interview by: Roberto Martinelli

Anaal Nathrakh's debut album, The Codex Necro, had been REALLY hard to get in the US. (Meanwhile, it was readily available at HMV in the UK. Go figure.) So there had been massive buildup around the Maelstrom camp concerning this band. I mean, it HAD been nominated as Terrorizer Magazine's album of the month.

Despite this prestigious award (or, at least, one would think is a prestigious award), distributors had never even heard of Anaal Nathrakh. It makes you wonder if people who sell metal actually keep up with the scene. It doesn't help that Anaal Nathrakh is on Mordgrimm, a label that probably has its shit the least together despite putting out some great stuff. (The Condor has made it a personal quest to obtain the new Old Forest, which has been granted highest priority cult status at Maelstrom due to a similar distinction of having received a "1" in Terrorizer). Regardless, all this rigmarole and mystery only increased the cult factor, thereby making us want it more (of course). Boy, did it ever deliver. The Codex Necro may very well be the angriest record ever. The turbo overdrive black metal attack fronted by the most depraved vocals knocked us all for a loop.

Who is Anaal Nathrakh? It seemed that that may have been a tough one to answer, based on the liner notes that contained misanthropic-to-the-max warnings and advance refusals to do interviews. However, it turns out that if you just dig a little, you'll be able to find the origins of Anaal Nathrakh's two members, Irrumator (who's involved in several other bands, like Mistress) and V.I.T.R.I.O.L. The latter turned out to be the current vocalist for Benediction. Irrumator's real name is Michael Kenney, which only has been revealed here because Kenney is also an aspiring artist, and you can find his art under his name on various sites on the internet (see below for links and samples of art). Anaal Nathrakh's story was getting more and more unexpectedly interesting.

Maelstrom: Your debut record, The Codex Necro, may be the angriest, most intense black metal record ever. What elements of you're real life inspired/drove you to begin this project?

Michael Kenney: Well, there is a sound in my head which I have had for a very long time - I always searched for this sound through various bands and genres but I never found it - eventually I because good enough on my instruments to be able to create this sound myself, and therefore Anaal Nathrakh was born.

Maelstrom: How many guitar and bass tracks did you lay down for The Codex Necro?

Michael Kenney: The is always two main rhythm tracks for the guitar and then I add another in the background playing some kind of chords and stuff - most people mistake this third guitar for a keyboard, but I can assure that there is never any keys on the Thrakh. There is only one bass track.

Maelstrom: Where did you get the artwork for The Codex Necro, which features various pictures of people with plastic bags on their heads and being strangled by bloody red tentacles? Have you seen the cover art for Deranged's Deranged? The two albums' look reminds me of each other.

Michael Kenney: I produce all the artwork for Anaal Nathrakh myself - the guy getting suffocated is actually my younger brother. I haven't seen the Deranged cover no - but maybe some of you out there should check out my art at www.geocities.com/micks_art

Maelstrom: Will interested fans ever know what the lyrics to your songs are? Do you find that the lyrics are secondary to the way they are delivered?

Michael Kenney: Well, I never really talk to the vocalist about his lyrics; I guess they are kinda personal so you would have to ask him really.

Maelstrom: You have just recorded an EP's worth of material that will feature guest appearances by Aborym's Sethlans Teitan (guitar) and Attila Csihar (vocals). Please tell us about the EP: When can we expect to get our hands on it? How did you hook up with the Aborym guys and how was it working with them?

Michael Kenney: The EP (pictured at left) is much more extreme and intense than the codex - and the production is also much better but equally as brutal, it contains 6 tracks which I wrote just after finishing <The Codex Necro> - so it is more or less in the same vein. I hooked up with Seth and Attila earlier in the year when they asked me to fly over to Rome to work on there new Aborym album with them - I laid down some programmed drum tracks and shit. I thought it would be a cool idea to have them appear on our record too

Maelstrom: Anaal Nathrakh seems to be a personal, secretive project. How well do you work with others? Do you see your project growing into a fully staffed band someday?

Michael Kenney: I guess I work with others ok - but if the creation is all mine then I don't like others to but in - as I have a very strong vision of what I want to create, I don't like others altering it - I like to keep it pure. For me Anaal Nathrakh is a studio project based on trying to create the most intense brutal music ever - this would not have the same effect if played live in a hall so therefore I don't feel the need to join with others to create a band, no.

Maelstrom: Speaking of which, do you have any interest in playing your material live?

Michael Kenney: No.

Maelstrom: Have you ever been involved in other bands?

Michael Kenney: Shit, man, I'm in loads of bands. First, there's a band called Mistress which I play drums for - kinda Iron Monkey style sludgy grind. Then there's:
Fukpig - I play drums - it's like proper true English grind core
Frost - old style Grimm black metal.
I have a solo band which I'm working with at the moment called Professor Fate - I think Attila will be joining me with this project - he laid down a couple of vocal tracks whilst he was over here. (You can check out the sound files at http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/276/professor_fate.html - Roberto )

Maelstrom: Your vocalist goes by the stage name V.I.T.R.I.O.L. Is this in tribute to Absu, whose first full-length album hs teh same name? What does V.I.T.R.I.O.L. mean to you?

Michael Kenney: I don't think it has anything to do with Absu, no. I'm not actually sure what this means, hehe.

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