| Interview with Salai By: Blissfulviolet |
As much as I enjoy supporting and listening to female fronted metal bands, I
hardly run into any decent female fronted black metal bands. I was
extremely delighted when I came across Benatnash, a symphonic…doom
like black metal band based out of Mexico City. Since then, I have been able
to keep in touch with vocalist Sali; who has kept me updated with the details
of the bands upcoming album. All hail…The Great Mother of Doom.
hardly run into any decent female fronted black metal bands. I was
extremely delighted when I came across Benatnash, a symphonic…doom
like black metal band based out of Mexico City. Since then, I have been able
to keep in touch with vocalist Sali; who has kept me updated with the details
of the bands upcoming album. All hail…The Great Mother of Doom.
Blissfulviolet: What is the story behind Benatnash?
How did the band form?
How did the band form?
Salai: Benatnash is the name of a star from the Ursa
Minor Constellation at ancient Mesopotamia. When
that star shined red over the sky it announced the
doom and devastation of mankind, at the sacerdotal
elite of goddess Ereshkigal. Benatnash was also an
ancient goddess, mistress of Doom, confined to live at
that star to keep her away from Earth, her cult was
secret.
Minor Constellation at ancient Mesopotamia. When
that star shined red over the sky it announced the
doom and devastation of mankind, at the sacerdotal
elite of goddess Ereshkigal. Benatnash was also an
ancient goddess, mistress of Doom, confined to live at
that star to keep her away from Earth, her cult was
secret.
Blissfulviolet: How has the new album been coming along? What can you tell me about it?
Around April of 2004 we were the support act for Dimmu Borgir and then we started to get active on the scene.
One year later Galarr had to leave the band and we put Benatnash on ice again. It wasn’t until August when Xava
Anjana joined us and we kept rocking. Since then, we have been working hard for the second album.
One year later Galarr had to leave the band and we put Benatnash on ice again. It wasn’t until August when Xava
Anjana joined us and we kept rocking. Since then, we have been working hard for the second album.
About the band Formation well, in January of 2001
Baal and I started the band. At the beginning it was a
need to have a black metal band, something that our
minds and body were asking for, since a long time
Baal and I started the band. At the beginning it was a
need to have a black metal band, something that our
minds and body were asking for, since a long time
ago. We were in Eidyllion (our other band) working for almost two years and found ourselves well connected and
started to talk about making a black metal band in December of 2000. One month later we started to work on
Benatnash. During the first years we were too much inspired by the music college, so Benatnash sounded more
symphonic and operatic. We weren’t loved much in the scene because of Eidyllion, but we did publish the demo,
“Hidden Somnus’ Storm”(2001) and our first album “Reprobo Corruptio Drama” in 2002. In 2003 Eidyllion`s
composing period lasted almost a year and we decided to get hot with Benatnash. We started to compose rawer,
faster music, putting apart the opera and excessive symphonic parts. The result was awesome. The Benatnash
lineup then also consisted female bassit Lady Galarr, who joined to us, so the almost female style was fixed then.
started to talk about making a black metal band in December of 2000. One month later we started to work on
Benatnash. During the first years we were too much inspired by the music college, so Benatnash sounded more
symphonic and operatic. We weren’t loved much in the scene because of Eidyllion, but we did publish the demo,
“Hidden Somnus’ Storm”(2001) and our first album “Reprobo Corruptio Drama” in 2002. In 2003 Eidyllion`s
composing period lasted almost a year and we decided to get hot with Benatnash. We started to compose rawer,
faster music, putting apart the opera and excessive symphonic parts. The result was awesome. The Benatnash
lineup then also consisted female bassit Lady Galarr, who joined to us, so the almost female style was fixed then.
Salai: As I mentioned before, we got rawer, more intensive and faster than the music in the “Reprobo..” album.
Now we sound like a real black metal act. We delayed some years from having it because we were searching for
the right sound, and finally we got it. We are currently finishing the recording sessions. There will be 10 tracks
and this edition will have a classic jewel case, and full colored booklet. Baal made the art as always, and our close
friend Stormrage took care of the photo session for it. We are searching for different labels and right now we are
under negotiations with Azermedoth records for a co-production and distro. We are convinced that this will be a
great album.
Now we sound like a real black metal act. We delayed some years from having it because we were searching for
the right sound, and finally we got it. We are currently finishing the recording sessions. There will be 10 tracks
and this edition will have a classic jewel case, and full colored booklet. Baal made the art as always, and our close
friend Stormrage took care of the photo session for it. We are searching for different labels and right now we are
under negotiations with Azermedoth records for a co-production and distro. We are convinced that this will be a
great album.
Blissfulviolet: I’m sure the new album will be great. I’m curious, what would you say inspired your interests in
black metal?
black metal?
Salai: Essentially my self search. I’ve always known myself to be a cruel, pride and creative person. I always
searched for a field where I can explode my potential. When I was 10 years old, I found that metal was good for a
while, but time passed and I felt like something was missing. I then found Black Metal and I adopted it. Meanwhile I
was studying, and started to notice lots of topics that I built my personality on. Hand in hand, knowledge and black
metal, getting the answers for my doubts, I confirmed the reason of my hate. So when Benatnash was born I
became the mouthpiece of her. Definitely this is my skin and I’m very comfortable in it.
searched for a field where I can explode my potential. When I was 10 years old, I found that metal was good for a
while, but time passed and I felt like something was missing. I then found Black Metal and I adopted it. Meanwhile I
was studying, and started to notice lots of topics that I built my personality on. Hand in hand, knowledge and black
metal, getting the answers for my doubts, I confirmed the reason of my hate. So when Benatnash was born I
became the mouthpiece of her. Definitely this is my skin and I’m very comfortable in it.
Blissfulviolet: Interesting, so what inspired you to become a singer?
Salai: Loneliness and Doro Pesch. When I was in elementary I was a
straight A student, lonely for being cruel and hated for the notes. This
gave to me lots of free time. That’s a good combo, so at 10 years old I
discovered metal and started to fill myself with it. In Mexico it was very
strange seeing a woman on a rock stage. I noticed Doro and how
great she can be, and how she can rock as well as men did.
straight A student, lonely for being cruel and hated for the notes. This
gave to me lots of free time. That’s a good combo, so at 10 years old I
discovered metal and started to fill myself with it. In Mexico it was very
strange seeing a woman on a rock stage. I noticed Doro and how
great she can be, and how she can rock as well as men did.
I knew that I wanted to do the same for myself, but my own style. I
started to learn lots of lyrics and bios ‘cause I wanted to know how to
get there. I studied by myself and I knew my voice very slowly. I tried
to form my first band when I was 12, and when at 16 started Eidyllion.
I took things serious and started to study music and opera. Right now I’
m closer to my objective but I’m not there. I can truly say to you that
being into metal and opera gave me my deepest satisfactions.
started to learn lots of lyrics and bios ‘cause I wanted to know how to
get there. I studied by myself and I knew my voice very slowly. I tried
to form my first band when I was 12, and when at 16 started Eidyllion.
I took things serious and started to study music and opera. Right now I’
m closer to my objective but I’m not there. I can truly say to you that
being into metal and opera gave me my deepest satisfactions.
Blissfulviolet: How does the crowd react when they first see you
performing, being a female vocalist with corpse paint and possessing
some grim vocals?
performing, being a female vocalist with corpse paint and possessing
some grim vocals?
Salai: Well it is funny how men react about it the first time, especially
the machos. Some of them at the beginning think that I’m just going to
make a funny show, a nude club show or something like that. They
the machos. Some of them at the beginning think that I’m just going to
make a funny show, a nude club show or something like that. They
start to yell things like “slut”, “do me” or stupid things like that. Other men are overprotective taking care of every
moment. The girls stand there quiet and paying attention. After the first song finishes things start to get hot.
When the second song finishes things are done: some will hate me some will respect me, I can say that in almost
all the Mexican cities we have made the show get hot and furious. The girls get excited and are the most satisfied
ones, but the crowd in general likes us. The cities where we go every year are amazing, they respect me as the
front woman as they would respect any other good quality front man.
moment. The girls stand there quiet and paying attention. After the first song finishes things start to get hot.
When the second song finishes things are done: some will hate me some will respect me, I can say that in almost
all the Mexican cities we have made the show get hot and furious. The girls get excited and are the most satisfied
ones, but the crowd in general likes us. The cities where we go every year are amazing, they respect me as the
front woman as they would respect any other good quality front man.
Blissfulviolet: What can one expect to encounter performance wise?
Salai: Quality, excellent music and a great performance from every one of us. Sometimes I get to the stage hot
and things get lusty, other times I’m furious, (especially when something about the deal is missing by the
promoters side. I’m the band manager and when something is missing or not done I’m a total bitch). So when I get
to stage things get harder and furious, Baal and Xava pick up the style in seconds and all of us transmit the
current mood. I think that you would remember us for a long time after you see us on stage.
and things get lusty, other times I’m furious, (especially when something about the deal is missing by the
promoters side. I’m the band manager and when something is missing or not done I’m a total bitch). So when I get
to stage things get harder and furious, Baal and Xava pick up the style in seconds and all of us transmit the
current mood. I think that you would remember us for a long time after you see us on stage.
Blissfulviolet: What inspires and influences Benatnash?
Salai: Lyrically: Mistress Benatnash, war, misanthropy and human history on that order, the human devastation
by their own hands and by the Benatnash’s impulse. We all love war themes, Baal and I are enthusiasts of
medieval battles and that kind of stuff. I’m studying to be a historian, so I’m very interested about the roll of
women on wars and we put it into the lyrics. I get tons of detailed info about wars and hunger, cruelties and
reasons for. All of that is mixed to the honor the being of Benatnash’s mouthpiece and you get that taste at every
lyric.
by their own hands and by the Benatnash’s impulse. We all love war themes, Baal and I are enthusiasts of
medieval battles and that kind of stuff. I’m studying to be a historian, so I’m very interested about the roll of
women on wars and we put it into the lyrics. I get tons of detailed info about wars and hunger, cruelties and
reasons for. All of that is mixed to the honor the being of Benatnash’s mouthpiece and you get that taste at every
lyric.
Musically: We are very influenced as a band, by bands like Limbonic Art, Summoning and Arcturus. Each one of
us has different influences and mix it all over Benatnash. For example Baal is very influenced by Russian
composers like Rachmaninov. You can feel that influence at the symphonic parts, and also by Mayhem.
You can feel it in the riffs, Xava likes Testament a lot, as well as jazz and progressive rock composers, and also
was very deep into death metal some years ago, so you can feel it when she plays. I like bands like Immortal and
Mayhem, and I think that their influence in my work is very deep. On the few operatic passages I can feel a
very big presence of the Mozart’s, Bizet’s and Wagner’s works. We have built our musical world from our self
existence.
us has different influences and mix it all over Benatnash. For example Baal is very influenced by Russian
composers like Rachmaninov. You can feel that influence at the symphonic parts, and also by Mayhem.
You can feel it in the riffs, Xava likes Testament a lot, as well as jazz and progressive rock composers, and also
was very deep into death metal some years ago, so you can feel it when she plays. I like bands like Immortal and
Mayhem, and I think that their influence in my work is very deep. On the few operatic passages I can feel a
very big presence of the Mozart’s, Bizet’s and Wagner’s works. We have built our musical world from our self
existence.
Blissfulviolet: You’re also in the band Eidyllion,
a much…calmer, yet experimental folk band. What
can you tell me about this band?
a much…calmer, yet experimental folk band. What
can you tell me about this band?
Salai: One time I found myself like a duality and I
think that the opposite for Benatnash is Eidyllion.
We put all our musician’s vocation in, it's
calmer but sometimes gets harder but never rude.
It is as you said, very experimental. It’s a very
different way of making music, but fortunately
(remember Mexico is very low about culture) the
people like us; have made lots of things with it:
music for theater, cinema and performance.
Actually we got our line-up, a female dancer
and performer: Astrid, and also musical
arrangements for traditional Mexican folk songs.
We published three records that all had good
reactions, and made the people think, that’s very
think that the opposite for Benatnash is Eidyllion.
We put all our musician’s vocation in, it's
calmer but sometimes gets harder but never rude.
It is as you said, very experimental. It’s a very
different way of making music, but fortunately
(remember Mexico is very low about culture) the
people like us; have made lots of things with it:
music for theater, cinema and performance.
Actually we got our line-up, a female dancer
and performer: Astrid, and also musical
arrangements for traditional Mexican folk songs.
We published three records that all had good
reactions, and made the people think, that’s very
important for an artist. It’s like a dream-made thing, its precious, elegant, suggestive and chameleonic. With
Eidyllion we have been national representatives of Mexico, on musical contests and festivals as well as openers
for symphonic black and doom metal bands. I even figured Eidyllion to be like a female entity, so I think its kind of
a witch lurking around our psyche building melodies and images.
Eidyllion we have been national representatives of Mexico, on musical contests and festivals as well as openers
for symphonic black and doom metal bands. I even figured Eidyllion to be like a female entity, so I think its kind of
a witch lurking around our psyche building melodies and images.
Blissfulviolet: What is the metal scene like in Mexico and how does it effect the band?
Salai: That’s a great question. Well, their are tons of machos and misogynous (men and women) in Mexico, many
of them hate us, specially me ‘cause inside their tiny minds they can’t figure out how a woman can be equal as
them and can lead a band. They’re very silly, I’m just doing my work and I don’t lead anybody ‘cause we are like
an association. So that carried us tons of gossips anyhow they’re our best publicists but in general we are well
accepted at the beginning its strange for them to look at a band that doesn’t carry a drummer and, sometimes, a
guitar player, but their is always the music and the attitude. We have built our friendship with almost all the main
bands in the Mexican scene and they respect us, the ones who don’t are machos or just persons that we don’t
know yet or we are not interested to know. We feel great here but we really want to be known worldwide, we don’t
want to focus just at the Mexican scene.
of them hate us, specially me ‘cause inside their tiny minds they can’t figure out how a woman can be equal as
them and can lead a band. They’re very silly, I’m just doing my work and I don’t lead anybody ‘cause we are like
an association. So that carried us tons of gossips anyhow they’re our best publicists but in general we are well
accepted at the beginning its strange for them to look at a band that doesn’t carry a drummer and, sometimes, a
guitar player, but their is always the music and the attitude. We have built our friendship with almost all the main
bands in the Mexican scene and they respect us, the ones who don’t are machos or just persons that we don’t
know yet or we are not interested to know. We feel great here but we really want to be known worldwide, we don’t
want to focus just at the Mexican scene.
The Mexican scene has great differences about quality against other scenes like European ones. I really don’t
care about the people that fool themselves thinking that we are great, yes we have a great audience, great bands
and great producers but those last ones are a few ones. I studied music for years and I’m still doing it. As a
musician I can tell you that many bands don’t have good composing and/or playing quality or even (and the most
important thing) originality. I think if we kept working hard the scene will be better and it's more about quality not
quantity. I don’t agree that a scene should have tons of bands and just two or three of them that are worthy. The
Mexican audience is great, because of them we offer home made bands a big quality of originality because it’s
possible to make it.
care about the people that fool themselves thinking that we are great, yes we have a great audience, great bands
and great producers but those last ones are a few ones. I studied music for years and I’m still doing it. As a
musician I can tell you that many bands don’t have good composing and/or playing quality or even (and the most
important thing) originality. I think if we kept working hard the scene will be better and it's more about quality not
quantity. I don’t agree that a scene should have tons of bands and just two or three of them that are worthy. The
Mexican audience is great, because of them we offer home made bands a big quality of originality because it’s
possible to make it.
Blissfulviolet: Where would you like to see your bands headed?
Salai: For both bands I want great open air festivals, long tours at America and Europe and any where else that
asks for us. I think that for Eidyllion, I want prizes, fine arts institutional prizes and those kind of things; maybe the
cover of great magazines, but I think that the most important thing I want for and from them is to make great
albums, not just hit albums, worthy albums musically, lyrically…they should be masterpieces and everyone of
them must be remembered and have brilliant pieces inside. I want that these bands to be remembered by many
and years after I’ve died.
asks for us. I think that for Eidyllion, I want prizes, fine arts institutional prizes and those kind of things; maybe the
cover of great magazines, but I think that the most important thing I want for and from them is to make great
albums, not just hit albums, worthy albums musically, lyrically…they should be masterpieces and everyone of
them must be remembered and have brilliant pieces inside. I want that these bands to be remembered by many
and years after I’ve died.
Blissfulviolet: Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, got any final comments?
Salai: I want to thank you for the interest about the bands and me, for the space and also for the great
questionnaire. It’s also great to be interviewed by a woman, I really don’t get that everyday. Also I want to tempt
your readers to visit the band’s spaces:
questionnaire. It’s also great to be interviewed by a woman, I really don’t get that everyday. Also I want to tempt
your readers to visit the band’s spaces:
Here you can download some tracks for free
Thanks again and keep it brutal and worthy.