Band Profile - 'Impure Ziggurat'

Impure Ziggurat is a French black/death metal band currently causing a bit of a stir within the depths of metals underground. The band was formed on 21^st December 2012 by CDRK, guitarist, and RM the drummer – a significant date to the band as it was the date of their first rehearsal. Impure Ziggurat’s membership was completed early in 2013 when they were joined by long-time friends, TR (Necroblood) and LDV who also plays in Svart Crown.

The bands intention is creating music that deals with themes such as ancient and forgotten civilisations and occult links between “cyclic global cataclysms and astronomy.” Impure Ziggurat cites their philosophy as being heavily influenced by books which deal with "archeo-astronomy" and alternative history with Graham Hancock’s “Fingerprints of the Gods” and Velikovsky's "Worlds in Collision" stated as being two of many sources for lyrical inspiration. The band feels the world is much older than most think and a global disaster took place around 11,000 BC, wiping out 99% of the world’s population and evolved civilisations at the same time – and they strongly believe this will happen again at some time in the future. They feel this helps explain some of their more cryptic track titles such as “Kalo'smi lokaksayakrt pravrddho” which is Sanskrit for “I am time full-grown, bringing about the world's destruction".

Impure Ziggurat recorded their first demo “Raping the Quantum Womb of the Macrocosm” during the autumn equinox of 2013 in what could be described as “an underground shithole.” The demo tape features four tracks and was released in a limited quantity of 250 by underground Belgian label Magister Dixit. I was fortunate enough to be sent a copy of the tape by the band which is now almost sold out, so if you’re after a copy you may move quickly. The demo lasts almost thirteen minutes and is a good introduction to a very promising new group. Obviously the tracks have a demo production feel to their sound which is murky at times but this only lends itself to the overall feel of the music, fairly relentless underground Death Metal interspersed with occasional samples and quotes. 

I love music that effectively uses samples during tracks and their opening track begins with a sample of a famous speech from scientist Robert Oppenheimer, one of the fathers of the first Atomic bomb – Oppenheimer made a short video after this speech where he detailed his troubled feelings that he had gave birth to a weapon of mass destruction far beyond all that anyone can imagine. The demo features a number of other samples along with their cryptic themed and uncompromising Death Metal – all of which you can hear via Youtube. The demo serves its purpose very well as it is more than adequate to grab our attention and hope for future releases from Impure Ziggurat. To sum up their beliefs Impure Ziggurat told me “For us, science is nothing but a true Luciferian quest, a perpetual search for the truth and spiritual enlightenment. You won't unveil the mysteries of time, of immortality and of the universe by lighting some candles in you room and praising a goat, but by studying quantum physics, biology and hard mathematics".

This is music for both the head bangers & hard thinkers - if you want flat out, relentless underground death metal this ticks your box but if you’re after something with deep and meaningful lyrical themes then you’ve arrived at the right door as well. 

Given slightly improved production and a more formal recording process this band has the potential to bring us some quality music. The good news is they are currently working on a 7” EP release which will hopefully see the light of day very soon and could well be released by Magister Dixit.

Anything using quotation marks during this article is a direct quote from the band as they were kind enough to provide me with plenty of information about both the band and their beliefs – many thanks to Impure Ziggurat for both the demo tape and for their help. A band to most definitely keep on your radar!

Written by Trevor Proctor.

To keep up to date with Impure Ziggurat, check out their Facebook Page.