Welcome to The Right Talk, The Online Talk Show, where, The Right Hand Path talks to Individuals & Organisations alike from the World of Metal Music. Our Guest, today, is Vetis Monarch of Weapon, the Canada based Death Metal/Black Metal band.
The Right Hand Path: Greetings from The Right Hand Path to the Disciples of The Left Hand Path at Weapon! Welcome to The Right Talk, how are you?
Vetis Monarch: Exhausted but alert. We’re just getting geared up for the upcoming tour of Western Canada with our friends in Rudra. If all goes according to plan, this is going to be a historical tour.
The Right Hand Path: Could you please share the story of Weapon, if I’m right, from its Creation in Bangladesh to Weapon in Canada in 2011, as we speak?
Vetis Monarch: Formed in Calgary in early 2003; relocated temporarily to Bangladesh during my travels of 2004 – 2005. Moved back to Canada, but relocated the band to Edmonton and this is where we have been ever since.
The Right Hand Path: 1 Demo, 2 EPs and 2 Full Lengths, how has been this for Weapon, since former members of Weapon have been from cool Canadian Metal bands like Agni Nethra from Revenge and Axis Of Advance and Kapalik from Orator of Bangladesh? What do you’ve to say about the names of you and your band members, they all seem to reflect their ideological beliefs, is it so?
Vetis Monarch: It has been quite the journey, to say the least. Weapon was burdened with line-up issues from the very beginning because I am very picky and not the most pleasant person to work with. Agni Nethra was really a session member, but a great help when I needed a skilled bass player. Kapalyq was a full-time member of the band.
Members’ pseudonyms must reflect the ideology of the band. Weapon is Satanic through and through; every member’s name has something to do with the Left Hand Path.
The Right Hand Path: Your 2009 full-length album “Drakonian Paradigm” LP was released by The Ajna Offensive and the Tape on In Coffin Productions. Similarly for your 2010 full-length album “From The Devil’s Tomb”, which was released by Agonia Records in Europe and in North America by Tyler Davis’ The Ajna Offensive. Was there any special reason or arrangement for releasing the album on two different record labels/productions?
Vetis Monarch: Money and distribution. Splitting all the costs between 2 labels makes it more affordable for all involved and distribution wise Agonia has a secure foothold in the European territories. ‘Drakonian Paradigm’ suffered from poor distribution in Europe so we wanted to make sure that didn’t happen with ‘From The Devil’s Tomb’.
The Right Hand Path: How has been the response from your fans and record labels in general to your 2009 and 2010 releases?
Vetis Monarch: Seems like we are becoming a love/hate band with nothing in between. The fans that like us are fanatical about our work. ‘From The Devil’s Tomb’ has received a very positive response from the media, which I’m sure can be somewhat attributed to the better production of the album.
The Right Hand Path: Unlike other Death Metal/Black Metal bands, Weapon’s lyrical themes/songs usually seem to be pro-Hinduism, anti-Islam, dealing with Satanism, the Dark Side of Life and The Left Hand Path, if I may say so. Is it because of your interest in these topics or you just don’t want to be another run of the mill Death Metal/Black Metal band with Anti-Christian and/or Vedic Metal stance?
Vetis Monarch: My interest is in examining and studying Satanism in as many cultures as I possibly can. So, I can’t say I am anti anything in that regard, since knowledge of my chosen discipline can emerge in the most unusual of places. That being said, of course I don’t want Weapon to be just another Death Metal/Black Metal band. We believe in maintaining tradition but we put our own unique stamp on it.
The Right Hand Path: It’s been 4 months since 2011 began, any plans for a new Weapon album/tour? Your former band member Kapalik’s band Orator performed recently in the Trendslaughter Festival 2011 in Bengaluru,India. Any plans for an India tour?
Vetis Monarch: If a promoter was willing to pay for 4 plane tickets for Weapon to go play in India, we would do it in a heartbeat. So please spread the word!
The Right Hand Path: Thank you for this Interview with The Right Hand Path. Would you like to say anything to the Readers of The Right Hand Path here in India and abroad and your fans?
Vetis Monarch: We appreciate the support thus far. Please continue to do so by buying our records and not dowloading them. Hail Satan.
