If you haven’t been acquainted yet, allow us to introduce you to Belzebubs. The cartoon band has been documented in the series of comic strips bearing the same name and their debut album, Pantheon of the Nightside Gods, is slated for an April 26 release on Century Media. In other words, they’re like Gorillaz, except cooler and more kvlt. Belzebubs the book is due for a March release, so Decibel had a brief interview with the band. They also shared a few new pages for your viewing pleasure.
If you’re into what you see, you can acquire a copy of Belzebubs through Top Shelf Comix or pretty much anywhere books are sold.
Can you tell us a little about your band, Belzebubs? Who’s in it and what kind of music do you play? How long have you been around?
Sløth: Well, Belzebubs was originally formed as a three-piece by Hubbath (bass & vocals), Izkariot (drums) and myself (guitars & vocals) way back in 2002. Obesyx joined the crew as a lead guitarist soon after, and thanks to him we actually started sounding like a proper band.
Our history has felt more like a fucking obstacle course, though. I mean, first Izkariot found Jesus and quit the group, then we were unable to find a replacement, our record label went bankrupt, we got kicked out of the second one, banned from quite a few venues, our stand-in drummer was stabbed in the face, the list just goes on. In a way, we honestly feel like a debuting band, young and thirsty.
Well, mostly thirsty.
Anyhow, things are finally starting to click as we’ve found a new drummer, Samaël, and been picked up by Century Media—which is pretty damn neat. In addition, we’ve also paired up with composer/keyboardist Desibelius, so our sound has been elevated from typical black metal into something more in the vein of, I dunno, progressively occult blackened elegian death with melodic orchestrations & neoclassicism?
What’d you call that in short?
Sløth: I dunno.
Erh…PrOBE DeMON?
No no no, don’t write that, just put ”black metal,” let the mob fight it out. Anyhow, you’ll get a better idea when our full-length album, Pantheon of the Nightside Gods, drops in April.
The black metal band is also the “family business.” Are the kids, Leviathan and Lilith, also black metal musicians?
Sløth: I see Leviathan taking after his old man, which is very humbling, of course, but also troubles me. Lucyfer and I try to encourage the kids to become whatever they like, so as long as they put their minds to it, we’ll be there to support it.
Even forming a reggae band?
Sløth: E….even that…IF they absolutely must… But let’s just hope my mortal body will Brexit the hell out of here before that happens.
Your home life seems quite a bit different from the rest of us humans—your babies levitate, your pets are Lovecraftian horror and everything in your life (including flirting) revolves around black metal. Do you have normie friends? What do they think of your life?
Sløth: Sure we do. Our friends don’t judge. They have the common decency and brain capacity to understand we all come from different backgrounds and cultures. And it’s not like we’d be some fucking unholy rollers. We don’t attend black mass weekly or shove our beliefs or disbeliefs down others’ throats, you know.
When your family isn’t playing black metal or worshipping something evil, what’s your life like?
Sløth: Pretty mundane, I guess? I think you’ll get a better understanding if you check out the documentary. We’ve had a crew on our tails for years now, recording all the ups and downs of our lives. At first it was weird, but I barely pay attention to them anymore.
