In recent years Austria has provided us with many black metal acts, yet most of them tend to lean on the atmospheric side of the genre. However, Theotoxin are quite the opposite, they are a full-blown-in-your-face black/death metal band. Those who have listened to their latest releases “Consilivm “ and “Antramentvm “ have experienced quite a harsh death metal blow, but this alone does not sum up their musical direction and development. We have joined with Flo “Plaguebringer” and Ragnar to discuss the past, present and future.

HITS: Hello guys, how are you doing? Please introduce yourselves and your roles in the band.

Flo: I'm the founder and songwriter of Theotoxin, but live and in the studio I take care of the drums. Nothing more to add.
Ragnar: I´m the vocalist of Theotoxin and my pseudonym has nothing to do with TV series or things like that!

HITS: Theotoxin, for my personal understanding, means “poison of God” or “God’s poison” or even “Religious poison”, what is the correct terminology?

Flo: As you said, its a mix of two words.THEOS, which means GOD in greek and TOXIN, which is obvious poison. The meaning behind that name is quite simple, just watch nowadays news and what people are capable off..in the name of their so called GOD. Rape, homicide, torture… the list goes on and on. Made up gods are poisoning the minds of the sheep…

HITS: Your latest releases sounds like perverse brutal blackened death metal, but a live video from last years edition of Kaltenbach Open Air suggests a significant change in the bands direction. It is now clear that Theotoxin are without a doubt a total black metal band. What inspired you to make this blessed yet natural change?

Flo: Our second album was more filled with Death Metal riffs, I admit that. Our Vocalist, at this time, was more into grunts and this gave CONSILIVM a big death metal touch. Also my writing was more aggressive at this point.

Ragnar: When I joined the band in january 2019, it was the only thing I was interested in: Creating black metal music without any compromise or other influences. Black metal for me is sublimity and perfection. It's the essence of creation and every member of Theotoxin shares that passion. That's the reason why this change felt natural for us – we´re releasing a mighty force and spit it in the face of the audience.

HITS: You have stated before on social media that you are about to release a new album that was recorded with the new lineup. When will it be released to the ether and what can we expect from it?

Ragnar: Things take their time but it will be worth it and you can expect the most intense piece of black art within the last 15 years of black metal.

Flo: All I can say the Album is already finished and we are very satisfied with the results.Its darker, and way more rougher than ATRAMENTVM and CONSILIVM. About a release date…we will see.
 

HITS: In a world full of dull and empty shell-like bands, what is it that you are trying to reflect in your music, both live and on the album?

Ragnar: Dangerousness, coldness, majestic dignity and supremacy.

Flo: Sounds cheesy but just a pitch black atmosphere, pure violence and pure refusal to the whole trendy scene.Thats MY impulse and intention to write music for THEOTOXIN.

HITS: I have experienced in the last 8-10 years a diversity in the musical styles within the black metal realm and really good sound and mixing production, how do you feel about breaking that old mould of the typical cold and thin sound?

Flo: Actually I love that old cold and thin sound, it suits Black Metal very well but of course it doesn’t fit every bands sound today.

HITS: Black metal, just like any other musical genre, has sub genres of its own that define bands and their own unique styles. Where do you see Theotoxin within those definitions?

Flo: I hate it when a Band is categorized, but I'll try: First Album was more a brutal Black Metal piece, the second had a major Death Metal touch to it, and with the third we finally have arrived where we wanted to go. Pure Black Metal. That's it. Fuck off!

HITS: Let’s discuss lyrics and motives, what do you write about in your lyrics? What is your inspiration and concept?

Ragnar: That´s a difficult question, because inspiration and motivation for my lyrics is always something that's born from a quite perpetual and complicated process between my own mind, my beliefs and this abused and fucked up world we live in. You can find themes like horror, insanity and mammonism in my lyrics as well as social criticism or domination. Personally I think that there are no boundaries in terms of lyrics and it's totally wrong to run after something you don't believe in, like many artists nowadays do. Vocalists should simply express things they are absolutely into – there is no other way of transforming your vision into music, especially when performing a black metal ritual on stage, which is by far the most innate form of power.

HITS: You played with Batushka not so long ago, did you play the new material? How did the audience respond, and do you even care about such things as "public opinion"?

Ragnar: We only play new material except one or two songs and I really dont give a single fuck on peoples opinion about me as a person or our music. I am what I am and we play exactly those songs that we decide to give to the audience on that special evening.

Flo: I don't care that much about other people's opinions. We spat our piece of blackest art in the peoples face and they honored it.

HITS: We are looking forward to having you at Hole In The Svn: Transzendenz, can you tell us what the audience can expect from your live show?

Ragnar: Expect absolute devastation and an intense performance of black art that everyone who shares this passion will totally be immersed in...!

Flo: A damn aggressive show, Black Metal needs more violence, more straight to your face hatred and a big pile of a „Fuck You“ attitude…Ragnar will give you a crash course and show you what I mean on April the 25th, 2020.

There you have it, Theotoxin are making no apologies for their particular sound and attitude. We are expecting their live performance at Hole In The Svn: Transzendenz to be one for the books.

The interview was conducted by Hole In The Svn for undergrounded.de and Ragnar and Flo from Theotoxin