by Niklas Göransson

As the world blurred through sleepless eyes, Neill Jameson entered a fevered period of creation. With insomnia gnawing at his sanity, Krieg plunged into its most restless chapter — driven by the frantic compulsion of a mind denied escape.

 

NEILL JAMESON: At the New Jersey Metal Meltdown in ‘99, some distro had a stack of obscure Finnish releases for sale, including PEST’s first demo, the WARLOGHE tape and seven-inch, and AZAGHAL’s “Harmagedon” EP. I bought everything. All three bands blew my mind, so I reached out to express my appreciation.

After writing to PEST, Neill heard back from its driving force, Werwolf. By then, the band had dissolved, and he’d shifted focus to his new project, SATANIC WARMASTER.

NEILL: When KRIEG toured Europe in 2001, SATANIC WARMASTER’s “Strength & Honour” had just come out. Andrew (Akhenaten) and I played the fuck out of that record – it was the first thing in years to truly capture the “Carpathian Wolves” (GRAVELAND) vibe. Clearly, Lauri (Werwolf) understood the essence of the old Polish sound.

In early 2003, Blood, Fire, Death and Vinland Winds co-released “Hail the Black Metal Wolves of Belial”, a compilation featuring PEST’s entire back catalogue. By that point, SATANIC WARMASTER had released their second album, “Opferblut”, through German underground label No Colours Records.

NEILL: After the PEST compilation, we kept in touch occasionally. The idea for a split EP came from Steffen at No Colours, and it seemed a perfect fit. I loved everything Lauri was doing, so KRIEG and SATANIC WARMASTER felt like a strong pairing.

Darkland Records released the split seven-inch in April 2003. KRIEG contributed “The Sick Winds Stir the Cold Dawn” from “Songs for Resistance”, a demo recorded the previous August.

 

The Finnish connection extended beyond SATANIC WARMASTER. In June 2003, immediately following the West Coast War Machine tour, KRIEG recorded two new tracks for a split with AZAGHAL. Although an official line-up had been announced just six months earlier, neither Akhenaten nor Steve MetalKommand took part.

NEILL: At that time, nothing I planned ever seemed to stick – I changed my mind constantly, which has always been an issue. Besides, flying the guys over from Germany just to record a few songs wasn’t realistic. I’d used the NOCTUARY members for a tour, and by the end of it, we decided to track some of the new material I’d been working on.

The new songs resembled those recorded in March during the Eastern European Domination tour – strongly influenced by BEHERIT, MORTUARY DRAPE, and ARCHGOAT – but with a heavier death metal twist.

NEILL: The recording setup played a big role in shaping the sound. We tracked it in a rehearsal space, then transferred everything from four-track tape to a studio, which gave it a harsher, more low-end tone. Actually, we recorded three songs – two for the AZAGHAL split and, I believe, one intended for a NUNSLAUGHTER split.

At the time, KRIEG had been approached by German label Deathstrike Records about appearing on a split with Cleveland-based death metal veterans NUNSLAUGHTER .

NEILL: Getting to do a split with NUNSLAUGHTER was a huge deal – an incredible honour. I’d covered them on “Sono…” and was actually listening to their “Power of Darkness” demo when I had my first car accident, so they’ve always held a special place in my heart.

Someone recently remarked to me that being featured alongside a legendary band like NUNSLAUGHTER would’ve been a bigger honour if they hadn’t been on a ‘mission to release splits with every fucking band in existence’.

NEILL: <laughs> A lot of those splits ended up getting repressed again and again. Ours hasn’t, and I don’t think the G.B.K. or CRUCIFIER ones have either – but yeah, for a while, they really flooded the market. Sometimes, it felt like the bands NUNSLAUGHTER collaborated with outshined them simply because they were pumping out songs at such a relentless pace.

 

In a Final Solution interview from around this time, Neill described being in an intensely creative period, noting, ‘I don’t sleep too often anymore.’

NEILL: I’m sure a doctor or therapist looking back would call that the onset of ADHD. Something chemical definitely shifted, but it wasn’t drug-induced – I hadn’t started abusing anything yet. At the time, I struggled with sleeplessness, which is its own kind of hell. Similarly to the nightmares I described earlier, it feels like your body is attacking itself.

Can you describe the experience of long-term insomnia?

NEILL: It’s a constant, overwhelming need to sleep – but you can’t. Over time, everything breaks down physically, mentally, and emotionally. Sleep typically offers an escape from the trauma of the world, so losing that door traps you in reality. That’s when the really dark ideas start creeping in.

Do you see a correlation between your mental well-being and the quality of KRIEG material produced concurrently?

NEILL: I don’t think it shaped the music as much as the people I surrounded myself with. Being around incredibly talented, creative individuals had the greatest impact – they taught me a lot and pushed me to take artistic risks. Lyrically, though, my mental state absolutely defined KRIEG. Hence why the band always stayed in that autobiographical, mental illness-driven space.

 

In July 2003, KRIEG performed at Blitzkrieg Festival in Aurora, Illinois – a stacked underground billing featuring GRAND BELIAL’S KEY, INQUISITION, and NUNSLAUGHTER.

NEILL: Back then, Chicago was still the metal capital of the US, so shows there consistently drew strong crowds. Blitzkrieg Festival brought together influential bands from various regions, just like Sacrifice of the Nazarene Child or the New Jersey festivals organised by Kyle Powell.

Blitzkrieg Festival was put together by NACHTMYSTIUM frontman Blake Judd, operating under the Battle Kommand Records moniker. At that time, the label’s only release was KRIEG’s “Songs for Resistance” demo, recorded the previous August with Judd on bass.

NEILL: Blake did a great job pulling it all together. Besides running the event, he played sets with both KRIEG and NACHTMYSTIUM, all while making sure everyone got paid and taken care of. I think he walked away proud – but also completely over the idea of ever doing it again. Assembling that many bands, especially for your first fest, is insanely stressful.

KRIEG’s final show of 2003 took place in Bordeaux, France, organised by Battlesk’rs Productions. The offer stemmed directly from the bond Neill forged with MERRIMACK during the Eastern European Domination tour earlier that year.

For the first time, he brought over his US line-up – then consisting of Joe from Regimental Records on drums as well as NOCTUARY’s Joe Van Fossen and Steve Nelson on guitar and bass.

NEILL: KRIEG had never played France before, so this provided the perfect opportunity. At the time, our strongest fanbases were in Belgium, France, and Germany, so in a way, it almost felt like a hometown show. Incredible billing, too – MALICIOUS SECRETS performed, with Willie (Meyhna’ch/MÜTIILATION) still in the band. Seeing him in person for the first time was unreal.

 

Meanwhile, Neill had Blood, Fire, Death – now a sub-label of Red Stream – up and running, releasing five titles in 2003.

NEILL: The idea behind Blood, Fire, Death came down to one simple motivation: if I found something fascinating – music I wanted for myself and believed others should hear – I’d back it, regardless of financial sense. To me, that’s the best reason to run a label.

That year, DEBAUCHERY – Akhenaten’s first post-JUDAS ISCARIOT project – released their debut EP, “Dead Scream Symphony”, through Blood, Fire, Death.

NEILL: It’s hard to pick a favourite, but if I had to, “Dead Scream Symphony” would probably be it. I handled the CD version while End All Life released the vinyl. DEBAUCHERY shared similarities with JUDAS ISCARIOT but incorporated samples and death metal-style vocals – almost like the first SARCOPHAGUS album. It’s just a deeply evocative, powerful record.

Alongside DEBAUCHERY, Akhenaten had a black metal project called DESOLATION HYMN with KATHARSIS drummer M.K. In 2003, Blood, Fire, Death issued their first official release, a seven-inch titled “Purgatory Despairing”.

NEILL: They’d recorded a demo the year before, limited to thirteen copies, each bearing the recipient’s name. At some point, it leaked – meaning one of the other twelve people was a piece of shit. When they decided to do another recording, I immediately offered to release it.

Neill had also established a working relationship with Belgian black metal eccentrics LUGUBRUM, reissuing their 1999 album, “De Totem”.

NEILL: I reached out to LUGUBRUM because I was obsessed with “De Totem” but couldn’t track down a copy – I only had a dubbed tape someone made for me. At the time, their original label had shut down, and I wanted to reissue it. They agreed and then ended up sending me new material, so I signed them.

2003 also saw DEMONCY return with “Empire of the Fallen Angel”, their first release since “Joined in Darkness” and “Within the Sylvan Realms of Frost”. Both came out in 1999, although “Joined in Darkness” was recorded in ‘95, and the other a year later.

Notably, whereas “Joined in Darkness” had been entirely written, performed, and engineered by DEMONCY founder Ixithra, the second album marked a shift toward a full line-up.

NEILL: “Joined in Darkness” is one of the greatest black metal albums ever made – not just from America, but period. DEMONCY’s ‘93 demo, “Faustian Dawn”, and “…Sylvan Realms of Frost” were also unique and essential, so there was a lot of excitement around the band. Unfortunately, “Empire of the Fallen Angel” didn’t quite live up to expectations.

The general consensus was that “Empire of the Fallen Angel” lacked the dark, oppressive atmosphere of “Joined in Darkness”, leaning instead into predictable songwriting and uninspired riffs.

NEILL: Their music sounded far more melodic and generic, and the lyrics lacked the same depth. I remember feeling let down when I received the master; it came as a bit of a shock. And I know Robert (Ixithra) felt the same way – you can hear that reflected in the quality of everything he’s put out since.

 

In the spring of 2004, ANTAEUS and KRIEG played together in New York City. Considering both bands’ notorious bad luck with travelling and performing live, the pairing alone sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

NEILL: Let’s see… our bassist never showed up. The venue had to close early because a lesbian dance night was booked immediately after, forcing every band to rush through their sets. Oh, and my car got towed, so whatever money I made that night went straight into retrieving it.

In a 2024 Bardo Methodology feature, Jef ‘Wrest’ Whitehead of LEVIATHAN recalled meeting both Neill and Blake Judd at this show.

NEILL: Chris from Hayward Productions approached me and said, ‘Hey, Wrest from LEVIATHAN wants to meet you.’ Jef had sent a CD-R package to Blood, Fire, Death shortly after I’d released “Nocturnal Poisoning” (XASTHUR). In hindsight, I should’ve jumped on it, but I figured having XASTHUR already covered that ground.

Instead, LEVIATHAN was picked up by Moribund Records – soon becoming the label’s best-selling band, garnering worldwide renown with its debut album, “The Tenth Sub Level of Suicide”.

NEILL: Blake and I went to meet Jef, who turned out to be a tall, scary dude. Quiet, reserved. Just standing off in some dark corner, watching. By then, I’d been around long enough for nothing to really intimidate me – I’d seen all kinds of people. But that was one of those moments where I thought, ‘Oh, this guy is the real deal.’

 

Well over a year after its recording, Red Stream and Darkland Records released KRIEG’s “The Black House” in March 2004.

NEILL: The response blew me away. It landed incredibly well critically and marked the first KRIEG coverage in bigger magazines – my introduction to the industry side of things. It was a significant moment that really propelled the band. And I let it… I don’t wanna say seriously affect me, but yeah, I definitely let it go to my head.