We got a moment to speak with Icelandic death metal band Cult Of Lilith!
MPM: Please introduce yourselves to what you do in the band
COL: Hi, I’m Kristján Jóhann Júlíusson and I play guitar.
MPM: First off, how’s the band doing during these tough times in our world and what has been keeping everyone occupied?
COL: We are preparing for shows and touring, so that when the restrictions are lifted we will be more ready than ever. If the situation continues longer than expected we will start to work on our next album.
MPM: Mara is your debut full-length released through Metal Blade Records. Could you give us a little brief description of how the album name, and band is deprived from?
COL: Mara is a folkloric entity that is commonly known in English as a Night-Mare; it’s the entity that preys on the sleep paralized. In our mind the link between Lilith and Mara is profound, Lilith as a symbolic figure is a great source for inspiration, hence in the name of the band, Lilith becomes a cult leader so to speak.
MPM: Iceland is a well known country for having incredible black metal, death metal and other genres of music. What makes Cult Of Lilith so fascinating that no other band can match your style for extreme music?
COL: We strive to push the boundaries of what’s possible in our genre and we are still the only band of our kind, the only one under Necromechanical Baroque.
MPM: Eliran Kantor did the artwork for Mara and has done other album arts for Thy Art Is Murder, Venom Prison, Unfathomable Ruination, Testament and My Dying Bride. What made the band decided to work with him for this album?
COL: Eliran is a great artist with a big reputation for making striking artwork for a lot of the biggest bands in the scene. We talked to him about the concept and we believed he was the right man for the job. As we see from the results, the artwork is stunning and fits our album incredibly well.
MPM: Since joining Metal Blade Records, how was the overall reception of the band being signed and the relationship that was formed when the label picked the band up?
COL: The relationship between the band and the label has been amazing, they are all great people and we are glad we are working with such a well regarded and tight knit team.
The overall reception has been really positive with our two singles already out, and that’s just the beginning.
MPM: Are there any songs off on Mara that are highlights or favorites in terms of the lyrics?
COL: For me Profeta Paloma has a big place in my heart, in terms of overall feeling within the song and the journey that it puts you on. The lyrics are written by Mario, our vocalist.
MPM: Are there any releases in 2020 that you all have enjoyed or might recommend for those looking to branch out new music?
COL: The new Defeated Sanity if you’re looking for deadlift 500kg, Igorrr if you want your brain turned upside down, Ulcerate if you are feeling a little spooky, Haken if you like some Prog in your life.
MPM: Why should everyone discover Cult Of Lilith and what makes your band standout compared to other extreme metal artists?
COL: If you like to be challenged as a listener, you enjoy multi voice compositions and can’t choose between listening to slamming brutal death metal or Vivaldi. Cult of Lilith is something for you.
MPM: Since bands are unable to do touring for the time being, what are some hobbies that the band likes to do that your fans may not know?
COL: Apart from working in our fields most of us are big movie buffs and have regular movie nights, we enjoy cooking and trying to complete Amnesia without dying in real life.
MPM: If Cult Of Lilith were to create the ultimate dream lineup tour, who would you guys like to open for down the future?
COL: Well, the ultimate dream lineup tour would be hard to make, but I’d have to say off the top of my head : Cannibal Corpse, Blotted Science, Nile, Dying Fetus and Cult of Lilith.
MPM: Are there any final words or moments like to say to your fans and this Interview?
COL: Make sure to follow us on our platforms and pre-order our full length album Mara coming out September 4th on Metalblade.com/CultofLilith
Interview by Jake Butler
