So I sent these questions forever ago, and honestly I forgot I did. But they came back, answered and ready for the world, and I’m happy to post them for you all to read. This is my interview with Sarah Jezebel Deva, enjoy; and look for it to also be in the second print issue of Funeral Rain Zine.
Can you update us on what is going on these days?
There’s loads of things going on these days… What would you like to know? Price of petrol keeps going up 
How would you describe the sound of the new album?
Emmm… Mixed. Its for open minded people. if you are solely into one kind of styled music, then its not for you. Some is metal, some has a BM edge, some is more rock, some is like a movie score and there is a piano song. So its very varied.
How would you describe the lyrical content of the new music?
Well its not a concept album but of course every song has a concept. I do not sing about mincing vampires and the slitting of wrists while bumming on a grave stone, I like to sing about real things like mental illness, sex, hate, disappointment, betrayal, life!
Do you have any plans to do a tour for the new album?
Well we just did our first ever tour in the UK with label mates The Dead Lay Waiting and LOVED it. We have 2 more UK shows with them and then head out to Europe with them for a 3-4 week tour. Can not wait because although The Dead Lay Waiting are totally different in music style, they are so tight, so professional and so energetic. We all gel so well.
You have worked with plenty of bands over the years, which ones did you enjoy the most and what are some of the albums that you have worked on that you are the most satisfied with and do you have plans in the future to work with any other projects?
Every band has its pro and con, its good memories and its shit ones and to tell you the shit memories just wouldn’t be good. My proudest albums are of course my band Angtoria “God Has A Plan For Us All”, COF “Midian” and “Vempire”, Mortiis “The Star Gate”. The Kovenant “Nexus Polaris” and Therion “Vovin”. I am active with The Kovenant again, we just played Inferno festival in Oslo, Norway. We headlined our day and it was amazing. We played the entire Nexus Polaris album from start to finish and we hadn’t all played together as that line up for 13 years. We are all older, maturer and it was just an great experience.
The new album came out on Candlelight Records, how would you describe the support that the label has given you so far?
Well right now, I cant really comment because its only the beginning. I have know Paula for many years and she has been my main contact so far, other than that, I can not comment yet but I am very happy and proud to be on such a well respected label! 
What direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?
This album was a “finding my feet” album… there are ways I worked on this album, that I will never work on an album again. Like recording in four countries didn’t help. Recording with a stranger over the internet didn’t work out as well as I had hoped. The next album, I will work closer to home and not take so many chances. Not saying stick to what is safe, I mean stick to real friends, people who have passion for music and not money. I did plan on A Sign Of Sublime being no fixed style, totally intentional but the next album I want to be more extreme for sure.
How have fans reacted so far to the new album?
Well I can not really comment on the USA/Canada right now, I know a lot of people bought the import and I am so so grateful that they did that as I know it wasn’t cheap. My side of the world, I think its doing ok but you cant expect to sell if your not doing shows and we have only just started, so next year, I hope more and more people will have the album and the shows get bigger and better. So all I can say is, people have been very supportive.
What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and what are you listening to nowadays?
There is just too many to mention. Nothing influences the music for me because then I would be copying wouldn’t I. But bands that I adore are anything from Dead Can Dance to Emperor. Faith No More to Mysticum. My Dying Bride to Moonsorrow. Type O to Gun’s N Roses. As for lyrics, whats going on around me influences my writing. I find it hard to write when I know nothing about a subject, I cant just make things up to fill a song out.
What are some of your interests outside of music?
Right now, the only thing that exists outside of music is my wedding next year. When I am not touring and paying my lovely bills, its wedding, wedding, wedding draining the very life from me ha ha… I have even fallen behind on music. I am so behind, I think the last album I bought was the new Immortal, I don’t even remember the last time I went out to see a film. I am so not grim huh! As you get older, life takes its firm grip and you find yourself having less and less time. When I can think, I am very much into animal rights. I am TRYING to get 10,000 names for an Anti Fur petition in the UK to take to my local MP.
Any final words or thoughts?
Yeah…… We really wanna come to the USA….. We so want to tour. Its been a few years since myself and Gian Pyrez were there, so guys, hate us or love us, give us a chance and check us out! Thank you
Sarah Jezebel Deva on MySpace.
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Genre: Blackened Death Metal
Label: Independent
I was supposed to do this review forever ago. I thought I had. But no, obviously I had not.
Either way, Advent of Bedlam provide a wonderful listen of blackened death, a take-no-prisoners approach to slaughtering the listener’s ideas of the genre. Blast beats and gorgeous solos abound, with a voice that carries power and demands your attention.
It’s a short review here, because it’s straight forward: Behold the Chaos kicks major ass. Order a copy.
8.5 out of 10.
Advent of Bedlam on MySpace.
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“Reaping Death” the latest single from Swedish black metal battalion Watain, was certified gold in Sweden for sales in excess of 10,000 copies. Earlier this week, the band was awarded their gold record in Stockholm in the presence of press and various guests. Said frontman Erik Danielsson at the presentation: “‘Reaping Death’ is a song written as a tribute to the first murderer and Satanist, Cain. Through the murder of his brother Abel, he was the first to break the shackles of creation and went against the will of God. Therefore, he was pushed away and found his way to his true father, the serpent in the Garden of Eden, also known as Satan. To openly praise Cain, his origin, his works and his offspring is something that never would have been possible, say 300 years ago. 300 years ago they tied people such as us up and burned them alive. Now we are awarded gold discs and praise in the media. This is an encouraging proof that this road is leading to hell.
“Through black metal,” he continued, “we now have a forum, in which we, without being persecuted and tortured, can celebrate the ancient ruin forces, revolutions and the gods of total liberation, and thus give them additional force. This gold disc is proof that the genre as such is one to be reckoned with, and with fire, fanaticism and passion as the driving force, we intend to take it even further, deep down in still unexplored abysses.We also would like to thank Sound Pollution, Season of Mist, Sweden Rock and ‘Boss’ at Black Mark.”
“Reaping Death” comes off Watain‘s Lawless Darkness full-length released via Season Of Mist this past June. Lawless Darkness was recorded at Necromorbus Studio (Deathspell Omega, Funeral Mist, Ondskapt, Nominon, Unanimated et al) in Alvik, Sweden and features cover art by Zbigniew M. Bielak.
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Genre: Blackened Death Metal
Label: BloodyMountain Records
An original-sounding black metal album? From the States? SWEET!
It’s been awhile since something that sounds like this has raped my ears. It’s not another rehashing of Transilvanian Hunger or Deathcrush or Panzer Division Marduk. It’s a little bit of all three put together, with some (naturally) USBM elements, and touches of death metal here and there, but almost not enough to call this blackened death.
I’m really liking it, especially the song “Berserrker”. Check them out if you’re into the classics, as well as Bloodthrone, Twilight, and Begrime Exemious.
7.5 out of 10.
Valdur on MySpace.
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Genres: Black Metal, Death Metal
Label: Ibex Moon
Ah… Ibex Moon. Your death metal releases are like comfortable pants. You put them on, and instantly everything is better. Gravehill’s Rites of the Pentagram is no different; granted it’s not pure death to most ears, which is why I’m including black metal as a genre above. It does at times sound like black metal played death, but that is if you’re not familiar with really deep underground old death metal (think Darkthrone’s Soulside Journey for a sometimes similar sound).
This whole album is good, no filler tracks or anything, and after reading some interviews with vocalist Mike Abominator I understand why: he won’t compromise for anything. He reminds me as the kind of guy who would throw a mountain out of his way if he had to.
This is an old school American death metal album, sounding like it could have been recorded in about 1986 to ’89, and I recommend it for fans of Blasphemous, Darkthrone, Death, Carcass, Cardiac Arrest, Lifeless, and well damn near anything that Ibex Moon has put out.
My favorite tracks are “Decibel Ritual”, “Bloodsoaked”, and “The Luciferian Mark”.
8 out of 10.
Gravehill on MySpace.
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