Photo credits: Joonas Juntunen
Interview by Maizter Underground (NL/SWE) answered by King Aleister Satan originally released in January 2025, re-released by Acta Infernalis as Maizter Underground is no longer online.
Q: How are the goats?
A: Ah, you have been following our social medias! And those who haven’t, I do indeed have 3 pet goats here in our home, Nilla, Viiru and the latest one born during full moon in May, Luna. and they are doing quite fine – thanks for asking!
Q: A new album has been released! Exciting times! What can you tell me about the theme of The Devil’s Evangelion?
A: It is indeed really exciting! The Devil’s Evangelion is, in many ways, the ultimate King Satan album. Everything we have done so far summarizes there in a way, both musically and thematically speaking. This album functions as a concept album that depicts a trickster-like perspective of the world through the lens of someone convinced of being possessed by the Devil. Thematically, rather than viewing this solely as malicious or evil, the perspective seeks to uncover meaning in aspects typically regarded as malevolent and evil —such as chaos, pain, death, destruction, and darkness—and explores how these elements can, paradoxically, also be progressive, beautiful, and even cathartic. This conceptual angle is already apparent in the album’s title, The Devil’s Evangelion, where “Evangelion” signifies “Good News” in Latin and within a Biblical context, despite the common perception of the Devil as evil. By merging these two notions, the album embarks on a journey to discover links between other seemingly contradictory elements, like chaos and order, ritual and carnivalism, reason and absurdity, and life and death, among others. It’s a kind of mystical journey inwards of one’s mind with the archetype of the Devil as a one kind of spiritual guide and which deals with the duality and the paradoxical nature of reality both lyrically and musically. Among the other things. I think it’s better to introduce oneself to the album itself.
Q: Can you elaborate the musical side too?
A: When making this album, my intention was to musically illustrate the connections between elements typically seen as opposites. I sought this subtle path that brings together sadness and anger, love and hate—the so-called emotional opposites—and to translate these themes into music that enhances the album’s overall narrative. I found lots of inspiration in religious hymns, church music, and Finnish traditional songs actually which I combined to our style of rocking Industrial Metal & Death Metal Disco, which I felt to be crucial for unlocking the album’s musical body because many of them deal with lots of melancholic and dark existential themes with certain uplifting, optimistic and wistful outlook. I felt that this was quite nice match with this contrast combining and paradox embracing theme of this album. This album also includes strong symphonic and avant-garde influences, which I wanted to fuse with a rock ’n’ roll energy to deepen the contrasts even further.
Q: This time around, a lyrics book is also being released. What can you tell me about that?
A: Exactly! Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time considering the thematic and lyrical aspects of this band. The artistic and philosophical elements of this album, which connect across King Satan‘s entire discography, were a major reason the record label decided to publish a full lyric book titled The Devil’s Evangelion and the Law of Chaos. This hardcover edition will include all the lyrics from King Satan, as well as excerpts from interviews conducted over the years. With music now mainly being streamed, fewer people are purchasing physical CDs or vinyl—where the lyrics would typically be found—so this lyric book offers a way for listeners to engage more deeply with our material. It’s also designed to stand on its own as a complete lyrical work, with added content for those who want to dive into the world of King Satan.
Q: King Satan isn’t (yet) mainstream band or anything like that but you guys seem to have built quite a following already around Europe, especially in Finland there seem to be a bit of a cult following already. What can you tell me about that?
A: I’m not sure what I could tell about that, hah. Of course we are aware our controversial effect, but it still very of surreal to see the size of the impact we are having, despite the fact that we are not a mainstream band at all, and never been involved with big record labels, even there has been negotiations with couple which eventually did not finalize itself for various reasons. But it’s overwhelming really, but in really nice way of course. It seems that once you encounter with our work, you either fall in love with us, or begin to hate us. There’s no in-between there it seems. And the dialogue of these both sides seemingly work in favor of getting our name out there in the places beyond our expectations, like touring in Europe, music charts in Finland and Germany, big festivals and so on. In Finland our following is the most intense of course as here we have operated the longest, being a Finnish band and all, but I really have no proper words of enough appreciation or some kind of profound joy for the people who are taking King Satan tattoos, or ask me to be a minister on their weddings, and let me know how King Satan’s music helped them through difficult times, prevented them to make suicide or changed their way of thinking. I still cannot digest the magnitude of this really, because it never occurred to me that our work could have same kind of impact on somebody I have had from some of my favourite artists but maybe this is the reason also why we have some solid followership. Trust the ones who seek the truth, but run away from those who claim to have found it.
Q: You will start an album release tour in November 2024 which includes own headlining shows in Finland, and supporting Finnish Turmion Kätilöt in mainland Europe after in January 2025. How has the tour been going and what can we except in European tour dates?
A: Yes, that is correct. Three Finnish shows behind us now, and four to go here in Finland, and we are supported by fantastic acts The Abbey, Miseria Ultima, Sortaja and Praecidsiti here. And the shows have been amazing! It has been incredible to finally play these new songs on live too and the feedback has been overwhelming. And yeah, in January we will join Turmion Kätilöt’s Reset Tour European Dates as a support, and we couldn’t be more excited! Except death metal disco and Industrial Metal anarchy to the max!
Q: In 2023 you toured in Europe and UK supporting Norwegian industrial metal legends Gothminister. You also toured with Deathstars and Priest in Finland before that, switching from tour to another? How did this happen? And how were these experiences?
A: Both were really amazing experiences. Whole 2023 meant so much for us in all frontiers, because the years 2020-2022 touring was almost impossible because of the pandemics and the related effects, and our last European tour was in 2018 promoting the debut. We were supposed to go support Die Krupps in 2020 and 2022 but both tours were cancelled because of the covid related effects, and actually in 2022 we were supposed to join to support Deathstars as well to the European tour as well, but it got cancelled even before it was announced from our part. But then Gothminister himself called me to have King Satan supporting Gothminister on Pandemonium tour in 2023, which we happily agreed, because I had been listening that band since my teens, so it was a great honor. And Deathstars announced a new tour with Priest right after offering us the support slot again, but since we already engaged with Gothminister and the tours happening at the same time everywhere else except in Finland, we joined only to their Finnish shows, and continued from there with Gothminister. Deathstars and Priest guys were superb people and we had so much fun on those days, and Gothminister tour brought us so much new great fans around the Europe and UK that it still gives chill to look back those shows. We got a long very well on the tour and after that as well, and proud to call them and their tour crew friends these days. You can actually watch a tour diary videos from the 2018 and 2023 tours from our YouTube channel:
2023 tour diary: https://youtu.be/RnAZ2Ypv5co?si=L3kE5DoadsXPnZ3a
2018 tour diary: https://youtu.be/YHMUQKHJ4KQ?si=FXnSYYO2L3DA12F3
Q: You have very provocative image, have you been ever canceled or have there ever been cancel tryouts for your shows?
A: We have never been cancelled actually, but because of our image and message it is a bit surprising. We get tons of hate mail from religious groups though, and so does our agents, so there has been several tryouts which did not lead to anything, and I’m glad. But there has been several cases when a promoter, booker or a local venue refused to book us or have any co-operation with us because of this. In our 2018 European tour our then booking agent had especially difficulties with this regarding places where Christian fundamentalism is stronger than here in the Nordics. Best replies he got were like ”This is a Good Christian business, so King Satan is not welcomed here” and ”We will warn the other venues about you in the area, this is a Good Christian area”.
Q: I have noticed that there are lots of wild rumors, gossip and speculations about your persona spreading around. Mainly about your beliefs, if you are joking or not, if you are a member of which Satanist or Occult organization. But also about more secular things, like your relationships. Are you aware of this? Do you want to comment?
A: I’m aware of some of these, yes. Like they say, I guess it comes with the territory. My friends, people I work with or other associates usually keeps me updated of some of these, especially of the most funny ones, like some non-sense relationship rumors or how I am behind the scenes, and the things which even contradicts each other. But this would be the simple answer, because people like to gossip about things they are interested in either in positive or negative manner. I have said it in the interviews before, that as ’Satan’ or the archetype of the Devil is so loaded concept and character having probably almost as many interpretations as there are people, so it will always be a mirror of projection for people, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that people speculate about my ideological associations to Satanic Organizations. Especially when I have never admitted nor denied those anymore after my early 20’s associations which I have not been part of over a decade. I made then a decision not to become a public face or spokesperson to any organizations if I ever chose to associate with any organizations, but let my own thoughts and my own music, lyrics and art be my message, which role is to inspire and challenge people to find their own truths, and think for themselves, and therefore not to dictate what to think or what to do. I’m pretty open with my views and influences actually in all of my interviews (which you can go read from King Satan’s websites if you want: https://www.kingsatan.net/media – just scroll down) , which is why I find it a bit ironic that still people want to speculate about them so much, heh. But that’s a human nature for you, the things which are not known, will be always a source of projection, imagination & wild speculation.
Q: Your early 20’s associations you refer to here, you mean Azazelin Tähti? (An Occult Society founded by Finnish occult author Johannes Nefastos). Fans of your old band, Saturnian Mist, might know this association better, but King Satan fans might not, so do you want to tell us about that?
A: That is correct. But I never really wanted it to public knowledge, but back then it didn’t stay as a secret. And when it became known, it became kind of a burden eventually for various reasons. Like I said in the earlier answer, that when I did quit Azazelin Tähti back in 2013, I made then a decision not to become a public face or spokesperson to any organizations if I ever chose to associate with any organizations, but let my own thoughts and my own music, lyrics and art be my public message I can comment about and talk about at length. But since this thing got out, and there has been some false rumors about it spreading around, I once in a while feel a need to address these things. To understand this time in my life, one must understand that obviously I’m not going to share the Society’s secrets I sworn not to share, but there are some things I can of course speak of. But since this is closely related to the rumors and gossip question of yours, and since there has been on-going rumors regarding this, I will elaborate now. I can tell you that I was 19 when I joined Azazelin Tähti, mostly because my friends who were already members encouraged me to do so, even though I didn’t fully align with all of Azazelin Tähti’s ideology. What drew me in was a shared interest in Satanism and Left Hand Path Occultism, and people who shared these interests. There was always a bit of tension between my views and the group’s, but we found ways to coexist and even support each other’s spiritual growth, which in retrospectively was very progressive thing. I’ve never been one to take things on faith alone—I needed to experiment, to explore, and to decide on my own terms what each insight meant for me, and I opened lots of initiatives, projects and even regional lodge there. Somehow, I ended up leading the two of the order’s esoteric branches, the Red and Black aspects, which Johannes Nefastos later detailed in his book, Polkujen Kirjat. During that time, I worked closely with Johannes, who encouraged me to trust my strengths. Ironically, that self-trust is what eventually led me to step away from Azazelin Tähti, which he too fully understood. By late 2012, ideological differences—things that were minor at first—had become more restrictive, and I realized I had to follow my own path fully. I still hold great respect for Johannes Nefastos’ philosophy, and there’s absolutely no bad blood between us; in fact, it’s quite the opposite, despite the rumors. But I needed the freedom to explore the Left Hand Path as my instincts guided me, with my own « mad scientist » approach to artistry and music. My decision to leave was sealed when Johannes suggested I take on a more public role representing Azazelin Tähti, likely because of my somewhat energetic personality. But that moment made me see that I couldn’t represent the organization authentically; I simply didn’t agree with all of its teachings. Surreal to think about that I was only 23 year old then, much younger than basically everyone there.
Q: What were these ideological differences? Did your Azazelin Tähti years influence King Satan?
A: If someone is familiar with their philosophy and mine, this is no brainer I think, but those who are not, this is when I promote the upcoming lyrical book The Devil’s Evangelion and the Law of Chaos where are lots of bonus material gathered, so that someone interested in these things can familiarize oneself to my lyrics and interviews through one book, so it’s better to form a one picture about all this. And as those years influenced me and my world view for sure a lot, it did influence to King Satan project indirectly as well naturally. One thing Azazelin Tähti and Johannes Nefastos does, is that they want to so called Left hand path and Right hand path -methods from the world of occultism, which synthesis seeking attitude when it comes to the things seen often as their opposites, influenced me quite deeply, and which is of course one of the themes of ’The Devil’s Evangelion’ but with a focus in other opposites mainly.
Q: So what about the joking or not questions? What role humor has it in your works and how serious you take yourself in the end?
A: I don’t see humor and being serious contradicting each other. They can even empower each other. Humor is an essential part of what we do. I like to think of it as the sugar that helps the poison go down. And our humor is quite absurdistic and carnivalesque kind, like it’s described: Carnivalesque is a literary mode that subverts and liberates the assumptions of the dominant style or atmosphere through humor and chaos. Art is a space to be free—to laugh at yourself, the world, and even the devil. That’s why you’ll see satire, irony, and even outright trolling in our music and performances. But the humor is never there to undermine the meaning; it’s there to challenge people to think while they’re entertained. I guess you could say I take my work very seriously but not my ego. This whole trickster -aspect here is yet another combining the opposites and becoming one via paradoxes, because the themes I’m dealing with are quite heavy and dark philosophical and existential themes, involving Satanism, Misanthropy and so on. This topic too, is covered at length at my lyrical book The Devil’s Evangelion and the Law of Chaos.
Q: People speculate your political views a lot too? I have seen some wild speculations which even contradicts each other. Is there any political message within King Satan?
A: Yeah, we’ve encountered these speculations, and they’re often quite contradictory. And its always coming from the people who do not bother to find out what we deal with, and of those half the people seem to perceive us through their fears, and the other half through their hopes—sometimes from completely opposite ends of the political spectrum. We’ve been called everything from extreme right to extreme left, and if it’s not clear at this point already, we are neither. This speaks to a broader issue in today’s climate of radical polarization, where people forget there’s more to the world than extreme opposites. These accusations usually come from people who have no idea what we represent—or who don’t bother to find out—and instead project their own prejudices onto us because it’s easier for them. I think this reaction has a lot to do with the archetype of the Devil, which we use heavily in our imagery and themes. The Devil often acts as a shadow for people’s beliefs. If someone is at peace with their shadow, they see us as they see themselves. But if they aren’t, they see us as they fear, especially because we wave this big banner of Satan above our works. That projection is part of what makes our art so provocative—it forces people to confront parts of themselves they might not want to, even without actually finding out what our works are all about. As for whether there’s a political message in King Satan, I’d say not in the traditional sense, not at all. We’re not here to preach a specific political ideology or fit into any existing framework. King Satan is more about spiritual rebellion and exploring chaos, breaking the dogmas (both spiritual and political) freedom of thought, and individualization, and seeking the truth. If there’s any political element, it’s meta-political—our anti-Christian and anti-religious themes could be seen as a challenge to systems that use religion to influence politics, society, and governments. Christianity, for example, isn’t just a personal belief system; it’s also a force that seeks to shape laws and culture. Opposing that kind of infiltration could be seen as political, but our primary focus is spiritual. We do not have problems with spirituality, on contrary, but religions are whole another topic, which are most often politicized versions of spirituality. At the end of the day, our work is more idealistic, and about awakening individuality and embracing the darker, chaotic sides of existence with progressive manner, that most people avoid. Especially the albums like Occult Spiritual Anarchy and The Devil’s Evangelion embody this philosophy. The former isn’t about political anarchy but spiritual anarchy—breaking free from dogmas and seeking truth in the unknown. And the Devil’s Evangelion I spoke already above, which could be seen being about true individualization and self-discovery from the all things chaotic and dark.
Q: Back to the album. You have done a colab with Austrian Nachtmahr. How did this came to be, and what can you tell me about Chaos Forever Now?
A: I’ve always been a fan of Nachtmahr, especially their unapologetic attitude when dealing with controversies—it’s been hugely inspiring for us, having faced our fair share of them as well. Before the COVID era, we were invited to open for Nachtmahr on a few shows, and we jumped at the opportunity without hesitation. From the very beginning, we clicked both on stage and off, and we’ve stayed in touch ever since. In fact, I’ve had the chance to guest as a vocalist during their live shows after that tour. One particularly wild afterparty led to me inviting Thomas Rainer to guest as a vocalist and Vrolok LaVey to contribute vocals and play contra bass for The Devil’s Evangelion. They agreed without a second thought! Their contributions on the track Chaos Forever Now added the exact multi-voiced chaos the song demanded, and we couldn’t be more grateful for their involvement. Vrolok LaVey also played double bass on the album’s final track, Epilogue – The Phoenix Song, which brought an incredibly organic element to its overall expression. It was an absolute honor to collaborate with them. »
Q: The Devil’s Evangelion is now released. What are your hopes and expectations from now on?
A: Focusing on the album release tour of course now to promote the album. Hope to meet lots of old and new listeners, and spread the gospel of King Satan!
Q: You won music video awards and got nominations in music video festivals with your New Aeon Gospel music video, making you an award winning metal act. What can you tell me about that?
A: Still processing it actually. This was a first time our music videos were sent to festivals outside of Finland, and New Aeon Gospel indeed won the ’Best music video’ I won the ’Best Music Video Director’ award in Sweden Film Festivals July 2024, and New Aeon Gospel was nominated in New York International Film Festival also in July 2024 in the category of ’Best Music Video’ and was one of the 4 finalists, but didn’t win. Huge honor nevertheless. And they will announce real soon more nominations and honorable mentions in other festivals which takes place in 2025. I don’t know exactly what to tell about this or how to feel about it, but that it’s of course nice that our works are recognized in these circles, and that my director style has been as well recognized. I would be doing the same things regardless of the recognition though, heh, but still, it means quite nice still and I appreciate it a lot.
Q: Any last words?
A: Thanks for the interview!
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