by Niklas Göransson

With the line-up in place, Negative Plane moved their operations to the swamplands outside Orlando. In isolation, fuelled by obsessive focus and a convergence of influences, the debut album began taking shape.

NAMELESS VOID: In September 2004, Matthias and I moved into a house outside Orlando. We set up all our music gear in the living room so I could just switch on an amp and start playing. Aside from studying and whatever part-time job I had, that’s pretty much all we did. This place was on a big, five-acre property but cost next to nothing.

BESTIAL DEVOTION: I don’t know the details, but I believe the house was a crime scene before we lived there. I remember Ed and I checking it out before moving in; the doorframes and such had all these marks from fingerprint dust, and the carpets were covered in stains.

Earlier that year, NEGATIVE PLANE solidified its core line-up: Nameless Void on strings and vocals, Bestial Devotion on drums.

As they brought Nameless Void’s compositions to life, the sound was shaped by this meeting of two distinct musical personalities. Their influences began to merge, combining the traditional metal of MERCYFUL FATE and BLACK SABBATH with the obscure black metal of MARTYRIUM, MORTUARY DRAPE, MASTER’S HAMMER, and ROOT.

Layered atop this foundation was a heavy dose of what can only be described as ‘Mike Browning death metal’ – the raw, chaotic energy of MORBID ANGEL’s “Abominations of Desolation”, INCUBUS, and the NOCTURNUS demos.

BESTIAL DEVOTION: That sounds about right. Was it calculated? I don’t think so, but those influences are spot on. However, we were equally obsessed with a lot of doomy shit, like PENTAGRAM – if you count them – and SAMAEL’s “Worship Him”. “Epicus Doomicus Metallicus” (CANDLEMASS) is one of my all-time favourites. And, of course, WITCHFINDER GENERAL.

 

NAMELESS VOID: I remember showing Matthias the opening for “A Church in Ruin” – the verse riff and the chorus – and he said it reminded him of WITCHFINDER GENERAL. I thought that was the coolest thing: ‘Good, so it doesn’t sound typical.’

BESTIAL DEVOTION: Admittedly, I don’t really think it sounds like WITCHFINDER GENERAL – but at the time, they felt like the closest comparison. I also recall saying that the shitty keyboard drumming reminded me of “Show No Mercy” (SLAYER), with its super cheesy, fake drum sound.

Even before Bestial Devotion joined, Nameless Void had been demoing NEGATIVE PLANE material using keyboard percussion. Earlier in the interview, he gave me a drumming demonstration on his synthesiser.

BESTIAL DEVOTION: Some of the basic ideas for beats came from Ed’s demo versions, but we’d often have to tweak things. You’ve seen how he does it; some of that shit isn’t possible to replicate on a real kit. Nevertheless, I always play to complement the riff or the vocals – whatever makes the song as dramatic as possible.

 

Understanding how the arrangements took shape makes the theatrical elements even more compelling, particularly where Bestial Devotion’s drum patterns appear intricately crafted around the lyrics. “A Church in Ruin” – one of the first songs Nameless Void wrote after the 2002 “Surreality” demo – features incredibly vivid cymbal work on verse lines like, ‘Within these walls the Devil holds mass.’

BESTIAL DEVOTION: NEGATIVE PLANE is a very theatrical band; the songs are epic and dramatic, so I approach the drums accordingly. I try to accentuate every intense moment in the riffs. Actually, you know what? I can tell you exactly where I got that from: the first PAGAN ALTAR album. His drumming is so… I don’t know, it feels like he follows the riffs rather than the other way around.

Formed in 1978, PAGAN ALTAR presented a uniquely atmospheric, theatrical sound, blending traditional heavy metal with an occult aesthetic. Their debut album, “Volume 1”, was recorded in 1982 but remained unreleased until 1998.

BESTIAL DEVOTION: After this, listen to “Judgment of the Dead”; you’ll notice how a lot of his crash hits mimic the vocal lines. It’s choppy but heavy. That section of “A Church in Ruin” was my take on the PAGAN ALTAR style. Bill Ward from BLACK SABBATH does something similar – his drumming is so dramatic, larger-than-life, and almost orchestral.

NAMELESS VOID: BLACK SABBATH influenced the title, though I didn’t realise it at the time – “A Church in Ruin” just came to me subconsciously. A year or two later, I figured out where it might’ve originated. I’d recently discovered some early BLACK SABBATH recordings where “War Pigs” had entirely different lyrics and was called “Walpurgis”.

A 1997 OZZY OSBOURNE compilation, “The Ozzman Cometh”, includes extended versions of “Black Sabbath” and “War Pigs” recorded in 1970. Their shift from the overtly Satanic themes of “Walpurgis” to an anti-war focus reportedly stemmed from concerns that the darker themes would be too controversial for a mainstream audience.

NAMELESS VOID: Instead of ‘Generals gathered in their masses,’ like “War Pigs” goes, the lyrics were: ‘Witches gathered in black masses, bodies burning in red ashes – on the scene a priest appears, head is falling at his knees. On the hill a church in ruin, it’s a scene of evildoing.’ I guess BLACK SABBATH’s label thought, ‘This will get us cancelled here in 1970.’

 

By the late fall of 2004, as NEGATIVE PLANE prepared to record a promo cassette, they were still struggling to find a reliable bass player.

NAMELESS VOID: We technically had one, but he never showed up. I’d have to drive to the payphone close to his house, drop in some quarters, and call him: ‘Are you there? Come on, we’re going to practice.’ This guy was an insanely talented musician – an incredible bass player and a brilliant guitarist – but he just couldn’t be bothered to make the effort.

For a brief period, Vaz from BLACK WITCHERY stepped in on bass.

NAMELESS VOID: Vaz learned a few songs – but in the end, I think he was just too busy to commit, and it kind of fizzled out. By then, BLACK WITCHERY had way more going on than NEGATIVE PLANE did in terms of shows, recognition, and everything else, so we always knew that having him play with us would be a long shot.

Did you write the basslines?

NAMELESS VOID: Yeah. I showed you my keyboard with the drum samples – there’s another setting, number thirty-five, that makes a fretless bass sound. I’d play the basslines on the keyboard and then translate those parts to the actual bass. My approach to this instrument has always been like a lead guitarist; however, I did pick up a bit over time and learned some finger-playing techniques.

 

In autumn 2004, the duo recorded two promotional tracks in their living room: “The Chaos Before the Light” and “Staring into the Abyss”.

NAMELESS VOID: Neither of us had any idea what the hell we were doing. I mean, I told you about Paul, the other drummer – we’d tried recording with him at the start of the year, and it was a miserable disaster. Matthias and I practised a lot to make it work this time.

Earlier in the year, Nameless Void and Bestial Devotion – who handled vocals back then – tried recording a demo with their drummer, Paul, but abandoned the effort halfway through. The second attempt proved far more successful; the sound is actually quite reasonable, considering it was done on a four-tracker.

NAMELESS VOID: Matthias handled the engineering and mixing. He’s got a great ear for that stuff and a much better grasp of recording techniques, EQs, and sound in general than I do – it’s one of his many valuable qualities. Over the years, his input has been a huge help.

Nameless Void has stated that he wrote “The Chaos Before the Light” specifically as the opening track for their debut album. However, the promo begins with “Staring into the Abyss”.

NAMELESS VOID: We always knew “The Chaos Before the Light” would be the album opener, so putting it first on the promo would’ve ruined the impact. Plus, while absolutely a NEGATIVE PLANE track, it doesn’t represent our overall sound as well as “Staring into the Abyss” does. We figured that if someone only gave the promo thirty seconds before shutting it off, they’d get a better sense of us.

I found it interesting that the flange-type vocal effect on “Staring into the Abyss” was already present in the song’s early iteration. Additions of this nature typically happen in the album mixing.

NAMELESS VOID: You mentioned Mike Browning as an influence – that’s exactly where the idea came from. On NOCTURNUS’ “The Science of Horror” demo, in the song “Before Christ / After Death”, the opening vocals use a flanging effect. Matthias and I heard it and thought, ‘Oh, Mike sounds so mean and evil on this. You know what? We should do that!’

Similarly, though not as prominent as the album version, Nameless Void lets his natural voice shine through the snarling – particularly on lines like ‘Reborn is the soul of Satan’.

NAMELESS VOID: Back then, I’d go through phases of listening obsessively to one band for a month straight, analysing every tiny detail – especially if it was a band that I loved but hadn’t fully explored. I fixated on HELLHAMMER at one point, tormenting all my friends with “Triumph of Death” and “Death Fiend”.

Switzerland’s HELLHAMMER, active from 1982 to 1984, pioneered an unrefined yet deeply atmospheric style. Combining crude riffs with a sinister sense of drama, their sound became profoundly influential on underground metal. Frontman Tom G Warrior’s distinctive vocal delivery – half growl, half proclamation – laid the groundwork for his later innovations in CELTIC FROST.

NAMELESS VOID: I couldn’t stop listening to them, and Tom Warrior’s HELLHAMMER-style vocals left a lasting impression, becoming almost ingrained. It occurred to me, ‘What if I try proclaiming these lyrics instead of relying solely on raspy black metal vocals? It might make things more interesting.’ There are plenty of moments in those songs where I think, ‘Yep, that’s definitely a HELLHAMMER thing.’

HELLHAMMER’s influence on Nameless Void extended well beyond vocals – they also shaped his guitar playing. Despite reaching a high level of technical skill, he chose to revisit the primal energy of the band’s demos. By learning their songs, he reconnected with the visceral essence of black metal, integrating it with the advanced techniques he had mastered.

This synthesis is clear in NEGATIVE PLANE’s early material, where old-school influences blend seamlessly with innovation. Nameless Void’s playing pushes beyond traditional black metal conventions, incorporating palm muting, legato techniques, and finger-tapping as a rhythmic tool.

NAMELESS VOID: I wanted to take what I already knew and apply it in a way that enhanced the atmosphere rather than just showing off. I’ve noticed that while black metal focuses heavily on ambience and power, the guitar techniques are often pretty limited. So, I thought, ‘Okay, let’s try some harmonics – either they’re rarely used, or people don’t know how to make them work for this kind of music.’

Can you give an example of how you used them?

NAMELESS VOID: Towards the end of “Staring into the Abyss”, there’s a riff where I combine a regular note with a harmonic, and it accidentally sounds awesome – even though most of the time when I try that, it doesn’t work. My thought was, ‘I’ve learned all these techniques, so why not use them to build atmosphere and create something that’s never been done before?’

 

NEGATIVE PLANE’s “Promotional Cassette” was released in late 2004. An orchestral interlude, “Trance of the Undead” – captured earlier that year on Mike Browning’s church organ – linked the two songs. Notably, the tape credits a ‘J.G.’ as the bass player, even though Nameless Void performed those parts.

NAMELESS VOID: I didn’t want prospective labels to think we were some two-piece that couldn’t pull it off, you know? At the time, everything seemed to be one-man projects or duos. Matthias and I wanted to stand apart and say, ‘Okay, we have a full band.’ Even though we didn’t, really.

How many tapes did you send out?

NAMELESS VOID: As far as I can remember, we probably sent out five to ten copies. Matthias could probably tell you more about that; he worked for Red Stream and had all the right contacts. I just told him, ‘You know this stuff – you handle it.’

BESTIAL DEVOTION: I don’t recall the exact number, but it would’ve been very few because we had to hand-make each copy. I just turned a bunch of CDs around and went, ‘Okay, I think this label still exists.’ One went to Drakkar in France – no idea why, since I don’t like any of their titles. Another was sent to Full Moon Productions because they were from Florida and released the first BLACK WITCHERY album.

NAMELESS VOID: Some of them actually got back to us – which, in retrospect, is better than receiving no response at all, like these days. Sure, sometimes the replies came with snarky comments, but at least they responded. If I’m remembering right, Full Moon said something along the lines of, ‘What the hell is this? You guys need to figure out if you’re playing death or black metal.’

BESTIAL DEVOTION: I just thought, ‘What the fuck are you talking about? Is that how people write songs now? They walk into a rehearsal room and pick a genre? You’ve gotta be kidding me.’ Then again, knowing how I was back then, I probably came off like an asshole in my follow-up emails – ’Hey, did you get our demo? Did you listen?’ They were probably thinking, ‘No, fuck you.’ Honestly, I don’t blame them.

 

As history would show, one of the promos ended up at The Ajna Offensive – an underground label based in rural Oregon. Ajna had recently gained prominence as the official US partner of Norma Evangelium Diaboli and a key player in the burgeoning wave of orthodox black metal. In April 2004, they also published an exclusive interview with DEATHSPELL OMEGA.

NAMELESS VOID: As far as I know, Matthias discovered The Ajna Offensive because they reissued “Anno Domini”, and we were massive TORMENTOR fans. He said, ‘Hey, this label could be interesting and might work out well for us.’ I don’t recall DEATHSPELL OMEGA being part of the conversation at all.

BESTIAL DEVOTION: No, it had nothing to do with orthodox black metal. When I was a teenager, I bought Ajna’s “Anno Domini” picture LP for five bucks or so because nobody wanted it. And then Tyler… <laughs> everyone either wrote back, ‘No thanks, not into it’, or didn’t reply at all. I was genuinely shocked – like, ‘How dare you? NEGATIVE PLANE is the greatest thing ever.’

Jaded by the earlier rejections, Bestial Devotion approached his follow-up communique to The Ajna Offensive with a bit of an edge.

BESTIAL DEVOTION: I wrote Tyler something like, ‘The least you can do is fucking write me back and say you didn’t like it.’ And he responded: ‘Oh no, it’s actually great, and I want to sign NEGATIVE PLANE. But I lost the insert with your contact details and couldn’t get in touch.’ Then he just sent us a pile of money, which was fucking crazy.

What, cash?

BESTIAL DEVOTION: He sent a $2,500 cheque; ‘Here, go record an album.’ I must say, Tyler took a huge chance on NEGATIVE PLANE. Who knew if anyone would even listen to us? We were super-excited about the material, but literally nobody else liked it. I remember once at Red Stream, playing our demo in the living room during some party. Everyone was like, ‘What the hell is this? Turn that shit off.’

NAMELESS VOID: It felt like no one around us understood what we were trying to do. Everybody loved MORTUARY DRAPE, NECROMANTIA, and all that, and I’d think, ‘Hmm, isn’t NEGATIVE PLANE in the same vein?’ But yeah, we got very used to people not giving two shits about us.

BESTIAL DEVOTION: I could never figure it out – everyone listened to those bands, but no one got what we did. MORTUARY DRAPE was huge in our friend group, but when we used clean guitars, they’d say, ‘That’s not heavy.’ I’d respond, ‘But cool bands do that, and you like it!’ Brian and Tyler were the only ones who really understood NEGATIVE PLANE.

Before moving into the house, their friend Brian in nearby Ocala let NEGATIVE PLANE use his trailer for rehearsals.

BESTIAL DEVOTION: Brian always supported us, like, ‘Oh, this shit is great.’ After that, the first person to give us any real positive feedback was Tyler. When I started talking to him on the phone, he had a million things to say about it. ‘Yeah, I totally get what you’re doing.’ I wasn’t used to talking with someone on the same wavelength.

When signing with The Ajna Offensive, NEGATIVE PLANE had nearly a full album’s worth of material. “Death Mass” was the first song Nameless Void wrote after “Surreality”, followed by “The Chaos Before the Light”, “A Church in Ruin”, and “Staring into the Abyss”.

 

By the time of the promo recording, they’d just wrapped up “Advent of the Beast” and were about to start working on “Unhallowed Ground”.

NAMELESS VOID: Tyler had agreed to release our material but said, ‘On the condition that your other songs are as good as the promo.’ At the time, “Unhallowed Ground” felt like the album’s crown jewel. It came together very organically – totally different from how the other songs were written.