by Niklas Göransson

The Pimps of Gennesaret Tour marked the European stage debut of Grand Belial’s Key. With new blood and old convictions, they burned a trail through a continent that had long awaited their arrival.

 

GELAL NECROSODOMY: Our main goal as a band was to reach Europe – not just for the sake of playing, but because it would allow us to travel there. We’d always been poor motherfuckers, and touring meant hosts, transportation, and people guiding us around. It opened doors we never could’ve accessed by ourselves.

Drakkar Productions released the second GRAND BELIAL’S KEY album, “Judeobeast Assassination”, in late 2001. As part of their record deal, the French label had promised to bring the band across the Atlantic.

By then, Gelal had a solid network of European contacts, including Painiac Records from Belgium. Founded one year prior, the label was already working with acts like JUDAS ISCARIOT, KRIEG, HAAT, and LUGUBRUM.

GELAL: Before starting his label, Fred Painiac used to run a mail-order – we were in contact around the same time G.B.K. signed with Wood-Nymph. At some point, he invited us to participate in a split seven-inch. That arrangement predated our Drakkar deal, but Cyril didn’t mind us releasing EPs elsewhere.

In early 2002, GRAND BELIAL’S KEY recorded “Hobo of Aramaic Tongues” – their contribution to the proposed Painiac split with French black metal band CHEMIN DE HAINE – at Abandon All Hope Studios in Pennsylvania.

THE BLACK LOURDE OF CRUCIFIXION: We tracked everything in my attic again, this time with my buddy Jeff (Drottin Bane). He’d been around since the early CRUCIFIER days, co-founded HEARSE, and also played in BLUDGEON. Eventually, Jeff took on engineering duties for our projects. Abandon All Hope was the name of his setup – totally DIY, but it did the job.

GELAL: “Hobo of Aramaic Tongues” came out really good because it sounded so raw, dirty, and primitive. I never cared about gear upgrades; as long as everything was audible, we were perfectly content.

 

After performing at Milwaukee Metalfest in July 2002 – just as GRAND BELIAL’S KEY were gearing up for their first shows in Europe – The Black Lourde had to withdraw from live duties.

THE BLACK LOURDE: I found myself in a rough spot – mainly because my girlfriend at the time kept hassling me. Things weren’t great with my family either, so I ended up pulling back from playing overseas. And on top of that, I couldn’t take time off work for touring. Just a lot of bad shit converging all at once.

How did you feel about Gelal and Demonic going without you?

THE BLACK LOURDE: Whatever they had to do, I understood. I wasn’t pulling my own weight at that point, so I was completely on board with the decision.

GELAL: Huge letdown, but Demonic and I said, ‘Fuck it, we’re going regardless.’ Cazz (The Black Lourde) understood, of course. When I started thinking about substitutes, the main priority was finding a suitable vocalist. Drummers were easier to replace – the frontman needed to fit our profile.

The role went to Grimnir of New York City-based underground label Vinland Winds.

GELAL: Despite not having a car – probably due to a DUI or something – Rich (Grimnir) took a six-hour train ride down to Virginia whenever we needed him. Seeing that level of commitment, I figured, ‘Okay, this could work.’ He sounded like a black metal singer, shared our outlook to some extent, and had an appropriately crazy personality.

Next, they brought in ARGHOSLENT drummer The Gulag.

GELAL: It wasn’t put to him like, ‘Do you wanna officially join GRAND BELIAL’S KEY?’ – more of a temporary arrangement. The Gulag understood it was just a fill-in role, and we saw it the same way.

Did it feel strange playing those songs without The Black Lourde?

DEMONIC: Not at all – and that’s no slight on Cazz. His drumming and vocals were incredible, but having a dedicated frontman made a big difference. As for the drums… I know people have mixed opinions, but I thought The Gulag worked; his approach was cleaner and more consistent. We rehearsed a lot and really locked in.

Were you extra motivated by disastrous sets such as the one at Milwaukee Metalfest?

DEMONIC: Exactly. I didn’t want things falling apart on a European stage. We’d had shows where dumb mistakes happened – and look, I’m not a perfectionist. I like raw, loose music. But if it’s bad enough that you have to stop and restart a song? Unacceptable. My focus was on tightening everything up.

 

The first GRAND BELIAL’S KEY show on European soil took place in Ypres, Belgium, in December 2002. Upon arriving in Brussels, the band members were collected by the local promoter – Fred from Painiac Records.

GELAL: At first, he barely said a word. Then, hesitantly, Fred asked, <Dutch accent> ‘Where is The Black Lourde of Crucifixion?’ <laughs> He’d clearly been scanning our faces and figured out none of us was Cazz. We told him, ‘He couldn’t come.’ You could see the disappointment – Fred had booked G.B.K. mainly to watch Cazz play drums.

DEMONIC: Now that you mention it, I do have a vague recollection of Fred looking a bit bummed out. He had a dry personality and rather limited English, so it was hard to get a clear read. There were also quite a few people who’d hoped to see Der Stürmer; I remember several questions about him.

GELAL: When we got to the venue, the WATAIN members spotted Rich from across the street, calling out, ‘Hey, Richard!’ I’m like, ‘Who the fuck are these guys?’ He said casually, ‘Oh, those are my Swedish friends.’ I realised, ‘Shit, this motherfucker has already been to Europe.’

A friend of mine attended the show. Upon entering the venue, he spotted Gelal and Demonic staring grimly at an annoying drunkard.

GELAL: In America, if someone is that wasted and bumping into people, security immediately removes them. But apparently, being completely fucked-up drunk and obnoxious is normal in Europe. We probably thought the guy was about to get thrown out anyway, given his state, so Demonic just fucking clocked him.

DEMONIC: <laughs> That was me being irresponsible and immature, caught up in the moment. I’d just arrived in Europe, super excited, drinking, getting ready to play – in a really high-energy, enthusiastic mood. Not that it was good behaviour on my part, but I got him pretty hard.

GELAL: Actually, I think Demonic hit him with plastic knuckles – not brass, plastic – but this fucker didn’t even move. He just stood there until someone pulled him away. Then, a couple of hours later, he’s back talking to us again. Who was your friend at the gig?

Christian from End All Life Productions.

GELAL: Oh, he was there? I didn’t know anyone saw that incident. Back then, we were always on the alert for something weird to happen. You never knew who’d be around – informants, or even undercover cops. As for the show, I recall hitting the WATAIN drummer in the head with my guitar because he kept headbanging into my boots <laughs>. I still had his hair stuck in my knobs when I got back home.

 

The following evening, GRAND BELIAL’S KEY headlined Drakkar Hellfest 2002 in Bladel, Holland, alongside label mates such as UNPURE, WATAIN, and CELESTIA.

DEMONIC: Hellfest must’ve been the first event I attended where practically everyone, performers and audience alike, was tied directly to black metal. In the States, we’d done shows alongside KRIEG and other American bands, but the billings were often mixed – death metal and various other styles thrown in. The crowds consisted of whoever happened to turn up.

GELAL: Hellfest had a great underground atmosphere – similar in vibe to the New Jersey festival, but more private and secretive. Once inside, the doors closed, and nothing could be seen or heard outside. I think I spoke to someone from MERRIMACK there. Who else played?

CORPUS CHRISTII, LUGUBRE, NUIT NOIRE, and PERDITOR.

GELAL: I remember the Portuguese guys (CORPUS CHRISTII); we probably traded shirts or something. As for the others, I honestly don’t recall much. At the time, I wasn’t really familiar with WATAIN. I knew of UNPURE because I owned one of their demos. Beyond them, I didn’t meet anyone particularly interesting.

DEMONIC: I wouldn’t call it overwhelming exactly, but it felt intense; meeting people you’d corresponded with, others you’d only heard about, and even some you never knew existed. All of whom grew up on the other side of the world, yet seemed to be on the same wavelength.

 

In the wake of Hellfest, GRAND BELIAL’S KEY embarked on the Pimps of Gennesaret Tour – a modest European run managed and chauffeured by the two brothers behind Dutch event agency and record label Blazing Productions.

DEMONIC: Touring was incredible. Every day, I’d wake up without having to plan a thing – people just took us wherever we needed to be. I met fantastic individuals, enjoyed great food, and visited amazing places. In Italy, we got to spend several days simply hanging out without even playing any shows.

GELAL: It was my first experience touring Europe, so I don’t have anything negative to say. Initially, everything seemed well-organised: Drakkar had rented a van and hired these two drivers… both of whom were fucking clueless – not the faintest idea where to go, constantly taking wrong turns and getting lost. Total confusion.

A similar situation arose ten months earlier, during UNPURE and WATAIN’s Black War Tour – organised by Drakkar and carried out by Blazing Productions. UNPURE’s Kolgrim eventually took over road duties, as the assigned drivers had only held their licences for a few weeks, and, as he put it, ‘did not excel’ at the task.

GELAL: Those two were supposed to take shifts and drive us through the night. But by day two, our drummer had enough and said, ‘Fuck you guys, move over – I’m driving’ and stayed behind the wheel for the remainder of that trip.

DEMONIC: <laughs> Yeah, The Gulag stepped in early. I don’t recall exactly how it happened, but he ended up driving for the rest of the tour.

GELAL: These weirdos were meant to be our tour managers but couldn’t drive, read maps, or follow basic directions. And they dressed fucking bizarrely… trench coats, gothic boots – just really strange. Whenever we went out to eat, I’d ask them, ‘Hey, can you two sit at another table?’

DEMONIC: I didn’t think they were bad guys per se, just young and…  well, a few other things. Actually, this might’ve been another instance where I exhibited slightly more tolerance than Gelal <laughs>. And certainly more so than Richard – he gave them a pretty hard time.

GELAL: Rich tormented those Blazing brothers the entire tour – constant harassment, non-stop. It got bad, man. I did a bit too, but Rich was fucking relentless. Every chance he had, he’d mess with them, trying to provoke a reaction. But they just shrugged it off, like, ‘Uh, okay.’

 

After a performance in Brescia, Italy, the Pimps of Gennesaret Tour brought GRAND BELIAL’S KEY to Germany for shows in Annaberg and Bitterfeld.

DEMONIC: I was really excited about the drive there, particularly seeing the Alps. Unless I’m completely butchering the geography now, I believe our route took us north from Italy through Austria into Germany. I’ve always loved mountains and the outdoors, so I looked forward to the scenery.

Their route did indeed cross the Alps into Germany via Austria – a famously scenic drive, weather permitting.

DEMONIC: Unfortunately, thick fog obscured everything, so we didn’t see a thing. Both German shows were held in essentially abandoned buildings – these massive, derelict structures with an austere, post-industrial feel. It reminded me of a similar location near us, where we did photoshoots for “Triumph of the Hordes”.

The Pimps of Gennesaret Tour concluded at Festung, a classic underground venue in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany. Ryan Marauder from GOSPEL OF THE HORNS summed it up perfectly, describing the place as something straight out of Mad Max 2 – as if bombed during the war and never rebuilt. ‘An industrial wasteland completely taken over by punks and crusties.’

DEMONIC: We met some really hardcore guys at Festung – like the MAGOG crew and a few other hooligan types. These were people not far removed from the fall of East Germany and reunification. They had a very serious vibe. But the atmosphere was excellent – I really enjoyed it.

GELAL: After that Festung gig, Rich never came back to the hotel, despite having a flight from Berlin to New York the following day. No cell phones or anything, so we’re wondering, ‘Where the fuck is this guy?’ Someone suggested, ‘He’s probably still at the club’, which made no sense to us. How could he possibly still be there?

Festung had special rooms furnished with mattresses and sofas, allowing both bands and visitors to stay overnight after the gig.

GELAL: Completely unheard of in America; once the bar closes, that’s it. The staff leaves, and you’re kicked out. Anyway, we drove back and pounded on the door until someone finally opened. Inside, drunk assholes lay passed out all over the floor. I eventually found Rich among them – just gone, totally obliterated. We had to wake him up, ‘Hey, motherfucker, you wanna catch your flight home or what?’

 

When all was said and done, what impressions did you bring back home?

DEMONIC: In most ways, the European scene seemed vastly superior – a completely different dynamic from the States. Outside of Virginia, G.B.K. rarely interacted with other bands. Not out of hostility, we just didn’t feel connected. But in Europe, all of us made many new personal contacts.

GELAL: The alcohol culture certainly stood out. Shit, people in Germany were drinking beer on their way to work at nine in the morning. Didn’t see much drug use, just endless amounts of booze. People also seemed thinner in Europe, and more normal-looking women attended the shows – not the huge fucking heifers you’d see back home.

DEMONIC: It was also the first time we felt like the focal point; many fans had come specifically for GRAND BELIAL’S KEY. Seeing how much it meant to them that we finally made it over after all those years struck a deep chord with me – an impression I still carry from our first tour.

GELAL: Another difference was the absence of law enforcement. Over here, cops always hang around venues, waiting for trouble. But in Europe… man, we didn’t see police or security anywhere. It felt like anything could’ve happened at some of these shows. We did witness several fights – sure, but even drunk people seemed to show mutual respect.

DEMONIC: Across the board – the crowds, music, atmosphere – it was all better in Europe. I also noticed that Europeans often have a quiet, witty cynicism which translates beautifully into conversation. When speaking English, there’s always this subtle, underlying nuance suggesting more beneath the surface.

 

Six months later, in July 2003, the American leg of the Pimps of Gennesaret Tour brought GRAND BELIAL’S KEY to Lakewood, Ohio, for a performance alongside NUNSLAUGHTER and CRUCIFIER.

GELAL: The gig itself was not stellar – but at least it had a strong billing. Cazz returned to the drums for that one. As I mentioned, Richard and The Gulag were temporary fill-ins from the start. However, during that show, Cazz invited Rich up to sing a song with us.