Devourer of Light Interview
Devourer of Light is a blackened death metal band from Malaysia that began in 2017. Their sound and style offer the elements of death, doom, and black metal combined. Presenting a very underground and obscure approach, Devourer of Light already have three releases to date. One is an EP titled – Cosmic Death Illuminate, another is a five-way band split CD that they are a part of and as of recent, a new EP titled – Death Triumph. After taking an interest in this band and hearing out their music and really liking what I had heard, I wanted to know more…
– Hi M.L and thank you for the interview! So, I was wondering what brought on the creation of Devourer of Light?
– Hail Wolven and Blessed Altar zine. Thanks for the opportunity to appear in your zine. Devourer of Light was my vessel to unleash the songs that I wrote over the years. Some of it was old, some were new. For example, the song on Cosmic Death Illuminate demo, the first 2 tracks were recorded in 2016-2017, while the last 2 maybe somewhere in 2013-2014. Most of the track was an experimental song wrote when I want to test some new plug-in in my home studio. I notice I had a lot of unreleased songs on my hard drive so I thought of doing some project to be their home.
– What does the name Devourer of Light mean for you or in the band concept?
– I want Devourer of Light to be something where free to express. I thought about the cosmos and how vast the universe is. Mankind was yearning to explore the deep space. I admire its beauty and horror. Devourer of Light is like the black hole that consumes everything including light.
– What musical styles influence you the most, whether for metal or otherwise?
– I’m listening mostly Black metal (old and new), some death metal and doom as well. I like old stuff from Samael, Beherit, Blasphemy, Mystifier, Rotting Christ, Necromantia, Mayhem and so on. For the new stuff mostly from bands such as Diocletian, Embrace of Thorns,
Mournful Congregation, Grave Miasma, Nortt, Rebirth of Nefast, Svartidaudi, and so on. While writing the lyrics for the first demo I watch a lot of sci-fi documentaries about cosmos and ancient alien. I know most the documentary is more like theories and otherworldly, but it gave me some dark perspective about the universe, the multiverse, the void, the cosmic horror and etc.
– How is death metal or other forms of extreme metal music received in Malaysia in current times? With the net and most places being worldly connected, has this opened further interests or connections for your music?
– Like most places in the world I suppose, the underground metal is not so big but we still got some diehard. Most of them (me included) are fucking old, (raging from late 30-50 years old). Hahah. We got a little youngster that was interest in metal music. With the net, I guess it’s open an opportunity to spread the music to more listener around the world. Some might like what I’m creating and bought the tapes or CD I’m releasing. And that’s cool.
– What plans do you have for the future of Devourer of Light?
– Releasing a full-length album, I guess. But I think it will take some time. My second demo Death-Triumph just release and I’ll take time to write and record new music and lyrics. It will be the same Cosmic Horror theme of course.
– How do you prefer to listen to the music you like? Online with various streaming sites like youtube, Bandcamp or SoundCloud, etc, or with physical formats like cassette, vinyl or on CD?
– Back in the days, I love to play cassette tape or CD on my old JVC stereo or my old Sony Walkman but nowadays I mostly listen to various streaming like Bandcamp or youtube via my phone using earphone. Yes, I still bought physical format once a while especially when the music was really good and I have to get that material of course, if the money permitted. I always checking new band when someone mentions or share about it. Maybe I’ll impress with the material or felt like it just normal stuff you listen countless of times. I miss the time when you were younger and read the fanzine about this certain band releasing their new album or demo. And we were eager to listen to their stuff. Bought the tape from the local record store. Or order from the band. And you rarely felt disappointing.
– I understand that you are involved with other bands as well? Would you like to mention a few and how long has this been for?
– I got several bands/projects such as Voidnaga, Thorns of Hate, Impious Blood etc. I was previously from bands like Nefarious Azarak and Envenom. Doing vocal for both of the bands. When I quit, I formed Thorns of Hate and start looking for a line-up. It was harder than I thought. You cannot find someone that capable to play like to what you want. After several years, I ended up with a friend who is doing bass, while I play the guitar and doing vocals. We recorded Abominable Triumph of Heresy in 2009. Self-released the demo with xerox cover and dub tapes. Kampf records from Poland and also a local label Apocalypse Venomous record re-release the demo as pro tapes. We have done a 7″ Ep under Blood Harvest record from Sweden. Thorns of Hate is mostly dead by now even if did we have a full line up. I was thinking of doing something more different and fresh. Impious Blood was born as a project in a meantime. Record a demo Temple of Flesh, Pillars of Bones. Got some pro tape was done by label Apocalypse Venomous record again and a French label Infernal Kommando also release it for limited tape. It was in inactive for a while now, but I got some talk with some friend to reactivate the project and became a real band with a live show. We will see what happen in the near future. Voidnaga also a project that I had, we release a demo and was released by Iron Bonehead. I don’t know what future will be held for Voidnaga. I sense a bad feeling about this project when I had various nightmares regarding Naga, (basically a large serpent like dragon in Malay mythology) haunts me.
– If you could go back in time to a whole other era, when or where would that be and why?
– Maybe when the times when you buy everything and it was cheap and of course, you still got a lot of money. I don’t know, I’m comfortable with the present time or era. I can write music easily and that’s what matters to me the most. I remember that I was struggling with recording music by me using several tapes, a pair of small stereo and some mixer. It was a nightmare but nostalgic.
– Was there a person or a band that inspired you from the past, that got you into playing metal music?
– I guess Sepultura’s Beneath the Remains tape I got from a friend was what inspired to listen to metal. That tape got no cover what so ever. It’s open a door to me for a new music dimension. After that, I start searching for a new band and I found Rotting Christ, Varathron, Unleashed, Dark Throne, Mayhem and so on.
– Ok, final question here and again thanks M.L. for doing this interview! Is there something that you would like to add or something you would like to say about metal in Malaysia that you feel the rest of the world should know?
– Thanks, man for this interview. I really appreciate it. People who wish to listen to Devourer of Light please go to our Bandcamp page and facebook page. I got several tapes and CDs of both demos Cosmic Death Illuminate 2017 and Death Triumph 2018. Dawning Septic production from Canada will re-release our debut demo in limited copies of pro tape. I think everybody should check them up when it releases. Don’t hesitate to write but remember to return back my stamps. Hahaha.
Interview by: Wolven Deadsoul
