Interview with LORD RAAHL
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about LORD RAAHL (Members, Starting Year etc).
My name is Rafael Luiz, I live in Belo Horizonte/MG (Brazil), I'm 20 years old, and I'm the only member of the one-man band Lord Raahl. The band started in 2021 with three friends from Discord, but since they didn't contribute due to distance and laziness, I changed the name (from Deathrash to Lord Raahl), learned to use MIDI drums, and recorded everything myself. My lyrics initially were based on compulsive desires and true crime cases, with the first song being "Virgin Sacrifice," which was based on something I almost committed during a breakdown when I saw a beautiful girl on her way to school. That day, I secretly followed her home and stayed far away, controlling myself not to do what the voices told me to do. These days, those thoughts are more controlled due to medication. Some other people have been part of the band, the most recent being the vocalist and personal friend Rob Werwolf, but the only member who was really important for the released songs was Ezdras. He reviewed the lyrics since he was a native English speaker and also made some keyboard and drum tracks for me. At the end of 2023, his brother informed me that he committed suicide. Since he lived in another country, I couldn't verify if the news was real.
You have recently released your album ''Burn the Churches, Fuck the Whores and Kill the Posers''. What is the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
To be honest, regarding the release of "Burn the Churches, Fuck the Whores and Kill the Posers," I didn't receive feedback from any outlets or anything like that, only in social media DMs. Although I received some praise, I was somewhat dissatisfied with the release, which originally was supposed to have 7 songs, but I moved the release up because I was going to do a split with another band from Minas Gerais. However, that band started creating conflicts with me over a woman.
Label or DIY and why?
I got involved with a label called Void of Frost Productions around September 2023, but I disengaged before releasing anything with them. So, we can say that all releases are independently done by the digital label Deathrash Records, a name I chose because it was the original name of the band. A friend's band, "Neurasthenia...", will also release their work through this label.
Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?
I have some funny stories about the recording process, as I always improvise to record at home. The first version of "Virgin Sacrifice" was recorded with a single audio track. Basically, I programmed a simple loop I learned at the time, recorded the bass, mirrored the audio on the TV, and recorded the vocals along with the guitar on a second cellphone. In other words, the song was recorded with all instruments on the same microphone. It’s also funny to remember that I record my songs with a webcam microphone. In my latest Bandcamp release, "Metal Morto," I recorded guitars and bass using the webcam mic'ing the amplifier to bring a rawer, more analog sound.
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
For consumption, I prefer vinyl, but I don't dismiss digital for practicality. I would like to do a vinyl release, but for now, I'm focused on releasing something that satisfies me before considering that.
Your music style is Black/Speed Metal. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
My early influences were Misfits for the lyrics, Power From Hell for vocals and instrumentation, and Sarcófago for both lyrics and instrumentation. The song "Poser of Metal" has an instrumental heavily based on speed. All songs followed that line, but over time I changed. Although the band is labeled as Black/Speed Metal, I believe some songs stray from that theme, flirting with Blackgaze and DSBM.
Which things do you think a band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your band?
I believe many bands bow to the market to achieve success. The goal of the Lord Raahl project has never been success; we just want to make honest music. If we are recognized for that, it will be a consequence, but money and visibility do not drive us.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?
I even considered doing a show, but I canceled it due to issues with the drummer who was going to play for me. I believe that next year I will do shows in my city. An ideal show would have a crowd of true fans or open-minded people ready to judge the sound without prejudice or moralism regarding the lyrics.
What attributes do you think that a new Black/Speed Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
I believe that many bands, at least in my country, always follow a standard and stereotype, never innovate, and boycott those who shock or innovate. These days, many people mix moralism with extreme metal, which makes the genre lose its meaning. I don’t want to tell them what to do, but I find that contradictory.
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Black/Speed Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its work?
I believe this is a matter of luck, as many good bands end up with fewer than 10 monthly listeners. Platforms tend to favor more pop bands, but sometimes they recommend and help some underground bands. I'm not very good at promoting my band; I only started posting on Instagram at the end of 2023, so I don't know a good strategy for promotion.
Do you see any differences between the Brazilian Metal Market & the EU Metal Market (Labels, Bands, Fans etc)?
I believe Brazil has a great scene regarding bands, but it's not very visible because venues prefer cover bands. When they put an original band on stage, they pay miserable fees and don’t provide good structure, unlike what they do with cover bands. The superiority of Europe comes, in my opinion, from the fact that there are no constant boycotts and petty fights in the underground there.
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Brazil (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
In extreme metal, at least in my city, the scene is poor because people enter the genre for the aesthetic, steal instrumentals, or do copied performances from other bands, always falling into clichés. As for bands, we do have a good scene, but the audience and venues don’t support the local underground. Recently, some people formed virtual gangs to criticize me about the lyrics of my songs, claiming I glorify serial killers and that I'm misogynistic and an incel. I ignore this because connecting my lyrics to my personal life is something foolish. Even if some lyrics are inspired by compulsive desires, I put them in the songs because, when I externalize this without committing the act, the urge goes away. The song "Eric And Dylan" caused a stir among extremist groups in Brazil, but the lyrics are not an apology. I wrote it in a way that can be interpreted as both criticism and apology, depending on who listens. This led to some professors in the scene organizing online campaigns to try to cancel me, but I have no control over who listens to my music. The only scene I see without this false moralism is in Southern Brazil, in my perception.
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
My favorite Thrash Metal band, "Suicidal Angels," is from Greece. I also know the band Rotting Christ. I don't know much about the Greek scene; it may be that I listen to something from there without knowing it.
In the last 4 years, worldwide in the world, we have faced many dark, strange, and new situations in our everyday lives (covid, lockdown, etc.). Did all of this affect you positively or negatively?
Covid was bad for me since I attempted suicide twice during the pandemic, but it was also positive because it was during this period that the idea for the band was born.
What are your future plans?
I intend to release "Metal Morto" on Spotify later this year and, in the following year, do shows and splits with other bands from Minas Gerais and other countries.
Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
I really appreciate the contact and the interest in doing this interview. I’m happy to have been recognized by you. I would like to invite all of you to listen to my release "Metal Morto," which is already available on Bandcamp and will soon be on Spotify and other streaming platforms.
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
LORD RAAHL CONTACT:
https://deathrashbh.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/lordraahl/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4ySJECQLEGAJswXuzCVbZA