This interview was done for M magazine. As you may know, M mag is dedicated to metal music so this interview mostly deals with metal part of Proscriptor's activities - black metal band ABSU. To be honest, I'm not really into that sort of black metal... But I like the music he releases under the banner PROSCRIPTOR. His solo project is dedicated to totally original mix of folk music and magic. There is nothing to compare this music with... PROSCRIPTOR is PROSCRIPTOR. Well, the only thing I want to add, it took me almost 1,5 years to get this interview. My personal record so far.

What was Absu doing recently?

We have just recently released our home video compilation titled "In The Visions Of Ioldanach" on Osmose and will be preparing the recording for our newwest album-opus monickered "Tara" fairly soon. I personally have released the newest album of my solo efforts, of Proscriptor, called "The Serpentine Has Risen" on Dark Age Productions/Reality Music, the second Equimanthorn album "Lectionum Antiquarum" on Unisound, and finally the re-release of my old kult, Magus, titled "Ruminations Of Debauchery" on Elegy Records! Plus to top that off, I am now the newest drummer for the baneful black metal kult Judas Iscariot and Mesopotamian metal legends Melechesh as well.

I know that you had a tour in Europe this spring. Was it succesful for you? And are you satisfied by the tour and it's organisation?

Yes, I was overall pleased, yet satisfied with it's outcome, as well as the Metalysee organization also.

I also know that ABSU does a lot of gigs in America and many people say that it's one of the best live bands. Do you see any difference between gig
goers in the States and in Europe?

To be totally honest with you, you are completely incorrect, as ABSU hardly ever performs in the United States at all. However, when we do,
we annihilate all temporal feelings within the human manifestation as much as possible! The principle reason why we do not execute our hymns
that much live is due to the fact that we have had serious line-up difficulties for so many years now! Hopefully, all this alter rather soon! Thus far, European audiences will always dominate the USA scene, but I strongly believe in the American scene, as it has been growing drastically more and more throughout the years!

What was your best gig during this tour? And why do you think it's the best?

It's rather tedious to answer such a question because most of the live executions have been grand, so they are pretty much all equivalent to me.

Since it's the first time U talk to our mag I'd like to ask U about band's (Absu) history. When, where, why, etc....

What "exactly" is curious to your mind's intellect? I mean, what do you think your readers are most curious about when it comes to ABSU's historical past? Well, I can tell you this much in summary: The Klan formed in 1989 under the initial monicker Dolmen, which can be defined as "an ancient, yet standing monument," such as the notorious Stonehenge in England for example. Shaftiel and myself are proud Gemini's, as Equitant is a raging Taurus, but a rather quiet one. We all hate temporal fashions of this global whore humans call Earth and we study the science of Voudon Gnostics to control mortal minds! Hail Scotland, Hail Ireland, Hail Texas, and Hail Germany! 726(66)!

Tell me about your current line up. I also want you to mention about side projects of you and your bandmembers.

In questions #1 & 5, I feel like I have already given you a synopsis of what is occurring with our line-up, as well as the projects that are evolved around myself. I don't know what Equitant is doing these days, but Shaftiel's currently playing guitar in a band called Kashaptnu, which is like a Vader/Liers In Wait/Polluted Inheritance type black/death band. I also contribute vokills to this kult as well. Isn't that right, Rad and Zane?

When do you plan to release your new album? What shall we expect from it?

The new album, "Tara," shall be released in September, 2000 and just imagine all previous ABSU releases tied in together euphonically! Actually, this is the third, trilological continuation from "The Third Storm Of Cythraul" and "In The Eyes Of Ioldanach" conceptually, as it will also be the fastest and most agressive yet! No, it's less "retro-thrash" than previous releases, as I have fucking ALWAYS hated that label stuck on ABSU's music. Ok, so we are influenced by Slayer, Sodom, Kreator, and Darkness? It's not like we have been "deliberate" rip-offs of their music. Humans = die!

Last year you released Mcd. It was good. But don't you think that releasing of MCDs, singles and all those re-mix albums is a rip-off of your fans? What was the reason of releasing MCD and not a full lenght CD? You lack of matherials for a long play?

ABSU is like none other bands on planet Earth, so this should reasonably answer your question. Thanks.

I know that you planned to do a CD with cover songsbut then you decided not to release it. Tell to our readers about that a bit. And what do you think about all those "tribute" releasesm, albums with coversongs? Please tell me your opinion about trend when the modern bands begin to play "old" music like thrash, heavy, etc

We came up with the ideology to spawn a mini-disque filled with cover material called "Thrashstorms" in 1993, as it was going to be release simultaneously when "The Third Storm Of Cythraul" was issued. However, we started to notice that many bands, especially on Osmose Productions, were releasing the same conceptual MCD's, so we backed out because ABSU does not follow other pathways of bands: bottom fucking line! It just would not look good for the band due to extremely poor marketing strategy on Osmose's part. It's a shame because there were many "choice" cuts on that MCD the world needed to hear renditions of, such as "Mutilated Death" by Necrovore, "Necronomicon" by Sacrifice, "Bestial Invasion" by Destruction, "Flag Of Hate" by Kreator, "Swing Of The Axe" by Possessed, the title track, and a remix of "Swords And Leather" with Mr. Shaftiel on vocals! Maybe when ABSU decides to release the official box-set in 10-12 years down the road, we shall slap those particular hymns on there. We have also contributed "tribute" songs for bands like Iron Maiden, Manowar, Possessed, Voivod, and Mayhem, so I am pretty sure that we are done with "tribute" disques for awhile; I feel it's optimistic recognition for us, but at the same time it's rather tedious and stale for so many fucking tributes to be released, especially in the past five years! Don't you agree? I do, dammit!

U write lyrics for ABSU, so U are the right man to ask about band's ideology and phylosophy. Not many bands have a real phylosophy behind the
music nowadays, so could U tell to our readers about the one you project through your music?

Ok, I want to let everyone know that I compose the hymns and lyrical dogmas around my immortal, deathless, and mythological lifestyle. From the beginning of the band's existence to this present day, I have always used the terminology of "Mythological Occult Metal" because basically, that is what ABSU truly portrays. Our songs have and will eternally focus on what's most significant in our minds and in our glass-cased hearts (magically), such as ceremonial/ritual magick, alchemical sciences, Thoth's beacon, Qabbalistic magick, Gnosticism, warding, tasseomancy, Sumerian/Mesopotamian/ neo-Assyrain mythos', Celtic/Pictish legends, knighthood, and especially the triats that lead us back to our ancestral bloodlust, which also ties in with Celtic mythology, which is our Scottish and Irish attainments.

What is the main (first) part for ABSU - music or lyrics?

First of all, this is misnumbered, as it appears to be question #10 again. Anyway, the poetic patterns versus the euphonious elements are equally distributed through the music of ABSU: 50% vs. 50%.

U mix two pretty different religions/ cultures in your beliefs: Celtic and Sumerian. These cultures are far from each other geographically, and in time, and in culture. What makes 'em so close to U?

This is elementary to answer: Sumerian comes from the heart and soul, as Celtic comes from the blood and vein, get it? Got it.

Many people (especially heathen ones) believe that every nation must use it's own culture, religion, etc. So you, Americans, have no right to use
European culture in your music. What do you say to those people?

Suck it bitches! Once again, welcome to Earth! Here is an equation for ya'll: Qad divided by the 5th element of Tzadda into 33 spheres times 22 mercurial nouses. You're all dead - DIE! 726(vi vi). This question is for ALBA!!!

Last year made many people think that American underground scene woke up and it's becoming more and more interesting. I mean that America is not the leading producer of brutal death metal and hardcore any more, but it finally got good black metal (Judas Iscariot, Usurper, etc), ambient/ industrial/ medieval (... Soil Bleeds Black, Blood Axis, Dream into Dust), doom (While Heaven Wept, etc). What do you think about your scene and the situation in American underground? Why did it take so long to create normal world class "pure" black metal in the States? (I believe that you agree Absu plays music far from typical black metal)

I mean, look at how long of an extensive period of time ABSU has existed! I am just going to mention the bands that are most significant to me these days: Sadistic Intent, Necrovore, Thornspawn, Judas Iscariot, Bloodstorm, Demoncy, Night Conquers Day, Demonic Christ, Infernal Oak, Divine Eve (RIP), Crimson Relic, Usurper, Scepter, Thy Infernal, Of The Fallen, Vital Remains, Roller, Hemlock, Sarcophagus, Krieg, The Chasm, December Wolves, Noctuary, The Soil Bleeds Black, Azazel's Torch, and Kashaptnu.

Share your thoughts on future plans for Absu, please.

Immortalization, more spells, and more albums for future times to follow!

You have your own project Proscriptor. In fact, I like it a lot and I even have the CD. Tell to our readers about this project, it's philosophy, etc.

My first solo album, "The Venus Bellona," has a substantial and noteworthy meaning to my inner-self, and is part of the justificatioon of becoming such an "Emperor" that I am. The planet Venus, observed telescopically, is the sphere closest to the Earth. Without possessing any moons or satellites, this planet's longitude is based upon the actual epoch of time: Venus' perihelion passage. Venus is also quite known for her fabulous role as an adulate goddess of Greek mythology as well. She represents the alchemical metal of copper, and she is also the fourth "Dalkhu" of fire, which can be classified as "assation." The terminology of "Bellona," on the other hand, is classified as a "war goddess" in t understanding of the Latiin language. Wait a minute... I am sure everyone is quite confused at this point in the question, but I will make this a lot easier to narrate; I promise. Astrologically, I derive from the sixth pathway of penetration and nous, which is the "Geminian" force. It symbolizes the infamous twin of the soul and the serpent. In the creed of Kabbalah, there is "Atu" on the nigh (left) side and "Tiphareth" on the observative (right) side of the staff. Astrologically speaking again, the planet Mars is on the nigh and Venus is on the observe. With taking various processes of alchemical sciences, distillations, Thoth's way of existence, and immortal faith of the soul, this is how I became "Emperor Proscriptor Magikus McGovern" in my mind - metaphysically that is. To be historically honest with you, it all began in the Glenorchy District of Scotland in the dismal year of 1269. This year marks the original footprint of the McGovern Klan (proof of existence), which is the first root of my own seed of existence in blood. My surname, McGovern, means "the son of Samhradhan" or "the son/sun of summer" is Scotch-Gaelic linguistics. As a matter of fact, "The Book of Maguran" was written by a notorious ancestor of mine named "Hugh Maguran," who later became a McGovern down the dynastic road of ancestral triats. I am so deeply proud of this because it is one of the most famous books of Scottish poetry ever. With the concoction of my heritage and the occultic, Qabbalistic magick I painstakingly study, this is basically what Proscriptor is all about!

Have you already released the second album of Proscriptor? I haven't seen it here in my country, so take a few minutes and tell me about the
album.

(Again) The sophomore opus, "The Serpentine Has Risen," is now released on Dark Age Productions and Reality Music on w globals basis. It literally and alchemically makes "The Venus Bellona" look like elementary school toys. Most record companies despised it, but I personally adore the fucker!

You have some numbers on your logo of Proscriptor. What do the mean?

Oh 726...726=6 x 11 (2) or 22 x 33 equals this magical formula of mine, which is from Thoth's beacon. This arithmetical formula (tin) is the sign if my own personal numeral, which is V.I.T.R.I.O.L or the universal solvent to the abyss (Primum Mobile).

Your debut album had a cover song (I don't remember the name) and it's one of my favourite songs on the album. Could you tell me about that song
and why did you choose it?

I covered "I Ran (So Far Away)" by A Flock Of Seagulls and I reduplicated such a smashing hit because this song represents me running away from the human race, I guess. I am such a fucking rocker - it's pathetic, man!

Your future plans for Proscriptor project.

The third album will be titled "726," but I have no clue when I will get around to compsoing it. However, I promise it will happen because I have the entire opus already planned!

Your message to the readers of LEGION/ Novum Vox Mortis.

Hails to all of you reading this enlightened interview and I wanted to let all of you know that I am the reason for Mercurial nous! Thanks!!!

Contact adresses:

Sir Proscriptor McGovern
P.O. Box 743307
Dallas, Texas 75374-3307 - U S A
fax: 001.972.208.9620 (Press *2)

e-mail: proscriptor@webtv.net

Roberta Evans, Inc. - Management
evansrl@us.ibm.com
001.813.814.2526
001.813.878.5402

"The Cythraul Klan of ABSU" - Official Webring
http://www.coldburialsystem.com/Absu

"The Coming of War" - Official Webring
http://badassphil.com/absu/

"The Attack of The Highland Tyrants" - Official Webring
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Pit/2885/absu/

"A Magician's Lapis-Lazuli" - Official Webring
http://www.digitalabyss.org/absu

"Prelusion to ABSU" - Official Webring
http://www.digitalabyss.org/absu

Osmose Productions
http://www.osmoseproductions.com

Osmose Productions USA
http://www.osmose-usa.com

Dark Age Productions (Southern Tower)
http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Strasse/1749/dap.html

Melechesh
(Pioneering Black Metal of Mesopotamia)
http://listen.to/melechesh

Digital Abyss
http://www.digitalabyss.org