emperor (nor) and Filii Nigrantium Infernalium (from the mighty Lusitania
!). In that time, doing a logo was something really exciting and bringing me
adrenaline. With this suspense the band will grow and make my name big in
the scene like it happened for Emperor. These bands for who I was drawing by
these time had a very weird history. Now I get really such a big demand
from new bands. Most of them are disappearing as fast as they appeared in
the scene, leaving a CDemo on their path as only release. All depends from
one band to another. Now it's more like a routine and I feel the aura of
mystery of the ancient times has disappeared with the time. It's hard to
keep mystic through all the years. As memorable bands for who I did logos, I
gonna mention IMPIETYfrom Singapore, FIRST BORN EVIL, HOLOCAUSTO CANIBAL,
CORPUS CHRISTII.your landmates ! About recent ones, I drew logos for bands
like Immortal Throne, Azagatel, Carnification, Dark Aggression and many more
as I get every day a big demand from many people. It doesn't stop at all !
Sorry but I cannot count the logos I did. They are simply too numerous.
>
>6 - Tell us about your distro " Devil's Elixir "... It has grown a lot
since when you started? When was that? Fill in the gaps... What about the
mag you mentioned in your bio? Do you intend it to gaze at a shadowy
daylight? Anyway, your newsletter via e - mail is always fucking great...
>
Well, actually, my distro « Devil"s Elixir » is actually made for selling
stuff at concerts only. I completely stopped the mail order to concentrate
on side-stand at gigs as I am used to do merch for bands when they play
live. I also work for Metallysee as merchandise man for some tours when I
have the chance to not work. I was recently part of some dates of the Mayhem
tour in Europe. Then I have to be part of the NO MERCY festivals. Probably
the biggest tour by Metallysee. Back in 1989, I was working for two years
with a zine called SEPTICORE, mostly dealing with extreme metal and some
crust/old school HC (Bands in the vein of Septic Death, Discharge who were
the faves of the main editor Thierry ; I was always deep in my heart very
stick to metal except some bands like Discharge, GBH, Amebix, Exploited,
S.O.D. who were more on the HC/punk side.
The mag « Devil"s Elixir » was supposed to be released but I have no time to
type all the things as I give top priority to the logos and the demand is
such big that I can't handle with it. I am completely alone to do everything
and until now I am not lucky enough like you to have a girlfriend who helps
you doing « the land of sorrow ». I don't have that chance. Wish it happens
one day, so Devil's Elixir will see the day. The interviews are already ages
old but who knows, one day Devil's Elixir will see the day, ya never know.
It will be an unique issue. My newsletter is also being prepared and « The
Metal Kiosk » will be a kind of newsletter-contactlist and site where bands,
zines, concert promoters will have the chance to exchange informations and
messages.I want to make of this a « meeting point » for serious artists and
promoters who know exactly what they want and what to expect.
I hope in the future to not be alone anymore to do all the things.all
depends if I will meet the promised sistersoul or no.

>7 - You told me you were thinking in leaving Belgium for Portugal, Brasil
and some other countries... What lead you to that decision? Are you a nomad
and can't stay in one place for too long? What are your future plans?
>
Yes, as a matter of fact, I am truly tired of Belgium and its mentality when
it goes to communicativity of average people. There are a lot of gigs
everywhere.too many and that make people do no more than 30 km to drive to a
gig. Result, there are not enough people to fill the costs when a show is
organized. I was planning shows in Belgium for GoldenPyre, First Born Evil,
Corpus Christii, Grog, Downthroat but I am afraid not enough people will
show up as it takes about 2000 km to get the band here expect when all the
members are in vacations in Belgium. Also I hate the cold and wet weather
here. Even if I am of slavian blood, I am attracted by warm countries with
warm people who have a warm heart. I like really a lot the
Portuguese/Lusitanian/Latin/ Colonial culture and it brings me a lot of
enthusiasm to leave belgium as soon as I can. If I had the chance to leave
Belgium today, I would do it right now and without any regret ! Nomad, maybe
I am and it's hard for me to stay all time long in the same place and I also
hope to meet a woman which is attracted by this way of life. About my future
plans, I cannot tell you right now because they are ever-changing but I can
tell you surely about.meeting the woman which is wandering and dreaming to
meet me because I am sure that such a princess exists and she will come by
herself to me.as she knows exactly what I am longing for ! Surely my future
plans will happen in Portugal or in Brasil.at least I wish it by all my
heart !

>8 - You've been in contact for quite some time with some portuguese
underground projects... What do you think about the Portuguese scene?
>
Yes, matter of fact I have lived for more than 6 months in the Azores and
some weeks in Portugal. It was an excellent opportunity to meet some very
interesting and openminded people as I sincerely prefer Portugal than Spain
or Italy. The Portuguese scene is unfortunately much more restricted than
the Belgian one. There are point of view brutality less bands than in
Belgium. Now thanx to the Barroselas Metalfest, you have the chance to see
some really great bands from my country live on your stage like Aborted,
Anal Torture, Ectopia, Suhrim which will demontrate that belgium has a bunch
of really brutal bands ! You already saw Ancient Rites and Enthroned on the
lusitanian stages, so I suppose you are getting familiar to our scene !
Watch out the Iconoclasm new album, some brutal newcomers Headmeat, The
Quiescent, Impedigon, Aguynguerran, Infernal Decay, Stormblast, Mystica,
Disharmony.the list is very long and there are everyday some more to come !
When it goes to your beloved scene. I like a lot the bands I mentioned
several times above and of course Decayed, Filii Nigrantium Infernalium, In
Tha Umbra, Requiem Laus, Obscenus, Ciborium, Sortilege, Prophecy of Death,
Grog, Genocide, Devileech.and more !

>9 - You told me you were now working with Metallysee on merchandising and
entered the Morbid Angel, Krisiun, Gorgoroth, Amon Amarth, God Dethroned and
Occult tour from the 10th to 20th of december... What were your expectations
besides a real fucking blast at their concerts? Were they fulfilled? Do you
intend to do it more often?
>
About Metallysee, I am going to be part of the NO MERCY festivals and that
will be the biggest tour I will head for until now. Nothing is sure if I
will do the whole tour or not, all depends from my situation ! About the
X-Mass festivals, the best acts were MORBID ANGEL, KRISIUN and GOD
DETHRONED. These three bands were simply the most intense ones. AMON AMARTH
went fantastic as well, with their unique Glögg-Metal . For me this tour
went great. I intend to get on small tours as I did for Limbonic Art and
Rebaelliun. Also I hope to go on tour with some brasilian bands like
Funeratus, Queiron.in the future but I cannot tell you anything right now. I
would love to be all the time on the road as I feel like a nomad.

>10 - Have you considered founding a management agency? hehehe I mean,
considering all sort of contacts that you have, knowing that you are capable
to provide a gig for any band in your country ( maybe in others too ) and
all that you have done for the underground... How the hell do you find the
time and strength to do everything you do?

I had the chance to organize a few gigs, having on my bills such great bands
like Gospel Of The Horns, Sear Bliss, Maledictive Pigs, Watain, Ancient
Ceremony, Adorior, Throne Of Nails, Arkhon Infaustus, Malefactor as
special » acts for the belgian territory. So This agency I named it « The
Metal Kiosk » which is also a meeting point for bands and local promotors.
Nowadays I concentrate especially on the Brazilian extreme metal scene. Some
bands like Descerebration intend to go on tour and I try to get them some
dates here in Europe. I am in contact with several local promotors on that
matter. Of course I need much more commitment to organize that.and of course
a lot of time and even more strength. No way to give up but I also need to
get some jobs to survive ! Myself I don't have the time to play in any band.
Logos and supporting the underground takes me such a big time that I even
have to select the bands I am working with. I really don't want to waste
anymore time with childish people.
>
>11 - Do you think that Metal is capable to evolve without loosing it's
underground spirit ( give us some examples of bands you know )?In my
opinion, that Nu - metal crap or any kind of metal filled with annoying
techno beats isn't an evolution rather than a way to appeal to a vast
majority of the " youngsters " that are more into nice melodies, pleasant
rhythms and midi sweet/agressive vocals, keeping in mind that there is a
vast frontier between Metal and agressive music, that is... What's your
opinion??
>
The evolution of the sound and the style is something unavoidable. With the
arrival of modern techniques, most of the bands are re-actualizing their
sound as a natural evolution. I especially respect and adore bands who were
able to preserve the old school feeling and the sound of the 80's. Few bands
were able to preserve this feeling like the mighty Desaster, Pentacle,
Sadistic Intent, Zemial, Dark Creation, Asphyx, King Diamond (on stage, the
guitarists leave even more freedom to their creativity, improvising some
solos which are not played exactly alike on the albums) Some bands kept the
feelings perfectly, others went on a wrong path like the new Mayhem, the new
Kreator. When it goes to techno-beats, some bands did excellent stuff like
Corpus Christii, Mysticum and a new sensation from Hellgium, Zero
Tolerance.while some did completely boring stuff. I appreciate a lot bands
which, like Nocturnus, gave a new dimension in their songs. A lot of them
didn't manage to handle that properly. Nice melodies ? I like bands who are
able to conceive dark, bewitching and evil melodies together with morbid
climates and bewitching ambiances. In another hand, these melodies must be
deep and dark. I dislike nowadays trendy bands who like Mystic Circle, Dimmu
Borgir or Cradle of Filth are using this grandguignolesque outfit and use
keyboards to re-create a carnaval on stage. Really not of my taste.

>12 - Musical styles in the underground are seen nowadays, by some, as some
kind of trends that appear from time to time... In my opinion, this is just
due to the international underground press and the youngsters that start
hearing a certain musical style due to a friend that likes it the most...
With time, they search for new genres within Metal being that the reason for
the highlights of them... Well, to me, I like what I like ( mostly
everything in Metal, being open minded regarding certain other musical
genres) and don't give a fuck for those bands that are trendy right now...
What do you have to say about it all?

Well, actually most of the metal bands are going into trends and that is
regrettable how such great acts like Kreator are nowadays playing something
which has nothing to do with their brilliant past. I would even say their
actual style is being a Machinehead clone while they were years before
Machinehead. I am truly disappointed by such bands who weren't able to keep
their identity and integrity throughout the years. Young people are much
more influenced by what their friends say and that I remarked it through
teenage girls who switch from techno to metal because of their boyfriend and
when they are tired they leave the scene once their break up with their
boyfriend and basically return to techno. Vice versa is also valid. I lost a
lot of very good metalfriends who quit the scene just because of their
girlfriend/wife who as a big influence told them to stop the metal music and
they did it because they were afraid of a divorce. Keep in mind that I am
still single and will remain single until I meet my second half. No
way I change my way of life and musical tastes to please someone ! Never ! I
decided from the beginning to keep this way of life, now.take it or leave it
! New genres into metal can be sometimes very exciting and interesting like
for example Mysticum and Corpus Christii (Portugal, my favorite band for the
moment !) did. They introduced wisely techno-industrial, post-apocalyptic
cyber-electro-samples, associating them with a blend of extreme black metal.

>13 - Well, we've reached the end of this interview... Really hope you liked
it! I know, you can't draw an end for it but, anyway, give us some final
words... All the best for you!!!
>
Thanx a lot for this outstanding and very deep interview. It took me months
to complete it but anyway.at least you did a great job with your questions.
All the best with « The Land of Sorrow » and « Darkened Serenity ». Also I
would like to send greetings to your ex-band REQUIEM LAUS from Madeira. I
wanted really to know more about the scene in this Island and I've been for
more than 6 months to the Azores and it was an unique experience. Well, I
would like to send a big hail to all my friends in Portugal and thanx again
for the support. Keep in mind I am very often on the move, so not reachable
easily. All who wanna get in touch (hey you, Ladies ! come on and wake up !
Don't be so shy, a friendship is always very welcome) and NOT ONLY metal
people, you can email me at one of these addresses. Szpajdelchr@online.be or
metalkiosk@hotmail.com or szpajdelchr@hotmail.com or call me at the number
+32476737817 (you can send me an SMS or leave a message if I am not
reachable). The last thing I wanted to say : Respect the females in the
metal scene, their work is even more outstanding and amazing.just think
about great all-female bands like Sacralis from Germany or the older Ice Age
from Sweden or Witches from France or Girlschool who still are around for so
many years.