Interview: Cataclysmic Warfare

Image: Cataclysmic Warfare

War metal act Cataclysmic Warfare recently impressed us with the full-on sonic assault of their debut album Blood Presidium. It’s an album that's unapologetically Christian yet also unapologetically brutal and intense. With themes ranging from end times prophecy to historic martyrdom to spiritual warfare, there’s a lot to unpack in the album and explore. Not to mention the overall impressive composition and genre-blending moments it provides. 

To help us unpack some of it and gain a better understanding of what went into the album and its creative aspirations, we spoke with E.O.S. (Exaltation of Sacrament), the central creative force behind it all.  

Thank you for this interview! I’m excited to explore everything you’ve put into Blood Presidium. You live in the United States, correct? Do you find that the region influences your music in any way? 

I am American, but I don't find much regional influence presenting itself in my sound. I would assert that the war metal style is one of the most globally expansive subgenres within extreme metal.

Before we get into the deeper themes of Blood Presidium, I’m curious about some of the sonic choices. Although at its core, the album is war metal, I find it to be really genre-blending. Like, there’s some doom influence on “Ritual Barbarism” and a bit of thrash on “Blood Presidium.” How do you envision the various genres and sounds fitting into the album as a whole and its overall goals?

Your keen ear picked up the nuanced dynamics in our sound. We're certainly not the 1st war metal band to blend classic metal styles into our music, but I've been a student of all metal genres (aside from the ones played by men with emo or spiked hair) for nearly 35 years now.

The influences you mentioned are deployed naturally and I believe quite effectively. My objective was to integrate them within the songs while not allowing them to sound "glued-on," and I believe this has been achieved.

The sound of war metal is really brutal, and I would argue it’s more intense than many other Christian metal bands. I think most people think of metalcore and deathcore, which have a more mainstream appeal. What are your thoughts on balancing the typical expectations around Christian metal in comparison to a more dark and intense sound like war metal? Was that something you considered when making Blood Presidium?

While in spirit, I support what most Christian Metal bands do, I pay little to no attention to that side of the music simply because it's foreign to me. If they're glorifying the Redeemer, then I hope they're successful in that endeavor, but my goals are strategic and surgical.

Secular and satanic war metal is the most vile cesspool of blasphemous music on Earth, ideologically speaking. This is why it's so important for me to push back and offer a spiritual extraction for the lost, because it's the vast majority of that population. I've been a fan of the style for decades, and when I first heard Lucifer Impaled, it really animated my heart and mind. I knew what the parameters were and how to execute top-tier music without sounding too cheesy, as many Christian extreme metal bands do, sadly.

Some of the tracks on the album pull from history, like "Ritual Barbarism" with Soviet oppression and "Millstones for Moloch" with ancient Near Eastern child sacrifice. Is history routinely an inspiration for your songwriting? What was it about these particular moments in history you wanted to explore and share?

I've always been drawn to parts of history, especially Christian history, that are so often glossed over by history books and programs. The deliberate barbarity and unprecedented bloodshed waged against Christians in the 20th century are known but are often ignored or even suppressed by some. I happen to find our suffering worthy of being remembered, mourned and examined just as robustly as the suffering of others during the last century, but sadly, it rarely, if ever, is.

The issue touched upon in "Millstones..." is a sore spot for many. I don't pretend to know the particulars or exact details of the subject matter, nor would I ever want to, but I fear it doesn't remain in one geographic location, nor does it remain an outpost of antiquity. Valid, credible eye-witness testimony confirms its modern incarnation, and to our Lord, it is the most heinous atrocity that man can commit. To what degree it continues is unknown, but any instance of it is worth speaking about, after a quick trip to my mechanic to inspect my brake wires, of course.

Blacforje: I like that a lot of the lyricism in the album works to really make spiritual warfare a tangible manifestation in our world. The use of imagery is excellent. What did you aim to accomplish in terms of spiritual warfare with the album?

We are immersed in a spiritual battlefield at all times, in all places, and I wanted to paint this reality in terms that adherents to the style could grasp and hopefully digest. Striking, bold lyrics are nothing new for me, but I'm pleased that I can deploy them against the enemy. Every truth spoken for His name is a volley of artillery against the lies and wickedness foretold in Scripture. 

The battles of the disciples and the early church are the battle of you and me today. Accomplishing surgical strikes and the aforementioned extractions of our unsaved brothers and sisters from the abyss of hell was the plan from the outset.

Despite the album's dark and intense nature, I find it full of hope. Would you agree with that interpretation? How do you see the themes of hope and salvation working in the album?

Absolutely. We battle on in the hopes that the ascendency of Christian War Metal necessarily means the displacement of satanic war metal and its poisonous fruit. We prescribe the blood of Christ as the only solution to a world in free-fall. The Scripture and sacraments are how we win. VICTORY IS WITHIN REACH FOR ALL WHO CRY OUT TO HIM AND FOLLOW HIS COMMANDS. This is our overarching transmission. 

‘Blood Presidium’ by Cataclysmic Warfare

Connected with that, I think Blood Presidium does a great job at exploring end times prophecy without giving into despair and fear like many other artists might fall into. How did that theme work into the album for you? Was that something you kept in mind when crafting those songs?

End times prophecies are a hotly contested topic within the breadth of Christendom. I have studied them and have my own thoughts on the topic, but whether a man dies in Armageddon or by slipping on ice, he faces the same judgment. I feel that drawing nearer to Him every day, while above the soil, is of dire importance. This is not to say we shouldn't observe the happenings around us. I certainly keep a keen eye on worldly happenings, but your first focus must be on your soul and the souls of those within your reach. 

Themes of the end times lend themselves on an aesthetic level to this genre en masse. Satanic war metal bands also use these things, we're simply fact-checking them with our own presentation and if I may be so bold, one-upping nearly every, if not all of them, in the process. Anything they can do, Christ can do better, including punishing war metal with precision musicianship.

The album artwork is equally brutal as the album itself. Who designed that? What thoughts went into designing it?

I dictated the ideas to my wife, who then sketched them down. After this, they were sent to a capable artist called BlackDotX on Instagram. Some have stated that the art is a bit grotesque. This may indeed be true, but the implications of eternal hell and the end of the world sound a bit grotesque as well, no? 

What is in store for Cataclysmic Warfare in the near future? Any hopes for a merch drop? Any new music on the horizon?

Cataclysmic Warfare is repositioning to more advantageous battle lines after a major successful assault on the Liar. The priority moving forward will be Marble Tomb and it's next release. I am one man with one bank account so the majority of the effort and funding for all of these things fall upon my shoulders. I've considered enlisting others to help but I have a very narrow scope for the sounds I'll allow within the band so any prospective recruit would have to understand the parameters beforehand. This being stated, I am open to collaboration, should the right people volunteer.

We haven't found a merch outfitter that meets our quality standards yet but it's being explored. Comando Records in Mexico has stated interest, so this may yield results. I must take this time to send my utmost respect and love to Gunner of Embestida. His prowess for Christian War Metal vocals and lyrics are what got C.W. off the ground once again. Headlight Productions have also proven indispensable once again with their faith and vision for my work. A mighty salute to both. All brothers in Christ. Todos son mis hermanos en Cristo!

Final question: What is the most underrated, overlooked moment in history in your opinion and why? What should people learn more about?

I could list so many things here. The Reconquista of Spain, the Fall of Constantinople, and the Reign of Vlad Tepes all come to mind, but right now, everyone should carve out time to learn about Tiridates III of Armenia and his official proclamation of Armenia as the first officially Christian nation on Earth. The tragedies and triumphs of the Armenians should serve as an inspiration for all Christians. They have endured so much for so long, thanks to their unfailing righteousness and exaltation of Christ the Redeemer. Long live Christian Armenia! Glory to Christ!

You can follow Cataclysmic Warfare on Bandcamp, Instagram, and Facebook.