Vocalist Ike Vil and guitarist Antti Litmanen take us through the mysterious world of Babylon Whores, complete with their own singular world-view and warped sense of humor... 

Having lived with the new album for a while now, what are your feelings about it?
IKE: -As always, it's strangely alien yet embarrassingly personal. But it's "King Fear", you know, there's nothing I should want, added or removed that is.

ANTTI: -Yes, it is as complete as it could be in itself, which makes it hard to approach, from this direction I mean. At this point, I am thinking of new runes and tunes. King Fear's past its infancy already, the daemon spawn, roaming the world, not living here anymore...

At what point during the writing and recording process did it become obvious that this album would be 'King Fear'?
I: -Hey, man, your question reveals that you understand something elementary about this process! It was sometime in Spring 1999, all the pieces just suddenly falling into their places in a few different categories, and basically yielding us the embryo of a brown baby homunculus. Sol Niger shines on a pile of shit and the next thing you know, the scatomancers make post haste. Although we even accidentally got a message that it was a "sacred dream that can't be realized." Dunno if it was from Agarthi, from the King of The World.

A: -If it was, I have to confess to being slightly taken by surprise hearing him talk American English. Then again, I suppose there are many forms.

I: -The final mix that, out of our control, fell on the last days of July was a nice one to confirm it all; was an honor and a pleasure to be a part of fulfilling a prophecy under the Dog Star.

Can you tell me a little bit about the cover art for King Fear?  I can't make heads nor tails of it, though it is very interesting to stare at...(kind of hypnotizing......)
I: -Just trusted the power of archetypes and sent Stephen O'Malley the cover motif (originally from Eliphas Levi's Rituel de la Haute Magie  - which I instantly found in analogy with King Fear) and trusted him to follow his intuition. The engravings inside should hopefully provide a cyclical triptych to the themes within.

A: -Stephen's ace. With the information we provided, which served more as a general guideline on how to tap into the wavelength King Fear broadcasts on, than anything overtly specific, I cannot help but be very satisfied at what he came up with. Don't worry about the heads and tails. The head is swallowing the tail already.

Is King Fear available on vinyl (or will it be)?
I: -Not yet - though I would sure love one. I heard there has been some talk with a European company but can't confirm.

How long does it take on average to complete a song from start to finish (assuming there even _is_ an average time)?  Do you tend to follow a similar path each time or does it vary?
I: -Nope...it is more like we are cursed with a shitload (strange that I should have this coprophiliac fixation today!) of prima materia which could develop in any direction whatsoever.

A: -Babylon Whores goes from being eschatological to scatological overnight. I wonder if it goes with that process of taking the aleph out of ameth?

I: -We just let them mold themselves (mostly unconsciously) and it is not until the song's been recorded that it is finished to the point that the homunculi start walking. The, er, shell-life varies from 2-3 months of training to pissing-it-as-you-run in the studio.

A: -Totally true, and not only because of necessity: I guess we could do the decent band thing and take our time with the songs, but that would leave out too much of the adventurous element I crave for in studio to keep it vaguely interesting. I mean, a good studio looks like a cockpit of a spacecraft in the first place with that sea of LEDs, doesn't it? Set the controls for the heart of the sun and don't look back.

I'm a little curious how you came to be signed to Necropolis.  Did they come to you after Misanthropy closed up shop or were you actively seeking out labels?
I: -Uh, can't remember exactly...in any case, it was just that we went into the studio, again, without any knowledge nor care of the publisher, and when we had gotten rough mixes of three songs down, we sent them (along w/ some fumigated sigils) to six or seven places, and from the replies and the following communication, picked Necro as absolutely the most dedicated one, if not the one with the biggest profile (yet). They have surely been worth their word so far - totally supportive, a dream of a company, really.

A: -And in a way, support's all we need, as we don't care in the slightest about fitting in with any particular company of bands.

Can you tell me the reason for Jake leaving the band?
I: -Yeah. It was nothing personal!

So, are Pandemonium Outcasts upset about losing Taneli to you guys?  How is he fitting in?
I: -So far, great. And the Outcasts didn't exactly lose him, he's still with them...

A: -Absolutely. In this age of corroded values and talk being cheap, it is refreshing to see someone being clear with his priorities - Daniel's not being robbed from any band, as long as he can give a 100% effort to Babylon as well, he's in... it's up to him to divide his time.

Do you guys hang out together outside of band activities?  What do you like to do outside of music?
I: -Reading, ritin' & 'rithmetics! We do see each other irregularly but do not actually hold coven meetings or any Babylon Jugend activity. Are all misanthropes & socially square anyway!

A: -Will settle with that!

I've seen some quotes where you were rather critical of your early work.  Do you ever listen to your older work?
I: -Nope! It's er..shit (Here I go again!)

A: -I don't know. Maybe some day.

Just reading a couple of interviews with you, I get the feeling that you are a voracious reader.  Have you done any formal studies or just on your own?
I: -Yah, see above. Currently writing my PHD on the Western concept of the Devil. Somebody kill me if I don't finish it soon.

A: -Went to University, quit, read a formal title in another school, didn't get a job in that profession... a social dropout or a precisely chosen course of life, depending on your point of view, in other words. I don't know if any of that makes any difference. I've always read anyway.

Are you currently reading anything interesting?
I: -Um, yes I am! Not to get me into too much trouble, I also just got this really nice 1968 edition of Jung's Psychology and Alchemy.

A: -I hope to be on Monday, if my friend just can get his hands on Picatrix. I guess I have to learn Latin, then. Sigh.

Your web-site is a little different from the typical band page.  How much input do you have on the band's web-site?
I: -My pal Johnny Vril does it, and I do have some input. It's pretty much how I like it to be; elitist and obscure! Though it must be a pain if you can't get the 1024x768 resolution and the Flash plug-in working....

A: -Works fine on 800x640, actually... I think it is a good source of information, though some of it is old hat already.

How important is Babylon Whores to you?
I: I'm actually such of a nihilist, but I do regard it with as much seriousness as I do myself. In all things, makes it more rewarding to consider yourself a microcosm reaching towards macrocosm...or vice versa....by timeless means of analogy.

A: -It is quite simple really - we don't live for the band, from the band or none of that... Babylon Whores happens to share the same time-space continuum we do, so let's make the most out of it. Or somesuch, I am afraid questions like this don't by their very nature have definite answers.

How much does it matter to you personally to have your work heard by other people?
A: -A lot. Nothing. Something in between. Obviously, doing a record, you at least take a chance someone MIGHT hear it. Step one.

I: -It is just the dilemma of whether there is a sound audible if a tree falls down in the forest and there's no one to hear it. The catch is that the answer is actually more revealing and true than either of the answers, ya know?

Do you have any musical plans outside of Babylon Whores (other projects)?
A: -I do, but it's been there lurking in the shadows all the time... doesn't concern Babylon  Whores in the slightest and since I have an intense dislike for the word 'project' in any case,  let's forget about it.

I: -Nope. Projects suck ass. Well, usually. If I can't do it within Babylon Whores, it might not be worth doing it at all as long as there is a Babylon Whores. There are always pseudonyms, of course. Integration through schizophrenia.

How important is music in general to you?
A: -I love music, but like with everything, I abstain from it when I feel like it - a week or two in the forest goes easily with no need for music, or the world in itself just is music enough.

I:- I actually listen to almost no music at all currently, but it will probably change. One of the greatest means of portraying...things...anyway.

Do you have any other artistic outlets beside music that you enjoy?
I: -Wanted to be an artist when I was younger, but haven't found (even the minimum of) time needed in order to develop, in the last ten years. Mainly due to laziness, I'd say.

A: -I probably draw a little better than I play guitar (ain't sayin' much) but I'm stupid enough to stick with the ax and leave a few other things undone - writing as well... there will be time.

For a not-so-well-traveled American, such as myself, could you give some insight into what Helsinki is like?  What sets it apart from other cities you've visited?  How long have you lived there?
I: -Beautiful in the Summer, ugly and foreboding in the Winter, that's what they say. I've lived here for ten years soon, but don't count myself a citizen...well, there's no other city I'd count myself a citizen of, either, so I guess I'm just not...uh, the citizen type! Citizen Vil, right...I'd basically want to surround myself with things a bit older and more aesthetic than your regular 20th century run-of-the-mill shithouse, and would maybe need to look towards ye Olde Mainland for that kind of a thrill in housing, I guess. The other option would be to head for the woods. There are some 18th-19th century buildings left along w/ a few churches, but most of the city's built after the early 1900's. Some nice parks, a couple of decent watering holes and an OK graveyard in Hietaniemi, that's about it for me.

A: -Helsinki is where I live. It's not home. I don't know if I have one... strange how little I know of anything actually. The center of Helsinki is the typical busy European mediocrity, nothing to write home about, but some parts of the city do have a bit more character. Like here... old buildings, junkies & whores, pubs, more working class but basically it's much more easy going around these blocks anyway.

What is your definition of 'a good day?'
I: -Most definitely - one that starts with waking up! In my studies, I have come to the conclusion that the possibility of shit fucking up is dramatically higher on the days that you start awake!

A: -Usually it's half way good if I am left alone... dunno about the other half. Just like to do my things, that's all.

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions for me!
A: -Take care & all that. Thanks!

I: -Thanks for your interest, man! Quite nice quests as well!