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| This interview was made in collaboration with Last Cathedral Records |
For this interview, I spoke with Lex Luciferi, the Old School Doom Metal band from Pizarra, Andalusia. Antonio Kaki (lead guitar) and Sergio Buitre (singer) discuss the band's origins, influences, creative approach, upcoming full-length album, and their contribution to The Final Witness compilation.
Asmoth: Lex Luciferi comes from Pizarra, in Andalusia, and your music is rooted in Old School Doom Metal. How did the idea behind Lex Luciferi first take shape, and what did you want this project to express when you started working on it?
Lex Luciferi: Our idea was to start a classic heavy metal band, and we began playing a few covers while looking for the missing members; one of those covers was Candlemass’s “Under the Oak”—which was the one we enjoyed playing the most—so you could say Candlemass is to blame for all this.
Asmoth: There is a very particular character to Old School Doom, especially in the way riffs, atmosphere and heaviness are used. What are the musical elements that you consider essential to the Lex Luciferi identity, and which artists have had the strongest influence on your sound?
Lex Luciferi: We consider ourselves somewhat atmospheric, theatrical, dense, and simple. Aside from Candlemass, as we mentioned earlier, our major influences would be Paradise Lost, Solitude Aeternus, My Dying Bride, Trouble, among others.
Asmoth: Your music has a distinctly dark and mysterious atmosphere. Beyond your musical influences, are there other forms of art, literature, mythology, history or personal experiences that have influenced the way you create music and lyrics?
Lex Luciferi: As for the lyrics, they tend to be fragments of dreams, movies we’ve seen, or everyday occurrences cast in a melancholic light; we are also fond of painters like Gustave Doré and Francisco de Goya, and authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert E. Howard, and Michael Moorcock.
Asmoth: Lex Luciferi has already released several songs, including “Vástagos de un linaje”. Looking at the material you have created so far, do you feel that the band's sound is already clearly defined, or are you still exploring different possibilities within Doom Metal?
Lex Luciferi: We don't think there will be a significant change in our future songs, even though there is always a musical evolution, and for now, we believe we are on the right way.
Asmoth: What are you currently working on with Lex Luciferi? Are you preparing new songs or a more substantial release, and what would you like to achieve with the project over the next few years?
Lex Luciferi: Yes, we are working on new songs to compile into a full-length album, since our previous releases were EPs, and that is what we are currently focused on.
Asmoth: You contributed “Vástagos de un linaje” to The Final Witness. How did the band come to be involved with Last Cathedral Records, and what made you decide that this particular song was the right one to represent Lex Luciferi on the compilation?
Lex Luciferi: Michael contacted us via Instagram to see if we wanted to be featured on the compilation, and we thought it was a fantastic idea. We mutually decided that “Vástagos De Un Linaje” could be a good song to include on the compilation.
Asmoth: The Final Witness brings together twenty Doom Metal bands from different countries and different sides of the genre, from traditional and Epic Doom to Death/Doom. What was it like for you to see Lex Luciferi included in this international underground context, and did you discover any other participating bands through the compilation?
Lex Luciferi: It has been an honor to participate in “The Final Witness” alongside so many international bands, some of which we are fans of, such as Officium Triste and Altar Of Oblivion. All the bands on the compilation have something very interesting to offer; perhaps the ones we liked the most were Void Moon and Trimarkisia.
Asmoth: Beyond simply being a Doom Metal sampler, The Final Witness supports nina+nico e.V., a nonprofit organisation helping people affected by sexual, psychological and physical violence. How important was the social dimension of the project for Lex Luciferi, and what do you hope listeners will take away from your participation in the compilation?
Lex Luciferi: In our opinion, music should be more than just entertainment; it must also be a form of commitment, as it serves as a tool for social transformation, which is why we feel compelled to support this cause. In times like these, it is essential to stand on the side of empathy, social engagement, and community support.
“Vástagos De Un Linaje”, the track we contributed to the compilation, speaks to this matter, so we hope listeners enjoy it, even though it is sung in Spanish.